## The Project Gutenberg eBook of The 2004 CIA World Factbook

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Title: The 2004 CIA World Factbook

Author: United States. Central Intelligence Agency

Release date: December 18, 2008 [eBook #27559]
Most recently updated: October 3, 2025

Language: English

Credits: Produced by Al Haines

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE 2004 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK ***

###### THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK 2004

# CONTENTS

Countries and Locations

Field Listings

Rank Orders

Appendixes

Notes and Definitions

History of The World Factbook

Contributors and Copyright Information

Purchasing Information

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

=====================================================================

What's New

- Country information has been updated as of 10 February, 2005.

- There have been some significant changes to the latest edition of The World Factbook. Recent confirmation that the United Kingdom Government administers the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia on Cyprus as dependencies (and not as lease areas like the US Guantanamo Bay Naval Station in Cuba) has required a changing of their status and their addition to the Factbook as new entities. In addition, the European Union has been included as an "Other" entity at the end of the listing. The European Union continues to accrue more nation-like characteristics for itself and so a separate listing was deemed appropriate. A fuller explanation may be found under the European Union Preliminary statement.

- Along with the new entities and the regular information updates, The World Factbook now also features five new fields. In the Economy category, entries have been added for Current account balance, Investment (gross fixed), Public debt, and Reserves of foreign exchange and gold. The Transnational issues category has a new Refugees and internally displaced persons entry.

- Revision of some individual country maps, first introduced in the 2001 edition, is continued in this edition. Several regional maps have also been updated to reflect boundary changes and place name spelling changes.

The World Factbook 2004 printed version provides a "snapshot" of the world as of 1 January, 2004.

=====================================================================

Country Listing

[Transcriber's note: To search on a country name in this file, prefix the name with "@", e.g. "@Afghanistan". "Afghanistan" will find all occurrences; prefixing it with "@" will find the correct location.]

World

#### A

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

#### B

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

#### C

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

#### D

Denmark
Dhekelia
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic

#### E

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

#### F

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

#### G

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

#### H

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

#### I

Iceland
India
Indian Ocean
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy

#### J

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

#### K

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

#### L

Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg

#### M

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

#### N

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

#### O

Oman

#### P

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

#### Q

Qatar

#### R

Reunion
Romania
Russia
Rwanda

#### S

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

#### T

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

#### U

Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan

#### V

Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands

#### W

Wake Island
Wallis and Futuna
West Bank
Western Sahara

#### Y

Yemen

#### Z

Zambia
Zimbabwe

Taiwan
European Union

=====================================================================

Field Listings

[Transcriber's note: To search on a field code in this file, prefix the code number with "@", e.g. "@2001". "2001" will find all occurrences; prefixing it with "@" will find the correct location.]

Code Field Description

2001 GDP 2002 Population growth rate (%) 2003 GDP - real growth rate (%) 2004 GDP - per capita 2006 Dependency status 2007 Diplomatic representation from the US 2008 Transportation - note 2010 Age structure (%) 2011 Geographic coordinates 2012 GDP - composition by sector (%) 2013 Radio broadcast stations 2015 Television broadcast stations 2018 Sex ratio (male(s)/female) 2019 Heliports 2020 Elevation extremes (m) 2021 Natural hazards 2022 People - note 2023 Area - comparative 2024 Military manpower - military age and obligation (years of age) 2025 Military manpower - fit for military service 2026 Military manpower - reaching military age annually 2028 Background 2030 Airports - with paved runways 2031 Airports - with unpaved runways 2032 Environment - current issues 2033 Environment - international agreements 2034 Military expenditures - percent of GDP (%) 2038 Electricity - production (kWh) 2042 Electricity - consumption (kWh) 2043 Electricity - imports (kWh) 2044 Electricity - exports (kWh) 2045 2046 Population below poverty line (%) 2047 Household income or consumption by percentage share (%) 2048 Labor force - by occupation (%) 2049 Exports - commodities 2050 Exports - partners (%) 2051 Administrative divisions 2052 Agriculture - products 2053 Airports 2054 Birth rate (births/1,000 population) 2055 Military branches 2056 Budget 2057 Capital 2058 Imports - commodities 2059 Climate 2060 Coastline (km) 2061 Imports - partners (%) 2062 Economic aid - donor 2063 Constitution 2064 Economic aid - recipient 2065 Currency 2066 Death rate (deaths/1,000 population) 2067 Military expenditures - dollar figure 2068 Dependent areas 2070 Disputes - international 2075 Ethnic groups (%) 2076 Exchange rates 2077 Executive branch 2078 Exports 2079 Debt - external 2080 Fiscal year 2081 Flag description 2085 Highways (km) 2086 Illicit drugs 2087 Imports 2088 Independence 2089 Industrial production growth rate (%) 2090 Industries 2091 Infant mortality rate (deaths/1,000 live births) 2092 Inflation rate (consumer prices) (%) 2093 Waterways (km) 2094 Judicial branch 2095 Labor force 2096 Land boundaries (km) 2097 Land use (%) 2098 Languages (%) 2100 Legal system 2101 Legislative branch 2102 Life expectancy at birth (years) 2103 Literacy (%) 2105 Military manpower - availability 2106 Maritime claims 2107 International organization participation 2108 Merchant marine 2109 National holiday 2110 Nationality 2111 Natural resources 2112 Net migration rate (migrant(s)/1,000 population) 2113 Geography - note 2115 Political pressure groups and leaders 2116 Economy - overview 2117 Pipelines (km) 2118 Political parties and leaders 2119 Population 2120 Ports and harbors 2121 Railways (km) 2122 Religions (%) 2123 Suffrage 2124 Telephone system 2125 Terrain 2127 Total fertility rate (children born/woman) 2128 Government type 2129 Unemployment rate (%) 2137 Military - note 2138 Communications - note 2140 Government - note 2142 Country name 2144 Location 2145 Map references 2146 Irrigated land (sq km) 2147 Area (sq km) 2149 Diplomatic representation in the US 2150 Telephones - main lines in use 2151 Telephones - mobile cellular 2153 Internet users 2154 Internet country code 2155 HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%) 2156 HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 2157 HIV/AIDS - deaths 2158 Currency code 2172 Distribution of family income - Gini index 2173 Oil - production (bbl/day) 2174 Oil - consumption (bbl/day) 2175 Oil - imports (bbl/day) 2176 Oil - exports (bbl/day) 2177 Median age (years) 2178 Oil - proved reserves (bbl) 2179 Natural gas - proved reserves (cu m) 2180 Natural gas - production (cu m) 2181 Natural gas - consumption (cu m) 2182 Natural gas - imports (cu m) 2183 Natural gas - exports (cu m) 2184 Internet hosts 2185 Investment (gross fixed) (% of GDP) 2186 Public debt (% of GDP) 2187 Current account balance 2188 Reserves of foreign exchange & gold 2194 Refugees and internally displaced persons

======================================================================

Rank Orders

[Transcriber's note: To search on a rank order in this file, prefix the rank's name with "@", e.g. "@Population". "Population" will find all occurrences; prefixing it with "@" will find the correct location.]

Guide to Rank Order Pages

Rank Order pages are presorted lists of data from selected Factbook data fields. Rank Order pages are generally given in descending order - highest to lowest - such as Population and Area. The two exceptions are Unemployment Rate and Inflation Rate, which are in ascending - lowest to highest - order. Rank Order pages are available for the following 40 fields in six of the nine Factbook categories.

Geography

Area - total

People

Population
Birth rate
Death rate
Infant mortality rate
Life expectancy at birth - total
Total fertility rate
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS - deaths

Economy

GDP
GDP - real growth rate
GDP - per capita
Investment, gross fixed
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Labor force
Unemployment rate
Public debt
Industrial production growth rate
Electricity - production
Electricity - consumption
Oil - production
Oil - consumption
Oil - exports
Oil - imports
Oil - proved reserves
Natural Gas - production
Natural Gas - consumption
Natural Gas - exports
Natural Gas - imports
Natural Gas - proved reserves
Current account balance
Exports
Imports
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Debt - external

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use
Telephones - mobile cellular
Internet hosts
Internet users

Transportation

Railways - total
Highways - total

Military

Military expenditures - dollar figure
Military expenditures - percent of GDP

Factbook fields with Rank Order pages are easily identified with a small bar chart icon to the right of the data field title.

Not all Rank Order pages include the same number of entries because information for a particular field is not available for all countries. In addition, not all data fields are suitable for displaying as Rank Order pages, such as those containing textual information. Textual information is more readily viewed by clicking on the Field Listing icon next to the Data field title. The other icon next to the data field title provides the definition of the field.

All of the 'Rank Order' pages can be downloaded as tab-delimited data files and can be opened in other applications such as spreadsheets and databases. To save a Rank Order page in a spreadsheet, first click on the 'Download Datafile' choice above the Rank Order page you selected; then, at the top of your browser window, click on 'File' and 'Save As'. After saving the file, open the spreadsheet, find the saved file, and 'Open' it.

Additional Rank Order pages being considered for future updates of the
Factbook Web site include:

Median age
Literacy
Population below the poverty line
Waterways
Airports

This page was last updated on 9 December, 2004

=====================================================================

Appendixes

Appendix A - Abbreviations

Appendix B - International Organizations and Groups

Appendix C - Selected International Environmental Agreements

Appendix D - Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes

Appendix E - Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes

Appendix F - Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names

======================================================================

Notes and Definitions

Along with the new entities and the regular information updates, The World Factbook now also features six new fields. In the Economy category, entries have been added for Current account balance, Investment (gross fixed), Public debt, and Reserves of foreign exchange and gold. The Transnational issues category has a new Refugees and internally displaced persons entry. Revision of some individual country maps, first introduced in the 2001 edition, is continued in this edition. Several regional maps have also been updated to reflect boundary changes and place name spelling changes.

Abbreviations This information is included in Appendix A: Abbreviations, which includes all abbreviations and acronyms used in the Factbook, with their expansions.

Acronyms An acronym is an abbreviation coined from the initial letter of each successive word in a term or phrase. In general, an acronym made up solely from the first letter of the major words in the expanded form is rendered in all capital letters (NATO from North Atlantic Treaty Organization; an exception would be ASEAN for Association of Southeast Asian Nations). In general, an acronym made up of more than the first letter of the major words in the expanded form is rendered with only an initial capital letter (Comsat from Communications Satellite Corporation; an exception would be NAM from Nonaligned Movement). Hybrid forms are sometimes used to distinguish between initially identical terms (WTO: WTrO for World Trade Organization and WToO for World Tourism Organization.)

Administrative divisions This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first- order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by BGN are noted.

Age structure This entry provides the distribution of the population according to age. Information is included by sex and age group (0-14 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over). The age structure of a population affects a nation's key socioeconomic issues. Countries with young populations (high percentage under age 15) need to invest more in schools, while countries with older populations (high percentage ages 65 and over) need to invest more in the health sector. The age structure can also be used to help predict potential political issues. For example, the rapid growth of a young adult population unable to find employment can lead to unrest.

Agriculture - products This entry is an ordered listing of major crops and products starting with the most important.

Airports This entry gives the total number of airports. The runway(s) may be paved (concrete or asphalt surfaces) or unpaved (grass, dirt, sand, or gravel surfaces), but must be usable. Not all airports have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control.

Airports - with paved runways This entry gives the total number of airports with paved runways (concrete or asphalt surfaces) by length. For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m, (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m, (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m, (4) 914 to 1,523 m, and (5) under 914 m. Only airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all airports have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control.

Airports - with unpaved runways This entry gives the total number of airports with unpaved runways (grass, dirt, sand, or gravel surfaces) by length. For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m, (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m, (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m, (4) 914 to 1,523 m, and (5) under 914 m. Only airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all airports have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Appendixes
This section includes Factbook-related material by topic.

Area This entry includes three subfields. Total area is the sum of all land and water areas delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines. Land area is the aggregate of all surfaces delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines, excluding inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). Water area is the sum of all water surfaces delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines, including inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers).

Area - comparative This entry provides an area comparison based on total area equivalents. Most entities are compared with the entire US or one of the 50 states based on area measurements (1990 revised) provided by the US Bureau of the Census. The smaller entities are compared with Washington, DC (178 sq km, 69 sq mi) or The Mall in Washington, DC (0.59 sq km, 0.23 sq mi, 146 acres).

Background This entry usually highlights major historic events and current issues and may include a statement about one or two key future trends.

Birth rate This entry gives the average annual number of births during a year per 1,000 persons in the population at midyear; also known as crude birth rate. The birth rate is usually the dominant factor in determining the rate of population growth. It depends on both the level of fertility and the age structure of the population.

Budget This entry includes revenues, total expenditures, and capital expenditures. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms

Capital
This entry gives the location of the seat of government.

Climate This entry includes a brief description of typical weather regimes throughout the year.

Coastline This entry gives the total length of the boundary between the land area (including islands) and the sea.

Communications This category deals with the means of exchanging information and includes the telephone, radio, television, and Internet service provider entries.

Communications - note This entry includes miscellaneous communications information of significance not included elsewhere.

Constitution This entry includes the dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments.

Country data codes see Data codes

Country map Most versions of the Factbook provide a country map in color. The maps were produced from the best information available at the time of preparation. Names and/or boundaries may have changed subsequently.

Country name This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.

Crude oil
See entry for oil.

Currency This entry identifies the national medium of exchange and its basic subunit.

Currency code
This entry gives the International Organization for Standardization
(ISO) 4217 alphabetic currency code for each country.

Current account balance This entry records a country's net trade in goods and services, plus net earnings from rents, interest, profits, and dividends, and net transfer payments (such as pension funds and worker remittances) to and from the rest of the world during the period specified.

Data codes This information is presented in Appendix D: Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes and Appendix E: Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes. This appendix includes the US Government approved Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) codes, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) codes, and Internet codes for land entities. The appendix also includes the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) codes, Aeronautical Chart and Information Center (ACIC; now a part of the National Geospatial- Intelligence Agency or NGA) codes, and Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) codes for hydrographic entities. The US Government has not yet approved a standard for hydrographic data codes similar to the FIPS 10- 4 standard for country data codes.

Date of information In general, information available as of 1 January 2004, was used in the preparation of this edition.

Death rate This entry gives the average annual number of deaths during a year per 1,000 population at midyear; also known as crude death rate. The death rate, while only a rough indicator of the mortality situation in a country, accurately indicates the current mortality impact on population growth. This indicator is significantly affected by age distribution, and most countries will eventually show a rise in the overall death rate, in spite of continued decline in mortality at all ages, as declining fertility results in an aging population.

Debt - external This entry gives the total public and private debt owed to nonresidents repayable in foreign currency, goods, or services.

Dependency status This entry describes the formal relationship between a particular nonindependent entity and an independent state.

Dependent areas This entry contains an alphabetical listing of all nonindependent entities associated in some way with a particular independent state.

Diplomatic representation The US Government has diplomatic relations with 186 independent states, including 185 of the 191 UN members (excluded UN members are Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, and the US itself). In addition, the US has diplomatic relations with 1 independent state that is not in the UN - Holy See.

Diplomatic representation in the US This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.

Diplomatic representation from the US This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.

Disputes - international This entry includes a wide variety of situations that range from traditional bilateral boundary disputes to unilateral claims of one sort or another. Information regarding disputes over international terrestrial and maritime boundaries has been reviewed by the US Department of State. References to other situations involving borders or frontiers may also be included, such as resource disputes, geopolitical questions, or irredentist issues; however, inclusion does not necessarily constitute official acceptance or recognition by the US Government.

Distribution of family income - Gini index This index measures the degree of inequality in the distribution of family income in a country. The index is calculated from the Lorenz curve, in which cumulative family income is plotted against the number of families arranged from the poorest to the richest. The index is the ratio of (a) the area between a country's Lorenz curve and the 45 degree helping line to (b) the entire triangular area under the 45 degree line. The more nearly equal a country's income distribution, the closer its Lorenz curve to the 45 degree line and the lower its Gini index, e.g., a Scandinavian country with an index of 25. The more unequal a country's income distribution, the farther its Lorenz curve from the 45 degree line and the higher its Gini index, e.g., a Sub- Saharan country with an index of 50. If income were distributed with perfect equality, the Lorenz curve would coincide with the 45 degree line and the index would be zero; if income were distributed with perfect inequality, the Lorenz curve would coincide with the horizontal axis and the right vertical axis and the index would be 100.

Economic aid - donor This entry refers to net official development assistance (ODA) from Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) nations to developing countries and multilateral organizations. ODA is defined as financial assistance that is concessional in character, has the main objective to promote economic development and welfare of the less developed countries (LDCs), and contains a grant element of at least 25%. The entry does not cover other official flows (OOF) or private flows.

Economic aid - recipient This entry, which is subject to major problems of definition and statistical coverage, refers to the net inflow of Official Development Finance (ODF) to recipient countries. The figure includes assistance from the World Bank, the IMF, and other international organizations and from individual nation donors. Formal commitments of aid are included in the data. Omitted from the data are grants by private organizations. Aid comes in various forms including outright grants and loans. The entry thus is the difference between new inflows and repayments.

Economy This category includes the entries dealing with the size, development, and management of productive resources, i.e., land, labor, and capital.

Economy - overview This entry briefly describes the type of economy, including the degree of market orientation, the level of economic development, the most important natural resources, and the unique areas of specialization. It also characterizes major economic events and policy changes in the most recent 12 months and may include a statement about one or two key future macroeconomic trends.

Electricity - consumption This entry consists of total electricity generated annually plus imports and minus exports, expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.

Electricity - exports
This entry is the total exported electricity in kilowatt-hours.

Electricity - imports
This entry is the total imported electricity in kilowatt-hours.

Electricity - production This entry is the annual electricity generated expressed in kilowatt- hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.

Electricity - production by source This entry states the percentage share of electricity generated from each energy source. These are fossil fuel, hydro, nuclear, and other (solar, geothermal, and wind).

Elevation extremes
This entry includes both the highest point and the lowest point.

Entities Some of the independent states, dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, and governments included in this publication are not independent, and others are not officially recognized by the US Government. "Independent state" refers to a people politically organized into a sovereign state with a definite territory. "Dependencies" and "areas of special sovereignty" refer to a broad category of political entities that are associated in some way with an independent state. "Country" names used in the table of contents or for page headings are usually the short-form names as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names and may include independent states, dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty, or other geographic entities. There are a total of 271 separate geographic entities in The World Factbook that may be categorized as follows:

INDEPENDENT STATES
192 Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor,
Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia,
Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua
New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,
Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe,
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia,
Zimbabwe

OTHER
2 Taiwan, European Union

DEPENDENCIES AND AREAS OF SPECIAL SOVEREIGNTY 6 Australia - Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island 2 China - Hong Kong, Macau 2 Denmark - Faroe Islands, Greenland 16 France - Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands, Guadeloupe, Juan de Nova Island, Martinique, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Reunion, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tromelin Island, Wallis and Futuna 2 Netherlands - Aruba, Netherlands Antilles 3 New Zealand - Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau 3 Norway - Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard 17 UK - Akrotiri, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dhekelia, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands 14 US - American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island

MISCELLANEOUS 6 Antarctica, Gaza Strip, Paracel Islands, Spratly Islands, West Bank, Western Sahara

OTHER ENTITIES
5 oceans - Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Pacific
Ocean, Southern Ocean
1 World
271 total

Environment - current issues This entry lists the most pressing and important environmental problems. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry: acidification - the lowering of soil and water pH due to acid precipitation and deposition usually through precipitation; this process disrupts ecosystem nutrient flows and may kill freshwater fish and plants dependent on more neutral or alkaline conditions (see acid rain). acid rain - characterized as containing harmful levels of sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxide; acid rain is damaging and potentially deadly to the earth's fragile ecosystems; acidity is measured using the pH scale where 7 is neutral, values greater than 7 are considered alkaline, and values below 5.6 are considered acid precipitation; note - a pH of 2.4 (the acidity of vinegar) has been measured in rainfall in New England. aerosol - a collection of airborne particles dispersed in a gas, smoke, or fog. afforestation - converting a bare or agricultural space by planting trees and plants; reforestation involves replanting trees on areas that have been cut or destroyed by fire. asbestos - a naturally occurring soft fibrous mineral commonly used in fireproofing materials and considered to be highly carcinogenic in particulate form. biodiversity - also biological diversity; the relative number of species, diverse in form and function, at the genetic, organism, community, and ecosystem level; loss of biodiversity reduces an ecosystem's ability to recover from natural or man-induced disruption. bio-indicators - a plant or animal species whose presence, abundance, and health reveal the general condition of its habitat. biomass - the total weight or volume of living matter in a given area or volume. carbon cycle - the term used to describe the exchange of carbon (in various forms, e.g., as carbon dioxide) between the atmosphere, ocean, terrestrial biosphere, and geological deposits. catchments - assemblages used to capture and retain rainwater and runoff; an important water management technique in areas with limited freshwater resources, such as Gibraltar. DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane) - a colorless, odorless insecticide that has toxic effects on most animals; the use of DDT was banned in the US in 1972. defoliants - chemicals which cause plants to lose their leaves artificially; often used in agricultural practices for weed control, and may have detrimental impacts on human and ecosystem health. deforestation - the destruction of vast areas of forest (e.g., unsustainable forestry practices, agricultural and range land clearing, and the over exploitation of wood products for use as fuel) without planting new growth. desertification - the spread of desert-like conditions in arid or semi-arid areas, due to overgrazing, loss of agriculturally productive soils, or climate change. dredging - the practice of deepening an existing waterway; also, a technique used for collecting bottom-dwelling marine organisms (e.g., shellfish) or harvesting coral, often causing significant destruction of reef and ocean-floor ecosystems. drift-net fishing - done with a net, miles in extent, that is generally anchored to a boat and left to float with the tide; often results in an over harvesting and waste of large populations of non- commercial marine species (by-catch) by its effect of "sweeping the ocean clean." ecosystems - ecological units comprised of complex communities of organisms and their specific environments. effluents - waste materials, such as smoke, sewage, or industrial waste which are released into the environment, subsequently polluting it. endangered species - a species that is threatened with extinction either by direct hunting or habitat destruction. freshwater - water with very low soluble mineral content; sources include lakes, streams, rivers, glaciers, and underground aquifers. greenhouse gas - a gas that "traps" infrared radiation in the lower atmosphere causing surface warming; water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, hydrofluorocarbons, and ozone are the primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere. groundwater - water sources found below the surface of the earth often in naturally occurring reservoirs in permeable rock strata; the source for wells and natural springs. Highlands Water Project - a series of dams constructed jointly by Lesotho and South Africa to redirect Lesotho's abundant water supply into a rapidly growing area in South Africa; while it is the largest infrastructure project in southern Africa, it is also the most costly and controversial; objections to the project include claims that it forces people from their homes, submerges farmlands, and squanders economic resources. Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) - represents the 145,000 Inuits of Russia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland in international environmental issues; a General Assembly convenes every three years to determine the focus of the ICC; the most current concerns are long-range transport of pollutants, sustainable development, and climate change. metallurgical plants - industries which specialize in the science, technology, and processing of metals; these plants produce highly concentrated and toxic wastes which can contribute to pollution of ground water and air when not properly disposed. noxious substances - injurious, very harmful to living beings. overgrazing - the grazing of animals on plant material faster than it can naturally regrow leading to the permanent loss of plant cover, a common effect of too many animals grazing limited range land. ozone shield - a layer of the atmosphere composed of ozone gas (O3) that resides approximately 25 miles above the Earth's surface and absorbs solar ultraviolet radiation that can be harmful to living organisms. poaching - the illegal killing of animals or fish, a great concern with respect to endangered or threatened species. pollution - the contamination of a healthy environment by man-made waste. potable water - water that is drinkable, safe to be consumed. salination - the process through which fresh (drinkable) water becomes salt (undrinkable) water; hence, desalination is the reverse process; also involves the accumulation of salts in topsoil caused by evaporation of excessive irrigation water, a process that can eventually render soil incapable of supporting crops. siltation - occurs when water channels and reservoirs become clotted with silt and mud, a side effect of deforestation and soil erosion. slash-and-burn agriculture - a rotating cultivation technique in which trees are cut down and burned in order to clear land for temporary agriculture; the land is used until its productivity declines at which point a new plot is selected and the process repeats; this practice is sustainable while population levels are low and time is permitted for regrowth of natural vegetation; conversely, where these conditions do not exist, the practice can have disastrous consequences for the environment . soil degradation - damage to the land's productive capacity because of poor agricultural practices such as the excessive use of pesticides or fertilizers, soil compaction from heavy equipment, or erosion of topsoil, eventually resulting in reduced ability to produce agricultural products. soil erosion - the removal of soil by the action of water or wind, compounded by poor agricultural practices, deforestation, overgrazing, and desertification. ultraviolet (UV) radiation - a portion of the electromagnetic energy emitted by the sun and naturally filtered in the upper atmosphere by the ozone layer; UV radiation can be harmful to living organisms and has been linked to increasing rates of skin cancer in humans. water-born diseases - those in which the bacteria survive in, and is transmitted through, water; always a serious threat in areas with an untreated water supply.

Environment - international agreements This entry separates country participation in international environmental agreements into two levels - party to and signed but not ratified. Agreements are listed in alphabetical order by the abbreviated form of the full name.

Environmental agreements This information is presented in Appendix C: Selected International Environmental Agreements, which includes the name, abbreviation, date opened for signature, date entered into force, objective, and parties by category.

Ethnic groups This entry provides an ordered listing of ethnic groups starting with the largest and normally includes the percent of total population.

Exchange rates This entry provides the official value of a country's monetary unit at a given date or over a given period of time, as expressed in units of local currency per US dollar and as determined by international market forces or official fiat.

Executive branch This entry includes several subfields. Chief of state includes the name and title of the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government. Cabinet includes the official name for this body of high-ranking advisers and the method for selection of members. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote for each candidate in the last election.

Exports This entry provides the total US dollar amount of exports on an f.o.b. (free on board) basis.

Exports - commodities This entry provides a rank ordering of exported products starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.

Exports - partners This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.

Fiscal year This entry identifies the beginning and ending months for a country's accounting period of 12 months, which often is the calendar year but which may begin in any month. All yearly references are for the calendar year (CY) unless indicated as a noncalendar fiscal year (FY).

Flag description This entry provides a written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.

Flag graphic Most versions of the Factbook include a color flag at the beginning of the country profile. The flag graphics were produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time of preparation. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.

GDP This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. GDP dollar estimates in the Factbook are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) calculations. See the note on GDP methodology for more information.

GDP methodology In the Economy category, GDP dollar estimates for all countries are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) calculations rather than from conversions at official currency exchange rates. The PPP method involves the use of standardized international dollar price weights, which are applied to the quantities of final goods and services produced in a given economy. The data derived from the PPP method provide the best available starting point for comparisons of economic strength and well-being between countries. The division of a GDP estimate in domestic currency by the corresponding PPP estimate in dollars gives the PPP conversion rate. Whereas PPP estimates for OECD countries are quite reliable, PPP estimates for developing countries are often rough approximations. Most of the GDP estimates are based on extrapolation of PPP numbers published by the UN International Comparison Program (UNICP) and by Professors Robert Summers and Alan Heston of the University of Pennsylvania and their colleagues. In contrast, the currency exchange rate method involves a variety of international and domestic financial forces that often have little relation to domestic output. In developing countries with weak currencies the exchange rate estimate of GDP in dollars is typically one-fourth to one-half the PPP estimate. Furthermore, exchange rates may suddenly go up or down by 10% or more because of market forces or official fiat whereas real output has remained unchanged. On 12 January 1994, for example, the 14 countries of the African Financial Community (whose currencies are tied to the French franc) devalued their currencies by 50%. This move, of course, did not cut the real output of these countries by half. One important caution: the proportion of, say, defense expenditures as a percentage of GDP in local currency accounts may differ substantially from the proportion when GDP accounts are expressed in PPP terms, as, for example, when an observer tries to estimate the dollar level of Russian or Japanese military expenditures. Note: the numbers for GDP and other economic data cannot be chained together from successive volumes of the Factbook because of changes in the US dollar measuring rod, revisions of data by statistical agencies, use of new or different sources of information, and changes in national statistical methods and practices.

GDP - composition by sector This entry gives the percentage contribution of agriculture, industry, and services to total GDP.

GDP - per capita This entry shows GDP on a purchasing power parity basis divided by population as of 1 July for the same year.

GDP - real growth rate This entry gives GDP growth on an annual basis adjusted for inflation and expressed as a percent.

Geographic coordinates This entry includes rounded latitude and longitude figures for the purpose of finding the approximate geographic center of an entity and is based on the Gazetteer of Conventional Names, Third Edition, August 1988, US Board on Geographic Names and on other sources.

Geographic names This information is presented in Appendix F: Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names. It includes a listing of various alternate names, former names, local names, and regional names referenced to one or more related Factbook entries. Spellings are normally, but not always, those approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Alternate names and additional information are included in parentheses.

Geography This category includes the entries dealing with the natural environment and the effects of human activity.

Geography - note This entry includes miscellaneous geographic information of significance not included elsewhere.

GINI index
See entry for Distribution of family income - Gini index

GNP Gross national product (GNP) is the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year, plus income earned by its citizens abroad, minus income earned by foreigners from domestic production. The Factbook, following current practice, uses GDP rather than GNP to measure national production. However, the user must realize that in certain countries net remittances from citizens working abroad may be important to national well-being.

Government This category includes the entries dealing with the system for the adoption and administration of public policy.

Government type This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows: Anarchy - a condition of lawlessness or political disorder brought about by the absence of governmental authority. Commonwealth - a nation, state, or other political entity founded on law and united by a compact of the people for the common good. Communism - a system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy and a single - often authoritarian - party holds power; state controls are imposed with the elimination of private ownership of property or capital while claiming to make progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people (i.e., a classless society). Confederacy (Confederation) - a union by compact or treaty between states, provinces, or territories, that creates a central government with limited powers; the constituent entities retain supreme authority over all matters except those delegated to the central government. Constitutional - a government by or operating under an authoritative document (constitution) that sets forth the system of fundamental laws and principles that determines the nature, functions, and limits of that government. Constitutional Democracy - a form of government in which the sovereign power of the people is spelled out in a governing constitution. Constitutional Monarchy - a system of government in which a monarch is guided by a constitution whereby his/her rights, duties, and responsibilities are spelled out in written law or by custom. Democracy - a form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but which is usually exercised indirectly through a system of representation and delegated authority periodically renewed. Democratic Republic - a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them. Dictatorship - a form of government in which a ruler or small clique wield absolute power (not restricted by a constitution or laws). Ecclesiastical - a government administrated by a church. Federal (Federative) - a form of government in which sovereign power is formally divided - usually by means of a constitution - between a central authority and a number of constituent regions (states, colonies, or provinces) so that each region retains some management of its internal affairs; differs from a confederacy in that the central government exerts influence directly upon both individuals as well as upon the regional units. Federal Republic - a state in which the powers of the central government are restricted and in which the component parts (states, colonies, or provinces) retain a degree of self-government; ultimate sovereign power rests with the voters who chose their governmental representatives. Maoism - the theory and practice of Marxism-Leninism developed in China by Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung), which states that a continuous revolution is necessary if the leaders of a communist state are to keep in touch with the people. Marxism - the political, economic, and social principles espoused by 19th century economist Karl Marx; he viewed the struggle of workers as a progression of historical forces that would proceed from a class struggle of the proletariat (workers) exploited by capitalists (business owners), to a socialist "dictatorship of the proletariat," to, finally, a classless society - communism. Marxism-Leninism - an expanded form of communism developed by Lenin from doctrines of Karl Marx; Lenin saw imperialism as the final stage of capitalism and shifted the focus of workers' struggle from developed to underdeveloped countries. Monarchy - a government in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of a monarch who reigns over a state or territory, usually for life and by hereditary right; the monarch may be either a sole absolute ruler or a sovereign - such as a king, queen, or prince - with constitutionally limited authority. Oligarchy - a government in which control is exercised by a small group of individuals whose authority generally is based on wealth or power. Parliamentary Democracy - a political system in which the legislature (parliament) selects the government - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor along with the cabinet ministers - according to party strength as expressed in elections; by this system, the government acquires a dual responsibility: to the people as well as to the parliament. Parliamentary Government (Cabinet-Parliamentary Government) - a government in which members of an executive branch (the cabinet and its leader - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor) are nominated to their positions by a legislature or parliament, and are directly responsible to it; this type of government can be dissolved at will by the parliament (legislature) by means of a no confidence vote or the leader of the cabinet may dissolve the parliament if it can no longer function. Parliamentary Monarchy - a state headed by a monarch who is not actively involved in policy formation or implementation (i.e., the exercise of sovereign powers by a monarch in a ceremonial capacity); true governmental leadership is carried out by a cabinet and its head - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor - who are drawn from a legislature (parliament). Republic - a representative democracy in which the people's elected deputies (representatives), not the people themselves, vote on legislation. Socialism - a government in which the means of planning, producing, and distributing goods is controlled by a central government that theoretically seeks a more just and equitable distribution of property and labor; in actuality, most socialist governments have ended up being no more than dictatorships over workers by a ruling elite. Sultanate - similar to a monarchy, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of a sultan (the head of a Muslim state); the sultan may be an absolute ruler or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority. Theocracy - a form of government in which a Deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, but the Deity's laws are interpreted by ecclesiastical authorities (bishops, mullahs, etc.); a government subject to religious authority. Totalitarian - a government that seeks to subordinate the individual to the state by controlling not only all political and economic matters, but also the attitudes, values, and beliefs of its population.

Government - note This entry includes miscellaneous government information of significance not included elsewhere.

Gross domestic product see GDP

Gross national product see GNP

Gross world product see GWP

GWP This entry gives the gross world product (GWP) or aggregate value of all final goods and services produced worldwide in a given year.

Heliports This entry gives the total number of established helicopter takeoff and landing sites (which may or may not have fuel or other services).

Highways This entry states the total length of the highway system and the length of the paved and unpaved parts.

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate This entry gives an estimate of the percentage of adults (aged 15-49) living with HIV/AIDS. The adult prevalence rate is calculated by dividing the estimated number of adults living with HIV/AIDS at yearend by the total adult population at yearend.

HIV/AIDS - deaths This entry gives an estimate of the number of adults and children who died of AIDS during a given calendar year.

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS This entry gives an estimate of all people (adults and children) alive at yearend with HIV infection, whether or not they have developed symptoms of AIDS.

Household income or consumption by percentage share Data on household income or consumption come from household surveys, the results adjusted for household size. Nations use different standards and procedures in collecting and adjusting the data. Surveys based on income will normally show a more unequal distribution than surveys based on consumption. The quality of surveys is improving with time, yet caution is still necessary in making inter-country comparisons.

Hydrographic data codes see Data codes

Illicit drugs This entry gives information on the five categories of illicit drugs - narcotics, stimulants, depressants (sedatives), hallucinogens, and cannabis. These categories include many drugs legally produced and prescribed by doctors as well as those illegally produced and sold outside of medical channels. Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is the common hemp plant, which provides hallucinogens with some sedative properties, and includes marijuana (pot, Acapulco gold, grass, reefer), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, Marinol), hashish (hash), and hashish oil (hash oil). Coca (mostly Erythroxylum coca) is a bush with leaves that contain the stimulant used to make cocaine. Coca is not to be confused with cocoa, which comes from cacao seeds and is used in making chocolate, cocoa, and cocoa butter. Cocaine is a stimulant derived from the leaves of the coca bush. Depressants (sedatives) are drugs that reduce tension and anxiety and include chloral hydrate, barbiturates (Amytal, Nembutal, Seconal, phenobarbital), benzodiazepines (Librium, Valium), methaqualone (Quaalude), glutethimide (Doriden), and others (Equanil, Placidyl, Valmid). Drugs are any chemical substances that effect a physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral change in an individual. Drug abuse is the use of any licit or illicit chemical substance that results in physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral impairment in an individual. Hallucinogens are drugs that affect sensation, thinking, self- awareness, and emotion. Hallucinogens include LSD (acid, microdot), mescaline and peyote (mexc, buttons, cactus), amphetamine variants (PMA, STP, DOB), phencyclidine (PCP, angel dust, hog), phencyclidine analogues (PCE, PCPy, TCP), and others (psilocybin, psilocyn). Hashish is the resinous exudate of the cannabis or hemp plant (Cannabis sativa). Heroin is a semisynthetic derivative of morphine. Mandrax is a trade name for methaqualone, a pharmaceutical depressant. Marijuana is the dried leaf of the cannabis or hemp plant (Cannabis sativa). Methaqualone is a pharmaceutical depressant, referred to as mandrax in Southwest Asia and Africa. Narcotics are drugs that relieve pain, often induce sleep, and refer to opium, opium derivatives, and synthetic substitutes. Natural narcotics include opium (paregoric, parepectolin), morphine (MS-Contin, Roxanol), codeine (Tylenol with codeine, Empirin with codeine, Robitussan AC), and thebaine. Semisynthetic narcotics include heroin (horse, smack), and hydromorphone (Dilaudid). Synthetic narcotics include meperidine or Pethidine (Demerol, Mepergan), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), and others (Darvon, Lomotil). Opium is the brown, gummy exudate of the incised, unripe seedpod of the opium poppy. Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) is the source for the natural and semisynthetic narcotics. Poppy straw is the entire cut and dried opium poppy-plant material, other than the seeds. Opium is extracted from poppy straw in commercial operations that produce the drug for medical use. Qat (kat, khat) is a stimulant from the buds or leaves of Catha edulis that is chewed or drunk as tea. Quaaludes is the North American slang term for methaqualone, a pharmaceutical depressant. Stimulants are drugs that relieve mild depression, increase energy and activity, and include cocaine (coke, snow, crack), amphetamines (Desoxyn, Dexedrine), ephedrine, ecstasy (clarity, essence, doctor, Adam), phenmetrazine (Preludin), methylphenidate (Ritalin), and others (Cylert, Sanorex, Tenuate).

Imports This entry provides the total US dollar amount of imports on a c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight) or f.o.b. (free on board) basis.

Imports - commodities This entry provides a rank ordering of imported products starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.

Imports - partners This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.

Independence For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation "none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. Also see the Terminology note.

Industrial production growth rate This entry gives the annual percentage increase in industrial production (includes manufacturing, mining, and construction).

Industries This entry provides a rank ordering of industries starting with the largest by value of annual output.

Infant mortality rate This entry gives the number of deaths of infants under one year old in a given year per 1,000 live births in the same year; included is the total death rate, and deaths by sex, male and female. This rate is often used as an indicator of the level of health in a country.

Inflation rate (consumer prices) This entry furnishes the annual percent change in consumer prices compared with the previous year's consumer prices.

Internet country code
This entry includes the two-letter codes maintained by the
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the ISO 3166
Alpha-2 list and used by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA)
to establish country-coded top-level domains (ccTLDs).

Internet hosts This entry lists the number of Internet hosts available within a country. An Internet host is a computer connected directly to the Internet; normally an Internet Service Provider's (ISP) computer is a host. Internet users may use either a hard-wired terminal, at an institution with a mainframe computer connected directly to the Internet, or may connect remotely by way of a modem via telephone line, cable, or satellite to the Internet Service Provider's host computer. The number of hosts is one indicator of the extent of Internet connectivity.

Internet users This entry gives the number of users within a country that access the Internet. Statistics vary from country to country and may include users who access the Internet at least several times a week to those who access it only once within a period of several months.

International disputes see Disputes - international

International organization participation This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.

International organizations
This information is presented in Appendix B: International
Organizations and Groups which includes the name, abbreviation, date
established, aim, and members by category.

Introduction
This category includes one entry, Background.

Investment (gross fixed) This entry records total business spending on fixed assets, such as factories, machinery, equipment, dwellings, and inventories of raw materials, which provide the basis for future production. It is measured gross of depreciation of the assets, i.e., it includes investment that merely replaces worn-out or scrapped capital.

Irrigated land This entry gives the number of square kilometers of land area that is artificially supplied with water.

Judicial branch This entry contains the name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.

Labor force
This entry contains the total labor force figure.

Labor force - by occupation This entry contains a rank ordering of component parts of the labor force by occupation.

Land boundaries This entry contains the total length of all land boundaries and the individual lengths for each of the contiguous border countries.

Land use This entry contains the percentage shares of total land area for three different types of land use: arable land - land cultivated for crops like wheat, maize, and rice that are replanted after each harvest; permanent crops - land cultivated for crops like citrus, coffee, and rubber that are not replanted after each harvest; includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land under trees grown for wood or timber; other - any land not arable or under permanent crops; includes permanent meadows and pastures, forests and woodlands, built-on areas, roads, barren land, etc.

Languages This entry provides a rank ordering of languages starting with the largest and sometimes includes the percent of total population speaking that language.

Legal system
This entry contains a brief description of the legal system's
historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International
Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.

Legislative branch This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.

Life expectancy at birth This entry contains the average number of years to be lived by a group of people born in the same year, if mortality at each age remains constant in the future. The entry includes total population as well as the male and female components. Life expectancy at birth is also a measure of overall quality of life in a country and summarizes the mortality at all ages. It can also be thought of as indicating the potential return on investment in human capital and is necessary for the calculation of various actuarial measures.

Literacy This entry includes a definition of literacy and Census Bureau percentages for the total population, males, and females. There are no universal definitions and standards of literacy. Unless otherwise specified, all rates are based on the most common definition - the ability to read and write at a specified age. Detailing the standards that individual countries use to assess the ability to read and write is beyond the scope of the Factbook. Information on literacy, while not a perfect measure of educational results, is probably the most easily available and valid for international comparisons. Low levels of literacy, and education in general, can impede the economic development of a country in the current rapidly changing, technology-driven world.

Location This entry identifies the country's regional location, neighboring countries, and adjacent bodies of water.

Map references This entry includes the name of the Factbook reference map on which a country may be found. The entry on Geographic coordinates may be helpful in finding some smaller countries.

Maritime claims This entry includes the following claims, the definitions of which are excerpted from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which alone contains the full and definitive descriptions: territorial sea - the sovereignty of a coastal state extends beyond its land territory and internal waters to an adjacent belt of sea, described as the territorial sea in the UNCLOS (Part II); this sovereignty extends to the air space over the territorial sea as well as its underlying seabed and subsoil; every state has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles; the normal baseline for measuring the breadth of the territorial sea is the low-water line along the coast as marked on large-scale charts officially recognized by the coastal state; the UNCLOS describes specific rules for archipelagic states contiguous zone - according to the UNCLOS (Article 33), this is a zone contiguous to a coastal state's territorial sea, over which it may exercise the control necessary to: prevent infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration, or sanitary laws and regulations within its territory or territorial sea; punish infringement of the above laws and regulations committed within its territory or territorial sea; the contiguous zone may not extend beyond 24 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured (e.g., the US has claimed a 12-nautical mile contiguous zone in addition to its 12-nautical mile territorial sea) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) - the UNCLOS (Part V) defines the EEZ as a zone beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea in which a coastal state has: sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources, whether living or non-living, of the waters superjacent to the seabed and of the seabed and its subsoil, and with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the zone, such as the production of energy from the water, currents, and winds; jurisdiction with regard to the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations, and structures; marine scientific research; the protection and preservation of the marine environment; the outer limit of the exclusive economic zone shall not exceed 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured continental shelf - the UNCLOS (Article 76) defines the continental shelf of a coastal state as comprising the seabed and subsoil of the submarine areas that extend beyond its territorial sea throughout the natural prolongation of its land territory to the outer edge of the continental margin, or to a distance of 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured where the outer edge of the continental margin does not extend up to that distance; the continental margin comprises the submerged prolongation of the landmass of the coastal state, and consists of the seabed and subsoil of the shelf, the slope and the rise; wherever the continental margin extends beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline, coastal states may extend their claim to a distance not to exceed 350 nautical miles from the baseline or 100 nautical miles from the 2500 meter isobath; it does not include the deep ocean floor with its oceanic ridges or the subsoil thereof exclusive fishing zone - while this term is not used in the UNCLOS, some states (e.g. the United Kingdom) have chosen not to claim an EEZ, but rather to claim jurisdiction over the living resources off their coast; in such cases, the term exclusive fishing zone is often used; the breadth of this zone is normally the same as the EEZ or 200 nautical miles

Median age This entry is the age that divides a population into two numerically equal groups; that is, half the people are younger than this age and half are older. It is a single index that summarizes the age distribution of a population. Currently, the median age ranges from a low of about 15 in Uganda and Gaza Strip to 40 or more in several European countries and Japan. See the entry for "Age structure" for the importance of a young versus an older age structure and, by implication, a low versus a higher median age.

Merchant marine Merchant marine may be defined as all ships engaged in the carriage of goods; or all commercial vessels (as opposed to all nonmilitary ships), which excludes tugs, fishing vessels, offshore oil rigs, etc. This entry contains information in four fields - total, ships by type, foreign-owned, and registered in other countries. Total includes the number of ships (1,000 GRT or over), total DWT for those ships, and total GRT for those ships. DWT or dead weight tonnage is the total weight of cargo, plus bunkers, stores, etc., that a ship can carry when immersed to the appropriate load line. GRT or gross register tonnage is a figure obtained by measuring the entire sheltered volume of a ship available for cargo and passengers and converting it to tons on the basis of 100 cubic feet per ton; there is no stable relationship between GRT and DWT. Ships by type includes a listing of barge carriers, bulk cargo ships, cargo ships, chemical tankers, combination bulk carriers, combination ore/oil carriers, container ships, liquefied gas tankers, livestock carriers, multifunctional large-load carriers, petroleum tankers, passenger ships, passenger/cargo ships, railcar carriers, refrigerated cargo ships, roll-on/roll-off cargo ships, short-sea passenger ships, specialized tankers, and vehicle carriers. Foreign-owned are ships that fly the flag of one country but belong to owners in another. Registered in other countries are ships that belong to owners in one country but fly the flag of another.

Military This category includes the entries dealing with a country's military structure, manpower, and expenditures.

Military branches This entry lists the names of the ground, naval, air, marine, and other defense or security forces.

Military expenditures - dollar figure This entry gives current military expenditures in US dollars; the figure is calculated by multiplying the estimated defense spending in percentage terms by the gross domestic product (GDP) calculated on an exchange rate basis, not purchasing power parity (PPP) terms. Dollar figures for military expenditures should be treated with caution because of different price patterns and accounting methods among nations, as well as wide variations in the strength of their currencies.

Military expenditures - percent of GDP This entry gives current military expenditures as an estimated percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

Military manpower - availability This entry gives the total numbers of males and females age 15-49 and assumes that every individual is fit to serve.

Military manpower - fit for military service This entry gives the number of males and females age 15-49 fit for military service. This is a more refined measure of potential military manpower availability which tries to account for the health situation in the country and reduces the maximum potential number to a more realistic estimate of the actual number fit to serve.

Military manpower - military age This entry gives the minimum age at which an individual may volunteer for military service or be subject to conscription.

Military manpower - reaching military age annually This entry gives the number of draft-age males and females entering the military manpower pool in any given year and is a measure of the availability of draft-age young adults.

Military - note This entry includes miscellaneous military information of significance not included elsewhere.

Money figures All money figures are expressed in contemporaneous US dollars unless otherwise indicated.

National holiday This entry gives the primary national day of celebration - usually independence day.

Nationality This entry provides the identifying terms for citizens - noun and adjective.

Natural gas - production This entry is the total natural gas produced in cubic meters (cu m). The discrepancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other complicating factors.

Natural gas - consumption This entry is the total natural gas consumed in cubic meters (cu m). The discrepancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other complicating factors.

Natural gas - exports
This entry is the total natural gas exported in cubic meters (cu m).

Natural gas - imports
This entry is the total natural gas imported in cubic meters (cu m).

Natural gas - proved reserves This entry is the stock of proved reserves of natural gas in cubic meters (cu m). Proved reserves are those quantities of natural gas, which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions.

Natural hazards
This entry lists potential natural disasters.

Natural resources This entry lists a country's mineral, petroleum, hydropower, and other resources of commercial importance.

Net migration rate This entry includes the figure for the difference between the number of persons entering and leaving a country during the year per 1,000 persons (based on midyear population). An excess of persons entering the country is referred to as net immigration (e.g., 3.56 migrants/1,000 population); an excess of persons leaving the country as net emigration (e.g., -9.26 migrants/1,000 population). The net migration rate indicates the contribution of migration to the overall level of population change. High levels of migration can cause problems such as increasing unemployment and potential ethnic strife (if people are coming in) or a reduction in the labor force, perhaps in certain key sectors (if people are leaving).

Oil - production This entry is the total oil produced in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.

Oil - consumption This entry is the total oil consumed in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.

Oil - exports This entry is the total oil exported in barrels per day (bbl/day), including both crude oil and oil products.

Oil - imports This entry is the total oil imported in barrels per day (bbl/day), including both crude oil and oil products.

Oil - proved reserves This entry is the stock of proved reserves of crude oil in barrels (bbl). Proved reserves are those quantities of petroleum which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions.

People This category includes the entries dealing with the characteristics of the people and their society.

People - note This entry includes miscellaneous demographic information of significance not included elsewhere.

Personal Names - Capitalization The Factbook capitalizes the surname or family name of individuals for the convenience of our users who are faced with a world of different cultures and naming conventions. The need for capitalization, bold type, underlining, italics, or some other indicator of the individual's surname is apparent in the following examples: MAO Zedong, Fidel CASTRO Ruz, George W. BUSH, and TUNKU SALAHUDDIN Abdul Aziz Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin Alam Shah. By knowing the surname, a short form without all capital letters can be used with confidence as in President Castro, Chairman Mao, President Bush, or Sultan Tunku Salahuddin. The same system of capitalization is extended to the names of leaders with surnames that are not commonly used such as Queen ELIZABETH II.

Personal Names - Spelling The romanization of personal names in the Factbook normally follows the same transliteration system used by the US Board on Geographic Names for spelling place names. At times, however, a foreign leader expressly indicates a preference for, or the media or official documents regularly use, a romanized spelling that differs from the transliteration derived from the US Government standard. In such cases, the Factbook uses the alternative spelling.

Personal Names - Titles The Factbook capitalizes any valid title (or short form of it) immediately preceding a person's name. A title standing alone is not capitalized. Examples: President PUTIN and President BUSH are chiefs of state. In Russia, the president is chief of state and the premier is the head of the government, while in the US, the president is both chief of state and head of government.

Petroleum
See entry for "oil."

Petroleum products
See entry for "oil."

Pipelines This entry gives the lengths and types of pipelines for transporting products like natural gas, crude oil, or petroleum products.

Political parties and leaders This entry includes a listing of significant political organizations and their leaders.

Political pressure groups and leaders This entry includes a listing of organizations with leaders involved in politics, but not standing for legislative election.

Population This entry gives an estimate from the US Bureau of the Census based on statistics from population censuses, vital statistics registration systems, or sample surveys pertaining to the recent past and on assumptions about future trends. The total population presents one overall measure of the potential impact of the country on the world and within its region. Note: starting with the 1993 Factbook, demographic estimates for some countries (mostly African) have explicitly taken into account the effects of the growing impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. These countries are currently: The Bahamas, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Population below poverty line National estimates of the percentage of the population falling below the poverty line are based on surveys of sub-groups, with the results weighted by the number of people in each group. Definitions of poverty vary considerably among nations. For example, rich nations generally employ more generous standards of poverty than poor nations.

Population growth rate The average annual percent change in the population, resulting from a surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths and the balance of migrants entering and leaving a country. The rate may be positive or negative. The growth rate is a factor in determining how great a burden would be imposed on a country by the changing needs of its people for infrastructure (e.g., schools, hospitals, housing, roads), resources (e.g., food, water, electricity), and jobs. Rapid population growth can be seen as threatening by neighboring countries.

Ports and harbors This entry lists the major ports and harbors selected on the basis of overall importance to each country. This is determined by evaluating a number of factors (e.g., dollar value of goods handled, gross tonnage, facilities, military significance).

Public debt This entry records the cumulative total of all government borrowings less repayments that are denominated in a country's home currency. Public debt should not be confused with external debt, which reflects the foreign currency liablities of both the private and public sector and must be financed out of foreign exchange earnings.

Radio broadcast stations This entry includes the total number of AM, FM, and shortwave broadcast stations.

Railways This entry states the total route length of the railway network and of its component parts by gauge: broad, standard, narrow, and dual. Other gauges are listed under note.

Reference maps
This section includes world and regional maps.

Refugees and internally displaced persons This entry includes those persons residing in a country as refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs). The definition of a refugee according to a United Nations Convention is "a person who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well- founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution." The UN established the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1950 to handle refugee matters worldwide. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has a different, operational definition for a Palestinian refugee: "a person whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948 and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict." However, UNHCR also assists some 400,000 Palestinian refugees not covered under the UNRWA definition. The term "internally displaced person" is not specifically covered in the UN Convention; it is used to describe people who have fled their homes for reasons similar to refugees, but who remain within their own national territory and are subject to the laws of that state. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated that in December 2003 there was a global population of 9.7 million refugees and as many as 25 million IDPs.

Religions This entry is an ordered listing of religions by adherents starting with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total population.

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold This entry gives the dollar value for the stock of all financial assets that are available to the central monetary authority for use in meeting a country's balance of payments needs as of the end-date of the period specified. This category includes not only foreign currency and gold, but also a country's holdings of Special Drawing Rights in the International Monetary Fund, and its reserve position in the Fund.

Sex ratio This entry includes the number of males for each female in five age groups - at birth, under 15 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over, and for the total population. Sex ratio at birth has recently emerged as an indicator of certain kinds of sex discrimination in some countries. For instance, high sex ratios at birth in some Asian countries are now attributed to sex-selective abortion and infanticide due to a strong preference for sons. This will affect future marriage patterns and fertility patterns. Eventually it could cause unrest among young adult males who are unable to find partners.

Suffrage This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted.

Telephone numbers All telephone numbers in the Factbook consist of the country code in brackets, the city or area code (where required) in parentheses, and the local number. The one component that is not presented is the international access code, which varies from country to country. For example, an international direct dial telephone call placed from the US to Madrid, Spain, would be as follows:

011 [34] (1) 577-xxxx, where
011 is the international access code for station-to-station calls;
01 is for calls other than station-to-station calls,
[34] is the country code for Spain,
(1) is the city code for Madrid,
577 is the local exchange, and
xxxx is the local telephone number.

An international direct dial telephone call placed from another country
to the US would be as follows:
international access code + [1] (202) 939-xxxx, where
[1] is the country code for the US,
(202) is the area code for Washington, DC,
939 is the local exchange, and
xxxx is the local telephone number.

Telephone system This entry includes a brief general assessment of the system with details on the domestic and international components. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry:

Africa ONE - a fiber-optic submarine cable link encircling the continent of Africa. Arabsat - Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia). Autodin - Automatic Digital Network (US Department of Defense). CB - citizen's band mobile radio communications. cellular telephone system - the telephones in this system are radio transceivers, with each instrument having its own private radio frequency and sufficient radiated power to reach the booster station in its area (cell), from which the telephone signal is fed to a telephone exchange. Central American Microwave System - a trunk microwave radio relay system that links the countries of Central America and Mexico with each other. coaxial cable - a multichannel communication cable consisting of a central conducting wire, surrounded by and insulated from a cylindrical conducting shell; a large number of telephone channels can be made available within the insulated space by the use of a large number of carrier frequencies. Comsat - Communications Satellite Corporation (US). DSN - Defense Switched Network (formerly Automatic Voice Network or Autovon); basic general-purpose, switched voice network of the Defense Communications System (US Department of Defense). Eutelsat - European Telecommunications Satellite Organization (Paris). fiber-optic cable - a multichannel communications cable using a thread of optical glass fibers as a transmission medium in which the signal (voice, video, etc.) is in the form of a coded pulse of light. GSM - a global system for mobile (cellular) communications devised by the Groupe Special Mobile of the pan-European standardization organization, Conference Europeanne des Posts et Telecommunications (CEPT) in 1982. HF - high frequency; any radio frequency in the 3,000- to 30,000- kHz range. Inmarsat - International Maritime Satellite Organization (London); provider of global mobile satellite communications for commercial, distress, and safety applications at sea, in the air, and on land. Intelsat - International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (Washington, DC). Intersputnik - International Organization of Space Communications (Moscow); first established in the former Soviet Union and the East European countries, it is now marketing its services worldwide with earth stations in North America, Africa, and East Asia. landline - communication wire or cable of any sort that is installed on poles or buried in the ground. Marecs - Maritime European Communications Satellite used in the Inmarsat system on lease from the European Space Agency. Marisat - satellites of the Comsat Corporation that participate in the Inmarsat system. Medarabtel - the Middle East Telecommunications Project of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) providing a modern telecommunications network, primarily by microwave radio relay, linking Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen; it was initially started in Morocco in 1970 by the Arab Telecommunications Union (ATU) and was known at that time as the Middle East Mediterranean Telecommunications Network. microwave radio relay - transmission of long distance telephone calls and television programs by highly directional radio microwaves that are received and sent on from one booster station to another on an optical path. NMT - Nordic Mobile Telephone; an analog cellular telephone system that was developed jointly by the national telecommunications authorities of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden). Orbita - a Russian television service; also the trade name of a packet-switched digital telephone network. radiotelephone communications - the two-way transmission and reception of sounds by broadcast radio on authorized frequencies using telephone handsets. PanAmSat - PanAmSat Corporation (Greenwich, CT). SAFE - South African Far East Cable satellite communication system - a communication system consisting of two or more earth stations and at least one satellite that provide long distance transmission of voice, data, and television; the system usually serves as a trunk connection between telephone exchanges; if the earth stations are in the same country, it is a domestic system. satellite earth station - a communications facility with a microwave radio transmitting and receiving antenna and required receiving and transmitting equipment for communicating with satellites. satellite link - a radio connection between a satellite and an earth station permitting communication between them, either one-way (down link from satellite to earth station - television receive-only transmission) or two-way (telephone channels). SHF - super high frequency; any radio frequency in the 3,000- to 30,000-MHz range. shortwave - radio frequencies (from 1.605 to 30 MHz) that fall above the commercial broadcast band and are used for communication over long distances. Solidaridad - geosynchronous satellites in Mexico's system of international telecommunications in the Western Hemisphere. Statsionar - Russia's geostationary system for satellite telecommunications. submarine cable - a cable designed for service under water. TAT - Trans-Atlantic Telephone; any of a number of high-capacity submarine coaxial telephone cables linking Europe with North America. telefax - facsimile service between subscriber stations via the public switched telephone network or the international Datel network. telegraph - a telecommunications system designed for unmodulated electric impulse transmission. telex - a communication service involving teletypewriters connected by wire through automatic exchanges. tropospheric scatter - a form of microwave radio transmission in which the troposphere is used to scatter and reflect a fraction of the incident radio waves back to earth; powerful, highly directional antennas are used to transmit and receive the microwave signals; reliable over-the-horizon communications are realized for distances up to 600 miles in a single hop; additional hops can extend the range of this system for very long distances. trunk network - a network of switching centers, connected by multichannel trunk lines. UHF - ultra high frequency; any radio frequency in the 300- to 3,000-MHz range. VHF - very high frequency; any radio frequency in the 30- to 300- MHz range.

Telephones - main lines in use
This entry gives the total number of main telephone lines in use.

Telephones - mobile cellular
This entry gives the total number of mobile cellular telephones in use.

Television - broadcast stations This entry gives the total number of separate broadcast stations plus any repeater stations.

Terminology Due to the highly structured nature of the Factbook database, some collective generic terms have to be used. For example, the word Country in the Country name entry refers to a wide variety of dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, uninhabited islands, and other entities in addition to the traditional countries or independent states. Military is also used as an umbrella term for various civil defense, security, and defense activities in many entries. The Independence entry includes the usual colonial independence dates and former ruling states as well as other significant nationhood dates such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, or state succession that are not strictly independence dates. Dependent areas have the nature of their dependency status noted in this same entry.

Terrain
This entry contains a brief description of the topography.

Total fertility rate This entry gives a figure for the average number of children that would be born per woman if all women lived to the end of their childbearing years and bore children according to a given fertility rate at each age. The total fertility rate is a more direct measure of the level of fertility than the crude birth rate, since it refers to births per woman. This indicator shows the potential for population growth in the country. High rates will also place some limits on the labor force participation rates for women. Large numbers of children born to women indicate large family sizes that might limit the ability of the families to feed and educate their children.

Transnational Issues This category includes only two entries at the present time - Disputes - international and Illicit drugs - that deal with current issues going beyond national boundaries.

Transportation This category includes the entries dealing with the means for movement of people and goods.

Transportation - note This entry includes miscellaneous transportation information of significance not included elsewhere.

Unemployment rate This entry contains the percent of the labor force that is without jobs. Substantial underemployment might be noted.

Waterways This entry gives the total length of navigable rivers, canals, and other inland bodies of water.

Years All year references are for the calendar year (CY) unless indicated as fiscal year (FY). The calendar year is an accounting period of 12 months from 1 January to 31 December. The fiscal year is an accounting period of 12 months other than 1 January to 31 December.

Note: Information for the US and US dependencies was compiled from material in the public domain and does not represent Intelligence Community estimates.

This page was last updated on 10 December, 2004

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History

A Brief History of Basic Intelligence and The World Factbook

The Intelligence Cycle is the process by which information is acquired, converted into intelligence, and made available to policymakers. Information is raw data from any source, data that may be fragmentary, contradictory, unreliable, ambiguous, deceptive, or wrong. Intelligence is information that has been collected, integrated, evaluated, analyzed, and interpreted. Finished intelligence is the final product of the Intelligence Cycle ready to be delivered to the policymaker.

The three types of finished intelligence are: basic, current, and estimative. Basic intelligence provides the fundamental and factual reference material on a country or issue. Current intelligence reports on new developments. Estimative intelligence judges probable outcomes. The three are mutually supportive: basic intelligence is the foundation on which the other two are constructed; current intelligence continually updates the inventory of knowledge; and estimative intelligence revises overall interpretations of country and issue prospects for guidance of basic and current intelligence. The World Factbook, The President's Daily Brief, and the National Intelligence Estimates are examples of the three types of finished intelligence.

The United States has carried on foreign intelligence activities since the days of George Washington but only since World War II have they been coordinated on a government-wide basis. Three programs have highlighted the development of coordinated basic intelligence since that time: (1) the Joint Army Navy Intelligence Studies (JANIS), (2) the National Intelligence Survey (NIS), and (3) The World Factbook.

During World War II, intelligence consumers realized that the production of basic intelligence by different components of the US Government resulted in a great duplication of effort and conflicting information. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 brought home to leaders in Congress and the executive branch the need for integrating departmental reports to national policymakers. Detailed and coordinated information was needed not only on such major powers as Germany and Japan, but also on places of little previous interest. In the Pacific Theater, for example, the Navy and Marines had to launch amphibious operations against many islands about which information was unconfirmed or nonexistent. Intelligence authorities resolved that the United States should never again be caught unprepared.

In 1943, Gen. George B. Strong (G-2), Adm. H. C. Train (Office of Naval Intelligence - ONI), and Gen. William J. Donovan (Director of the Office of Strategic Services - OSS) decided that a joint effort should be initiated. A steering committee was appointed on 27 April 1943 that recommended the formation of a Joint Intelligence Study Publishing Board to assemble, edit, coordinate, and publish the Joint Army Navy Intelligence Studies (JANIS). JANIS was the first interdepartmental basic intelligence program to fulfill the needs of the US Government for an authoritative and coordinated appraisal of strategic basic intelligence. Between April 1943 and July 1947, the board published 34 JANIS studies. JANIS performed well in the war effort, and numerous letters of commendation were received, including a statement from Adm. Forrest Sherman, Chief of Staff, Pacific Ocean Areas, which said, "JANIS has become the indispensable reference work for the shore-based planners."

The need for more comprehensive basic intelligence in the postwar world was well expressed in 1946 by George S. Pettee, a noted author on national security. He wrote in The Future of American Secret Intelligence (Infantry Journal Press, 1946, page 46) that world leadership in peace requires even more elaborate intelligence than in war. "The conduct of peace involves all countries, all human activities - not just the enemy and his war production."

The Central Intelligence Agency was established on 26 July 1947 and officially began operating on 18 September 1947. Effective 1 October 1947, the Director of Central Intelligence assumed operational responsibility for JANIS. On 13 January 1948, the National Security Council issued Intelligence Directive (NSCID) No. 3, which authorized the National Intelligence Survey (NIS) program as a peacetime replacement for the wartime JANIS program. Before adequate NIS country sections could be produced, government agencies had to develop more comprehensive gazetteers and better maps. The US Board on Geographic Names (BGN) compiled the names; the Department of the Interior produced the gazetteers; and CIA produced the maps.

The Hoover Commission's Clark Committee, set up in 1954 to study the structure and administration of the CIA, reported to Congress in 1955 that: "The National Intelligence Survey is an invaluable publication which provides the essential elements of basic intelligence on all areas of the world. There will always be a continuing requirement for keeping the Survey up-to-date." The Factbook was created as an annual summary and update to the encyclopedic NIS studies. The first classified Factbook was published in August 1962, and the first unclassified version was published in June 1971. The NIS program was terminated in 1973 except for the Factbook, map, and gazetteer components. The 1975 Factbook was the first to be made available to the public with sales through the US Government Printing Office (GPO). The year 2004 marks the 57th anniversary of the establishment of the Central Intelligence Agency and the 61st year of continuous basic intelligence support to the US Government by The World Factbook and its two predecessor programs.

This page was last updated on 9 December, 2004

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Contributors and Copyright Information

In general, information available as of 1 January, 2004 was used in the preparation of this edition.

The World Factbook is prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency for the use of US Government officials, and the style, format, coverage, and content are designed to meet their specific requirements. Information is provided by Antarctic Information Program (National Science Foundation), Bureau of the Census (Department of Commerce), Bureau of Labor Statistics (Department of Labor), Central Intelligence Agency, Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs, Defense Intelligence Agency (Department of Defense), Department of State, Fish and Wildlife Service (Department of the Interior), Maritime Administration (Department of Transportation), National Geospatial- Intelligence Agency (Department of Defense), Naval Facilities Engineering Command (Department of Defense), Office of Insular Affairs (Department of the Interior), Office of Naval Intelligence (Department of Defense), US Board on Geographic Names (Department of the Interior), US Transportation Command (Department of Defense), and other public and private sources.

The Factbook is in the public domain. Accordingly, it may be copied freely without permission of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The official seal of the CIA, however, may NOT be copied without permission as required by the CIA Act of 1949 (50 U.S.C. section 403m). Misuse of the official seal of the CIA could result in civil and criminal penalties.

Comments and queries are welcome and may be addressed to:

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Attn.: Office of Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20505
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Telephone: [1] (703) 482-0623
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Purchasing Information

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The World Factbook can be accessed on the Internet at: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html

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Frequently Asked Questions

The World Factbook staff thanks you for your comments, suggestions, updates, kudos, and corrections over the past years. The willingness of readers from around the world to share their observations and specialized knowledge is very helpful as we try to produce the best possible publications. Please feel free to continue to write and e-mail us. At least two Factbook staffers review every item. The sheer volume of correspondence precludes detailed personal replies, but we sincerely appreciate your time and interest in the Factbook. If you include your e-mail address we will at least acknowledge your note. Thank you again.

Answers to many frequently asked questions (FAQs) are explained in the Notes and Definitions section in The World Factbook. Please review this section to see if your question is already answered there. In addition, we have compiled the following list of FAQs to answer other common questions. Select from the following categories to narrow your search:

General
Geography
Spelling and Pronunciation
Policies and Procedures
Technical

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This page was last updated on 11 January, 2005

=====================================================================

@Afghanistan

Introduction Afghanistan

Background:
Afghanistan's recent history is a story of war and civil unrest.
The Soviet Union invaded in 1979, but was forced to withdraw 10
years later by anti-Communist mujahidin forces. The Communist regime
in Kabul collapsed in 1992. Fighting that subsequently erupted among
the various mujahidin factions eventually helped to spawn the
Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that fought to end
the warlordism and civil war which gripped the country. The Taliban
seized Kabul in 1996 and were able to capture most of the country
outside of Northern Alliance srongholds primarily in the northeast.
Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and
Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering
Osama BIN LADIN. In late 2001, a conference in Bonn, Germany,
established a process for political reconstruction that ultimately
resulted in the adoption of a new constitution and presidential
election in 2004. On 9 October 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first
democratically elected president of Afghanistan. The new Afghan
government's next task is to hold National Assembly elections,
tentatively scheduled for April 2005.

Geography Afghanistan

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

Geographic coordinates:
33 00 N, 65 00 E

Map references:
Asia

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

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas

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

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

Terrain:
mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

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

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

Land use: arable land: 12.13% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 87.65% (2001)

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

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

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

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

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

People Afghanistan

Population:
28,513,677 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.7% (male 6,525,929; female 6,222,497)
15-64 years: 52.9% (male 7,733,707; female 7,346,226)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male 334,427; female 350,891) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.5 years
male: 17.5 years
female: 17.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
4.92%
note: this rate does not take into consideration the recent war and
its continuing impact (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
47.27 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
21.12 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
23.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 165.96 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 160.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 170.85 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 42.46 years
male: 42.27 years
female: 42.66 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
6.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.01% (2001 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Afghan(s)
adjective: Afghan

Ethnic groups:
Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%, Turkmen 3%,
Baloch 2%, other 4%

Religions:
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 19%, other 1%

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

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

People - note:
of the estimated 4 million refugees in October 2001, 2.3 million
have returned

Government Afghanistan

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

Government type:
Islamic republic

Capital:
Kabul

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

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

National holiday:
Independence Day, 19 August (1919)

Constitution:
new constitution drafted 14 December 2003 - 4 January 2004; signed
16 January 2004

Legal system:
according to the new constitution, no law should be "contrary to
Islam"; the state is obliged to create a prosperous and progressive
society based on social justice, protection of human dignity,
protection of human rights, realization of democracy, and to ensure
national unity and equality among all ethnic groups and tribes; the
state shall abide by the UN charter, international treaties,
international conventions that Afghanistan signed, and the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,
Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government; former King ZAHIR Shah
holds the honorific, "Father of the Country," and presides
symbolically over certain occasions, but lacks any governing
authority; the honorific is not hereditary
head of government: President of the Islamic Republic of
Afghanistan, Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); note - the
president is both chief of state and head of government
cabinet: 27 ministers; note - under the new constitution, ministers
are appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly
elections: the president and two vice presidents are elected by
direct vote for a five-year term; if no candidate receives 50% or
more of the vote in the first round of voting, the two candidates
with the most votes will participate in a second round; a president
can only be elected for two terms; election last held 9 October 2004
(next to be held in 2009)
election results: Hamid KARZAI elected president; percent of vote -
Hamid KARZAI - 55.4%, Yunus QANOONI - 16.3%, Mohammad MOHAQEQ -
11.6%, Abdul Rashid DOSTAM 10.0%, Abdul Latif PEDRAM - 1.4%, Masooda
JALAL - 1.2%

Legislative branch:
nonfunctioning as of January 2004; government is empowered by the
constitution to issue legislation by decree until the new assembly
is seated; under the new constitution, the bicameral National
Assembly will consist of the Wolesi Jirga or House of People (no
more than 249 seats), directly elected for a five-year term, and the
Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102 seats, one third elected from
provincial councils for a four-year term, one third elected from
local district councils for a three-year term, and one third
presidential appointees for a five-year term; the presidential
appointees will include two representatives of Kuchis and two
representatives of the disabled; half of the presidential appointees
will be women)
note: on rare occasions the government may convene the Loya Jirga on
issues of independence, national sovereignty, and territorial
integrity; it can amend the provisions of the constitution and
prosecute the president; it is made up of members of the National
Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial and district councils
elections: scheduled for spring 2005

Judicial branch:
the new constitution establishes a nine-member Stera Mahkama or
Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for 10-year terms by
the president with approval of the Wolesi Jirga) and subordinate
High Courts and Appeals Courts; there is also a Minister of Justice;
a separate Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission established by
the Bonn Agreement is charged with investigating human rights abuses
and war crimes

Political parties and leaders:
note - includes only political parties approved by the Ministry of
Justice: Afghan Millat [Anwarul Haq AHADI]; De Afghanistan De Solay
Ghorzang Gond [Shahnawaz TANAI]; De Afghanistan De Solay Mili Islami
Gond [Shah Mahmood Polal ZAI]; Harakat-e-Islami Afghanistan
[Mohammad Asif MOHSINEE]; Hezb-e-Aarman-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan
[Iihaj Saraj-u-din ZAFAREE]; Hezb-e-Aazadee Afghanistan [Abdul
MALIK]; Hezb-e-Adalat-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Kabeer
MARZBAN]; Hezb-e-Afghanistan-e-Wahid [Mohammad Wasil RAHEEMEE];
Hezb-e-Afghan Watan Islami Gond [NA leader]; Hezb-e-Congra-e-Mili
Afghanistan [Lateef PIDRAM]; Hezb-e-Falah-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan
[Mohammad ZAREEF]; Hezb-e-Libral-e-Aazadee
Khwa-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ajmal SOHAIL]; Hezb-e-Hambastagee Mili
Jawanan-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Jamil KARZAI];
Hezb-e-Hamnbatagee-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Khaleq NEMAT];
Hezb-e-Harakat-e-Mili Wahdat-e-Afghanistan [Moahammad Nadir AATASH];
Hezb-e-Harak-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ilhaj Said Hssain
ANWARY]; Hezb-e-Ifazat Az Uqoq-e-Bashar Wa Inkishaf-e-Afghanistan
[Baryalai NASRATEE]; Hezb-e-Istiqlal-e-Afghanistan [Dr. Gh. Farooq
NIJZRABEE]; Hezb-e-Jamhoree Khwahan [Sibghatullah SANJAR];
Hezb-e-Kar Wa Tawsiha-e-Afghanistan [Zulfiar OMID]; Hezb-e-Mili
Afghanistan [Abdul Rasheed AARYAN]; Hezb-e-Mili
Wahdat-e-Aqwam-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Shah KHOGYANEE];
Hezb-e-Nuhzhat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Ahmad Wali MASOUD];
Hezb-e-Paiwand-e-Mili Afghanistan [Said Mansoor NADIRI];
Hezb-e-Rastakhaiz-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Said ZAHIR];
Hezb-e-Refah-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mia Gul WASEEQ];
Hezb-e-Risalat-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Noor Aqa ROEEN];
Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Zubair PAIROZ];
Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mili Wa Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Usman
SALIGZADA]; Hezb-e-Sulh-e-Mili Islami Aqwam-e-Afghanistan [Abdul
Qahir SHARYATEE]; Hezb-e-Sulh Wa Wahdat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul
Qadir IMAMEE]; Hezb-e-Tafahum-e-Wa Democracy Afghanistan [Ahamad
SHAHEEN]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Karim
KHALILI]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Haji Mohammad
MUHAQIQ]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul Rasheed Jalili];
Jamahat-ul-Dahwat ilal Qurhan-wa-Sunat-ul-Afghanistan [Mawlawee
Samiullah NAJEEBEE]; Jombesh-e Milli [Abdul Rashjid DOSTUM];
Mahaz-e-Mili Islami Afghanistan [Said Ahmad GAILANEE]; Majmah-e-Mili
Fahaleen-e-Sulh-e-Afghanistan [Shams ul Haq Noor SHAMS];
Nuhzat-e-Aazadee Wa democracy Afghanistan [Abdul Raqeeb Jawid
KUHISTANEE]; Nuhzat-e-Hambastagee Mili Afghanistan [Peer Said Ishaq
GAILANEE]; Sazman-e-Islami Afghanistan-e-Jawan [Siad Jawad
HUSSAINEE]; Tahreek Wahdat-e-Mili [Sultan Mahmood DHAZI] (30 Sep
2004)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Jamiat-e Islami (Society of Islam), [former President Burhanuddin
RABBANI]; Ittihad-e Islami (Islamic Union for the Liberation of
Afghanistan), [Abdul Rasul SAYYAF]; there are also small monarchist,
communist, and democratic groups

International organization participation:
AsDB, CP, ECO, FAO, G-77, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM,
NATO, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO (observer), WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] 202-483-6488
telephone: [1] 202-483-6410
chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Zalmay KHALILZAD
embassy: The Great Masood Road, Kabul
mailing address: 6180 Kabul Place, Dulles, VA 20189-6180
telephone: [00] (2) 230-0436
FAX: [0093] (2) 230-1364

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

Economy Afghanistan

Economy - overview:
Afghanistan's economic outlook has improved significantly over the
past two years because of the infusion of over $2 billion in
international assistance, dramatic improvements in agricultural
production, and the end of a four-year drought in most of the
country. However, Afghanistan remains extremely poor, landlocked,
and highly dependent on foreign aid, farming, and trade with
neighboring countries. It will probably take the remainder of the
decade and continuing donor aid and attention to raise Afghanistan's
living standards up from its current status among the lowest in the
world. Much of the population continues to suffer from shortages of
housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs, but the
Afghan government and international donors remain committed to
improving access to these basic necessities by prioritizing
infrastructure development, education, housing development, jobs
programs, and economic reform over the next year. Growing political
stability and continued international commitment to Afghan
reconstruction create an optimistic outlook for maintaining
improvements to the Afghan economy in 2004. The replacement of the
opium trade - which may account for one-third of GDP - is one of
several potential spoilers for the economy over the long term.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $20 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
29% (2003 est.)
: note: this high growth rate reflects the extremely low levels of
activity between 1999 and 2002, as well as the end of a four-year
drought and the impact of donor assistance

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $700 (2003 est.)

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

Population below poverty line:
23% (2002)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.2% (2003)

Labor force:
11.8 million (2001 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
NA (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $200 million
expenditures: $550 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 plan)

Agriculture - products:
opium, wheat, fruits, nuts, wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins

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

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
334.8 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
511.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
200 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
3,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
220 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
220 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
49.98 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Exports:
$98 million (not including illicit exports) (2002 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
US 27%, France 17.5%, India 16.6%, Pakistan 13.3% (2003)

Imports:
$1.007 billion (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
Pakistan 30.1%, South Korea 9.2%, Japan 7.6%, Germany 6.9%,
Turkmenistan 5.4%, Kenya 4.6%, US 4.5%, Russia 4% (2003)

Debt - external:
$8 billion in bilateral debt, mostly to Russia; Afghanistan has
$500 million in debt to Multilateral Development Banks (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:
international pledges made by more than 60 countries and
international financial institutions at the Tokyo Donors Conference
for Afghan reconstruction in January 2002 reached $4.5 billion
through 2006, with $1.8 billion allocated for 2002; another $1.7
billion was pledged for 2003.

Currency:
afghani (AFA)

Currency code:
AFA

Exchange rates:
afghanis per US dollar - 50 (2003), 50 (2002), 3,000 (2001), 3,000
(2000), 3,000 (1999)
: note: in 2002, the afghani was revalued and the currency
stabilized at about 50 afghanis to the dollar; before 2002, the
market rate varied widely from the official rate

Fiscal year:
21 March - 20 March

Communications Afghanistan

Telephones - main lines in use:
33,100 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
15,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: very limited telephone and telegraph service
domestic: telephone service is improving with the establishment of
two mobile phone operators by 2003; telephone main lines remain weak
with only .1 line per 10 people
international: country code - 93; five VSAT's installed in Kabul,
Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kandahar, and Jalalabad provide international
and domestic voice and data connectivity

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 21, FM 23, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashtu, Afghan Persian
(Dari), Urdu, and English) (2003)

Radios:
167,000 (1999)

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

Televisions:
100,000 (1999)

Internet country code:
.af

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
1,000 (2002)

Communications - note:
in March 2003 'af' was established as Afghanistan's domain name;
Internet access is growing through Internet cafes as well as public
"telekiosks" in Kabul that are part of a nationwide network proposed
by the Transitional Authority for Internet access (2002)

Transportation Afghanistan

Highways: total: 21,000 km paved: 2,793 km unpaved: 18,207 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 1,200 km note: chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 387 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Kheyrabad, Shir Khan

Airports:
47 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 37 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

Heliports: 5 (2003 est.)

Military Afghanistan

Military branches:
Afghan National Army, currently being trained by the US with the
assistance of the international community, is 7,000 strong; note -
the December 2001 Bonn Agreement called for all militia forces to
come under the authority of the central government, but regional
leaders have continued to retain their militias and the formation of
a national army remains a gradual process; Afghanistan's militia
forces continue to be factionalized, largely along ethnic lines

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
22 years of age (2004 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 6,785,414 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,642,659 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 263,406 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$61 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1% (2003)

Transnational Issues Afghanistan

Disputes - international:
despite largely successful UN efforts at voluntary repatriation,
2-3 million Afghan refugees continue to reside in Iran and Pakistan,
many at their own choosing; Pakistan has sent troops into remote
tribal areas to control the border and stem organized terrorist and
other illegal cross-border activites; regular meetings between
Pakistani and coalition allies aim to resolve periodic claims of
boundary encroachments; occasional conflicts over water-sharing
arrangements with Amu Darya and Helmand River states

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 167,000 - 200,000 (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in
south and west due to drought and instability) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
world's largest producer of opium; cultivation of opium poppy
reached unprecedented level of 206,700 hectares in 2004; counterdrug
efforts largely unsuccessful; potential opium production of 4,950
metric tons; potential heroin production of 582 metric tons if all
opium was processed; source of hashish; many narcotics-processing
labs throughout the country; drug trade source of instability and
some antigovernment groups profit from the trade; 80-90% of the
heroin consumed in Europe comes from Afghan opium; vulnerable to
narcotics money laundering through informal financial networks

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Akrotiri

Introduction Akrotiri

Background:
By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the
independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovreignty and
jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers in
total: Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The southernmost and smallest of these
is the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as
the Western Sovereign Base Area.

Geography Akrotiri

Location:
peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus

Geographic coordinates:
34 37 N, 32 58 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 123 sq km
note: includes a salt lake and wetlands

Area - comparative:
about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate:
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Environment - current issues:
shooting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for loggerhead
and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon vultures is on
the base

Geography - note:
British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small
off-post sites scattered across Cyprus

People Akrotiri

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: approximately 1,300 military personnel are on the base; note -
there are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of
military personnel or civilian staff on both Akrotiri and Dhekelia;
Cyprus citizens work on the base, but do not live there

Government Akrotiri

Country name:
conventional long form: Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area
conventional short form: Akrotiri

Dependency status:
overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is
also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

Capital:
Episkopi; also serves as capital of Dhekelia

Legal system:
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is
appointed by the monarch
head of government: Administrator Maj. Gen. Peter Tomas Clayton
PEARSON (since 9 May 2003) note - reports to the British Ministry of
Defence

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

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

Flag description:
the flag of the UK is used

Economy Akrotiri

Economy - overview:
Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military
and their families located in Akrotiri. All food and manufactured
goods must be imported.

Military Akrotiri

Military - note:
Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British Forces on
Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Albania

Introduction Albania

Background:
Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic
Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The
transition has proven difficult as successive governments have tried
to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated
infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks with links to high
government officials, and disruptive political opponents.
International observers judged parliamentary elections in 2001 and
local elections in 2003 to be acceptable and a step toward
democratic development, but identified serious deficiencies. Many of
these deficiencies have been addressed through bi-partisan changes
to the electoral code in 2003 and 2005, but implementation of these
changes will not be demonstrated until parliamentary elections in
July 2005.

Geography Albania

Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea,
between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro

Geographic coordinates:
41 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:
Europe

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

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
total: 720 km
border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and
Montenegro 287 km

Coastline:
362 km

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

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

Terrain:
mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore,
nickel, salt, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 21.09% permanent crops: 4.42% other: 74.49% (2001)

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

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

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

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

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

People Albania

Population:
3,544,808 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.4% (male 489,363; female 446,586)
15-64 years: 65.3% (male 1,184,670; female 1,130,065)
65 years and over: 8.3% (male 135,177; female 158,947) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 28.2 years
male: 27.6 years
female: 28.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.51% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
15.08 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.02 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-4.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 22.31 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 23.01 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.06 years
male: 74.37 years
female: 80.02 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.05 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Albanian(s)
adjective: Albanian

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

Religions:
Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%
note: percentages are estimates; there are no available current
statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were
closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November
1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice

Languages:
Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach,
Romani, Slavic dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 9 and over can read and write
total population: 86.5%
male: 93.3%
female: 79.5% (2003 est.)

Government Albania

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Albania
conventional short form: Albania
local short form: Shqiperia
former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania
local long form: Republika e Shqiperise

Government type:
emerging democracy

Capital:
Tirana

Administrative divisions:
12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Qarku i Beratit, Qarku i
Dibres, Qarku i Durresit, Qarku i Elbasanit, Qarku i Fierit, Qarku i
Gjirokastres, Qarku i Korces, Qarku i Kukesit, Qarku i Lezhes, Qarku
i Shkodres, Qarku i Tiranes, Qarku i Vlores

Independence:
28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 November (1912)

Constitution:
a constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998

Legal system:
has a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International
Criminal Court for its citizens

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU (since 24
July 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Fatos NANO (since 31 July 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister,
nominated by the president, and approved by Parliament
elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 24 June 2002 (next to be held NA
June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Alfred MOISIU elected president; People's Assembly
vote by number - total votes 116, for 97, against 19

Legislative branch:
unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (140 seats; 100
are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote for
four-year terms)
elections: last held 24 June 2001 with subsequent rounds on 8 July,
22 July, 29 July, 19 August 2001 (next to be held July 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - PS 41.5%, PD and
coalition allies 36.8%, PDR 5.2%, PSD 3.6%, PBDNJ 2.6%, PASH (now
PAA) 2.6%, PAD 2.5%; seats by party - PS 73, PD and coalition allies
46, PDR 6, PSD 4, PBDNJ 3, PASH (now PAA) 3, PAD 3, independents 2;
note - seats by party as of January 2005: PS 65, PD and coalition
allies 46, LSI 9, PDR 6, PSD 3, PBDNJ 3, PASH (now PAA) 3, PAD 3,
PDS 1, independents 1

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the
People's Assembly for a four-year term), and multiple appeals and
district courts

Political parties and leaders:
Agrarian Environmentalist Party or PAA [Lufter XHUVELI]; Christian
Democratic Party or PDK [Nikolle LESI]; Communist Party of Albania
or PKSH [Hysni MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance Party or PAD [Neritan
CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Legality Movement
Party or PLL [Ekrem SPAHIU]; Liberal Union Party or PBL [Arjan
STAROVA]; National Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Adriatik
ALIMADHI]; New Democratic Party or PDR [Genc POLLO]; Party of
National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQIRI]; Renewed Democratic Party or
PDR [Dashamir SHEHI]; Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Social
Democracy Party or PDS [Paskal MILO]; Social Democratic Party or PSD
[Skender GJINUSHI]; Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Ilir
META]; Socialist Party or PS (formerly the Albanian Party of Labor)
[Fatos NANO]; Union for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vangjel DULE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania or KSSH [Kastriot MUCO];
Front for Albanian National Unification or FBKSH [Gafur ADILI];
Omonia [Jani JANI]; Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania or
BSPSH [Gezim KALAJA]

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

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

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marcie B. RIES embassy: Rruga Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana mailing address: U. S. Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Dulles, VA 20189-9510 telephone: [355] (4) 247285 FAX: [355] (4) 374957 and [355] (4) 232222

Flag description: red with a black two-headed eagle in the center

Economy Albania

Economy - overview:
Poor and backward by European standards, Albania is making the
difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The
government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to spur
economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by remittances
from abroad of $400-$600 million annually, mostly from Greece and
Italy; this helps offset the sizable trade deficit. Agriculture,
which accounts for one-half of GDP, is held back because of frequent
drought and the need to modernize equipment and consolidate small
plots of land. Severe energy shortages and antiquated and inadequate
infrastructure make it difficult to attract and sustain foreign
investment. The government plans to boost energy imports to relieve
the shortages and is moving slowly to improve the poor national road
and rail network, a long-standing barrier to sustained economic
growth.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $16.13 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 47.5% industry: 24.6% services: 27.8% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
18.7% of GDP (2003)

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

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.4% (2003)

Labor force:
1.35 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 57%, non-agricultural private sector 20%, public sector 23% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
15.8% officially; may be as high as 30% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.36 billion
expenditures: $1.627 billion, including capital expenditures of $406
million (2003 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
2.7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
5.289 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
5.898 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
221 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
1.2 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
5,952 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
22,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
185.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
30 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
30 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
3.316 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-407 million (2003)

Exports:
$425 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
Italy 74.9%, Greece 12.8%, Germany 3.4% (2003)

Imports:
$1.76 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
Italy 33.6%, Greece 20.2%, Turkey 6.6%, Germany 5.7% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$1.038 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.41 billion (2003)

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

Currency:
lek (ALL)

Currency code:
ALL

Exchange rates:
leke per US dollar - 121.863 (2003), 140.155 (2002), 143.485
(2001), 143.709 (2000), 137.691 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Albania

Telephones - main lines in use:
255,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.1 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: Despite new investment in fixed lines, the
density of main lines remains the lowest in Europe with roughly 8
lines per 100 people. However, cellular telephone use is widespread
and generally effective.
domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile
phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003 two companies
were providing mobile services at a greater density than some of
Albania's Balkan neighbors
international: country code - 355; inadequate fixed main lines;
adequate cellular connections; international traffic carried by
microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece
(2003)

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

Radios:
1 million (2001)

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

Televisions:
700,000 (2001)

Internet country code:
.al

Internet hosts:
455 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
10 (2001)

Internet users:
30,000 (2003)

Transportation Albania

Railways: total: 447 km standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 18,000 km paved: 5,400 km unpaved: 12,600 km (2000)

Waterways:
43 km (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore

Merchant marine:
total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 40,878 GRT/62,676 DWT
registered in other countries: 7 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 1, cargo 19, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: Denmark 1, Honduras 1, Netherlands 1

Airports:
11 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 2
over 3,047 m: 1

Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)

Military Albania

Military branches:
General Staff Headquarters, Land Forces Command (Army), Naval
Forces Command, Air Forces Command, Doctrine and Exercises Command,
Logistics Support Command

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
19 years of age (2004 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 956,107 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 775,422 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 36,584 (2004 est.)

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

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

Transnational Issues Albania

Disputes - international:
the Albanian Government calls for the protection of the rights of
ethnic Albanians in neighboring countries, and the peaceful
resolution of interethnic disputes; some ethnic Albanian groups in
neighboring countries advocate for a "greater Albania," but the idea
has little appeal among Albanian nationals

Illicit drugs:
increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian
opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to
a far lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for
Western Europe; limited opium and growing cannabis production;
ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and expanding
in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering associated with regional
trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Algeria

Introduction Algeria

Background:
After more than a century of rule by France, Algerians fought
through much of the 1950s to achieve independence in 1962. Algeria's
primary political party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), has
dominated politics ever since. Many Algerians in the subsequent
generation were not satisfied, however, and moved to counter the
FLN's centrality in Algerian politics. The surprising first round
success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the December 1991
balloting spurred the Algerian army to intervene and postpone the
second round of elections to prevent what the secular elite feared
would be an extremist-led government from assuming power. The army
began a crack down on the FIS that spurred FIS supporters to begin
attacking government targets. The government later allowed elections
featuring pro-government and moderate religious-based parties, but
did not appease the activists who progressively widened their
attacks. The fighting escalated into an insurgency, which saw
intense fighting between 1992-1998 and which resulted in over
100,000 deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate massacres of
villagers by extremists. The government gained the upper hand by the
late-1990s and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army,
disbanded in January 2000. However, small numbers of armed militants
persist in confronting government forces and conducting ambushes and
occasional attacks on villages. The army placed Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA
in the presidency in 1999 in a fraudulent election but claimed
neutrality in his 2004 landslide reelection victory. A number of
longstanding problems continue to face BOUTEFLIKA in his second
term, including the ethnic minority Berbers' ongoing autonomy
campaign, large-scale unemployment, a shortage of housing,
unreliable electrical and water supplies, government inefficiencies
and corruption, and the continuing - although significantly degraded
- activities of extremist militants. Algeria must also diversify its
petroleum-based economy, which has yielded a large cash reserve but
which has not been used to redress Algeria's many social and
infrastructure problems. Algeria assumed a two-year seat on the UN
Security Council in January 2004.

Geography Algeria

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

Geographic coordinates:
28 00 N, 3 00 E

Map references:
Africa

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

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

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

Coastline:
998 km

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

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

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

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

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

Land use: arable land: 3.22% permanent crops: 0.25% other: 96.53% (2001)

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

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

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

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)

People Algeria

Population:
32,129,324 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.9% (male 4,893,971; female 4,705,933)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 10,593,840; female 10,443,300)
65 years and over: 4.6% (male 703,420; female 788,860) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 23.8 years
male: 23.7 years
female: 24 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.28% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
17.76 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.61 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 32.16 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 28.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 36.06 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.74 years
male: 71.22 years
female: 74.34 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.04 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Algerian(s)
adjective: Algerian

Ethnic groups:
Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%
note: almost all Algerians are Berber in origin, not Arab; the
minority who identify themselves as Berber live mostly in the
mountainous region of Kabylie east of Algeirs; the Berbers are also
Muslim but identify with their Berber rather than Arab cultural
heritage; Berbers have long agitated, sometimes violently, for
autonomy; the government is unlikely to grant autonomy but has
offered to begin sponsoring teaching Berber language in schools

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

Languages:
Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70%
male: 78.8%
female: 61% (2003 est.)

Government Algeria

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

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Algiers

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

Independence:
5 July 1962 (from France)

National holiday:
Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)

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

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

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 9 May 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 8 April 2004 (next to be held NA April 2009);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected president for
second term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA 85%, Ali BENFLIS
6.4%, Abdallah DJABALLAH 5%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the National People's Assembly or
Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (389 seats - changed from 380 seats
in the 2002 elections; members elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms) and the Council of Nations (Senate) (144 seats;
one-third of the members appointed by the president, two-thirds
elected by indirect vote; members serve six-year terms; the
constitution requires half the council to be renewed every three
years)
elections: National People's Assembly - last held 30 May 2002 (next
to be held NA 2007); Council of Nations (Senate) - last held 30
December 2003 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: National People's Assembly - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - FLN 199, RND 48, Islah 43, MSP 38, PT
21, FNA 8, EnNahda 1, PRA 1, MEN 1, independents 29; Council of
Nations - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party NA

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Court Supreme

Political parties and leaders:
Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI]; Democratic National
Rally or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA, chairman]; Islamic Salvation Front or
FIS (outlawed April 1992) [Ali BELHADJ and Dr. Abassi MADANI, Rabeh
KEBIR (self-exiled in Germany)]; National Entente Movement or MEN
[Ali BOUKHAZNA]; National Liberation Front or FLN [Abdelaziz
BELKHADEM, secretary general (also serves as Foreign Minister)];
National Reform Movement or Islah (formerly MRN) [Abdellah
DJABALLAH]; National Renewal Party or PRA [Yacine TERKMANE];
Progressive Republican Party [Khadir DRISS]; Rally for Culture and
Democracy or RCD [Said SAADI, secretary general]; Renaissance
Movement or EnNahda Movement [Fatah RABEI]; Social Liberal Party or
PSL [Ahmed KHELIL]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine Ait AHMED,
secretary general (self-exiled in Switzerland)]; Society of Peace
Movement or MSP [Boujerra SOLTANI]; Workers Party or PT [Louisa
HANOUN]
note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted
in March 1997

Political pressure groups and leaders:
The Algerian Human Rights League or LADH or LADDH [Yahia Ali
ABDENOUR]; SOS Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR]; Somoud [Ali MERABET]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 2137 Wyoming Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard W. ERDMAN embassy: 4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers mailing address: B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers telephone: [213] (21) 691-425/255/186 FAX: [213] (21) 69-39-79

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

Economy Algeria

Economy - overview:
The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy, accounting
for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over 95% of
export earnings. Algeria has the seventh-largest reserves of natural
gas in the world and is the second-largest gas exporter; it ranks
14th in oil reserves. Economic policy reforms supported by the IMF
and debt rescheduling from the Paris Club in the past decade have
helped improve Algeria's financial and macroeconomic indicators.
Because of sustained high oil prices in the past three years,
Algeria's finances have further benefited from substantial trade
surpluses and record foreign exchange reserves. Real GDP has risen
due to higher oil output and increased government spending. The
government's continued efforts to diversify the economy by
attracting foreign and domestic investment outside the energy
sector, however, has had little success in reducing high
unemployment and improving living standards. Structural reform
within the economy moves ahead slowly.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $196 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7.4% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10.2% industry: 56.5% services: 33.4% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
24.8% of GDP (2003)

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

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 26.8% (1995)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
9.6 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 14%, industry 13.4%, construction and public works 10%, trade 14.6%, government 32%, other 16% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
26.2% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $25.49 billion
expenditures: $22.87 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.8
billion (2003 est.)

Public debt:
41.5% of GDP (2003 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
6% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
24.69 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
22.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
340 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
275 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
1.52 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
209,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
13.1 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
80.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
22.32 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
57.98 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
4.739 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$7.836 billion (2003)

Exports:
$24.96 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
Italy 19.5%, US 18.5%, France 13.6%, Spain 11.2%, Canada 6.2%,
Belgium 5.1%, Brazil 4.9% (2003)

Imports:
$12.42 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
France 30.9%, Italy 9.6%, Spain 6.1%, Germany 5.5%, China 4.6%,
Turkey 4.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$33.42 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$22.71 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$182 million (2001 est.)

Currency:
Algerian dinar (DZD)

Currency code:
DZD

Exchange rates:
Algerian dinars per US dollar - 77.395 (2003), 79.6819 (2002),
77.215 (2001), 75.2598 (2000), 66.5739 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Algeria

Telephones - main lines in use:
2,199,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,447,310 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: telephone density in Algeria is very low, not
exceeding five telephones per 100 persons; the number of fixed main
lines increased in the last few years to a little more than
2,000,000, but only about two-thirds of these have subscribers; much
of the infrastructure is outdated and inefficient
domestic: good service in north but sparse in south; domestic
satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic
earth stations are planned)
international: country code - 213; 5 submarine cables; microwave
radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial
cable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1
Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat (1998)

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

Radios:
7.1 million (1997)

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

Televisions:
3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.dz

Internet hosts:
897 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
500,000 (2002)

Transportation Algeria

Railways:
total: 3,973 km
standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 104,000 km
paved: 71,656 km (including 640 km of expressways)
unpaved: 32,344 km (1999)

Pipelines:
condensate 1,344 km; gas 85,946 km; liquid petroleum gas 2,213 km;
oil 6,496 km (2004)

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

Merchant marine:
total: 59 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 837,676 GRT/929,847 DWT
by type: bulk 9, cargo 16, chemical tanker 6, liquefied gas 10,
petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea/passenger 4,
specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: United Kingdom 4
registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports:
137 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 52 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 27 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 85
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 26
under 914 m: 19 (2004 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 38

Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)

Military Algeria

Military branches:
People's National Army (ANP; includes Ground Forces), Algerian
National Navy (ANN), Air Force (QJA), Territorial Air Defense

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
19-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - 18 months (October 2003)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 9,311,747 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 5,675,739 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 373,235 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$2,196.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.5% (2003)

Transnational Issues Algeria

Disputes - international:
Algeria supports the exiled Sahrawi Polisario Front and rejects
Moroccan administration of Western Sahara; Algeria's border with
Morocco remains an irritant to bilateral relations; each nation has
accused the other of harboring militants and arms smuggling; in an
attempt to improve relations afer unilaterally imposing a visa
requirement on Algerians in the early 1990s, Morocco lifted the
requirement in mid-2004 - a gesture not reciprocated by Algeria;
Algeria remains concerned about armed bandits operating throughout
the Sahel who sometimes destabilize southern Algerian towns; dormant
disputes include Libyan claims of about 32,000 sq km still reflected
on its maps of southeastern Algeria and the FLN's assertions of a
claim to Chirac Pastures in southeastern Morocco

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 165,000 (Western Saharan Sahrawi, mostly living in Algerian-sponsored camps in the southeastern Algerian town of Tindouf) IDPs: 100,000 - 200,000 (conflict between government forces, Islamic insurgents) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@American Samoa

Introduction American Samoa

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

Geography American Samoa

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

Geographic coordinates:
14 20 S, 170 00 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 199 sq km
note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island
water: 0 sq km
land: 199 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
116 km

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

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

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

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

Natural resources:
pumice, pumicite

Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 15%
other: 75% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
typhoons common from December to March

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

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

People American Samoa

Population:
57,902 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 36.6% (male 10,983; female 10,208)
15-64 years: 60.3% (male 18,010; female 16,933)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 699; female 1,069) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 22.4 years
male: 22.1 years
female: 22.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.04% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
24.46 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
3.39 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-20.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.48 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 10.06 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.62 years
male: 72.05 years
female: 79.41 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.41 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

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

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

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

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

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

Government American Samoa

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

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

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Pago Pago

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

Independence:
none (territory of the US)

National holiday:
Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Constitution:
ratified 1966, in effect 1967

Legal system:
NA

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
2001)
election results: Togiola TULAFONO elected governor; percent of
vote: Togiola TULAFONO 55.7%, Afoa Moega LUTU 44.3%
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
last held 2 and 16 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)
head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003)
cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of
Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by popular vote
and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island;
members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats; members are
elected from local chiefs and serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2002
(next to be held 2 November 2004); Senate - last held 7 November
2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004)
note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US
House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2002 (next
to be held 2 November 2004); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA
(Democrat) reelected as delegate
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - independents 18

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

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

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU

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

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

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

Economy American Samoa

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

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

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

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

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

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA (2003 est.)

Labor force:
14,000 (1996)

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

Unemployment rate:
6% (2000)

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

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
130 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
120.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
3,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$30 million (2002)

Exports - commodities:
canned tuna 93%

Exports - partners:
Samoa 33.3%, Japan 22.2%, Australia 11.1%, Canada 11.1%, New
Zealand 11.1% (2003)

Imports:
$123 million (2002)

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

Imports - partners:
Australia 33.3%, New Zealand 33.3%, Mauritius 9%, Japan 5.1%, South
Korea 5.1%, UK 5.1% (2003)

Debt - external:
NA (2002 est.)

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

Currency:
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications American Samoa

Telephones - main lines in use:
15,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,377 (1999)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone
services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
international: country code - 1-684; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
57,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2004)

Televisions:
14,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.as

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation American Samoa

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

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

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
3 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military American Samoa

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues American Samoa

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Andorra

Introduction Andorra

Background:
For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique
co-principality, ruled by French and Spanish leaders (from 1607
onward, the French chief of state and the Spanish bishop of Urgel).
In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the titular heads of
state retained, but the government transformed into a parliamentary
democracy. Long isolated and impoverished, mountainous Andorra
achieved considerable prosperity since World War II through its
tourist industry. Many immigrants (legal and illegal) are attracted
to the thriving economy with its lack of income taxes.

Geography Andorra

Location:
Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain

Geographic coordinates:
42 30 N, 1 30 E

Map references:
Europe

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

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

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

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

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

Terrain:
rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys

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

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

Land use: arable land: 2.22% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.78% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
avalanches

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

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

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

People Andorra

Population:
69,865 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 15% (male 5,478; female 4,988)
15-64 years: 71.6% (male 26,268; female 23,766)
65 years and over: 13.4% (male 4,659; female 4,706) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 39.7 years
male: 40 years
female: 39.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
9.32 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.9 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
6.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female
total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.05 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 83.5 years
male: 80.59 years
female: 86.59 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.28 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Andorran(s)
adjective: Andorran

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

Religions:
Roman Catholic (predominant)

Languages:
Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese

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

Government Andorra

Country name:
conventional long form: Principality of Andorra
conventional short form: Andorra
local short form: Andorra
local long form: Principat d'Andorra

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

Capital:
Andorra la Vella

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

Independence:
1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of the French count of
Foix and the Spanish bishop of Urgel)

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

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

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

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995),
represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002); Spanish
Coprince Bishop Joan Enric VIVES i SICILIA (since 12 May 2003),
represented by Nemesi MARQUES i OSTE (since NA)
elections: Executive Council president elected by the General
Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year
term; election last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held April-May
2005)
election results: Marc FORNE Molne elected executive council
president; percent of General Council vote - NA%
cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive
Council president
head of government: Executive Council President Marc FORNE Molne
(since 21 December 1994)

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

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

Political parties and leaders:
Andorran Democratic Center Party or CDA (formerly Democratic Party
or PD) [leader NA]; Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA (formerly
Liberal Union or UL) [Albert PINTAT]; Social Democratic Party or PS
(formerly part of National Democratic Group or AND) [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

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

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

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; the US Ambassador to
Spain is accredited to Andorra; US interests in Andorra are
represented by the Consulate General's office in Barcelona (Spain);
mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain;
telephone: [34] (93) 280-2227; FAX: [34] (93) 280-6175

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

Economy Andorra

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

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

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

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

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

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

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

Labor force:
33,000 (2001 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
0% (1996 est.)

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

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

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

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

Exports - commodities:
tobacco products, furniture

Exports - partners:
Spain 58%, France 34% (2000)

Imports:
$1.077 billion (1998)

Imports - commodities:
consumer goods, food, electricity

Imports - partners:
Spain 48%, France 35%, US 2.3% (2000)

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
none

Currency:
euro (EUR)

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.12 (2001),
1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Andorra

Telephones - main lines in use:
35,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
23,500 (2001)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections
between exchanges
international: country code - 376; landline circuits to France and
Spain

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

Radios:
16,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
0 (1997)

Televisions:
27,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ad

Internet hosts:
4,144 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
24,500 (2001)

Transportation Andorra

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

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
none

Military Andorra

Military branches:
no regular military forces, Police Service of Andorra

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

Transnational Issues Andorra

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Angola

Introduction Angola

Background:
Angola has begun to enjoy the fruits of peace since the end of a
27-year civil war in 2002. Fighting between the Popular Movement for
the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, and
the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led
by Jonas SAVIMBI, followed independence from Portugal in 1975. Peace
seemed imminent in 1992 when Angola held national elections, but
UNITA renewed fighting after being beaten by the MPLA at the polls.
Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost - and 4 million people
displaced - in the quarter century of fighting. SAVIMBI's death in
2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and strengthened the MPLA's hold on
power. DOS SANTOS has pledged to hold national elections in 2006.

Geography Angola

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

Geographic coordinates:
12 30 S, 18 30 E

Map references:
Africa

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

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

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

Coastline:
1,600 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

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

Terrain:
narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau

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

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

Land use: arable land: 2.41% permanent crops: 0.24% other: 97.35% (2001)

Irrigated land:
750 sq km (1998 est.)

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

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

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

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

People Angola

Population:
10,978,552 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.5% (male 2,410,326; female 2,363,368)
15-64 years: 53.7% (male 2,998,892; female 2,897,837)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 137,340; female 170,789) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.1 years
male: 18.1 years
female: 18.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.93% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
45.14 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
25.86 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 192.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 179.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 204.97 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 36.79 years
male: 36.06 years
female: 37.55 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
6.33 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
240,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
21,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, trypanosomiasis, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Angolan(s)
adjective: Angolan

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

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

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

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

Government Angola

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Angola
conventional short form: Angola
local short form: Angola
former: People's Republic of Angola
local long form: Republica de Angola

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

Capital:
Luanda

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

Independence:
11 November 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 11 November (1975)

Constitution:
11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978, 11 August 1980, 6 March
1991, and 26 August 1992; note - new constitution has not yet been
approved

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

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21
September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21
September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and
head of government; Fernando de Piedade Dias DOS SANTOS was
appointed Prime Minister on 6 December 2002, but this is not a
position of real power
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by universal ballot for a NA-year term;
President DOS SANTOS originally elected (in 1979) without opposition
under a one-party system and stood for reelection in Angola's first
multiparty elections 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held NA)
election results: DOS SANTOS 49.6%, Jonas SAVIMBI 40.1%, making a
run-off election necessary; the run-off was not held and SAVIMBI's
National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA)
repudiated the results of the first election; the civil war resumed

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

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

Political parties and leaders:
Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Analia de Victoria PEREIRA];
National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [disputed
leadership: Lucas NGONDA, Holden ROBERTO]; National Union for the
Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Isaias SAMAKUVA], largest
opposition party has engaged in years of armed resistance; Popular
Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Jose Eduardo DOS
SANTOS], ruling party in power since 1975; Social Renewal Party or
PRS [disputed leadership: Eduardo KUANGANA, Antonio MUACHICUNGO]
note: about a dozen minor parties participated in the 1992 elections
but only won a few seats and have little influence in the National
Assembly

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

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), SADC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Josefina Perpetua Pitra DIAKIDI FAX: [1] (202) 785-1258 consulate(s) general: Houston and New York telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156 chancery: 2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher William DELL
embassy: number 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne (in the Miramar area of
Luanda), Luanda
mailing address: international mail: Caixa Postal 6468, Luanda;
pouch: American Embassy Luanda, Department of State, Washington, DC
20521-2550
telephone: [244] (2) 445-481, 447-028, 446-224
FAX: [244] (2) 446-924

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

Economy Angola

Economy - overview:
Angola has been an economy in disarray because of a quarter century
of nearly continuous warfare. An apparently durable peace was
established after the death of rebel leader Jonas SAVIMBI on
February 22, 2002, but consequences from the conflict continue
including the impact of wide-spread land mines. Subsistence
agriculture provides the main livelihood for 85% of the population.
Oil production and the supporting activities are vital to the
economy, contributing about 45% to GDP and more than half of
exports. Much of the country's food must still be imported. To fully
take advantage of its rich natural resources - gold, diamonds,
extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits -
Angola will need to continue reforming government policies and to
reduce corruption. While Angola made progress in bringing inflation
down further, from 325% in 2000 to about 106% in 2002, the
government has failed to make sufficient progress on reforms
recommended by the IMF such as increasing foreign exchange reserves
and promoting greater transparency in government spending. Increased
oil production supported 7% GDP growth in 2003.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $20.42 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 67% services: 25% (2001 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
31.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
70% (2003 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
76.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
5.57 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 85%, industry and services 15% (2003 est.)

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

Budget:
revenues: $4.874 billion
expenditures: $6.012 billion, including capital expenditures of $963
million (2003 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
1% (2000)

Electricity - production:
1.45 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.348 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
742,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
31,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
5.691 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
530 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
530 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
79.57 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-475 million (2003)

Exports:
$9.669 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
US 47.7%, China 23.4%, Taiwan 8%, France 7.4% (2003)

Imports:
$4.08 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
Portugal 18.2%, South Africa 12.4%, US 12.2%, Netherlands 11.6%,
France 6.5%, Brazil 6.1%, UK 4.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$638.4 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$9.164 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$383.5 million (1999)

Currency:
kwanza (AOA)

Currency code:
AOA

Exchange rates:
kwanza per US dollar - 74.6063 (2003), 43.5302 (2002), 22.0579
(2001), 10.041 (2000), 2.791 (1999), 0.393 (1998); note - in
December 1999 the kwanza was revalued with six zeroes dropped off
the old value

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Angola

Telephones - main lines in use:
96,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
130,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: telephone service limited mostly to government
and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for military
links
domestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and
tropospheric scatter
international: country code - 244; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 21, FM 6, shortwave 7 (2000)

Radios:
815,000 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
6 (2000)

Televisions:
196,000 (2000)

Internet country code:
.ao

Internet hosts:
17 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
41,000 (2002)

Transportation Angola

Railways: total: 2,761 km narrow gauge: 2,638 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 51,429 km paved: 5,349 km unpaved: 46,080 km (1999)

Waterways:
1,300 km (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 214 km; liquid natural gas 14 km; liquid petroleum gas 30 km;
oil 837 km; refined products 56 km (2004)

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

Merchant marine:
total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 26,123 GRT/42,879 DWT
by type: cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1
registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports:
244 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 32
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 211
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 30
914 to 1,523 m: 95
under 914 m: 80 (2004 est.)

Military Angola

Military branches:
Army, Navy (Marinha de Guerra, MdG), Air and Air Defense Forces
(FANA)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
17 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service
obligation - 2 years plus time for training (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,620,219 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,317,328 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 113,103 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$265.1 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Angola

Disputes - international:
continues to give shelter to refugees from the Democratic Republic
of the Congo while many Angolan refugees and Cabinda exclave
secessionists reside in neighboring states

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 40,000 - 60,000 (27-year civil war ending in 2002; 4 million
IDPs already have returned) (2004)

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

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Anguilla

Introduction Anguilla

Background:
Colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts in 1650, Anguilla
was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th century, when
the island - against the wishes of the inhabitants - was
incorporated into a single British dependency, along with Saint
Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two
years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this
arrangement was formally recognized in 1980, with Anguilla becoming
a separate British dependency.

Geography Anguilla

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

Geographic coordinates:
18 15 N, 63 10 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 102 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 102 sq km

Area - comparative:
about half the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
61 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

Terrain:
flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m

Natural resources:
salt, fish, lobster

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some
commercial salt ponds) (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October)

Environment - current issues: supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system

Geography - note: the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles

People Anguilla

Population:
13,008 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.8% (male 1,569; female 1,523)
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 4,641; female 4,385)
65 years and over: 6.8% (male 396; female 494) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 30.4 years
male: 30.4 years
female: 30.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.98% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
14.45 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.46 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
10.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 21.91 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 28.72 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.9 years
male: 73.99 years
female: 79.91 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.74 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality: noun: Anguillan(s) adjective: Anguillan

Ethnic groups:
black (predominant), mulatto, white

Religions:
Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, Baptist 5%,
Roman Catholic 3%, other 12%

Languages:
English (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 12 and over can read and write
total population: 95%
male: 95%
female: 95% (1984 est.)

Government Anguilla

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

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
NA

Capital:
The Valley

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
Anguilla Day, 30 May

Constitution:
Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990

Legal system:
based on English common law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
represented by Governor Alan Eden HUCKLE (since 28 May 2004)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
appointed chief minister by the governor
head of government: Chief Minister Osbourne FLEMING (since 3 March
2000)
cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the
elected members of the House of Assembly

Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats total, 7 elected by direct
popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2 appointed; members serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 3 March 2000 (next to be held NA June 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
ANA 3, AUM 2, ADP 1, independent 1

Judicial branch:
High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court)

Political parties and leaders:
Anguilla United Movement or AUM [Hubert HUGHES]; The United Front
or UF [Osbourne FLEMING, Victor BANKS], a coalition of the Anguilla
Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla National Alliance or ANA;
Anguilla Patriotic Movement or APM [Quincy GUMBS]; Movement for
Grassroots Democracy or MFGD [Joyce KENTISH, John BENJAMIN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS (associate),
UPU

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

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

Flag description:
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag;
the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an interlocking
circular design on a white background with blue wavy water below

Economy Anguilla

Economy - overview:
Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends heavily
on luxury tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and
remittances from emigrants. Increased activity in the tourism
industry, which has spurred the growth of the construction sector,
has contributed to economic growth. Anguillan officials have put
substantial effort into developing the offshore financial sector,
which is small, but growing. In the medium term, prospects for the
economy will depend largely on the tourism sector and, therefore, on
revived income growth in the industrialized nations as well as on
favorable weather conditions.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $104 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.8% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $8,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 18%
services: 78% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3%

Labor force:
6,049 (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4%, manufacturing 3%, construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, commerce 36%, services 29% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
6.7% (2001)

Budget:
revenues: $22.8 million
expenditures: $22.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising

Industries:
tourism, boat building, offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate:
3.1% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
NA

Electricity - consumption:
42.6 million kWh

Exports:
$2.6 million (1999)

Exports - commodities:
lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum

Exports - partners:
UK, US, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin (2000)

Imports:
$80.9 million (1999)

Imports - commodities:
fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles

Imports - partners:
US, Puerto Rico, UK (2000)

Debt - external:
$8.8 million (1998)

Economic aid - recipient:
$3.5 million (1995)

Currency:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
XCD

Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Anguilla

Telephones - main lines in use:
6,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,800 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern internal telephone system
international: country code - 1-264; microwave radio relay to island
of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
3,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)

Televisions:
1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ai

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)

Internet users:
3,000 (2002)

Transportation Anguilla

Highways: total: 105 km paved: 65 km unpaved: 40 km (1997)

Ports and harbors:
Blowing Point, Road Bay

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
3 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Anguilla

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Anguilla

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the
US and Europe

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Antarctica

Introduction Antarctica

Background:
Speculation over the existence of a "southern land" was not
confirmed until the early 1820s when British and American commercial
operators and British and Russian national expeditions began
exploring the Antarctic Peninsula region and other areas south of
the Antarctic Circle. Not until 1840 was it established that
Antarctica was indeed a continent and not just a group of islands.
Several exploration "firsts" were achieved in the early 20th
century. Following World War II, there was an upsurge in scientific
research on the continent. A number of countries have set up
year-round research stations on Antarctica. Seven have made
territorial claims, but not all countries recognize these claims. In
order to form a legal framework for the activities of nations on the
continent, an Antarctic Treaty was negotiated that neither denies
nor gives recognition to existing territorial claims; signed in
1959, it entered into force in 1961.

Geography Antarctica

Location:
continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle

Geographic coordinates:
90 00 S, 0 00 E

Map references:
Antarctic Region

Area:
total: 14 million sq km
note: fifth-largest continent, following Asia, Africa, North
America, and South America, but larger than Australia and the
subcontinent of Europe
land: 14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km
ice-covered) (est.)

Area - comparative:
slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Land boundaries: 0 km note: see entry on Disputes - international

Coastline:
17,968 km

Maritime claims:
Australia, Chile, and Argentina claim Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
rights or similar over 200 nm extensions seaward from their
continental claims, but like the claims themselves, these zones are
not accepted by other countries; 20 of 27 Antarctic consultative
nations have made no claims to Antarctic territory (although Russia
and the US have reserved the right to do so) and do not recognize
the claims of the other nations; also see the Disputes -
international entry

Climate:
severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance
from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica
because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most
moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January along the
coast and average slightly below freezing

Terrain:
about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with
average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges
up to nearly 5,000 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of
southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area,
and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers form ice shelves
along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves
constitute 11% of the area of the continent

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,555 m
highest point: Vinson Massif 4,897 m
note: the lowest known land point in Antarctica is hidden in the
Bentley Subglacial Trench; at its surface is the deepest ice yet
discovered and the world's lowest elevation not under seawater

Natural resources:
iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other
minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small
uncommercial quantities; none presently exploited; krill, finfish,
and crab have been taken by commercial fisheries

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%) (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km

Natural hazards:
katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high
interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau;
cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the
coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West
Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may
calve from ice shelf

Environment - current issues:
in 1998, NASA satellite data showed that the antarctic ozone hole
was the largest on record, covering 27 million square kilometers;
researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet light coming
through the hole damages the DNA of icefish, an antarctic fish
lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown to harm
one-celled antarctic marine plants; in 2002, significant areas of
ice shelves disintegrated in response to regional warming

Geography - note:
the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest continent;
during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South
Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent period; mostly
uninhabitable

People Antarctica

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants, but there are both permanent and
summer-only staffed research stations
note: 26 nations, all signatory to the Antarctic Treaty, operate
seasonal (summer) and year-round research stations on the continent
and in its surrounding oceans; the population of persons doing and
supporting science on the continent and its nearby islands south of
60 degrees south latitude (the region covered by the Antarctic
Treaty) varies from approximately 4,000 in summer to 1,000 in
winter; in addition, approximately 1,000 personnel including ship's
crew and scientists doing onboard research are present in the waters
of the treaty region; summer (January) population - 3,687 total;
Argentina 302, Australia 201, Belgium 13, Brazil 80, Bulgaria 16,
Chile 352, China 70, Finland 11, France 100, Germany 51, India 60,
Italy 106, Japan 136, South Korea 14, Netherlands 10, NZ 60, Norway
40, Peru 28, Poland 70, Russia 254, South Africa 80, Spain 43,
Sweden 20, UK 192, US 1,378 (1998-99); winter (July) population -
964 total; Argentina 165, Australia 75, Brazil 12, Chile 129, China
33, France 33, Germany 9, India 25, Japan 40, South Korea 14, NZ 10,
Poland 20, Russia 102, South Africa 10, UK 39, US 248 (1998-99);
research stations operated within the Antarctic Treaty area (south
of 60 degrees south) by members of the Council of Managers of
National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP): year-round stations - 37
total; Argentina 6, Australia 3, Brazil 1, Chile 4, China 2, France
1, Germany 1, India 1, Japan 1, South Korea 1, NZ 1, Poland 1,
Russia 6, South Africa 1, Ukraine 1, UK 2, US 3, Uruguay 1 (2004);
summer-only stations - 36 total; Argentina 8, Australia 2, Bulgaria
1, Chile 5, Ecuador 1, Finland 1, Germany 1, India 1, Italy 1, Japan
3, Norway 2, Peru 1, Russia 2, South Africa 1, Spain 2, Sweden 2, UK
1, Italy and France jointly 1 (2003-2004); in addition, during the
austral summer some nations have numerous occupied locations such as
tent camps, summer-long temporary facilities, and mobile traverses
in support of research

Government Antarctica

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

Government type: Antarctic Treaty Summary - the Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica; the 26th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Madrid, Spain in June 2003; at these periodic meetings, decisions are made by consensus (not by vote) of all consultative member nations; at the end of 2003, there were 45 treaty member nations: 27 consultative and 18 non-consultative; consultative (decision-making) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 20 non-claimant nations; the US and Russia have reserved the right to make claims; the US does not recognize the claims of others; Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative member nations; decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own nationals and operations) in accordance with their own national laws; the year in parentheses indicates when an acceding nation was accepted as a consultative member, while no date indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory; claimant nations are - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil (1983), Bulgaria (1998) China (1985), Ecuador (1990), Finland (1989), Germany (1981), India (1983), Italy (1987), Japan, South Korea (1989), Netherlands (1990), Peru (1989), Poland (1977), Russia, South Africa, Spain (1988), Sweden (1988), Uruguay (1985), and the US; non-consultative members, with year of accession in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Canada (1988), Colombia (1989), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1993), Denmark (1965), Estonia (2001), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1993), Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1995), Ukraine (1992), and Venezuela (1999); Article 1 - area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 - freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue; Article 3 - free exchange of information and personnel, cooperation with the UN and other international agencies; Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force; Article 5 - prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6 - includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south and reserves high seas rights; Article 7 - treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all expeditions and of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8 - allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9 - frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10 - treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 - disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14 - deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations; other agreements - some 200 recommendations adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments include - Agreed Measures for Fauna and Flora (1964) which were later incorporated into the Environmental Protocol; Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but remains unratified; the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into force 14 January 1998; this agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic environment through five specific annexes: 1) environmental impact assessment, 2) conservation of Antarctic fauna and flora, 3) waste disposal and waste management, 4) prevention of marine pollution, and 5) area protection and management; it prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research

Legal system:
Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative
member nations; decisions from these meetings are carried out by
these member nations (with respect to their own nationals and
operations) in accordance with their own national laws; US law,
including certain criminal offenses by or against US nationals, such
as murder, may apply extra-territorially; some US laws directly
apply to Antarctica; for example, the Antarctic Conservation Act, 16
U.S.C. section 2401 et seq., provides civil and criminal penalties
for the following activities, unless authorized by regulation of
statute: the taking of native mammals or birds; the introduction of
nonindigenous plants and animals; entry into specially protected
areas; the discharge or disposal of pollutants; and the importation
into the US of certain items from Antarctica; violation of the
Antarctic Conservation Act carries penalties of up to $10,000 in
fines and one year in prison; the National Science Foundation and
Department of Justice share enforcement responsibilities; Public Law
95-541, the US Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, as amended in
1996, requires expeditions from the US to Antarctica to notify, in
advance, the Office of Oceans, Room 5805, Department of State,
Washington, DC 20520, which reports such plans to other nations as
required by the Antarctic Treaty; for more information, contact
Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs, National Science
Foundation, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone: (703) 292-8030, or
visit their website at www.nsf.gov

Economy Antarctica

Economy - overview:
Fishing off the coast and tourism, both based abroad, account for
the limited economic activity. Antarctic fisheries in 2000-01 (1
July-30 June) reported landing 112,934 metric tons. Unregulated
fishing, particularly of Patagonian toothfish, is a serious problem.
The Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living
Resources determines the recommended catch limits for marine
species. A total of 13,571 tourists visited in the 2002-03 antarctic
summer, up from the 11,588 who visited the previous year. Nearly all
of them were passengers on commercial (nongovernmental) ships and
several yachts that make trips during the summer. Most tourist trips
last approximately two weeks.

Communications Antarctica

Telephones - main lines in use:
0
note: information for US bases only (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: local systems at some research stations
domestic: NA
international: country code - 672; via satellite (mobile Inmarsat
and Iridium system) from some research stations

Radio broadcast stations:
AM NA, FM 2, shortwave 1
note: information for US bases only (2002)

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
1 (cable system with six channels; American Forces Antarctic
Network-McMurdo)
note: information for US bases only (2002)

Televisions:
several hundred at McMurdo Station (US)
note: information for US bases only (2001)

Internet country code:
.aq

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Transportation Antarctica

Ports and harbors:
there are no developed ports and harbors in Antarctica; most
coastal stations have offshore anchorages, and supplies are
transferred from ship to shore by small boats, barges, and
helicopters; a few stations have a basic wharf facility; US coastal
stations include McMurdo (77 51 S, 166 40 E), Palmer (64 43 S, 64 03
W); government use only except by permit (see Permit Office under
"Legal System"); all ships at port are subject to inspection in
accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; offshore anchorage is
sparse and intermittent

Airports:
there are no developed public access airports or landing
facilities; 30 stations, operated by 16 national governments party
to the Antarctic Treaty, have restricted aircraft landing facilities
for either helicopters and/or fixed-wing aircraft; commercial
enterprises operate two additional aircraft landing facilities;
helicopter pads are available at 27 stations; runways at 15
locations are gravel, sea-ice, blue-ice, or compacted snow suitable
for landing wheeled, fixed-wing aircraft; of these, 1 is greater
than 3 km in length, 6 are between 2 km and 3 km in length, 3 are
between 1 km and 2 km in length, 3 are less than 1 km in length, and
2 are of unknown length; snow surface skiways, limited to use by
ski-equipped, fixed-wing aircraft, are available at another 15
locations; of these, 4 are greater than 3 km in length, 3 are
between 2 km and 3 km in length, 2 are between 1 km and 2 km in
length, 2 are less than 1 km in length, and 4 are of unknown length;
aircraft landing facilities generally subject to severe restrictions
and limitations resulting from extreme seasonal and geographic
conditions; aircraft landing facilities do not meet ICAO standards;
advance approval from the respective governmental or nongovernmental
operating organization required for landing; landed aircraft are
subject to inspection in accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty
(2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 20 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

Heliports:
27 stations have restricted helicopter landing facilities
(helipads) (2003 est.)

Military Antarctica

Military - note:
the Antarctic Treaty prohibits any measures of a military nature,
such as the establishment of military bases and fortifications, the
carrying out of military maneuvers, or the testing of any type of
weapon; it permits the use of military personnel or equipment for
scientific research or for any other peaceful purposes

Transnational Issues Antarctica

Disputes - international:
Antarctic Treaty freezes claims (see Antarctic Treaty Summary in
Government type entry); sections (some overlapping) claimed by
Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK; the US and
most other states do not recognize the territorial claims of other
states and have made no claims themselves (the US and Russia reserve
the right to do so); no claims have been made in the sector between
90 degrees west and 150 degrees west; several states with land
claims in Antarctica have expressed their intention to submit data
to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf to
extend their continental shelf claims to adjoining undersea ridges

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Antigua and Barbuda

Introduction Antigua and Barbuda

Background:
The Siboney were the first to inhabit the islands of Antigua and
Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak and Carib Indians populated the
islands when Columbus landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early
settlements by the Spanish and French were succeeded by the English
who formed a colony in 1667. Slavery, established to run the sugar
plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands became an
independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981.

Geography Antigua and Barbuda

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

Geographic coordinates:
17 03 N, 61 48 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

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

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
153 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:
tropical; little seasonal temperature variation

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

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

Natural resources:
NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Land use:
arable land: 18.18%
permanent crops: 4.55%
other: 77.27% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

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

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

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors
and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western harbor

People Antigua and Barbuda

Population:
68,320 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.1% (male 9,761; female 9,429)
15-64 years: 67.6% (male 23,179; female 23,023)
65 years and over: 4.3% (male 1,151; female 1,777) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 29.4 years
male: 28.9 years
female: 29.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.6% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
17.7 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.55 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-6.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 20.18 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 24.29 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.6 years
male: 69.26 years
female: 74.07 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.27 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

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

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

Religions:
Christian, (predominantly Anglican with other Protestant, and some
Roman Catholic)

Languages:
English (official), local dialects

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

Government Antigua and Barbuda

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

Government type:
constitutional monarchy with UK-style parliament

Capital:
Saint John's (Antigua)

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

Independence:
1 November 1981 (from UK)

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

Constitution:
1 November 1981

Legal system:
based on English common law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General James B. CARLISLE (since 10 June
1993)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen
by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following
legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the
leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister
by the governor general
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on
the advice of the prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister Baldwin SPENCER (since 24 March
2004)

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17-member body
appointed by the governor general) and the House of Representatives
(17 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to
serve five-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
ALP 4, UPP 12, contested 1; note - new election will decide the
contested seat
elections: House of Representatives - last held 23 March 2004 (next
to be held NA 2009)

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

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

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

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

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lionel A. HURST chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122 FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225 consulate(s) general: Miami

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda (embassy closed 30 June 1994); the US Ambassador to Barbados, Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER, is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda

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

Economy Antigua and Barbuda

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

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $750 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $11,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.9%
industry: 19.2%
services: 76.8% (2002)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

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

Labor force:
30,000

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

Unemployment rate:
11% (2001 est.)

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

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

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

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

Electricity - production:
105.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
97.89 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
3,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$689 million (2002)

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

Exports - partners:
Germany 84.9%, UK 3.8%, US 3.3% (2003)

Imports:
$692 million (2002 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
US 26.5%, Singapore 10%, Poland 7%, Germany 6.1%, UK 6.1%, Trinidad
and Tobago 4.4% (2003)

Debt - external:
$231 million (1999)

Economic aid - recipient:
$2.3 million (1995)

Currency:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
XCD

Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7
(2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999), 2.7 (1998) (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Antigua and Barbuda

Telephones - main lines in use:
38,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
38,200 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: good automatic telephone system
international: country code - 1-268; 1 coaxial submarine cable;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric
scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe

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

Radios:
36,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (1997)

Televisions:
31,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ag

Internet hosts:
1,665 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)

Internet users:
10,000 (2002)

Transportation Antigua and Barbuda

Highways:
total: 250 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Saint John's

Merchant marine:
total: 867 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,873,626 GRT/7,683,143 DWT
by type: bulk 25, cargo 477, chemical tanker 13, container 284,
liquefied gas 10, multi-functional large load carrier 15,
refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 32, vehicle carrier 1
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Australia 1, Bahamas 1, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 3,
Colombia 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 1, Estonia 3, France 1, Germany 818,
Greece 2, Iceland 5, Latvia 1, Lebanon 1, Lithuania 2, Malaysia 1,
Netherlands 19, New Zealand 1, Norway 2, Portugal 1, Slovenia 5,
Sweden 2, Switzerland 5, Turkey 3, United States 10

Airports:
3 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Antigua and Barbuda

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

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Antigua and Barbuda

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
considered a minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the
US and Europe; more significant as an offshore financial center

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Arctic Ocean

Introduction Arctic Ocean

Background:
The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five oceans (after
the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the recently
delimited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US and Canada) and
Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two important seasonal
waterways. A sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes
circumscribes the Arctic Ocean.

Geography Arctic Ocean

Location:
body of water between Europe, Asia, and North America, mostly north
of the Arctic Circle

Geographic coordinates:
90 00 N, 0 00 E

Map references:
Arctic Region

Area:
total: 14.056 million sq km
note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea,
East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara
Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:
slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Coastline:
45,389 km

Climate:
polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively
narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized by
continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear
skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy
weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow

Terrain:
central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack that
averages about 3 meters in thickness, although pressure ridges may
be three times that size; clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort
Gyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from the New
Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland and
Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the summer,
but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to the
encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about 50% continental
shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a central
basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera,
Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge)

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Fram Basin -4,665 m
highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:
sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules,
oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales)

Natural hazards:
ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island;
icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme
northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked
from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from
October to May

Environment - current issues:
endangered marine species include walruses and whales; fragile
ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or
damage; thinning polar icepack

Geography - note:
major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to
the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic location between
North America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremes
of eastern and western Russia; floating research stations operated
by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20
to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean; snow cover lasts about 10
months

Economy Arctic Ocean

Economy - overview:
Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of natural
resources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals.

Transportation Arctic Ocean

Ports and harbors:
Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US)

Transportation - note:
sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest
Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Eurasia) are
important seasonal waterways

Transnational Issues Arctic Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Argentina

Introduction Argentina

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

Geography Argentina

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

Geographic coordinates:
34 00 S, 64 00 W

Map references:
South America

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

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

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

Coastline:
4,989 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:
mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest

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

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Laguna del Carbon -105 m (located between Puerto San
Julian and Comandante Luis Piedra Buena in the province of Santa
Cruz)
highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m (located in the northwestern
corner of the province of Mendoza)

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

Land use: arable land: 12.31% permanent crops: 0.48% other: 87.21% (2001)

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

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

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

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

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

People Argentina

Population:
39,144,753 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.9% (male 5,179,236; female 4,947,234)
15-64 years: 63.6% (male 12,452,566; female 12,457,451)
65 years and over: 10.5% (male 1,685,371; female 2,422,895) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 29.2 years male: 28.3 years female: 30.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.02% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
17.19 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.57 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.66 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 17.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.7 years
male: 71.95 years
female: 79.65 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.24 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
130,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,500 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Argentine(s)
adjective: Argentine

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

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

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

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.1%
male: 97.1%
female: 97.1% (2003 est.)

Government Argentina

Country name:
conventional long form: Argentine Republic
conventional short form: Argentina
local short form: Argentina
local long form: Republica Argentina

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Buenos Aires

Administrative divisions:
23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), and 1 autonomous
city* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires Capital
Federal*, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Corrientes, Entre Rios,
Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquen, Rio
Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santiago del
Estero, Tierra del Fuego - Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur,
Tucuman
note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica

Independence:
9 July 1816 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)

Constitution:
1 May 1853; revised August 1994

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

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003); Vice
President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003);
Vice President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
election results: results of the presidential primary of 27 April
2003: Carlos Saul MENEM 24.3%, Nestor KIRCHNER 22%, Ricardo Lopez
MURPHY 16.4%, Adolfo Rodriguez SAA 14.4%, Elisa CARRIO 14.2%, other
8.7%; the subsequent runoff election slated for 25 May 2003 was
awarded to KIRCHNER by default after MENEM withdrew his candidacy on
the eve of the election
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; the last election held was the
presidential primary election of 27 April 2003 (next election to be
held NA 2007)

Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the
Senate (72 seats; members are elected by direct vote; presently
one-third of the members elected every two years to a six-year term)
and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members are elected by
direct vote; one-half of the members elected every two years to a
four-year term)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA;
seats by bloc or party - PJ 41, UCR 16, provincial parties 15;
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA; seats
by bloc or party - PJ 133, UCR 46, IF 23, ARI 11, Socialist 6,
other/provincial parties 38
elections: Senate - last held intermittently by province during the
2nd half of 2003 (next to be held NA 2005); Chamber of Deputies -
last held intermittently by province during the 2nd half of 2003
(next to be held NA 2005)

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

Political parties and leaders:
Action for the Republic or AR [Domingo CAVALLO]; Alternative for a
Republic of Equals or ARI [Elisa CARRIO]; Front for a Country in
Solidarity or Frepaso (a four-party coalition) [Dario Pedro
ALESSANDRO]; Interbloque Federal or IF (a broad coalition of
approximately 12 parties including RECREAR) [leader NA];
Justicialist Party or PJ [leader NA] (Peronist umbrella political
organization); Radical Civic Union or UCR [Angel ROZAS]; Federal
Recreate Movement or RECREAR [Ricardo LOPEZ MURPHY]; Socialist Party
or PS [Ruben GIUSTINIANI]; Union For All [Patricia BULLRICH];
several provincial parties

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

International organization participation:
AfDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, FAO, G-6, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA,
Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG,
UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO, ZC

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

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

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

Economy Argentina

Economy - overview:
Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate
population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a
diversified industrial base. Over the past decade, however, the
country has suffered recurring economic problems of inflation,
external debt, capital flight, and budget deficits. Growth in 2000
was a negative 0.8%, as both domestic and foreign investors remained
skeptical of the government's ability to pay debts and maintain the
peso's fixed exchange rate with the US dollar. The economic
situation worsened in 2001 with the widening of spreads on Argentine
bonds, massive withdrawals from the banks, and a further decline in
consumer and investor confidence. Government efforts to achieve a
"zero deficit," to stabilize the banking system, and to restore
economic growth proved inadequate in the face of the mounting
economic problems. The peso's peg to the dollar was abandoned in
January 2002, and the peso was floated in February; the exchange
rate plunged and inflation picked up rapidly, but by mid-2002 the
economy had stabilized, albeit at a lower level. Strong demand for
the peso compelled the Central Bank to intervene in foreign exchange
markets to curb its appreciation in 2003. Led by record exports, the
economy began to recover with output up 8% in 2003, unemployment
falling, and inflation reduced to under 4% at year-end.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $435.5 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
8.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $11,200 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.1% industry: 34.8% services: 54.1% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
15.1% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
51.7% (May 2003)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
13.4% (2003)

Labor force:
14.92 million (2003)

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

Unemployment rate:
17.3% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $26.62 billion
expenditures: $26 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
65.7% of GDP (2003 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
16.2% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
97.17 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
92.12 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
5.662 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
7.417 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
828,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
486,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
2.927 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
37.15 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
31.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
6.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
768 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$7.855 billion (2003)

Exports:
$29.57 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
Brazil 15.8%, Chile 12%, US 10.6%, China 8.4%, Spain 4.7% (2003)

Imports:
$13.27 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
Brazil 34%, US 16.4%, Germany 5.6%, China 5.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$14.16 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$145.6 billion (2003 est.)

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

Currency:
Argentine peso (ARS)

Currency code:
ARS

Exchange rates:
Argentine pesos per US dollar - 2.9003 (2003), 3.0633 (2002),
0.9995 (2001), 0.9995 (2000), 0.9995 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Argentina

Telephones - main lines in use:
8,009,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.5 million (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: by opening the telecommunications market to
competition and foreign investment with the "Telecommunications
Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentina encouraged the growth of
modern telecommunication technology; fiber-optic cable trunk lines
are being installed between all major cities; the major networks are
entirely digital and the availability of telephone service is being
improved; however, telephone density is presently minimal, and
making telephone service universally available will take time
domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic
satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network;
more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile telephone
use is rapidly expanding
international: country code - 54; satellite earth stations - 8
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Atlantis II and Unisur submarine cables;
two international gateways near Buenos Aires (1999)

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

Radios:
24.3 million (1997)

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

Televisions:
7.95 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.ar

Internet hosts:
742,358 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
33 (2000)

Internet users:
4.1 million (2002)

Transportation Argentina

Railways:
total: 34,091 km (167 km electrified)
broad gauge: 20,594 km 1.676-m gauge (141 km electrified)
standard gauge: 2,885 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 10,375 km 1.000-m gauge; 237 km 0.750-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 215,471 km
paved: 63,348 km (including 734 km of expressways)
unpaved: 152,123 km (1999)

Waterways:
11,000 km (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 27,166 km; liquid petroleum gas 41 km; oil 3,668 km; refined
products 2,945 km; unknown (oil/water) 13 km (2004)

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

Merchant marine:
total: 45 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 149,007 GRT/212,620 DWT
by type: cargo 9, petroleum tanker 9, rail car carrier 1,
refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 1,
specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: Uruguay 1
registered in other countries: 26 (2004 est.)

Airports:
1,335 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 144
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 26
1,524 to 2,437 m: 62
914 to 1,523 m: 44
under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1,190
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 50
914 to 1,523 m: 569
under 914 m: 567 (2004 est.)

Military Argentina

Military branches:
Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic (includes Naval
Aviation and Marines), Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Argentina,
FAA)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 9,901,352 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 8,042,304 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 327,738 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$4.3 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.3% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Argentina

Disputes - international:
UK continues to reject sovereignty talks requested by Argentina,
whose constitution still claims UK-administered Falkland Islands
(Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands,
but in 1995 ceded the right to settle the dispute by force; Beagle
Channel islands dispute resolved through Papal mediation in 1984,
but armed incidents persist since 1992 oil discovery; territorial
claim in Antarctica partially overlaps UK and Chilean claims (see
Antarctic disputes); unruly region at convergence of
Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering,
smuggling, arms and drug trafficking, and fundraising for extremist
organizations; uncontested dispute between Brazil and Uruguay over
Braziliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim River leaves the tripoint
with Argentina in question

Illicit drugs:
used as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for Europe and
the US; some money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border
Area; domestic consumption of drugs in urban centers is increasing

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Armenia

Introduction Armenia

Background:
Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally adopt
Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy, over
the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires
including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. It was
incorporated into Russia in 1828 and the USSR in 1920. Armenian
leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Muslim
Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated
region, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow.
Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the area in 1988; the
struggle escalated after both countries attained independence from
the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold,
Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a
significant portion of Azerbaijan proper. The economies of both
sides have been hurt by their inability to make substantial progress
toward a peaceful resolution. Turkey imposed an economic blockade on
Armenia and closed the common border because of the Armenian
occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas.

Geography Armenia

Location:
Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
40 00 N, 45 00 E

Map references:
Asia

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

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland

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

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

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

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

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

Land use: arable land: 17.55% permanent crops: 2.3% other: 80.15% (2001)

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

Natural hazards:
occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

Environment - current issues:
soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy crisis
of the 1990s led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for
firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the
draining of Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan), a result of its use as a
source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of
Metsamor nuclear power plant in spite of its location in a
seismically active zone

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

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

People Armenia

Population:
2,991,360
note: Armenia's first census since independence was conducted in
October 2001 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 22.7% (male 357,094; female 323,396)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 929,719; female 1,065,505)
65 years and over: 10.6% (male 128,027; female 187,619) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 29.7 years
male: 27.1 years
female: 32.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.32% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
11.43 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.12 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-6.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.18 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 24.16 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 29.32 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.23 years
male: 67.73 years
female: 75.36 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.31 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Armenian(s)
adjective: Armenian

Ethnic groups:
Armenian 93%, Azeri 1%, Russian 2%, other (mostly Yezidi Kurds) 4%
(2002)
note: as of the end of 1993, virtually all Azeris had emigrated from
Armenia

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

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

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.6%
male: 99.4%
female: 98% (2003 est.)

Government Armenia

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

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Yerevan

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

Independence:
21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 21 September (1991)

Constitution:
adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995

Legal system:
based on civil law system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March 1998)
head of government: Prime Minister Andranik MARKARYAN (since 12 May
2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 19 February and 5 March 2003 (next to be held NA
2008); prime minister appointed by the president; the prime minister
and Council of Ministers must resign if the National Assembly
refuses to accept their program
election results: Robert KOCHARIAN reelected president; percent of
vote - Robert KOCHARIAN 67.5%, Stepan DEMIRCHYAN 32.5%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (131
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; 75
members elected by party list, 56 by direct vote)
elections: last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held in the spring of
2007)
note: percent of vote by party - Republican Party 23.5%, Justice
Bloc 13.6%, Rule of Law 12.3%, ARF (Dashnak) 11.4%, National Unity
Party 8.8%, United Labor Party 5.7%; seats by party - Republican
Party 23, Justice Bloc 14, Rule of Law 12, ARF (Dashnak) 11,
National Unity 9, United Labor 6; note - seats by party change
frequently as deputies switch parties or announce themselves
independent

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Court of Cassation (Appeals Court)

Political parties and leaders:
Agro-Industrial Party [Vladimir BADALIAN]; Armenia Party [Myasnik
MALKHASYAN]; Armenian National Movement or ANM [Alex ARZUMANYAN,
chairman]; Armenian Ramkavar Liberal Party or HRAK [Harutyun
MIRZAKHANYAN, chairman]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation
("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Vahan HOVHANISSIAN]; Democratic Party
[Aram SARKISYAN]; Justice Bloc (comprised of the Democratic Party,
National Democratic Party, National Democratic Union, and the
People's Party); National Democratic Party [Shavarsh KOCHARIAN];
National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN]; National Unity
Party [Artashes GEGAMIAN, chairman]; People's Party of Armenia
[Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; Republic Party [Albert BAZEYAN and Aram
SARKISYAN, chairmen]; Republican Party or RPA [Andranik MARKARYAN];
Rule of Law Party [Artur BAGDASARIAN, chairman]; Union of
Constitutional Rights [Hrant KHACHATURYAN]; United Labor Party
[Gurgen ARSENIAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Yerkrapah Union [Manvel GRIGORIAN]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Arman KIRAKOSSIAN consulate(s) general: Los Angeles FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982 telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976 chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John M. EVANS
embassy: 18 Baghramyan Ave., Yerevan 375019
mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, Department of State, 7020
Yerevan Place, Washington, DC 20521-7020
telephone: [374](1) 521-611, 520-791, 542-117, 542-132, 524-661,
527-001, 524-840
FAX: [374](1) 520-800

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange

Economy Armenia

Economy - overview:
Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had developed
a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools, textiles, and
other manufactured goods to sister republics in exchange for raw
materials and energy. Since the implosion of the USSR in December
1991, Armenia has switched to small-scale agriculture away from the
large agroindustrial complexes of the Soviet era. The agricultural
sector has long-term needs for more investment and updated
technology. The privatization of industry has been at a slower pace,
but has been given renewed emphasis by the current administration.
Armenia is a food importer, and its mineral deposits (copper, gold,
bauxite) are small. The ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan over the
ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the breakup
of the centrally directed economic system of the former Soviet Union
contributed to a severe economic decline in the early 1990s. By
1994, however, the Armenian Government had launched an ambitious
IMF-sponsored economic liberalization program that resulted in
positive growth rates in 1995-2003. Armenia joined the WTrO in
January 2003. Armenia also has managed to slash inflation, stabilize
the local currency (the dram), and privatize most small- and
medium-sized enterprises. The chronic energy shortages Armenia
suffered in the early and mid-1990s have been offset by the energy
supplied by one of its nuclear power plants at Metsamor. Armenia is
now a net energy exporter, although it does not have sufficient
generating capacity to replace Metsamor, which is under
international pressure to close. The electricity distribution system
was privatized in 2002. Armenia's severe trade imbalance has been
offset somewhat by international aid and foreign direct investment.
Economic ties with Russia remain close, especially in the energy
sector.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $11.79 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
9.9% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23.4% industry: 35.1% services: 41.5% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
19.8% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
50% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 46.2% (1999)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.8% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
1.4 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 45%, industry 25%, services 30% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
20% (2001 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $425.9 million
expenditures: $460.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
15% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
6.479 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
5.784 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 704 million kWh; note - exports an unknown quantity to Georgia; includes exports to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan (2001)

Electricity - imports:
463 million kWh; note - imports an unknown quantity from Iran (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
5,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
1.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
1.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$-210 million (2003)

Exports:
$735 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
diamonds, mineral products, foodstuffs, energy

Exports - partners:
Belgium 18.2%, UK 16.8%, Israel 15.7%, Russia 12.1%, Iran 7.9%, US
6.3%, Germany 5% (2003)

Imports:
$1.18 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
Belgium 11.6%, Russia 11.6%, Israel 11.3%, US 9.5%, Iran 8.8%,
Germany 6.7%, UAE 5.4%, Italy 4.7%, Ukraine 4.6% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$509.4 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$905 million (June 2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA $170 million (2000)

Currency:
dram (AMD)

Currency code:
AMD

Exchange rates:
drams per US dollar - 578.763 (2002), 555.078 (2001), 539.526
(2000), 535.062 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Armenia

Telephones - main lines in use:
562,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
114,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: system inadequate; now 90% privately owned and
undergoing modernization and expansion
domestic: the majority of subscribers and the most modern equipment
are in Yerevan (this includes paging and mobile cellular service)
international: country code - 374; Yerevan is connected to the
Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional
international service is available by microwave radio relay and
landline connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of
Independent States and through the Moscow international switch and
by satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (2000)

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

Radios:
850,000 (1997)

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

Televisions:
825,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.am

Internet hosts:
2,206 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
9 (2001)

Internet users:
150,000 (2003)

Transportation Armenia

Railways:
total: 845 km
broad gauge: 845 km 1.520-m gauge (828 km electrified)
note: some lines are out of service (2003)

Highways:
total: 15,918 km
paved: 15,329 km (includes 7,527 km of expressways)
unpaved: 589 km (2000)

Pipelines:
gas 1,871 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
17 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.)

Military Armenia

Military branches:
Army, Air Force and Air Defense Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18-27 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (May 2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 812,140 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 649,568 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 31,926 (2004 est.)

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

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

Transnational Issues Armenia

Disputes - international:
Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh
and militarily occupies 16% of Azerbaijan - Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate
dispute; border with Turkey remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh
dispute; traditional demands regarding former Armenian lands in
Turkey have subsided; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of
Georgia seek greater autonomy from the new Georgian Government

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 236,306 (Azerbaijan)
IDPs: 50,000 (conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
illicit cultivation of small amount of cannabis for domestic
consumption; used as a transit point for illicit drugs - mostly
opium and hashish - moving from Southwest Asia to Russia and to a
lesser extent the rest of Europe

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Aruba

Introduction Aruba

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

Geography Aruba

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

Geographic coordinates:
12 30 N, 69 58 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

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

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
68.5 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

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

Natural resources:
NEGL; white sandy beaches

Land use:
arable land: 10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)
permanent crops: 0%
other: 89.47% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0.01 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt

Environment - current issues:
NA

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

People Aruba

Population:
71,218 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.3% (male 7,429; female 7,051)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 23,587; female 25,007)
65 years and over: 11.4% (male 3,347; female 4,797) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 37.5 years
male: 35.7 years
female: 39.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.51% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
11.53 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.02 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 6.85 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.98 years
male: 75.64 years
female: 82.49 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

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

Ethnic groups:
mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%

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

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

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

Government Aruba

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

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

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Oranjestad

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

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

National holiday:
Flag Day, 18 March

Constitution:
1 January 1986

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

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April
1980), represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May
2004)
election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent
of legislative vote - NA
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for
a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime
minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last
held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by December 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30
October 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers (elected by the Staten)

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by
direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 52.4%, AVP 26.7%,
PPA 9.6%, OLA 5.7%, Aliansa 3.5%, other 2.1%; seats by party - MEP
12, AVP 6, PPA 2, OLA 1

Judicial branch:
Joint High Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the monarch)

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

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WToO
(associate)

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

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to
Netherlands Antilles, Robert E. SORENSON, is accredited to Aruba

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

Economy Aruba

Economy - overview:
Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with
offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The
rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted
in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction has
boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition,
the reopening of the country's oil refinery in 1993, a major source
of employment and foreign exchange earnings, has further spurred
growth. Aruba's small labor force and low unemployment rate have led
to a large number of unfilled job vacancies, despite sharp rises in
wage rates in recent years. Tourist arrivals have declined in the
aftermath of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. The
government now must deal with a budget deficit and a negative trade
balance.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.94 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-1.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2002 est.)

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

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
41,500 (1997 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
0.6% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $135.8 million
expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000)

Agriculture - products:
aloes; livestock; fish

Industries:
tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining

Industrial production growth rate:
NA (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
531.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
494.7 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$128 million f.o.b. (including oil reexports) (2002 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
Netherlands 33.7%, Colombia 12%, Netherlands Antilles 12%, Panama
12%, Venezuela 10.8%, US 9.6% (2003)

Imports:
$841 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
US 55.3%, Netherlands 13%, Netherlands Antilles 3.1% (2003)

Debt - external:
$285 million (1996)

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

Currency:
Aruban guilder/florin (AWG)

Currency code:
AWG

Exchange rates:
Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002),
1.79 (2001), 1.79 (2000), 1.79 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Aruba

Telephones - main lines in use:
37,100 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
53,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: more than adequate
international: country code - 297; 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten
(Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay
links

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

Radios:
50,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)

Televisions:
20,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.aw

Internet hosts:
923 (2001)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Internet users:
24,000 (2002)

Transportation Aruba

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

Ports and harbors:
Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,772 GRT/7,068 DWT
foreign-owned: Germany 1, Russia 1
registered in other countries: 1 (2003 est.)
by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Aruba

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

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

Transnational Issues Aruba

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some
accompanying money-laundering activity

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Introduction Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Background:
These uninhabited islands came under Australian authority in 1931;
formal administration began two years later. Ashmore Reef supports a
rich and diverse avian and marine habitat; in 1983, it became a
National Nature Reserve. Cartier Island, a former bombing range, is
now a marine reserve.

Geography Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Location:
Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, midway between
north-western Australia and Timor island

Geographic coordinates:
12 14 S, 123 05 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 5 sq km
note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and
Cartier Island
water: 0 sq km
land: 5 sq km

Area - comparative:
about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
74.1 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
tropical

Terrain:
low with sand and coral

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all grass and sand) (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983

People Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and
fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Island (July 2004 est.)

People - note:
the landing of illegal immigrants from Indonesia's Rote Island has
become an ongoing problem

Government Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands
conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Dependency status:
territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department
of Transport and Regional Services

Legal system:
the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws of the
Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply

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

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

Flag description:
the flag of Australia is used

Economy Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic visits by the
Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force

Transnational Issues Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Disputes - international:
Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore Reef;
Australia has closed the surrounding waters to Indonesian
traditional fishing and has created a national park in the region
while continuing to prospect for hydrocarbons in the vicinity

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Atlantic Ocean

Introduction Atlantic Ocean

Background:
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceans
(after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than the Indian Ocean, Southern
Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). The Kiel Canal (Germany), Oresund
(Denmark-Sweden), Bosporus (Turkey), Strait of Gibraltar
(Morocco-Spain), and the Saint Lawrence Seaway (Canada-US) are
important strategic access waterways. The decision by the
International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to
delimit a fifth world ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion
of the Atlantic Ocean south of 60 degrees south.

Geography Atlantic Ocean

Location:
body of water between Africa, Europe, the Southern Ocean, and the
Western Hemisphere

Geographic coordinates:
0 00 N, 25 00 W

Map references:
Political Map of the World

Area:
total: 76.762 million sq km
note: includes Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, Davis Strait,
Denmark Strait, part of the Drake Passage, Gulf of Mexico, Labrador
Sea, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, almost all of the
Scotia Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:
slightly less than 6.5 times the size of the US

Coastline:
111,866 km

Climate:
tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast of Africa near
Cape Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea; hurricanes can
occur from May to December, but are most frequent from August to
November

Terrain:
surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea, Denmark
Strait, and coastal portions of the Baltic Sea from October to June;
clockwise warm-water gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in
the northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm-water gyre in the
southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Atlantic
Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire Atlantic basin

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Milwaukee Deep in the Puerto Rico Trench -8,605 m
highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:
oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales), sand
and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules,
precious stones

Natural hazards:
icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the
northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been
spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships
subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from
October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to
September; hurricanes (May to December)

Environment - current issues:
endangered marine species include the manatee, seals, sea lions,
turtles, and whales; drift net fishing is hastening the decline of
fish stocks and contributing to international disputes; municipal
sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and eastern
Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Lake
Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste and
municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and
Mediterranean Sea

Geography - note:
major chokepoints include the Dardanelles, Strait of Gibraltar,
access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits include the
Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The Sound
(Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides the Atlantic
Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean

Economy Atlantic Ocean

Economy - overview:
The Atlantic Ocean provides some of the world's most heavily
trafficked sea routes, between and within the Eastern and Western
Hemispheres. Other economic activity includes the exploitation of
natural resources, e.g., fishing, the dredging of aragonite sands
(The Bahamas), and production of crude oil and natural gas
(Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Sea).

Transportation Atlantic Ocean

Ports and harbors:
Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona
(Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca (Morocco), Colon
(Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal), Gdansk (Poland),
Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands,
Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille
(France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal (Canada), Naples (Italy),
New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran (Algeria), Oslo (Norway),
Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam
(Netherlands), Saint Petersburg (Russia), Stockholm (Sweden)

Transportation - note:
Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two important waterways;
significant domestic commercial and recreational use of Intracoastal
Waterway on central and south Atlantic seaboard and Gulf of Mexico
coast of US

Transnational Issues Atlantic Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Australia

Introduction Australia

Background:
Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia
about 40,000 years before the first Europeans began exploration in
the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were made until 1770,
when Capt. James COOK took possession in the name of Great Britain.
Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries; they
federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. The new
country took advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop
its agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major
contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. In recent
decades, Australia has transformed itself into an internationally
competitive, advanced market economy. Long-term concerns include
pollution, particularly depletion of the ozone layer, and management
and conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier
Reef. A referendum to change Australia's status, from a commonwealth
headed by the British monarch to a republic, was defeated in 1999.

Geography Australia

Location:
Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific
Ocean

Geographic coordinates:
27 00 S, 133 00 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 7,686,850 sq km
water: 68,920 sq km
note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island
land: 7,617,930 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
25,760 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:
generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical
in north

Terrain:
mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m
highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m

Natural resources:
bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium,
nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas,
petroleum

Land use:
arable land: 6.55% (includes about 27 million hectares of
cultivated grassland)
permanent crops: 0.04%
other: 93.41% (2001)

Irrigated land:
24,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires

Environment - current issues:
soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development,
urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due
to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for
agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique
animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast
coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by
increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited
natural fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population
concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; regular,
tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor" occurs
along the west coast in the summer

People Australia

Population:
19,913,144 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.1% (male 2,044,449; female 1,948,574)
15-64 years: 67.2% (male 6,747,687; female 6,623,995)
65 years and over: 12.8% (male 1,121,522; female 1,426,917) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 36.3 years male: 35.5 years female: 37.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.9% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
12.4 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.38 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
3.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 5.16 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.26 years
male: 77.4 years
female: 83.27 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.76 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
14,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Australian(s)
adjective: Australian

Ethnic groups:
Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%

Religions:
Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%,
non-Christian 11%, other 12.6%

Languages:
English, native languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (1980 est.)

Government Australia

Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
conventional short form: Australia

Government type:
democratic, federal-state system recognizing the British monarch as
sovereign

Capital:
Canberra

Administrative divisions:
6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New
South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia,
Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Dependent areas:
Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling)
Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands,
Norfolk Island

Independence:
1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)

National holiday:
Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution:
9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

Legal system:
based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Governor General Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Michael
JEFFERY (since 11 August 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11
March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister John ANDERSON (since 20 July 1999)
cabinet: Parliament nominates and selects, from among its members, a
list of candidates to serve as government ministers; from this list,
the governor general swears in the final selections for the Cabinet
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime
minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as
prime minister by the governor general
note: government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party

Legislative branch:
bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats - 12
from each of the six states and two from each of the two mainland
territories; one-half of the members elected every three years by
popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (150 seats - this is up from 148 seats in 2001
election; members elected by popular vote on the basis of
preferential representation to serve three-year terms; no state can
have fewer than five representatives)
elections: Senate - last held 9 October 2004 (next to be held not
later than June 2008); House of Representatives - last held 9
October 2004 (next to be held not later than November 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party (as of 1 July 2003) - Liberal Party-National Party coalition
34, Australian Labor Party 28, Australian Democrats 7, Green Party
2, One Nation Party 1, Country Liberal Party 1, Australian
Progressive Alliance 1, independent 2; House of Representatives -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal
Party-National Party coalition 86, Australian Labor Party 60,
Country Liberal Party 1, independent and other 3

Judicial branch:
High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed
by the governor general)

Political parties and leaders:
Australian Democrats [Andrew BARTLETT]; Australian Labor Party
[Mark LATHAM]; Australian Progressive Alliance [Meg LEES]; Country
Liberal Party [Terry MILLS]; Australian Greens [Bob BROWN]; Liberal
Party [John Winston HOWARD]; The Nationals [John ANDERSON]; One
Nation Party [Len HARRIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Australian Monarchist League [leader NA]; Australian Republican
Movement [leader NA]

International organization participation:
ANZUS, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group,
BIS, C, CP, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, Paris Club, PCA,
PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMEE, UNMISET, UNTSO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. THAWLEY
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New
York, and San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168
telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000
chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador J. Thomas SCHIEFFER
embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital
Territory 2600
mailing address: APO AP 96549
telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600
FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970
consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Flag description:
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a
large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant known as
the Commonwealth Star, representing the federation of the colonies
of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for each of the six
original states and one representing all of Australia's internal and
external territories; the remaining half is a representation of the
Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed
star and four larger, seven-pointed stars

Economy Australia

Economy - overview:
Australia has an enviable Western-style capitalist economy, with a
per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European
economies. Rising output in the domestic economy has been offsetting
the global slump, and business and consumer confidence remains
robust. Australia's emphasis on reforms, low inflation, and growing
ties with China are other key factors behind the economy's strength.
The impact of drought, weak foreign demand, and strong import demand
pushed the trade deficit up to $18 billion in 2003 and to $20
billion in 2004 from $8 billion in 2002. One other concern is the
domestic housing bubble.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $571.4 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $29,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.5% industry: 26.3% services: 70.2% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
24.8% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 25.4% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
35.2 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
10.19 million (37256)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 5%, industry 22%, services 73% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
6% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $185 billion
expenditures: $181 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Public debt:
18.2% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry

Industries:
mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing,
chemicals, steel

Industrial production growth rate:
-0.1% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
198.2 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
184.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
731,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
796,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
523,400 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
530,800 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
3.664 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
33.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
23.33 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
9.744 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.407 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-30.14 billion (2003)

Exports:
$68.67 billion (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and
transport equipment

Exports - partners:
Japan 18.1%, US 8.7%, China 8.4%, South Korea 7.4%, New Zealand
7.4%, UK 6.7% (2003)

Imports:
$82.91 billion (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines,
telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum
products

Imports - partners:
US 16%, Japan 12.5%, China 11%, Germany 6.1%, UK 4.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$33.26 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$233.5 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $894 million (FY99/00)

Currency:
Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
AUD

Exchange rates:
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002),
1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000), 1.55 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Australia

Telephones - main lines in use:
10.815 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
14.347 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international service
domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in
areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular
telephones
international: country code - 61; submarine cables to New Zealand,
Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 10
Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian
and Pacific Ocean regions) (1998)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
25.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
104 (1997)

Televisions:
10.15 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.au

Internet hosts:
2,847,763 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
571 (2002)

Internet users:
9.472 million (2002)

Transportation Australia

Railways:
total: 44,015 km (5,290 km electrified)
broad gauge: 1,957 km 1.600-m gauge
standard gauge: 27,095 km 1.435-m gauge (2,828 km electrified)
dual gauge: 213 km dual gauge (2003)
narrow gauge: 14,957 km 1.067-m gauge (2,462 km electrified)

Highways:
total: 811,603 km
paved: 314,090 km (including 18,619 km of expressways)
unpaved: 497,513 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling
river systems) (2004)

Pipelines:
condensate/gas 492 km; gas 28,680 km; liquid petroleum gas 240 km;
oil 4,773 km; oil/gas/water 110 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport (Tasmania),
Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart (Tasmania), Launceston (Tasmania),
Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville

Merchant marine:
total: 52 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,531,461 GRT/1,999,409 DWT
foreign-owned: United Kingdom 2, United States 12
registered in other countries: 60 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 20, cargo 5, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 2,
container 3, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 7, roll
on/roll off 6

Airports:
444 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 305 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 131 914 to 1,523 m: 139 under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 143 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 112 under 914 m: 14 (2004 est.)

Military Australia

Military branches:
Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force,
new Special Operations Command (announced in December 2002)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 5,061,810 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 4,356,671 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 140,182 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$14,120.1 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.8% (2003)

Transnational Issues Australia

Disputes - international:
the 1999 maritime delimitation established partial maritime
boundaries with East Timor over part of the Timor Gap but temporary
resource-sharing agreements over an unreconciled area grant
Australia 90% share of exploited gas reserves and hamper creation of
a southern maritime boundary with Indonesia (see Ashmore and Cartier
Islands disputes); Australia asserts a territorial claim to
Antarctica and to its continental shelf (see Antarctica)

Illicit drugs:
Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate
products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium
poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Austria

Introduction Austria

Background:
Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire,
Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World
War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent
occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status
remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended
the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade
unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year
declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for
Soviet military withdrawal. Following the Soviet Union's collapse in
1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995, some
Austrian's have called into question this neutrality. A prosperous,
democratic country, Austria entered the European Monetary Union in
1999.

Geography Austria

Location:
Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia

Geographic coordinates:
47 20 N, 13 20 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 83,870 sq km
water: 1,426 sq km
land: 82,444 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries:
total: 2,562 km
border countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366
km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330
km, Switzerland 164 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and
some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate summers with
occasional showers

Terrain:
in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern
and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m
highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m

Natural resources:
oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony,
magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 16.91% permanent crops: 0.86% other: 82.23% (2001)

Irrigated land:
457 sq km (2000 est.)

Natural hazards:
landslides; avalanches; earthquakes

Environment - current issues: some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria between northern and southern Europe

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe
with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river
is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands
because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere

People Austria

Population:
8,174,762 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.9% (male 665,680; female 633,560)
15-64 years: 68.1% (male 2,799,411; female 2,764,426)
65 years and over: 16% (male 518,748; female 792,937) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 40 years
male: 38.8 years
female: 41.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.14% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
8.9 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
9.56 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.68 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 5.76 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.87 years
male: 76 years
female: 81.89 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.35 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
10,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Austrian(s)
adjective: Austrian

Ethnic groups:
German 88.5%, indigenous minorities 1.5% (includes Croatians,
Slovenes, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Roma), recent immigrant
groups 10% (includes Turks, Bosnians, Serbians, Croatians) (2001)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 73.6%, Protestant 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other 0.1%,
none 17.4%

Languages:
German (official nationwide), Slovene (official in Carinthia),
Croatian (official in Burgenland), Hungarian (official in Burgenland)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: NA
female: NA

Government Austria

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Austria
conventional short form: Austria
local short form: Oesterreich
local long form: Republik Oesterreich

Government type:
federal republic

Capital:
Vienna

Administrative divisions:
9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland,
Kaernten, Niederoesterreich, Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark,
Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien

Independence:
1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 12 November 1918 (republic
proclaimed)

National holiday:
National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the State
Treaty restoring national sovereignty and the end of occupation and
the passage of the law on permanent neutrality

Constitution:
1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)

Legal system:
civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of
legislative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate
administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential elections

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Heinz FISCHER (since 8 July 2004)
head of government: Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (OeVP)(since 4
February 2000); Vice Chancellor Hubert GORBACH (since 21 October
2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice
of the chancellor
elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a six-year
term; presidential election last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held
NA April 2010); chancellor traditionally chosen by the president
from the plurality party in the National Council; vice chancellor
chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor
note: government coalition - OeVP and FPOe
election results: Heinz FISCHER elected president; percent of vote -
Heinz FISCHER (SPOe) 52.4%, Benita FERRERO-WALDNER (OeVP) 47.6%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of Federal
Council or Bundesrat (62 members; members represent each of the
states on the basis of population, but with each state having at
least three representatives; members serve a five- or six-year term)
and the National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected
by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - OeVP
42.3%, SPOe 36.5%, FPOe 10.0%, Greens 9.5%; seats by party - OeVP
79, SPOe 69, FPOe 18, Greens 17
elections: National Council - last held 24 November 2002 (next to be
held in the fall of 2006)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Administrative
Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court or
Verfassungsgerichtshof

Political parties and leaders:
Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Wolfgang SCHUESSEL]; Freedom Party
of Austria or FPOe [Ursula HAUBNER]; Social Democratic Party of
Austria or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER]; The Greens [Alexander VAN DER
BELLEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Austrian Trade Union Federation (nominally independent but
primarily Socialist) or OeGB; Federal Economic Chamber;
OeVP-oriented League of Austrian Industrialists or VOeI; Roman
Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic
Action; three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or
OeVP representing business, labor, and farmers and other
non-government organizations in the areas of environment and human
rights

International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN,
EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG,
OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG,
UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Eva NOWOTNY
chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750
telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William Lee LYONS BROWN, Jr.
embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0, 31375, 31335
FAX: [43] (1) 3100682

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red

Economy Austria

Economy - overview:
Austria, with its well-developed market economy and high standard
of living, is closely tied to other EU economies, especially
Germany's. Membership in the EU has drawn an influx of foreign
investors attracted by Austria's access to the single European
market and proximity to EU aspirant economies. Slow growth in
Germany and elsewhere in the world held the economy to 0.7% growth
in 2001, 1.4% in 2002, and again less than 1% in 2003. However,
recent data signal that the recovery has started. The government
estimates economic growth in 2004 of 1.7-2.1% and of 2.5% in 2005.
The government is planning a EURO 500 billion income tax cut in
2004, though some economists doubt it will have stimulative effects
in 2004, because it will be offset by higher health insurance
contributions and higher taxes on energy. For 2005, Austria plans a
tax cut of EURO 2.5 billion and harmonization of the various pension
schemes. To meet increased competition from both EU and Central
European countries, particularly the new EU members, Austria will
need to emphasize knowledge-based sectors of the economy, continue
to deregulate the service sector, and lower its tax burden. A key
issue is the encouragement of much greater participation in the
labor market by its aging population.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $245.3 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $30,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.5% industry: 25.7% services: 70.9% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
22.5% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
3.9% (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 22.5% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
31 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.4% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
3.425 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture and forestry 4%, industry and crafts 29%, services 67% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
4.4% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $67 billion
expenditures: $70 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 est.)

Public debt:
67.6% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle,
pigs, poultry; lumber

Industries:
construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, chemicals,
lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard, communications
equipment, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
1.9% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
58.75 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
54.85 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
14.25 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
14.47 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
20,670 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
262,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
35,470 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
262,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
85.69 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
1.731 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
7.81 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
403 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
6.033 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
24.9 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-1.353 billion (2003)

Exports:
$83.45 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and
paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel; textiles,
foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
Germany 31.9%, Italy 9.6%, Switzerland 5.2%, US 4.9%, France 4.8%,
UK 4.7% (2003)

Imports:
$81.59 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal goods,
oil and oil products; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Germany 43.2%, Italy 6.7%, Hungary 5.4%, Switzerland 5%,
Netherlands 4.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$12.73 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$15.5 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $520 million (2002)

Currency:
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions
of member countries; as of 1 January 2002, the euro became the only
legal tender in EMU member countries, including Austria

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Austria

Telephones - main lines in use:
3.881 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
7,094,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed and efficient
domestic: there are 48 main lines for every 100 persons; the fiber
optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet
services are available
international: country code - 43; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat; in
addition, there are about 600 VSAT (very small aperture terminals)
(2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 65 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
6.08 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
10 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
4.25 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.at

Internet hosts:
387,006 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
37 (2000)

Internet users:
3.73 million (2003)

Transportation Austria

Railways:
total: 6,021 km (3,552 km electrified)
standard gauge: 5,565 km 1.435-m gauge (3,430 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 34 km 1.000-m gauge (28 km electrified); 422 km
0.760-m gauge (94 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 200,000 km
paved: 200,000 km (including 1,633 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
358 km (2003)

Pipelines:
gas 2,722 km; oil 663 km; refined products 149 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna

Merchant marine:
total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 29,624 GRT/37,425 DWT
by type: cargo 4, container 2
registered in other countries: 34 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Netherlands 1

Airports:
55 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 14 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 27 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

Military Austria

Military branches:
Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for voluntary service; from 2007, at the earliest, compulsory military service obligation will be reduced from 8 months to 6 (June 2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,066,467 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,699,384 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 48,981 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.497 billion (FY01/02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.85% (June 2004)

Transnational Issues Austria

Disputes - international:
minor disputes with the Czech Republic over the Temelin Nuclear
Power Plant

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American
cocaine destined for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Azerbaijan

Introduction Azerbaijan

Background:
Azerbaijan - a nation with a Turkic and majority-Muslim population
- regained its independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union
in 1991. Despite a 1994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet to resolve
its conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
enclave (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan has lost 16% of its
territory and must support some 800,000 refugees and internally
displaced persons as a result of the conflict. Corruption is
ubiquitous and the promise of widespread wealth from Azerbaijan's
undeveloped petroleum resources remains largely unfulfilled.

Geography Azerbaijan

Location:
Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and
Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range

Geographic coordinates:
40 30 N, 47 30 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 86,600 sq km
note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the
Nagorno-Karabakh region; the region's autonomy was abolished by
Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991
water: 500 sq km
land: 86,100 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maine

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

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

Climate:
dry, semiarid steppe

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

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

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

Land use: arable land: 19.63% permanent crops: 2.71% other: 77.66% (2001)

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

Natural hazards:
droughts

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

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

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

People Azerbaijan

Population:
7,868,385 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 27% (male 1,081,579; female 1,046,270)
15-64 years: 65.2% (male 2,499,618; female 2,630,386)
65 years and over: 7.8% (male 242,253; female 368,279) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 27.3 years
male: 25.9 years
female: 28.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.52% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
19.81 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
9.76 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-4.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 82.07 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 80.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 83.99 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.25 years
male: 59.09 years
female: 67.62 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.39 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,400 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Azerbaijani(s)
adjective: Azerbaijani

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

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

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

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

Government Azerbaijan

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan
conventional short form: Azerbaijan
local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi
former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic
local short form: none

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Baku (Baki)

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

Independence:
30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

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

Constitution:
adopted 12 November 1995

Legal system:
based on civil law system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and
confirmed by the National Assembly
election results: Ilham ALIYEV elected president; percent of vote -
Ilham ALIYEV 76.8%, Isa GAMBAR 14%
elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term;
election last held 15 October 2003 (next to be held NA October
2008); prime minister and first deputy prime ministers appointed by
the president and confirmed by the National Assembly
head of government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 4 November
2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Abbas ABBASOV (since 10 November
2003)

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NAP and allies 108, APF "Reform" 6, CSP 3, PNIA 2, Musavat Party 2,
CPA 2, APF "Classic" 1, Compatriot Party 1
elections: last held 4 November 2000 (next to be held NA November
2005)
note: 100 members of the current parliament were elected on the
basis of single mandate constituencies, while 25 were elected based
on proportional balloting; as a result of a 24 August 2002 national
referendum on changes to the constitution, all 125 members of the
next parliament will be elected from single mandate constituencies
note: PNIA, Musavat, and APF "Classic" parties refused to take their
seats

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
Azerbaijan Popular Front or APF [Ali KARIMLI, leader of "Reform"
faction; Mirmahmud MIRALI-OGLU, leader of "Classic" faction]; Civic
Solidarity Party or CSP [Sabir RUSTAMKHANLY]; Civic Union Party
[Ayaz MUTALIBOV]; Communist Party of Azerbaijan or CPA [Ramiz
AHMADOV]; Compatriot Party [Mais SAFARLI]; Democratic Party for
Azerbaijan or DPA [Rasul QULIYEV, chairman]; Justice Party [Ilyas
ISMAILOV]; Liberal Party of Azerbaijan [Lala Shovkat HACIYEVA];
Musavat [Isa GAMBAR, chairman]; New Azerbaijan Party or NAP
[vacant]; Party for National Independence of Azerbaijan or PNIA
[Etibar MAMMADLI, chairman]; Social Democratic Party of Azerbaijan
or SDP [Araz ALIZADE and Ayaz MUTALIBOV]
note: opposition parties regularly factionalize and form new parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Sadval, Lezgin movement; self-proclaimed Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic; Talysh independence movement; Union of Pro-Azerbaijani
Forces (UPAF)

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

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hafiz PASHAYEV chancery: 2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911 telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Reno L. HARNISH III embassy: 83 Azadlyg Prospecti, Baku AZ1007 mailing address: American Embassy Baku, Department of State, 7050 Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050 telephone: [9] (9412) 98-03-35, 36, 37 FAX: [9] (9412) 656-671

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a
crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in red band

Economy Azerbaijan

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

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $26.65 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
11.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14.1% industry: 45.7% services: 40.2% (2002 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
50.4% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
49% (2002 est.)

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

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
4.99 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture and forestry 41%, industry 7%, services 52% (2001)

Unemployment rate:
1.1% (official rate is 1.2%) (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.063 billion
expenditures: $2.202 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Public debt:
16.3% of GDP (2003 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
6.1% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
18.23 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
16.65 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
700 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
400 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
307,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
140,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
589 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
5.72 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
6.72 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
62.3 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-2.021 billion (2003)

Exports:
$2.605 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
Italy 34.1%, Czech Republic 11.4%, Germany 10.5%, France 8.2%,
Turkey 5.9%, Georgia 4.5%, Russia 4.5% (2003)

Imports:
$2.498 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
Russia 15.5%, Turkey 12%, UK 8.7%, Germany 8.1%, China 7.8%,
Ukraine 5.4%, Italy 4.6%, US 4.6%, Kazakhstan 4.3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$820.9 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.575 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $140 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
Azerbaijani manat (AZM)

Currency code:
AZM

Exchange rates:
Azerbaijani manats per US dollar - 4,910.73 (2003), 4,860.82
(2002), 4,656.58 (2001), 4,474.15 (2000), 4,120.17 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Azerbaijan

Telephones - main lines in use:
923,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
870,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable expansion and
modernization; teledensity of 10 main lines per 100 persons is low
(2002)
domestic: the majority of telephones are in Baku and other
industrial centers - about 700 villages still without public
telephone service; satellite service connects Baku to a modern
switch in its exclave of Naxcivan
international: country code - 994; the old Soviet system of cable
and microwave is still serviceable; a satellite connection to Turkey
enables Baku to reach about 200 additional countries, some of which
are directly connected to Baku by satellite providers other than
Turkey (1997)

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

Radios:
175,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (1997)

Televisions:
170,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.az

Internet hosts:
586 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
300,000 (2002)

Transportation Azerbaijan

Railways: total: 2,957 km broad gauge: 2,957 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (2003)

Highways: total: 24,981 km paved: 23,057 km unpaved: 1,924 km (2000)

Pipelines:
gas 4,451 km; oil 1,518 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Baku (Baki)

Merchant marine:
total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 253,004 GRT/318,922 DWT
by type: cargo 14, petroleum tanker 40, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: Russia 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
67 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 27 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 40
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 32 (2003 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 6

Heliports:
2 (2003 est.)

Military Azerbaijan

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

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; law passed December 2001 raises maximum conscription age from 28 to 35 (December 2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,187,847 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,748,567 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 83,131 (2004 est.)

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

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

Transnational Issues Azerbaijan

Disputes - international:
Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh
and militarily occupies about one-sixth of Azerbaijan - Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate
dispute; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratify Caspian seabed
delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to
insist on an even one-fifth allocation and challenges Azerbaijan's
hydrocarbon exploration in disputed waters; talks resume with
Turkmenistan on dividing the seabed in 2004 as both sides await an
ICJ decision on contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian;
Azerbaijan protests Georgian constructions at the Red Bridge
crossing and several other small segments of boundary, which remain
unresolved until delimitation

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 571,000 (conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for
CIS consumption; small government eradication program; transit point
for Southwest Asian opiates bound for Russia and to a lesser extent
the rest of Europe

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Bahamas, The

Introduction Bahamas, The

Background:
Arawak Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher Columbus
first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British
settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony
in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The
Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and
investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a
major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments
to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants
into the US.

Geography Bahamas, The

Location:
Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast
of Florida, northeast of Cuba

Geographic coordinates:
24 15 N, 76 00 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 13,940 sq km
water: 3,870 sq km
land: 10,070 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
3,542 km

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

Climate:
tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Terrain:
long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m

Natural resources: salt, aragonite, timber, arable land

Land use: arable land: 0.8% permanent crops: 0.4% other: 98.8% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind
damage

Environment - current issues:
coral reef decay; solid waste disposal

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

Geography - note:
strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain
of which 30 are inhabited

People Bahamas, The

Population:
299,697
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.3% (male 42,474; female 42,423)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 96,825; female 99,985)
65 years and over: 6% (male 7,351; female 10,639) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 27.3 years
male: 26.5 years
female: 28 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.72% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
18.22 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.82 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 25.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 31.73 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.63 years
male: 62.21 years
female: 69.11 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.23 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5,600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian

Ethnic groups:
black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%

Religions:
Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church
of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2%

Languages:
English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.6%
male: 94.7%
female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Government Bahamas, The

Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
conventional short form: The Bahamas

Government type:
constitutional parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Nassau

Administrative divisions:
21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island,
Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay,
Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh
Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry Islands,
Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay

Independence:
10 July 1973 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 10 July (1973)

Constitution:
10 July 1973

Legal system:
based on English common law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Dame Ivy DUMONT (since NA May 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 3 May 2002)
and Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime
minister's recommendation
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the
prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body
appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime
minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the
House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote
to serve five-year terms); the government may dissolve the
parliament and call elections at any time
elections: last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%,
independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7, independents 4

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts

Political parties and leaders:
Free National Movement or FNM [Tommy TURNQUEST]; Progressive
Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOM,
IOC, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joshua SEARS consulate(s) general: Miami and New York FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668 telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660 chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ROOD
embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau
mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197,
Nassau; Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC
20521-3370
telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours)
FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and
aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side

Economy Bahamas, The

Economy - overview:
The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily
dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone accounts
for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half of
the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and
a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences had
led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but the slowdown in the US
economy and the attacks of 11 September 2001 held back growth in
these sectors in 2001-03. Financial services constitute the
second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy, accounting for
about 15% of GDP. However, since December 2000, when the government
enacted new regulations on the financial sector, many international
businesses have left The Bahamas. Manufacturing and agriculture
together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little
growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors.
Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the
fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the US,
the source of more than 80% of the visitors. In addition to tourism
and banking, the government supports the development of a "third
pillar," e-commerce.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $5.049 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $16,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3%
industry: 7%
services: 90% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
156,000 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other services 40% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
6.9% (2001 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $918.5 million
expenditures: $956.5 million, including capital expenditures of
$106.7 million (FY99/00)

Agriculture - products:
citrus, vegetables; poultry

Industries:
tourism, banking, e-commerce, cement, oil refining and
transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded
steel pipe

Industrial production growth rate:
NA (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
1.56 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.451 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$617 million (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
fish and crawfish; rum, salt, chemicals; fruit and vegetables

Exports - partners:
US 35%, Spain 9.6%, Germany 7.8%, France 7.6%, Poland 5.3%,
Switzerland 4.8%, Peru 4.2%, Paraguay 4.2% (2003)

Imports:
$1.614 billion (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral
fuels; food and live animals

Imports - partners:
US 20.8%, South Korea 17.4%, Italy 11.4%, France 9.1%, Brazil 7.5%,
Japan 5.6%, Venezuela 5.3% (2003)

Debt - external:
$308.5 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
$9.8 million (1995)

Currency:
Bahamian dollar (BSD)

Currency code:
BSD

Exchange rates:
Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1
(2000), 1 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Bahamas, The

Telephones - main lines in use:
131,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
121,800 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern facilities
domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed
international: country code - 1-242; tropospheric scatter and
submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
215,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (2004)

Televisions:
67,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.bs

Internet hosts:
302 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
19 (2000)

Internet users:
84,000 (2003)

Transportation Bahamas, The

Highways: total: 2,693 km paved: 1,546 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau

Merchant marine:
total: 1,035 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 31,631,252 GRT/43,025,977 DWT
by type: bulk 165, cargo 188, chemical tanker 45, combination bulk
10, combination ore/oil 17, container 97, liquefied gas 27,
livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large load carrier 4,
passenger 108, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 163, refrigerated
cargo 133, roll on/roll off 34, short-sea/passenger 18, specialized
tanker 3, vehicle carrier 20
foreign-owned: Algeria 1, Australia 7, Belgium 14, Bermuda 1, Canada
4, Chile 1, China 4, Croatia 1, Cuba 3, Cyprus 14, Denmark 49,
Estonia 1, Faroe Islands 1, Finland 9, France 21, Germany 13,
Gibraltar 1, Greece 163, Hong Kong 9, India 1, Indonesia 3, Ireland
1, Israel 3, Italy 7, Japan 35, Kenya 2, South Korea 1, Latvia 1,
Liberia 1, Malaysia 11, Malta 1, Monaco 68, Netherlands 29, New
Zealand 1, Norway 231, Panama 2, Philippines 3, Poland 14, Reunion
1, Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 9, Singapore 13, Slovenia 1, Spain 6,
Sweden 9, Switzerland 1, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 2
registered in other countries: 11 (2004 est.)

Airports:
63 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 29 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

Military Bahamas, The

Military branches:
Royal Bahamas Defense Force (including Coast Guard)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Bahamas, The

Disputes - international:
concerned about migrants fleeing Haiti's deteriorated economic and
political conditions

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and
Europe; offshore financial center

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Bahrain

Introduction Bahrain

Background:
Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf
countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign
affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining oil reserves,
Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has
transformed itself into an international banking center. The new
amir, installed in 1999, has pushed economic and political reforms
and has worked to improve relations with the Shi'a community. In
February 2001, Bahraini voters approved a referendum on the National
Action Charter - the centerpiece of the amir's political
liberalization program. In February 2002, Amir HAMAD bin Isa Al
Khalifa proclaimed himself king. In October 2002, Bahrainis elected
members of the lower house of Bahrain's reconstituted bicameral
legislature, the National Assembly.

Geography Bahrain

Location:
Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
26 00 N, 50 33 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 665 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 665 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
161 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined
contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Terrain:
mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m

Natural resources: oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls

Land use: arable land: 2.82% permanent crops: 5.63% other: 91.55% (2001)

Irrigated land:
50 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts; dust storms

Environment - current issues:
desertification resulting from the degradation of limited arable
land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal degradation
(damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation) resulting
from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil
refineries, and distribution stations; lack of freshwater resources,
groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all water needs

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

Geography - note:
close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic
location in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world's
petroleum must transit to reach open ocean

People Bahrain

Population: 677,886 note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.4% (male 97,179; female 95,043)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 271,015; female 192,342)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 11,426; female 10,881) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 29 years
male: 31.9 years
female: 25.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.56% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
18.54 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.03 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.41 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female
total population: 1.27 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 17.91 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 20.93 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.98 years
male: 71.52 years
female: 76.51 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.67 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Bahraini(s)
adjective: Bahraini

Ethnic groups:
Bahraini 63%, Asian 19%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8%

Religions:
Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30%

Languages:
Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89.1%
male: 91.9%
female: 85% (2003 est.)

Government Bahrain

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain
conventional short form: Bahrain
local short form: Al Bahrayn
former: Dilmun
local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn

Government type:
constitutional hereditary monarchy

Capital:
Manama

Administrative divisions:
12 municipalities (manatiq, singular - mintaqah); Al Hadd, Al
Manamah, Al Mintaqah al Gharbiyah, Al Mintaqah al Wusta, Al Mintaqah
ash Shamaliyah, Al Muharraq, Ar Rifa' wa al Mintaqah al Janubiyah,
Jidd Hafs, Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Juzur Hawar, Sitrah
note: all municipalities administered from Manama

Independence:
15 August 1971 (from UK)

National holiday:
National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 is the date
of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 is the date of
independence from British protection

Constitution:
adopted late December 2000; Bahrani voters approved on 13-14
February 2001 a referendum on legislative changes (revised
constitution calls for a partially elected legislature, a
constitutional monarchy, and an independent judiciary)

Legal system:
based on Islamic law and English common law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa (since 6 March 1999);
Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the monarch,
born 21 October 1969)
head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al Khalifa
(since NA 1971)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister
appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of Shura Council (40 members
appointed by the King) and House of Deputies (40 members directly
elected to serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Deputies - last held 31 October 2002 (next
election to be held NA 2006)
note: first elections since 7 December 1973; unicameral National
Assembly dissolved 26 August 1975; National Action Charter created
bicameral legislature on 23 December 2000; approved by referendum 14
February 2001; first legislative session of Parliament held on 25
December 2002
election results: House of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - independents 21, Sunni Islamists 9, other 10

Judicial branch:
High Civil Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders: political parties prohibited but politically oriented societies are allowed

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97, demanding
the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to
unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic
fundamentalist groups are active

International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador KHALIFA bin ALI bin Rashid Al Khalifa chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192 telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William T. MONROE embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 331, Zinj District, Manama mailing address: American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama telephone: [973] 1724-2700 FAX: [973] 1725-6242 (consular)

Flag description:
red, the traditional color for flags of Persian Gulf states, with a
white serrated band (five white points) on the hoist side; the five
points represent the five pillars of Islam

Economy Bahrain

Economy - overview:
In well-to-do Bahrain, petroleum production and refining account
for about 60% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and
30% of GDP. With its highly developed communication and transport
facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with
business in the Gulf. Bahrain is dependent on Saudi Arabia for oil
granted as aid. A large share of exports consist of petroleum
products made from refining imported crude. Construction proceeds on
several major industrial projects. Unemployment, especially among
the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resources
are major long-term economic problems.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $11.29 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.9% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $16,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.7% industry: 42.1% services: 57.2% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
11.9% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.2% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
350,000
note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
(2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 1%, industry, commerce, and services 79%, government 20% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
15% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.981 billion
expenditures: $3.019 billion, including capital expenditures of $700
million (2003 est.)

Public debt:
57.5% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish

Industries:
petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, offshore
banking, ship repairing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
6.257 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
5.819 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
43,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
31,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
125 million bbl (1 January 2003)

Natural gas - production:
8.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
8.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
46 billion cu m (1 January 2003)

Current account balance:
$53 million (2003)

Exports:
$6.492 billion (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles

Exports - partners:
US 3.5%, India 3.3%, South Korea 2.2% (2003)

Imports:
$5.126 billion (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
crude oil, machinery, chemicals

Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 30.7%, US 11.4%, Japan 7.8%, UK 5.7%, Germany 5.4%
(2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$1.785 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$4.682 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
$150 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from each of
Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait (2002)

Currency:
Bahraini dinar (BHD)

Currency code:
BHD

Exchange rates:
Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2003), 0.376 (2002), 0.376
(2001), 0.376 (2000), 0.376 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Bahrain

Telephones - main lines in use:
185,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
443,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system
domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network
with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones
international: country code - 973; tropospheric scatter to Qatar and
UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to
Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
(1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (1997)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
338,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
4 (1997)

Televisions:
275,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.bh

Internet hosts:
1,334 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
195,700 (2003)

Transportation Bahrain

Highways: total: 3,261 km paved: 2,531 km unpaved: 730 km (2000)

Pipelines:
gas 20 km; oil 53 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Merchant marine:
total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 219,083 GRT/312,638 DWT
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Hong Kong 1, Kuwait 1
by type: bulk 3, container 2, petroleum tanker 1

Airports:
4 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 2
1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)

Military Bahrain

Military branches:
Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense),
Navy, Air Force, National Guard

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 221,661 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 121,484 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 6,396 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$618.1 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
7.5% (2003)

Transnational Issues Bahrain

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Baker Island

Introduction Baker Island

Background:
The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano
deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second
half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at
colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland
Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned.
Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US
Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle
of the west coast.

Geography Baker Island

Location:
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between
Hawaii and Australia

Geographic coordinates:
0 13 N, 176 31 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 1.4 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1.4 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
4.8 km

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

Climate:
equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Terrain:
low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 8 m

Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime
hazard

Environment - current issues:
no natural fresh water resources

Geography - note:
treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses,
prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting,
roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine
wildlife

People Baker Island

Population:
uninhabited
note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and
naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during
World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by
special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and
generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and
remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the
middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife
Service (2004 est.)

Government Baker Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Baker Island

Dependency status:
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,
DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the
Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system:
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of the US is used

Economy Baker Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Baker Island

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat
landing area along the middle of the west coast

Airports:
1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m, completely covered with
vegetation and unusable (2003 est.)

Transportation - note:
there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

Military Baker Island

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US
Coast Guard

Transnational Issues Baker Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Bangladesh

Introduction Bangladesh

Background:
Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East Pakistan
seceded from its union with West Pakistan. About a third of this
extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy
season, hampering economic development.

Geography Bangladesh

Location:
Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India

Geographic coordinates:
24 00 N, 90 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 144,000 sq km
land: 133,910 sq km
water: 10,090 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Iowa

Land boundaries: total: 4,246 km border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km

Coastline:
580 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin
contiguous zone: 18 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March
to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)

Terrain:
mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m

Natural resources: natural gas, arable land, timber, coal

Land use: arable land: 62.11% permanent crops: 3.07% other: 34.82% (2001)

Irrigated land:
38,440 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during
the summer monsoon season

Environment - current issues:
many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate
flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in surface water;
water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use
of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally
occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling
water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil
degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation

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

Geography - note:
most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing
from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel
of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty
into the Bay of Bengal

People Bangladesh

Population:
141,340,476 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.5% (male 24,359,149; female 23,013,811)
15-64 years: 63.1% (male 45,557,963; female 43,626,950)
65 years and over: 3.4% (male 2,575,519; female 2,207,084) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 21.5 years male: 21.5 years female: 21.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.08% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
30.03 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.52 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 64.32 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 63.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 65.41 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 61.71 years
male: 61.8 years
female: 61.61 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.15 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
13,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
650 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Bangladeshi(s)
adjective: Bangladeshi

Ethnic groups:
Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998)

Religions:
Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)

Languages:
Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 43.1%
male: 53.9%
female: 31.8% (2003 est.)

Government Bangladesh

Country name:
conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh
conventional short form: Bangladesh
former: East Pakistan

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Dhaka

Administrative divisions:
6 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, and
Sylhet

Independence:
16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is the
date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is known
as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state
of Bangladesh

National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the date
of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is Victory Day
and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh

Constitution:
4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended following
coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended many times

Legal system:
based on English common law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6 September 2002);
note - the president's duties are normally ceremonial, but with the
13th amendment to the constitution ("Caretaker Government
Amendment"), the president's role becomes significant at times when
Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker government is installed - at
presidential direction - to supervise the elections
head of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA (since 10 October
2001)
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the
president
elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year
term; election scheduled for 16 September 2002 was not held since
Iajuddin AHMED was the only presidential candidate; he was sworn in
on 6 September 2002 (next election to be held by NA 2007); following
legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most
seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president
election results: Iajuddin AHMED declared by the Election Commission
elected unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote
- NA

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300 seats elected
by popular vote from single territorial constituencies (the
constitutional amendment reserving 30 seats for women over and above
the 300 regular parliament seats expired in May 2001); members serve
five-year terms
elections: last held 1 October 2001 (next to be held before October
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliance
partners 47%, AL 40%; seats by party - BNP 195, AL 58, JI 17, JP
(Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 3, JP (Naziur) 4, other 9; note - the
election of October 2001 brought a majority BNP government aligned
with three other smaller parties - Jamaat-i-Islami, Islami Oikya
Jote, and Jatiya Party (Manzur)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed by
the president)

Political parties and leaders:
Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party or
BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP
[Khaleda ZIA, chairperson]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul
Haq AMINI]; Jamaat-e-Islami or JI [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya
Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Jatiya Party
(Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory),
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB,
OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Syed Hasan AHMAD
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 244-5366
telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183
chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Harry K. THOMAS, Jr.
embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212
mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000
telephone: [880] (2) 885-5500
FAX: [880] (2) 882-3744

Flag description:
green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center;
the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to achieve
independence; the green field symbolizes the lush countryside, and
secondarily, the traditional color of Islam

Economy Bangladesh

Economy - overview:
Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve
economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a poor,
overpopulated, and ill-governed nation. Although half of GDP is
generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of
Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as
the single-most-important product. Major impediments to growth
include frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned
enterprises, inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing labor
force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting
energy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, and
slow implementation of economic reforms. Economic reform is stalled
in many instances by political infighting and corruption at all
levels of government. Progress also has been blocked by opposition
from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested
interest groups. The BNP government, led by Prime Minister Khaleda
ZIA, has the parliamentary strength to push through needed reforms,
but the party's political will to do so has been lacking in key
areas. One encouraging note: growth has been a steady 5% for the
past several years.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $258.8 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 21.7% industry: 26.6% services: 51.7% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
23.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
35.6% (FY95/96 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 28.6% (1995-96 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
33.6 (FY95/96)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
64.02 million
note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman,
Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billion
in 1998-99 (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 63%, industry 11%, services 26% (FY95/96)

Unemployment rate:
40% (includes underemployment) (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $5.352 billion
expenditures: $7.55 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Public debt:
43.3% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses,
oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry

Industries:
cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint,
cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar

Industrial production growth rate:
1.9% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
15.33 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
14.25 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
3,581 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
71,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
28.45 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
9.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
9.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
150.3 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$393 million (2003)

Exports:
$6.713 billion (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood
(2001)

Exports - partners:
US 23.9%, Germany 13.6%, UK 9.7%, France 5.9% (2003)

Imports:
$9.459 billion (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles,
foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement (2000)

Imports - partners:
India 15.4%, China 11.3%, Singapore 10.8%, Japan 5.9%, Hong Kong
4.5% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$2.624 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$18.06 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
$1.575 billion (2000 est.)

Currency:
taka (BDT)

Currency code:
BDT

Exchange rates:
taka per US dollar - 58.15 (2003), 57.888 (2002), 55.8067 (2001),
52.1417 (2000), 49.0854 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Bangladesh

Telephones - main lines in use:
740,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.365 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: totally inadequate for a modern country
domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems
include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some
fiber-optic cable in cities
international: country code - 880; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications
and landline service to neighboring countries (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios:
6.15 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
15 (1999)

Televisions:
770,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.bd

Internet hosts:
1 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
10 (2000)

Internet users:
243,000 (2003)

Transportation Bangladesh

Railways:
total: 2,706 km
broad gauge: 884 km 1.676-m gauge
narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 207,486 km
paved: 19,773 km
unpaved: 187,713 km (1999)

Waterways: 8,372 km note: includes 2,575 km main cargo routes (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 2,012 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla Port, Narayanganj

Merchant marine:
total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 319,897 GRT/440,575 DWT
by type: bulk 2, cargo 24, container 10, passenger 1, petroleum
tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1
foreign-owned: China 1, Singapore 9
registered in other countries: 10 (2004 est.)

Airports:
16 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Bangladesh

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 39,523,128 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 23,441,482 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$606.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Bangladesh

Disputes - international:
discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small section of
river boundary, exchange 162 miniscule enclaves in both countries,
allocate divided villages, and stop illegal cross-border trade,
migration, and violence; Bangladesh protests India's attempts to
fence off high-traffic sections of the porous boundary; dispute with
India over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay of
Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation; Burmese Muslim
refugees strain Bangladesh's meager resources

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 61,000 (land conflicts, religious persecution) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Barbados

Introduction Barbados

Background:
The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in
1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on the island
until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy remained heavily
dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the
20th century. The gradual introduction of social and political
reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from the
UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the
sugar industry in economic importance.

Geography Barbados

Location:
Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of
Venezuela

Geographic coordinates:
13 10 N, 59 32 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 431 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 431 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
97 km

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

Climate:
tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Terrain:
relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 37.21% permanent crops: 2.33% other: 60.46% (2001)

Irrigated land:
10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides

Environment - current issues: pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers

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

Geography - note: easternmost Caribbean island

People Barbados

Population:
278,289 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 21% (male 29,294; female 29,020)
15-64 years: 70.3% (male 95,675; female 99,864)
65 years and over: 8.8% (male 9,370; female 15,066) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 33.7 years
male: 32.6 years
female: 34.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.36% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
12.98 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
9.08 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 12.61 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 14.26 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.64 years
male: 69.51 years
female: 73.81 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.65 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)
adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)

Ethnic groups:
black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6%

Religions:
Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other
12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%

Languages:
English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97.4%
male: 98%
female: 96.8% (1995 est.)

Government Barbados

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

Government type:
parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the
Commonwealth

Capital:
Bridgetown

Administrative divisions:
11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint
James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint
Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas; note - the city of Bridgetown may
be given parish status

Independence:
30 November 1966 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

Constitution:
30 November 1966

Legal system:
English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS
(since 1 June 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6
September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Mia MOTTLEY (since 26 May
2003)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the
prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body
appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (30
seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
elections: House of Assembly - last held 21 May 2003 (next to be
held by May 2008)
election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - BLP 23, DLP 7

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service
Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services)

Political parties and leaders:
Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party
or DLP [Clyde Mascoll]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Barbados Workers Union [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union
[David COMMISSIONG]; People's Progressive Movement [Eric SEALY];
Worker's Party of Barbados [Dr. George BELLE]

International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,
LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael Ian KING
consulate(s): Los Angeles
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467
telephone: [1] (202) 339-9200
chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER
embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street,
Bridgetown; (courier) ALICO Building-Cheapside, Bridgetown
mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055
telephone: [1] (246) 436-4950
FAX: [1] (246) 429-5246, 429-3379

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue
with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the
trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the
colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)

Economy Barbados

Economy - overview:
Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane
cultivation and related activities, but production in recent years
has diversified into light industry and tourism. Offshore finance
and information services are important foreign exchange earners. The
government continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, to
encourage direct foreign investment, and to privatize remaining
state-owned enterprises. The economy contracted in 2002-03 mainly
due to a decline in tourism. Growth should be positive in 2004, the
precise level largely dependent on economic conditions in the US and
Europe.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $4.355 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $15,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6%
industry: 16%
services: 78% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
128,500 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 10%, industry 15%, services 75% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate:
10.7% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $847 million (including grants)
expenditures: $886 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, vegetables, cotton

Industries:
tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export

Industrial production growth rate:
-3.2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
780 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
725.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
1,271 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
10,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
1.254 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
29.17 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
29.17 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
70.79 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Exports:
$206 million (2002)

Exports - commodities:
sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals,
electrical components

Exports - partners:
US 18.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.5%, UK 14%, Jamaica 7.8%, Saint
Lucia 6.2%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4.7% (2003)

Imports:
$1.039 billion (2002)

Imports - commodities:
consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials,
chemicals, fuel, electrical components

Imports - partners:
US 37.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 19.6%, UK 6.2%, Japan 4.4% (2003)

Debt - external:
$668 million (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
$9.1 million (1995)

Currency:
Barbadian dollar (BBD)

Currency code:
BBD

Exchange rates:
Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2 (2003), 2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2
(2000), 2 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Barbados

Telephones - main lines in use:
134,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
140,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system
international: country code - 1-246; satellite earth stations - 4
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and
Saint Lucia

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
237,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus two cable channels) (1997)

Televisions:
76,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.bb

Internet hosts:
204 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
19 (2000)

Internet users:
100,000 (2003)

Transportation Barbados

Highways: total: 1,793 km paved: 1,719 km unpaved: 74 km (1999)

Ports and harbors:
Bridgetown, Speightstown (Port Charles Marina)

Merchant marine:
total: 42 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 427,465 GRT/668,195 DWT
by type: bulk 11, cargo 20, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 3,
petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 1
registered in other countries: 3 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Australia 1, Bahamas 1, Bangladesh 1, Canada 5,
Greece 7, Hong Kong 7, Italy 2, Lebanon 1, Norway 9, United Kingdom
10

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Barbados

Military branches:
Royal Barbados Defense Force (Troops Command and Coast Guard)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; volunteers at earlier age with parental consent; no conscription (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 77,714 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 53,127 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Barbados

Disputes - international:
Barbados intends to take its claim before UNCLOS arbitration that
the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with
Venezuela extends into its waters; joins other Caribbean states to
counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human
habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to
extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the
Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:
one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for
Europe and the US; offshore financial center

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Bassas da India

Introduction Bassas da India

Background:
This atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs and is awash at
high tide. A French possession since 1897, it was placed under the
administration of a commissioner residing in Reunion in 1968.

Geography Bassas da India

Location:
Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique Channel, about
one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
21 30 S, 39 50 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 0.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 0.2 sq km

Area - comparative:
about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
35.2 km

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

Climate:
tropical

Terrain:
volcanic rock

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 2.4 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all rock) (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide
and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
the islands emerge from a circular reef that sits atop a
long-extinct, submerged volcano

People Bassas da India

Population: uninhabited (July 2004 est.)

Government Bassas da India

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bassas da India

Dependency status:
possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the
Republic, resident in Reunion

Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of France is used

Economy Bassas da India

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Bassas da India

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Bassas da India

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Bassas da India

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Belarus

Introduction Belarus

Background:
After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus
attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political
and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet
republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union
on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic
integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the
accord, serious implementation has yet to take place.

Geography Belarus

Location:
Eastern Europe, east of Poland

Geographic coordinates:
53 00 N, 28 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 207,600 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 207,600 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Kansas

Land boundaries:
total: 2,900 km
border countries: Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 407 km,
Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between
continental and maritime

Terrain:
generally flat and contains much marshland

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m
highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m

Natural resources:
forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas,
granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay

Land use: arable land: 29.55% permanent crops: 0.6% other: 69.85% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues: soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of
Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes; the country is
geologically well endowed with extensive deposits of granite,
dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, and clay

People Belarus

Population:
10,310,520 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.3% (male 859,219; female 823,839)
15-64 years: 69.2% (male 3,469,926; female 3,662,203)
65 years and over: 14.5% (male 496,204; female 999,129) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 36.9 years
male: 34.2 years
female: 39.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.11% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
10.52 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
14.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
2.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female
total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.62 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 14.71 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.57 years
male: 62.79 years
female: 74.65 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.36 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
15,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Belarusian(s)
adjective: Belarusian

Ethnic groups:
Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish, Ukrainian, and other 7.4%

Religions:
Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant,
Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)

Languages:
Belarusian, Russian, other

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.5% (2003 est.)

Government Belarus

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Belarus
conventional short form: Belarus
local short form: none
former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
local long form: Respublika Byelarus'

Government type:
republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship

Capital:
Minsk

Administrative divisions:
6 provinces (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1 municipality*
(horad); Brest, Homyel', Horad Minsk*, Hrodna, Mahilyow, Minsk,
Vitsyebsk
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers

Independence:
25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the date
Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the date
of independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:
30 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996
giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective
27 November 1996; revised again 17 October 2004 removing
presidential term limits

Legal system:
based on civil law system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Sergei SIDORSKY (since 19
December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since
December 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers Andrei KOBYAKOV (since
December 2003), Vladimir DRAZHIN (since 24 September 2001), Ivan
BAMBIZA (since 25 May 2004), Anatoly TYUTYUNOV (since July 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent
of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 75.6%, Vladimir GONCHARIK 15.4%
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
first election took place 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the
1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999,
however LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a November 1996
referendum; new election held 9 September 2001; October 2004
referendum ended presidential term limits allowing president to run
for a third term in September 2006; prime minister and deputy prime
ministers appointed by the president

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists of the
Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats; 56 members
elected by regional councils and 8 members appointed by the
president, all for 4-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives
or Palata Predstaviteliy (110 seats; members elected by universal
adult suffrage to serve 4-year terms)
election results: Soviet Respubliki - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - NA; Palata Pretsaviteley - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - NA
elections: last held 18 March and 1 April 2001 and 17 and 31 October
2004 (bi-election will be held March 2005 to fill one unfilled seat
in the Palata Predstaviteliy); international observers widely
denounced the October 2004 elections as flawed and undemocratic,
based on massive government falsification; pro-Lukashenko candidates
won every seat, after many opposition candidates were disqualified
for technical reasons

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president);
Constitutional Court (half of the judges appointed by the president
and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives)

Political parties and leaders:
Pro-government parties: Agrarian Party or AP; Belarusian Communist
Party or KPB; Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian Patriotic
Party) or BPR [Anatoliy BARANKEVICH, chairman]; Liberal Democratic
Party of Belarus [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH]; Social-Sports Party;
Opposition parties: Belarusian Popular Front or BNF [Vintsuk
VYACHORKA]; Belarusian Social-Democrat Party Narodnaya Gromada or
BSDP NG [Nikolay STATKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian Social-Democratic
Party Hromada [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH, chairman]; United Civic Party
or UCP [Anatol LEBEDKO]; Party of Communists Belarusian or PKB
[Sergei KALYAKIN, chairman]; Women's Party "Nadezhda" [Valentina
MATUSEVICH, chairperson]
note: the opposition Belarusian Party of Labor [Aleksandr
BUKHVOSTOV] was liquidated in August 2004, but remains active

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NSG,
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mikhail KHVOSTOV
FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805
consulate(s) general: New York
telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604
chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador George A. KROL
embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya St., Minsk 220002
mailing address: PSC 78, Box B Minsk, APO 09723
telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83, 217-7347, 217-7348
FAX: [375] (17) 234-7853

Flag description:
red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the
width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side
bears Belarusian national ornamention in red

Economy Belarus

Economy - overview:
Belarus' economy in 2003 posted 6.1 percent growth and is likely to
continue expanding through 2004, albeit at a slower growth rate. The
Belarusian economy in 2004 is likely to be hampered by high
inflation, persistent trade deficits, and ongoing rocky relations
with Russia, Belarus' largest trading partner and energy supplier.
Belarus has seen little structural reform since 1995, when President
LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of "market socialism."
In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKO reimposed administrative
controls over prices and currency exchange rates and expanded the
state's right to intervene in the management of private enterprises.
In addition, businesses have been subject to pressure on the part of
central and local governments, e.g., arbitrary changes in
regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, retroactive application
of new business regulations, and arrests of "disruptive" businessmen
and factory owners. A wide range of redistributive policies has
helped those at the bottom of the ladder. For the time being,
Belarus remains self-isolated from the West and its open-market
economies.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $62.56 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6.8% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,100 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.1% industry: 36.4% services: 52.5% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
21.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
22% (1995 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 5.1% highest 10%: 20% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
21.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
28.2% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
4.8 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
NA

Unemployment rate:
2.1% officially registered unemployed (December 2000); large number
of underemployed workers (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.976 billion
expenditures: $3.211 billion, including capital expenditures of $180
million (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk

Industries:
metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers,
motorcycles, television sets, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles,
radios, refrigerators

Industrial production growth rate:
5% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
24.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
26.69 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
300 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
4.3 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
37,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
230,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
200 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
18 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
17.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$-945 million (2003)

Exports:
$9.413 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals;
textiles, foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
Russia 49.1%, UK 9.4%, Poland 4.4%, Germany 4.2%, Netherlands 4.2%
(2003)

Imports:
$11.09 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
Russia 65.8%, Germany 7.1%, Ukraine 3.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$637 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$851 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$194.3 million (1995)

Currency:
Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)

Currency code:
BYB/BYR

Exchange rates:
Belarusian rubles per US dollar - 1,790.92 (2003), 1,920 (2002),
1,390 (2001), 876.75 (2000), 248.795 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Belarus

Telephones - main lines in use:
3,071,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.118 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: the Ministry of Telecommunications controls all
telecommunications through its carrier (a joint stock company)
Beltelcom which is a monopoly
domestic: local - Minsk has a digital metropolitan network and a
cellular NMT-450 network; waiting lists for telephones are long;
local service outside Minsk is neglected and poor; intercity -
Belarus has a partly developed fiber-optic backbone system presently
serving at least 13 major cities (1998); Belarus' fiber optics form
synchronous digital hierarchy rings through other countries'
systems; an inadequate analog system remains operational
international: country code - 375; Belarus is a member of the
Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line,
and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); three fiber-optic
segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and
Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this
infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat,
Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)

Radios:
3.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
2.52 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.by

Internet hosts:
5,308 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
23 (2002)

Internet users:
1,391,900 (2003)

Transportation Belarus

Railways: total: 5,523 km broad gauge: 5,523 km 1.520-m gauge (875 km electrified) (2003)

Highways: total: 74,385 km paved: 66,203 km unpaved: 8,182 km (2000)

Waterways:
2,500 km (use limited by location on perimeter of country and by
shallowness) (2003)

Pipelines:
gas 5,223 km; oil 2,443 km; refined products 1,686 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Mazyr

Airports:
135 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 50 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 21 under 914 m: 21 (2003 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 85 under 914 m: 64 (2003 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 11 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

Military Belarus

Military branches:
Army, Air and Air Defense Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (May 2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,764,856 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,164,923 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 86,716 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$176.1 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Belarus

Disputes - international:
1997 boundary treaty with Ukraine remains unratified over
unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and diminishing
border security; boundaries with Latvia and Lithuania remain
undemarcated despite European Union financial support

Illicit drugs:
limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for the
domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and via
Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe; a small and lightly
regulated financial center; new anti-money-laundering legislation
does not meet international standards; few investigations or
prosecutions of money-laundering activities

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Belgium

Introduction Belgium

Background:
Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830 and was
occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. It has prospered in
the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European
state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the
Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking
Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional
amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.

Geography Belgium

Location:
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the
Netherlands

Geographic coordinates:
50 50 N, 4 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 30,528 sq km
land: 30,278 sq km
water: 250 sq km

Area - comparative:
about the size of Maryland

Land boundaries:
total: 1,385 km
border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km,
Netherlands 450 km

Coastline:
66.5 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: median line with neighbors exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit

Climate:
temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy

Terrain:
flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged
mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: North Sea 0 m
highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m

Natural resources:
coal, natural gas, construction materials, silica sand, carbonates

Land use:
arable land: 23.28%
permanent crops: 0.4%
note: includes Luxembourg (2001)
other: 76.32%

Irrigated land:
40 sq km (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal
land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes

Environment - current issues:
the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human
activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry,
extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water
pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries;
uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now
resolved) have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals
within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and
NATO

People Belgium

Population:
10,348,276 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.1% (male 901,486; female 863,092)
15-64 years: 65.6% (male 3,424,438; female 3,364,057)
65 years and over: 17.3% (male 739,479; female 1,055,724) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 40.2 years
male: 38.9 years
female: 41.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.16% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
10.59 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
10.2 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 5.36 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.44 years
male: 75.26 years
female: 81.75 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.64 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
10,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Belgian(s)
adjective: Belgian

Ethnic groups:
Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%

Languages:
Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less
than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: NA
female: NA

Government Belgium

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
conventional short form: Belgium
local short form: Belgique/Belgie
local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie

Government type:
federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch

Capital:
Brussels

Administrative divisions:
10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch:
provincies, singular - provincie) and 3 regions* (French: regions;
Dutch: gewesten); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Brussels* (Bruxelles),
Flanders*, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur,
Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams-Brabant, Wallonia*, West-Vlaanderen
note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered
devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of
government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a
complex division of responsibilities

Independence:
4 October 1830 (a provisional government declares independence from
the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King Leopold I ascends to the throne)

National holiday:
21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I

Constitution:
7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament approved a
constitutional package creating a federal state

Legal system:
civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory;
judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent
Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch
head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July
1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch
note: government coalition - VLD, MR, PS, SP.A-Spirit
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
monarch and then approved by Parliament

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch, Senat
in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by popular
vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year terms) and
a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch,
Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members are directly
elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation
to serve four-year terms)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - SP.A-Spirit
15.5%, VLD 15.4%, CD & V 12.7%, PS 12.8%, MR 12.1%, VB 9.4%, CDH
5.6%; seats by party - SP.A-Spirit 7, VLD 7, CD & V 6, PS 6, MR 5,
VB 5, CDH 2, other 2 (note - there are also 31 indirectly elected
senators); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD
15.4%, SP.A-Spirit 14.9%, CD & V 13.3%, PS 13.0%, VB 11.6%, MR
11.4%, CDH 5.5%, Ecolo 3.1%; seats by party - VLD 25, SP.A-Spirit
23, CD & V 21, PS 25, VB 18, MR 24, CDH 8 Ecolo 4, other 2
note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered
devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of
government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a
complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six
governments each with its own legislative assembly; for other
acronyms of the listed parties see the Political parties and leaders
entry
elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 May 2003
(next to be held no later than May 2007)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de
Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the
Government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice
Council)

Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V [Jo VANDEURZEN]; Ecolo
(Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX, Evelyne HUYTEBROECK,
Claude BROUIR]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Bart SOMERS];
Flemish Socialist Party.Alternative or SP.A [Steve STEVAERT];
Francophone Humanist and Democratic Center of CDH [Joelle MILQUET];
Francophone Reformist Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Francophone
Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; GROEN! (formerly AGALEV,
Flemish Greens) [Vera DUA]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; New
Flemish Alliance or NVA [Bart DE WEVER]; Spirit [Els VAN WEERT];
note - new party now associated with SP.A; Vlaams Belang or VB
[Frank VANHECKE]; other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Christian, Socialist, and Liberal Trade Unions; Federation of
Belgian Industries; numerous other associations representing
bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and
medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural
interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax
Christi and groups representing immigrants

International organization participation:
ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC,
EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB
(nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Franciskus VAN DAELE
FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York
telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900
chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tom C. KOROLOGOS
embassy: Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels
mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710
telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111
FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red;
the design was based on the flag of France

Economy Belgium

Economy - overview:
This modern private enterprise economy has capitalized on its
central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and
diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated
mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. With few natural
resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of raw
materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its
economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. Roughly
three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debt
is about 100% of GDP, and the government has succeeded in balancing
its budget. Belgium, together with 11 of its EU partners, began
circulating the euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth in
2001-03 dropped sharply because of the global economic slowdown.
Prospects for 2004 again depend largely on recovery in the EU and
the US.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $299.1 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $29,100 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.9% industry: 26.3% services: 71.8% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
19.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
4% (1989 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 23% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
28.7 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
4.73 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 1.3%, industry 24.5%, services 74.2% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
8.1% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $151.6 billion
expenditures: $151.1 billion, including capital expenditures of
$1.56 billion (2003)

Public debt:
102% of GDP (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal,
pork, milk

Industries:
engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed
food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass,
petroleum

Industrial production growth rate:
-1.5% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
74.28 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
78.18 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
6.712 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
15.82 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
595,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
450,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
1.042 million bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
15.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
15.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$10.69 billion (2003)

Exports:
$182.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal
products, foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
Germany 19.5%, France 17.4%, Netherlands 11.7%, UK 9%, US 6.7%,
Italy 5.4% (2003)

Imports:
$173 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals,
foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products

Imports - partners:
Germany 17.7%, Netherlands 16.5%, France 13.2%, UK 7.5%, US 5.9%,
Ireland 5.7% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$14.45 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$28.3 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $1.072 billion (2002)

Currency:
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Belgium

Telephones - main lines in use:
5,120,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
8,135,500 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed, technologically advanced, and
completely automated domestic and international telephone and
telegraph facilities
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable
network; limited microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 32; 5 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat

Radio broadcast stations:
FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
8.075 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
4.72 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.be

Internet hosts:
166,799 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
61 (2000)

Internet users:
3.4 million (2002)

Transportation Belgium

Railways: total: 3,518 km standard gauge: 3,518 km 1.435-m gauge (2,631 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 148,216 km
paved: 116,687 km (including 1,727 km of expressways)
unpaved: 31,529 km (2000)

Waterways:
2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2003)

Pipelines:
gas 1,485 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent, Hasselt,
Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge

Merchant marine:
total: 50 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,146,301 GRT/1,588,184 DWT
foreign-owned: Denmark 6, Finland 1, France 2, Netherlands 3
registered in other countries: 69 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 1, cargo 8, chemical tanker 11, container 6, liquefied
gas 18, petroleum tanker 6

Airports:
42 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 25 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

Military Belgium

Military branches:
Army, Naval, and Air Operations Commands

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,509,538 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,068,221 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 61,270 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$3.999 billion (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.3% (2003)

Transnational Issues Belgium

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
growing producer of synthetic drugs; transit point for US-bound
ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine
processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and
marijuana entering Western Europe; despite a strengthening of
legislation, the country remains vulnerable to money laundering
related to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol and tobacco

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Belize

Introduction Belize

Background:
Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the
independence of Belize (formerly British Honduras) until 1981.
Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992. Tourism
has become the mainstay of the economy. The country remains plagued
by high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug
trade, and increased urban crime.

Geography Belize

Location:
Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and
Mexico

Geographic coordinates:
17 15 N, 88 45 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 22,966 sq km
water: 160 sq km
land: 22,806 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 516 km border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

Coastline:
386 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south; note - from
the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's
territorial sea is 3 nm; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act,
1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for
the negotiation of a definitive agreement on territorial differences
with Guatemala
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry
season (February to May)

Terrain:
flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m

Natural resources: arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2.85% permanent crops: 1.71% other: 95.44% (2001)

Irrigated land:
30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal
flooding (especially in south)

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents,
agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal

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

Geography - note:
only country in Central America without a coastline on the North
Pacific Ocean

People Belize

Population:
272,945 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.6% (male 56,530; female 54,322)
15-64 years: 55.8% (male 77,118; female 75,309)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,674; female 4,992) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 19.1 years
male: 19 years
female: 19.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.39% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
29.89 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.04 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 26.37 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 22.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 29.75 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.43 years
male: 65.11 years
female: 69.86 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.77 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
2.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Belizean(s) adjective: Belizean

Ethnic groups:
mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Anglican 5.3%, Methodist
3.5%, Mennonite 4.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Pentecostal 7.4%,
Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), none 9.4%, other 14% (2000)

Languages:
English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.1%
male: 94.1%
female: 94.1% (2003 est.)

Government Belize

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Belize former: British Honduras

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Belmopan

Administrative divisions:
6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo

Independence:
21 September 1981 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Constitution:
21 September 1981

Legal system:
English law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG, Sr. (since 17
November 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Said Wilbert MUSA (since 28
August 1998); Deputy Prime Minister John BRICENO (since 1 September
1998)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; prime
minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 members
appointed by the governor general - six on the advice of the prime
minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and
one each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and
Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce
and Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, and the National
Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee;
members are appointed for five-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (29 seats; members are elected by direct popular
vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 5 March 2003 (next
to be held NA March 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
PUP 21, UDP 8

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor
general on the advice of the prime minister)

Political parties and leaders:
People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic Party
or UDP [Dean BARROW, party leader; Douglas SINGH, party chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Adele
CATZIM]

International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU,
LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa M. SHOMAN
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888
telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636
chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Russell F. FREEMAN
embassy: 29 Gabourel Lane, Belize City
mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Belize City
telephone: [501] 227-7161 through 7163
FAX: [501] 2-30802

Flag description:
blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges;
centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the coat of
arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a mahogany
tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the
Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green garland

Economy Belize

Economy - overview:
In this small, essentially private enterprise economy the tourism
industry is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by cane
sugar, citrus, marine products, bananas, and garments. The
government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in
September 1998, led to GDP growth of 6.5% in 1999, 10.8% in 2000,
4.6% in 2001, and 3.7% in 2002. Major concerns continue to be the
sizable trade deficit and foreign debt. A key short-term objective
remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international
donors.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.28 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22.7% industry: 24.5% services: 52.8% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
33% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
33% (1999 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
90,000
note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel
(2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 27%, industry 18%, services 55% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
9.1% (2002)

Budget:
revenues: $222 million
expenditures: $300 million, including capital expenditures of $70
million (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products: bananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments

Industries:
garment production, food processing, tourism, construction

Industrial production growth rate:
4.6% (1999)

Electricity - production:
199.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
185.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-142 million (2003)

Exports:
$207.8 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood

Exports - partners:
US 39.1%, UK 25%, France 4% (2003)

Imports:
$500.6 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels,
chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco

Imports - partners:
US 41.9%, Mexico 12.4%, UK 5.9%, Cuba 5.5% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$84.7 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$475 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency:
Belizean dollar (BZD)

Currency code:
BZD

Exchange rates:
Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2 (2003), 2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2
(2000), 2 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Belize

Telephones - main lines in use:
33,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
60,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: above-average system
domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay
international: country code - 501; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
133,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (1997)

Televisions:
41,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.bz

Internet hosts:
2,613 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
30,000 (2002)

Transportation Belize

Highways: total: 2,872 km paved: 488 km unpaved: 2,384 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda

Merchant marine:
total: 336 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,015,270 GRT/1,336,890 DWT
registered in other countries: 25 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 13, cargo 240, chemical tanker 11, combination bulk 4,
combination ore/oil 1, container 10, multi-functional large load
carrier 1, petroleum tanker 27, refrigerated cargo 18, roll on/roll
off 8, short-sea/passenger 1, specialized tanker 2
foreign-owned: Bahamas 2, Belgium 1, British Virgin Islands 11,
Cambodia 6, China 67, Cuba 2, Cyprus 1, Ecuador 1, Estonia 8,
Germany 5, Greece 2, Grenada 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 27, Indonesia
4, Italy 2, Japan 5, Jordan 1, South Korea 13, Latvia 5, Liberia 2,
Malaysia 4, Malta 1, Isle of Man 1, Marshall Islands 16, Mexico 1,
Netherlands 1, Nigeria 2, Panama 15, Philippines 4, Portugal 1,
Russia 9, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Singapore 9, Spain 6,
Switzerland 2, Taiwan 1, Thailand 3, Tunisia 1, Turkey 2, Ukraine 3,
United Kingdom 1, United States 3, Yemen 1

Airports:
43 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 38
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.)

Military Belize

Military branches:
Belize Defense Force (includes Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and
Volunteer Guard)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow for conscription only if volunteers are insufficient; conscription has never been implemented; volunteers typically outnumber available positions by 3:1 (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 68,518 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 40,619 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 3,122 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$18 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Belize

Disputes - international:
Guatemalan squatters continue to settle along the border region; an
OAS brokered Differendum in 2002 created a small adjustment to the
land boundary, a large Guatemalan maritime corridor in Caribbean, a
joint ecological park for disputed Sapodilla Cays, and a substantial
US-UK financial package, but agreement was not brought to popular
referendum leaving Guatemala to continue to claim the southern half
of Belize

Illicit drugs:
major transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer
of cannabis for the international drug trade; money-laundering
activity related to narcotics trafficking and offshore sector

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Benin

Introduction Benin

Background:
Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West African
kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became a French
Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960, as the
Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended in
1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment
of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to
representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free
elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as
president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa
from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by
elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were
alleged.

Geography Benin

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and
Togo

Geographic coordinates:
9 30 N, 2 15 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 112,620 sq km
water: 2,000 sq km
land: 110,620 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:
total: 1,989 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km,
Togo 644 km

Coastline:
121 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain:
mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m

Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Land use: arable land: 18.08% permanent crops: 2.4% other: 79.52% (2001)

Irrigated land:
120 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to
March

Environment - current issues:
inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife
populations; deforestation; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural
harbors, river mouths, or islands

People Benin

Population:
7,250,033
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 46.8% (male 1,711,075; female 1,679,439)
15-64 years: 51% (male 1,802,990; female 1,890,915)
65 years and over: 2.3% (male 68,890; female 96,724) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 16.5 years
male: 16 years
female: 16.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.89% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
42.57 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
13.69 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 85.88 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 80.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 90.89 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 50.81 years
male: 50.25 years
female: 51.39 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.95 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
68,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
5,800 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, yellow fever
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Beninese (singular and plural)
adjective: Beninese

Ethnic groups:
African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja,
Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Languages:
French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in
south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 40.9%
male: 56.2%
female: 26.5% (2000)

Government Benin

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Benin conventional short form: Benin local short form: Benin former: Dahomey local long form: Republique du Benin

Government type:
republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped Marxism-Leninism
December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February 1990; transition
to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991

Capital:
Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of
government

Administrative divisions:
12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines,
Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou

Independence:
1 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
National Day, 1 August (1960)

Constitution:
December 1990

Legal system:
based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;
runoff election held 22 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2006)
note: the four top-ranking contenders following the first-round
presidential elections were: Mathieu KEREKOU (incumbent) 45.4%,
Nicephore SOGOLO (former president) 27.1%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI
(National Assembly Speaker) 12.6%, and Bruno AMOUSSOU (Minister of
State) 8.6%; the second-round balloting, originally scheduled for 18
March 2001, was postponed four days because both SOGOLO and
HOUNGBEDJI withdrew alleging electoral fraud; this left KEREKOU to
run against his own Minister of State, AMOUSSOU, in what was termed
a "friendly match"
election results: Mathieu KEREKOU reelected president; percent of
vote - Mathieu KEREKOU 84.1%, Bruno AMOUSSOU 15.9%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats;
members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
Presidential Movement 52, opposition (PRB, PRD, E'toile, and 5 other
small parties) 31
elections: last held 30 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or
Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice

Political parties and leaders:
African Congress for Renewal or DUNYA [Saka SALEY]; African
Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN];
Alliance of the Social Democratic Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU];
Coalition of Democratic Forces [Gatien HOUNGBEDJI]; Democratic
Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Front for Renewal and
Development or FARD-ALAFIA [Jerome Sakia KINA]; Impulse for Progress
and Democracy or IPD [Bertin BORNA]; Key Force or FC [leader NA];
Presidential Movement (UBF, MADEP, FC, IDP, and 4 other small
parties); Renaissance Party du Benin or PRB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The
Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]; Union of Tomorrow's
Benin or UBF [Bruno AMOUSSOU]
note: approximately 20 additional minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC,
NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656 chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Wayne NEILL embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou telephone: [229] 30-06-50 FAX: [229] 30-06-70

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical
green band on the hoist side

Economy Benin

Economy - overview:
The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on
subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade.
Growth in real output has averaged a stable 5% in the past six
years, but rapid population rise has offset much of this increase.
Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to
raise growth still further, Benin plans to attract more foreign
investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the
development of new food processing systems and agricultural
products, and encourage new information and communication
technology. The 2001 privatization policy should continue in
telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of
initial government reluctance. The Paris Club and bilateral
creditors have eased the external debt situation, while pressing for
speeded-up structural reforms.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $7.742 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 36.4% industry: 14.5% services: 49.1% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
19.3% of GDP (2003)

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

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
NA (1996)

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $698.9 million
expenditures: $613.2 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Agriculture - products:
cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts,
livestock (2001)

Industries:
textiles, food processing, chemical production, construction
materials (2001)

Industrial production growth rate:
8.3% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
274.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
631.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
376 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
11,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
4.105 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
608.8 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-112 million (2003)

Exports:
$485 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa

Exports - partners:
China 21.1%, India 18%, Thailand 6.8%, Ghana 5.8%, Niger 4.4%,
Indonesia 4.1% (2003)

Imports:
$726 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
China 29.5%, France 14.9%, UK 4.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.7%, Thailand
4.6% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$636 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.6 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
$342.6 million (2000)

Currency:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
XOF

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 581.2
(2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699
(1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Benin

Telephones - main lines in use:
66,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
236,200 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and
cellular connections
international: country code - 229; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)

Radios:
660,000 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)

Televisions:
66,000 (2000)

Internet country code:
.bj

Internet hosts:
879 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
4 (2002)

Internet users:
70,000 (2003)

Transportation Benin

Railways: total: 578 km narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 6,787 km
paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways)
unpaved: 5,430 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Cotonou, Porto-Novo

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
5 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Benin

Military branches:
Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 21 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; in practice, volunteers may be taken at the age of 18; both sexes are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,638,010
females age 15-49: 1,647,850 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 835,561
females age 15-49: 835,633 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 77,552
females: 81,841 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$98.3 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.7% (2003)

Transnational Issues Benin

Disputes - international:
two villages remain in dispute along the border with Burkina Faso;
accuses Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars; much of Benin-Niger
boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated, and
ICJ ad hoc judges have been selected to rule on disputed Niger and
Mekrou River islands; several villages along the Okpara River are in
dispute with Nigeria; a joint boundary commission continues to
resurvey the boundary with Togo to verify Benin's claim that Togo
moved boundary stones

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian
trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western
Europe and the US; vulnerable to money laundering due to a poorly
regulated financial infrastructure

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Bermuda

Introduction Bermuda

Background:
Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists
headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North American
winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues to be
important to the island's economy, although international business
has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has developed into a
highly successful offshore financial center. A referendum on
independence was soundly defeated in 1995.

Geography Bermuda

Location:
North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east
of South Carolina (US)

Geographic coordinates:
32 20 N, 64 45 W

Map references:
North America

Area:
total: 53.3 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 53.3 sq km

Area - comparative:
about one-third the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
103 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter

Terrain:
low hills separated by fertile depressions

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Town Hill 76 m

Natural resources: limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism

Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
hurricanes (June to November)

Environment - current issues:
asbestos disposal; water pollution; preservation of open space;
sustainable development

Geography - note:
consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall,
but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by US
Government from 1941 to 1995

People Bermuda

Population:
64,935 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.1% (male 6,192; female 6,186)
15-64 years: 69.3% (male 22,268; female 22,703)
65 years and over: 11.7% (male 3,295; female 4,291) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 39.2 years
male: 38.3 years
female: 40.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.68% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
11.83 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.55 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
2.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.79 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 10.45 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.6 years
male: 75.54 years
female: 79.7 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.9 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality: noun: Bermudian(s) adjective: Bermudian

Ethnic groups:
black 58%, white 36%, other 6%

Religions:
non-Anglican Protestant 39%, Anglican 27%, Roman Catholic 15%,
other 19%

Languages:
English (official), Portuguese

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 99% (1970 est.)

Government Bermuda

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bermuda former: Somers Islands

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
parliamentary British overseas territory with internal
self-government

Capital:
Hamilton

Administrative divisions:
9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*,
Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys, Smith's,
Southampton, Warwick

Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
Bermuda Day, 24 May

Constitution:
8 June 1968, amended 1989 and 2003

Legal system:
English law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor Sir John VEREKER (since NA April 2002)
head of government: Premier Alex SCOTT (since 24 July 2003); Deputy
Premier Ewart BROWN
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
appointed premier by the governor

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member body
appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and the
House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve up to five-year terms)
elections: last general election held 24 July 2003 (next to be held
NA July 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 51.7%, UBP 48%;
seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders:
Gombey Liberation Party or GLP [Gavin Sundjata SMITH]; National
Liberal Party or NLP [Dessaline WALDRON]; Progressive Labor Party or
PLP [William Alexander SCOTT]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Grant
GIBBONS];

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Union
or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Union or BPSU [Ed
BALL]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES]

International organization participation:
Caricom (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCO,
Egmont Group, Caribbean Financial Action Task Force

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

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Deputy Chief of Mission Antoinette BOECKER consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3 mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20520-5300 telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342 FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233

Flag description:
red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with a red lion
holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea
Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag

Economy Bermuda

Economy - overview:
Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world,
equal to that of the US. Its economy is primarily based on providing
financial services for international business and luxury facilities
for tourists. The effects of 11 September 2001 have had both
positive and negative ramifications for Bermuda. On the positive
side, a number of new reinsurance companies have located on the
island, contributing to the expansion of an already robust
international business sector. On the negative side, Bermuda's
tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the
US - was severely hit as American tourists chose not to travel.
Tourism rebounded somewhat in 2002-03. Most capital equipment and
food must be imported. Bermuda's industrial sector is small,
although construction continues to be important; the average cost of
a house in June 2003 had risen to $976,000. Agriculture is limited,
only 6% of the land being arable.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $2.33 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $36,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 10% services: 89% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
19% (2000)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.3% (mid-2003 est.)

Labor force:
37,470 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture and fishing 3%, laborers 17%, clerical 22%, professional and technical 17%, administrative and managerial 13%, sales 8%, services 20% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
5% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $671.1 million
expenditures: $594.6 million, including capital expenditures of $55
million (FY03/04)

Agriculture - products:
bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products

Industries:
tourism, international business, light manufacturing

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
643.7 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
598.6 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$879 million (2002)

Exports - commodities:
reexports of pharmaceuticals

Exports - partners:
France 62%, Norway 13.8%, UK 7.5% (2003)

Imports:
$5.523 billion (2002)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, construction materials,
chemicals, food and live animals

Imports - partners:
Kazakhstan 46.7%, France 32.5%, US 8.5% (2003)

Debt - external:
$160 million (FY99/00)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency:
Bermudian dollar (BMD)

Currency code:
BMD

Exchange rates:
Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the
US dollar)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Bermuda

Telephones - main lines in use:
56,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
37,873 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: good
domestic: modern, fully automatic telephone system
international: country code - 1-441; 3 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
82,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
4 (2003)

Televisions:
66,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.bm

Internet hosts:
5,161 (2001)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
20 (2000)

Internet users:
34,500 (2003)

Transportation Bermuda

Highways:
total: 450 km
paved: 450 km
note: public roads - 209 km; private roads - 241 km (2002)
unpaved: 0 km

Ports and harbors:
Hamilton, Saint George's, Dockyard

Merchant marine:
total: 94 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,845,326 GRT/6,501,782 DWT
foreign-owned: Croatia 5, Germany 2, Greece 21, Hong Kong 9,
Indonesia 1, Sweden 6, Switzerland 1, United Kingdom 33, United
States 12
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 25, cargo 4, container 17, liquefied gas 9, passenger
6, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 10,
short-sea/passenger 3

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Bermuda

Military branches:
Bermuda Regiment

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$4.03 million (2001)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.11% (FY00/01)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Bermuda

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Bhutan

Introduction Bhutan

Background:
In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under
which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding
some border land. Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in
1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British
agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan
allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed
by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal
Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the
British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and
defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. A
refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved;
90% of the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps.

Geography Bhutan

Location:
Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates:
27 30 N, 90 30 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 47,000 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 47,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
about half the size of Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 1,075 km border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers
in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas

Terrain:
mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide

Land use: arable land: 3.09% permanent crops: 0.43% other: 96.48% (2001)

Irrigated land:
400 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's
name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent
landslides during the rainy season

Environment - current issues:
soil erosion; limited access to potable water

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls
several key Himalayan mountain passes

People Bhutan

Population: 2,185,569 note: other estimates range as low as 810,000 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 39.3% (male 445,548; female 414,338)
15-64 years: 56.6% (male 637,637; female 600,253)
65 years and over: 4% (male 44,298; female 43,495) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 20.2 years
male: 20 years
female: 20.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.12% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
34.41 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
13.2 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 102.56 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 104.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 100.35 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.99 years
male: 54.27 years
female: 53.68 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.87 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Bhutanese

Ethnic groups:
Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of
several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%

Religions:
Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%

Languages:
Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects,
Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42.2%
male: 56.2%
female: 28.1% (1995 est.)

Government Bhutan

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan
conventional short form: Bhutan

Government type:
monarchy; special treaty relationship with India

Capital:
Thimphu

Administrative divisions:
18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha,
Chirang, Dagana, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel,
Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Thimphu,
Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang
note: there may be two new districts named Gasa and Yangtse

Independence:
8 August 1949 (from India)

National holiday:
National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17
December (1907)

Constitution:
no written constitution or bill of rights; note - in 2001 the King
commissioned the drafting of a constitution, and in November 2004
presented a draft to the Council of Ministers

Legal system:
based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
each family has one vote in village-level elections; note - in late
2003 Bhutan's legislature passed a new election law

Executive branch:
chief of state: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms
in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the
monarch with two-thirds vote
head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Lyonpo
Yeshey ZIMBA (since 20 August 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the
monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed,
five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council
(Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Tshogdu (150 seats; 105 elected
from village constituencies, 10 represent religious bodies, and 35
are designated by the monarch to represent government and other
secular interests; members serve three-year terms)
elections: local elections last held November 2002 (next to be held
NA 2005)
election results: NA

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed
by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
no legal parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant
antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United Front for
Democracy (exiled)

International organization participation:
AsDB, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IOC, IOM
(observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Bhutan has a Permanent Mission to the UN; address: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 826-1919; FAX [1] (212) 826-2998; the Bhutanese mission to the UN has consular jurisdiction in the US consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India)

Flag description:
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper
triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along
the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from
the hoist side

Economy Bhutan

Economy - overview:
The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed, is
based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main livelihood
for more than 90% of the population. Agriculture consists largely of
subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate
the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure
difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India's
through strong trade and monetary links and dependence on India's
financial assistance. The industrial sector is technologically
backward, with most production of the cottage industry type. Most
development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian
migrant labor. Bhutan's hydropower potential and its attraction for
tourists are key resources. Model education, social, and environment
programs are underway with support from multilateral development
organizations. Each economic program takes into account the
government's desire to protect the country's environment and
cultural traditions. For example, the government in its cautious
expansion of the tourist sector encourages the visits of upscale,
environmentally conscientious visitors. Detailed controls and
uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor,
and finance continue to hamper foreign investment.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $2.7 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 45%
industry: 10%
services: 45% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
NA
note: massive lack of skilled labor (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 93%, industry and commerce 2%, services 5%

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $146 million
note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of
Bhutan's budget expenditures (FY95/96 est.)
expenditures: $152 million, including capital expenditures of NA

Agriculture - products:
rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs

Industries:
cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages,
calcium carbide

Industrial production growth rate:
9.3% (1996 est.)

Electricity - production:
1.896 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
379.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
1.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
16 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1,020 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$154 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities:
electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts,
cement, fruit, precious stones, spices

Exports - partners:
Bangladesh 60.5%, US 11.7%, Malaysia 5.7% (2003)

Imports:
$196 million c.i.f. (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities:
fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics,
rice

Imports - partners:
Japan 36.6%, Austria 14.2%, Sweden 8.3%, China 7.5%, Thailand 6%,
Bangladesh 6%, Germany 5.5%, Italy 4% (2003)

Debt - external:
$245 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
substantial aid from India and other nations

Currency:
ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)

Currency code:
BTN; INR

Exchange rates:
ngultrum per US dollar - 46.5806 (2003), 48.6103 (2002), 47.1864
(2001), 44.9416 (2000), 43.0554 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Bhutan

Telephones - main lines in use:
25,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
8,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: domestic telephone service is very poor with few
telephones in use
international: country code - 975; international telephone and
telegraph service is by landline through India; a satellite earth
station was planned (1990)

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

Radios:
37,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
0 (1997)

Televisions:
11,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.bt

Internet hosts:
985 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Internet users:
15,000 (2003)

Transportation Bhutan

Highways: total: 3,690 km paved: 2,240 km unpaved: 1,450 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
2 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Bhutan

Military branches:
Royal Bhutan Army, Royal Bodyguard, National Militia

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 544,560 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 290,843 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 23,379 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$11.2 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Bhutan

Disputes - international:
approximately 100,000 Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal, 90% of
whom reside in seven UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees
camps, place decades-long strains on Nepal

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Bolivia

Introduction Bolivia

Background:
Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away
from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has
consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and counter-coups.
Comparatively democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but
leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social
unrest, and drug production. Current goals include attracting
foreign investment, strengthening the educational system, resolving
disputes with coca growers over Bolivia's counterdrug efforts, and
waging an anticorruption campaign.

Geography Bolivia

Location:
Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Geographic coordinates:
17 00 S, 65 00 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 1,098,580 sq km
water: 14,190 sq km
land: 1,084,390 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Land boundaries:
total: 6,743 km
border countries: Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,400 km, Chile 861 km,
Paraguay 750 km, Peru 900 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

Terrain:
rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills,
lowland plains of the Amazon Basin

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m
highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m

Natural resources:
tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver,
iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2.67% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 97.54% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,280 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
flooding in the northeast (March-April)

Environment - current issues:
the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the
international demand for tropical timber are contributing to
deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation
methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertification;
loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water supplies used
for drinking and irrigation

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection

Geography - note:
landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest
navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru

People Bolivia

Population:
8,724,156 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 36.4% (male 1,619,950; female 1,557,883)
15-64 years: 59.1% (male 2,522,086; female 2,631,944)
65 years and over: 4.5% (male 175,193; female 217,100) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 21.1 years
male: 20.4 years
female: 21.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.56% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
24.65 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.77 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 54.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 50.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 58.23 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.14 years
male: 62.54 years
female: 67.86 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.08 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
4,900 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Bolivian(s)
adjective: Bolivian

Ethnic groups:
Quechua 30%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 30%,
Aymara 25%, white 15%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist)

Languages:
Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 87.2%
male: 93.1%
female: 81.6% (2003 est.)

Government Bolivia

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

Government type:
republic

Capital:
La Paz (seat of government); Sucre (legal capital and seat of
judiciary)

Administrative divisions:
9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Chuquisaca,
Cochabamba, Beni, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija

Independence:
6 August 1825 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

Constitution:
2 February 1967; revised in August 1994

Legal system:
based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21 years of
age, universal and compulsory (single)

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert (since 17
October 2003); Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert (since 17
October 2003); Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 30 June 2002
(next to be held NA June 2007)
election results: as a result of no candidate winning a majority in
the 30 June 2002 election, Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE LOZADA Bustamante was
chosen president by Congress; Congressional votes - Gonzalo SANCHEZ
DE LOZADA Bustamante 84, Evo MORALES 43; note - following the
resignation of the elected president on 17 October 2003, Vice
President Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert assumed the presidency

Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of
Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members are
elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve
five-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130
seats; 68 are directly elected from their districts and 62 are
elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve
five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held
30 June 2002 (next to be held NA June 2007)
election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - MNR 11, MAS 8, MIR 5, NFR 2, other 1; Chamber
of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MNR
36, MAS 27, MIR 26, NFR 25, others 16

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges appointed for 10-year terms
by National Congress); District Courts (one in each department);
provincial and local courts (to try minor cases)

Political parties and leaders:
Bolivian Socialist Falange or FSB [Romel PANTOJA]; Civic Solidarity
Union or UCS [Johnny FERNANDEZ]; Free Bolivia Movement or MBL [Franz
BARRIOS]; Marshal of Ayacucho Institutional Vanguard or VIMA [Freddy
ZABALA]; Movement of the Revolutionary Left or MIR [Jaime PAZ
Zamora]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Evo MORALES]; Movement
Without Fear or MSM [Juan DEL GRANADO]; Nationalist Democratic
Action or ADN [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez]; Nationalist
Revolutionary Movement or MNR [leader NA]; New Republican Force or
NFR [Manfred REYES-VILLA]; Pachakuti Indigenous Movement or MIP
[Felipe QUISPE]; Socialist Party or PS [Jeres JUSTINIANO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Cocalero Groups; indigenous organizations; labor unions; Sole
Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB [Roman
LOAYZA]

International organization participation:
CAN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS,
ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime APARICIO Otero
consulate(s): Washington, DC
consulate(s) general: Miami, New York, and San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712
telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410
chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David N. GREENLEE embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, San Jorge, La Paz mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032 telephone: [591] (2) 2430120, 2430251 FAX: [591] (2) 2433900

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with
the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; similar to the flag of
Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in the
yellow band

Economy Bolivia

Economy - overview:
Bolivia, long one of the poorest and least developed Latin American
countries, made considerable progress in the 1990s toward the
development of a market-oriented economy. Successes under President
SANCHEZ DE LOZADA (1993-97) included the signing of a free trade
agreement with Mexico and becoming an associate member of the
Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur), as well as the privatization
of the state airline, telephone company, railroad, electric power
company, and oil company. Growth slowed in 1999, in part due to
tight government budget policies, which limited needed
appropriations for anti-poverty programs, and the fallout from the
Asian financial crisis. In 2000, major civil disturbances held down
growth to 2.5%. Bolivia's GDP failed to grow in 2001 due to the
global slowdown and laggard domestic activity. Growth picked up
slightly in 2002, but the first quarter of 2003 saw extensive civil
riots and looting and loss of confidence in the government. Bolivia
will remain highly dependent on foreign aid unless and until it can
develop its substantial natural resources.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $21.01 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15% industry: 33.2% services: 51.9% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
12.4% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
70% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.3% highest 10%: 32% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
44.7 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
4.1 million (2003)

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

Unemployment rate:
11.7%
note: widespread underemployment (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $2.346 billion
expenditures: $2.957 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003)

Agriculture - products:
soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes;
timber

Industries:
mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco,
handicrafts, clothing

Industrial production growth rate:
3.9% (1998)

Electricity - production:
3.901 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
3.634 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
9 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
44,340 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
49,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
458.8 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
4.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
1.15 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
2.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
727.2 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$50 million (2003)

Exports:
$1.495 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
soybeans, natural gas, zinc, gold, wood (2000)

Exports - partners:
Brazil 37%, Venezuela 12.9%, Colombia 11.9%, US 11.5%, Peru 5.1%
(2003)

Imports:
$1.505 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
capital goods, raw materials and semi-manufactures, chemicals,
petroleum, food

Imports - partners:
Brazil 25.2%, Argentina 22.3%, US 12%, Chile 9.3%, Peru 5.8% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$1.096 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$5.332 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$588 million (1997)

Currency:
boliviano (BOB)

Currency code:
BOB

Exchange rates:
bolivianos per US dollar - 7.6592 (2003), 7.17 (2002), 6.6069
(2001), 6.1835 (2000), 5.8124 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Bolivia

Telephones - main lines in use:
600,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,401,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: new subscribers face bureaucratic difficulties;
most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other cities; mobile
cellular telephone use expanding rapidly
domestic: primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employs
digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic
cable; mobile cellular systems are being expanded
international: country code - 591; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 171, FM 73, shortwave 77 (1999)

Radios:
5.25 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
48 (1997)

Televisions:
900,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.bo

Internet hosts:
7,080 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
9 (2000)

Internet users:
270,000 (2002)

Transportation Bolivia

Railways: total: 3,519 km narrow gauge: 3,519 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 53,790 km
paved: 3,496 km (including 13 km of expressways)
unpaved: 50,294 km (2000 est.)

Waterways:
10,000 km (commercially navigable) (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 4,860 km; liquid petroleum gas 47 km; oil 2,457 km; refined
products 1,589 km; unknown (oil/water) 247 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Puerto Aguirre (on the Paraguay/Parana waterway, at the
Bolivia/Brazil border); also, Bolivia has free port privileges in
maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay

Merchant marine:
total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 413,407 GRT/699,901 DWT
by type: bulk 3, cargo 26, chemical tanker 4, container 3, livestock
carrier 1, multi-functional large load carrier 1, petroleum tanker
10, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 3,
specialized tanker 2
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Argentina 1, British Virgin Islands 1, Cambodia 1,
China 1, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Eritrea 1, Germany 2, Greece 1, Hong
Kong 1, Indonesia 1, Iran 1, Italy 2, Latvia 2, Panama 3, Romania 1,
Russia 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
1, Saudi Arabia 2, Singapore 3, Syria 1, Turkey 1, United Kingdom 1,
United States 3, Yemen 2

Airports:
1,067 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 16 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1,049 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 60 914 to 1,523 m: 207 under 914 m: 778 (2004 est.)

Military Bolivia

Military branches:
Army (Ejercito Boliviano), Navy (Fuerza Naval, includes Marines),
Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; when annual number of volunteers falls short of goal, compulsory recruitment is effected, including conscription of boys as young as 14; one estimate holds that 40% of the armed forces are under the age of 18, with 50% of those under the age of 16; conscript tour of duty - 12 months (2002)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,175,384 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,417,804 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 98,155 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$127 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.6% (2003)

Transnational Issues Bolivia

Disputes - international:
has reactivated its claim to restore the Atacama corridor, ceded to
Chile in 1884, to secure sovereign maritime access for Bolivian
natural gas

Illicit drugs:
world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Colombia and Peru)
with an estimated 28,450 hectares under cultivation in June 2003, a
23% increase from June 2002; intermediate coca products and cocaine
exported mostly to or through Brazil, Argentina, and Chile to
European and US drug markets; eradication and alternative crop
programs under the MESA administration have been unable to keep pace
with farmers' attempts to increase cultivation; money-laundering
activity related to narcotics trade, especially along the borders
with Brazil and Paraguay

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Bosnia and Herzegovina

Introduction Bosnia and Herzegovina

Background:
Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of sovereignty in October
1991, was followed by a declaration of independence from the former
Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a referendum boycotted by ethnic
Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia and
Montenegro - responded with armed resistance aimed at partitioning
the republic along ethnic lines and joining Serb-held areas to form
a "Greater Serbia." In March 1994, Bosniaks and Croats reduced the
number of warring factions from three to two by signing an agreement
creating a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed
a peace agreement that brought to a halt three years of interethnic
civil strife (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December
1995). The Dayton Agreement retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's
international boundaries and created a joint multi-ethnic and
democratic government. This national government was charged with
conducting foreign, diplomatic, and fiscal policy. Also recognized
was a second tier of government comprised of two entities roughly
equal in size: the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and
Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The
Federation and RS governments were charged with overseeing most
government functions. The Office of the High Representative (OHR)
was established to oversee the implementation of the civilian
aspects of the agreement. In 1995-96, a NATO-led international
peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops served in Bosnia to
implement and monitor the military aspects of the agreement. IFOR
was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR)
whose mission was to deter renewed hostilities. European Union
peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR in December 2004; their
mission was to maintain peace and stability throughout the country.

Geography Bosnia and Herzegovina

Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia

Geographic coordinates:
44 00 N, 18 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 51,129 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 51,129 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 1,459 km border countries: Croatia 932 km, Serbia and Montenegro 527 km

Coastline:
20 km

Maritime claims:
No data available

Climate:
hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short,
cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along
coast

Terrain:
mountains and valleys

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Maglic 2,386 m

Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt,
manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, forests, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 13.6% permanent crops: 2.96% other: 83.44% (2001)

Irrigated land:
20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from metallurgical plants; sites for disposing of
urban waste are limited; water shortages and destruction of
infrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized borders, the country is
divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation (about 51% of the
territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska or RS (about
49% of the territory); the region called Herzegovina is contiguous
to Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro (Montenegro), and traditionally
has been settled by an ethnic Croat majority in the west and an
ethnic Serb majority in the east

People Bosnia and Herzegovina

Population:
4,007,608 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.9% (male 389,062; female 368,721)
15-64 years: 70.6% (male 1,447,725; female 1,379,729)
65 years and over: 10.5% (male 180,801; female 241,570) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 35.9 years
male: 35.5 years
female: 36.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.45% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
12.56 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.33 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 21.88 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 24.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.57 years
male: 69.82 years
female: 75.51 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.71 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
900 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Bosnian(s), Herzegovinian(s)
adjective: Bosnian, Herzegovinian

Ethnic groups:
Serb 37.1%, Bosniak 48%, Croat 14.3%, other 0.6% (2000)
note: Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid
confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam

Religions:
Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 14%

Languages:
Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian

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

Government Bosnia and Herzegovina

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina
local long form: none
former: People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist
Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina

Government type:
emerging federal democratic republic

Capital:
Sarajevo

Administrative divisions:
2 first-order administrative divisions and 1 internationally
supervised district* - Brcko district (Brcko Distrikt)*, the
Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federacija Bosna
i Hercegovina) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska; note -
Brcko district is in northeastern Bosnia and is an administrative
unit under the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina; the district
remains under international supervision

Independence:
1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for independence was
completed 1 March 1992; independence was declared 3 March 1992)

National holiday:
National Day, 25 November (1943)

Constitution:
the Dayton Agreement, signed 14 December 1995, included a new
constitution now in force; note - each of the entities also has its
own constitution

Legal system:
based on civil law system

Suffrage:
18 years of age, universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Chairman of the Presidency Borislav PARAVAC
(chairman since 28 October 2004; presidency member since 10 April
2003 - Serb) other members of the three-member rotating (every eight
months) presidency: Dragan COVIC (since 5 October 2002 - Croat) and
Sulejman TIHIC (since 5 October 2002 - Bosniak); note - Mirko
SAROVIC resigned 2 April 2003
elections: the three members of the presidency (one Bosniak, one
Croat, one Serb) are elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
the member with the most votes becomes the chairman unless he or she
was the incumbent chairman at the time of the election, but the
chairmanship rotates every eight months; election last held 5
October 2002 (next to be held NA 2006); the chairman of the Council
of Ministers is appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the
National House of Representatives
head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Adnan
TERZIC (since 20 December 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairman;
approved by the National House of Representatives
election results: percent of vote - Mirko SAROVIC with 35.5% of the
Serb vote was elected chairman of the collective presidency for the
first eight months; Dragan COVIC received 61.5% of the Croat vote;
Sulejman TIHIC received 37% of the Bosniak vote
note: President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Niko
LOZANCIC (since 27 January 2003); Vice Presidents Sahbaz DZIHANOVIC
(since NA 2003) and Desnica RADIVOJEVIC (since NA 2003); President
of the Republika Srpska: Dragan CAVIC (since 28 November 2002)

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina consists of the
National House of Representatives or Predstavnicki Dom (42 seats -
elected by proportional representation, 28 seats allocated from the
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 seats from the Republika
Srpska; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
and the House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15 seats - 5 Bosniak, 5
Croat, 5 Serb; members elected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's
House of Representatives and the Republika Srpska's National
Assembly to serve four-year terms); note - Bosnia's election law
specifies four-year terms for the state and first-order
administrative division entity legislatures
election results: National House of Representatives - percent of
vote by party/coalition - SDA 21.9%, SDS 14.0%, SBiH 10.5%, SDP
10.4%, SNSD 9.8%, HDZ 9.5%, PDP 4.6%, others 19.3%; seats by
party/coalition - SDA 10, SDS 5, SBiH 6, SDP 4, SNSD 3, HDZ 5, PDP
2, others 7; House of Peoples - percent of vote by party/coalition -
NA; seats by party/coalition - NA
elections: National House of Representatives - elections last held 5
October 2002 (next to be held in NA 2006); House of Peoples - last
constituted NA January 2003 (next to be constituted in 2007)
note: the Bosniak/Croat Federation has a bicameral legislature that
consists of a House of Representatives (98 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 5
October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006); percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party/coalition - SDA 32, HDZ-BiH 16, SDP 15,
SBiH 15, other 20; and a House of Peoples (60 seats - 30 Bosniak, 30
Croat); last constituted December 2002; the Republika Srpska has a
National Assembly (83 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms); elections last held 5 October 2002 (next to
be held in the fall of 2006); percent of vote by party - NA; seats
by party/coalition - SDS 26, SNSD 19, PDP 9, SDA 6, SRS 4, SPRS 3,
DNZ 3, SBiH 4, SDP 3, others 6; as a result of the 2002
constitutional reform process, a 28-member Republika Srpska Council
of Peoples (COP) was established in the Republika Srpska National
Assembly; each constituent nation and "others" will have eight
delegates

Judicial branch:
BiH Constitutional Court (consists of nine members: four members
are selected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's House of
Representatives, two members by the Republika Srpska's National
Assembly, and three non-Bosnian members by the president of the
European Court of Human Rights); BiH State Court (consists of nine
judges and three divisions - Administrative, Appellate and Criminal
- having jurisdiction over cases related to state-level law and
appellate jurisdiction over cases initiated in the entities; note -
a War Crimes Chamber may be added at a future date)
note: the entities each have a Supreme Court; each entity also has a
number of lower courts; there are 10 cantonal courts in the
Federation, plus a number of municipal courts; the Republika Srpska
has five municipal courts

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or SNSD [Milorad DODIK];
Bosnian Party or BOSS [Mirnes AJANOVIC]; Civic Democratic Party or
GDS [Ibrahim SPAHIC]; Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and
Herzegovina or HDZ-BH [Barisa COLAK]; Croat Christian Democratic
Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HKDU [Mijo IVANIC-LONIC]; Croat
Party of Rights or HSP [Zdravko HRISTIC]; Croat Peasants Party or
HSS [Marko TADIC]; Democratic National Union or DNZ [Fikret ABDIC];
Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Rasim KADIC]; New Croat Initiative
or NHI [Kresimir ZUBAK]; Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina or SBiH
[Safet HALILOVIC]; Party of Democratic Action or SDA [Sulejman
TIHIC]; Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [Mladen IVANIC]; Serb
Democratic Party or SDS [Dragan CAVIC - acting]; Serb Radical Party
of the Republika Srpska or SRS-RS [Milanko MIHAJLICA]; Serb Radical
Party-Dr. Vojislav Seselj or SRS-VS [Radislav KANJERIC]; Social
Democratic Party of BIH or SDP [Zlatko LAGUMDZIJA]; Social
Democratic Union or SDU [Miro LAZOVIC]; Socialist Party of Republika
Srpska or SPRS [Petar DJOKIC]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
BIS, CE, CEI, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU,
MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW,
OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Igor DAVIDOVIC
chancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
FAX: [1] (202) 337-1502
consulate(s) general: New York
telephone: [1] (202) 337-1500

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Douglas L. McELHANEY embassy: Alipasina 43, 71000 Sarajevo mailing address: use street address telephone: [387] (33) 445-700 FAX: [387] (33) 659-722 branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar

Flag description:
a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly side with a yellow
isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top of the flag; the
remainder of the flag is medium blue with seven full five-pointed
white stars and two half stars top and bottom along the hypotenuse
of the triangle

Economy Bosnia and Herzegovina

Economy - overview:
Bosnia and Herzegovina ranked next to The Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia as the poorest republic in the old Yugoslav federation.
Although agriculture is almost all in private hands, farms are small
and inefficient, and the republic traditionally is a net importer of
food. Industry has been greatly overstaffed, one reflection of the
socialist economic structure of Yugoslavia. TITO had pushed the
development of military industries in the republic with the result
that Bosnia hosted a number of Yugoslavia's defense plants. The
interethnic warfare in Bosnia caused production to plummet by 80%
from 1992 to 1995 and unemployment to soar. With an uneasy peace in
place, output recovered in 1996-99 at high percentage rates from a
low base; but output growth slowed in 2000-02. Part of the lag in
output was made up in 2003-04. National-level statistics are
limited. Moreover, official data do not capture the large share of
black market activity. The konvertibilna marka (convertible mark or
BAM)- the national currency introduced in 1998 - is now pegged to
the euro, and the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina has
dramatically increased its reserve holdings. Implementation of
privatization, however, has been slow, and local entities only
reluctantly support national-level institutions. Banking reform
accelerated in 2001 as all the Communist-era payments bureaus were
shut down. The country receives substantial amounts of
reconstruction assistance and humanitarian aid from the
international community but will have to prepare for an era of
declining assistance.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $24.31 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,100 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13%
industry: 40.9%
services: 46.1% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA (2004 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.9% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
1.026 million (2001)

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

Unemployment rate:
40% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $3.271 billion
expenditures: $3.242 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Industries:
steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite, vehicle
assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furniture, tank and
aircraft assembly, domestic appliances, oil refining (2001)

Industrial production growth rate:
5.5% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
9.979 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
8.116 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
2.569 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
1.405 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
300 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
300 million cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$-2.195 billion (2003)

Exports:
$1.28 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
metals, clothing, wood products

Exports - partners:
Italy 28.7%, Croatia 18.3%, Germany 17.1%, Austria 9.2%, Slovenia
7.1% (2003)

Imports:
$4.7 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
Croatia 24.5%, Slovenia 14.7%, Germany 13.7%, Italy 12.2%, Hungary
7.8%, Austria 6.7% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$1.796 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$3.5 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
$650 million (2001 est.)

Currency:
marka (BAM)

Currency code:
BAM

Exchange rates:
marka per US dollar - 1.7329 (2003), 1.7329 (2002), 2.1857 (2001),
2.1244 (2000), 1.8371 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Bosnia and Herzegovina

Telephones - main lines in use:
938,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.05 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: telephone and telegraph network needs
modernization and expansion; many urban areas are below average as
contrasted with services in other former Yugoslav republics
domestic: NA
international: country code - 387; no satellite earth stations

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 16, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
940,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
33 (plus 277 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.ba

Internet hosts:
6,994 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)

Internet users:
100,000 (2002)

Transportation Bosnia and Herzegovina

Railways:
total: 1,021 km (795 km electrified)
standard gauge: 1,021 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 21,846 km
paved: 11,424 km
unpaved: 10,422 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
Sava River (northern border) open to shipping but use limited
because of no agreement with neighboring countries (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski Samac, and Brcko (all
inland waterway ports on the Sava), Orasje

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
27 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 19
under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 7

Heliports:
5 (2003 est.)

Military Bosnia and Herzegovina

Military branches:
VF Army (the air and air defense forces are subordinate commands
within the Army), VRS Army (the air and air defense forces are
subordinate commands within the Army)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina; 16 years of age in times of war; 18 years of age for Republika Srpska; 17 years of age for voluntary military service in the Federation and in the Republika Srpska; by law, military obligations cover all healthy men between the ages of 18 and 60, and all women between the ages of 18 and 55; service obligation is 4 months (July 2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,133,847 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 898,451 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 30,130 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$234.3 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4.5% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Bosnia and Herzegovina

Disputes - international:
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro have delimited
most of their boundary, but sections along the Drina River remain in
dispute; discussions continue with Croatia on problem sections
around Kostajnica on the Una River and villages at the base of Mount
Pljesevica

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 327,200 (Bosnian Croats, Serbs, and Muslims displaced in
1992-1995 war) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
minor transit point for marijuana and opiate trafficking routes to
Western Europe; remains highly vulnerable to money laundering
activity given a primarily cash-based and unregulated economy, weak
law enforcement and instances of corruption

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Botswana

Introduction Botswana

Background:
Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted
its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of
uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and
significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic
economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining,
dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due
to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature
preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of
HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and
comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.

Geography Botswana

Location:
Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Geographic coordinates:
22 00 S, 24 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 600,370 sq km
water: 15,000 sq km
land: 585,370 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 4,013 km
border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe
813 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Terrain:
predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in
southwest

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m
highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m

Natural resources:
diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore,
silver

Land use: arable land: 0.65% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.34% (2001)

Irrigated land:
10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west,
carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure
visibility

Environment - current issues:
overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources

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

Geography - note: landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country

People Botswana

Population:
1,561,973
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 39.2% (male 310,282; female 302,452)
15-64 years: 56.2% (male 424,613; female 452,801)
65 years and over: 4.6% (male 30,896; female 40,929) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 19.2 years
male: 18.5 years
female: 19.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.89% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
24.71 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
33.63 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 69.98 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 68.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 70.96 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 30.76 years
male: 30.99 years
female: 30.53 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.17 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
37.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
350,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
33,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria
overall degree of risk: high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Ethnic groups:
Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including
Kgalagadi and white 7%

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 85%, Christian 15%

Languages:
English (official), Setswana

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.8%
male: 76.9%
female: 82.4% (2003 est.)

Government Botswana

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
conventional short form: Botswana
former: Bechuanaland

Government type:
parliamentary republic

Capital:
Gaborone

Administrative divisions:
9 districts and four town councils*; Central, Francistown*,
Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*,
Northwest, Northeast, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern

Independence:
30 September 1966 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)

Constitution:
March 1965, effective 30 September 1966

Legal system:
based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review
limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and
Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and
Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 16 October 1999 (next to be held
NA October 2004); vice president appointed by the president
election results: Festus MOGAE elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote - 54.3%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely
advisory 15-member body consisting of the chiefs of the eight
principal tribes, four elected subchiefs, and three members selected
by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (44 seats, 40
members are directly elected by popular vote and 4 are appointed by
the majority party; members serve five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly elections last held 30 October 2004
(next to be held NA October 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
BDP 44, BNF 12, BCP 1

Judicial branch:
High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in each
district)

Political parties and leaders:
Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Seretse Ian KHAMA]; Botswana
National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Congress Party or
BCP [Mokgweetsi KGOSIPULA]; Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM
[Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]
note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the
BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats; the BAM parties
are: the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO], the
Independence Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO], and the Botswana
Progressive Union [D. K. KWELE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM,
OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOA
chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164
telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph HUGGINS embassy: address NA, Gaborone mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone telephone: [267] 353982 FAX: [267] 312782

Flag description: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center

Economy Botswana

Economy - overview:
Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest growth rates
since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline and sound
management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest
countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita
GDP of $8,800 in 2003. Two major investment services rank Botswana
as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has fueled much of
the expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP
and for nine-tenths of export earnings. Tourism, subsistence
farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. On the downside,
the government must deal with high rates of unemployment and
poverty. Unemployment officially is 21%, but unofficial estimates
place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection rates are the highest in
the world and threaten Botswana's impressive economic gains.
Long-term prospects are overshadowed by the expected leveling off in
diamond mining production.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $14.2 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 48.7% (including 36% mining) services: 52% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
23.9% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
47% (2002 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.2% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
264,000 formal sector employees (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
NA

Unemployment rate:
40% (official rate is 21%) (2001 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $3.263 billion
expenditures: $3.283 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Public debt:
7% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts

Industries:
diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock
processing; textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
7.3% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
409.8 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.564 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
1.183 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
16,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$539 million (2003)

Exports:
$2.544 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles

Exports - partners:
European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 87%, Southern African
Customs Union (SACU) 7%, Zimbabwe 4% (2000)

Imports:
$1.753 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment,
textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products,
metal and metal products

Imports - partners:
Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, EFTA 17%, Zimbabwe 4%
(2000)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$5.25 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$392 million (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
$73 million (1995)

Currency:
pula (BWP)

Currency code:
BWP

Exchange rates:
pulas per US dollar - 4.9499 (2003), 6.3278 (2002), 5.8412 (2001),
5.1018 (2000), 4.6244 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Botswana

Telephones - main lines in use:
142,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
435,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth of
mobile cellular service and participation in regional development
domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile
cellular service is growing fast
international: country code - 267; two international exchanges;
digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
252,720 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)

Televisions:
31,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.bw

Internet hosts:
1,920 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
11 (2001)

Internet users:
60,000 (2002)

Transportation Botswana

Railways: total: 888 km narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 10,217 km paved: 5,619 km unpaved: 4,598 km (1999)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
85 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 75
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 54
under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)

Military Botswana

Military branches:
Botswana Defense Force (including an Air Wing)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 is the apparent age of voluntary military service; the official qualifications for determining minimum age are unknown (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 381,801 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 202,176 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 20,651 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$298.9 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.6% (2003)

Transnational Issues Botswana

Disputes - international:
established a commission with Namibia to resolve small residual
disputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu marshlands
along the Linyanti River; downstream Botswana residents protest
Namibia's planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric dam at
Popavalle (Popa Falls); Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
boundary convergence is not clearly defined or delimited

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Bouvet Island

Introduction Bouvet Island

Background:
This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely covered by
glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered in 1739 by
a French naval officer after whom the island was named. No claim was
made until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In 1928, the UK
waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied the island
the previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the adjacent
territorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since 1977,
Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the island.

Geography Bouvet Island

Location:
island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the Cape of Good
Hope (South Africa)

Geographic coordinates:
54 26 S, 3 24 E

Map references:
Antarctic Region

Area:
total: 58.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 58.5 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
29.6 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 4 nm

Climate:
antarctic

Terrain:
volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Olav Peak 935 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (93% ice) (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve

People Bouvet Island

Population: uninhabited (July 2004 est.)

Government Bouvet Island

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bouvet Island

Dependency status:
territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the
Ministry of Justice and Police from Oslo

Legal system:
the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of Norway is used

Economy Bouvet Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity; declared a nature reserve

Communications Bouvet Island

Internet country code:
.bv

Communications - note:
automatic meteorological station

Transportation Bouvet Island

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Bouvet Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Norway

Transnational Issues Bouvet Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Brazil

Introduction Brazil

Background:
Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became
an independent nation in 1822. By far the largest and most populous
country in South America, Brazil overcame more than half a century
of military intervention in the governance of the country when in
1985 the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers.
Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and
development of its interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a
large labor pool, it is today South America's leading economic power
and a regional leader. Highly unequal income distribution remains a
pressing problem.

Geography Brazil

Location:
Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

Geographic coordinates:
10 00 S, 55 00 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 8,511,965 sq km
land: 8,456,510 sq km
note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas,
Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao
Paulo
water: 55,455 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than the US

Land boundaries:
total: 14,691 km
border countries: Argentina 1,224 km, Bolivia 3,400 km, Colombia
1,643 km, French Guiana 673 km, Guyana 1,119 km, Paraguay 1,290 km,
Peru 1,560 km, Suriname 597 km, Uruguay 985 km, Venezuela 2,200 km

Coastline:
7,491 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
mostly tropical, but temperate in south

Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills,
mountains, and narrow coastal belt

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m

Natural resources:
bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum,
tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber

Land use: arable land: 6.96% permanent crops: 0.9% other: 92.15% (2001)

Irrigated land:
26,560 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in
south

Environment - current issues:
deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers a
multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; there
is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; air and water pollution in
Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large cities; land
degradation and water pollution caused by improper mining
activities; wetland degradation; severe oil spills

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with
every South American country except Chile and Ecuador

People Brazil

Population:
184,101,109
note: Brazil took a count in August 2000, which reported a
population of 169,799,170; that figure was about 3.3% lower than
projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied
underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census; estimates for this
country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality
due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant
mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and
changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would
otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.6% (male 24,915,902; female 23,966,713)
15-64 years: 67.6% (male 61,739,012; female 62,770,480)
65 years and over: 5.8% (male 4,389,659; female 6,319,343) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 27.4 years male: 26.7 years female: 28.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.11% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
17.25 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.14 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 30.66 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 26.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 34.47 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.41 years
male: 67.45 years
female: 75.57 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.97 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
660,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
15,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Brazilian(s)
adjective: Brazilian

Ethnic groups:
white (includes Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish) 55%,
mixed white and black 38%, black 6%, other (includes Japanese, Arab,
Amerindian) 1%

Religions:
Roman Catholic (nominal) 80%

Languages:
Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.4%
male: 86.1%
female: 86.6% (2003 est.)

Government Brazil

Country name:
conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil
conventional short form: Brazil
local short form: Brasil
local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil

Government type:
federative republic

Capital:
Brasilia

Administrative divisions:
26 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district*
(distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceara,
Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato Grosso,
Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana, Pernambuco,
Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul,
Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins

Independence:
7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

Constitution:
5 October 1988

Legal system:
based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory
over 18 and under 70 years of age; note - military conscripts do not
vote

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1
January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
election results: in runoff election 27 October 2002, Luiz Inacio
LULA DA SILVA (PT) was elected with 61.3% of the vote; Jose SERRA
(PSDB) 38.7%
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 6 October
2002 (next to be held 1 October 2006, with a runoff on 29 October
2006 if necessary); runoff election held 27 October 2002
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
head of government: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1
January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government

Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of the
Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; three members from each
state and federal district elected according to the principle of
majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third elected after a
four-year period, two-thirds elected after the next four-year
period) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513
seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve
four-year terms)
election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party PMBD 19, PFL 19, PT 14, PSDB 11, PDT 5, PSB 4, PL 3,
PTB 3, PPS 1, PSD 1, PP 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - PT 91, PFL 84, PMDB 74, PSDB 71, PP
49, PL 26, PTB 26, PSB 22, PDT 21, PPS 15, PCdoB 12, PRONA 6, PV 5,
other 11; note - many congressmen have changed party affiliation
since the most recent election
elections: Federal Senate - last held 6 October 2002 for two-thirds
of the Senate (next to be held NA October 2006 for one-third of the
Senate); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 October 2002 (next to be
held NA October 2006)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Federal Tribunal (11 ministers are appointed for life by
the president and confirmed by the Senate); Higher Tribunal of
Justice; Regional Federal Tribunals (judges are appointed for life);
note - though appointed "for life," judges, like all federal
employees, have a mandatory retirement age of 70

Political parties and leaders:
Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Federal Deputy Michel
TEMER]; Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Federal Deputy Roberto
JEFFERSON]; Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Senator
Eduardo AZAREDO]; Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Federal Deputy
Miguel ARRAES]; Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Renato RABELO];
Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Carlos LUPI]; Green Party or PV [Jose
Luiz de Franca PENNA]; Liberal Front Party or PFL [Senator Jorge
BORNHAUSEN]; Liberal Party or PL [Federal Deputy Valdemar COSTA
Neto]; National Order Reconstruction Party or PRONA [Federal Deputy
Dr. Eneas CARNEIRO]; Popular Socialist Party or PPS [Federal Deputy
Roberto FREIRE]; Progressive Party or PP [Federal Deputy Pedro
CORREA]; Worker's Party or PT [Jose GENOINO]; Social Christian Party
or PSC [Vitor Jorge ABDALA NOSSEIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Landless Worker's Movement; large farmers' associations; labor
unions and federations; religious groups including evangelical
christian churches and the Catholic Church

International organization participation:
AfDB, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINUSTAH,
NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security
Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK,
UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto ABDENUR FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 238-2700

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John DANILOVICH embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal Cep 70403-900, Brasilia mailing address: Unit 3500, APO AA 34030 telephone: [55] (61) 312-7000 FAX: [55] (61) 225-9136 consulate(s) general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo consulate(s): Recife

Flag description:
green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue
celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each state
and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the night
sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with the
motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)

Economy Brazil

Economy - overview:
Possessing large and well-developed agricultural, mining,
manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy outweighs that
of all other South American countries and is expanding its presence
in world markets. From 2001-03 real wages fell and Brazil's economy
grew, on average, only 1.1% per year, as the country absorbed a
series of domestic and international economic shocks. That Brazil
absorbed these shocks without financial collapse is a tribute to the
resiliency of the Brazilian economy and the economic program put in
place by former President CARDOSO and strengthened by President Lula
DA SILVA. The three pillars of the economic program are a floating
exchange rate, an inflation-targeting regime, and tight fiscal
policy, which have been reinforced by a series of IMF programs. The
currency depreciated sharply in 2001 and 2002, which contributed to
a dramatic current account adjustment: in 2003, Brazil ran a record
trade surplus and recorded the first current account surplus since
1992. While economic management has been good, there remain
important economic vulnerabilities. The most significant are
debt-related: the government's largely domestic debt increased
steadily from 1994 to 2003, straining government finances, while
Brazil's foreign debt (a mix of private and public debt) is large in
relation to Brazil's modest (but growing) export base. Another
challenge is maintaining economic growth over a period of time to
generate employment and make the government debt burden more
manageable.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.375 trillion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-0.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10.2% industry: 38.7% services: 51.2% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
18% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
22% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 48% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
60.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
14.7% (2003)

Labor force:
82.59 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 23%, industry 24%, services 53%

Unemployment rate:
12.3% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $147.2 billion
expenditures: $172.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Public debt:
58.5% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef

Industries:
textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel,
aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment

Industrial production growth rate:
0.4% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
321.2 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
335.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
37.19 billion kWh; note - supplied by Paraguay (2001)

Oil - production:
1.561 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
2.199 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
8.507 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
5.95 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
9.59 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
3.64 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
221.7 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$3.52 billion (2003)

Exports:
$73.28 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee, autos

Exports - partners:
US 23%, Argentina 6.1%, China 6%, Netherlands 5.8%, Germany 4.2%
(2003)

Imports:
$48.25 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, electrical and transport equipment, chemical products,
oil

Imports - partners:
US 20%, Argentina 9.8%, Germany 8.7%, Japan 5.2%, China 4.4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$49.3 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$214.9 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
$30 billion IMF disbursement (2002)

Currency:
real (BRL)

Currency code:
BRL

Exchange rates:
reals per US dollar - 3.0771 (2003), 2.9208 (2002), 2.3577 (2001),
1.8301 (2000), 1.8147 (1999)
note: from October 1994 through 14 January 1999, the official rate
was determined by a managed float; since 15 January 1999, the
official rate floats independently with respect to the US dollar

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Brazil

Telephones - main lines in use:
38.81 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
46,373,300 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: good working system
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic
satellite system with 64 earth stations
international: country code - 55; 3 coaxial submarine cables;
satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat
(Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system to
Mercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated with AM
stations) (1999)

Radios:
71 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
138 (1997)

Televisions:
36.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.br

Internet hosts:
3,163,349 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
50 (2000)

Internet users:
14.3 million (2002)

Transportation Brazil

Railways:
total: 29,412 km (1,610 km electrified)
broad gauge: 4,907 km 1.600-m gauge (942 km electrified)
standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge
dual gauge: 396 km 1.000-m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (78 km
electrified) (2003)
narrow gauge: 23,915 km 1.000-m gauge (581 km electrified)

Highways: total: 1,724,929 km paved: 94,871 km unpaved: 1,630,058 km (2000)

Waterways:
50,000 km (most in areas remote from industry and population) (2004)

Pipelines:
condensate/gas 244 km; gas 10,739 km; liquid petroleum gas 341 km;
oil 5,212 km; refined products 4,755 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Belem, Fortaleza, Ilheus, Imbituba, Manaus, Paranagua, Porto
Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Salvador, Santos, Vitoria

Merchant marine:
total: 151 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,961,431 GRT/4,725,267 DWT
by type: bulk 29, cargo 22, chemical tanker 7, combination ore/oil
6, container 12, liquefied gas 12, multi-functional large load
carrier 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 48, roll on/roll off
8, short-sea/passenger 1
foreign-owned: Chile 2, Germany 7, Monaco 9, Panama 1, Spain 7
registered in other countries: 11 (2004 est.)

Airports:
3,803 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 698 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 461 under 914 m: 49 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 158

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3,438 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 78 under 914 m: 1,780 (2004 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 1,579

Heliports: 417 (2003 est.)

Military Brazil

Military branches:
Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (including Naval Air and Marines),
Brazilian Air Force (FAB)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
19 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service
obligation - 12 months; 17 years of age for voluntary service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 52,100,042 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 34,799,098 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 1,788,495 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$10,439.4 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.1% (2003)

Transnational Issues Brazil

Disputes - international:
unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders
is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and drug trafficking,
and fundraising for extremist organizations; uncontested dispute
with Uruguay over certain islands in the Quarai/Cuareim and
Invernada boundary streams and the resulting tripoint with Argentina

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis; minor coca cultivation in the Amazon
region, used for domestic consumption; government has a large-scale
eradication program to control cannabis; important transshipment
country for Bolivian, Colombian and Peruvian cocaine headed for
Europe and the US; also used by traffickers as a way station for
narcotics air transshipments between Peru and Colombia; upsurge in
drug-related violence and weapons smuggling; important market for
Colombian, Bolivian, and Peruvian cocaine; illicit narcotics
proceeds earned in Brazil are often laundered through the financial
system; significant illicit financial activity in the Tri-Border Area

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@British Indian Ocean Territory

Introduction British Indian Ocean Territory

Background:
Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the
British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to
the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently,
BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the
Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands,
Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of
the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers,
earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to
Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In
2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration
order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the
special military status of Diego Garcia.

Geography British Indian Ocean Territory

Location:
archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the
way from Africa to Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:
6 00 S, 71 30 E

Map references:
Political Map of the World

Area:
total: 60 sq km
note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
water: 0 sq km
land: 60 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
698 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain:
flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m

Natural resources: coconuts, fish, sugarcane

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and
southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian
Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility

People British Indian Ocean Territory

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in
the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois,
were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and
1970s, in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a
British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in
2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel
and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia
(July 2004 est.)

Government British Indian Ocean Territory

Country name:
conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory
conventional short form: none
abbreviation: BIOT

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner,
resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London

Legal system:
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004);
Administrator Charles A. HAMILTON (since 2002); note - both reside
in the UK
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and
administrator appointed by the monarch
cabinet: NA

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

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

Flag description:
white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is
in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm
tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag

Economy British Indian Ocean Territory

Economy - overview:
All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of
Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located.
Construction projects and various services needed to support the
military installations are done by military and contract employees
from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no
industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois
return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.

Electricity - production:
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Communications British Indian Ocean Territory

Telephones - main lines in use:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: separate facilities for military and public
needs are available
domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including
connection to the Internet
international: international telephone service is carried by
satellite (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.io

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Transportation British Indian Ocean Territory

Highways:
total: NA km
paved: short section of paved road between port and airfield on
Diego Garcia
unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors:
Diego Garcia

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military British Indian Ocean Territory

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego
Garcia expires in 2016

Transnational Issues British Indian Ocean Territory

Disputes - international:
Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its
former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001
were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since
eviction in 1965; the UK resists the Chagossians' demand for an
immediate return to the islands; repatriation is complicated by the
exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricted access
to the largest island in the chain

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@British Virgin Islands

Introduction British Virgin Islands

Background:
First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were annexed in
1672 by the English. The economy is closely tied to the larger and
more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the
legal currency.

Geography British Virgin Islands

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

Geographic coordinates:
18 30 N, 64 30 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 153 sq km
note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited
islands; includes the island of Anegada
water: 0 sq km
land: 153 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
80 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds

Terrain:
coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Sage 521 m

Natural resources:
NEGL

Land use:
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 6.67%
other: 73.33% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

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

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments)

Geography - note: strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico

People British Virgin Islands

Population:
22,187 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.5% (male 2,402; female 2,361)
15-64 years: 73.5% (male 8,395; female 7,911)
65 years and over: 5% (male 594; female 524) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 30.9 years
male: 31.1 years
female: 30.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.06% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
14.96 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
10.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 18.05 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 21.02 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.27 years
male: 75.24 years
female: 77.36 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.72 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality: noun: British Virgin Islander(s) adjective: British Virgin Islander

Ethnic groups:
black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed

Religions:
Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%,
Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other
15%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2% (1991)

Languages:
English (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

Government British Virgin Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: British Virgin Islands
abbreviation: BVI

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Road Town

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
Territory Day, 1 July

Constitution:
1 June 1977

Legal system:
English law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor Tom MACAN (since 14 October 2002)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
appointed chief minister by the governor
head of government: Chief Minister Orlando D. SMITH (since 17 June
2003)
cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of
the Legislative Council

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by
direct popular vote, one member from each of 9 electoral districts,
four at-large members; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 16 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NDP 8, VIP 5

Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of
Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a
resident of the islands and presides over the High Court);
Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Political parties and leaders:
Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National
Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory
MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS
(associate), UNESCO (associate), UPU

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

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

Flag description:
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the
flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a
vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin
word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)

Economy British Virgin Islands

Economy - overview:
The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the
Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated
45% of the national income. An estimated 350,000 tourists, mainly
from the US, visited the islands in 1998. Tourism suffered in 2002
because of the lackluster US economy. In the mid-1980s, the
government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing
to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate
substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore
registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance
law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with
regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses,
is expected to make the British Virgin Islands even more attractive
to international business. Livestock raising is the most important
agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet
domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links
with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the
dollar as its currency since 1959.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $320 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.8%
industry: 6.2%
services: 92% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (2002)

Labor force:
4,911 (1980)

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

Unemployment rate:
3% (1995)

Budget:
revenues: $121.5 million
expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1997)

Agriculture - products:
fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish

Industries:
tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block,
offshore financial center

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
38.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
35.43 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
420 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$25.3 million (2002)

Exports - commodities:
rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand

Exports - partners:
Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

Imports:
$187 million (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery

Imports - partners:
Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

Debt - external:
$36.1 million (1997)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency:
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications British Virgin Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
11,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
8,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: worldwide telephone service
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-284; submarine cable to Bermuda

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
9,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus one cable company) (1997)

Televisions:
4,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.vg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation British Virgin Islands

Highways: total: 177 km paved: 177 km unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
Road Town

Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 83,825 GRT/155,909 DWT
registered in other countries: 32 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned: Norway 1

Airports:
3 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military British Virgin Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues British Virgin Islands

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the
US and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable
to money laundering

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Brunei

Introduction Brunei

Background:
The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th and
17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of
northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently
entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal
succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In
1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was
achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six
centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas
fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the
developing world.

Geography Brunei

Location:
Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

Geographic coordinates:
4 30 N, 114 40 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 5,770 sq km
water: 500 sq km
land: 5,270 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries: total: 381 km border countries: Malaysia 381 km

Coastline: 161 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Terrain:
flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, timber

Land use: arable land: 0.57% permanent crops: 0.76% other: 98.67% (2001)

Irrigated land:
10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare

Environment - current issues:
seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking Indian and
Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by Malaysia; almost
an enclave of Malaysia

People Brunei

Population:
365,251 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.1% (male 54,243; female 52,013)
15-64 years: 68% (male 131,682; female 116,631)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 5,035; female 5,647) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 26.7 years
male: 27.3 years
female: 26 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.95% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
19.33 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
3.4 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
3.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.05 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 16.51 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.54 years
male: 72.13 years
female: 77.09 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.33 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Bruneian(s)
adjective: Bruneian

Ethnic groups:
Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12%

Religions:
Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, indigenous
beliefs and other 10%

Languages:
Malay (official), English, Chinese

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.9%
male: 96.3%
female: 91.4% (2002)

Government Brunei

Country name:
conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam
conventional short form: Brunei

Government type:
constitutional sultanate

Capital:
Bandar Seri Begawan

Administrative divisions:
4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei and
Muara, Temburong, Tutong

Independence:
1 January 1984 (from UK)

National holiday:
National Day, 23 February (1984); note - 1 January 1984 was the
date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date of
independence from British protection

Constitution:
29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of
Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1
January 1984)

Legal system:
based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law
supersedes civil law in a number of areas

Suffrage:
none

Executive branch:
chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah
(since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah
(since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of
state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided over by
the monarch; deals with executive matters; note - there is also a
Religious Council (members appointed by the monarch) that advises on
religious matters, a Privy Council (members appointed by the
monarch) that deals with constitutional matters, and the Council of
Succession (members appointed by the monarch) that determines the
succession to the throne if the need arises
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Legislative branch:
Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first time in 20
years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; passed constitutional
amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15 elected members
elections: last held in March 1962; date of next election NA

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (chief justice and judges are sworn in by the monarch
for three-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
other parties include Brunei People's Party or PRB (banned in 1962)
and Brunei National Democratic Party (registered in May 1965,
deregistered by the Brunei Government in 1988)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
APEC, ARF, ASEAN, C, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pengiran Anak Dato PUTEH
telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838
FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560
chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gene B. CHRISTY
embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri
Begawan
mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507
telephone: [673] (2) 229670
FAX: [673] (2) 225293

Flag description:
yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double width)
and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national emblem in
red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a
swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned
crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands

Economy Brunei

Economy - overview:
This small, wealthy economy encompasses a mixture of foreign and
domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures,
and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account
for nearly half of GDP. Per capita GDP is far above most other Third
World countries, and substantial income from overseas investment
supplements income from domestic production. The government provides
for all medical services and subsidizes rice and housing. Brunei's
leaders are concerned that steadily increased integration in the
world economy will undermine internal social cohesion, although it
became a more prominent player by serving as chairman for the 2000
APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation) forum. Plans for the
future include upgrading the labor force, reducing unemployment,
strengthening the banking and tourist sectors, and, in general,
further widening the economic base beyond oil and gas.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $6.5 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $18,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 45%
services: 50% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA (1992 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
143,400
note: includes foreign workers and military personnel; temporary
residents make up about 40% of labor force (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10%, production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction 42%, government 48% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
10% (2001 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.5 billion
expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.35
billion (1997 est.)

Agriculture - products:
rice, vegetables, fruits, chickens, water buffalo

Industries:
petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction

Industrial production growth rate:
5% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
2.497 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
2.322 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
217,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
1.255 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
10.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
315 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Exports:
$3.439 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
crude oil, natural gas, refined products

Exports - partners:
Japan 41%, South Korea 11.2%, Thailand 9.4%, Australia 8.4%, US
7.8%, China 6.7%, Singapore 4.5% (2003)

Imports:
$1.63 billion c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,
chemicals

Imports - partners:
Singapore 19.9%, Malaysia 19.8%, US 11.4%, Japan 9.9%, Hong Kong
6.5%, China 4.8%, Australia 4.3%, Thailand 4% (2003)

Debt - external:
$0

Economic aid - recipient:
$4.3 million (1995)

Currency:
Bruneian dollar (BND)

Currency code:
BND

Exchange rates:
Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002),
1.7917 (2001), 1.724 (2000), 1.695 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Brunei

Telephones - main lines in use:
90,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
137,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: service throughout the country is excellent;
international service is good to East Asia, Europe, and the US
domestic: every service available
international: country code - 673; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine
cable links to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
329,000 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (1997)

Televisions:
201,900 (1998)

Internet country code:
.bn

Internet hosts:
6,409 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
35,000 (2002)

Transportation Brunei

Highways: total: 2,525 km paved: 2,525 km unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m) (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 665 km; oil 439 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Muara, Seria, Tutong

Merchant marine:
total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 465,937 GRT/413,393 DWT
by type: liquefied gas 8
foreign-owned: United Kingdom 8 (2004 est.)

Airports:
2 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
3 (2003 est.)

Military Brunei

Military branches:
Royal Brunei Land Forces, Royal Brunei Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 112,630 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: approx. 60,000 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 3,425 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$339.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
5.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Brunei

Disputes - international:
in 2003 Brunei and Malaysia ceased gas and oil exploration in their
offshore and deepwater seabeds until negotiations progress to an
agreement over allocation of disputed areas; Malaysia's land
boundary with Brunei around Limbang is in dispute; Brunei
established an exclusive economic fishing zone encompassing Louisa
Reef in southern Spratly Islands in 1984 but makes no public
territorial claim to the offshore reefs; the 2002 "Declaration on
the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions in
the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally binding "code of
conduct" desired by several of the disputants

Illicit drugs:
drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled substances are
serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory death penalty

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Bulgaria

Introduction Bulgaria

Background:
The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local
Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first
Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with
the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the
end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman
Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of
Bulgaria became independent in 1908. Having fought on the losing
side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of
influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist
domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty
election since World War II and began the contentious process of
moving toward political democracy and a market economy while
combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. Today,
reforms and democratization keep Bulgaria on a path toward eventual
integration into the EU. The country joined NATO in 2004.

Geography Bulgaria

Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and
Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
43 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 110,910 sq km
water: 360 sq km
land: 110,550 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
total: 1,808 km
border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 318 km, Turkey 240 km

Coastline:
354 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain:
mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Musala 2,925 m

Natural resources: bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land

Land use: arable land: 40.02% permanent crops: 1.92% other: 58.06% (2001)

Irrigated land:
8,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
earthquakes, landslides

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted from raw
sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest damage from
air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil contamination from heavy
metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Geography - note:
strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes
from Europe to Middle East and Asia

People Bulgaria

Population:
7,517,973 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.4% (male 553,801; female 526,856)
15-64 years: 68.5% (male 2,533,784; female 2,615,968)
65 years and over: 17.1% (male 535,954; female 751,610) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 40.5 years
male: 38.4 years
female: 42.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.92% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
9.65 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
14.25 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-4.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 21.31 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 25.15 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.75 years
male: 68.14 years
female: 75.59 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.37 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% - note: no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
346 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Bulgarian(s)
adjective: Bulgarian

Ethnic groups:
Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including
Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001)

Religions:
Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, Roman Catholic 1.7%, Jewish
0.1%, Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 3.4% (1998)

Languages:
Bulgarian, secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic
breakdown

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.6%
male: 99.1%
female: 98.2% (2003 est.)

Government Bulgaria

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria
conventional short form: Bulgaria

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Sofia

Administrative divisions:
28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad, Burgas,
Dobrich, Gabrovo, Khaskovo, Kurdzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana,
Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen,
Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofiya, Sofiya-Grad, Stara Zagora,
Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol

Independence:
3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman
Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman
Empire)

National holiday:
Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)

Constitution:
adopted 12 July 1991

Legal system:
civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Georgi PURVANOV (since 22 January 2002);
Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002)
head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime
Minister) Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA (since 24 July 2001); Deputy
Prime Ministers Nikolay VASILEV (since 24 July 2001), Lidiya SHULEVA
(since 24 July 2001), and Plamen PANAYOTOV (since 17 July 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
elected by the National Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 11 November
and 18 November 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); chairman of the
Council of Ministers (prime minister) nominated by the president and
elected by the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers nominated
by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly
election results: Georgi PURVANOV elected president; percent of vote
- Georgi PURVANOV 54.13%, Petar STOYANOV 45.87%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 June 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NMS2 42.74%, UDF
18.18%, CfB 17.15%, MRF 7.45%; seats by party - NMS2 120, UDF 51,
CfB 48, MRF 21; note - seating as of January 2005 - NMS2 98, CfB 49,
UtDF 28, MRF 20, UDF 14, New Time 13, BANU 11, independents 7

Judicial branch:
Supreme Administrative Court; Supreme Court of Cassation;
Constitutional Court (12 justices appointed or elected for nine-year
terms); Supreme Judicial Council (consists of the chairmen of the
two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22 other members;
responsible for appointing the justices, prosecutors, and
investigating magistrates in the justice system; members of the
Supreme Judicial Council elected for five-year terms, 11 elected by
the National Assembly and 11 by bodies of the judiciary)

Political parties and leaders:
Bulgarian Agrarian National Union-People's Union or BANU [Anastasia
MOZER]; Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV];
Coalition for Bulgaria or CfB (coalition of parties dominated by
BSP) [Sergei STANISHEV]; Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB
[Ivan KOSTOV]; Movement for Rights and Freedoms or MRF [Ahmed
DOGAN]; National Movement for Simeon II or NMS2 [Simeon
SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA]; New Time [Emil KOSHLUKOV]; Union of Democratic
Forces or UDF [Nadezhda MIKHAYLOVA]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD
[Stefan SOFIYANSKI]; United Democratic Forces or UtDF (a coalition
of center-right parties dominated by DSB)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB;
Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous regional, ethnic, and
national interest groups with various agendas

International organization participation:
ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EU
(applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Elena B. POPTODOROVA consulate(s): New York FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973 telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174 chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James William PARDEW
embassy: 16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1407
mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, Department of State, 5740
Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740
telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100
FAX: [359] (2) 937-5230

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; the
national emblem formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe has
been removed - it contained a rampant lion within a wreath of wheat
ears below a red five-pointed star and above a ribbon bearing the
dates 681 (first Bulgarian state established) and 1944 (liberation
from Nazi control)

Economy Bulgaria

Economy - overview:
Bulgaria, a former communist country striving to enter the European
Union, has experienced macroeconomic stability and strong growth
since a major economic downturn in 1996 led to the fall of the then
socialist government. As a result, the government became committed
to economic reform and responsible fiscal planning. A $300 million
stand-by agreement negotiated with the IMF at the end of 2001 has
supported government efforts to overcome high rates of poverty and
unemployment.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $57.13 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.4% industry: 30% services: 58.6% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
19.6% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
13.4% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.5% highest 10%: 22.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26.4 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
3.333 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 26%, industry 31%, services 43% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
14.3% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $8.121 billion
expenditures: $8.121 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
48% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat, barley,
sunflowers, sugar beets

Industries:
electricity, gas and water; food, beverages and tobacco; machinery
and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined
petroleum, nuclear fuel

Industrial production growth rate:
6.3% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
41.38 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
32.52 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
6.79 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
830 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
603 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
94,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
8.1 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
4 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
5.804 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
5.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
3.724 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-1.666 billion (2003)

Exports:
$7.337 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels

Exports - partners:
Italy 14.1%, Germany 10.9%, Greece 10.5%, Turkey 9.2%, France 5.1%,
US 4.5% (2003)

Imports:
$9.723 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
fuels, minerals, and raw materials; machinery and equipment; metals
and ores; chemicals and plastics; food, textiles

Imports - partners:
Germany 14.4%, Russia 12.6%, Italy 10.3%, Greece 6.7%, Turkey 6.2%,
France 5.7% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$6.705 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$12.05 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
$300 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
lev (BGL)

Currency code:
BGN

Exchange rates:
leva per US dollar - 1.7327 (2003), 2.077 (2002), 2.1847 (2001),
2.1233 (2000), 1.8364 (1999)
note: on 5 July 1999, the lev was redenominated; the post-5 July
1999 lev is equal to 1,000 of the pre-5 July 1999 lev

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Bulgaria

Telephones - main lines in use:
2,868,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,597,500 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: extensive but antiquated
domestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential;
telephone service is available in most villages; a fairly modern
digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of
the regions, the others are connected by digital microwave radio
relay
international: country code - 359; direct dialing to 58 countries;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2
Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios:
4.51 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.bg

Internet hosts:
53,421 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
200 (2001)

Internet users:
630,000 (2002)

Transportation Bulgaria

Railways:
total: 4,294 km
standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 37,286 km
paved: 35,049 km (including 324 km of expressways)
unpaved: 2,237 km (2000)

Waterways:
470 km (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 2,425 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Burgas, Lom, Nesebur, Ruse, Varna, Vidin

Merchant marine:
total: 60 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 757,972 GRT/1,115,238 DWT
by type: bulk 37, cargo 7, chemical tanker 4, container 2, petroleum
tanker 3, rail car carrier 2, roll on/roll off 3,
short-sea/passenger 1, specialized tanker 1
registered in other countries: 45 (2004 est.)

Airports:
212 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 128 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 92 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 85 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 72 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

Military Bulgaria

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

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 9 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,829,203 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,530,657 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 52,811 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$356 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.6% (2003)

Transnational Issues Bulgaria

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and,
to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the European market;
limited producer of precursor chemicals; some money laundering of
drug-related proceeds through financial institutions

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Burkina Faso

Introduction Burkina Faso

Background:
Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from
France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s
were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Burkina
Faso's high population density and limited natural resources result
in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent
unrest in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability
of several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find
employment in neighboring countries.

Geography Burkina Faso

Location:
Western Africa, north of Ghana

Geographic coordinates:
13 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 274,200 sq km
water: 400 sq km
land: 273,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Colorado

Land boundaries:
total: 3,193 km
border countries: Benin 306 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Ghana 549 km,
Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Terrain:
mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and
southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m
highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m

Natural resources:
manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, antimony,
copper, nickel, bauxite, lead, phosphates, zinc, silver

Land use: arable land: 14.43% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 85.38% (2001)

Irrigated land:
250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
recurring droughts

Environment - current issues:
recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural
activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing;
soil degradation; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black,
Red, and White Voltas

People Burkina Faso

Population:
13,574,820
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 46% (male 3,135,098; female 3,114,354)
15-64 years: 51.1% (male 3,391,848; female 3,545,115)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 163,137; female 225,268) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 16.8 years
male: 16.4 years
female: 17.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.57% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
44.46 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
18.79 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 98.67 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 90.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 106.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 44.2 years
male: 42.62 years
female: 45.83 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
6.28 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
4.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
300,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
29,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural)
adjective: Burkinabe

Ethnic groups:
Mossi over 40%, Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 40%, Muslim 50%, Christian (mainly Roman
Catholic) 10%

Languages:
French (official), native African languages belonging to Sudanic
family spoken by 90% of the population

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 26.6%
male: 36.9%
female: 16.6% (2003 est.)

Government Burkina Faso

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Burkina Faso
former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta

Government type:
parliamentary republic

Capital:
Ouagadougou

Administrative divisions:
45 provinces; Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou,
Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba, Kadiogo,
Kenedougou, Komondjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koulpelogo, Kouritenga,
Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Namentenga, Nahouri, Nayala,
Noumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga,
Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga, Ziro,
Zondoma, Zoundweogo

Independence:
5 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Republic Day, 11 December (1958)

Constitution:
2 June 1991 approved by referendum; 11 June 1991 formally adopted;
ammended April 2000

Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law

Suffrage:
universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987)
head of government: Prime Minister Ernest Paramanga YONLI (since 6
November 2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 15 November 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); in
April 2000, the constitution was amended reducing the presidential
term from seven to five years, enforceable as of 2005, and allowing
the president to be reelected only once; it is unclear whether this
amendment will be applied retroactively or not; prime minister
appointed by the president with the consent of the legislature
election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected president with 87.5%
percent of the vote

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (111 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly election last held 5 May 2002 (next to
be held NA May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
CDP 57, RDA-ADF 17, PDP/PS 10, CFD 5, PAI 5, others 17

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders:
African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and Federation or
RDA-ADF [Herman YAMEOGO]; Confederation for Federation and Democracy
or CFD [Amadou Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for Democracy and Progress
or CDP [Roch Marc-Christian KABORE]; Movement for Tolerance and
Progress or MTP [Nayabtigungou Congo KABORE]; Party for African
Independence or PAI [Philippe OUEDRAOGO]; Party for Democracy and
Progress or PDP [Joseph KI-ZERBO]; Union of Greens for the
Development of Burkina Faso or UVDB [Ram OVEDRAGO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB; Burkinabe
Movement for Human Rights or MBDHP; Group of 14 February; National
Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB; National Organization of
Free Unions or ONSL; watchdog/political action groups throughout the
country in both organizations and communities

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tertius ZONGO
FAX: [1] (202) 667-1882
telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577
chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Anthony HOLMES
embassy: 602 Avenue Raoul Follereau, Koulouba, Secteur 4
mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou 01; pouch mail - U. S.
Department of State, 2440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC
20521-2440
telephone: [226] 306723
FAX: [226] 303890

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow
five-pointed star in the center; uses the popular pan-African colors
of Ethiopia

Economy Burkina Faso

Economy - overview:
One of the poorest countries in the world, landlocked Burkina Faso
has few natural resources, a fragile soil, and a highly unequal
distribution of income. About 90% of the population is engaged in
(mainly subsistence) agriculture, which is vulnerable to variations
in rainfall. Cotton is the key crop. Industry remains dominated by
unprofitable government-controlled corporations. Following the
African franc currency devaluation in January 1994 the government
updated its development program in conjunction with international
agencies, and exports and economic growth have increased.
Maintenance of macroeconomic progress depends on continued low
inflation, reduction in the trade deficit, and reforms designed to
encourage private investment. The internal crisis in neighboring
Cote d'Ivoire continues to hurt trade and industrial prospects and
deepens the need for international assistance.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $14.55 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 39.8% industry: 19.6% services: 40.5% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
29% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
45% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 46.8% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
48.2 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.9% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
5 million
note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to
neighboring countries for seasonal employment (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 90% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $599.8 million
expenditures: $748.8 million NA, including capital expenditures of
NA (2003)

Agriculture - products:
cotton, peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, sorghum, millet, corn, rice;
livestock

Industries:
cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes,
textiles, gold

Industrial production growth rate:
14% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
279.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
259.6 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
8,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-341 million (2003)

Exports:
$293 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
cotton, livestock, gold

Exports - partners:
Singapore 12.8%, China 11.6%, Thailand 8%, Italy 6.4%, India 6%,
Colombia 5.2%, Ghana 5.2%, France 4.8%, Niger 4% (2003)

Imports:
$633.6 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum

Imports - partners:
France 31.2%, Cote d'Ivoire 14.6%, Togo 9%, Belgium 5% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$379 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.3 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
$484.1 million (1995)

Currency:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
XOF

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 581.2
(2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699
(1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Burkina Faso

Telephones - main lines in use:
65,400 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
227,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: all services only fair
domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone
communication stations
international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 17, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios:
394,020 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2002)

Televisions:
131,340 (2002)

Internet country code:
.bf

Internet hosts:
442 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
48,000 (2003)

Transportation Burkina Faso

Railways:
total: 622 km
narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge
note:: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote D'Ivoire
(2003)

Highways: total: 12,506 km paved: 2,001 km unpaved: 10,505 km (1999)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
33 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)

Military Burkina Faso

Military branches:
Army, Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 20 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 3,047,306 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,552,212 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$52.7 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.6% (2003)

Transnational Issues Burkina Faso

Disputes - international:
two villages are in dispute along the border with Benin; Benin
accuses Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars; Burkina Faso border
regions have become a staging area for Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire
rebels and an asylum for refugees caught in regional fighting; the
Ivoirian Government accuses Burkina Faso of supporting Ivoirian
rebels

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Burma

Introduction Burma

Background:
Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886) and
incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a
province of India until 1937 when it became a separate,
self-governing colony; independence from the Commonwealth was
attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to
1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and
later as political kingpin. Despite multiparty legislative elections
in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party - the National
League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory, the ruling
junta refused to hand over power. NLD leader and Nobel Peace Prize
recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who was under house arrest from 1989 to
1995 and 2000 to 2002, was imprisoned in May 2003 and is currently
under house arrest. In December 2004, the junta announced it was
extending her detention for at least an additional year. Her
supporters, as well as all those who promote democracy and improved
human rights, are routinely harassed or jailed.

Geography Burma

Location:
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal,
between Bangladesh and Thailand

Geographic coordinates:
22 00 N, 98 00 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 678,500 sq km
land: 657,740 sq km
water: 20,760 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 5,876 km
border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km,
Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km

Coastline:
1,930 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest
monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild
temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon,
December to April)

Terrain:
central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m
highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead,
coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas,
hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 15.19%
permanent crops: 0.97%
other: 83.84% (2001)

Irrigated land:
15,920 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides
common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water;
inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes

People Burma

Population:
42,720,196
note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of
excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life
expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.6% (male 6,023,874; female 5,774,055)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 14,317,308; female 14,504,500)
65 years and over: 4.9% (male 927,570; female 1,172,889) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 25.7 years
male: 25.2 years
female: 26.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.47% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
18.64 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
12.16 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 68.78 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 62.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 74.78 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.01 years
male: 54.22 years
female: 57.9 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.08 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
330,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
20,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, dengue fever, malaria, leptospirosis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Burmese (singular and plural)
adjective: Burmese

Ethnic groups:
Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%,
Mon 2%, other 5%

Religions:
Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim
4%, animist 1%, other 2%

Languages:
Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.3%
male: 89.2%
female: 81.4% (2002)

Government Burma

Country name:
conventional long form: Union of Burma
conventional short form: Burma
local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw
former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma
local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the
US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of
Myanmar)
note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the
name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision
was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US
Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the
Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw

Government type:
military junta

Capital:
Rangoon (government refers to the capital as Yangon)

Administrative divisions: 7 divisions (taing-myar, singular - taing) and 7 states (pyi ne-myar, singular - pyi ne) : divisions: Ayeyarwady, Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi, Yangon (Rangoon) : states: Chin State, Kachin State, Kayin State, Kayah State, Mon State, Rakhine State, Shan State

Independence:
4 January 1948 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February (1947)

Constitution:
3 January 1974 (suspended since 18 September 1988); national
convention convened in 1993 to draft a new constitution but
collapsed in 1996; reconvened in 2004 but does not include
participation of democratic opposition

Legal system:
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council
Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister, Gen SOE WIN (since 19 October
2004)
elections: none
cabinet: State Peace and Development Council (SPDC); military junta,
so named 15 November 1997, which initially assumed power 18
September 1988 under the name State Law and Order Restoration
Council (SLORC); the SPDC oversees the cabinet

Legislative branch:
unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw (485 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
NLD 392 (opposition), SNLD 23 (opposition), NUP 10 (pro-government),
other 60
elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never allowed by
junta to convene

Judicial branch:
remnants of the British-era legal system are in place, but there is
no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not
independent of the executive

Political parties and leaders: National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SHWE, chairman, AUNG SAN SUU KYI, general secretary]; National Unity Party or NUP (progovernment) [THA KYAW]; Shan Nationalities League for Democracy or SNLD [KHUN HTUN OO]; and other smaller parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB (self-proclaimed government in exile) ["Prime Minister" Dr. SEIN WIN] consists of individuals, some legitimately elected to the People's Assembly in 1990 (the group fled to a border area and joined insurgents in December 1990 to form parallel government in exile); Kachin Independence Army or KIA; Karen National Union or KNU; several Shan factions; United Wa State Army or UWSA; Union Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (progovernment, a social and political organization) [THAN AUNG, general secretary]

International organization participation:
ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW
(signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: vacant
chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: New York (UN)
FAX: [1] (202) 332-9046
telephone: [1] (202) 332-9044

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Carmen M. MARTINEZ
embassy: 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521)
mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546
telephone: [95] (1) 379 880, 379 881
FAX: [95] (1) 256 018

Flag description:
red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing,
14 white five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk
of rice; the 14 stars represent the 7 administrative divisions and 7
states

Economy Burma

Economy - overview:
Burma is a resource-rich country that suffers from government
controls and abject rural poverty. The military regime took steps in
the early 1990s to liberalize the economy after decades of failure
under the "Burmese Way to Socialism", but those efforts have since
stalled. Burma has been unable to achieve monetary or fiscal
stability, resulting in an economy that suffers from serious
macroeconomic imbalances - including a steep inflation rate and an
official exchange rate that overvalues the Burmese kyat by more than
100 times the market rate. In addition, most overseas development
assistance ceased after the junta suppressed the democracy movement
in 1988 and subsequently ignored the results of the 1990 election. A
crisis in the private banking sector in early 2003 followed by
economic moves against Burma by the United States, the European
Union, and Japan - including a US ban on imports from Burma and a
Japanese freeze on new bilateral economic aid - further weakened the
Burmese economy. Burma is data poor, and official statistics are
often dated and inaccurate. Published estimates of Burma's foreign
trade are greatly understated because of the size of the black
market and border trade - often estimated to be one to two times the
official economy. Better relations with foreign countries and
relaxed controls at home are needed to promote foreign investment,
exports, and tourism. In February 2003, a major banking crisis hit
the country's 20 private banks, shutting them down and disrupting
the economy. In July and August 2003, the United States imposed a
ban on all Burmese imports and a ban on provision of financial
services, hampering Burma's ability to obtain foreign exchange. As
of January 2004, the largest private banks remained moribund,
leaving the private sector with little formal access to credit
outside of government contracts.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $74.53 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-0.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 57.2% industry: 9.6% services: 33.1% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
11.8% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
25% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
49.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
22.14 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 70%, industry 7%, services 23% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
4.2% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $7.9 billion
expenditures: $12.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.7
billion (FY96/97)

Agriculture - products:
rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood; fish
and fish products

Industries:
agricultural processing; knit and woven apparel; wood and wood
products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials;
pharmaceuticals; fertilizer; cement

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
6.139 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
5.709 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
18,590 bbl/day (2002 est.)

Oil - consumption:
38,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
115 million bbl (1 January 2003)

Natural gas - production:
7.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
2.15 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
5.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
314.4 billion cu m (1 January 2003)

Current account balance:
$-35 million (2003)

Exports:
$2.434 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
Clothing, gas, wood products, pulses, beans, fish, rice

Exports - partners:
Thailand 31.5%, US 10.2%, India 9.3%, China 5.8%, Japan 4.8% (2003)

Imports:
$2.071 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
Fabric, petroleum products, plastics, machinery, transport
equipment, construction materials, crude oil; food products

Imports - partners:
China 31.1%, Singapore 22.3%, Thailand 15.1%, South Korea 6.3%,
Malaysia 4.8%, Japan 4.3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$562 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$6.011 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$127 million (2001 est.)

Currency:
kyat (MMK)

Currency code:
MMK

Exchange rates:
kyats per US dollar - 6.0764 (2003), 6.5734 (2002), 6.6841 (2001),
6.5167 (2000), 6.2858 (1999)
note: these are official exchange rates; unofficial exchange rates
ranged in 2003 from 100 kyat/US dollar to nearly 1000 kyat/US dollar

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Burma

Telephones - main lines in use:
357,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
66,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: barely meets minimum requirements for local and
intercity service for business and government; international service
is fair
domestic: NA
international: country code - 95; satellite earth station - 2,
Intelsat (Indian Ocean), and ShinSat

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 1 (2004)

Radios:
4.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (2004)

Televisions:
320,000 (2000)

Internet country code:
.mm

Internet hosts:
3 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1
note: as of September 2000, Internet connections were legal only for
the government, tourist offices, and a few large businesses (2000)

Internet users:
28,000 (2003)

Transportation Burma

Railways: total: 3,955 km narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 28,200 km paved: 3,440 km unpaved: 24,760 km (1996 est.)

Waterways:
12,800 km (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 2,056 km; oil 558 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bhamo, Chauk, Mandalay, Moulmein, Myitkyina, Pathein, Rangoon,
Sittwe, Tavoy

Merchant marine:
total: 31 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 384,529 GRT/608,609 DWT
foreign-owned: Germany 6, Japan 4 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 8, cargo 18, container 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum
tanker 1

Airports:
79 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 69 under 914 m: 31 (2004 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 20 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16

Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

Military Burma

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service for both sexes (May
2002)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 12,450,884
females age 15-49: 12,457,077 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 6,609,995
females age 15-49: 6,595,611 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 441,333
females: 440,914 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$39 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.1% (FY97)

Transnational Issues Burma

Disputes - international:
despite continuing border committee talks, significant differences
remain with Thailand over boundary alignment and the handling of
ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities; groups
in Burma and Thailand express concern over China's construction of
13 hydroelectric dams on the Salween River in Yunnan Province; India
seeks cooperation from Burma to keep out Indian Nagaland insurgents

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 600,000 - 1,000,000 (government offensives against ethnic
insurgent groups near borders; most IDPs are ethnic Karen, Karenni,
Shan, and Mon) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
world's second largest producer of illicit opium (potential
production in 2003 - 484 metric tons, down 23% due to eradication
efforts and alternate development; cultivation in 2003 - 47,130
hectares, a 39% decline from 2002); surrender of drug warlord KHUN
SA's Mong Tai Army in January 1996 was hailed by Rangoon as a major
counternarcotics success, but lack of government will and ability to
take on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment
against money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug
effort; major source of methamphetamine and heroin for regional
consumption; currently under Financial Action Task Force
countermeasures due to continued failure to address its inadequate
money-laundering controls

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Burundi

Introduction Burundi

Background:
Burundi's first democratically elected president was assassinated
in October 1993 after only one hundred days in office. Since then,
some 200,000 Burundians have perished in widespread, often intense
ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. Hundreds of
thousands have been internally displaced or have become refugees in
neighboring countries. Burundi troops, seeking to secure their
borders, briefly intervened in the conflict in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo in 1998. A new transitional government,
inaugurated on 1 November 2001, signed a power-sharing agreement
with the largest rebel faction in December 2003 and set in place a
provisional constitution in October 2004. Implementation of the
agreement has been problematic, however, as one remaining rebel
group refuses to sign on and elections have been repeatedly delayed,
clouding prospects for a sustainable peace.

Geography Burundi

Location:
Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:
3 30 S, 30 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 27,830 sq km
water: 2,180 sq km
land: 25,650 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
total: 974 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda
290 km, Tanzania 451 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772
m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies
with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade but is generally
moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m; average annual
rainfall is about 150 cm; wet seasons from February to May and
September to November, and dry seasons from June to August and
December to January

Terrain:
hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m
highest point: Mount Heha 2,670 m

Natural resources:
nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum
(not yet exploited), vanadium, arable land, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 35.05%
permanent crops: 14.02%
other: 50.93% (2001)

Irrigated land:
740 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
flooding, landslides, drought

Environment - current issues:
soil erosion as a result of overgrazing and the expansion of
agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation (little forested land
remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel); habitat
loss threatens wildlife populations

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the
Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote
headstream of the White Nile

People Burundi

Population:
6,231,221
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 46.4% (male 1,459,251; female 1,430,332)
15-64 years: 50.9% (male 1,566,274; female 1,607,705)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 66,306; female 101,353) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 16.5 years
male: 16.1 years
female: 16.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.2% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
39.68 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
17.61 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 70.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 63.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 77.15 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 43.36 years
male: 42.73 years
female: 44 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.9 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
250,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
25,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Burundian(s)
adjective: Burundian

Ethnic groups:
Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%, Europeans
3,000, South Asians 2,000

Religions:
Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%), indigenous
beliefs 23%, Muslim 10%

Languages:
Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake
Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 51.6%
male: 58.5%
female: 45.2% (2003 est.)

Government Burundi

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Burundi
conventional short form: Burundi
local short form: Burundi
local long form: Republika y'u Burundi
former: Urundi

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Bujumbura

Administrative divisions:
16 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke,
Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro,
Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi

Independence:
1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Constitution:
13 March 1992; provided for establishment of a plural political
system; supplanted on 20 October 2004 by a provisional constitution
approved by the parliament, which extended the transition, set
ethnic quotas for government positions, and tentatively scheduled
elections for February-April 2005

Legal system:
based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Domitien NDAYIZEYE (since 30 April 2003);
note - NDAYIZEYE, a Hutu, was sworn in as president for the second
half of the three-year transitional government inaugurated on 1
November 2001; Vice President Frederic NGENZEBUHORO (since 11
November 2004)
head of government: President Domitien NDAYIZEYE (since 30 April
2003); note - NDAYIZEYE, a Hutu, was sworn in as president for the
second half of the three-year transitional government inaugurated on
1 November 2001; Vice President Frederic NGENZEBUHORO (since 11
November 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president
elections: NA; current president assumed power on 30 April 2003 as
part of the transitional government established by the 2000 Arusha
Accord

Legislative branch:
bicameral, consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
(expanded from 121 to approximately 140 seats under the transitional
government inaugurated 1 November 2001; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms) and a Senate (54 seats; term
length is undefined, the current senators will likely serve out the
three-year transition period)
elections: last held 29 June 1993 (next was scheduled to be held in
1998, but was suspended by presidential decree in 1996; elections
are planned to follow the completion of the three-year transitional
government)
election results: percent of vote by party - FRODEBU 71.04%, UPRONA
21.4%, other 7.56%; seats by party - FRODEBU 65, UPRONA 16,
civilians 27, other parties 13

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court; Courts of
Appeal (there are three in separate locations); Tribunals of First
Instance (17 at the province level and 123 small local tribunals)

Political parties and leaders:
the two national, mainstream, governing parties are: Unity for
National Progress or UPRONA [Alphonse KADEGE, president]; Burundi
Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Jean MINANI, president]
note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998, included are:
Burundi African Alliance for the Salvation or ABASA [Terrence
NSANZE]; Rally for Democracy and Economic and Social Development or
RADDES [Joseph NZEYIMANA]; Party for National Redress or PARENA
[Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]; People's Reconciliation Party or PRP
[Mathias HITIMANA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
loosely organized Hutu and Tutsi militias, often affiliated with
Hutu and Tutsi extremist parties or subordinate to government
security forces

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Antoine NTAMOBWA
chancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578
telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James Howard YELLIN
embassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura
mailing address: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura
telephone: [257] 223454
FAX: [257] 222926

Flag description:
divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom)
and green panels (hoist side and outer side) with a white disk
superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars
outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above,
two stars below)

Economy Burundi

Economy - overview:
Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an
underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly
agricultural with roughly 90% of the population dependent on
subsistence agriculture. Economic growth depends on coffee and tea
exports, which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings. The
ability to pay for imports, therefore, rests primarily on weather
conditions and international coffee and tea prices. The Tutsi
minority, 14% of the population, dominates the government and the
coffee trade at the expense of the Hutu majority, 85% of the
population. Since October 1993 an ethnic-based war has resulted in
more than 200,000 deaths, forced 800,000 refugees into Tanzania, and
displaced 525,000 others internally. Doubts about the prospects for
sustainable peace continue to impede development. Only one in two
children go to school, and approximately one in ten adults has
HIV/AIDS. Food, medicine, and electricity remain in short supply.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $3.78 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-1.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 47.4% industry: 19.3% services: 33.3% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
9.8% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
68% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 32.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
42.5 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
2.99 million (2002)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 93.6%, industry 2.3%, services 4.1% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $179.4 million
expenditures: $209 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc
(tapioca); beef, milk, hides

Industries:
light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly of
imported components; public works construction; food processing

Industrial production growth rate:
18% (2001)

Electricity - production:
155.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
177.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
33 million kWh; note - supplied by the Democratic Republic of the
Congo (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
2,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-35 million (2003)

Exports:
$40 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides

Exports - partners:
Switzerland 31.6%, UK 15.8%, Netherlands 5.3%, Rwanda 5.3% (2003)

Imports:
$128 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Kenya 14.6%, Tanzania 11.5%, Uganda 5.7%, France 5.1%, Zambia 5.1%,
China 4.5%, India 4.5%, Japan 4.5% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$67.4 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.133 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
$92.7 million (2000)

Currency:
Burundi franc (BIF)

Currency code:
BIF

Exchange rates:
Burundi francs per US dollar - 1,082.62 (2003), 930.75 (2002),
830.35 (2001), 720.67 (2000), 563.56 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Burundi

Telephones - main lines in use:
23,900 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
64,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: primitive system
domestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications,
and low-capacity microwave radio relay
international: country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
440,000 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)

Televisions:
25,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.bi

Internet hosts:
22 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
14,000 (2003)

Transportation Burundi

Highways: total: 14,480 km paved: 1,028 km unpaved: 13,452 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
mainly on Lake Tanganyika (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bujumbura

Airports:
8 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Military Burundi

Military branches:
Army (including Naval Detachment and Air Wing), National Gendarmerie

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
16 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,419,755 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 747,400 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 81,862 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$33.3 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
6% (2003)

Transnational Issues Burundi

Disputes - international:
Tutsi, Hutu, and other conflicting ethnic groups, associated
political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces
continue fighting in the Great Lakes region, transcending the
boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and
Uganda to gain control over populated and natural resource areas;
government heads pledge to end conflict, but localized violence
continues despite UN peacekeeping efforts

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 60,288 (Democratic Republic of the
Congo)
IDPs: 140,000 (armed conflict between government and rebels; most
IDPs in northern and western Burundi) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Cambodia

Introduction Cambodia

Background:
Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, whose Angkor
Empire extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith
between the 10th and 13th centuries. Subsequently, attacks by the
Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire
ushering in a long period of decline. In 1863, the king of Cambodia
placed the country under French protection; it became part of French
Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II,
Cambodia became independent within the French Union in 1949 and
fully independent in 1953. After a five-year struggle, Communist
Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh in April 1975 and ordered the
evacuation of all cities and towns; at least 1.5 million Cambodians
died from execution, enforced hardships, or starvation during the
Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnamese
invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, led to a
10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years of
civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic
elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected by the
Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some
semblance of normalcy and the final elements of the Khmer Rouge
surrendered in early 1999. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the
first coalition government, but a second round of national elections
in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and
renewed political stability. The July 2003 elections were relatively
peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending
political parties before a coalition government was formed.
Nation-wide local elections are scheduled for 2007 and national
elections for 2008.

Geography Cambodia

Location:
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between
Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos

Geographic coordinates:
13 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 181,040 sq km
land: 176,520 sq km
water: 4,520 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Oklahoma

Land boundaries: total: 2,572 km border countries: Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km

Coastline: 443 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season
(December to April); little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m

Natural resources:
oil and gas, timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese,
phosphates, hydropower potential

Land use: arable land: 20.96% permanent crops: 0.61% other: 78.43% (2001)

Irrigated land:
2,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts

Environment - current issues:
illegal logging activities throughout the country and strip mining
for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand have
resulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in particular,
destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural fisheries); soil
erosion; in rural areas, most of the population does not have access
to potable water; declining fish stocks because of illegal fishing
and overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and
Tonle Sap

People Cambodia

Population:
13,363,421
note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of
excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life
expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.3% (male 2,583,606; female 2,534,460)
15-64 years: 58.6% (male 3,742,178; female 4,095,303)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 149,466; female 258,408) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 19.5 years
male: 18.8 years
female: 20.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.8% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
27.13 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
9.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 73.67 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 64.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 82.51 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 58.41 years
male: 55.71 years
female: 61.23 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.51 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
2.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
170,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
15,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Cambodian(s)
adjective: Cambodian

Ethnic groups:
Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4%

Religions:
Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5%

Languages:
Khmer (official) 95%, French, English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 69.4%
male: 80.8%
female: 59.3% (2002)

Government Cambodia

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia
conventional short form: Cambodia
local short form: Kampuchea
former: Kingdom of Cambodia, Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea,
People's Republic of Kampuchea, State of Cambodia
local long form: Preahreacheanacha Kampuchea (phonetic pronunciation)

Government type:
multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy established in
September 1993

Capital:
Phnom Penh

Administrative divisions:
20 provinces (khaitt, singular and plural) and 4 municipalities
(krong, singular and plural)
: provinces: Banteay Mean Chey, Batdambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong
Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Koh Kong,
Kracheh, Mondol Kiri, Otdar Mean Chey, Pouthisat, Preah Vihear, Prey
Veng, Rotanakir, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takao
: municipalities: Keb, Pailin, Phnom Penh, Preah Sihanouk (formerly
Kompong Som)

Independence:
9 November 1953 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 9 November (1953)

Constitution:
promulgated 21 September 1993

Legal system:
primarily a civil law mixture of French-influenced codes from the
United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) period,
royal decrees, and acts of the legislature, with influences of
customary law and remnants of communist legal theory; increasing
influence of common law in recent years

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King Norodom SIHAMONI (since 29 October 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 14 January 1985)
and Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KHENG (since 3 February 1992),
Norodom SIRIVUDH, SOK AN, LU LAY SRENG, TEA BANH, HOR NAMHONG, NHEK
BUNCHHAY (since 16 July 2004)
elections: none; the monarch is chosen by a Royal Throne Council;
following legislative elections, a member of the majority party or
majority coalition is named prime minister by the Chairman of the
National Assembly and appointed by the king
cabinet: Council of Ministers in theory appointed by the monarch; in
practice named by the prime minister

Legislative branch:
bicameral consists of the National Assembly (123 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Senate (61
seats; two members appointed by the monarch, two elected by the
National Assembly, and 57 elected by "functional constituencies";
members serve five-year terms)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP
47%, SRP 22%, FUNCINPEC 21%, other 10%; seats by party - CPP 73,
FUNCINPEC 26, SRP 24; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats
by party - CPP 31, FUNCINPEC 21, SRP 7, other 2 (July 2003)
elections: National Assembly - last held 27 July 2003 (next to be
held in July 2008); Senate - last held 2 March 1999 (scheduled to be
held in 2004 but delayed)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Council of the Magistracy (provided for in the constitution
and formed in December 1997); Supreme Court (and lower courts)
exercises judicial authority

Political parties and leaders:
Cambodian Pracheachon Party (Cambodian People's Party) or CPP [CHEA
SIM]; National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful,
and Cooperative Cambodia or FUNCINPEC [Prince NORODOM Ranariddh];
Sam Rangsi Party or SRP [SAM RANGSI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador EK SEREYWATH
chancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381
telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles Aaron RAY embassy: 27 EO Street 240, Phnom Penh mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96546 telephone: [855] (23) 216-436/438 FAX: [855] (23) 216-437/811

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width), and blue
with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat outlined
in black in the center of the red band; only national flag to
incorporate a building in its design

Economy Cambodia

Economy - overview:
Cambodia's economy slowed dramatically in 1997-1998 due to the
regional economic crisis, civil violence, and political infighting.
Foreign investment and tourism fell off. In 1999, the first full
year of peace in 30 years, progress was made on economic reforms.
Growth resumed and has remained about 5.0% during 2000-2003. Tourism
was Cambodia's fastest growing industry, with arrivals up 34% in
2000 and up another 40% in 2001 before the 11 September 2001
terrorist attacks in the US. Cambodia expects 1 million foreign
tourists in 2004. Economic growth has been largely driven by
expansion in the clothing sector and tourism. Clothing exports were
fostered by the U.S.-Cambodian Bilateral Textile Agreement signed in
1999. Even given Cambodia's recent growth, the long-term development
of the economy after decades of war remains a daunting challenge.
The population lacks education and productive skills, particularly
in the poverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from an almost
total lack of basic infrastructure. Fear of renewed political
instability and a dysfunctional legal system coupled with government
corruption discourage foreign investment. The Cambodian government
continues to work with bilateral and multilateral donors to address
the country's many pressing needs. The major economic challenge for
Cambodia over the next decade will be fashioning an economic
environment in which the private sector can create enough jobs to
handle Cambodia's demographic imbalance. About 60% of the population
is 20 years or younger; most of these citizens will seek to enter
the workforce over the course of the next 10 years.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $25.02 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 35% industry: 30% services: 35% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
15.9% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
36% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 33.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40.4 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
7 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 75% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
2.5% (2000 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $476.5 million
expenditures: $734.8 million, including capital expenditures of $291
million of which 75% was financed by external assistance (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
rice, rubber, corn, vegetables, cashews, tapioca

Industries:
tourism, garments, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products,
rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
22% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
119 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
110.6 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
3,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-218.1 million (2003)

Exports:
$1.616 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
Clothing, timber, rubber, rice, fish, tobacco, footwear

Exports - partners:
US 58.4%, Germany 10.3%, UK 7.2% (2003)

Imports:
$2.124 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction materials,
machinery, motor vehicles, pharmaceutical products

Imports - partners:
Thailand 26.4%, Hong Kong 14.4%, Singapore 11.8%, China 11.3%,
Vietnam 8.3%, Taiwan 8%, South Korea 4.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$861.4 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$2.4 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$548 million pledged in grants and concessional loans for 2001 by
international donors (actual disbursement in 2002 was about $500
million)

Currency:
riel (KHR)

Currency code:
KHR

Exchange rates:
riels per US dollar - 3,973.33 (2003), 3,912.08 (2002), 3,916.33
(2001), 3,840.75 (2000), 3,807.83 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Cambodia

Telephones - main lines in use:
35,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
380,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate landline and/or cellular service in
Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; mobile phone coverage is
rapidly expanding in rural areas
domestic: NA
international: country code - 855; adequate but expensive landline
and cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh and
major provincial cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
(Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 17, (2003)

Radios:
1.34 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
7 (2003)

Televisions:
94,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.kh

Internet hosts:
818 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
30,000 (2002)

Transportation Cambodia

Railways: total: 602 km narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 12,323 km paved: 1,996 km unpaved: 10,327 km (2000 est)

Waterways:
2,400 km (mainly on Mekong River) (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Kampong Som (Sihanoukville), Kampot, Krong Kaoh Kong, Phnom Penh,
Sre Ambol, Keo Phoh Port (privately owned) (2003)

Merchant marine:
total: 467 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,913,910 GRT/2,713,967 DWT
registered in other countries: 19 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Algeria 2, Angola 1, Aruba 1, Bahamas 1, Belize 10,
British Virgin Islands 7, Bulgaria 1, Canada 4, China 35, Cyprus 14,
Egypt 8, Finland 1, France 1, Georgia 1, Germany 1, Gibraltar 1,
Greece 9, Honduras 8, Hong Kong 12, Indonesia 2, Iran 1, Italy 2,
Japan 1, Jordan 1, North Korea 2, South Korea 31, Lebanon 2, Liberia
7, Malaysia 1, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 11, Netherlands 2, Nigeria
2, Norway 1, Panama 8, Romania 1, Russia 81, Saint Kitts and Nevis
2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Samoa 2, Singapore 7, Spain
1, Syria 19, Taiwan 1, Turkey 11
by type: bulk 42, cargo 360, chemical tanker 6, combination bulk 3,
container 13, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 4, multi-functional
large load carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 16,
refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 5, short-sea/passenger 2

Airports:
20 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 14
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 11

Heliports:
2 (2003 est.)

Military Cambodia

Military branches:
Royal Cambodian Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for compulsory military service for all males; conscription law passed September 2004; service obligation is 18 months (September 2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 3,402,703 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,899,710 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 170,072 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$112 million (FY01 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3% (FY01 est.)

Transnational Issues Cambodia

Disputes - international:
land boundary disputes persist among Cambodian claims that Thailand
and Vietnam moved or destroyed boundary markers; maritime boundary
with Vietnam is hampered by dispute over offshore islands; Cambodia
periodically accuses Thailand of obstructing access to Preah Vihear
temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962; 2003
anti-Thai riots in Phnom Penh resulted in the destruction of the
Thai Embassy, damage to 17 Thai-owned businesses, and disputes over
full payment of compensation

Illicit drugs:
narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving some in the
government, military, and police; possible small-scale opium,
heroin, and amphetamine production; large producer of cannabis for
the international market; vulnerable to money laundering due to its
cash-based economy and porous borders

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Cameroon

Introduction Cameroon

Background:
The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon merged in
1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally enjoyed
stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture,
roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite
movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in
the hands of an ethnic oligarchy.

Geography Cameroon

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial
Guinea and Nigeria

Geographic coordinates:
6 00 N, 12 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 475,440 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km
land: 469,440 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
total: 4,591 km
border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km,
Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298
km, Nigeria 1,690 km

Coastline:
402 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 50 nm

Climate:
varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot
in north

Terrain:
diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in
center, mountains in west, plains in north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Fako (on Mount Cameroon) 4,095 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 12.81% permanent crops: 2.58% other: 84.61% (2001)

Irrigated land:
330 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from
Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes

Environment - current issues:
water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing;
desertification; poaching; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout the
country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of
current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest
mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano

People Cameroon

Population:
16,063,678
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42% (male 3,416,086; female 3,334,904)
15-64 years: 54.8% (male 4,425,246; female 4,370,329)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 233,506; female 283,607) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.5 years
male: 18.3 years
female: 18.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.97% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
35.08 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
15.34 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 69.18 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 65.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 73.16 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 47.95 years
male: 47.1 years
female: 48.83 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.55 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
6.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
560,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
49,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, yellow fever, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Cameroonian(s)
adjective: Cameroonian

Ethnic groups:
Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani
10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%,
non-African less than 1%

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Languages:
24 major African language groups, English (official), French
(official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79%
male: 84.7%
female: 73.4% (2003 est.)

Government Cameroon

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon
conventional short form: Cameroon
former: French Cameroon

Government type:
unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition
parties legalized in 1990)
note: preponderance of power remains with the president

Capital:
Yaounde

Administrative divisions:
10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord,
Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest

Independence:
1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:
Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)

Constitution:
20 May 1972 approved by referendum; 2 June 1972 formally adopted;
revised January 1996

Legal system:
based on French civil law system, with common law influence; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be held NA October
2011); prime minister appointed by the president
head of government: Prime Minister Ephraim INONI (since 8 Dec 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted
by the prime minister
election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote -
Paul BIYA 70.9%, John FRU NDI 17.4%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 4.5%, Garga
Haman ADJI 3.7%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats;
members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms;
note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term of the
legislature)
elections: last held 23 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
RDCP 133, SDF 21, UDC 5, other 21
note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the
legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High Court
of Justice (consists of 9 judges and 6 substitute judges, elected by
the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou NDAM NJOYA]; Democratic
Rally of the Cameroon People or RDCP [Paul BIYA]; Movement for the
Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement for the
Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [leader Marcel
YONDO]; Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MYC [Dieudonne TINA];
National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO
BOUBA]; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI]; Union of
Cameroonian Populations or UPC [Augustin Frederic KODOCK]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Southern Cameroon National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN]; Human Rights
Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA
chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826
telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador George McDade STAPLES
embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde
mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy,
Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520
telephone: [237] 223-05-12, 222-25-89, 222-17-94, 223-40-14
FAX: [237] 223-07-53
branch office(s): Douala

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow
with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the
popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Cameroon

Economy - overview:
Because of its oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions,
Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies in
sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious problems
facing other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy civil
service and a generally unfavorable climate for business enterprise.
Since 1990, the government has embarked on various IMF and World
Bank programs designed to spur business investment, increase
efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize the
nation's banks. In June 2000, the government completed an
IMF-sponsored, three-year structural adjustment program; however,
the IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget
transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs.
International oil and cocoa prices have considerable impact on the
economy.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $27.75 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 42.6% industry: 19.8% services: 37.6% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
19.4% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
48% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 36.6% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
47.7 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
6.49 million NA (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 70%, industry and commerce 13%, other 17%

Unemployment rate:
30% (2001 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.442 billion
expenditures: $1.941 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
57.1% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root
starches; livestock; timber

Industries:
petroleum production and refining, food processing, light consumer
goods, textiles, lumber

Industrial production growth rate:
4.2% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
3.613 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
3.36 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
76,650 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
22,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
200 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
55.22 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-564 million (2003)

Exports:
$1.873 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum,
coffee, cotton

Exports - partners:
Spain 21.9%, Italy 13.4%, France 10.8%, Netherlands 10.6%, US 7.5%,
China 4.4% (2003)

Imports:
$1.959 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food

Imports - partners:
France 21.9%, Nigeria 9.5%, Japan 6.8%, US 5.7%, China 4.9%,
Germany 4.3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$634 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$7.236 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
on 23 January 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reduce Cameroon's debt
of $1.3 billion by $900 million; debt relief now totals $1.26 billion

Currency:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
XAF

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 581.2
(2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699
(1999)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Cameroon

Telephones - main lines in use:
110,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.077 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: available only to business and government
domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter
international: country code - 237; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios:
2.27 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2002)

Televisions:
450,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.cm

Internet hosts:
479 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users: 60,000 (2002) note: Cameroon also had more than 100 cyber-cafes in 2001

Transportation Cameroon

Railways: total: 1,008 km narrow gauge: 1,008 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 34,300 km paved: 4,288 km unpaved: 30,012 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
navigation mainly on Benue River; limited during rainy season (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 90 km; liquid petroleum gas 9 km; oil 1,120 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bonaberi, Douala, Garoua, Kribi, Tiko

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 169,593 GRT/357,023 DWT
by type: petroleum tanker 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
47 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 36 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)

Military Cameroon

Military branches:
Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (1999)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 3,898,944 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,979,151 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 184,054 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$189.2 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.4% (2003)

Transnational Issues Cameroon

Disputes - international:
ICJ ruled in 2002 on the entire Cameroon-Nigeria land and maritime
boundary but the parties formed a Joint Border Commission to resolve
differences bilaterally and have commenced with demarcation in
less-contested sections of the boundary, starting in Lake Chad in
the north; the ICF ruled on an equidistance settlement of
Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of
Guinea, however, implementation of the decision is delayed due to
imprecisely defined coordinates, the unresolved Bakasi allocation,
and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon
over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River; Nigeria initially
rejected cession of the Bakasi Peninsula; Lake Chad Commission
continues to urge signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria to
ratify delimitation treaty over the lake region, which remains the
site of armed clashes among local populations and militias

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 39,261 (Chad), 16,983 (Nigeria), 9,634 (Cote d'Ivoire) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Canada

Introduction Canada

Background:
A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became
a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the
British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has
developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across
an unfortified border. Canada's paramount political problem is
meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and
education services after a decade of budget cuts. The issue of
reconciling Quebec's francophone heritage with the majority
anglophone Canadian population has moved to the back burner in
recent years; support for separatism abated after the Quebec
government's referendum on independence failed to pass in October of
1995.

Geography Canada

Location:
Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the
east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the
north, north of the conterminous US

Geographic coordinates:
60 00 N, 95 00 W

Map references:
North America

Area:
total: 9,984,670 sq km
land: 9,093,507 sq km
water: 891,163 sq km

Area - comparative:
somewhat larger than the US

Land boundaries: total: 8,893 km border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Coastline:
202,080 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

Terrain:
mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m

Natural resources:
iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash,
diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural
gas, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 4.96%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 95.02% (2001)

Irrigated land:
7,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to
development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a
result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and
North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and
snow east of the mountains

Environment - current issues:
air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and
damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and
vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity;
ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial,
mining, and forestry activities

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location
between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of
the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border

People Canada

Population:
32,507,874 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.2% (male 3,038,800; female 2,890,579)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 11,225,686; female 11,111,941)
65 years and over: 13% (male 1,807,472; female 2,433,396) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.2 years
male: 37.2 years
female: 39.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.92% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
10.91 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.67 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
5.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.82 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 5.28 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.96 years
male: 76.59 years
female: 83.5 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.61 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
56,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Canadian(s)
adjective: Canadian

Ethnic groups:
British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%,
Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed
background 26%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 46%, Protestant 36%, other 18%
note: based on the 1991 census

Languages:
English 59.3% (official), French 23.2% (official), other 17.5%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97% (1986 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

Government Canada

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

Government type:
confederation with parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Ottawa

Administrative divisions:
10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia,
Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest
Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island,
Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

Independence:
1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December
1931 (independence recognized)

National holiday:
Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Constitution:
17 April 1982 (Constitution Act); originally, the machinery of the
government was set up in the British North America Act of 1867;
charter of rights and unwritten customs

Legal system:
based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law
system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Adrienne CLARKSON (since 7 October
1999)
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a
five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House
of Commons is automatically designated prime minister by the
governor general
head of government: Prime Minister Paul MARTIN (since 12 December
2003); Deputy Prime Minister Anne MCLELLAN (since 12 December 2003)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister from among
the members of his own party sitting in Parliament

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat
(members appointed by the governor general with the advice of the
prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age; its normal
limit is 105 senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre des
Communes (308 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to
serve for up to five-year terms)
elections: House of Commons - last held 28 June 2004 (next to be
held by NA 2009)
election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -
Liberal Party 36.7%, Conservative Party 29.6%, New Democratic Party
15.7%, Bloc Quebecois 12.4%, Greens 4.3%, independents 0.4%, other
0.9%; seats by party - Liberal Party 134, Conservative Party 99,
Bloc Quebecois 54, New Democratic Party 19, independent 2

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the prime minister
through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada; Federal
Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named variously Court
of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court, and
Court of Justice)

Political parties and leaders:
Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Conservative Party of Canada (a
merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative
Party) [Stephen HARPER]; Liberal Party [Paul MARTIN]; New Democratic
Party [Jack LAYTON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, AfDB, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia
Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ESA (cooperating
state), FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (guest),
NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL,
UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael F. KERGIN
chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
FAX: [1] (202) 682-7726
telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas,
Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, and Seattle
consulate(s): Anchorage, Denver, Houston, Philadelphia,
Raleigh-Durham, San Diego, San Francisco (trade office), and San
Jose (trade office)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Paul CELLUCCI embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8 mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburgh, NY 13669-0430 telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470 FAX: [1] (613) 688-3082 consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg

Flag description:
two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width), with
white square between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is centered
in the white square; the official colors of Canada are red and white

Economy Canada

Economy - overview:
As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely
resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of
production, and high living standards. Since World War II, the
impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors
has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one
primarily industrial and urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade
Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in
trade and economic integration with the US. As a result of the close
cross-border relationship, the economic sluggishness in the United
States in 2001-02 had a negative impact on the Canadian economy.
Real growth averaged nearly 3% during 1993-2000, but declined in
2001, with moderate recovery in 2002-03. Unemployment is up, with
contraction in the manufacturing and natural resource sectors.
Nevertheless, given its great natural resources, skilled labor
force, and modern capital plant Canada enjoys solid economic
prospects. Solid fiscal management has produced a long-term budget
surplus which is substantially reducing the national debt, although
public debate continues over how to manage the rising cost of the
publicly funded healthcare system. Trade accounts for roughly a
third of GDP. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with its
principal trading partner, the United States, which absorbs more
than 85% of Canadian exports. Roughly 90% of the population lives
within 160 kilometers of the US border.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $958.7 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $29,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.2% industry: 29.2% services: 68.6% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
19.5% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 23.8% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
31.5 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
17.04 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 3%, manufacturing 15%, construction 5%, services 74%, other 3% (2000)

Unemployment rate:
7.8% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $348.2 billion
expenditures: $342.7 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
77% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy
products; forest products; fish

Industries:
transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed
minerals, food products; wood and paper products; fish products,
petroleum and natural gas

Industrial production growth rate:
0.2% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
566.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
504.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
38.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
16.11 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
2.738 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1.703 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
2.008 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
1.145 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
5.112 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
186.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
82.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
109 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
4.46 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.691 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$18.63 billion (2003)

Exports:
$279.3 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft,
telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood
pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum

Exports - partners:
US 86.6%, Japan 2.1%, UK 1.4% (2003)

Imports:
$240.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil,
chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods

Imports - partners:
US 60.6%, China 5.6%, Japan 4.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$36.27 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.9 billion (2000)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $1.3 billion (1999)

Currency:
Canadian dollar (CAD)

Currency code:
CAD

Exchange rates:
Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.4011 (2003), 1.5693 (2002),
1.5488 (2001), 1.4851 (2000), 1.4857 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Canada

Telephones - main lines in use:
19,950,900 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
13,221,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent service provided by modern technology
domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations
international: country code - 1-xxx; 5 coaxial submarine cables;
satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1
Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 535, FM 53, shortwave 6 (1998)

Radios:
32.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
80 (plus many repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
21.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.ca

Internet hosts:
3,210,081 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
760 (2000 est.)

Internet users:
16.11 million (2002)

Transportation Canada

Railways: total: 48,909 km standard gauge: 48,909 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 1,408,800 km
paved: 497,306 km (including 16,900 km of expressways)
unpaved: 911,494 km (2002)

Waterways:
631 km
note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint
Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States (2003)

Pipelines:
crude and refined oil 23,564 km; liquid petroleum gas 74,980 km
(2003)

Ports and harbors:
Becancour (Quebec), Churchill, Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal, New
Westminster, Prince Rupert, Quebec, Saint John (New Brunswick), St.
John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Sydney, Trois-Rivieres, Thunder
Bay, Toronto, Vancouver, Windsor

Merchant marine:
total: 119 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,784,229 GRT/2,657,499 DWT
foreign-owned: Germany 3, Hong Kong 2, Monaco 18, United Kingdom 3,
United States 2
registered in other countries: 43 (2004 est.)
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 59, cargo 13, chemical tanker 6,
combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 1, passenger 2,
passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 18, rail car carrier 1, roll
on/roll off 11, short-sea/passenger 3, specialized tanker 1

Airports:
1,357 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 503 over 3,047 m: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 245 under 914 m: 75 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 150

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 823 1,524 to 2,437 m: 67 914 to 1,523 m: 347 under 914 m: 409 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 12 (2003 est.)

Military Canada

Military branches:
Canadian Armed Forces: Land Forces Command, Maritime Command, Air
Command

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 8,417,314 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 7,176,642 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 214,623 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$9,801.7 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.1% (2003)

Transnational Issues Canada

Disputes - international:
managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon Entrance,
Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the disputed
Machias Seal Island and North Rock; uncontested dispute with Denmark
over Hans Island sovereignty in the Kennedy Channel between
Ellesmere Island and Greenland

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market and
export to US; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant
large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; transit point
for heroin and cocaine entering the US market; vulnerable to
narcotics money laundering because of its mature financial services
sector

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Cape Verde

Introduction Cape Verde

Background:
The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the
Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde subsequently became a
trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and
resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following
independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with
Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained
until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues
to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments.
Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused
significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result,
Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one.
Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.

Geography Cape Verde

Location:
Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west
of Senegal

Geographic coordinates:
16 00 N, 24 00 W

Map references:
Political Map of the World

Area:
total: 4,033 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 4,033 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
965 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone: 200 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic

Terrain:
steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)

Natural resources: salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish

Land use: arable land: 9.68% permanent crops: 0.5% other: 89.82% (2001)

Irrigated land:
30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring
dust; volcanically and seismically active

Environment - current issues:
soil erosion; demand for wood used as fuel has resulted in
deforestation; desertification; environmental damage has threatened
several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand
extraction; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major
north-south sea routes; important communications station; important
sea and air refueling site

People Cape Verde

Population:
415,294 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 40% (male 83,835; female 82,318)
15-64 years: 53.3% (male 106,846; female 114,312)
65 years and over: 6.7% (male 10,580; female 17,403) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 19 years
male: 18.2 years
female: 19.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.73% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
26.13 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.72 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-12.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 49.14 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 43.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 54.39 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.14 years
male: 66.83 years
female: 73.54 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.62 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.04% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
775 (2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
225 (as of 2001)

Nationality:
noun: Cape Verdean(s)
adjective: Cape Verdean

Ethnic groups:
Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%

Religions:
Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs); Protestant
(mostly Church of the Nazarene)

Languages:
Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.6%
male: 85.8%
female: 69.2% (2003 est.)

Government Cape Verde

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde
conventional short form: Cape Verde
local short form: Cabo Verde
local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Praia

Administrative divisions:
17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista,
Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande,
Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe, Sao
Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal

Independence:
5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Constitution:
new constitution came into force 25 September 1992; underwent a
major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially increasing the
powers of the president, and a further revision in 1999, to create
the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)

Legal system:
derived from the legal system of Portugal

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Pedro PIRES (since 22 March 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1
February 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 11 and 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA
February 2006); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly
and appointed by the president
election results: Pedro PIRES elected president; percent of vote -
Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 49.43%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 49.42%; note - the
election was won by only twelve votes

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA December
2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 47.3%, MPD 39.8%,
ADM 6%, other 6.9%; seats by party - PAICV 40, MPD 30, ADM 2

Judicial branch:
Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia

Political parties and leaders:
African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Jose Maria
Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Alliance for Change or ADM [Dr.
Eurico MONTEIRO] (a coalition of PCD, PTS, and UCID); Democratic
Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES, chairman]; Democratic
Renovation Party or PRD [Jacinto SANTOS, president]; Movement for
Democracy or MPD [Agostinho LOPES, president]; Party for Democratic
Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO, president]; Party of Work
and Solidarity or PTS [Isaias RODRIGUES, president]; Social
Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jose BRITO
consulate(s) general: Boston
FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207
telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820
chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Donald C. JOHNSON
embassy: Rua Abilio m. Macedo 81, Praia
mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia
telephone: [238] 61 56 16, 61 56 17
FAX: [238] 61 13 55

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of light blue (top, double width), white
(with a horizontal red stripe in the middle third), and light blue;
a circle of 10 yellow five-pointed stars is centered on the hoist
end of the red stripe and extends into the upper and lower blue bands

Economy Cape Verde

Economy - overview:
This island economy suffers from a poor natural resource base,
including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term
drought. The economy is service-oriented, with commerce, transport,
tourism, and public services accounting for 72% of GDP. Although
nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of
agriculture in GDP in 2001 was only 11%, of which fishing accounted
for 1.5%. About 82% of food must be imported. The fishing potential,
mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. Cape Verde annually
runs a high trade deficit, financed by foreign aid and remittances
from emigrants; remittances supplement GDP by more than 20%.
Economic reforms are aimed at developing the private sector and
attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy. Prospects
for 2004 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, tourism,
remittances, and the momentum of the government's development
program.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $600 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 16.5% services: 62.8% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
16.5% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
30% (2000)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (2003)

Labor force:
NA (1980)

Unemployment rate:
21% (2000 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $252.9 million
expenditures: $269.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Agriculture - products:
bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts;
fish

Industries:
food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt
mining, ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
42.03 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
39.08 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-106.3 million (2003)

Exports:
$50.68 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides

Exports - partners:
Portugal 31%, France 27.6%, UK 17.2%, US 17.2% (2003)

Imports:
$315.5 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners:
Portugal 46.7%, Netherlands 9.1%, Belgium 3.8% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$88.02 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$325 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
$136 million (1999)

Currency:
Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)

Currency code:
CVE

Exchange rates:
Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 97.703 (2003), 117.168
(2002), 123.228 (2001), 115.877 (2000), 102.7 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Cape Verde

Telephones - main lines in use:
71,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
53,300 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: effective system, being improved
domestic: interisland microwave radio relay system with both analog
and digital exchanges; work is in progress on a submarine
fiber-optic cable system which is scheduled for completion in 2003
international: country code - 238; 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF
radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station
- 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 15 (and 17 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios:
100,000 (2002 est.)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (and 7 repeaters) (2002)

Televisions:
15,000 (2002 est.)

Internet country code:
.cv

Internet hosts:
118 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
20,400 (2003)

Transportation Cape Verde

Highways: total: 1,100 km paved: 858 km unpaved: 242 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal

Merchant marine:
total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,395 GRT/6,614 DWT
foreign-owned: United Kingdom 1 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 1

Airports: 7 note: 3 airports are reported to be nonoperational (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Cape Verde

Military branches:
Army, Coast Guard

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 98,394 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 55,477 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$12.3 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.5% (2003)

Transnational Issues Cape Verde

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin
America and Asia destined for Western Europe; the lack of a
well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Cayman Islands

Introduction Cayman Islands

Background:
The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British
during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered by Jamaica since
1863, they remained a British dependency after 1962 when the former
became independent.

Geography Cayman Islands

Location:
Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the
way from Cuba to Honduras

Geographic coordinates:
19 30 N, 80 30 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 262 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 262 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
160 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool,
relatively dry winters (November to April)

Terrain:
low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: The Bluff 43 m

Natural resources: fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

Land use: arable land: 3.85% permanent crops: 0% other: 96.15% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
hurricanes (July to November)

Environment - current issues: no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments

Geography - note: important location between Cuba and Central America

People Cayman Islands

Population:
43,103 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.4% (male 4,608; female 4,616)
15-64 years: 70.6% (male 14,858; female 15,593)
65 years and over: 8% (male 1,607; female 1,821) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 36.5 years
male: 36.2 years
female: 36.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.71% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
13.11 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.76 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
18.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2004
est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.41 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 9.64 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.81 years
male: 77.21 years
female: 82.45 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.9 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Caymanian(s)
adjective: Caymanian

Ethnic groups:
mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic
groups 20%

Religions:
United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist,
Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Languages:
English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1970 est.)

Government Cayman Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cayman Islands

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
British crown colony

Capital:
George Town

Administrative divisions:
8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake
Bay, West End, Western

Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
Constitution Day, first Monday in July

Constitution:
1959, revised 1972 and 1992

Legal system:
British common law and local statutes

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
Governor Bruce DINWIDDY (since 29 May 2002)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is
appointed by the monarch; the chief secretary is appointed by the
governor
head of government: Chief Secretary W. McKeeva BUSH (since NA
December 2001)
cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor,
four members elected by the Legislative Assembly)

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, three appointed members
from the Executive Council and 15 elected by popular vote; members
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 8 November 2000 (next to be held 17 November
2004)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - NA

Judicial branch:
Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
no national teams (loose groupings of political organizations) were
formed for the 2000 elections; United Democratic Party or UDP
[leader McKeeva BUSH]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [leader
Kurt TIBBETTS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO
(associate), UPU

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

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

Flag description:
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag;
the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above a shield with
three stars (representing the three islands) and a scroll at the
bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS

Economy Cayman Islands

Economy - overview:
With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore
financial center. More than 40,000 companies were registered in the
Cayman Islands as of 1998, including almost 600 banks and trust
companies; banking assets exceed $500 billion. A stock exchange was
opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70%
of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is
aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North
America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 1.2 million in 1997, with
600,000 from the US. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer
goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest
outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the
world.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.27 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $35,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 3.2%
services: 95.4% (1994 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA (2002 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (2002)

Labor force:
19,820 (1995)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%, services 86% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
4.1% (1997)

Budget:
revenues: $265.2 million
expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1997)

Agriculture - products:
vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming

Industries:
tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction
materials, furniture

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
381.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
355.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$1.2 million (1999)

Exports - commodities:
turtle products, manufactured consumer goods

Exports - partners:
mostly US

Imports:
$457.4 million (1999)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, manufactured goods

Imports - partners:
US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan

Debt - external:
$70 million (1996)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA (1999)

Currency:
Caymanian dollar (KYD)

Currency code:
KYD

Exchange rates:
Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October 2001), 0.83 (3
November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Cayman Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
38,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
17,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-345; 1 submarine coaxial cable;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
36,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 with cable system

Televisions:
7,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ky

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Cayman Islands

Highways: total: 785 km paved: 785 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
Cayman Brac, George Town

Merchant marine:
total: 137 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,827,837 GRT/4,555,974 DWT
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Germany 9, Greece 25, Hong Kong 3, Italy 14, Norway
4, Singapore 1, Spain 11, Sweden 13, Switzerland 1, United Kingdom
18, United States 43
by type: bulk 27, cargo 7, chemical tanker 36, container 2,
liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 25, refrigerated cargo 33, roll
on/roll off 4, short-sea/passenger 1, specialized tanker 1

Airports:
3 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Cayman Islands

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Cayman Islands

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the
US and Europe

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Central African Republic

Introduction Central African Republic

Background:
The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African
Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades
of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was
established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. President Ange-Felix
PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by unrest, and in March
2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois
BOZIZE, who has since established a transitional government. Though
the government has the tacit support of civil society groups and the
main parties, a wide field of affiliated and independent candidates
will contest the municipal, legislative, and presidential elections
scheduled for February 2005. The government still does not fully
control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist.

Geography Central African Republic

Location:
Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:
7 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 622,984 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 622,984 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 5,203 km
border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic
Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan
1,165 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers

Terrain:
vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in
northeast and southwest

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m
highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m

Natural resources:
diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 3.1%
permanent crops: 0.14%
other: 96.76% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are
common

Environment - current issues:
tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished the country's
reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges;
desertification; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa

People Central African Republic

Population:
3,742,482
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.8% (male 806,506; female 795,639)
15-64 years: 53.8% (male 990,522; female 1,021,491)
65 years and over: 3.4% (male 53,860; female 74,464) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18 years
male: 17.7 years
female: 18.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.56% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
35.55 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
19.99 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 92.15 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 84.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 99.09 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 41.36 years
male: 39.7 years
female: 43.08 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.59 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
13.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
260,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
23,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Central African(s)
adjective: Central African

Ethnic groups:
Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%,
Yakoma 4%, other 2%

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim
15%
note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the
Christian majority

Languages:
French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language),
tribal languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 51%
male: 63.3%
female: 39.9% (2003 est.)

Government Central African Republic

Country name:
conventional long form: Central African Republic
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republique Centrafricaine
former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire
abbreviation: CAR
local short form: none

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Bangui

Administrative divisions:
14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture), 2 economic
prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture
economique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**,
Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei,
Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham,
Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga

Independence:
13 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Republic Day, 1 December (1958)

Constitution:
passed by referendum 5 December 2004

Legal system:
based on French law

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003
coup) and Vice President Abel GOUMA (since 12 December 2003)
elections: NA; municipal, legislative and presidential elections
scheduled for December 2004 or January 2005; prime minister
appointed by the president
head of government: Prime Minister Celestin GAOMBALET (since 12
December 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (109 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note -
there were 85 seats in the National Assembly before the 1998
election)
elections: last held 22-23 November and 13 December 1998 (next to be
held NA 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - MLPC 43%, RDC 18%, MDD
9%, FPP 6%, PSD 5%, ADP 4%, PUN 3%, FODEM 2%, PLD 2%, UPR 1%, FC 1%,
independents 6%; seats by party - MLPC 47, RDC 20, MDD 8, FPP 7, PSD
6, ADP 5, PUN 3, FODEM 2, PLD 2, UPR 1, FC 1, independents 7

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court (3 judges
appointed by the president, 3 by the president of the National
Assembly, and 3 by fellow judges); Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts;
Inferior Courts

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Jacques MBOLIEDAS];
Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC [Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic
Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA]; Democratic Forum for
Modernity or FODEM [Charles MASSI]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD
[Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON]; Movement for Democracy and Development or
MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the Liberation of the Central
African People or MLPC [the party of deposed president, Ange-Felix
PATASSE]; Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP [Abel GOUMBA];
People's Union for the Republic or UPR [Pierre Sammy MAKFOY];
National Unity Party or PUN [Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE]; Social Democratic
Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY
chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893
telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui telephone: [236] 61 02 00 FAX: [236] 61 44 94 note: The embassy is currently operating with a minimal staff

Flag description:
four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow
with a vertical red band in center; there is a yellow five-pointed
star on the hoist side of the blue band

Economy Central African Republic

Economy - overview:
Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry, remains the
backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), with
more than 70% of the population living in outlying areas. The
agricultural sector generates half of GDP. Timber has accounted for
about 16% of export earnings and the diamond industry for 54%.
Important constraints to economic development include the CAR's
landlocked position, a poor transportation system, a largely
unskilled work force, and a legacy of misdirected macroeconomic
policies. Factional fighting between the government and its
opponents remains a drag on economic revitalization, with GDP likely
to contract in 2004. Distribution of income is extraordinarily
unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only
partially meet humanitarian needs.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $4.183 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 55%
industry: 20%
services: 25% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA (1993)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 47.7% (1993)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
61.3 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.6% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
NA (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)

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

Agriculture - products:
cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn,
bananas; timber

Industries:
diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear, assembly of
bicycles and motorcycles

Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2002)

Electricity - production:
106 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
98.63 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$172 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco

Exports - partners:
Belgium 41.8%, Italy 10.7%, Spain 9.8%, France 7.4%, Indonesia 6.6%
(2003)

Imports:
$136 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical
equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:
France 27%, Cameroon 9.2%, US 5.3% (2003)

Debt - external:
$881.4 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA $73 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France
(2000 est.)

Currency:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
XAF

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 581.2
(2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699
(1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Central African Republic

Telephones - main lines in use:
9,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
13,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fair system
domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and
low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication
international: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios:
283,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)

Televisions:
18,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.cf

Internet hosts:
6 (2002)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
5,000 (2002)

Transportation Central African Republic

Highways: total: 23,810 km paved: 643 km unpaved: 23,167 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga

Airports:
50 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 47 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)

Military Central African Republic

Military branches:
Central African Armed Forces (FACA): Republican Guard, Ground
Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 878,980 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 460,469 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$14.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.1% (2003)

Transnational Issues Central African Republic

Disputes - international:
internal political instabilities with fighting and violence overlap
into Chad and CAR, leaving refugees and rebel groups in both
countries; Sudan has pledged to work with CAR to stem violent
skirmishes over water and grazing rights among related pastoral
populations along the border

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 36,479 (Sudan), 1,864 (Chad), 6,484
(Democratic Republic of the Congo)
IDPs: 200,000 (unrest following coup in 2003) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Chad

Introduction Chad

Background:
Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured three
decades of ethnic warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a
semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government
eventually suppressed or came to terms with most political-military
groups, settled a territorial dispute with Libya on terms favorable
to Chad, drafted a democratic constitution, and held multiparty
presidential elections in 1996 and 1997. In 1998, a new rebellion
broke out in northern Chad, which sporadically flares up despite two
peace agreements signed in 2002 and 2003 between the government and
the rebels. Despite movement toward democratic reform, power remains
in the hands of a northern ethnic oligarchy.

Geography Chad

Location:
Central Africa, south of Libya

Geographic coordinates:
15 00 N, 19 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1.284 million sq km
water: 24,800 sq km
land: 1,259,200 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than three times the size of California

Land boundaries:
total: 5,968 km
border countries: Cameroon 1,094 km, Central African Republic 1,197
km, Libya 1,055 km, Niger 1,175 km, Nigeria 87 km, Sudan 1,360 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
tropical in south, desert in north

Terrain:
broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in
northwest, lowlands in south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m
highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad)

Land use: arable land: 2.86% permanent crops: 0.02% other: 97.12% (2001)

Irrigated land:
200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts;
locust plagues

Environment - current issues:
inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in
rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Geography - note:
landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the
Sahel

People Chad

Population:
9,538,544 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 47.9% (male 2,297,490; female 2,269,801)
15-64 years: 49.3% (male 2,245,586; female 2,459,796)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 107,594; female 158,277) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 16 years
male: 15.3 years
female: 16.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
3% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
46.5 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
16.38 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 94.78 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 85.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 104.01 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 48.24 years
male: 46.91 years
female: 49.63 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
6.38 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
4.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
200,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
18,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Chadian(s)
adjective: Chadian

Ethnic groups:
200 distinct groups; in the north and center: Arabs, Gorane
(Toubou, Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Baguirmi,
Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba, most of whom are
Muslim; in the south: Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Moundang,
Moussei, Massa, most of whom are Christian or animist; about 1,000
French citizens live in Chad

Religions:
Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other 7%

Languages:
French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than
120 different languages and dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic
total population: 47.5%
male: 56%
female: 39.3% (2003 est.)

Government Chad

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Chad
conventional short form: Chad
local long form: Republique du Tchad
local short form: Tchad

Government type:
republic

Capital:
N'Djamena

Administrative divisions:
14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture); Batha,
Biltine, Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Kanem, Lac,
Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mayo-Kebbi, Moyen-Chari,
Ouaddai, Salamat, Tandjile
note: instead of 14 prefectures, there may be a new administrative
structure of 28 departments (departments, singular - department),
and 1 city*; Assongha, Baguirmi, Bahr El Gazal, Bahr Koh, Batha
Oriental, Batha Occidental, Biltine, Borkou, Dababa, Ennedi, Guera,
Hadjer Lamis, Kabia, Kanem, Lac, Lac Iro, Logone Occidental, Logone
Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Boneye, Mayo-Dallah, Monts de Lam,
N'Djamena*, Ouaddai, Salamat, Sila, Tandjile Oriental, Tandjile
Occidental, Tibesti

Independence:
11 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

Constitution:
passed by referendum 31 March 1996

Legal system:
based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since 4 December
1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Pascal YOADIMNADJI (since 3
February 2005)
cabinet: Council of State, members appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY reelected president; percent
of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 63%, Ngarlegy YORONGAR 16%, Saleh
KEBZABO 7%
note: government coalition - MPS, UNDR, and URD
elections: president elected by popular vote to serve five-year
term; if no candidate receives at least 50% of the total vote, the
two candidates receiving the most votes must stand for a second
round of voting; last held 20 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006);
prime minister appointed by the president

Legislative branch:
bicameral according to constitution, consists of a National
Assembly (155 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms) and a Senate (not yet created and size unspecified,
members to serve six-year terms, one-third of membership renewable
every two years)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, URD 5, UNDR 3, others 11
elections: National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002 (next to be
held in NA April 2006)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders:
Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarlejy YORONGAR];
National Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Mamadou BISSO];
National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO];
Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat Saleh AHMAT, chairman]
(originally in opposition but now the party in power and the party
of the president); Rally for Democracy and Progress or RPD [leader
NA]; Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal Abdelkader
KAMOUGUE]; Viva Rally for Development and Progress or Viva RNDP
[Delwa Kassire COUMAKOYE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hassaballah Abdelhadi Ahmat SOUBIANE
chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937
telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher E. GOLDTHWAIT embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena telephone: [235] (51) 70-09 FAX: [235] (51) 56-54

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red;
similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flags of Andorra
and Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms centered in
the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France

Economy Chad

Economy - overview:
Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to be boosted
by major oilfield and pipeline projects that began in 2000. Over 80%
of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and stock raising
for its livelihood. Cotton, cattle, and gum arabic provide the bulk
of Chad's export earnings, but Chad will begin to export oil in
2004. Chad's economy has long been handicapped by its landlocked
position, high energy costs, and a history of instability. Chad
relies on foreign assistance and foreign capital for most public and
private sector investment projects. A consortium led by two US
companies has been investing $3.7 billion to develop oil reserves
estimated at 1 billion barrels in southern Chad. Oil production came
on stream in late 2003.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $10.67 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
15% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 32.4% industry: 18.8% services: 48.8% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
40.3% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
80% (2001 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
NA (2002)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture more than 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and
fishing)

Unemployment rate:
NA (2000)

Budget:
revenues: $591.2 million
expenditures: $680.9 million, including capital expenditures of $146
million (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca);
cattle, sheep, goats, camels

Industries:
oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, beer brewing, natron (sodium
carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate:
5% (1995)

Electricity - production:
94.04 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
87.46 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-474 million (2003)

Exports:
$365 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
cotton, cattle, gum arabic

Exports - partners:
US 25%, Germany 17%, Portugal 15.9%, France 6.8%, Morocco 4.5%
(2003)

Imports:
$760 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, petroleum
products, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:
France 28.6%, US 20.7%, Cameroon 14.6%, Netherlands 4.7% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$191.8 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.1 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$238.3 million; note - $125 million committed by Taiwan (August
1997); $30 million committed by African Development Bank; ODA $150
million (2001 est.)

Currency:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
XAF

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 581.2
(2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699
(1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Chad

Telephones - main lines in use:
11,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
65,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: primitive system
domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations
international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2002)

Radios:
1.67 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2002)

Televisions:
10,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.td

Internet hosts:
8 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
15,000 (2002)

Transportation Chad

Highways: total: 33,400 km paved: 267 km unpaved: 33,133 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2002)

Pipelines:
oil 205 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
50 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 44 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Military Chad

Military branches:
Armed Forces: National Army (ANT), Air Force, and Republican Guard

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 20 years of age for conscripts, with 3-year service obligation; 18 years of age for volunteers; no minimum age restriction for volunteers with consent from a guardian (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,008,825 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,051,802 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 91,231 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$55.4 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.1% (2003)

Transnational Issues Chad

Disputes - international:
civil war in Sudan overlaps into Chad as both states step up border
patrols, leaving refugees and rebel groups in both countries; Chad
serves as an important mediator in the Sudanese civil conflict;
Chadian Aozou rebels reside in southern Libya; Lake Chad Commission
continues to urge signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria to
ratify delimitation treaty over lake region; Chad rejects Nigerian
request to redemarcate boundary, the site of periodic cross-border
incidents

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 200,000 (Sudan), 30,000 (Central
African Republic) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Chile

Introduction Chile

Background:
A three-year-old Marxist government was overthrown in 1973 by a
dictatorial military regime led by Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until
a freely elected president was installed in 1990. Sound economic
policies, maintained consistently since the 1980s, have contributed
to steady growth and have helped secure the country's commitment to
democratic and representative government. Chile has increasingly
assumed regional and international leadership roles befitting its
status as a stable, democratic nation.

Geography Chile

Location:
Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between
Argentina and Peru

Geographic coordinates:
30 00 S, 71 00 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 756,950 sq km
land: 748,800 sq km
note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez
water: 8,150 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

Land boundaries: total: 6,171 km border countries: Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km

Coastline: 6,435 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200/350 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool
and damp in south

Terrain:
low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m

Natural resources:
copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum,
hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2.65% permanent crops: 0.42% other: 96.93% (2001)

Irrigated land:
18,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:
widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air
pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution
from raw sewage

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage);
Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions

People Chile

Population:
15,823,957 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.8% (male 2,090,165; female 1,996,972)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 5,235,061; female 5,261,820)
65 years and over: 7.8% (male 515,698; female 724,241) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 29.8 years
male: 28.9 years
female: 30.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.01% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
15.77 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.71 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.05 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 9.81 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.38 years
male: 73.09 years
female: 79.82 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.06 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
26,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,400 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Chilean(s) adjective: Chilean

Ethnic groups:
white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish negligible

Languages:
Spanish

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.2%
male: 96.4%
female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

Government Chile

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

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Santiago

Administrative divisions:
13 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General Carlos
Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Atacama, Bio-Bio,
Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos,
Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana
(Santiago), Tarapaca, Valparaiso
note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

Independence:
18 September 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 18 September (1810)

Constitution:
11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981, amended 30 July 1989,
1993, and 1997

Legal system:
based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent codes
influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
note: Chile is in the process of completely overhauling its criminal
justice system; a new, US-style adversarial system is being
gradually implemented throughout the country with the final stage of
implementation in the Santiago metropolitan region expected in June
2005

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March
2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March
2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
election results: Ricardo LAGOS Escobar elected president; percent
of vote - Ricardo LAGOS Escobar 51.32%, Joaquin LAVIN 48.68%
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 12 December 1999, with runoff election held 16
January 2000 (next to be held NA December 2005)

Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the
Senate or Senado (48 seats, 38 elected by popular vote, 9 designated
members, and 1 former president who has served a full six-year term
and is senator for life); elected members serve eight-year terms
(one-half elected every four years) and the Chamber of Deputies or
Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote
to serve four-year terms)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - CPD 20 (PDC 12, PS 5, PPD 3), APC 16 (UDI 9, RN 7),
independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - CPD 62 (PDC 24, PPD 21, PS 11, PRSD 6), UDI 35, RN
22, independent 1
elections: Senate - last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA
December 2005); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 December 2001
(next to be held NA December 2005)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the
president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates
provided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is
elected by the 21-member court); Constitutional Tribunal

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Chile ("Alianza") or APC - including RN and UDI;
Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Adolfo ZALDIVAR]; Coalition of
Parties for Democracy ("Concertacion") or CPD - including PDC, PS,
PPD, PRSD; Communist Party or PC [Gladys MARIN]; Independent
Democratic Union or UDI [Pablo LONGUEIRA]; National Renewal or RN
[Sebastian PINERA]; Party for Democracy or PPD [Victor BARRUETO];
Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD [Orlando CANTUARIAS];
Socialist Party or PS [Gonzalo MARTNER]

Political pressure groups and leaders: revitalized university student federations at all major universities; Roman Catholic Church; United Labor Central or CUT includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor confederations

International organization participation:
APEC, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate),
MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Andres BIANCHI
chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Craig A. KELLY embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago mailing address: APO AA 34033 telephone: [56] (2) 232-2600 FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is a blue
square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end of
the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the
center representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes
the sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red stands for the
blood spilled to achieve independence; design was influenced by the
US flag

Economy Chile

Economy - overview:
Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level
of foreign trade. During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation as a
role model for economic reform was strengthened when the democratic
government of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the military in
1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the military
government. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97, but fell
to half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary policies
implemented to keep the current account deficit in check and because
of lower export earnings - the latter a product of the global
financial crisis. A severe drought exacerbated the recession in
1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls and
electricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economic
growth for the first time in more than 15 years. Despite the effects
of the recession, Chile maintained its reputation for strong
financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the
strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. By the end of
1999, exports and economic activity had begun to recover, and growth
rebounded to 4.2% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.1% in 2001 and 2.1%
in 2002, largely due to lackluster global growth and the devaluation
of the Argentine peso, but recovered to 3.2% in 2003. Unemployment,
although declining over the past year, remains stubbornly high,
putting pressure on President LAGOS to improve living standards. One
bright spot was the signing of a free trade agreement with the US,
which took effect on 1 January 2004. In 2004, GDP growth is set to
accelerate to more than 4% as copper prices rise, export earnings
grow, and foreign direct investment picks up.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $154.7 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $9,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.4% industry: 38.6% services: 55.1% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
21.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
20.6% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 41% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
56.7 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
6 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 13.6%, industry 23.4%, services 63% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
8.5% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $15.44 billion
expenditures: $16.02 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
14.8% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic,
asparagus, beans, beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber

Industries:
copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and
steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
1.5% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
41.66 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
40.13 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
1.386 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
13,640 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
241,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
81.05 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
1.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
6.47 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
5.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
67.78 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-594 million (2003)

Exports:
$20.44 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
copper, fish, fruits, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine

Exports - partners:
US 16.2%, Japan 10.5%, China 8.6%, South Korea 4.7%, Mexico 4.3%,
Italy 4.2% (2003)

Imports:
$17.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
consumer goods, chemicals, motor vehicles, fuels, electrical
machinery, heavy industrial machinery, food

Imports - partners:
Argentina 19.4%, US 13%, Brazil 10.4%, China 6.6% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$15.84 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$43.15 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $40 million (2001 est.)

Currency:
Chilean peso (CLP)

Currency code:
CLP

Exchange rates:
Chilean pesos per US dollar - 691.433 (2003), 688.936 (2002),
634.938 (2001), 535.466 (2000), 508.777 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Chile

Telephones - main lines in use:
3.467 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
6,445,700 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system based on extensive microwave
radio relay facilities
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite
system with 3 earth stations
international: country code - 56; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 180 (eight inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17 (one inactive) (1998)

Radios:
5.18 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
63 (plus 121 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
3.15 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.cl

Internet hosts:
202,429 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
7 (2000)

Internet users:
3.575 million (2002)

Transportation Chile

Railways:
total: 6,585 km
broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 79,814 km
paved: 15,484 km (including 294 km of expressways)
unpaved: 64,330 km (2000)

Pipelines:
gas 2,583 km; gas/lpg 42 km; liquid petroleum gas 539 km; oil 1,003
km; refined products 757 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Antofagasta, Arica, Chanaral, Coquimbo, Iquique, Puerto Montt,
Punta Arenas, San Antonio, San Vicente, Talcahuano, Valparaiso

Merchant marine:
total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 725,216 GRT/954,519 DWT
by type: bulk 10, cargo 5, chemical tanker 9, container 3, liquefied
gas 1, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 4,
short-sea/passenger 1, vehicle carrier 4
foreign-owned: Argentina 1
registered in other countries: 28 (2004 est.)

Airports:
363 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 71
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 21
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 15 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 293
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 60
under 914 m: 217 (2004 est.)

Military Chile

Military branches:
Army of the Nation, National Navy (including Naval Air, Coast
Guard, and Marine Corps), Air Force of the Nation, Chilean
Carabineros (National Police)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; all citizens 18-45 are obligated to perform military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy and Air Force (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 4,207,066 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,107,454 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 131,283 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$2,839.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4% (2003)

Transnational Issues Chile

Disputes - international:
Bolivia has reactivated its claim to the Atacama corridor ceded to
Chile in 1884 to secure sovereign maritime access for Bolivian
natural gas; dispute with Peru over the economic zone delimited by
the maritime boundary; Beagle Channel islands dispute resolved
through Papal mediation in 1984, but armed incidents persist since
1992 oil discovery; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean
Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps Argentine and British claims

Illicit drugs:
important transshipment country for cocaine destined for Europe and
the US; economic prosperity and increasing trade have made Chile
more attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug profits,
especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone, but a new
anti-money-laundering law improves controls; imported precursors
passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@China

Introduction China

Background:
For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the
rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and
early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major
famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War
II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic
socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed
strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of
millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and
other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by
2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living
standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal
choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.

Geography China

Location:
Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea,
and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:
35 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 9,596,960 sq km
land: 9,326,410 sq km
water: 270,550 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than the US

Land boundaries:
total: 22,117 km
border countries: Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km,
India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea 1,416 km,
Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Mongolia 4,677 km, Nepal 1,236 km,
Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605 km, Russia (northwest) 40
km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 km
regional borders: Hong Kong 30 km, Macau 0.34 km

Coastline:
14,500 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north

Terrain:
mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas,
and hills in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Turpan Pendi -154 m
highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten,
antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum,
lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest)

Land use:
arable land: 15.4%
other: 83.36% (2001)
permanent crops: 1.25%

Irrigated land:
525,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern
coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land
subsidence

Environment - current issues:
air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates) from
reliance on coal produces acid rain; water shortages, particularly
in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes; deforestation;
estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land since 1949 to soil
erosion and economic development; desertification; trade in
endangered species

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
world's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US);
Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak;

People China

Population:
1,298,847,624 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 22.3% (male 153,401,051; female 135,812,993)
15-64 years: 70.3% (male 469,328,664; female 443,248,860)
65 years and over: 7.5% (male 46,308,923; female 50,747,133) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 31.8 years male: 31.5 years female: 32.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.57% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
12.98 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.92 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.12 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 25.28 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 29.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 21.84 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.96 years
male: 70.4 years
female: 73.72 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.69 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
840,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
44,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Chinese (singular and plural)
adjective: Chinese

Ethnic groups:
Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Manchu,
Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 8.1%

Religions:
Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Muslim 1%-2%, Christian 3%-4%
note: officially atheist (2002 est.)

Languages:
Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing
dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan
(Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages
(see Ethnic groups entry)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.9%
male: 95.1%
female: 86.5% (2002)

Government China

Country name:
conventional long form: People's Republic of China
conventional short form: China
local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo
abbreviation: PRC
local short form: Zhong Guo

Government type:
Communist state

Capital:
Beijing

Administrative divisions:
23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions
(zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities (shi, singular
and plural)
: provinces: Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan,
Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin,
Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan,
Zhejiang
: autonomous regions: Guangxi, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Xizang
(Tibet)
note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries
for the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau
: municipalities: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin

Independence:
221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty); 1 January 1912
(Manchu Dynasty replaced by a Republic); 1 October 1949 (People's
Republic established)

National holiday:
Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China, 1
October (1949)

Constitution:
most recent promulgation 4 December 1982

Legal system:
a complex amalgam of custom and statute, largely criminal law;
rudimentary civil code in effect since 1 January 1987; new legal
codes in effect since 1 January 1980; continuing efforts are being
made to improve civil, administrative, criminal, and commercial law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003) and Vice
President ZENG Qinghong (since 15 March 2003)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the National People's Congress
(NPC)
election results: HU Jintao elected president by the Tenth National
People's Congress with a total of 2,937 votes (4 delegates voted
against him, 4 abstained, and 38 did not vote); ZENG Qinghong
elected vice president by the Tenth National People's Congress with
a total of 2,578 votes (177 delegates voted against him, 190
abstained, and 38 did not vote); 2 seats were vacant
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
People's Congress for five-year terms; elections last held 15-17
March 2003 (next to be held mid-March 2008); premier nominated by
the president, confirmed by the National People's Congress
head of government: Premier WEN Jiabao (since 16 March 2003); Vice
Premiers HUANG Ju (since 17 March 2003), WU Yi (17 March 2003), ZENG
Peiyan (since 17 March 2003), and HUI Liangyu (since 17 March 2003)

Legislative branch:
unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin Daibiao
Dahui (2,985 seats; members elected by municipal, regional, and
provincial people's congresses to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held December 2002-February 2003 (next to be held
late 2007-February 2008)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - NA

Judicial branch:
Supreme People's Court (judges appointed by the National People's
Congress); Local Peoples Courts (comprise higher, intermediate and
local courts); Special Peoples Courts (primarily military, maritime,
and railway transport courts)

Political parties and leaders:
Chinese Communist Party or CCP [HU Jintao, General Secretary of the
Central Committee]; eight registered small parties controlled by CCP

Political pressure groups and leaders:
no substantial political opposition groups exist, although the
government has identified the Falungong spiritual movement and the
China Democracy Party as subversive groups

International organization participation:
AfDB, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, CDB, FAO,
G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer),
MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, PCA,
SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador YANG Jiechi
chancery: 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: [1] (202) 328-2582
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and
San Francisco
telephone: [1] (202) 328-2500

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Clark T. RANDT, Jr. embassy: Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, 100600 Beijing mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [86] (10) 6532-3831 FAX: [86] (10) 6532-6929 consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenyang

Flag description:
red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow
five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of
the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner

Economy China

Economy - overview: In late 1978 the Chinese leadership began moving the economy from a sluggish, inefficient, Soviet-style centrally planned economy to a more market-oriented system. Whereas the system operates within a political framework of strict Communist control, the economic influence of non-state organizations and individual citizens has been steadily increasing. The authorities switched to a system of household and village responsibility in agriculture in place of the old collectivization, increased the authority of local officials and plant managers in industry, permitted a wide variety of small-scale enterprises in services and light manufacturing, and opened the economy to increased foreign trade and investment. The result has been a quadrupling of GDP since 1978. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis, China in 2003 stood as the second-largest economy in the world after the US, although in per capita terms the country is still poor. Agriculture and industry have posted major gains especially in coastal areas near Hong Kong, opposite Taiwan, and in Shanghai, where foreign investment has helped spur output of both domestic and export goods. The leadership, however, often has experienced - as a result of its hybrid system - the worst results of socialism (bureaucracy and lassitude) and of capitalism (growing income disparities and rising unemployment). China thus has periodically backtracked, retightening central controls at intervals. The government has struggled to (a) sustain adequate jobs growth for tens of millions of workers laid off from state-owned enterprises, migrants, and new entrants to the work force; (b) reduce corruption and other economic crimes; and (c) keep afloat the large state-owned enterprises, many of which had been shielded from competition by subsidies and had been losing the ability to pay full wages and pensions. From 80 to 120 million surplus rural workers are adrift between the villages and the cities, many subsisting through part-time, low-paying jobs. Popular resistance, changes in central policy, and loss of authority by rural cadres have weakened China's population control program, which is essential to maintaining long-term growth in living standards. Another long-term threat to growth is the deterioration in the environment, notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table especially in the north. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and economic development. Beijing says it will intensify efforts to stimulate growth through spending on infrastructure - such as water supply and power grids - and poverty relief and through rural tax reform. Accession to the World Trade Organization helps strengthen its ability to maintain strong growth rates but at the same time puts additional pressure on the hybrid system of strong political controls and growing market influences. China has benefited from a huge expansion in computer internet use. Foreign investment remains a strong element in China's remarkable economic growth. Growing shortages of electric power and raw materials will hold back the expansion of industrial output in 2004.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $6.449 trillion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
9.1% (official data) (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14.8% industry and construction: 52.9% services: 32.3% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
43.4% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
10% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 30.4% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.2% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
778.1 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 50%, industry 22%, services 28% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
10.1% urban unemployment roughly 10%; substantial unemployment and
underemployment in rural areas (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $265.8 billion
expenditures: $300.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003)

Public debt:
30.1% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
rice, wheat, potatoes, sorghum, peanuts, tea, millet, barley,
cotton, oilseed, pork, fish

Industries:
iron and steel, coal, machine building, armaments, textiles and
apparel, petroleum, cement, chemical fertilizers, footwear, toys,
food processing, automobiles, consumer electronics,
telecommunications

Industrial production growth rate:
30.4% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
1.42 trillion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.312 trillion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
10.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
1.8 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
3.3 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
4.57 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
151,200 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
1.207 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
26.75 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
30.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
27.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.29 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$31.17 billion (2003)

Exports:
$436.1 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, textiles and clothing, footwear, toys and
sporting goods, mineral fuels

Exports - partners:
US 21.1%, Hong Kong 17.4%, Japan 13.6%, South Korea 4.6%, Germany
4% (2003)

Imports:
$397.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, plastics, iron and steel,
chemicals

Imports - partners:
Japan 18%, Taiwan 11.9%, South Korea 10.4%, US 8.2%, Germany 5.9%
(2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$412.7 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$197.8 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency:
yuan (CNY)
note:: also referred to as the Renminbi (RMB)

Currency code:
CNY

Exchange rates:
yuan per US dollar - 8.277 (2003), 8.277 (2002), 8.2771 (2001),
8.2785 (2000), 8.2783 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications China

Telephones - main lines in use:
263 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
269 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic and international services are
increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed
domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and
many towns
domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular
telephone systems have been installed; a domestic satellite system
with 55 earth stations is in place
international: country code - 86; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
(Indian Ocean region) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean
regions); several international fiber-optic links to Japan, South
Korea, Hong Kong, Russia, and Germany (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 369, FM 259, shortwave 45 (1998)

Radios:
417 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3,240 (of which 209 are operated by China Central Television, 31 are provincial TV stations and nearly 3,000 are local city stations) (1997)

Televisions:
400 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.cn

Internet hosts:
160,421 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)

Internet users:
94 million (2004)

Transportation China

Railways:
total: 70,058 km
standard gauge: 68,000 km 1.435-m gauge (18,668 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 3,600 km 1.000-m and 0.750-m gauge local industrial
lines
dual gauge: 22,640 km (not included in total) (2003)

Highways:
total: 1,402,698 km
paved: 314,204 km (with at least 16,314 km of expressways)
unpaved: 1,088,494 km (2000)

Waterways:
121,557 km (2002)

Pipelines:
gas 15,890 km; oil 14,478 km; refined products 3,280 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Dalian, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Haikou, Huangpu, Lianyungang, Nanjing,
Nantong, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shantou, Shenzhen,
Tianjin, Wenzhou, Xiamen, Xingang, Yantai, Zhanjiang (2001)

Merchant marine:
total: 1,850 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 18,724,653 GRT/27,749,784 DWT
by type: barge carrier 2, bulk 355, cargo 822, chemical tanker 28,
combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 2, container 165, liquefied
gas 28, multi-functional large load carrier 8, passenger 6,
passenger/cargo 46, petroleum tanker 272, rail car carrier 1,
refrigerated cargo 27, roll on/roll off 25, short-sea/passenger 39,
specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 4
foreign-owned: Cambodia 1, Greece 2, Hong Kong 12, Japan 1, South
Korea 2, Liberia 1, Malaysia 1, Panama 1, Taiwan 2, Tanzania 1
registered in other countries: 790 (2004 est.)

Airports:
507 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 332
over 3,047 m: 49
2,438 to 3,047 m: 97
914 to 1,523 m: 22
under 914 m: 35 (2003 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 129

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 175
under 914 m: 66 (2003 est.)
over 3,047 m: 23
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 40
1,524 to 2,437 m: 36

Heliports:
15 (2003 est.)

Military China

Military branches:
People's Liberation Army (PLA): comprises ground forces, Navy
(including naval infantry and naval aviation), Air Force, and II
Artillery Corps (strategic missile force), People's Armed Police
Force (internal security troops, nominally a state security body but
included by the Chinese as part of the "armed forces" and considered
to be an adjunct to the PLA), militia

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 24-month service obligation; no minimum age for voluntary service; 17 years of age for women who meet requirements for specific military jobs (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 379,524,688 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 208,143,352 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 12,494,201 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$60 billion (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.5-5.0% (FY03 est.)

Transnational Issues China

Disputes - international:
involved in complex dispute with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan,
Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002
"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has
eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of
conduct" desired by several of the disputants; most of the rugged,
militarized boundary with India is in dispute, but the two sides are
committed to begin resolution with discussions on the least disputed
Middle Sector; Kashmir remains the world's largest and highly
militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto
administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and
Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas), but recent discussion
and confidence-building measures among parties are beginning to
defuse tensions, India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding lands to
China in a 1964 boundary agreement; China and Taiwan continue to
assert their claims to the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands
(Diaoyu Tai) with increased media coverage and protest actions;
certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers are in an uncontested
dispute with North Korea and a section of boundary around Mount
Paektu is indefinite - China has been attempting to manage illegal
migration of North Koreans into northern China; China and Russia in
2004 resolved their last border dispute over islands in the Amur and
Argun Rivers, but details on demarcation have not yet been
worked-out; boundary delimitation agreements signed in 2002 with
Tajikistan cedes 1,000 sq km of Pamir Mountain range to China in
return for China's relinquishing claims to 28,000 sq km, but
demarcation has not commenced; agreements with Vietnam demarcating
maritime boundaries and fisheries cooperation in the Gulf of Tonkin
were ratified in June, and demarcation of the land boundary
continues; China occupies some of the Paracel Islands also claimed
by Vietnam and Taiwan; in response to groups in Burma and Thailand
expressing concern over China's plans to construct 13 hydroelectric
dams on the Nu River in Yunnan Province (Salween River in Burma),
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao suspended the project to conduct an
environmental impact assessment, a smaller scale version of only 4
dams is now scheduled to move forward

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 299,287 (Vietnam) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden
Triangle; growing domestic drug abuse problem; source country for
chemical precursors and methamphetamine

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Christmas Island

Introduction Christmas Island

Background:
Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed
and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began
in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958.
Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park.

Geography Christmas Island

Location:
Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:
10 30 S, 105 40 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 135 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 135 sq km

Area - comparative:
about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
80 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by
trade winds; wet season December to April

Terrain:
steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Murray Hill 361 m

Natural resources:
phosphate, beaches

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100%
note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national
park (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime
hazard

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean

People Christmas Island

Population: 396 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-9% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
NA (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA years
female: NA years (2004 est.)
male: NA years

Total fertility rate:
NA children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island

Ethnic groups:
Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001)

Religions:
Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997)

Languages:
English (official), Chinese, Malay

Literacy:
NA

People - note:
The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports a population of 1508 as
of the 2001 Census

Government Christmas Island

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island

Dependency status:
territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department
of Transport and Regional Services

Government type:
NA

Capital:
The Settlement

Administrative divisions:
none (territory of Australia)

Independence:
none (territory of Australia)

National holiday:
Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution:
NA

Legal system:
under the authority of the governor general of Australia and
Australian law

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November
2003)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
Australia

Legislative branch:
unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for
election; last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2005)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
none

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

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

Flag description:
the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas
Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag,
however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the
official flag of the territory

Economy Christmas Island

Economy - overview:
Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity,
but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In
1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a
$34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The
Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a
commercial space-launching site on the island, projected to begin
operations in mid-2004

GDP:
purchasing power parity - NA

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - NA

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

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA

Labor force:
NA

Labor force - by occupation:
NA

Unemployment rate:
NA

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

Agriculture - products:
NA

Industries:
tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Exports:
NA

Exports - commodities:
phosphate

Exports - partners:
Australia, NZ

Imports:
NA

Imports - commodities:
consumer goods

Imports - partners:
principally Australia

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency:
Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
AUD

Exchange rates:
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.9354 (2002),
1.9320 (2001), 1.7173(2000), 1.5497 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Christmas Island

Telephones - main lines in use:
NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available
international: country code - 61-891; satellite earth stations - one
Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
1,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
NA

Televisions:
600 (1997)

Internet country code:
.cx

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Christmas Island

Highways: total: 240 km paved: 30 km unpaved: 210 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
Flying Fish Cove

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Christmas Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues Christmas Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Clipperton Island

Introduction Clipperton Island

Background:
This isolated island was named for John CLIPPERTON, a pirate who
made it his hideout early in the 18th century. Annexed by France in
1855, it was seized by Mexico in 1897. Arbitration eventually
awarded the island to France, which took possession in 1935.

Geography Clipperton Island

Location:
Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, 1,120 km
southwest of Mexico

Geographic coordinates:
10 17 N, 109 13 W

Map references:
Political Map of the World

Area:
total: 6 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 6 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
11.1 km

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

Climate:
tropical; humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees C, rains
May-October

Terrain:
coral atoll

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Rocher Clipperton 29 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all coral) (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
reef 12 km in circumference

People Clipperton Island

Population: uninhabited (July 2004 est.)

Government Clipperton Island

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Clipperton Island
local short form: Ile Clipperton
local long form: none
former: sometimes called Ile de la Passion

Dependency status:
possession of France; administered by France from French Polynesia
by a high commissioner of the Republic

Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of France is used

Economy Clipperton Island

Economy - overview:
Although 115 species of fish have been identified in the
territorial waters of Clipperton Island, the only economic activity
is tuna fishing.

Transportation Clipperton Island

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Clipperton Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Clipperton Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Introduction Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Background:
There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William KEELING
discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until
the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in 1857, they were transferred
to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two
inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on
West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island.

Geography Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Location:
Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest
of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka

Geographic coordinates:
12 30 S, 96 50 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 14 sq km
note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island
water: 0 sq km
land: 14 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
26 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds
for about nine months of the year

Terrain:
flat, low-lying coral atolls

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
cyclone season is October to April

Environment - current issues: fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs

Geography - note: islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation

People Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Population: 629 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.002% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
NA children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander

Ethnic groups:
Europeans, Cocos Malays

Religions:
Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)

Languages:
Malay (Cocos dialect), English

Government Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Dependency status:
territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the
Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services

Government type:
NA

Capital:
West Island

Administrative divisions:
none (territory of Australia)

Independence:
none (territory of Australia)

National holiday:
Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution:
Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955

Legal system:
based upon the laws of Australia and local laws

Suffrage:
NA

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by the Australian governor general
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
Australia
head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Evan WILLIAMS (since
1 November 2003)
cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for
election; last held NA

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
none

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

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

Flag description:
the flag of Australia is used

Economy Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Economy - overview:
Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop.
Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but
additional food and most other necessities must be imported from
Australia. There is a small tourist industry.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - NA

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - NA

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA

Labor force:
NA

Labor force - by occupation: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others

Unemployment rate: 60% (2000 est.)

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

Agriculture - products:
vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts

Industries:
copra products and tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Exports:
NA

Exports - commodities:
copra

Exports - partners:
Australia

Imports:
NA

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Australia

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency:
Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
AUD

Exchange rates:
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.9354 (2002),
1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
287 (1992)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
note - analog cellular service available

Telephone system:
general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication
system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 61-891; telephone, telex, and
facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite;
1 satellite earth station of NA type (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
300 (1992)

Television broadcast stations:
NA

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.cc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Highways: total: 15 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
none; lagoon anchorage only

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory does have
a five-person police force

Transnational Issues Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Colombia

Introduction Colombia

Background:
Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the
collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and
Venezuela). A 40-year insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian
Government escalated during the 1990s, undergirded in part by funds
from the drug trade. Although the violence is deadly and large
swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence, the
movement lacks the military strength or popular support necessary to
overthrow the government. An anti-insurgent army of paramilitaries
has grown to be several thousand strong in recent years, challenging
the insurgents for control of territory and the drug trade, and also
the government's ability to exert its dominion over rural areas.
While Bogota steps up efforts to reassert government control
throughout the country, neighboring countries worry about the
violence spilling over their borders.

Geography Colombia

Location:
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama
and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between
Ecuador and Panama

Geographic coordinates:
4 00 N, 72 00 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 1,138,910 sq km
land: 1,038,700 sq km
note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and
Serranilla Bank
water: 100,210 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Land boundaries:
total: 6,004 km
border countries: Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km,
Peru 1,496 km (est.), Venezuela 2,050 km

Coastline:
3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

Terrain:
flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains,
eastern lowland plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m
note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper,
emeralds, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2.42% other: 95.91% (2001) permanent crops: 1.67%

Irrigated land:
8,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes;
periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
only South American country with coastlines on both North Pacific
Ocean and Caribbean Sea

People Colombia

Population:
42,310,775 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 31% (male 6,644,080; female 6,489,677)
15-64 years: 63.9% (male 13,171,416; female 13,879,115)
65 years and over: 5% (male 940,762; female 1,185,725) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 25.8 years
male: 24.9 years
female: 26.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.53% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
21.19 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.61 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 21.72 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 25.69 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.43 years
male: 67.58 years
female: 75.41 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.59 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
190,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,600 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Colombian(s)
adjective: Colombian

Ethnic groups:
mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed
black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 90%

Languages:
Spanish

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.5%
male: 92.4%
female: 92.6% (2003 est.)

Government Colombia

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

Government type:
republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Capital:
Bogota

Administrative divisions:
32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1
capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca,
Atlantico, Distrito Capital de Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas,
Caqueta, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca,
Guainia, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte
de Santander, Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y
Providencia, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes,
Vichada

Independence:
20 July 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

Constitution:
5 July 1991

Legal system:
based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US
procedures was enacted in 1992-93; judicial review of executive and
legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August 2002);
Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August
2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the two dominant parties
- the PL and PSC - and independents
elections: president and vice president elected by popular vote for
a four-year term; election last held 26 May 2002 (next to be held NA
May 2006)
election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez received 53% of the
vote; Vice President Francisco SANTOS was elected on the same ticket

Legislative branch:
bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or Senado
(102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Representantes
(166 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms)
elections: Senate - last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held NA
March 2006); House of Representatives - last held 10 March 2002
(next to be held NA March 2006)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PL 28, PSC 13, independents and smaller parties (many
aligned with conservatives) 61; House of Representatives - percent
of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL 54, PSC 21, independents
and other parties 91

Judicial branch:
four roughly coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court of
Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (highest court of criminal law;
judges are selected by their peers from the nominees of the Superior
Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Council of State (highest
court of administrative law; judges are selected from the nominees
of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms);
Constitutional Court (guards integrity and supremacy of the
constitution; rules on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the
constitution, and international treaties); Superior Judicial Council
(administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; resolves
jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are
elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
Conservative Party or PSC [Carlos HOLGUIN Sardi]; Liberal Party or
PL [Camilo SANCHEZ]; Colombian Communist Party or PCC [Jaime
CAICEDO]; Democratic Pole or PDI [Antonio NAVARRO Wolff]
note: Colombia has about 60 formally recognized political parties,
most of which do not have a presence in either house of Congress

Political pressure groups and leaders:
two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia - Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC and National Liberation Army or
ELN; largest anti-insurgent paramilitary group is United
Self-Defense Groups of Colombia or AUC

International organization participation:
BCIE, CAN, CDB, FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate),
MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Alberto MORENO Mejia
chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Washington, DC
consulate(s): Atlanta
FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643
telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William B. WOOD embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, numbers 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831 mailing address: Carrera 45 #22D-45, Bogota, D.C., APO AA 34038 telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811 FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and
red; similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the
Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center

Economy Colombia

Economy - overview:
Colombia's economy suffers from weak domestic and foreign demand,
austere government budgets, and serious internal armed conflict, but
seems poised for recovery. Other economic problems facing President
URIBE range from reforming the pension system to reducing high
unemployment. Two of Colombia's leading exports, oil and coffee,
face an uncertain future; new exploration is needed to offset
declining oil production, while coffee harvests and prices are
depressed. On the positive side, several international financial
institutions have praised the economic reforms introduced by URIBE,
which includes measures designed to reduce the public-sector deficit
below 2.5% of GDP in 2004. The government's economic policy and
democratic security strategy have engendered a growing sense of
confidence in the economy, particularly within the business sector,
and GDP growth in 2003 was among the highest in Latin America.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $263.2 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.7% industry: 32.1% services: 54.2% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
15.9% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
55% (2001)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1%
highest 10%: 44% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
57.1 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
20.34 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 30%, industry 24%, services 46% (1990)

Unemployment rate:
14.2% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $24 billion
expenditures: $25.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2004 est.)

Public debt:
51.9% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa
beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp

Industries:
textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages,
chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds

Industrial production growth rate:
3.5% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
42.99 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
39.81 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
210 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
40 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
614,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
252,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
1.8 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
5.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
5.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
132 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-1.417 billion (2003)

Exports:
$12.96 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum, coffee, coal, apparel, bananas, cut flowers

Exports - partners:
US 47.1%, Ecuador 6%, Venezuela 5.3% (2003)

Imports:
$13.06 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods,
chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity

Imports - partners:
US 29.6%, Brazil 5.5%, Mexico 5.4%, Venezuela 5.2%, China 5%, Japan
4.6%, Germany 4.4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$10.92 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$38.26 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency:
Colombian peso (COP)

Currency code:
COP

Exchange rates:
Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,877.65 (2003), 2,504.24 (2002),
2,299.63 (2001), 2,087.9 (2000), 1,756.23 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Colombia

Telephones - main lines in use:
8,768,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
6,186,200 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system in many respects
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic
satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking
50 cities
international: country code - 57; satellite earth stations - 6
Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching
centers; 8 submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)

Radios:
21 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
60 (includes seven low-power stations) (1997)

Televisions:
4.59 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.co

Internet hosts:
115,158 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
18 (2000)

Internet users:
2,732,200 (2003)

Transportation Colombia

Railways:
total: 3,304 km
standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 110,000 km
paved: 26,000 km
unpaved: 84,000 km (2000)

Waterways:
9,187 km (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 4,360 km; oil 6,134 km; refined products 3,140 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bahia de Portete, Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Leticia,
Puerto Bolivar, San Andres, Santa Marta, Tumaco, Turbo

Merchant marine:
total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 35,427 GRT/46,301 DWT
by type: bulk 4, cargo 5, container 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum
tanker 2
registered in other countries: 16 (2004 est.)

Airports:
980 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 101 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 39 under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 39

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 879 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 under 914 m: 572 (2004 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 272

Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

Military Colombia

Military branches:
Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional, including Naval
Aviation, Marines, and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea
Colombiana)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 24 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 11,252,027 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 7,495,462 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 392,656 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$3.3 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.4% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Colombia

Disputes - international:
Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and against
Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundary
involving 50,000 sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including the
Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank;
maritime boundary dispute with Venezuela in the Gulf of Venezuela;
Colombian drug activities penetrate Peruvian border area; the
continuing civil disorder in Colombia has created a serious refugee
crisis in neighboring states, especially Ecuador

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 2,730,000 - 3,100,000 (conflict between government and FARC;
drug wars) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's
leading coca cultivator (cultivation of coca in 2002 was 144,450
hectares, a 15% decline since 2001); potential production of opium
between 2001 and 2002 declined by 25% to 91 metric tons; potential
production of heroin declined to 11.3 metric tons; the world's
largest processor of coca derivatives into cocaine; supplier of
about 90% of the cocaine to the US market and the great majority of
cocaine to other international drug markets; important supplier of
heroin to the US market; active aerial eradication program; a
significant portion of non-US narcotics proceeds are either
laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso
exchange

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Comoros

Introduction Comoros

Background:
Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since
gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of
Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. In
1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He pledged to resolve
the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the
2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new
constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of
2002. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a
new union president was sworn in on 26 May 2002.

Geography Comoros

Location:
Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the
Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern
Madagascar and northern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
12 10 S, 44 15 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 2,170 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 2,170 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
340 km

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

Climate:
tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Terrain:
volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m

Natural resources:
NEGL

Land use:
arable land: 35.87%
permanent crops: 23.32%
other: 40.81% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le
Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano

Environment - current issues:
soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on
slopes without proper terracing; deforestation

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

Geography - note: important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

People Comoros

Population:
651,901 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.8% (male 140,083; female 139,245)
15-64 years: 54.2% (male 174,216; female 179,050)
65 years and over: 3% (male 9,136; female 10,171) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.6 years
male: 18.3 years
female: 18.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.94% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
38 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.63 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 77.22 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 68.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 85.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 61.57 years
male: 59.29 years
female: 63.91 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.15 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.12% (2001 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Comoran(s)
adjective: Comoran

Ethnic groups:
Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Religions:
Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%

Languages:
Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili
and Arabic)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 56.5%
male: 63.6%
female: 49.3% (2003 est.)

Government Comoros

Country name:
conventional long form: Union of the Comoros
conventional short form: Comoros
local short form: Comores
local long form: Union des Comores

Government type:
independent republic

Capital:
Moroni

Administrative divisions:
3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli
(Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities named Domoni,
Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou

Independence:
6 July 1975 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Constitution:
23 December 2001
note: a Transitional National Unity Government (GUNT) was formed on
20 January 2002 following the passing of the new constitution; the
GUNT governed until the presidential elections on 14 April 2002

Legal system:
French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note
- following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in January
2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002
presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was
appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May
2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and
Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and
the head of government
election results: President AZALI Assoumani elected president with
75% of the vote
elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency
rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three
main islands in the Union; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to
be held NA April 2007); prime minister appointed by the president;
note - AZALI has not appointed a Prime Minister since he was sworn
into office in May 2002
head of government: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002);
note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in
January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002
presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was
appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May
2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and
Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and
the head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the Union (30 seats; half the deputies are
selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and the other
half by universal suffrage; deputies serve for five years); note -
elections for the former legislature, the Federal Assembly
(dissolved in 1999) were held on 1 and 8 December 1996; the next
elections for the Assembly of the Union were scheduled to be held on
18 and 25 April 2004

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the
president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected
by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of
the republic)

Political parties and leaders:
Forces pour l'Action Republicaine or FAR [Col. Abdourazak
ABDULHAMID]; Forum pour la Redressement National or FRN (alliance of
12 parties); Front Democratique or FD [Moustoifa Said CHEIKH]; Front
National pour la Justice or FNJ (Islamic party in opposition) [Ahmed
RACHID]; Movement des Citoyens pour la Republique or MCR [Mahamoud
MRADABI]; Mouvement Populaire Anjouanais or MPA (Anjouan separatist
movement) [leader NA]; Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress
or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Movement pour le Socialisme et la
Democratie or MSD (splinter group of FD) [Abdou SOEFOU]; Parti
Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE];
Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND (party of the
government) [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF,
IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mahmoud M. ABOUD (ambassador to the US
and Canada and permanent representative to the UN)
chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Union of
the Comoros to the United Nations, 420 East 50th Street, New York,
NY 10022
telephone: [1] (212) 972-8010 and 223-2711
FAX: [1] (212) 983-4712 and 715-0699

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to
Mauritius is accredited to Comoros

Flag description:
four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue
with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered within
the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing the
hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a line
between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and the
four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago -
Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of
France, but claimed by Comoros); the crescent, stars, and color
green are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Comoros

Economy - overview:
One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three
islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and
rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low
educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence
level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy
dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture,
including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP,
employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports.
The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the
main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government -
which is hampered by internal political disputes - is struggling to
upgrade education and technical training, to privatize commercial
and industrial enterprises, to improve health services, to diversify
exports, to promote tourism, and to reduce the high population
growth rate. Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of
4% annual GDP growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans
abroad help supplement GDP.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $441 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 40% industry: 4% services: 56% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
60% (2002 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
144,500 (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 80%

Unemployment rate:
20% (1996 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $27.6 million
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products:
vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas,
cassava (tapioca)

Industries:
tourism, perfume distillation

Industrial production growth rate:
-2% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
21.27 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
19.78 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$28 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra

Exports - partners:
France 46.9%, Germany 18.8%, US 12.5% (2003)

Imports:
$88 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products,
cement, transport equipment

Imports - partners:
France 31.6%, Japan 13.7%, South Africa 10.3%, Kenya 5.1%, UAE
5.1%, Thailand 4.3% (2003)

Debt - external:
$232 million (2000 est.)

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

Currency:
Comoran franc (KMF)

Currency code:
KMF

Exchange rates:
Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 435.9 (2003), 522.741 (2002),
549.779 (2001), 533.982 (2000), 461.775 (1999)
note: prior to January 1999, the official rate was pegged to the
French franc at 75 Comoran francs per French franc; since 1 January
1999, the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677
Comoran francs per euro

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Comoros

Telephones - main lines in use:
13,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF
radiotelephone communication stations
domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications
to Madagascar and Reunion

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
90,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
NA

Televisions:
1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.km

Internet hosts:
11 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
5,000 (2003)

Transportation Comoros

Highways: total: 880 km paved: 673 km unpaved: 207 km (1999 est)

Ports and harbors:
Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudou

Merchant marine:
total: 62 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 452,801 GRT/681,343 DWT
by type: bulk 9, cargo 31, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1,
livestock carrier 1, passenger 4, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated
cargo 3, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 2, specialized
tanker 4
foreign-owned: Bahamas 1, Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 1, Greece 7, Honduras
1, India 1, Kenya 1, Lebanon 7, Liberia 1, Marshall Islands 3,
Pakistan 4, Panama 2, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1,
Saudi Arabia 2, Syria 4, Turkey 21, United Kingdom 1, United States
1, Yemen 2 (2004 est.)

Airports:
4 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Military Comoros

Military branches:
Comoran Security Force

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 154,843 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 91,825 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3% (2003)

Transnational Issues Comoros

Disputes - international: claims French-administered Mayotte

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Introduction Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Background:
Since 1997, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC; formerly
called Zaire) has been rent by ethnic strife and civil war, touched
off by a massive inflow in 1994 of refugees from the fighting in
Rwanda and Burundi. The government of former president MOBUTU Sese
Seko was toppled by a rebellion led by Laurent KABILA in May 1997;
his regime was subsequently challenged by a Rwanda- and
Uganda-backed rebellion in August 1998. Troops from Zimbabwe,
Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan intervened to support the Kinshasa
regime. A cease-fire was signed on 10 July 1999 by the DROC,
Zimbabwe, Angola, Uganda, Namibia, Rwanda, and Congolese armed rebel
groups, but sporadic fighting continued. KABILA was assassinated on
16 January 2001 and his son Joseph KABILA was named head of state
ten days later. In October 2002, the new president was successful in
getting occupying Rwandan forces to withdraw from eastern Congo; two
months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining
warring parties to end the fighting and set up a government of
national unity. A transitional government was set up in July 2003;
Joseph KABILA remains as president and is joined by four vice
presidents from the former government, former rebel camps, and the
political opposition.

Geography Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Location:
Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Geographic coordinates:
0 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 2,345,410 sq km
water: 77,810 sq km
land: 2,267,600 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Land boundaries:
total: 10,730 km
border countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary
of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central
African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda
217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km

Coastline:
37 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors

Climate:
tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier
in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north
of Equator - wet season April to October, dry season December to
February; south of Equator - wet season November to March, dry
season April to October

Terrain:
vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110
m

Natural resources:
cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds,
gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium,
bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower, timber

Land use:
arable land: 2.96%
permanent crops: 0.52%
other: 96.52% (2001)

Irrigated land:
110 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the
east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes

Environment - current issues:
poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution;
deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation,
soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a
mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing
environmental damage

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone
Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
straddles equator; has very narrow strip of land that controls the
lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense
tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands

People Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Population:
58,317,930
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 48.2% (male 14,122,237; female 14,008,654)
15-64 years: 49.3% (male 14,097,301; female 14,646,285)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 590,262; female 853,191) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 15.8 years
female: 16.2 years (2004 est.)
male: 15.4 years

Population growth rate:
2.99% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
44.73 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
14.64 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: fighting between the Congolese Government and Uganda- and
Rwanda-backed Congolese rebels spawned a regional war in DROC in
August 1998, which left 1.8 million Congolese internally displaced
and caused 300,000 Congolese refugees to flee to surrounding
countries (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 94.69 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 85.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 103.18 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 49.14 years
male: 47.06 years
female: 51.28 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
6.62 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
4.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.1 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
100,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, trypanosomiasis, plague, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Congolese or Congo

Ethnic groups:
over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the
four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the
Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population

Religions:
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%,
other syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs 10%

Languages:
French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language),
Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala,
Kingwana, or Tshiluba
total population: 65.5%
male: 76.2%
female: 55.1% (2003 est.)

Government Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo
conventional short form: none
local short form: none
former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville,
Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire
local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo
abbreviation: DROC

Government type:
dictatorship; presumably undergoing a transition to representative
government

Capital:
Kinshasa

Administrative divisions:
10 provinces (provinces, singular - province) and one city*
(ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental,
Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale,
Sud-Kivu

Independence:
30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 30 June (1960)

Constitution:
a new constitution was adopted 17 July 2003

Legal system:
based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001);
note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire
KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the
presidency; the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001);
note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire
KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the
presidency; the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: National Executive Council, appointed by the president
elections: prior to the overthrow of MOBUTU Sese Seko, the president
was elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last
held 29 July 1984 (next was scheduled to be held in May 1997);
formerly, there was also a prime minister who was elected by the
High Council of the Republic; note - a Transitional Government is
drafting a new constitution with free elections scheduled to be held
in NA 2005
note: Joseph KABILA succeeded his father, Laurent Desire KABILA,
following the latter's assassination in January 2001, negotiations
with rebel leaders led to the establishment of a transitional
government in July 2003 with free elections scheduled to be held in
NA 2005
election results: results of the last election were: MOBUTU Sese
Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga reelected president in 1984 without
opposition

Legislative branch:
a 300-member Transitional Constituent Assembly established in
August 2000
elections: NA; members of the Transitional Constituent Assembly were
appointed by former President Laurent Desire KABILA

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Social Christian Party or PDSC [Andre BO-BOLIKO]; Forces
for Renovation for Union and Solidarity or FONUS [Joseph
OLENGHANKOY]; National Congolese Lumumbist Movement or MNC [Francois
LUMUMBA]; Popular Movement of the Revolution or MPR (three factions:
MPR-Fait Prive [Catherine NZUZI wa Mbombo]; MPR/Vunduawe [Felix
VUNDUAWE]; MPR/Mananga [MANANGA Dintoka Mpholo]); Unified Lumumbast
Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social
Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba]; Union of
Federalists and Independent Republicans or UFERI (two factions:
UFERI [Lokambo OMOKOKO]; UFERI/OR [Adolph Kishwe MAYA])

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW
(signatory), PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Faida MITIFU FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691 chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aubrey HOOKS embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828 telephone: [243] (88) 43608 FAX: [243] (88) 43467

Flag description:
light blue with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center and
a columnar arrangement of six small yellow five-pointed stars along
the hoist side

Economy Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Economy - overview:
The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation
endowed with vast potential wealth - has declined drastically since
the mid-1980s. The war, which began in August 1998, has dramatically
reduced national output and government revenue, has increased
external debt, and has resulted in the deaths from war, famine, and
disease of perhaps 3.5 million people. Foreign businesses have
curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the
conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating
environment. The war has intensified the impact of such basic
problems as an uncertain legal framework, corruption, inflation, and
lack of openness in government economic policy and financial
operations. Conditions improved in late 2002 with the withdrawal of
a large portion of the invading foreign troops. Several IMF and
World Bank missions have met with the government to help it develop
a coherent economic plan, and President KABILA has begun
implementing reforms. Much economic activity lies outside the GDP
data. Economic stability, aided by international donors, improved in
2003. New mining contracts have been approved, which - combined with
high mineral and metal prices - could improve Kinshasa's fiscal
position and GDP growth.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $40.05 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 55%
industry: 11%
services: 34% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
14% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
14.51 million (1993 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
NA

Unemployment rate:
NA (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $269 million
expenditures: $244 million, including capital expenditures of $24
million (1996 est.)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca),
palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products

Industries:
mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumer
products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods
and beverages), cement

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
5.243 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
3.839 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
1.097 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
60 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
14,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
1.538 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
104.8 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Exports:
$1.417 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
diamonds, copper, crude oil, coffee, cobalt

Exports - partners:
Belgium 54.9%, US 15.4%, Zimbabwe 11.1%, Finland 4.8% (2003)

Imports:
$933 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners:
South Africa 17%, Belgium 14.9%, France 12.6%, Germany 6.8%, Kenya
5.4%, Netherlands 4% (2003)

Debt - external:
$11.6 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$195.3 million (1995)

Currency:
Congolese franc (CDF)

Currency code:
CDF

Exchange rates:
Congolese francs per US dollar - NA (2003), 346.485 (2002), 206.617
(2001), 21.82 (2000), 4.02 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Telephones - main lines in use:
10,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: poor
domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in
and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth
stations
international: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios:
18.03 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
4 (2001)

Televisions:
6.478 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.cd

Internet hosts:
153 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2001)

Internet users:
50,000 (2002)

Transportation Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Railways:
total: 5,138 km
narrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km
1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 157,000 km (including 30 km of expressways)
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
15,000 km (navigation on the Congo curtailed by fighting) (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 54 km; oil 71 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa,
Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
230 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 206 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 92 under 914 m: 97 (2004 est.)

Military Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 12,706,971 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 6,480,645 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$115.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.4% (2003)

Transnational Issues Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Disputes - international:
Democratic Republic of the Congo is in the grip of a civil war,
tribal conflict, and rebel gang fighting that has drawn in
neighboring states of Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda; in the Great Lakes
region and Sudan, heads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledge to
end conflict, but unchecked localized violence continues unabated;
the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the
Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool
Malebo/Stanley Pool area

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 45,060 (Sudan), 123,714 (Angola),
19,552 (Burundi), 6,626 (Republic of Congo), 19,743 (Rwanda), 18,953
(Uganda)
IDPs: 2.33 million (fighting between government forces and rebels
since mid-1990s; most IDPs are in eastern provinces) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption;
while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the
banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a
well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Congo, Republic of the

Introduction Congo, Republic of the

Background:
Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo
became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of
experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a
democratically elected government installed in 1992. A brief civil
war in 1997 restored former Marxist President SASSOU-NGUESSO, but
ushered in a period of ethnic unrest. Southern-based rebel groups
agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003. The Republic of Congo
is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers with significant
potential for offshore development.

Geography Congo, Republic of the

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola
and Gabon

Geographic coordinates:
1 00 S, 15 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 342,000 sq km
water: 500 sq km
land: 341,500 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries:
total: 5,504 km
border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African
Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon
1,903 km

Coastline:
169 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to
October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly
enervating climate astride the Equator

Terrain:
coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates,
natural gas, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 0.51% permanent crops: 0.13% other: 99.36% (2001)

Irrigated land:
10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
seasonal flooding

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the
dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber
94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or
along the railroad between them

People Congo, Republic of the

Population:
2,998,040
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.9% (male 571,224; female 563,723)
15-64 years: 58.5% (male 865,596; female 888,125)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 45,093; female 64,279) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 20.4 years
male: 20 years
female: 20.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.42% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
28.66 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
14.49 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 93.86 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 87.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 99.95 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 49.51 years
male: 48.51 years
female: 50.55 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.54 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
4.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
90,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
9,700 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Congolese or Congo

Ethnic groups:
Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3%
note: Europeans estimated at 8,500, mostly French, before the 1997
civil war; may be half that in 1998, following the widespread
destruction of foreign businesses in 1997

Religions:
Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%

Languages:
French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade
languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is
the most widespread)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.8%
male: 89.6%
female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Government Congo, Republic of the

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Congo
conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville)
local short form: none
former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo
local long form: Republique du Congo

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Brazzaville

Administrative divisions:
10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza,
Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala,
Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha

Independence:
15 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 August (1960)

Constitution:
constitution approved by referendum 20 January 2002

Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October
1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president
Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state
and head of government
head of government: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October
1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president
Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state
and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
(eligible for a second seven-year term); election last held 10 March
2002 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent
of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU
2.7%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (66 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the National
Assembly (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 11 July 2002 (next to be held NA July
2007); National Assembly - last held 27 May and 26 June 2002 (next
to be held by NA May 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - FDP 56, other 10; National Assembly - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - FDP 83, UDR 6, UPADS 3, other 45

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:
the most important of the many parties are the Democratic and
Patriotic Forces or FDP (an alliance of Convention for Alternative
Democracy, Congolese Labor Party or PCT, Liberal Republican Party,
National Union for Democracy and Progress, Patriotic Union for the
National Reconstruction, and Union for the National Renewal) [Denis
SASSOU-NGUESSO, president]; Congolese Movement for Democracy and
Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African Union
for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Rally for Democracy
and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA,
president]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic or RDR [Raymond
Damasge NGOLLO]; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR [leader
NA]; Union of Democratic Forces or UFD [Sebastian EBAO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC; General Union of Congolese
Pupils and Students or UGEEC; Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women
or URFC; Union of Congolese Socialist Youth or UJSC

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI
FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860
telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500
chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robin R. SANDERS
embassy: NA
mailing address: NA
telephone: [243] (88) 43608
note: the embassy is temporarily collocated with the US Embassy in
the Democratic Republic of the Congo (US Embassy Kinshasa, 310
Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa)

Flag description:
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the
upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red;
uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Congo, Republic of the

Economy - overview:
The economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, an
industrial sector based largely on oil, support services, and a
government characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. Oil
has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a
major share of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s,
rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance
large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5%
annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. The government has
mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings, contributing to
a shortage of revenues. The 12 January 1994 devaluation of Franc
Zone currencies by 50% resulted in inflation of 61% in 1994, but
inflation has subsided since. Economic reform efforts continued with
the support of international organizations, notably the World Bank
and the IMF. The reform program came to a halt in June 1997 when
civil war erupted. Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power when
the war ended in October 1997, publicly expressed interest in moving
forward on economic reforms and privatization and in renewing
cooperation with international financial institutions. However,
economic progress was badly hurt by slumping oil prices and the
resumption of armed conflict in December 1998, which worsened the
republic's budget deficit. The current administration presides over
an uneasy internal peace and faces difficult economic problems of
stimulating recovery and reducing poverty.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $2.148 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.9% industry: 53.9% services: 39.2% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
31.3% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.4% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
NA (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $1.025 billion
expenditures: $946.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee,
cocoa; forest products

Industries:
petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil,
soap, flour, cigarettes

Industrial production growth rate:
0% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
358.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
633 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
300 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
275,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
93.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
495.5 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$139.2 million (2003)

Exports:
$2.293 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds

Exports - partners:
China 28.6%, Taiwan 19.3%, US 16%, South Korea 12.9% (2003)

Imports:
$666.9 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
France 22.2%, US 6.8%, Italy 6.2%, China 5.1%, Belgium 4.6%, India
4.4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$44.53 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$5 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$159.1 million (1995)

Currency:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
XAF

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 581.2
(2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Congo, Republic of the

Telephones - main lines in use:
7,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
330,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: services barely adequate for government use;
key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo;
intercity lines frequently out of order
domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and
coaxial cable
international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2001)

Radios:
341,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2002)

Televisions:
33,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.cg

Internet hosts:
46 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
15,000 (2003)

Transportation Congo, Republic of the

Railways: total: 894 km narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 12,800 km paved: 1,242 km unpaved: 11,558 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
4,385 km (on Congo and Oubanqui rivers) (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 53 km; oil 646 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire

Airports:
32 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 28 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Military Congo, Republic of the

Military branches:
Congolese Armed Forces (FAC): Army, Air Force, Navy

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 773,790 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 390,884 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 31,964 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$68.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.8% (2003)

Transnational Issues Congo, Republic of the

Disputes - international:
the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the
Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool
Malebo/Stanley Pool area

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 60,000 (multiple civil wars since 1992; most IDPs are ethnic
Lari) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Cook Islands

Introduction Cook Islands

Background:
Named after Captain Cook, who sighted them in 1770, the islands
became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative
control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965 residents chose
self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigration
of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are
continuing problems.

Geography Cook Islands

Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
21 14 S, 159 46 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 240 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 240 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
120 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; moderated by trade winds

Terrain:
low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Te Manga 652 m

Natural resources:
NEGL

Land use:
arable land: 17.39%
permanent crops: 13.04%
other: 69.57% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
typhoons (November to March)

Environment - current issues:
NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated,
coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands consist of eight elevated,
fertile, volcanic isles where most of the populace lives

People Cook Islands

Population: 21,200 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
NA (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
NA (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
NA children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Cook Islander(s)
adjective: Cook Islander

Ethnic groups:
Polynesian (full blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and European 7.7%,
Polynesian and non-European 7.7%, European 2.4%, other 0.9%

Religions:
Christian (majority of populace are members of the Cook Islands
Christian Church)

Languages:
English (official), Maori

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA female: NA

Government Cook Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cook Islands
former: Harvey Islands

Dependency status:
self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands
is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains
responsibility for external affairs and defense, in consultation
with the Cook Islands

Government type:
self-governing parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Avarua

Administrative divisions:
none

Independence:
none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on
4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full
independence by unilateral action)

National holiday:
Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)

Constitution:
4 August 1965

Legal system:
based on New Zealand law and English common law

Suffrage:
NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001); New
Zealand High Commissioner Kurt MEYER (since July 2001),
representative of New Zealand
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is
appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is
appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition usually becomes prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December
2004); Deputy Prime Minister SIR Geoffrey HENRY (since 14 December
2004)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively
responsible to Parliament

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (25 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 7 September 2004 (next to be held by 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
CIP 10, DAP 9, Demo Tumu 4, independent 1; note - one seat undecided
pending by-election
note: the House of Ariki (chiefs) advises on traditional matters and
maintains considerable influence, but has no legislative powers

Judicial branch:
High Court

Political parties and leaders:
Cook Islands People's Party or CIP [Geoffrey HENRY]; Democratic
Alliance Party or DAP [Terepai MAOATE]; New Alliance Party or NAP
[Norman GEORGE]; Cook Islands National Party or CIN [Teariki
HEATHER]; Demo Party Tumu [Robert WOONTON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca,
UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

Flag description:
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island)
centered in the outer half of the flag

Economy Cook Islands

Economy - overview:
Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands'
economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country
from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets, lack of
natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and
inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture provides the economic base
with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Manufacturing
activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing, and
handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from emigrants
and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s
and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated
public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent
reforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening of
economic management, the encouragement of tourism, and a debt
restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and growth.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $105 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7.1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 17%
industry: 7.8%
services: 75.2% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.2% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
8,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 29%, industry 15%, services 56% note: shortage of skilled labor (1995)

Unemployment rate:
13% (1996)

Budget:
revenues: $28 million
expenditures: $27 million, including capital expenditures of $3.3
million (FY00/01 est.)

Agriculture - products: copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry

Industries:
fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
1% (2002)

Electricity - production:
27.43 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
25.51 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
450 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$9.1 million (2000)

Exports - commodities:
copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls
and pearl shells; clothing

Exports - partners:
Australia 34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2000)

Imports:
$50.7 million (2000)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods

Imports - partners:
New Zealand 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2000)

Debt - external:
$141 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater
part (1995)

Currency:
New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:
NZD

Exchange rates:
New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003), 2.1622 (2002),
2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Cook Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
6,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,500 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers international
direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex
domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of
satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF
radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small
exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and
fiber-optic cable
international: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
14,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004)

Televisions:
4,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ck

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)

Internet users:
3,600 (2002)

Transportation Cook Islands

Highways: total: 320 km paved: 33 km unpaved: 287 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
Avarua, Avatiu

Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,074 GRT/7,520 DWT
foreign-owned: Australia 1, United Kingdom 1 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1

Airports:
9 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Cook Islands

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with
the Cook Islands and at its request

Transnational Issues Cook Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Coral Sea Islands

Introduction Coral Sea Islands

Background:
Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral
Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are
uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on the Willis
Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy
many other islands and reefs.

Geography Coral Sea Islands

Location:
Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia

Geographic coordinates:
18 00 S, 152 00 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: less than 3 sq km
note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea
area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most
important
water: 0 sq km
land: less than 3 sq km

Area - comparative:
NA

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
3,095 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical

Terrain:
sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m

Natural resources:
NEGL

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
occasional tropical cyclones

Environment - current issues:
no permanent fresh water resources

Geography - note:
important nesting area for birds and turtles

People Coral Sea Islands

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological
station (2004 est.)

Government Coral Sea Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands

Dependency status:
territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the
Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories

Legal system:
the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:
administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment,
Sport, and Territories

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

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

Flag description:
the flag of Australia is used

Economy Coral Sea Islands

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications Coral Sea Islands

Communications - note:
there are automatic weather stations on many of the isles and reefs
relaying data to the mainland

Transportation Coral Sea Islands

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Coral Sea Islands

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by
the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities
of visitors

Transnational Issues Coral Sea Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Costa Rica

Introduction Costa Rica

Background:
Costa Rica is a Central American success story: since the late 19th
century, only two brief periods of violence have marred its
democratic development. Although still a largely agricultural
country, it has expanded its economy to include strong technology
and tourism sectors. The standard of living is relatively high. Land
ownership is widespread.

Geography Costa Rica

Location:
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North
Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

Geographic coordinates:
10 00 N, 84 00 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 51,100 sq km
water: 440 sq km
note: includes Isla del Coco
land: 50,660 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 639 km border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

Coastline: 1,290 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy
season (May to November); cooler in highlands

Terrain:
coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100
volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m

Natural resources:
hydropower

Land use: arable land: 4.41% permanent crops: 5.88% other: 89.71% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,260 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent
flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active
volcanoes

Environment - current issues:
deforestation and land use change, largely a result of the clearing
of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal
marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air
pollution

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San
Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu,
erupted destructively in 1963-65

People Costa Rica

Population:
3,956,507 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.5% (male 597,332; female 570,008)
15-64 years: 65% (male 1,300,206; female 1,271,010)
65 years and over: 5.5% (male 101,270; female 116,681) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 25.7 years
male: 25.2 years
female: 26.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.52% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
18.99 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.32 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 10.26 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 11.17 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.63 years
male: 74.07 years
female: 79.33 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.33 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
12,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
900 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Costa Rican(s)
adjective: Costa Rican

Ethnic groups:
white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%,
other 1%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%,
other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%

Languages:
Spanish (official), English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: 95.9%
female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

Government Costa Rica

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

Government type:
democratic republic

Capital:
San Jose

Administrative divisions:
7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago,
Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose

Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
7 November 1949

Legal system:
based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative
acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First
Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since 8 May 2002); Second Vice
President Luis FISHMAN (since 8 May 2002); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First
Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since NA May 2002); Second Vice
President Luis FISHMAN (since NA May 2002); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 February
2002; run-off election held 7 April 2002 (next to be held NA
February 2006)
election results: Abel PACHECO elected president; percent of vote -
Abel PACHECO (PUSC) 58%; Rolando ARAYA (PLN) 42%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats;
members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 3 February 2002 (next to be held 3 February
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
PUSC 19, PLN 17, PAC 14, PML 6, PRC 1; note - seats by party as of
January 2005 - PUSC 19, PLN 16, PAC 8, PML 5, PRC 1, Patriotic Union
3, Homeland First 1, Authentic Member from Heredia 1, Democratic
National Alliance 1, independent 2

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for
eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen Action Party or
PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Justo
OROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Juan Carlos CHAVES Mora];
Democratic National Alliance [Emilia RODRIGUEZ]; General Union Party
or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega]; Homeland First [Juan Jose
VARGAS]; Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO
Carmona]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth];
National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Victor GONZALEZ]; National
Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National
Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio PACHECO]; National
Patriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique REYNOLDS Vargas]; National
Rescue Party or PRN [Carlos VARGAS Solano]; Patriotic Union
[Humberto ARCE]; Popular Vanguard [Trino BARRANTES Araya]; Social
Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Lorena VASQUEZ Badilla]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist
Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated Union of
Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican
Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party
affiliate); Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National
Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association
of Educators or ANDE; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert
Brown]

International organization participation:
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tomas DUENAS consulate(s): Austin consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Durham (North Carolina), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Francisco, St. Paul, and Tampa FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795 telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945 chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Douglas M.
BARNES
embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose
mailing address: APO AA 34020
telephone: [506] 220-3939
FAX: [506] 519-2305

Flag description:
five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width),
white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk on
the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a light blue
ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just below it near
the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the words,
REPUBLICA COSTA RICA

Economy Costa Rica

Economy - overview:
Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism,
agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially
reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has
been put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by the
country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism
continues to bring in foreign exchange. Low prices for coffee and
bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continues
to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal debt. The
reduction of inflation remains a difficult problem because of rises
in the price of imports, labor market rigidities, and fiscal
deficits. Costa Rica recently concluded negotiations to participate
in the US - Central American Free Trade Agreement, which, if
ratified by the Costa Rican Legislature, would result in economic
reforms and an improved investment climate.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $35.34 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.6% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $9,100 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.5% industry: 29.4% services: 62.1% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
20.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
20.6% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 36.8% (2002)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
45.9 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.4% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
1.758 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
6.7% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.313 billion
expenditures: $2.851 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
56.1% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes;
beef; timber

Industries:
microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing,
construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products

Industrial production growth rate:
8% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
6.839 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
6.109 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
379 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
128 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
37,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-970 million (2003)

Exports:
$6.176 billion (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic
components, medical equipment

Exports - partners:
US 14.2%, Guatemala 3%, Nicaragua 2.7% (2003)

Imports:
$7.057 billion (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum

Imports - partners:
US 23.2%, Mexico 4.7%, Venezuela 3.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$1.836 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$5.366 billion (2003 est.)

Currency:
Costa Rican colon (CRC)

Currency code:
CRC

Exchange rates:
Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 398.663 (2003), 359.817 (2002),
328.871 (2001), 308.187 (2000), 285.685 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Costa Rica

Telephones - main lines in use:
1.132 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
528,047 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: good domestic telephone service in terms of
breadth of coverage; restricted cellular telephone service
domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave,
fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is
available
international: country code - 506; connected to Central American
Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)

Radios:
980,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)

Televisions:
525,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.cr

Internet hosts:
10,826 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (of which only one is legal) (2000)

Internet users:
800,000 (2002)

Transportation Costa Rica

Railways: total: 950 km narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2003)

Highways: total: 35,892 km paved: 7,896 km unpaved: 27,996 km (2000)

Waterways:
730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2004)

Pipelines:
refined products 242 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas

Merchant marine: total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT by type: passenger 1 registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports: 149 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 30 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 119 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 95 (2004 est.)

Military Costa Rica

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (2004 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,101,887 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 736,007 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 41,709 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$64 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.4% (2003)

Transnational Issues Costa Rica

Disputes - international: legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on the border with Nicaragua remains unsolved

Illicit drugs:
transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America;
illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots; domestic
cocaine consumption is rising, particularly crack cocaine

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Cote d'Ivoire

Introduction Cote d'Ivoire

Background:
Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the development of
cocoa production for export, and foreign investment made Cote
d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical African states,
but did not protect it from political turmoil. On 25 December 1999,
a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's history -
overthrew the government led by President Henri Konan BEDIE. Junta
leader Robert GUEI held elections in late 2000, but excluded
prominent opposition leader Alassane OUATTARA, blatantly rigged the
polling results, and declared himself winner. Popular protest forced
GUEI to step aside and brought runner-up Laurent GBAGBO into power.
Ivorian dissidents and disaffected members of the military launched
a failed coup attempt in September 2002. Rebel forces claimed the
northern half of the country and in January 2003 were granted
ministerial positions in a unity government under the auspices of
the Linas-Marcoussis Peace Accord. President GBAGBO and rebel forces
resumed implementation of the peace accord in December 2003 after a
three-month stalemate, but issues that sparked the civil war, such
as land reform and grounds for nationality remain unresolved. The
central government has yet to exert control over the northern
regions and tensions remain high between GBAGBO and rebel leaders.
Several thousand French and West African troops remain in Cote
d'Ivoire to maintain peace and facilitate the disarmament,
demobilization, and rehabilitation process.

Geography Cote d'Ivoire

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana
and Liberia

Geographic coordinates:
8 00 N, 5 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 322,460 sq km
water: 4,460 sq km
land: 318,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:
total: 3,110 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km,
Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km

Coastline:
515 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm
and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet
(June to October)

Terrain:
mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m
highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt,
bauxite, copper, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 9.75% permanent crops: 13.84% other: 76.41% (2001)

Irrigated land:
730 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy
season torrential flooding is possible

Environment - current issues:
deforestation (most of the country's forests - once the largest in
West Africa - have been heavily logged); water pollution from sewage
and industrial and agricultural effluents

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apart
from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated

People Cote d'Ivoire

Population:
17,327,724
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 45.1% (male 3,856,130; female 3,965,930)
15-64 years: 52.6% (male 4,651,921; female 4,468,085)
65 years and over: 2.2% (male 182,995; female 202,663) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 17 years
male: 17.4 years
female: 16.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.11% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
39.64 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
18.48 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 97.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 79.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 113.87 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 42.48 years
male: 40.27 years
female: 44.76 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.42 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
570,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
47,000 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, yellow fever, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Ivoirian(s)
adjective: Ivoirian

Ethnic groups:
Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes 16.5%, Krous
11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000 Lebanese and
14,000 French) (1998)

Religions:
Christian 20-30%, Muslim 35-40%, indigenous 25-40% (2001)
note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim
(70%) and Christian (20%)

Languages:
French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the most widely
spoken

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 50.9%
male: 57.9%
female: 43.6% (2003 est.)

Government Cote d'Ivoire

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire
conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire
local short form: Cote d'Ivoire
former: Ivory Coast
local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire

Government type:
republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960

Capital:
Yamoussoukro; note - although Yamoussoukro has been the official
capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and
administrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains its
Embassy in Abidjan

Administrative divisions:
19 regions; Agneby, Bafing, Bas-Sassandra, Denguele, Dix-Huit
Montagnes, Fromager, Haut-Sassandra, Lacs, Lagunes, Marahoue,
Moyen-Cavally, Moyen-Comoe, N'zi-Comoe, Savanes, Sud-Bandama,
Sud-Comoe, Vallee du Bandama, Worodougou, Zanzan

Independence:
7 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 7 August (1960)

Constitution:
a new constitution was adopted 4 August 2000

Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review
in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Laurent GBAGBO (since 26 October 2000);
note - seized power following a popular overthrow of the interim
leader Gen. Robert GUEI who had claimed a dubious victory in
presidential elections; Gen. GUEI himself had assumed power on 25
December 1999, following a military coup against the government of
former President Henri Konan BEDIE
head of government: Prime Minister Seydou DIARRA (since 25 January
2003); note - appointed as transitional Prime Minister by President
GBAGBO as part of a French brokered peace plan
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 26 October 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: Laurent GBAGBO elected president; percent of vote
- Laurent GBAGBO 59.4%, Robert GUEI 32.7%, Francis WODIE 5.7%, other
2.2%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (225 seats;
members are elected in single- and multi-district elections by
direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: elections last held 10 December 2000 with by-elections on
14 January 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)
note: a Senate is scheduled to be created in the next full election
in 2005
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four chambers: Judicial
Chamber for criminal cases, Audit Chamber for financial cases,
Constitutional Chamber for judicial review cases, and Administrative
Chamber for civil cases; there is no legal limit to the number of
members

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire-African Democratic Rally or
PDCI-RDA [Aime Henri Konan BEDIE]; Ivorian Popular Front or FPI
[Laurent GBAGBO]; Ivorian Worker's Party or PIT [Francis WODIE];
Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Alassane OUATTARA]; Union for
Democracy and Peace or UDPCI [leader NA]; over 20 smaller parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Pascal Dago KOKORA chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 FAX: [1] (202) 462-9444 telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Arlene RENDER
embassy: 5 Rue Jesse Owens, Abidjan
mailing address: B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01
telephone: [225] 20 21 09 79
FAX: [225] 20 22 32 59

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and
green; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and has the
colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange; also
similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side), white,
and red; design was based on the flag of France

Economy Cote d'Ivoire

Economy - overview:
Cote d'Ivoire is among the world's largest producers and exporters
of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is
highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these
products and to weather conditions. Despite government attempts to
diversify the economy, it is still heavily dependent on agriculture
and related activities, which engage roughly 68% of the population.
After several years of lagging performance, the Ivorian economy
began a comeback in 1994, due to the 50% devaluation of the CFA
franc and improved prices for cocoa and coffee, growth in
nontraditional primary exports such as pineapples and rubber,
limited trade and banking liberalization, offshore oil and gas
discoveries, and generous external financing and debt rescheduling
by multilateral lenders and France. Moreover, government adherence
to donor-mandated reforms led to a jump in growth to 5% annually
during 1996-99. Growth was negative in 2000-03 because of the
difficulty of meeting the conditions of international donors,
continued low prices of key exports, and severe civil war. Political
uncertainty will continue to cloud the economic outlook in 2004, but
rising world prices for cocoa will help both the current account and
the government balances.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $24.51 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-1.9% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 36.6% industry: 19.9% services: 43.5% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
8.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
37% (1995)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36.7 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.4% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
6.64 million 68% agricultural (2003)

Unemployment rate:
13% in urban areas (1998)

Budget:
revenues: $2.339 billion
expenditures: $2.749 billion, including capital expenditures of $420
million (2003 est.)

Public debt:
82.5% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice, manioc
(tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber

Industries:
foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, truck and bus
assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity

Industrial production growth rate:
15% (1998 est.)

Electricity - production:
4.605 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
2.983 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
1.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
32,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
50 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
14.87 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$501 million (2003)

Exports:
$5.299 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm
oil, fish

Exports - partners:
France 19.1%, Netherlands 17.7%, US 7.1%, Spain 5.6% (2003)

Imports:
$2.781 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
France 32.7%, Nigeria 14.4%, UK 7% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$2.005 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$11.85 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $1 billion (1996 est.)

Currency:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
XOF

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 581.2
(2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699
(1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Cote d'Ivoire

Telephones - main lines in use:
328,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.236 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: well developed by African standards but
operating well below capacity
domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized
international: country code - 225; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 submarine cables
(June 1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
2.26 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
14 (1999)

Televisions:
1.09 million (2000)

Internet country code:
.ci

Internet hosts:
3,795 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2001)

Internet users:
90,000 (2002)

Transportation Cote d'Ivoire

Railways:
total: 660 km
narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000-meter gauge
note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina
Faso (2003)

Highways:
total: 50,400 km
paved: 4,889 km
unpaved: 45,511 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons)
(2003)

Pipelines:
condensate 107 km; gas 223 km; oil 104 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro

Airports:
37 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 7
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 30
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Military Cote d'Ivoire

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie, Republican Guard
(includes Presidential Guard)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 4,135,309 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,164,014 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 204,434 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$173.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Cote d'Ivoire

Disputes - international:
continuing rebel fighting extends to neighboring states and has
kept out foreign workers from nearby countries; the Ivorian
Government accuses Burkina Faso and Liberia of supporting Ivorian
rebels

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 71,711 (Liberia)
IDPs: 500,000 (2002 coup; most IDPs are in western regions) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption;
transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin to
Europe and occasionally to the US, and for Latin American cocaine
destined for Europe and South Africa; while rampant corruption and
inadequate supervision leave the banking system vulnerable to money
laundering, the lack of a developed financial system limits the
country's utility as a major money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Croatia

Introduction Croatia

Background:
The lands that today comprise Croatia were part of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire until the close of World War I. In 1918, the
Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as
Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became a federal
independent Communist state under the strong hand of Marshal TITO.
Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991,
it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting before
occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared from Croatian lands. Under
UN supervision, the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was
returned to Croatia in 1998.

Geography Croatia

Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and
Herzegovina and Slovenia

Geographic coordinates:
45 10 N, 15 30 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 56,542 sq km
water: 128 sq km
land: 56,414 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
total: 2,197 km
border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km,
Serbia and Montenegro (north) 241 km, Serbia and Montenegro (south)
25 km, Slovenia 670 km

Coastline:
5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km)

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

Climate:
Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant with
hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast

Terrain:
geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low
mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Dinara 1,830 m

Natural resources:
oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, gypsum,
natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 26.09% permanent crops: 2.27% other: 71.65% (2001)

Irrigated land:
30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues: air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid rain is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrial and domestic waste; landmine removal and reconstruction of infrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea and
Turkish Straits

People Croatia

Population:
4,496,869 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.6% (male 383,729; female 364,287)
15-64 years: 67% (male 1,497,525; female 1,515,956)
65 years and over: 16.4% (male 277,616; female 457,756) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 39.7 years
male: 37.7 years
female: 41.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.02% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
9.51 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
11.3 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.96 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 7.03 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.14 years
male: 70.21 years
female: 78.29 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.39 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 10 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s)
adjective: Croatian

Ethnic groups:
Croat 89.6%, Serb 4.5%, Bosniak 0.5%, Hungarian 0.4%, Slovene 0.3%,
Czech 0.2%, Roma 0.2%, Albanian 0.1%, Montenegrin 0.1%, others 4.1%
(2001)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, Muslim 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%,
others and unknown 6.2% (2001)

Languages:
Croatian 96%, other 4% (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech,
Slovak, and German)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.5%
male: 99.4%
female: 97.8% (2003 est.)

Government Croatia

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Croatia
conventional short form: Croatia
local short form: Hrvatska
former: People's Republic of Croatia, Socialist Republic of Croatia
local long form: Republika Hrvatska

Government type:
presidential/parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Zagreb

Administrative divisions:
20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular) and 1 city* (grad -
singular); Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska Zupanija, Brodsko-Posavska
Zupanija, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska Zupanija, Istarska Zupanija,
Karlovacka Zupanija, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka Zupanija,
Krapinsko-Zagorska Zupanija, Licko-Senjska Zupanija, Medimurska
Zupanija, Osjecko-Baranjska Zupanija, Pozesko-Slavonska Zupanija,
Primorsko-Goranska Zupanija, Sibensko-Kninska Zupanija,
Sisacko-Moslavacka Zupanija, Splitsko-Dalmatinska Zupanija,
Varazdinska Zupanija, Viroviticko-Podravska Zupanija,
Vukovarsko-Srijemska Zupanija, Zadarska Zupanija, Zagreb*,
Zagrebacka Zupanija

Independence:
25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday:
Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Constitution:
adopted on 22 December 1990; revised 2000, 2001

Legal system:
based on civil law system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18 February
2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Ivo SANADER (since 9 December
2003); Deputy Prime Ministers Jadranka KOSOR (since 23 December
2003) and Andrija HEBRANG (since 23 December 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and
approved by the parliamentary Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 16 January 2005 (next to be held January 2010);
prime minister nominated by the president in line with the balance
of power in the Assembly
election results: Stjepan MESIC reelected president; percent of vote
- Stjepan MESIC (HNS) 66%, Jadranka KOSOR (HDZ) 34%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly or Sabor (152 seats; note - one seat was added
in the November 2003 parliamentary elections; members elected from
party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Assembly - last held 23 November 2003 (next to be held in
2007)
note: minority government coalition - HDZ, DC, HSLS, HSU, SDSS
election results: Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; number
of seats by party - HDZ 66, SDP 34, HSS 10, HNS 10, HSP 8, IDS 4,
Libra 3, HSU 3, SDSS 3, other 11

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; judges for both courts
appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the
Republic, which is elected by the Assembly

Political parties and leaders:
Croatian Bloc or HB [Ivic PASALIC]; Croatian Christian Democratic
Union or HKDU [Anto KOVACEVIC]; Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ
[Ivo SANADER]; Croatian Party of Rights or HSP [Anto DJAPIC];
Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Zlatko TOMCIC]; Croatian Pensioner
Party or HSU [Vladimir JORDAN]; Croatian People's Party or HNS
[Vesna PUSIC]; Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Ivan CEHOK];
Croatian True Revival Party or HIP [Miroslav TUDJMAN]; Democratic
Centre or DC [Vesna SKARE-OZBOLT]; Independent Democratic Serb Party
or SDSS [Vojislav STRANIMIROVIC]; Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS
[Ivan JAKOVCIC]; Liberal Party or LS [Zlatko BENASIC]; Party of
Liberal Democrats or Libra [Jozo RADOS]; Social Democratic Party of
Croatia or SDP [Ivica RACAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ABEDA, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM
(observer), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UPU,
WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Neven JURICA
chancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
FAX: [1] (202) 588-8936
telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph FRANK
embassy: 2 Thomas Jefferson, 10010 Zagreb
mailing address: use street address
telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200
FAX: [385] (1) 661-2373

Flag description:
red, white, and blue horizontal bands with Croatian coat of arms
(red and white checkered)

Economy Croatia

Economy - overview:
Before the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the Republic of Croatia,
after Slovenia, was the most prosperous and industrialized area,
with a per capita output perhaps one-third above the Yugoslav
average. The economy emerged from a mild recession in 2000 with
tourism, banking, and public investments leading the way.
Unemployment remains high, at over 13 percent, with structural
factors slowing its decline. While macroeconomic stabilization has
largely been achieved, structural reforms lag because of deep
resistance on the part of the public and lack of strong support from
politicians. Growth, while impressively over 4% for the last several
years, has been achieved through high fiscal and current account
deficits. The government is gradually reducing a heavy back log of
civil cases, many involving land tenure. The EU accession process
should accelerate fiscal and structural reform.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $47.05 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $10,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.9% industry: 30% services: 62.1% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
27.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 23.3% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
29 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.8% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
1.69 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 13.2%, industry 25.4%, services 46.4% (2002)

Unemployment rate:
19.5% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $12.76 billion
expenditures: $14.31 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
69.1% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, barley, alfalfa, clover,
olives, citrus, grapes, soybeans, potatoes; livestock, dairy products

Industries:
chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal,
electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum, paper,
wood products, construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding,
petroleum and petroleum refining, food and beverages; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
3.9% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
12.12 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
14.27 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
386 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
3.386 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
29,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
89,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
93.6 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
1.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
2.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
1.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
34.36 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-2.039 billion (2003)

Exports:
$6.355 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
transport equipment, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels

Exports - partners:
Italy 26.1%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 14.6%, Germany 12%, Slovenia
8.3%, Austria 7.9% (2003)

Imports:
$12.86 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, transport and electrical equipment, chemicals, fuels and
lubricants, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Italy 17.9%, Germany 15.7%, Slovenia 7.4%, Austria 6.6%, France
5.3%, Russia 4.7% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$8.191 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$23.56 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA $66 million (2000)

Currency:
kuna (HRK)

Currency code:
HRK

Exchange rates:
kuna per US dollar - 6.7035 (2003), 7.8687 (2002), 8.34 (2001),
8.2766 (2000), 7.1124 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Croatia

Telephones - main lines in use:
1.825 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.553 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: reconstruction plan calls for replacement of all analog
circuits with digital and enlarging the network; a backup will be
included in the plan for the main trunk
international: country code - 385; digital international service is
provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in
the Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists of
two fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic
trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; Croatia is also
investing in ADRIA 1, a joint fiber-optic project with Germany,
Albania, and Greece (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999)

Radios:
1.51 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
36 (plus 321 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:
1.22 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.hr

Internet hosts:
29,644 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
9 (2000)

Internet users:
1.014 million (2003)

Transportation Croatia

Railways: total: 2,726 km standard gauge: 2,726 km 1.435-m gauge (984 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 28,123 km
paved: 23,792 km (including 410 km of expressways)
unpaved: 4,331 km (2000)

Waterways:
785 km (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 1,340 km; oil 583 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Dubrovnik, Dugi Rat, Omisalj, Ploce, Pula, Rijeka, Sibenik, Split,
Vukovar (inland waterway port on Danube), Zadar

Merchant marine:
total: 51 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 750,579 GRT/1,178,786 DWT
by type: bulk 16, cargo 14, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 5,
multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker
2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea/passenger 3
registered in other countries: 44 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Hong Kong 3, Russia 1

Airports:
68 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 23 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 37 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

Military Croatia

Military branches:
Ground Forces (Hrvatska Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces (Hrvatska Ratna
Mornarica, HRM), Air and Air Defense Forces (Hrvatsko Ratno
Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzrakoplovna Obrana, HRZiPZO)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 6-month
service obligation; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary
service (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,100,132 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 873,994 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 30,639 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$520 million (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.39% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Croatia

Disputes - international:
discussions continue with Bosnia and Herzegovina over disputed
territory around Kostajnica on the Una River and villages at the
base of Mount Pljesevica; the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime
boundary agreement, which would have ceded most of Pirin Bay and
maritime access to Slovenia and several villages to Croatia, remains
controversial, has not been ratified, and has been complicated by
Croatia's declaration of an ecological-fisheries zone in the
Adriatic Sea

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 12,600 (Croats and Serbs displaced in 1992-1995 war) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian heroin to
Western Europe; has been used as a transit point for maritime
shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Cuba

Introduction Cuba

Background:
The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the
European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and
following its development as a Spanish colony during the next
several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to
work the coffee and sugar plantations and Havana became the
launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from
Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule was severe and exploitative and
occasional rebellions were harshly suppressed. It was US
intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 that finally
overthrew Spanish rule. The subsequent Treaty of Paris established
Cuban independence, which was granted in 1902 after a three-year
transition period. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959;
his iron rule has held the regime together since then. Cuba's
Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout
Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The
country is now slowly recovering from a severe economic recession in
1990, following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4
billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as
the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration
to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or
via the southwest border - is a continuing problem. Some 2,500
Cubans attempted the crossing of the Straits of Florida in 2003; the
US Coast Guard apprehended about 60% of the individuals.

Geography Cuba

Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida

Geographic coordinates:
21 30 N, 80 00 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 110,860 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 110,860 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:
total: 29 km
border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km
note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and thus remains
part of Cuba

Coastline:
3,735 km

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

Climate:
tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April);
rainy season (May to October)

Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in
the southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m

Natural resources:
cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica,
petroleum, arable land

Land use: arable land: 33.05% other: 59.35% (2001) permanent crops: 7.6%

Irrigated land:
870 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in
general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year);
droughts are common

Environment - current issues:
air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation

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

Geography - note:
largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater
Antilles

People Cuba

Population:
11,308,764 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 20% (male 1,163,741; female 1,102,391)
15-64 years: 69.8% (male 3,949,197; female 3,948,196)
65 years and over: 10.1% (male 528,162; female 617,077) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 34.8 years
male: 34.2 years
female: 35.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.34% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
12.18 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.17 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.45 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 7.25 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.04 years
male: 74.77 years
female: 79.44 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.66 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,300 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Cuban(s) adjective: Cuban

Ethnic groups:
mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1%

Religions:
nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power;
Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also
represented

Languages:
Spanish

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 96.9% (2003 est.)
male: 97.2%
total population: 97%

People - note:
illicit migration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to depart
the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien smugglers,
direct flights, or falsified visas; some 2,500 Cubans took to the
Straits of Florida in 2002; the US Coast Guard interdicted about 60%
of these migrants; Cubans also use non-maritime routes to enter the
US; some 1,500 Cubans arrived overland via the southwest border and
direct flights to Miami in 2002

Government Cuba

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

Government type:
Communist state

Capital:
Havana

Administrative divisions:
14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special
municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila,
Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla
de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio,
Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara

Independence:
20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US
from 1898 to 1902)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 10 December (1898); note - 10 December 1898 is
the date of independence from Spain, 20 May 1902 is the date of
independence from US administration; Rebellion Day, 26 July (1953)

Constitution:
24 February 1976, amended July 1992 and June 2002

Legal system:
based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of Communist
legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the Council of State and President of
the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from
February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;
president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the
Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of
Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
elections: president and vice presidents elected by the National
Assembly for a term of five years; election last held 6 March 2003
(next to be held in 2008)
election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz reelected president; percent of
legislative vote - 100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president;
percent of legislative vote - 100%
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the
Council of State and appointed by the National Assembly or the
31-member Council of State, elected by the Assembly to act on its
behalf when it is not in session
head of government: President of the Council of State and President
of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from
February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;
president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the
Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of
Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea Nacional
del Poder Popular (609 seats, elected directly from slates approved
by special candidacy commissions; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 19 January 2003 (next to be held in NA 2008)
election results: percent of vote - PCC 97.6%; seats - PCC 609

Judicial branch:
People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president, vice
president, and other judges are elected by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
only party - Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first
secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS
(excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Dagoberto RODRIGUEZ Barrera; address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer James C. CASON; address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana; telephone: [53] (7) 833-3551 through 3559 (operator assistance required); FAX: [53] (7) 833-3700; protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland

Flag description:
five equal horizontal bands of blue (top and bottom) alternating
with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears
a white, five-pointed star in the center; design influenced by the
US flag

Economy Cuba

Economy - overview:
The government continues to balance the need for economic loosening
against a desire for firm political control. It has undertaken
limited reforms to increase enterprise efficiency and alleviate
serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services. A major
feature of the economy is the dichotomy between relatively efficient
export enclaves and inefficient domestic sectors. The average
Cuban's standard of living remains at a lower level than before the
depression of the 1990s, which was caused by the loss of Soviet aid
and domestic inefficiencies. The government reluctantly allows a
large dollar market sector, fueled by tourism and remittances from
Cubans abroad.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $32.13 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.6% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.5% industry: 26.9% services: 67.6% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
10.1% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 4.58 million note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 24%, industry 25%, services 51% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
2.6% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $17.21 billion
expenditures: $18.28 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock

Industries:
sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement,
agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate:
2.4% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
14.38 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
13.38 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
50,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
163,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
532 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
600 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
600 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
42.62 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-273 million (2003)

Exports:
$1.467 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee

Exports - partners:
Netherlands 21.8%, Canada 16.2%, Russia 10.7%, Spain 8.7%, China
7.3% (2003)

Imports:
$4.531 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners:
Spain 16.6%, Venezuela 12.5%, Italy 8.6%, US 8.5%, China 7.7%,
Canada 5.4%, Mexico 5.3%, France 4.9% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$582 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$12.52 billion (convertible currency); another $15 billion -$20
billion owed to Russia (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$68.2 million (1997 est.)

Currency:
Cuban peso (CUP)

Currency code:
CUP

Exchange rates:
Cuban pesos per US dollar - 1.0000 (nonconvertible, official rate,
for international transactions, pegged to the US dollar);
convertible peso sold for domestic use at a rate of 27 pesos per US
dollar by the Government of Cuba (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Cuba

Telephones - main lines in use:
574,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
17,900 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and the
establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and
Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system;
cellular service, initially restricted, was opened to public access
in 2003
domestic: national fiber-optic system scheduled to be completed by
end of 2003; 85% of switches digitized by end of 2002 with entire
system by end 2003; telephone line density remains low; cellular
service expanding
international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not
linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
3.9 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
58 (1997)

Televisions:
2.64 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.cu

Internet hosts:
1,529 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2001)

Internet users:
120,000 (2001)

Transportation Cuba

Railways:
total: 4,226 km
standard gauge: 4,226 km 1.435-m gauge (140 km electrified)
note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations;
about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge
(2003)

Highways:
total: 60,858 km
paved: 29,820 km (including 638 km of expressway)
unpaved: 31,038 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
240 km (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 49 km; oil 230 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Cienfuegos, Havana, Manzanillo, Mariel, Matanzas, Nuevitas,
Santiago de Cuba

Merchant marine:
total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 54,818 GRT/81,850 DWT
registered in other countries: 35 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 3, cargo 4, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 3,
refrigerated cargo 2

Airports:
170 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 79 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 37 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 91 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 62 (2004 est.)

Military Cuba

Military branches:
Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR): Revolutionary Army (ER),
Revolutionary Navy (MGR), Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR),
Territorial Militia Troops (MTT), Youth Labor Army (EJT)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
17 years of age; both sexes are eligible for military service (2004
est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 3,134,622
females age 15-49: 3,075,534 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,929,370
females age 15-49: 1,888,498 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 83,992
females: 91,901 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$572.3 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.8% (2003)

Military - note:
Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of
Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993

Transnational Issues Cuba

Disputes - international:
US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual
agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease

Illicit drugs:
territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone for
cocaine and heroin bound for the US and Europe; established the
death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Cyprus

Introduction Cyprus

Background:
A former British colony, Cyprus received independence in 1960
following years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the
Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head
in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia.
Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic
intercommunal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into
enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek-sponsored attempt
to seize the government was met by military intervention from
Turkey, which soon controlled more than a third of the island. In
1983, the Turkish-held area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus," but it is recognized only by Turkey. The latest
two-year round of UN-brokered direct talks - between the leaders of
the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to reach an
agreement to reunite the divided island - ended when the Greek
Cypriots rejected the UN settlement plan in an April 2004
referendum. Although only the internationally recognized Greek
Cypriot-controlled Republic of Cyprus joined the EU on 1 May 2004,
every Cypriot carrying a Cyprus passport will have the status of a
European citizen. EU laws, however, will not apply to north Cyprus.
Nicosia continues to oppose EU efforts to establish direct trade and
economic links to north Cyprus as a way of encouraging the Turkish
Cypriot community to continue to support reunification.

Geography Cyprus

Location:
Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
35 00 N, 33 00 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 9,250 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus)
water: 10 sq km
land: 9,240 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries:
NA; boundaries with Akrotiri and Dhekelia are being resurveyed

Coastline:
648 km

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

Climate:
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Terrain:
central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but
significant plains along southern coast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Olympus 1,951 m

Natural resources:
copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth
pigment

Land use: arable land: 7.79% permanent crops: 4.44% other: 87.77% (2001)

Irrigated land:
382 sq km (2001 est.)

Natural hazards:
moderate earthquake activity; droughts

Environment - current issues:
water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments, seasonal
disparity in rainfall, sea water intrusion to island's largest
aquifer, increased salination in the north); water pollution from
sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of wildlife
habitats from urbanization

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and
Sardinia)

People Cyprus

Population:
775,927 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.4% (male 84,850; female 81,235)
15-64 years: 67.4% (male 264,441; female 258,150)
65 years and over: 11.2% (male 38,058; female 49,193) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 34.4 years
male: 33.4 years
female: 35.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.55% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
12.66 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.63 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.36 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 9.19 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.46 years
male: 75.11 years
female: 79.92 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.85 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 1,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Cypriot(s)
adjective: Cypriot

Ethnic groups:
Greek 77%, Turkish 18%, other 5% (2001)

Religions:
Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic, and
other 4%

Languages:
Greek, Turkish, English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.6%
male: 98.9%
female: 96.3% (2003 est.)

Government Cyprus

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus
conventional short form: Cyprus
note: the Turkish Cypriot community (north Cyprus) refers to itself
as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC)

Government type:
republic
note: a separation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the
island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this
separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in
July 1974 that followed a Greek junta-supported coup attempt gave
the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots
control the only internationally recognized government; on 15
November 1983 Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared
independence and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus" (TRNC), recognized only by Turkey; both sides publicly
support a settlement based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation.

Capital:
Nicosia

Administrative divisions:
6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia,
Paphos; note - Turkish Cypriot area's administrative divisions
include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts
of Lefkosia (Nicosia) and Larnaca

Independence:
16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriots proclaimed
self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983, but these
proclamations are only recognized by Turkey

National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriots
celebrates 15 November (1983) as Independence Day

Constitution:
16 August 1960; from December 1963, the Turkish Cypriots no longer
participated in the government; negotiations to create the basis for
a new or revised constitution to govern the island and to better
relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held
intermittently since the mid-1960s; in 1975, following the 1974
Turkish intervention, Turkish Cypriots created their own
constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish Federated
State of Cyprus," which became the "Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus" when the Turkish Cypriots declared their independence in
1983; a new constitution for the "TRNC" passed by referendum on 5
May 1985

Legal system:
based on common law, with civil law modifications

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March 2003);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the
1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot
head of government: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March
2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the
1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and
vice president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 16 February 2003 (next to be held NA February
2008)
note: Rauf R. DENKTASH has been "president" of north Cyprus since 13
February 1975 ("president" elected by popular vote for a five-year
term); elections last held 15 April 2000 (next to be held April
2005); results - Rauf R. DENKTASH reelected president after the
other contender withdrew; Mehmet Ali TALAT, who had been "prime
minister" of north Cyprus since mid-January 2004, currently serving
in a caretaker capacity following the failure of the governing
coalition to pass a budget; "parliamentary" elections are planned
for 20 February 2005; there is a Council of Ministers (cabinet) in
north Cyprus, appointed by the "prime minister"
election results: Tassos PAPADOPOULOS elected president; percent of
vote - Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 51.5%, Glafkos KLIRIDIS 38.8%, Alekos
MARKIDIS 6.6%

Legislative branch:
unicameral - Republic of Cyprus: House of Representatives or Vouli
Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the Greek Cypriots, 24 to
Turkish Cypriots; note - only those assigned to Greek Cypriots are
filled; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms); north Cyprus: Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi
(50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
election results: Republic of Cyprus: House of Representatives -
percent of vote by party - AKEL 34.71%, DISY 34%, DIKO 14.84%, KISOS
6.51%, others 9.94%; seats by party - AKEL (Communist) 20, DISY 19,
DIKO 9, KISOS 4, others 4; north Cyprus: Assembly of the Republic -
percent of vote by party - CTP 35.8%, UBP 32.3%, Peace and
Democratic Movement 13.4%, DP 12.3%; seats by party - CTP 19, UBP
18, Peace and Democratic Movement 6, DP 7
elections: Republic of Cyprus: last held 27 May 2001 (next to be
held May 2006); north Cyprus: last held 14 December 2003 (next to be
held early 2005 because the government resigned)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president and
vice president)
note: there is also a Supreme Court in north Cyprus

Political parties and leaders:
Republic of Cyprus: Democratic Party or DIKO [Tassos PAPADOPOULOS];
Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADHIS]; Fighting Democratic
Movement or ADIK [Dinos MIKHAILIDIS]; Green Party of Cyprus [George
PERDIKIS]; New Horizons [Nikolaus KOUTSOU]; Restorative Party of the
Working People or AKEL (Communist Party) [Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS];
Social Democrats Movement or KISOS (formerly United Democratic Union
of Cyprus or EDEK) [Yiannakis OMIROU]; United Democrats Movement or
EDE [George VASSILIOU]; north Cyprus: Democratic Party or DP [Serder
DENKTASH]; National Birth Party or UDP [Enver EMIN]; National Unity
Party or UBP [Dervis EROGLU]; Our Party or BP [Okyay SADIKOGLU];
Patriotic Unity Movement or YBH [Alpay DURDURAN]; Peace and
Democratic Movement [Mustafa AKINCI]; Republican Turkish Party or
CTP [Mehmet ALI TALAT]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation of Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West); Confederation
of Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is; Federation of Turkish
Cypriot Labor Unions or Turk-Sen; Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation or
PEO (Communist controlled)

International organization participation:
Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU
(observer affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Euripides L. EVRIVIADES
chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710
note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot community in the US is
Osman ERTUG; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone
[1] (202) 887-6198
consulate(s): New York
consulate(s) general: New York
telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael KLOSSON
embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, Engomi, 2407
Nicosia
mailing address: P. O. Box 24536, 1385 Nikosia
telephone: [357] (22) 393939
FAX: [357] (22) 780944

Flag description:
white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the name
Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two green
crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches
symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek
and Turkish communities
note: the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" flag has a
horizontal red stripe at the top and bottom between which is a red
crescent and red star on a white field

Economy Cyprus

Economy - overview:
The Greek Cypriot economy is prosperous but highly susceptible to
external shocks. Erratic growth rates over the past decade reflect
the economy's vulnerability to swings in tourist arrivals, caused by
political instability in the region and fluctuations in economic
conditions in Western Europe. Economic policy is focused on meeting
the criteria for admission to the EU. EU-driven tax reforms in 2003
have introduced fiscal imbalances, which, coupled with a sluggish
tourism sector, have resulted in growing fiscal deficits. As in the
Turkish sector, water shortages are a perennial problem; a few
desalination plants are now on-line. After 10 years of drought, the
country received substantial rainfall from 2001-03, alleviating
immediate concerns. The Turkish Cypriot economy has roughly
one-third of the per capita GDP of the south. Because it is
recognized only by Turkey, it has had much difficulty arranging
foreign financing and investment. It remains heavily dependent on
agriculture and government service, which together employ about half
of the work force. To compensate for the economy's weakness, Turkey
provides grants and loans to support economic development. Ankara
provided $200 million in 2002 and pledged $450 million for the
2003-05 period. Future events throughout the island will be highly
influenced by the outcome of negotiations on the UN-sponsored
agreement to unite the Greek and Turkish areas.

GDP:
Republic of Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $14.82 billion (2003
est.); north Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $1.217 billion (2003
est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
Republic of Cyprus: 1.9% (2003 est.); north Cyprus: 2.6% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
Republic of Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $19,200 (2003 est.);
north Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: Republic of Cyprus: agriculture 4.1%; industry 20.3%; services 75.6% north Cyprus: agriculture 10.6%; industry 20.5%; services 68.9% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
19.9% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Republic of Cyprus: 4.1% (2003 est.); north Cyprus: 12.6% (2003
est.)

Labor force:
330,000 Republic of Cyprus: 306,000; north Cyprus: 95,025 (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
Republic of Cyprus: services 75.6%, industry 19.4%, agriculture
4.9% (2003); north Cyprus: services 68.9%, industry 20.5%,
agriculture 10.6% (2003)

Unemployment rate:
Republic of Cyprus: 3.4%; north Cyprus: 5.6% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: Republic of Cyprus - $3.971 billion, north Cyprus -
$231.3 million (2002 est.)
expenditures: $4.746 billion, Republic of Cyprus - $539 million,
including capital expenditures of $539 million, north Cyprus -
$432.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003)

Public debt:
62.3% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
potatoes, citrus, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables,
poultry, pork, lamb, kids, dairy

Industries:
food, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metal products, tourism, wood
products

Industrial production growth rate:
Republic of Cyprus: -0.6% (2002); north Cyprus: -0.3% (2003)

Electricity - production:
3.401 billion kWh; north Cyprus: NA kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
Republic of Cyprus: 3.163 billion kWh; north Cyprus: NA kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
49,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-545 million (2003)

Exports:
Republic of Cyprus: $1.054 billion f.o.b. north Cyprus: $46 million
f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
Republic of Cyprus: citrus, potatoes, pharmaceuticals, cement,
clothing and cigarettes; north Cyprus: citrus, potatoes, textiles

Exports - partners:
UK 32.1%, Greece 9.2%, Lebanon 3.5% (2003)

Imports:
Republic of Cyprus: $4.637 billion f.o.b.; north Cyprus: $301
million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
Republic of Cyprus: consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants,
intermediate goods, machinery, transport equipment; north Cyprus:
food, minerals, chemicals, machinery

Imports - partners:
Greece 11.9%, Italy 9.8%, UK 8.3%, Germany 7.5%, Japan 5.6%, France
5.1%, China 4.9%, US 4.2%, Spain 4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$3.453 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
Republic of Cyprus: $8.85 billion; north Cyprus: NA (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
Republic of Cyprus - $17 million (1998); north Cyprus - $700
million from Turkey in grants and loans (1990-97), which are usually
forgiven (1998)

Currency:
Republic of Cyprus: Cypriot pound (CYP); north Cyprus: Turkish lira
(TRL)

Currency code:
CYP; TRL

Exchange rates:
Cypriot pounds per US dollar - 0.5174 (2003), 0.6107 (2002), 0.6431
(2001), 0.6224 (2000), 0.5429 (1999), Turkish lira per US dollar
1.505 million (2003), 1.507 million (2002), 1,225,590 (2001),
625,218 (2000), 418,783 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Cyprus

Telephones - main lines in use:
Republic of Cyprus: 427,400 (2002); north Cyprus: 86,228 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
Republic of Cyprus: 417,900 (2002); north Cyprus: 143,178 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent in both Republic of Cyprus and north
Cyprus areas
domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 357; tropospheric scatter; 3 coaxial
and 5 fiber-optic submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2 Eutelsat, 2
Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
Republic of Cyprus: AM 7, FM 60, shortwave 1 (1998); north Cyprus:
AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
Greek Cypriot area: 310,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: 56,450
(1994)

Television broadcast stations:
Republic of Cyprus: 4 (plus 225 low-power repeaters) (September
1995);; north Cyprus: 4 (plus 5 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:
Greek Cypriot area: 248,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: 52,300
(1994)

Internet country code:
.cy

Internet hosts:
5,901 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)

Internet users:
210,000 (2002)

Transportation Cyprus

Highways:
total: 13,491 km
note: Republic of Cyprus: 11,141 km; north Cyprus: 2,350 km
unpaved: Republic of Cyprus: 4,713 km; north Cyprus: 980 km
(2000/1996)
paved: Republic of Cyprus: 6,428 km; north Cyprus: 1,370 km

Ports and harbors:
Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos, Vasilikos

Merchant marine:
total: 1,066 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 22,016,374 GRT/35,760,004 DWT
registered in other countries: 100 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Austria 11, Belgium 1, Bulgaria 1, Canada 6, China
13, Croatia 2, Cuba 8, Egypt 2, Estonia 2, Germany 210, Greece 499,
Guam 1, Hong Kong 5, India 6, Iran 3, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Italy 2,
Japan 20, South Korea 6, Latvia 11, Malta 1, Mexico 1, Monaco 3,
Netherlands 18, Norway 7, Panama 1, Philippines 2, Poland 20,
Portugal 2, Russia 51, Singapore 2, Slovenia 4, Spain 5, Sudan 2,
Sweden 6, Switzerland 1, Ukraine 2, United Kingdom 16, United States
4, Vietnam 1
by type: bulk 403, cargo 276, chemical tanker 28, combination bulk
21, combination ore/oil 2, container 145, liquefied gas 1,
multi-functional large load carrier 2, passenger 8, passenger/cargo
1, petroleum tanker 109, refrigerated cargo 30, roll on/roll off 29,
short-sea/passenger 5, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 3

Airports:
17 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 3

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
10 (2003 est.)

Military Cyprus

Military branches:
Republic of Cyprus: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG; including
air and naval elements), Greek Cypriot Police
north Cyprus: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (GKK)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (2004 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 202,966 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 139,255 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 6,614 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$384 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.8% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Cyprus

Disputes - international:
hostilities in 1974 divided the island into two de facto autonomous
areas, a Greek Cypriot area controlled by the internationally
recognized Cypriot Government and a Turkish Cypriot area, separated
by a UN buffer zone; March 2003 reunification talks failed, but
Turkish Cypriots later opened their borders to temporary visits by
Greek Cypriots

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 265,000 (both Turkish and Greek Cypriots; many displaced for
over 30 years) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
minor transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and
container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey;
some cocaine transits as well; despite a strengthening of anti-money
laundering legislation, remains highly vulnerable to money
laundering; identification of benefiting owners and reporting of
suspicious transactions by nonresident-controlled companies in
offshore sector remains weak

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Czech Republic

Introduction Czech Republic

Background:
Following the First World War, the closely related Czechs and
Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form
Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's leaders
were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic
minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and
the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II, a truncated
Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. In 1968,
an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's
leaders to liberalize Communist party rule and create "socialism
with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year
ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the collapse of Soviet
authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a
peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993, the country
underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the
Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999
and the European Union in 2004.

Geography Czech Republic

Location:
Central Europe, southeast of Germany

Geographic coordinates:
49 45 N, 15 30 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 78,866 sq km
water: 1,590 sq km
land: 77,276 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:
total: 1,881 km
border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km,
Slovakia 215 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain:
Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus
surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very
hilly country

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Elbe River 115 m highest point: Snezka 1,602 m

Natural resources: hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber

Land use: arable land: 39.8% permanent crops: 3.05% other: 57.15% (2001)

Irrigated land:
240 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
flooding

Environment - current issues: air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests; efforts to bring industry up to EU code should improve domestic pollution

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most
significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional
military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in
central Europe

People Czech Republic

Population:
10,246,178 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 15% (male 789,987; female 748,476)
15-64 years: 70.9% (male 3,643,574; female 3,622,276)
65 years and over: 14.1% (male 557,496; female 884,369) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.6 years
male: 36.9 years
female: 40.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.05% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
9.1 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
10.54 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.97 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 4.32 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.78 years
male: 72.52 years
female: 79.24 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.18 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 10 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Czech(s)
adjective: Czech

Ethnic groups:
Czech 81.2%, Moravian 13.2%, Slovak 3.1%, Polish 0.6%, German 0.5%,
Silesian 0.4%, Roma 0.3%, Hungarian 0.2%, other 0.5% (1991)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 39.2%, Protestant 4.6%, Orthodox 3%, other 13.4%,
atheist 39.8%

Languages:
Czech

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99.9% (1999 est.) male: NA female: NA

Government Czech Republic

Country name:
conventional long form: Czech Republic
conventional short form: Czech Republic
local short form: Ceska Republika
local long form: Ceska Republika

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Prague

Administrative divisions:
13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni
mesto); Jihocesky Kraj, Jihomoravsky Kraj, Karlovarsky Kraj,
Kralovehradecky Kraj, Liberecky Kraj, Moravskoslezsky Kraj,
Olomoucky Kraj, Pardubicky Kraj, Plzensky Kraj, Praha*, Stredocesky
Kraj, Ustecky Kraj, Vysocina, Zlinsky Kraj

Independence:
1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and
Slovakia)

National holiday:
Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918)

Constitution:
ratified 16 December 1992; effective 1 January 1993

Legal system:
civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to bring it in line
with Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March 2003)
note: the Czech Republic's first president Vaclav HAVEL stepped down
from office on 2 February 2003 having served exactly 10 years;
parliament finally elected a successor on 28 February 2003 after two
inconclusive elections in January 2003
head of government: Prime Minister Stanislav GROSS (since 26 July
2004), Deputy Prime Ministers Zdenek SKROMACH (since 4 August 2004),
Martin JAHN (since 4 August 2004), Pavel NEMEC (since 4 August
2004); Milan SIMONOVSKY (since 4 August 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the prime minister
election results: Vaclav KLAUS elected president on 28 February
2003; Vaclav KLAUS 142 votes, Jan SOKOL 124 votes (third round;
combined votes of both chambers of parliament)
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term;
last successful election held 28 February 2003 (after earlier
elections held 15 and 24 January 2003 were inconclusive; next
election to be held NA January 2008); prime minister appointed by
the president

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat
(81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year
terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of
Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - ODS 26, KDU-CSL 15, Open Democracy 15, CSSD 9, Caucus
"Independent" 5, US-DEU 1, European Democrats 1, Greens 1, KSCM 1,
independents 7; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party -
CSSD 30.2%, ODS 24.5%, KSCM 18.5%, KDU-CSL & US-DEU coalition 14.3%,
other minor 12.5%; seats by party - CSSD 70, ODS 58, KSCM 41,
KDU-CSL 21, US-DEU 10
elections: Senate - last held in two rounds 5-6 November and 12-13
November 2004 (next to be held NA November 2006); Chamber of
Deputies - last held 14-15 June 2002 (next to be held by NA June
2006)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and deputy chairmen
are appointed by the president for a 10-year term

Political parties and leaders:
Christian and Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or
KDU-CSL [Miroslav KALOUSEK, chairman]; Civic Democratic Alliance or
ODA [Jirina NOVAKOVA, chairman]; Civic Democratic Party or ODS
[Mirek TOPOLANEK, chairman]; Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia
or KSCM [Miroslav GREBENICEK, chairman]; Communist Party of
Czechoslovakia or KSC [Miroslav STEPAN, chairman]; Czech National
Social Party of CSNS [Jaroslav ROVNY, chairman]; Czech Social
Democratic Party or CSSD [Stanislav GROSS, acting chairman];
European Democrats [Jan KASL]; Freedom Union-Democratic Union or
US-DEU [Pavel NEMEC, chairman]; Green Party; Open Democracy

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Bohemian and Moravian Trade Union Confederation [Milan STECH]

International organization participation:
ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory),
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR,
UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate),
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Martin PALOUS
chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540
telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William J. CABANISS
embassy: Trziste 15, 11801 Prague 1
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [420] (2) 5753-0663
FAX: [420] (2) 5753-0583

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue
isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (identical to the flag of
the former Czechoslovakia)

Economy Czech Republic

Economy - overview:
One of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states,
the Czech Republic has been recovering from recession since
mid-1999. Growth in 2000-03 was supported by exports to the EU,
primarily to Germany, and a near doubling of foreign direct
investment. Domestic demand is playing an ever more important role
in underpinning growth as interest rates drop and the availability
of credit cards and mortgages increases. High current account
deficits - averaging around 5% of GDP in the last several years -
could be a persistent problem. Inflation is under control. The EU
put the Czech Republic just behind Poland and Hungary in
preparations for accession, which will give further impetus and
direction to structural reform. Moves to complete banking,
telecommunications, and energy privatization will encourage
additional foreign investment, while intensified restructuring among
large enterprises and banks, and improvements in the financial
sector, should strengthen output growth. Nonetheless, revival in the
European economies remains essential to stepped-up growth.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $161.1 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.9% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $15,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.1% industry: 35.5% services: 61.4% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
26% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.3% highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
25.4 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
5.25 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 5%, industry 35%, services 60% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
9.9% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $33.25 billion
expenditures: $38.88 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
29.7% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry

Industries:
metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, glass,
armaments

Industrial production growth rate:
3.3% (2003)

Electricity - production:
70.04 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
55.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
18.92 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
9.38 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
7,419 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
175,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
26,670 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
192,300 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
17.25 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
160 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
9.892 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
1 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
9.521 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
3.057 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-5.57 billion (2003)

Exports:
$46.77 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 44%, intermediate manufactures
25%, chemicals 7%, raw materials and fuel 7% (2000)

Exports - partners:
Germany 37.1%, Slovakia 8%, Austria 6.3%, UK 5.4%, Poland 4.8%,
France 4.7%, Italy 4.5%, Netherlands 4.1% (2003)

Imports:
$50.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 40%, intermediate manufactures
21%, raw materials and fuels 13%, chemicals 11% (2000)

Imports - partners:
Germany 32.6%, Italy 5.3%, China 5.2%, Slovakia 5.2%, France 4.9%,
Russia 4.6%, Austria 4.3%, Poland 4.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$26.8 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$28 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
$108 million; EU structural adjustment funds (2002)

Currency:
Czech koruna (CZK)

Currency code:
CZK

Exchange rates:
koruny per US dollar - 28.209 (2003), 32.7385 (2002), 38.0353
(2001), 38.5984 (2000), 34.5692 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Czech Republic

Telephones - main lines in use:
3.626 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
9,708,700 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: privatization and modernization of the Czech
telecommunication system got a late start but is advancing steadily;
growth in the use of mobile cellular telephones is particularly
vigorous
domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber
systems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
(ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals;
trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 2
Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1
Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000)

Radios:
3,159,134 (December 2000)

Television broadcast stations:
150 (plus 1,434 repeaters) (2000)

Televisions:
3,405,834 (December 2000)

Internet country code:
.cz

Internet hosts:
295,677 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
more than 300 (2000)

Internet users:
2.7 million (2003)

Transportation Czech Republic

Railways:
total: 9,520 km
standard gauge: 9,421 km 1.435-m gauge (2,893 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 99 km 0.760-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 55,408 km
paved: 55,408 km (including 499 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
664 km (on Elbe, Vlatava, and Oder rivers) (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 7,020 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem

Airports:
120 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 44 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 76 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 48 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2003 est.)

Military Czech Republic

Military branches:
Czech Army: Ground Forces, Air Forces, Special Forces

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18-50 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; service obligation - 12 months; conscription due to end by 2005 (January 2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,623,386 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,003,748 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 67,195 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1,190.2 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.1% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Czech Republic

Disputes - international:
Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of
land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918; individual Sudeten
Germans seek restitution for property confiscated in connection with
their expulsion after World War II; Austria has minor dispute with
Czech Republic over the Temelin Nuclear Power Plant

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and minor transit
point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; producer of
synthetic drugs for local and regional markets; susceptible to money
laundering related to drug trafficking, organized crime

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Denmark

Introduction Denmark

Background:
Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European
power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is
participating in the general political and economic integration of
Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the EU) in 1973.
However, the country has opted out of certain elements of the
European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic
and Monetary Union (EMU), European defense cooperation, and issues
concerning certain justice and home affairs.

Geography Denmark

Location:
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a
peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major
islands (Sjaelland and Fyn)

Geographic coordinates:
56 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 43,094 sq km
water: 700 sq km
note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest
of metropolitan Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major
islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), but excludes the Faroe Islands and
Greenland
land: 42,394 sq km

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

Land boundaries: total: 68 km border countries: Germany 68 km

Coastline: 7,314 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers

Terrain:
low and flat to gently rolling plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m
highest point: Yding Skovhoej 173 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel
and sand

Land use: arable land: 54.02% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 45.79% (2001)

Irrigated land:
4,760 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of
Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are
protected from the sea by a system of dikes

Environment - current issues:
air pollution, principally from vehicle and power plant emissions;
nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea; drinking and
surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes and pesticides

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and
North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater
Copenhagen

People Denmark

Population:
5,413,392 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.9% (male 523,888; female 497,420)
15-64 years: 66.2% (male 1,808,376; female 1,774,388)
65 years and over: 15% (male 344,113; female 465,207) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 39.2 years
male: 38.3 years
female: 40.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.35% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
11.59 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
10.53 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
2.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.63 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 4.65 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.44 years
male: 75.17 years
female: 79.83 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.74 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Dane(s)
adjective: Danish

Ethnic groups:
Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali

Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%,
Muslim 2%

Languages:
Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small
minority)
note: English is the predominant second language

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: NA
female: NA

Government Denmark

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark
conventional short form: Denmark
local short form: Danmark
local long form: Kongeriget Danmark

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Copenhagen

Administrative divisions:
metropolitan Denmark - 14 counties (amter, singular - amt) and 2
boroughs* (amtskommuner, singular - amtskommune); Arhus, Bornholm,
Frederiksberg*, Frederiksborg, Fyn, Kobenhavn, Kobenhavns*,
Nordjylland, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde, Sonderjylland, Storstrom,
Vejle, Vestsjalland, Viborg
note: see separate entries for the Faroe Islands and Greenland,
which are part of the Kingdom of Denmark and are self-governing
overseas administrative divisions

Independence:
first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849 became
a constitutional monarchy

National holiday:
none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June is generally viewed as
the National Day

Constitution:
5 June 1849 adoption of original constitution; a major overhaul of
5 June 1953 allowed for a unicameral legislature and a female chief
of state

Legal system:
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972); Heir
Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born 26
May 1968)
head of government: Prime Minister Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN (since 27
November 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by
Parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Folketing (179 seats, including 2 from
Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members are elected by
popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 November 2001 (next to be held 8 February
2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 31%,
Social Democrats 29%, Danish People's Party 12%, Conservative Party
9%, Socialist People's Party 6%, Social Liberal Party 5%, Christian
People's Party (now Christian Democrats) 2%, Unity List 2%; seats by
party - Liberal Party 56, Social Democrats 52, Danish People's Party
22, Conservative Party 16, Socialist People's Party 12, Social
Liberal Party 9, Christian People's Party (now Christian Democrats)
4, Unity List 4; note - does not include the 2 seats from Greenland
and the 2 seats from the Faroe Islands

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch for life)

Political parties and leaders:
Center Democratic Party [Mimi JAKOBSEN]; Christian Democrats (was
Christian People's Party) [Marianne KARLSMOSE]; Conservative Party
(sometimes known as Conservative People's Party) [Bendt BENDTSEN];
Danish People's Party [Pia KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Party [Anders Fogh
RASMUSSEN]; Social Democratic Party [Mogens LYKKETOFT]; Social
Liberal Party (sometimes called the Radical Left) [Marianne JELVED,
leader; Soren BALD, chairman]; Socialist People's Party [Holger K.
NIELSEN]; Red-Green Unity List (bloc includes Left Socialist Party,
Communist Party of Denmark, Socialist Workers' Party) [collective
leadership]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,
ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN Security Council
(temporary), UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK,
UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer),
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ulrik Andreas FEDERSPIEL consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300 chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Stuart A. BERNSTEIN; note - will leave
15 January 2005
embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen
mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716
telephone: [45] 35 55 31 44
FAX: [45] 35 43 02 23

Flag description:
red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the
vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side, and that
design element of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) was subsequently
adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway,
and Sweden

Economy Denmark

Economy - overview:
This thoroughly modern market economy features high-tech
agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry,
extensive government welfare measures, comfortable living standards,
a stable currency, and high dependence on foreign trade. Denmark is
a net exporter of food and energy and enjoys a comfortable balance
of payments surplus. Government objectives include streamlining the
bureaucracy and further privatization of state assets. The
government has been successful in meeting, and even exceeding, the
economic convergence criteria for participating in the third phase
(a common European currency) of the European Economic and Monetary
Union (EMU), but Denmark has decided not to join 12 other EU members
in the euro; even so, the Danish Krone remains pegged to the euro.
Given the sluggish state of the European economy, growth in 2003 was
a mere 0.3%.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $167.2 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $31,100 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 22.1% services: 75.9% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
19.9% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 24% (2000 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
24.7 (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
2.863 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 4%, industry 17%, services 79% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
6.1% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $118.5 billion
expenditures: $116 billion, including capital expenditures of $500
million (2003 est.)

Public debt:
45% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets; pork, dairy products; fish

Industries:
food processing, machinery and equipment, textiles and clothing,
chemical products, electronics, construction, furniture and other
wood products, shipbuilding, windmills

Industrial production growth rate:
0.3% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
35.47 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
32.41 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
8.775 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
8.199 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
346,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
218,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
332,100 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
195,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
1.23 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
8.38 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
5.28 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
3.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
81.98 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$6.397 billion (2003)

Exports:
$64.16 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products,
fish, chemicals, furniture, ships, windmills

Exports - partners:
Germany 18.7%, Sweden 12.6%, UK 8.5%, US 6.2%, Norway 5.7%, France
5.1%, Netherlands 4.7% (2003)

Imports:
$54.47 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures for
industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
Germany 23.1%, Sweden 13%, UK 7%, Netherlands 6.9%, France 4.9%,
Norway 4.5%, Italy 4.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$37.98 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$21.7 billion (2000)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $1.63 billion (1999)

Currency:
Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code:
DKK

Exchange rates:
Danish kroner per US dollar - 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002), 8.3228
(2001), 8.0831 (2000), 6.9762 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Denmark

Telephones - main lines in use:
3,610,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
4,785,300 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph services
domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form
trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems
international: country code - 45; 18 submarine fiber-optic cables
linking Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earth
stations - 6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat
(Blaavand-Atlantic-East); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark,
Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station
and the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access (1997)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 355, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
6.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
26 (plus 51 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:
3.121 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.dk

Internet hosts:
1,219,925 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
13 (2000)

Internet users:
2.756 million (2002)

Transportation Denmark

Railways: total: 3,002 km standard gauge: 3,002 km 1.435-m gauge (595 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 71,591 km
paved: 71,591 km (including 880 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
417 km (2001)

Pipelines:
condensate 12 km; gas 3,892 km; oil 455 km; oil/gas/water 2 km;
unknown (oil/water) 64 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Aabenraa, Aalborg, Aarhus, Copenhagen, Esbjerg, Fredericia,
Frederikshavn, Hirtshals, Kolding, Odense, Roenne (Bornholm), Vejle

Merchant marine:
total: 276 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,952,473 GRT/9,030,444 DWT
registered in other countries: 284 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Germany 1, Greece 1, Indonesia 2, Norway 5
by type: bulk 4, cargo 77, chemical tanker 36, container 83,
liquefied gas 15, livestock carrier 5, petroleum tanker 27, rail car
carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 8, roll on/roll off 11,
short-sea/passenger 5, specialized tanker 4

Airports:
99 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 69 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 63 (2004 est.)

Military Denmark

Military branches:
Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish Air Force, Home
Guard

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and volunteer military service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies from 4 to 12 months according to specialization; reservists are assigned to mobilization units following completion of their conscript service (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,276,087 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,088,751 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 30,333 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$3,271.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.6% (2003)

Transnational Issues Denmark

Disputes - international:
Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and
the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the
Rockall area) remains dormant; dispute with Iceland over the Faroe
Islands' fisheries median line boundary within 200 nm; disputes with
Iceland, the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental
shelf boundary outside 200 nm; Faroese continue to study proposals
for full independence; uncontested dispute with Canada over Hans
Island sovereignty in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island
and Greenland

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Dhekelia

Introduction Dhekelia

Background:
By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the
independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovreignty and
jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers in
total: Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The larger of these of these is the
Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the
Eastern Sovereign Base Area.

Geography Dhekelia

Location:
on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta

Geographic coordinates:
34 59 N, 33 45 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 130.8 sq km
note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves

Area - comparative:
about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Climate:
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Environment - current issues:
netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and
autumn

Geography - note:
British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small
off-post sites scattered across Cyprus

People Dhekelia

Population:
no indigenous personnel
note: approximately 2,200 military personnel are on the base; there
are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of military
personnel or civilian staff on both the bases of Akrotiri and
Dhekelia; Cyprus citizens work on the base, but do not live there

Government Dhekelia

Country name:
conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area
conventional short form: Dhekelia

Dependency status:
overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is
also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

Capital:
Episkopi; located in Akrotiri

Legal system:
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is
appointed by the monarch
head of government: Administrator Maj. Gen. Peter Tomas Clayton
PEARSON (since 9 May 2003) note - reports to the British Ministry of
Defence

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

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

Flag description:
the flag of the UK is used

Economy Dhekelia

Economy - overview:
Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military
and their families located in Dhekelia. All food and manufactured
goods must be imported.

Military Dhekelia

Military - note:
includes Dheklia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a
roadway

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Djibouti

Introduction Djibouti

Background:
The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in
1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian one-party
state and proceeded to serve three consecutive six-year terms as
president. Unrest among the Afars minority during the 1990s led to
multi-party elections resulting in President Ismail Omar GUELLEH
attaining office in May 1999. A peace accord in 2001 ended the final
phases of a ten-year uprising by Afar rebels. Djibouti occupies a
very strategic geographic location at the mouth of the Red Sea and
serves as an important transshipment location for goods entering and
leaving the east African highlands. GUELLEH favors close ties to
France, which maintains a significant military presence in the
country.

Geography Djibouti

Location:
Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between
Eritrea and Somalia

Geographic coordinates:
11 30 N, 43 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 23,000 sq km
water: 20 sq km
land: 22,980 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 516 km border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km

Coastline: 314 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
desert; torrid, dry

Terrain:
coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m

Natural resources: geothermal areas

Land use: arable land: 0.04% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.96% (2001)

Irrigated land:
10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the
Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods

Environment - current issues:
inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land;
desertification; endangered species

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

Geography - note:
strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to
Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; mostly
wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa

People Djibouti

Population:
466,900 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.2% (male 101,168; female 100,545)
15-64 years: 53.7% (male 131,320; female 119,387)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 7,327; female 7,153) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.3 years
male: 18.8 years
female: 17.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.1% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
40.39 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
19.42 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 105.54 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 97.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 113.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 43.12 years
male: 41.83 years
female: 44.44 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.48 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
2.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
690 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria
overall degree of risk: high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Djiboutian(s)
adjective: Djiboutian

Ethnic groups:
Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian 5%

Religions:
Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Languages:
French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 67.9%
male: 78%
female: 58.4% (2003 est.)

Government Djibouti

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti
conventional short form: Djibouti
former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Djibouti

Administrative divisions:
5 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); 'Ali Sabih, Dikhil,
Djibouti, Obock, Tadjoura

Independence:
27 June 1977 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Constitution:
multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September 1992

Legal system:
based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and
Islamic law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister DILEITA Mohamed Dileita (since 4
March 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 9 April 1999 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH elected president; percent of
vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 74.4%, IDRIS Moussa Ahmed 25.6%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats;
members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: last held 10 January 2003 (next to be held NA January
2008)
election results: percent of vote - RPP 62.2%, FRUD 36.9%; seats -
RPP 65, FRUD 0; note - RPP (the ruling party) dominated the election

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh]; Democratic
Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; Djibouti Development
Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]; Front pour la Restauration de
l'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD]; People's Progress
Assembly or RPP (governing party) [Ismail Omar GUELLEH]; Peoples
Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon FARAH]; Republican
Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed Dini AHMED]; Union for
Democracy and Justice or UDJ [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Union for Presidential Majority UMP (coalition includes RPP, FRUD,
PPSD and PND); Union for Democratic Changeover or UAD (opposition
coalition includes ARD, MRDD, UDJ, and PDD) [Ahmed Dini AHMED]

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador ROBLE Olhaye
FAX: [1] (202) 331-0302
telephone: [1] (202) 331-0270
chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marguerita RAGSDALE embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti telephone: [253] 35 39 95 FAX: [253] 35 39 40

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light green with
a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a red
five-pointed star in the center

Economy Djibouti

Economy - overview:
The economy is based on service activities connected with the
country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone in
northeast Africa. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live in the capital
city, the remainder being mostly nomadic herders. Scanty rainfall
limits crop production to fruits and vegetables, and most food must
be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for
the region and an international transshipment and refueling center.
It has few natural resources and little industry. The nation is,
therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to help support
its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An
unemployment rate of 50% continues to be a major problem. Inflation
is not a concern, however, because of the fixed tie of the franc to
the US dollar. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over
the last seven years because of recession, civil war, and a high
population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Faced
with a multitude of economic difficulties, the government has fallen
in arrears on long-term external debt and has been struggling to
meet the stipulations of foreign aid donors.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $619 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.5% industry: 15.8% services: 80.7% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
50% (2001 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
282,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
NA

Unemployment rate:
50% (2000 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $135 million
expenditures: $182 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1999 est.)

Agriculture - products:
fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels

Industries:
construction, agricultural processing

Industrial production growth rate:
3% (1996 est.)

Electricity - production:
180 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
167.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
11,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$155 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)

Exports - partners:
Somalia 63.9%, Yemen 22.5%, Ethiopia 4.7% (2003)

Imports:
$665 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 19.7%, Ethiopia 10.9%, China 9.2%, France 6.5%, UK
5.1%, US 4.9% (2003)

Debt - external:
$366 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$36 million (2001)

Currency:
Djiboutian franc (DJF)

Currency code:
DJF

Exchange rates:
Djiboutian francs per US dollar - 177.721 (2003), 177.721 (2002),
177.721 (2001), 177.721 (2000), 177.721 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Djibouti

Telephones - main lines in use:
9,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
23,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti
are adequate as are the microwave radio relay connections to
outlying areas of the country
domestic: microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 253; submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez,
Sicily, Marseilles, Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations
- 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional
microwave radio relay telephone network

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios:
52,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2002)

Televisions:
28,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.dj

Internet hosts:
702 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
6,500 (2003)

Transportation Djibouti

Railways:
total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway)
narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge
note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2003)

Highways:
total: 2,890 km
paved: 364 km
unpaved: 2,526 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Djibouti

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,369 GRT/3,030 DWT
by type: cargo 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
13 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Military Djibouti

Military branches:
Djibouti National Army (including Navy and Air Force)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 108,771 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 64,540 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$26.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4.4% (2003)

Transnational Issues Djibouti

Disputes - international:
Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with
"Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to
various factions in Somalia including the Somali Transitional
National Government in Mogadishu

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 25,474 (Somalia) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Dominica

Introduction Dominica

Background:
Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by
Europeans, due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the native
Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763, which made
the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after independence,
Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and tyrannical
administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia CHARLES, the
first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who remained in office
for 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still living on Dominica are
the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the eastern Caribbean.

Geography Dominica

Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and
Tobago

Geographic coordinates:
15 25 N, 61 20 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 754 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 754 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
148 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:
tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall

Terrain:
rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, arable land

Land use: arable land: 6.67% permanent crops: 20% other: 73.33% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be
expected during the late summer months

Environment - current issues:
NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its
spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected
by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the
Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and
include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in
the world

People Dominica

Population:
69,278 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.3% (male 9,563; female 9,349)
15-64 years: 64.8% (male 23,097; female 21,804)
65 years and over: 7.9% (male 2,209; female 3,256) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 29 years
male: 28.7 years
female: 29.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.45% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
16.25 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.9 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-13.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 19.49 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.38 years
male: 71.48 years
female: 77.43 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.98 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality: noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups:
black, mixed black and European, European, Syrian, Carib Amerindian

Religions:
Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%,
Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), none 2%, other 6%

Languages:
English (official), French patois

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 94%
male: 94%
female: 94% (2003 est.)

Government Dominica

Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica
conventional short form: Dominica

Government type:
parliamentary democracy; republic within the Commonwealth

Capital:
Roseau

Administrative divisions:
10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John,
Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul,
Saint Peter

Independence:
3 November 1978 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

Constitution:
3 November 1978

Legal system:
based on English common law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since October
2003)
elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be held
NA October 2008); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL elected president; percent of
legislative vote - NA
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the
prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8
January 2004); note - assumed post after death of Prime Minister
Pierre CHARLES

Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed senators, 21
elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 31 January 2000 (next to be held by 17 July
2005); note - tradition dictates that the election will be held
within five years of the last election, but technically it is five
years from the first seating of parliament (17 April 2000) plus a 90
day grace period
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
DLP 10, UWP 9, DFP 2

Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of Appeal
and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six judges
must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary
Jurisdiction)

Political parties and leaders:
Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica Labor
Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT]; United Workers Party or UWP
[Edison JAMES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Swinburne LESTRADE chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781 consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador to
Barbados, Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER, is accredited to Dominica

Flag description:
green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the vertical
part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the horizontal
part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center
of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10
green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent
the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)

Economy Dominica

Economy - overview:
The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily bananas,
and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions and
international economic developments. Production of bananas dropped
precipitously in 2003, a major reason for the 1% decline in GDP.
Tourism increased in 2003 as the government sought to promote
Dominica as an "ecotourism" destination. Development of the tourism
industry remains difficult, however, because of the rugged
coastline, lack of beaches, and the absence of an international
airport. The government began a comprehensive restructuring of the
economy in 2003 - including elimination of price controls,
privatization of the state banana company, and tax increases - to
address Dominica's economic crisis and to meet IMF targets. In order
to diversify the island's production base the government is
attempting to develop an offshore financial sector and is planning
to construct an oil refinery on the eastern part of the island.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $380 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18% industry: 24% services: 58% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
30% (2002 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
25,000 (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28%

Unemployment rate:
23% (2000 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $73.9 million
expenditures: $84.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2001)

Agriculture - products: bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited

Industries:
soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes

Industrial production growth rate:
-10% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
72.41 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
67.35 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$39 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges

Exports - partners:
UK 20%, Jamaica 18.5%, Antigua and Barbuda 7.7%, US 7.7%, Guyana
6.2%, Japan 6.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.6% (2003)

Imports:
$98.2 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:
US 18.5%, China 18%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.6%, Japan 6.3%, South
Korea 5.4%, UK 5.4% (2003)

Debt - external:
$161.5 million (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
$22.8 million (2003 est.)

Currency:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
XCD

Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7
(2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Dominica

Telephones - main lines in use:
23,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
9,400 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: fully automatic network
international: country code - 1-767; microwave radio relay and SHF
radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF
radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
46,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2004)

Televisions:
6,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.dm

Internet hosts:
681 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)

Internet users:
12,500 (2002)

Transportation Dominica

Highways: total: 780 km paved: 393 km unpaved: 387 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Portsmouth, Roseau

Merchant marine:
total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 13,771 GRT/19,736 DWT
by type: cargo 3, container 2, petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned: Bahamas 1, Cyprus 1, Estonia 1, Greece 1, Panama 1,
Singapore 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
2 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Dominica

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force
(including Coast Guard)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Dominica

Disputes - international:
joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves
Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which
permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large
portion of the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe;
minor cannabis producer; anti-money-laundering enforcement is weak,
making the country particularly vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Dominican Republic

Introduction Dominican Republic

Background:
Explored and claimed by Columbus on his first voyage in 1492, the
island of Hispaniola became a springboard for Spanish conquest of
the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized
French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804
became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as Santo
Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821, but was
conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it finally
attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. In 1861,
the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but two
years later they launched a war that restored independence in 1865.
A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative, rule for much of
its subsequent history was brought to an end in 1966 when Joaquin
BALAGUER became president. He maintained a tight grip on power for
most of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawed
elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then,
regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition
candidates have won the presidency. The Dominican economy has had
one of the fastest growth rates in the hemisphere over the past
decade.

Geography Dominican Republic

Location:
Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between
the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti

Geographic coordinates:
19 00 N, 70 40 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 48,730 sq km
land: 48,380 sq km
water: 350 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Haiti 360 km

Coastline:
1,288 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 6 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal
variation in rainfall

Terrain:
rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m

Natural resources:
nickel, bauxite, gold, silver

Land use:
arable land: 22.65%
permanent crops: 10.33%
other: 67.02% (2001)

Irrigated land:
2,590 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe
storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs;
deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti

People Dominican Republic

Population:
8,833,634 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.3% (male 1,502,062; female 1,435,135)
15-64 years: 61.4% (male 2,767,880; female 2,658,861)
65 years and over: 5.3% (male 219,230; female 250,466) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 23.7 years
male: 23.5 years
female: 23.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.33% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
23.6 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-3.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 33.28 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 30.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 35.75 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.63 years
male: 65.98 years
female: 69.35 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.89 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
88,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
7,900 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups:
white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 95%

Languages:
Spanish

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84.7%
male: 84.6%
female: 84.8% (2003 est.)

Government Dominican Republic

Country name:
conventional long form: Dominican Republic
conventional short form: The Dominican
local long form: Republica Dominicana
local short form: La Dominicana

Government type:
representative democracy

Capital:
Santo Domingo

Administrative divisions:
31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district*
(distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*,
Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia,
La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor
Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata,
Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa,
San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Santo
Domingo, Valverde

Independence:
27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

Constitution:
28 November 1966, amended 25 July 2002

Legal system:
based on French civil codes; undergoing modification in 2004
towards an accusatory system

Suffrage:
18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons
regardless of age
note: members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August
2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August
2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16
August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16
August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 16 May 2004
(next to be held in May 2008)
election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ elected president; percent of
vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ (PLD) 57.1%, Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez
(PRD) 33.7%, Eduardo ESTRELLA (PRSC) 8.7%

Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the
Senate or Senado (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de
Diputados (150 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held NA May
2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held
NA May 2006)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PRD 29, PLD 2, PRSC 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 73, PLD 41, PRSC 36

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by a the
National Judicial Council comprised of the President, the leaders of
both chambers of congress, the President of the Supreme Court, and
an opposition or non-governing party member)

Political parties and leaders:
Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna];
Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Vicente Sanchez BARET]; Social
Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique ATUN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Collective of Popular Organizations or COP; Citizen Participation
Group (Participacion Ciudadania); Foundation for
Institution-Building (FINJUS)

International organization participation:
ACP, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS,
OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Flavio Dario Espinal JACOBO consulate(s): Mobile consulate(s) general: Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280 chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500 telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171 FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437

Flag description:
a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag
into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red,
and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of
arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and a
palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield
a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God,
Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
appears on a red ribbon

Economy Dominican Republic

Economy - overview:
The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean representative democracy
which enjoyed GDP growth of more than 7% in 1998-2000. Growth
subsequently plummeted as part of the global economic slowdown.
Although the country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter
of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the service sector
has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to
growth in tourism and free trade zones. The country suffers from
marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population
receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoys
nearly 40% of national income. Growth turned negative in 2003 with
reduced tourism, a major bank fraud, and limited growth in the US
economy, the source of 87% of export revenues. Resumption of a badly
needed IMF loan was slowed due to government repurchase of
electrical power plants.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $52.71 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-0.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10.7% industry: 31.5% services: 57.8% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
19.9% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
25%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 37.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
47.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
27.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
2.3 million - 2.6 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 17%, industry 24.3%, services and government 58.7% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
16.5% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.601 billion
expenditures: $3.353 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1
billion (2003 est.)

Public debt:
59.4% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes,
corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs

Industries:
tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles,
cement, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
2% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
9.186 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
8.543 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
129,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$867 million (2003)

Exports:
$5.524 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats,
consumer goods

Exports - partners:
US 83.8%, Canada 1.5%, Haiti 1.5% (2003)

Imports:
$7.911 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and
pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:
US 52.1%, Venezuela 11.9%, Mexico 4.7%, Colombia 4.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$261 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$6.567 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$239.6 million (1995)

Currency:
Dominican peso (DOP)

Currency code:
DOP

Exchange rates:
Dominican pesos per US dollar - 30.8307 (2003), 18.6098 (2002),
16.9516 (2001), 16.415 (2000), 16.0331 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Dominican Republic

Telephones - main lines in use:
901,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,120,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave
radio relay network
international: country code - 1-809; 1 coaxial submarine cable;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
1.44 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
25 (2003)

Televisions:
770,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.do

Internet hosts:
64,197 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
24 (2000)

Internet users:
500,000 (2003)

Transportation Dominican Republic

Railways:
total: 1,743 km
standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge
note: additional 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076-m,
0.889-m, and 0.762-m gauges (2003)
narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge

Highways:
total: 12,600 km
paved: 6,224 km
unpaved: 6,376 km (1999)

Ports and harbors:
Barahona, La Romana, Manzanillo, Puerto Plata, San Pedro de
Macoris, Santo Domingo

Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 11,230 GRT/17,011 DWT
by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Pakistan 1, Singapore 1

Airports:
31 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 13 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Military Dominican Republic

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,354,800 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,474,978 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 90,434 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$180 million (1998)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.1% (1998)

Transnational Issues Dominican Republic

Disputes - international:
despite efforts to control illegal migration, destitute Haitians
fleeing poverty and violence continue to cross into the Dominican
Republic; illegal migration of Dominicans and other nationals across
the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico has increased in the last year

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US
and Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from the
Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada; substantial
money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor the
Dominican Republic for illicit financial transactions

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@East Timor

Introduction East Timor

Background:
The Portuguese began to trade with the island of Timor in the early
16th century and colonized it in mid-century. Skirmishing with the
Dutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty in which
Portugal ceded the western portion of the island. Imperial Japan
occupied East Timor during 1942-1945, but Portugal resumed colonial
authority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. East Timor
declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975 and
was invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later. It
was incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of East
Timor. An unsuccessful campaign of pacification followed over the
next two decades, during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000
individuals lost their lives. On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervised
popular referendum, an overwhelming majority of the people of East
Timor voted for independence from Indonesia. Between the referendum
and the arrival of a multinational peacekeeping force in late
September 1999, anti-independence Timorese militias - organized and
supported by the Indonesian military - commenced a large-scale,
scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killed
approximately 1,300 Timorese and forcibly pushed 300,000 people into
West Timor as refugees. The majority of the country's
infrastructure, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply
systems, and schools, and nearly 100% of the country's electrical
grid were destroyed. On 20 September 1999 the Australian-led
peacekeeping troops of the International Force for East Timor
(INTERFET) deployed to the country and brought the violence to an
end. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as an
independent state.

Geography East Timor

Location:
Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser Sunda
Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note -
East Timor includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the
Oecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island of
Timor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco

Geographic coordinates:
8 50 S, 125 55 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 15,007 sq km
land: NA sq km
water: NA sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 228 km border countries: Indonesia 228 km

Coastline: 706 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: NA nm extended fishing zone: NA nm exclusive economic zone: NA nm continental shelf: NA nm exclusive fishing zone: NA nm

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

Terrain:
mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m

Natural resources: gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble

Land use: arable land: 4.71% other: 94.62% (2001) permanent crops: 0.67%

Irrigated land:
1,065 sq km (est.)

Natural hazards:
floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical
cyclones

Environment - current issues:
widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to
deforestation and soil erosion

Environment - international agreements:
NA

Geography - note:
Timor comes from the Malay word for "East;" the island of Timor is
part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and easternmost of
the Lesser Sunda Islands

People East Timor

Population: 1,019,252 note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.8% (male 196,007; female 189,584)
15-64 years: 59.2% (male 308,254; female 295,584)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 14,663; female 15,160) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 20 years
male: 20.1 years
female: 19.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.11% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
27.46 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 48.86 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 42.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 55.34 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.56 years
male: 63.31 years
female: 67.92 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.7 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Timorese
adjective: Timorese

Ethnic groups:
Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority

Religions:
Roman Catholic 90%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 3%, Hindu 0.5%, Buddhist,
Animist (1992 est.)

Languages:
Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian, English
note: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum, Galole,
Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58.6% (2002)

Government East Timor

Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
conventional short form: East Timor
local short form: Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese]
former: Portuguese Timor
local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum];
Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese]

Government type:
Republic

Capital:
Dili

Administrative divisions:
13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro
(Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los Palos),
Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), Viqueque

Independence:
28 November 1975 (date of proclamation of independence from
Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of international
recognition of East Timor's independence from Indonesia

National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 November (1975)

Constitution:
22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)

Legal system:
UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains in place
but will be replaced by civil and penal codes based on Portuguese
law (2004)

Suffrage:
17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 20 May
2002); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is
able to veto some legislation; he formerly used the name Jose
Alexandre GUSMAO
head of government: Prime Minister Mari Bin Amude ALKATIRI (since 20
May 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2007);
after the first legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party was appointed prime minister by the president, suggesting a
precedent for the future
election results: Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO elected president; percent
of vote - Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do AMARAL
17.3%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary, minimum
requirement of 52 and a maximum of 65 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - for its first term of
office, the National Parliament is comprised of 88 members on an
exceptional basis
elections: (next to be held August 2006); direct elections for
national parliament were never held; elected delegates to the
national convention named themselves legislators instead of having
elections; hence the exceptional numbers for this term of the
national parliament.
election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 57.37%, PD
8.72%, PSD 8.18%, ASDT 7.84%, UDT 2.36%, PNT 2.21%, KOTA 2.13%, PPT
2.01%, PDC 1.98%, PST 1.78%, independents/other 5.42%; seats by
party - FRETILIN 55, PD 7, PSD 6, ASDT 6, PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT
2, PPT 2, UDC/PDC 1, PST 1, PL 1, independent 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice - constitution calls for one judge to be
appointed by National Parliament and rest appointed by Superior
Council for Judiciary; note - until Supreme Court is established,
Court of Appeals is highest court

Political parties and leaders:
Associacao Social-Democrata Timorense or ASDT [Francisco Xavier do
AMARAL]; Christian Democratic Party of Timor or PDC [Antonio
XIMENES]; Christian Democratic Union of Timor or UDC [Vicente da
Silva GUTERRES]; Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO];
Liberal Party or PL [leader NA]; Maubere Democratic Party or PDM
[leader NA]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER];
Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor or FRETILIN [Lu OLO];
Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario CARRASCALAO];
Socialist Party of Timor or PST [leader Avelino COELHO]; Sons of the
Mountain Warriors (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes) or
KOTA [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL]; Timor Democratic Union or UDT
[Joao CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor Party or PTT [Paulo Freitas DA
SILVA]; Timorese Nationalist Party or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO]; Timorese
Popular Democratic Association or APODETI [Frederico Almeida-Santos
DA COSTA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Popular Council for the Defense of the Democratic Republic of East Timor or CPD-RDTL [leader Antonio-Aitahan MATAK] is largest political pressure group; it rejects current government and claims to be rightful government; Kolimau 2000 [leader Dr. Bruno MAGALHAES] is another opposition group; dissatisfied veterans of struggle against Indonesia, led by one-time government advisor Cornelio GAMA (also known as L-7), also play an important role in pressuring government

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer),
ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Luis GUTERRES
consulate(s) general: New York (the ambassador resides in New York)
(2004)
FAX: 202 965-1517
telephone: 202 965-1515
chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Grover Joseph REES
embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Conqueiros, Dili
mailing address: Department of State, 8250 Dili Place, Washington,
DC 20521-8250
telephone: (670) 332-4684
FAX: (670) 331-3206

Flag description:
red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side)
superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that extends to
the center of the flag; there is a white star in the center of the
black triangle

Economy East Timor

Economy - overview:
In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of East
Timor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence
militias, and 260,000 people fled westward. Over the next three
years, however, a massive international program, manned by 5,000
peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led to
substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By
mid-2002, all but about 50,000 of the refugees had returned. Growth
was held back in 2003 by extensive drought and the gradual winding
down of the international presence. The country faces great
challenges in continuing the rebuilding of infrastructure,
strengthening the infant civil administration, and generating jobs
for young people entering the workforce. One promising long-term
project is the planned development of oil and gas resources in
nearby waters, but the government faces a substantial financing gap
over the next several years before these revenues start flowing into
state coffers.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $440 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25.4% industry: 17.2% services: 57.4% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
42% (2003 est.)

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

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
38 (2002 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8% NA (2003 est.)

Labor force:
NA

Labor force - by occupation:
NA

Unemployment rate:
50% (including underemployment) (1992 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $36 million
expenditures: $97 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Agriculture - products: coffee, rice, maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla

Industries:
printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth

Industrial production growth rate:
8.5%

Electricity - production:
NA kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Exports:
$8 million (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - the potential for oil and
vanilla exports

Exports - partners:
NA

Imports:
$237 million (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
mainly food (2001)

Imports - partners:
NA

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$2.2 billion (1999-2002 est.)

Currency:
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
the US dollar is the legal tender

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications East Timor

Telephones - main lines in use:
NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
NA

Radio broadcast stations:
AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
NA

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.tp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Internet users:
NA

Transportation East Timor

Highways: total: 3,800 km paved: 428 km unpaved: 3,372 km (1995)

Ports and harbors:
NA

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
8 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)

Military East Timor

Military branches:
East Timor Defense Force (Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, FDTL):
Army, Navy

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
NA (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
NA (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
NA (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$4.4 million (FY03)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues East Timor

Disputes - international:
East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to meet, survey,
and delimit the land boundary, but several sections of the boundary
especially around the Oekussi enclave remain unresolved; Indonesia
and East Timor contest the sovereignty of the uninhabited coral
island of Palau Batek/Fatu Sinai, which may delay decision on the
northern maritime boundaries; numbers of East Timor refugees in
Indonesia refuse repatriation; East Timor and Australia continue to
disagree over the delimitation of a permanent maritime boundary and
over the sharing of petroleum resources that fall outside the Joint
Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty

Illicit drugs:
NA

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Ecuador

Introduction Ecuador

Background:
The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries that
emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being
Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost
territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border
war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although
Ecuador marked 25 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period
has been marred by political instability. Nine presidents have
governed Ecuador since 1996.

Geography Ecuador

Location:
Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator,
between Colombia and Peru

Geographic coordinates:
2 00 S, 77 30 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 283,560 sq km
note: includes Galapagos Islands
water: 6,720 sq km
land: 276,840 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Nevada

Land boundaries: total: 2,010 km border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

Coastline: 2,237 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500 meter isobath

Climate:
tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations;
tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Terrain:
coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and
flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 5.85% permanent crops: 4.93% other: 89.22% (2001)

Irrigated land:
8,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods;
periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution;
pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas
of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

People Ecuador

Population:
13,212,742 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.9% (male 2,285,775; female 2,199,356)
15-64 years: 61.2% (male 4,020,873; female 4,062,672)
65 years and over: 4.9% (male 302,129; female 341,937) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 23 years
male: 22.5 years
female: 23.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.03% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
23.18 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.26 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-8.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 24.49 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 29.34 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.01 years
male: 73.15 years
female: 79 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
21,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,700 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Ecuadorian(s)
adjective: Ecuadorian

Ethnic groups:
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish
and others 7%, black 3%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 95%

Languages:
Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.5%
male: 94%
female: 91% (2003 est.)

Government Ecuador

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador
conventional short form: Ecuador
local short form: Ecuador
local long form: Republica del Ecuador

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Quito

Administrative divisions:
22 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay, Bolivar,
Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos,
Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo,
Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe

Independence:
24 May 1822 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)

Constitution:
10 August 1998

Legal system:
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages
18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lucio GUTIERREZ (since 15 January 2003);
Vice President Alfredo PALACIO (since 15 January 2003); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
elections: the president and vice president are elected on the same
ticket by popular vote for a four-year term (no immediate
reelection); election last held 20 October 2002; runoff election
held 24 November 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006)
head of government: President Lucio GUTIERREZ (since 15 January
2003); Vice President Alfredo PALACIO (since 15 January 2003); note
- the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
election results: results of the 24 November 2002 runoff election -
Lucio GUTIERREZ elected president; percent of vote - Lucio GUTIERREZ
54.3%; Alvaro NOBOA 45.7%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100 seats;
members are popularly elected by province to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 October 2002 (next to be held NA October
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
PSC 25, PRE 15, ID 16, PRIAN 10, PSP 9, Pachakutik Movement 6, MPD
5, DP 4, PS-FA 3, independents 7; note - defections by members of
National Congress are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in
the numbers of seats held by the various parties

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema; note - per the Constitution, new
justices are elected by the full Supreme Court; In December 2004,
however, Congress successfully replaced the entire court via a
simple-majority resolution

Political parties and leaders:
Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP [Averroes BUCARAM];
Democratic Left or ID [Guillermo LANDAZURI]; National Action
Institutional Renewal Party or PRIAN [Alvaro NOBOA]; Pachakutik
Movement [Gilberto TALAHUA]; Patriotic Society Party or PSP [Lucio
GUTIERREZ Borbua]; Popular Democracy or DP [Dr. Juan Manuel
FUERTES]; Popular Democratic Movement or MPD [Gustavo TERAN Acosta];
Radical Alfarista Front or FRA [Fabian ALARCON, director]; Roldosist
Party or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director]; Social Christian
Party or PSC [Leon FEBRES CORDERO]; Socialist Party - Broad Front or
PS-FA [Victor GRANDA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE
[Luis MACAS, president]; Coordinator of Social Movements or CMS [F.
Napoleon SANTOS]; Federation of Indigenous Evangelists of Ecuador or
FEINE [Marco MURILLO, president]; National Federation of Indigenous
Afro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or FENOCIN [Pedro DE LA CRUZ,
president]; Popular Front or FP [Luis VILLACIS]

International organization participation:
CAN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS,
OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL,
UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, and San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482
telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200
chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kristie Anne KENNEY
embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito
mailing address: APO AA 34039
telephone: [593] (2) 256-2890
FAX: [593] (2) 250-2052
consulate(s) general: Guayaquil

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red
with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag;
similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not bear
a coat of arms

Economy Ecuador

Economy - overview:
Ecuador has substantial petroleum resources, which have accounted
for 40% of the country's export earnings and one-fourth of public
sector revenues in recent years. Consequently, fluctuations in world
market prices can have a substantial domestic impact. In the late
1990s, Ecuador suffered its worst economic crisis, with natural
disasters and sharp declines in world petroleum prices driving
Ecuador's economy into free fall in 1999. Real GDP contracted by
more than 6%, with poverty worsening significantly. The banking
system also collapsed, and Ecuador defaulted on its external debt
later that year. The currency depreciated by some 70% in 1999, and,
on the brink of hyperinflation, the MAHAUD government announced it
would dollarize the economy. A coup, however, ousted MAHAUD from
office in January 2000, and after a short-lived junta failed to
garner military support, Vice President Gustavo NOBOA took over the
presidency. In March 2000, Congress approved a series of structural
reforms that also provided the framework for the adoption of the US
dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized the economy, and
growth returned to its pre-crisis levels in the years that followed.
Under the administration of Lucio GUTIERREZ, who took office in
January 2003, Ecuador benefited from higher world petroleum prices,
but the government has made little progress on fiscal reforms and
reforms of state-owned enterprises necessary to reduce Ecuador's
vulnerability to petroleum price swings and financial crises.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $45.65 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,300 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.7% industry: 29.7% services: 61.6% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
21.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
65% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 33.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
43.7 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.9% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
4.36 million (urban) (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
9.8%; note - underemployment of 47% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $6.908 billion
expenditures: planned $6.594 billion, including capital expenditures
of $1.6 billion (2003)

Public debt:
53.7% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca),
plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy
products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp

Industries:
petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals

Industrial production growth rate:
5.3% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
75.23 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
69.96 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
421,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
129,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
2.358 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
160 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
160 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
106.5 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-117 million (2003)

Exports:
$6.073 billion (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp

Exports - partners:
US 42.4%, Colombia 5.7%, Germany 5.6% (2003)

Imports:
$6.22 billion (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
consumer goods, industrial raw materials, capital goods

Imports - partners:
US 23.9%, Colombia 12.8%, Venezuela 7.1%, Brazil 6.1%, Chile 4.8%,
Japan 4.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$1.161 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$15.69 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
$120 million (2001)

Currency:
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
Ecuador formally adopted the US dollar as legal tender in March 2000

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Ecuador

Telephones - main lines in use:
1.549 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,394,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded
domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable
international: country code - 593; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)

Radios:
5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
2.5 million (2001)

Internet country code:
.ec

Internet hosts:
3,188 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
31 (2001)

Internet users:
569,700 (2003)

Transportation Ecuador

Railways: total: 966 km narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 43,197 km paved: 8,164 km unpaved: 35,033 km (2000)

Waterways:
1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2003)

Pipelines:
extra heavy crude 578 km; gas 71 km; oil 1,386 km; refined products
1,185 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, San
Lorenzo

Merchant marine:
total: 34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 241,403 GRT/391,898 DWT
foreign-owned: Greece 1, Paraguay 1, Peru 1
registered in other countries: 3 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger 5,
petroleum tanker 21, specialized tanker 1

Airports:
205 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 62 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 143 914 to 1,523 m: 30 under 914 m: 113 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

Military Ecuador

Military branches:
Army, Navy (including Marines), Air Force, National Police

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 20 years of age for conscript military service; 12-month service obligation (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 3,440,371 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,315,808 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 132,476 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$650 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.4% (2003)

Transnational Issues Ecuador

Disputes - international: the continuing civil disorder in Colombia has created a serious refugee crisis in neighboring states, especially Ecuador

Illicit drugs:
significant transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia and
Peru; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit
narcotics; attractive location for cash-placement by drug
traffickers laundering money because of dollarization and weak
anti-money-laundering regime, especially vulnerable along the border
with Colombia; increased activity on the northern frontier by
trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Egypt

Introduction Egypt

Background:
The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled
with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west,
allowed for the development of one of the world's great
civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C. and a series
of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last
native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were
replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who
introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who
ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the
Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the
conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the
completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important
world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt.
Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of
Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman
Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in
1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. The
completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake
Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the
agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the
largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on
the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The
government has struggled to ready the economy for the new millennium
through economic reform and massive investment in communications and
physical infrastructure.

Geography Egypt

Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and
the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes the
Asian Sinai Peninsula

Geographic coordinates:
27 00 N, 30 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1,001,450 sq km
land: 995,450 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries:
total: 2,665 km
border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km,
Sudan 1,273 km

Coastline:
2,450 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

Terrain:
vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m
highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone,
gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc

Land use: arable land: 2.87% permanent crops: 0.48% other: 96.65% (2001)

Irrigated land:
33,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides;
hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms,
sandstorms

Environment - current issues:
agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands;
increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam; desertification;
oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and marine habitats;
other water pollution from agricultural pesticides, raw sewage, and
industrial effluents; very limited natural fresh water resources
away from the Nile which is the only perennial water source; rapid
growth in population overstraining the Nile and natural resources

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and
remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea link
between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition
to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics;
dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues;
prone to influxes of refugees

People Egypt

Population:
76,117,421 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.4% (male 13,038,369; female 12,418,254)
15-64 years: 62.2% (male 23,953,949; female 23,419,418)
65 years and over: 4.3% (male 1,407,248; female 1,880,183) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 23.4 years male: 23 years female: 23.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.83% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
23.84 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.3 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 33.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 33.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 34.64 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.71 years
male: 68.22 years
female: 73.31 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.95 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
8,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
700 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Egyptian(s)
adjective: Egyptian

Ethnic groups:
Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%,
Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and
French) 1%

Religions:
Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94%, Coptic Christian and other 6%

Languages:
Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated
classes

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.7%
male: 68.3%
female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

Government Egypt

Country name:
conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt
conventional short form: Egypt
local short form: Misr
former: United Arab Republic (with Syria)
local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Cairo

Administrative divisions:
26 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ad Daqahliyah,
Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al
Iskandariyah, Al Isma'iliyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al
Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, Ash Sharqiyah, As Suways,
Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id, Dumyat, Janub Sina', Kafr ash
Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina', Suhaj

Independence:
28 February 1922 (from UK)

National holiday:
Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)

Constitution:
11 September 1971

Legal system:
based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic codes;
judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees
validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October
1981)
head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF (since 9 July 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president nominated by the People's Assembly for a
six-year term, the nomination must then be validated by a national,
popular referendum; national referendum last held 26 September 1999
(next to be held NA October 2005); prime minister appointed by the
president
election results: national referendum validated President MUBARAK's
nomination by the People's Assembly to a fourth term

Legislative branch:
bicameral system consists of the People's Assembly or Majlis
al-Sha'b (454 seats; 444 elected by popular vote, 10 appointed by
the president; members serve five-year terms) and the Advisory
Council or Majlis al-Shura - which functions only in a consultative
role (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by the
president; members serve six-year terms)
elections: People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 19
October, 29 October, 8 November 2000 (next to be held NA
October-November 2005); Advisory Council - last held May-June 2004
(next to be held May-June 2007)
election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - NA; Advisory Council - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch:
Supreme Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders:
Nasserist Arab Democratic Party or Nasserists [Dia' al-din DAWUD];
National Democratic Party or NDP [President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK]
- governing party; National Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu
[Rifaat EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP [No'man GOMA]; Socialist
Liberal Party or Al-Ahrar [Hilmi SALIM]; Tomorrow Party or Al-Ghad
[Ayman NOUR]
note: formation of political parties must be approved by the
government

Political pressure groups and leaders:
despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties, the
technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes MUBARAK's
potentially most significant political opposition; MUBARAK tolerated
limited political activity by the Brotherhood for his first two
terms, but moved more aggressively since then to block its
influence; civic society groups are sanctioned, but constrained in
practical terms; trade unions and professional associations are
officially sanctioned

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, EBRD,
FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory),
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS
(observer), OIC, ONUB, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador M. Nabil FAHMY
chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319
telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador C. David WELCH
embassy: 8 Kamal El Din Salah St., Garden City, Cairo
mailing address: Unit 64900, Box 15, APO AE 09839-4900
telephone: [20] (2) 797-3300
FAX: [20] (2) 797-3200

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the
national emblem (a gold Eagle of Saladin facing the hoist side with
a shield superimposed on its chest above a scroll bearing the name
of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; design is
based on the Arab Liberation flag and similar to the flag of Syria,
which has two green stars, Iraq, which has three green stars (plus
an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white
band, and Yemen, which has a plain white band

Economy Egypt

Economy - overview:
Lack of substantial progress on economic reform since the mid 1990s
has limited foreign direct investment in Egypt and kept annual GDP
growth in the range of 2-3 percent in 2001-03. Egyptian officials in
late 2003 and early 2004 proposed new privatization and customs
reform measures, but the government is likely to pursue these
initiatives cautiously and gradually to avoid a public backlash over
potential inflation or layoffs associated with the reforms. Monetary
pressures on an overvalued Egyptian pound led the government to
float the currency in January 2003, leading to a sharp drop in its
value and consequent inflationary pressure. The existence of a black
market for hard currency is evidence that the government continues
to influence the official exchange rate offered in banks. In
September 2003, Egyptian officials increased subsidies on basic
foodstuffs, helping to calm a frustrated public but widening an
already deep budget deficit. Egypt's balance-of-payments position
was not hurt by the war in Iraq in 2003, as tourism and Suez Canal
revenues fared well. The development of an export market for natural
gas is a bright spot for future growth prospects, but improvement in
the capital-intensive hydrocarbons sector does little to reduce
Egypt's persistent unemployment.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $295.2 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17% industry: 33% services: 50% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
16.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
16.7% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 29.5% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
34.4 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
20.19 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 32%, industry 17%, services 51% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
9.9% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $14.69 billion
expenditures: $19.03 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.7
billion (2003)

Public debt:
101.8% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water
buffalo, sheep, goats

Industries:
textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, hydrocarbons,
construction, cement, metals

Industrial production growth rate:
1.5% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
75.23 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
69.96 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
816,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
562,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
3.308 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
21.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
21.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.264 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$3.874 billion (2003)

Exports:
$8.759 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products,
chemicals

Exports - partners:
US 13.3%, Italy 12.3%, UK 7.9%, France 4.7%, Germany 4.7%, India
4.2% (2003)

Imports:
$14.75 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels

Imports - partners:
US 13.6%, Germany 7.4%, Italy 7%, France 6.6%, China 4.8%, Saudi
Arabia 4.3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$14.22 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$30.34 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $1.2 billion (2001)

Currency:
Egyptian pound (EGP)

Currency code:
EGP

Exchange rates:
Egyptian pounds per US dollar - 5.8509 (2003), 4.4997 (2002), 3.973
(2001), 3.4721 (2000), 3.3953 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Egypt

Telephones - main lines in use:
8,735,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
5,797,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: large system; underwent extensive upgrading
during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Internet access and cellular
service are available
domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah,
Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and
microwave radio relay
international: country code - 20; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1
Inmarsat; 5 coaxial submarine cables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan;
microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel and a
signatory to Project Oxygen (a global submarine fiber-optic cable
system)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999)

Radios:
20.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
98 (September 1995)

Televisions:
7.7 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.eg

Internet hosts:
3,401 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
50 (2000)

Internet users:
2.7 million (2003)

Transportation Egypt

Railways: total: 5,063 km standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2003)

Highways: total: 64,000 km paved: 49,984 km unpaved: 14,016 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
3,500 km
note: includes Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway,
and numerous smaller canals in delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including
approaches) navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m
(2004)

Pipelines:
condensate 289 km; condensate/gas 94 km; gas 6,115 km; liquid
petroleum gas 852 km; oil 5,032 km; oil/gas/water 36 km; refined
products 246 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Alexandria, Al Ghardaqah, Aswan, Asyut, Bur Safajah, Damietta,
Marsa Matruh, Port Said, Suez

Merchant marine:
total: 159 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,194,696 GRT/1,754,815 DWT
foreign-owned: China 2, Cyprus 1, Denmark 1, Greece 6, Lebanon 2,
Turkey 1
registered in other countries: 50 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 18, cargo 41, container 5, passenger 64, petroleum
tanker 14, roll on/roll off 13, short-sea/passenger 4

Airports:
89 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 72
over 3,047 m: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 38
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 15
under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 5

Heliports:
2 (2003 est.)

Military Egypt

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for conscript military service; 3-year service obligation (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 20,340,716 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 13,148,944 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 756,233 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$2,443.2 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.6% (2003)

Transnational Issues Egypt

Disputes - international:
Egypt and Sudan retain claims to administer the triangular areas
that extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary along the
22nd Parallel, but have withdrawn their military presence; Egypt is
economically developing and effectively administers the "Hala'ib
Triangle" north of the Treaty line

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 70,215 (Palestinian Territories)
(2004)

Illicit drugs:
transit point for Southwest Asian and Southeast Asian heroin and
opium moving to Europe, Africa, and the US; transit stop for
Nigerian couriers; concern as money-laundering site due to lax
financial regulations and enforcement

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@El Salvador

Introduction El Salvador

Background:
El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the
Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost
about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the
government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for
military and political reforms.

Geography El Salvador

Location:
Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between
Guatemala and Honduras

Geographic coordinates:
13 50 N, 88 55 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 21,040 sq km
water: 320 sq km
land: 20,720 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 545 km border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

Coastline:
307 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to
April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands

Terrain:
mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

Natural resources:
hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 31.85%
permanent crops: 12.07%
other: 56.08% (2001)

Irrigated land:
360 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very
destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible
to hurricanes

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline
on Caribbean Sea

People El Salvador

Population:
6,587,541 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 36.8% (male 1,237,262; female 1,185,750)
15-64 years: 58.1% (male 1,819,035; female 2,009,032)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 150,221; female 186,241) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 21.4 years
male: 20.2 years
female: 22.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.78% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
27.48 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.93 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-3.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 25.93 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 22.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 28.79 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.92 years
male: 67.31 years
female: 74.7 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.2 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
29,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
2,200 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran

Ethnic groups:
mestizo 90%, Amerindian 1%, white 9%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 83%
note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout
the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million
Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador

Languages:
Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)

Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 80.2%
male: 82.8%
female: 77.7% (2003 est.)

Government El Salvador

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

Government type:
republic

Capital:
San Salvador

Administrative divisions:
14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz,
La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, Santa Ana, San Vicente,
Sonsonate, Usulutan

Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
23 December 1983

Legal system:
based on civil and Roman law, with traces of common law; judicial
review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Elias Antonio SACA (since 1 June 2004);
Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Elias Antonio SACA (since 1 June
2004); Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004); note
- the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 21 March
2004 (next to be held NA March 2009)
election results: Elias Antonio SACA elected president; percent of
vote - Elias Antonio SACA (ARENA) 57.7%, Schafik HANDAL (FMLN)
35.6%, Hector SILVA (CDU-PDC) 3.9%, other 2.8%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats;
members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve three-year
terms)
elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
FMLN 31, ARENA 28, PCN 15, PDC 5, CD 5

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by the
Legislative Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; United
Democratic Center or CDU [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general];
Democratic Party or PD [Jorge MELENDEZ]; Farabundo Marti National
Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ]; Liberal Democratic
Party or PLD [Kirio Waldo SALGADO, president]; National Action Party
or PAN [Gustavo Rogelio SALINAS, secretary general]; National
Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA, president]; National
Republican Alliance or ARENA [Elias Antonio SACA]; Social Christian
Union or USC (formed by the merger of Christian Social Renewal Party
or PRSC and Unity Movement or MU) [Abraham RODRIGUEZ, president];
Social Democratic Party or PSD [Juan MEDRANO]

Political pressure groups and leaders: labor organizations - Electrical Industry Union of El Salvador or SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar Transport and other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of Electrical Corporation or STCEL; business organizations - National Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or ASI

International organization participation:
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles,
Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC
FAX: [1] (202) 234-3834
telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671
chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador H. Douglas BARCLAY
embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La
Libertad, San Salvador
mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023
telephone: [503] 278-4444
FAX: [503] 278-5522

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with
the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of
arms features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL
SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag of Nicaragua,
which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band - it
features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on
top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar to the flag of
Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern
centered in the white band

Economy El Salvador

Economy - overview:
With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency, El Salvador has
lost control over monetary policy and must concentrate on
maintaining a disciplined fiscal policy. GDP per capita is roughly
only half that of Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, and the distribution
of income is highly unequal. The trade deficit has been offset by
annual remittances of almost $2 billion from Salvadorans living
abroad and external aid. The government is striving to open new
export markets, encourage foreign investment, modernize the tax and
healthcare systems, and stimulate the sluggish economy.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $30.99 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.4% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9.4% industry: 31.2% services: 59.3% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
16.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
48% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 39.3% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
52.2 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
2.62 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 30%, industry 15%, services 55% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
6.5% - but the economy has much underemployment (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.434 billion
expenditures: $2.625 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
43.7% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; shrimp;
beef, dairy products

Industries:
food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer,
textiles, furniture, light metals

Industrial production growth rate:
1.6% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
3.729 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
3.777 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
44 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
353 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
39,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-734 million (2003)

Exports:
$3.162 billion (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles,
chemicals, electricity

Exports - partners:
US 67.8%, Guatemala 11.5%, Honduras 5.9% (2003)

Imports:
$5.466 billion (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs,
petroleum, electricity

Imports - partners:
US 50%, Guatemala 8.1%, Mexico 5.5% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$2.061 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$6.575 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
total $252 million; $57 million from US (1995)

Currency:
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
the US dollar is the legal tender

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications El Salvador

Telephones - main lines in use:
752,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,149,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system
international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave
System

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 61 (plus 24 repeaters), FM 30, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
2.75 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
5 (1997)

Televisions:
600,000 (1990)

Internet country code:
.sv

Internet hosts:
4,084 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
4 (2000)

Internet users:
550,000 (2003)

Transportation El Salvador

Railways:
total: 283 km
narrow gauge: 283 km 0.914-m gauge
note: length of operational route reduced from 562 km to 283 km by
disuse and lack of maintenance (2003)

Highways:
total: 10,029 km
paved: 1,986 km (including 327 km of expressways)
unpaved: 8,043 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
Rio Lempa partially navigable (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco, La Libertad, La Union, Puerto El Triunfo

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
73 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 69 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 54 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

Military El Salvador

Military branches:
Army, Navy (FNES), Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 12-month service obligation; 16 years of age for volunteers (2002)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,571,299 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 995,672 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 69,993 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$157 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.1% (2003)

Transnational Issues El Salvador

Disputes - international:
in 1992, the ICJ ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed
areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, and the OAS is
assisting with a technical resolution of undemarcated bolsones; in
2003, the ICJ rejected El Salvador's request to revise its decision
on one part of the bolsones; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a
tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca
with consideration of Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador
continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not mentioned by the ICJ, off
Honduras in the Gulf de Fonseca

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana
produced for local consumption; domestic cocaine abuse on the rise

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Equatorial Guinea

Introduction Equatorial Guinea

Background:
Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of
Spanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a mainland portion plus
five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest on the African
continent. President OBIANG NGUEM MBASOGO has ruled the country for
over two decades since seizing power from his uncle, then President
MACIAS, in a 1979 coup. Although nominally a constitutional
democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002 presidential elections - as
well as the 1999 legislative elections - were widely seen as being
flawed. The president controls most opposition parties through the
judicious use of patronage. Despite the country's economic windfall
from oil production resulting in a massive increase in government
revenue in recent years, there have been few improvements in the
country's living standards.

Geography Equatorial Guinea

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and
Gabon

Geographic coordinates:
2 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 28,051 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 28,051 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 539 km border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km

Coastline: 296 km

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

Climate:
tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain:
coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m

Natural resources:
oil, petroleum, timber, small unexploited deposits of gold,
manganese, uranium, titanium, iron ore

Land use:
arable land: 4.63%
permanent crops: 3.57%
other: 91.8% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
violent windstorms, flash floods

Environment - current issues:
tap water is not potable; deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: insular and continental regions rather widely separated

People Equatorial Guinea

Population:
523,051 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42% (male 110,268; female 109,222)
15-64 years: 54.3% (male 136,370; female 147,431)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 8,745; female 11,015) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.7 years
male: 18.1 years
female: 19.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.43% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
36.56 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
12.27 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 87.08 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 80.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 93.27 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 55.15 years
male: 53 years
female: 57.36 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.68 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5,900 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
370 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)
adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean

Ethnic groups:
Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni (primarily
Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish

Religions:
nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan
practices

Languages:
Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi,
Ibo

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.7%
male: 93.3%
female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Government Equatorial Guinea

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea
conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea
local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial
local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial
former: Spanish Guinea

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Malabo

Administrative divisions:
7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko
Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas

Independence:
12 October 1968 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Constitution:
approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended January
1995

Legal system:
partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA
MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup)
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held NA December
2009); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the
president
election results: Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected president;
percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO 97.1%, Celestino
Bonifacio BACALE 2.2%; elections marred by widespread fraud
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
head of government: Prime Minister Miguel Abia BITEO BORICO (since
14 June 2004); First Deputy Prime Minister Miguel OYONO NDONG (since
NA January 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Demetrio Elo NDONG NZE FUMU
(since NA January 1998)

Legislative branch:
unicameral House of People's Representatives or Camara de
Representantes del Pueblo (80 seats; members directly elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 7 March 1999 (next to be held 24 April 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - PDGE 80%, UP 6%, CPDS
5%; seats by party - PDGE 75, UP 4 and CPDS 1
note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests all
executive authority in the president

Judicial branch:
Supreme Tribunal

Political parties and leaders:
Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido MIKO
Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE (ruling
party) [Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO]; Party for Progress of
Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action of
Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Miguel Esono EMAN]; Popular Union or UP
[Andres Moises Bda ADA]; Progressive Democratic Alliance or ADP
[Victorino Bolekia BONAY]; Union of Independent Democrats of UDI
[Daniel OYONO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM,
OAS (observer), OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO,
WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Teodoro Biyogo NSUE
chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252
telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Equatorial Guinea (embassy
closed September 1995); the US ambassador to Cameroon is accredited
to Equatorial Guinea; the US State Department is considering opening
a Consulate Agency in Malabo

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a
blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms
centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow
six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore
islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below
which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity,
Peace, Justice)

Economy Equatorial Guinea

Economy - overview:
The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves have
contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent years. Forestry,
farming, and fishing are also major components of GDP. Subsistence
farming predominates. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guinea
counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the neglect
of the rural economy under successive regimes has diminished
potential for agriculture-led growth (the government has stated its
intention to reinvest some oil revenue into agriculture). A number
of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the IMF have been
cut off since 1993 because of corruption and mismanagement. No
longer eligible for concessional financing because of large oil
revenues, the government has been unsuccessfully trying to agree on
a "shadow" fiscal management program with the World Bank and IMF.
Businesses, for the most part, are owned by government officials and
their family members. Undeveloped natural resources include
titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Growth
will remain strong in 2004, led by oil.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.27 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
20% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 60% services: 2.4% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
63.6% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
NA (October 2000)

Unemployment rate:
30% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $708.5 million
expenditures: $317.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber

Industries:
petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas

Industrial production growth rate:
30% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
23.56 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
21.91 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
181,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
563.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
20 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
20 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
68.53 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-1.168 billion (2003)

Exports:
$2.1 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa

Exports - partners:
US 33.6%, Spain 25.8%, China 14.4%, Canada 11.8%, Italy 6.4% (2003)

Imports:
$1.371 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
petroleum sector equipment, other equipment

Imports - partners:
US 30.6%, UK 16%, France 15.1%, Cote d'Ivoire 11.9%, Spain 8.1%,
Norway 5.9%, Italy 5.3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$206 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$248 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$33.8 million (1995)

Currency:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
XAF

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 581.2
(2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699
(1999)

Fiscal year:
1 January - 31 December

Communications Equatorial Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use:
9,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
41,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: poor system with adequate government services
domestic: NA
international: country code - 240; international communications from
Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2002)

Radios:
180,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2002)

Televisions:
4,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.gq

Internet hosts:
3 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
1,800 (2002)

Transportation Equatorial Guinea

Highways:
total: 2,880 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines:
condensate 37 km; gas 39 km; liquid natural gas 4 km; oil 24 km
(2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bata, Luba, Malabo

Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,556 GRT/9,704 DWT
by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 1
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
3 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
less than 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Equatorial Guinea

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 120,463 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 61,084 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$75.1 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.5% (2003)

Transnational Issues Equatorial Guinea

Disputes - international:
in 2002, ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of
Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of
Guinea, but a dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an
island at the mouth of the Ntem River, imprecisely defined
coordinates in the ICJ decision, and the unresolved Bakasi
allocation contribute to the delay in implementation; creation of a
maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay with Gabon is
hampered by dispute over Mbane Island, administered and occupied by
Gabon since the 1970s

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Eritrea

Introduction Eritrea

Background:
Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a federation.
Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later
sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 with
Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was
overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two-and-a-half-year
border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN
auspices on 12 December 2000. Eritrea currently hosts a UN
peacekeeping operation that is monitoring a 25 km-wide Temporary
Security Zone on the border with Ethiopia. An international
commission, organized to resolve the border dispute, posted its
findings in 2002 but final demarcation is on hold due to Ethiopian
objections.

Geography Eritrea

Location:
Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan

Geographic coordinates:
15 00 N, 39 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 121,320 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 121,320 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:
total: 1,626 km
border countries: Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km

Coastline:
2,234 km total; mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red Sea
1,083 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the
central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually); semiarid in
western hills and lowlands; rainfall heaviest during June-September
except in coastal desert

Terrain:
dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands,
descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest
to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m
highest point: Soira 3,018 m

Natural resources:
gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish

Land use: arable land: 4.95% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 95.02% (2001)

Irrigated land:
220 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
frequent droughts; locust swarms

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of
infrastructure from civil warfare

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping
lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the
Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993

People Eritrea

Population:
4,447,307 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.8% (male 998,404; female 993,349)
15-64 years: 51.9% (male 1,140,892; female 1,166,481)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 72,776; female 75,405) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.5 years
male: 17.3 years
female: 17.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.57% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
39.03 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
13.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: UNHCR began repatriating about 150,000 Eritrean refugees from
Sudan in 2001 following the restoration of diplomatic relations
between the two countries in 2000 (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 75.59 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 67.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 83.03 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 52.7 years
male: 51.32 years
female: 54.12 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.67 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
2.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
60,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
6,300 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Eritrean(s)
adjective: Eritrean

Ethnic groups:
ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea
coast dwellers) 3%, other 3%

Religions:
Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Languages:
Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 58.6% male: 69.9% female: 47.6% (2003 est.)

Government Eritrea

Country name:
conventional long form: State of Eritrea
conventional short form: Eritrea
local long form: Hagere Ertra
former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia
local short form: Ertra

Government type:
transitional government
note: following a successful referendum on independence for the
Autonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National
Assembly, composed entirely of the People's Front for Democracy and
Justice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; a
Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a
constitution; ISAIAS Afworki was elected president by the
transitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997,
did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential
elections; parliamentary elections had been scheduled in December
2001, but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legal
party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)

Capital:
Asmara (formerly Asmera)

Administrative divisions:
6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); Anseba, Debub, Debubawi
K'eyih Bahri, Gash Barka, Ma'akel, Semenawi Keyih Bahri

Independence:
24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 24 May (1993)

Constitution:
the transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was replaced
by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet implemented

Legal system:
primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with revisions;
new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been
promulgated; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted
laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Sharia law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note
- the president is both the chief of state and head of government
and is head of the State Council and National Assembly
head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly
cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority;
members appointed by the president
elections: president elected by the National Assembly; election last
held 8 June 1993 (next election date uncertain as the National
Assembly did not hold a presidential election in December 2001 as
anticipated)
election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; term limits not
established)
elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new
constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old
Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member
Constituent Assembly, that had been established in 1997 to discuss
and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans
living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to
serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections
to a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of
the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution
stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the
National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible
voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were
postponed indefinitely

Judicial branch:
High Court - regional, subregional, and village courts; also have
military and special courts

Political parties and leaders: People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, the only party recognized by the government [ISAIAS Afworki]; note - a National Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in January 2001, but the full National Assembly has not yet debated or voted on it

Political pressure groups and leaders: Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ [leader NA] (also including Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement or EIJM (also known as the Abu Sihel Movement) [leader NA]); Eritrean Islamic Salvation or EIS (also known as the Arafa Movement) [leader NA]; Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean National Alliance or ENA (a coalition including EIJ, EIS, ELF, and a number of ELF factions) [HERUY Tedla Biru]; Eritrean Public Forum or EPF [ARADOM Iyob]

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador GIRMA Asmerom
telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991
consulate(s) general: Oakland (California)
FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304
chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Scott H. DELISI
embassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt Street, Asmara
mailing address: P. O. Box 211, Asmara
telephone: [291] (1) 120004
FAX: [291] (1) 127584

Flag description:
red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing the flag
into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower one
is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is centered on
the hoist side of the red triangle

Economy Eritrea

Economy - overview:
Since independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993, Eritrea has faced
the economic problems of a small, desperately poor country. Like the
economies of many African nations, the economy is largely based on
subsistence agriculture, with 80% of the population involved in
farming and herding. The Ethiopian-Eritrea war in 1998-2000 severely
hurt Eritrea's economy. GDP growth fell to zero in 1999 and to
-12.1% in 2000. The May 2000 Ethiopian offensive into northern
Eritrea caused some $600 million in property damage and loss,
including losses of $225 million in livestock and 55,000 homes. The
attack prevented planting of crops in Eritrea's most productive
region, causing food production to drop by 62%. Even during the war,
Eritrea developed its transportation infrastructure, asphalting new
roads, improving its ports, and repairing war damaged roads and
bridges. Since the war ended, the government has maintained a firm
grip on the economy, expanding the use of the military and
party-owned businesses to complete Eritrea's development agenda.
Erratic rainfall and the delayed demobilization of agriculturalists
from the military kept cereal production well below normal, holding
down growth in 2002. Eritrea's economic future depends upon its
ability to master social problems such as illiteracy, unemployment,
and low skills, and to open its economy to private enterprise so the
diaspora's money and expertise can foster economic growth.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $3.3 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12.4% industry: 25.3% services: 62.4% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
26.3% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
53% (1993/94)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
12.3% (2003)

Labor force:
NA (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 80%, industry and services 20%

Unemployment rate:
NA (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $235.7 million
expenditures: $375 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003 est.)

Agriculture - products: sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal; livestock, goats; fish

Industries:
food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
220.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
205.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh NA kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh NA kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
6,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-159 million (2003)

Exports:
$56 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures (2000)

Exports - partners:
Malaysia 65.1%, Italy 10.4%, France 4.4% (2003)

Imports:
$600 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods (2000)

Imports - partners:
US 39.7%, Italy 19.1%, Turkey 6.8%, Russia 5.4%, France 4.7% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$28 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$311 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$77 million (1999)

Currency:
nakfa (ERN)

Currency code:
ERN

Exchange rates:
nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - NA (2003), 13.9582 (2002), 11.3095
(2001), 9.5 (2000), 7.6 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Eritrea

Telephones - main lines in use:
38,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate
domestic: very inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government
is seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)
international: country code - 291; note - international connections
exist

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000)

Radios:
345,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2000)

Televisions:
1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.er

Internet hosts:
1,047 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2001)

Internet users:
9,500 (2003)

Transportation Eritrea

Railways:
total: 306 km
narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge
note: railway is being rebuilt; 117 km open (2003)

Highways:
total: 4,010 km
paved: 874 km
unpaved: 3,136 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Assab (Aseb), Massawa (Mits'iwa)

Merchant marine:
total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 16,069 GRT/19,549 DWT
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll
on/roll off 1

Airports:
18 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 13 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Eritrea

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service;
conscript service obligation - 16 months (2004)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
NA (2004)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$77.9 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
11.8% (2003)

Transnational Issues Eritrea

Disputes - international:
Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 Ethiopia-Eritrea
Border Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but demarcation
has been delayed, despite intense international intervention, by
Ethiopian insistence that the decision ignored "human geography,"
made technical errors in the delimitation, and incorrectly awarded
Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000 war, and other areas to Eritrea
and Eritrea's insistence on not deviating from the commission's
decision; UN Peacekeeping Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE)
continues to monitor a 25km-wide Temporary Security Zone in Eritrea
until the demarcation; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese
rebel groups; Eritrea protests Yemeni fishing around the Hanish
Islands awarded to Eritrea by the ICJ in 1999

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 59,000 (border war with Ethiopia from 1998-2000; most IDPs
are near the central border region) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Estonia

Introduction Estonia

Background:
After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule,
Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into
the USSR in 1940, it regained its freedom in 1991, with the collapse
of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994,
Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with
Western Europe. It joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Geography Estonia

Location:
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland,
between Latvia and Russia

Geographic coordinates:
59 00 N, 26 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 45,226 sq km
note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea
water: 2,015 sq km
land: 43,211 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined

Land boundaries: total: 633 km border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km

Coastline:
3,794 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with
neighboring states

Climate:
maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Terrain:
marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m

Natural resources:
oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite,
arable land, sea mud

Land use: arable land: 16.04% permanent crops: 0.45% other: 83.51% (2001)

Irrigated land:
40 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
sometimes flooding occurs in the spring

Environment - current issues:
air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power
plants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted to
the air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 80% less
than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to
water bodies in 2000 was one twentieth the level of 1980; in
connection with the start-up of new water purification plants, the
pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400
natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural
areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain
locations

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore
lie more than 1,500 islands

People Estonia

Population:
1,341,664 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16% (male 110,452; female 104,363)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 431,493; female 474,255)
65 years and over: 16.5% (male 72,819; female 148,282) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.8 years
male: 35.1 years
female: 42.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.66% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
9.79 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
13.27 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-3.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female
total population: 0.85 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.08 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 9.32 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.38 years
male: 65.78 years
female: 77.33 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.39 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
7,800 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Estonian(s)
adjective: Estonian

Ethnic groups:
Estonian 65.3%, Russian 28.1%, Ukrainian 2.5%, Belarusian 1.5%,
Finn 1%, other 1.6% (1998)

Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Estonian Orthodox, Baptist,
Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Word
of Life, Jewish

Languages:
Estonian (official), Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish, other

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Government Estonia

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Estonia
conventional short form: Estonia
local short form: Eesti
former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic
local long form: Eesti Vabariik

Government type:
parliamentary republic

Capital:
Tallinn

Administrative divisions:
15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond): Harjumaa (Tallinn),
Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide), Jogevamaa
(Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere), Parnumaa
(Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa (Kuressaare),
Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi), Vorumaa
(Voru)
note: counties have the administrative center name following in
parentheses

Independence:
20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 is
the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia; 20
August 1991 is the date it declared its independence from the Soviet
Union

Constitution:
adopted 28 June 1992

Legal system:
based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Arnold RUUTEL (since 8 October 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Juhan PARTS (since 10 April 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
approved by Parliament
election results: Arnold RUUTEL elected president on 21 September
2001 by a 367-member electoral assembly that convened following
Parliament's failure in August to elect then-President MERI's
successor; on the second ballot of voting, RUUTEL received 186 votes
to Parliament Speaker Toomas SAVI's 155; the remaining 26 ballots
were either left blank or invalid
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; if
he or she does not secure two-thirds of the votes after three rounds
of balloting in the Parliament, then an electoral assembly (made up
of Parliament plus members of local governments) elects the
president, choosing between the two candidates with the largest
percentage of votes; election last held 21 September 2001 (next to
be held in the fall of 2006); prime minister nominated by the
president and approved by Parliament

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected
by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - Center Party 25.4%, Res
Publica 24.6%, Reform Party 17.7%, Estonian People's Union 13%, Pro
Patria Union (Fatherland League) 7.3% People's Party Moodukad 7%;
seats by party - Center Party 28, Res Publica 28, Reform Party 19,
Estonian People's Union 13, Pro Patria Union 7, People's Party
Moodukad 6
elections: last held 2 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)

Judicial branch:
National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)

Political parties and leaders:
Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman];
Estonian People's Union (Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN, chairman];
Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) [Andrus ANSIP]; Estonian
United Russian People's Party or EUVRP [Yevgeniy TOMBERG, chairman];
Pro Patria Union (Isamaaliit) [Tunne KELAM, chairman]; Res Publica
[Juhan PARTS, chairman]; Social Democratic Party (formerly People's
Party Moodukad or Moderates) [Ivari PADAR, chairman]; Social
Liberals (group of 8 parliamentarians, former Center Party members)
[Peeter Kreitzberg]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member),
FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NIB, NSG,
OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNTSO,
UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Juri LUIK
chancery: 2131 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108
telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Aldona Zofia WOS
embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [372] 668-8100
FAX: [372] 668-8134

Flag description:
pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal
horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white

Economy Estonia

Economy - overview:
Estonia, as a new member of the World Trade Organization, is
steadily moving toward a modern market economy with increasing ties
to the West, including the pegging of its currency to the euro. The
economy benefits from strong electronics and telecommunications
sectors. Estonia has been invited to join the European Union and
will do so in May 2004. The economy is greatly influenced by
developments in Finland, Sweden, Russia, and Germany, four major
trading partners. The high current account deficit remains a
concern. However, the state budget enjoyed a surplus of $130 million
in 2003.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $17.35 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $12,300 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.9% industry: 30.3% services: 64.8% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
30.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 29.8% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
654,000 (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 11%, industry 20%, services 69% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
10.1% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $3.806 billion
expenditures: $3.648 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
7.4% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish

Industries:
engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile;
information technology, telecommunications

Industrial production growth rate:
5% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
7.937 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
6.192 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
1.19 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
5,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
1.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
1.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$-1.15 billion (2003)

Exports:
$4.075 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles 14%, food
products 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001)

Exports - partners:
Finland 21.9%, Sweden 12.5%, Russia 11.4%, Germany 8.4%, Latvia
7.4%, Lithuania 4% (2003)

Imports:
$5.535 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%, textiles
10.3%, foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001)

Imports - partners:
Finland 15.9%, Germany 11.1%, Russia 10.2%, Sweden 7.7%, Ukraine
4.3%, China 4.2%, Japan 4.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$1.377 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$7.002 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$108 million (2000)

Currency:
Estonian kroon (EEK)

Currency code:
EEK

Exchange rates:
krooni per US dollar - 13.8564 (2003), 16.6118 (2002), 17.4781
(2001), 16.9686 (2000), 14.6776 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Estonia

Telephones - main lines in use:
475,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
881,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint
business ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial
fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in
the digital mode; Internet services are available throughout most of
the country - only about 11,000 subscriber requests were unfilled by
September 2000
domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and Internet
services is available throughout the country
international: country code - 372; fiber-optic cables to Finland,
Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched
service; two international switches are located in Tallinn (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios:
1.01 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
3 (2001)

Televisions:
605,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ee

Internet hosts:
82,142 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
38 (2001)

Internet users:
444,000 (2002)

Transportation Estonia

Railways:
total: 958 km
broad gauge: 958 km 1.520-m/1.524-m gauge (132 km electrified)
note: gauge being increased from 1.520-m to 1.524-m to reduce wear
on wheels and rail as lines are modernized (2003)

Highways:
total: 51,411 km
paved: 10,334 km (including 94 km of expressways)
unpaved: 41,077 km (2000)

Waterways:
500 km (2003)

Pipelines:
gas 859 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Haapsalu, Kunda, Muuga, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn

Merchant marine:
total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 212,998 GRT/177,488 DWT
by type: bulk 2, cargo 12, container 4, petroleum tanker 2, roll
on/roll off 7, short-sea/passenger 5
foreign-owned: Netherlands 1
registered in other countries: 45 (2004 est.)

Airports:
29 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 14
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 15
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 6 (2003 est.)

Military Estonia

Military branches:
Estonia Defense Forces (including Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force),
Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops), Volunteer
Defense League (Kaitseliit), Maritime Border Guard, Coast Guard
note: Border Guards and Ministry of Internal Affairs become part of
the Estonian Defense Forces in wartime; the Coast Guard is
subordinate to the Ministry of Defense in peacetime and the Estonian
Navy in wartime

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 11-month service obligation; Estonia has committed to retaining conscription for men and women up to 2010; 17 years of age for volunteers (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 326,803 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 257,386 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 10,884 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$155 million (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Estonia

Disputes - international:
Russia continues to reject signing and ratifying the joint December
1996 technical border agreement with Estonia

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Southwest Asia
and the Caucasus via Russia, cocaine from Latin America to Western
Europe and Scandinavia, and synthetic drugs from Western Europe to
Scandinavia; increasing domestic drug abuse problem; possible
precursor manufacturing and/or trafficking; potential money
laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking is a
concern as is possible use of the gambling sector to launder funds

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Ethiopia

Introduction Ethiopia

Background:
Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy
maintained its freedom from colonial rule, one exception being the
Italian occupation of 1936-41. In 1974 a military junta, the Derg,
deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and
established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings,
wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was
finally toppled by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian
People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), in 1991. A
constitution was adopted in 1994 and Ethiopia's first multiparty
elections were held in 1995. A two and a half year border war with
Eritrea ended with a peace treaty on 12 December 2000. Final
demarcation of the boundary is currently on hold due to Ethiopian
objections to an international commission's finding requiring it to
surrender sensitive territory.

Geography Ethiopia

Location:
Eastern Africa, west of Somalia

Geographic coordinates:
8 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1,127,127 sq km
water: 7,444 sq km
land: 1,119,683 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 5,328 km
border countries: Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km,
Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 1,606 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation

Terrain:
high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift
Valley

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Denakil Depression -125 m
highest point: Ras Dejen 4,620 m

Natural resources:
small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas,
hydropower

Land use: arable land: 10.71% permanent crops: 0.75% other: 88.54% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,900 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water
shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor
management

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the
de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the Blue Nile, the
chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T'ana Hayk
(Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are believed to
have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean

People Ethiopia

Population:
67,851,281
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.7% (male 15,189,921; female 15,109,870)
15-64 years: 52.5% (male 17,857,758; female 17,767,411)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 855,103; female 1,071,218) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.4 years
female: 17.4 years (2004 est.)
male: 17.3 years

Population growth rate:
1.89% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
39.23 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
20.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: repatriation of Ethiopians who fled to Sudan for refuge from
war and famine in earlier years is expected to continue for several
years; some Sudanese and Somali refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from
the fighting or famine in their own countries, continue to return to
their homes (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 102.12 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 91.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 112.22 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 40.88 years
male: 40.03 years
female: 41.75 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.44 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
4.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.5 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
120,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, leishmaniasis (cutaneous), schistosomiasis,
rabies
overall degree of risk: high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Ethiopian(s)
adjective: Ethiopian

Ethnic groups:
Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigre 32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella 6%, Somali
6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%, other 1%

Religions:
Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist 12%, other 3%-8%

Languages:
Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromigna, Guaragigna, Somali, Arabic, other
local languages, English (major foreign language taught in schools)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42.7%
male: 50.3%
female: 35.1% (2003 est.)

Government Ethiopia

Country name:
conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
conventional short form: Ethiopia
local short form: Ityop'iya
former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa
local long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik
abbreviation: FDRE

Government type:
federal republic

Capital:
Addis Ababa

Administrative divisions:
9 ethnically-based states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and 2
self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular -
astedader); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara),
Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela Peoples),
Hareri Hizb (Harari People), Oromiya (Oromia), Sumale (Somali),
Tigray, Ye Debub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations,
Nationalities and Peoples)

Independence:
oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the
world - at least 2,000 years

National holiday:
National Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991)

Constitution:
ratified December 1994; effective 22 August 1995

Legal system:
currently transitional mix of national and regional courts

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President GIRMA Woldegiorgis (since 8 October 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since NA August
1995)
cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994
constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and
approved by the House of People's Representatives
elections: president elected by the House of People's
Representatives for a six-year term; election last held 8 October
2001 (next to be held NA October 2007); prime minister designated by
the party in power following legislative elections
election results: GIRMA Woldegiorgis elected president; percent of
vote by the House of People's Representatives - 100%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation or upper
chamber (108 seats; members are chosen by state assemblies to serve
five-year terms) and the House of People's Representatives or lower
chamber (548 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote
from single-member districts to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2005)
note: irregularities and violence at some polling stations
necessitated the rescheduling of voting in certain constituencies;
voting postponed in Somali regional state because of severe drought
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - OPDO 177,
ANDM 134, TPLF 38, WGGPDO 27, EPRDF 19, SPDO 18, GNDM 15, KSPDO 10,
ANDP 8, GPRDF 7, SOPDM 7, BGPDUF 6, BMPDO 5, KAT 4, other regional
political groupings 22, independents 8; note - 43 seats unconfirmed

Judicial branch:
Federal Supreme Court (the president and vice president of the
Federal Supreme Court are recommended by the prime minister and
appointed by the House of People's Representatives; for other
federal judges, the prime minister submits to the House of People's
Representatives for appointment candidates selected by the Federal
Judicial Administrative Council)

Political parties and leaders:
Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP [leader NA]; Amhara National
Democratic Movement or ANDM [ADDISU Legesse]; Bench Madji People's
Democratic Organization or BMPDO [leader NA]; Benishangul Gumuz
People's Democratic Unity Front or BGPDUF [leader NA]; Ethiopian
People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF [MELES Zenawi] (an
alliance of ANDM, OPDO, SEPDF, and TPLF); Gedeyo People's
Revolutionary Democratic Front or GPRDF [leader NA]; Gurage
Nationalities' Democratic Movement or GNDM [leader NA]; Kafa Shaka
People's Democratic Organization or KSPDO [leader NA]; Kembata,
Alabaa and Tembaro or KAT [leader NA]; Oromo People's Democratic
Organization or OPDO [JUNEDI Sado]; Sidamo People's Democratic
Organization or SPDO [leader NA]; South Omo People's Democratic
Movement or SOPDM [leader NA]; Tigrayan People's Liberation Front or
TPLF [MELES Zenawi]; Walayta, Gamo, Gofa, Dawro, and Konta People's
Democratic Organization or WGGPDO [leader NA]; dozens of small
parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Afar Revolutionary Democratic Union Front or ARDUF [leader NA];
Council of Alternative Forces for Peace and Democracy in Ethiopia or
CAFPDE [BEYANE Petros]; Southern Ethiopia People's Democratic
Coalition or SEPDC [BEYANE Petros]

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO,
ITU, MIGA, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNMIL, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador KASSAHUN Ayele chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s): New York FAX: [1] (202) 686-9551 telephone: [1] (202) 364-1200

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aurelia A. BRAZEAL embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa telephone: [251] (1) 550666 FAX: [251] (1) 551328

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red with a
yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles
between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands;
Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the three
main colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African
countries upon independence that they became known as the
pan-African colors

Economy Ethiopia

Economy - overview:
Ethiopia's poverty-stricken economy is based on agriculture, which
accounts for half of GDP, 60% of exports, and 80% of total
employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent drought
and poor cultivation practices. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian
economy with exports of some $156 million in 2002, but historically
low prices have seen many farmers switching to qat to supplement
income. The war with Eritrea in 1998-2000 and recurrent drought have
buffeted the economy, in particular coffee production. In November
2001 Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from the Highly Indebted
Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Under Ethiopia's land tenure
system, the government owns all land and provides long-term leases
to the tenants; the system continues to hamper growth in the
industrial sector as entrepreneurs are unable to use land as
collateral for loans. Drought struck again late in 2002, leading to
a 2% decline in GDP in 2003. Return to normal weather patterns late
in 2003 should help agricultural and GDP growth recover in 2004. The
government estimates that annual growth of 7% is needed to reduce
poverty.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $46.81 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-3.8% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 46% industry: 12.6% services: 41.4% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
17% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
50% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 33.7% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
17.8% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
NA (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture and animal husbandry 80%, industry and construction 8%,
government and services 12% (1985)

Unemployment rate:
NA (2002)

Budget:
revenues: $1.813 billion
expenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $788
million (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, sugarcane, potatoes, qat; hides,
cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:
food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metals processing,
cement

Industrial production growth rate:
6.7% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
1.713 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.594 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
214,000 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
12.46 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-408 million (2003)

Exports:
$537 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coffee, qat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds

Exports - partners:
Djibouti 13.4%, Germany 11.4%, Saudi Arabia 6.9%, Japan 6.8%, Italy
6.4%, US 5.1% (2003)

Imports:
$1.964 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals,
machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles

Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 24.1%, US 17%, China 6.4%, Italy 4.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$956 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$2.9 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$308 million (FY00/01)

Currency:
birr (ETB)

Currency code:
ETB

Exchange rates:
birr per US dollar - NA (2003), 8.5678 (2002), 8.4575 (2001),
8.2173 (2000), 7.9423 (1999)
note: since 24 October 2001 exchange rates are determined on a daily
basis via interbank transactions regulated by the Central Bank

Fiscal year:
8 July - 7 July

Communications Ethiopia

Telephones - main lines in use:
435,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
97,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: open-wire and microwave radio relay system;
adequate for government use
domestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in
the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; two domestic satellites provide
the national trunk service
international: country code - 251; open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti;
microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth
stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
15.2 million (2002)

Television broadcast stations:
1 plus 24 repeaters (2002)

Televisions:
682,000 (2002)

Internet country code:
.et

Internet hosts:
9 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
75,000 (2003)

Transportation Ethiopia

Railways:
total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti
railroad)
narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge
note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2003)

Highways:
total: 31,571 km
paved: 3,789 km
unpaved: 27,782 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
none; Ethiopia is landlocked and was by agreement with Eritrea
using the ports of Assab and Massawa; since the border dispute with
Eritrea flared, Ethiopia has used the port of Djibouti for nearly
all of its imports

Merchant marine:
total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 81,933 GRT/101,287 DWT
by type: cargo 5, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off
2 (2004 est.)

Airports:
82 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 69 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)

Military Ethiopia

Military branches:
Ethiopian National Defense Force: Ground Forces, Air Force,
Mobilized Militia
note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the
secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in
Eritrean possession

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 15,748,632 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 8,234,442 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 760,868 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$345 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
5.2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Ethiopia

Disputes - international:
Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by the 2002 independent
boundary commission's delimitation decision, but demarcation has
been delayed, despite intense international intervention, by
Ethiopian insistence that the decision ignored "human geography,"
made technical errors in the delimitation, and incorrectly awarded
Badme - the focus of the 1998-2000 war - and other areas to Eritrea
and Eritrea's insistence on not deviating from the commission's
decision; Ethiopia maintains only an administrative line and no
international border with the Oromo region of southern Somalia and
maintains alliances with local clans in opposition to the
Transitional National Government, which lost its mandate in August
2003, in Mogadishu; "Somaliland" secessionists provide port
facilities and trade ties to landlocked Ethiopia; efforts to
demarcate the porous boundary with Sudan have been delayed by civil
war

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 93,032 (Sudan), 23,578 (Somalia)
IDPs: 132,000 (border war with Eritrea from 1998-2000 and ethnic
clashes in Gambela; most IDPs are in Tigray and Gambela Provinces)
(2004)

Illicit drugs:
Transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asia
and destined for Europe and North America as well as cocaine
destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat (khat) for
local use and regional export, principally to Djibouti and Somalia
(legal in all three countries); the lack of a well-developed
financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering
center

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Europa Island

Introduction Europa Island

Background:
A French possession since 1897, the island is heavily wooded; it is
the site of a small military garrison that staffs a weather station.

Geography Europa Island

Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half
of the way from southern Madagascar to southern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
22 20 S, 40 22 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 28 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 28 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.16 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
22.2 km

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

Climate:
tropical

Terrain:
low and flat

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 24 m

Natural resources:
NEGL

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mangrove forests and woodlands) (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
wildlife sanctuary

People Europa Island

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a small French military garrison and a few
meteorologists; visited by scientists (July 2004 est.)

Government Europa Island

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Europa Island
local short form: Ile Europa
local long form: none

Dependency status:
possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the
Republic, resident in Reunion

Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of France is used

Economy Europa Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications Europa Island

Communications - note: 1 meteorological station

Transportation Europa Island

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Europa Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Europa Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@European Union

Introduction European Union

Preliminary statement:
The evolution of the European Union (EU) from a regional economic
agreement among six neighboring states in 1951 to today's
supranational organization of 25 countries across the European
continent stands as an unprecedented phenomenon in the annals of
history. Dynastic unions for territorial consolidation were long the
norm in Europe. On a few occasions even country-level unions were
arranged - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the
Austro-Hungarian Empire were examples - but for such a large number
of nation-states to cede some of their sovereignty to an overarching
entity is truly unique. Although the EU is not a federation in the
strict sense, it is far more than a free-trade association such as
ASEAN, NAFTA, or Mercosur, and it has many of the attributes
associated with independent nations: its own flag, anthem, founding
date, and currency, as well as an incipient common foreign and
security policy in its dealings with other nations. In the future,
many of these nation-like characteristics are likely to be expanded.
Thus, inclusion of basic intelligence on the EU has been deemed
appropriate as a new, separate entry in The World Factbook. However,
because of the EU's special status, this description is placed after
the regular country entries.

Background:

Following the two devastating World Wars of the first half of the 20th century, a number of European leaders in the late 1940s became convinced that the only way to establish a lasting peace was to unite the two chief belligerent nations - France and Germany - both economically and politically. In 1950, the French Foreign Minister Robert SCHUMAN proposed an eventual union of all of Europe, the first step of which would be the integration of the coal and steel industries of Western Europe. The following year the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six members, Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, signed the Treaty of Paris.

The ECSC was so successful that within a few years the decision was made to integrate other parts of the countries' economies. In 1957, the Treaties of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM), and the six member states undertook to eliminate trade barriers among themselves by forming a common market. In 1967, the institutions of all three communities were formally merged into the European Community (EC), creating a single Commission, a single Council of Ministers, and the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament were initially selected by national parliaments, but in 1979 the first direct elections were undertaken and they have been held every five years since.

In 1973, the first enlargement of the EC took place with the addition of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The 1980s saw further membership expansion with Greece joining in 1981 and Spain and Portugal in 1986. The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht laid the basis for further forms of cooperation in foreign and defense policy, in judicial and internal affairs, and in the creation of an economic and monetary union - including a common currency. This further integration created the European Union (EU). In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined to the EU, raising the membership total to 15.

A new currency, the euro, was launched in world money markets on 1 January 1999; it became the unit of exchange for all of the EU states except Great Britain, Sweden, and Denmark. In 2002, citizens of the 12 euro-area countries began using euro banknotes and coins. Ten new countries joined the EU in 2004 - Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia - bringing the current membership to 25. In order to ensure that the EU can continue to function efficiently with an expanded membership, the 2003 Treaty of Nice set forth rules streamlining the size and procedures of EU institutions. An EU Constitutional Treaty, signed in Rome on 29 October 2004, gives member states two years to ratify the document before it is scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006.

Despite the expansion of membership and functions, "Eurosceptics" in various countries have raised questions about the erosion of national cultures and the imposition of a flood of regulations from the EU capital in Brussels. Failure by member states to ratify the constitution or the inability of newcomer countries to meet euro currency standards might force a loosening of some EU agreements and perhaps lead to several levels of EU participation. These "tiers" might eventually range from an "inner" core of politically integrated countries to a looser "outer" economic association of members.

Geography European Union

Location:
Europe between Eastern Europe and the North Atlantic Ocean

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 3,976,372 sq km

Area - comparative:
less than one-half the size of the US

Land boundaries:
total: 11,214.8 km
border countries: Albania 282 km, Andorra 120.3 km, Belarus 1,050
km, Bulgaria 494 km, Croatia 999 km, Holy See 3.2 km, Liechtenstein
34.9 km, Macedonia 246 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Norway 2,348 km, Romania
443 km, Russia 2,257 km, San Marino 39 km, Serbia and Montenegro 151
km, Switzerland 1,811 km, Turkey 206 km, Ukraine 726 km
note: data for European Continent only

Coastline:
65,413.9 km

Maritime claims:
NA

Climate:
cold temperate; potentially subarctic in the north to temperate;
mild wet winters; hot dry summers in the south

Terrain:
fairly flat along the Baltic and Atlantic coast; mountainous in the
central and southern areas

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lammefjord, Denmark -7 m; Zuidplaspolder, Netherlands
-7 m
highest point: Mount Blanc, France/Italy 4,807 m

Natural resources:
iron ore, arable land, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead,
zinc, hydropower, uranium, potash, fish

Land use:
arable land: NA
permanent crops: NA

Irrigated land:
115,807 sq km

Natural hazards:
flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous area; earthquakes
in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy; periodic droughts in
Spain; ice floes in the Baltic

Environment - current issues:
NA

Environment - international agreements:
Hazardous Wastes, Biodiversity, Air Pollution, Antarctic-Marine
Living Resources, Tropical Timber 82, Tropical Timber 94, Ozone
Layer Protection, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 94, Law of the Sea, Desertification, Climate
Change; has signed, but not yet ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

People European Union

Population: 456,285,839 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.3% 15-64 years: 67.2% 65 years and over: 16.6% (July 2004 est.)

Median age:
NA

Population growth rate:
0.17% (July 2004 est.)

Birth rate:
10.2 births/1,000 population (July 2004 est.)

Death rate:
10 deaths/1,000 population (July 2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (July 2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: NA
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and older: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (July 2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (July 2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.1 years male: 74.9 years female: 81.4 years (July 2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.48 children born/woman (July 2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Religions:
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish

Languages:
Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German,
Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish,
Portuguese, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish; note - only official
languages are listed

Government European Union

Union name:
conventional long form: European Union
abbreviation: EU

Political structure:
a hybrid intergovernmental and supranational organization

Capital:
Brussels, Belgium

Member states:
25 countries: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,
Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK; note - Canary Islands
(Spain), Azores and Madeira (Portugal), and French Guyana,
Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion (France) are sometimes listed
separately even though they are legally a part of Spain, Portugal,
and France; candidate countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Turkey

Independence:
7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed establishing the EU); 1
November 1993 (Maastricht Treaty entered into force)

National holiday:
Europe Day 9 May (1950); note - a Union-wide holiday, the day that
Robert Schuman proposed the creation of an organized Europe

Constitution:
based on a series of treaties: the Treaty of Paris, which set up
the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951; the Treaties
of Rome, which set up the European Economic Community (EEC) and the
European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) in 1957; the Single
European Act in 1986; the Treaty on European Union (Maastrict) in
1992; the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997; and the Treaty of Nice in
2001; note - a new draft Constitutional Treaty, signed on 29 October
2004 in Rome, gives member states two years for ratification either
by parliamentary vote or national referendum before it is scheduled
to take effect on 1 November 2006

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of union: President of the European Commission Jose DURAO
BARROSO (since 22 November 2004)
election results: European Parliament approved the European
Commission by an approval vote of 449-149 with 82 abstentions
elections: the president of the European Commission is designated by
member governments; the president-designate then chooses the other
Commission members; the European Parliament confirms the entire
Commission for a five-year term; election last held 18 November 2004
(next to be held 2009)
cabinet: European Commission (composed of 25 members, one from each
member country; each commissioner responsible for one or more policy
areas)
note: the European Council brings together heads of state and
government and the president of the European Commission and meets at
least twice a year; its aim is to provide the impetus for the major
political issues relating to European integration and to issue
general policy guidelines

Legislative branch:
Council of the European Union (25 member-state ministers having 321
votes; the number of votes is roughly proportional to member-states'
population); note - the Council is the main decision-making body of
the EU; European Parliament (732 seats; seats allocated among member
states by proportion to population); members elected by direct
universal suffrage for a five-year term
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - EPP-ED
268, PES 202, ALDE 88, Greens/EFA 42, EUL/NGL 41, IND/DEM 36, UEN
27, independents 28
elections: last held 10-13 June 2004 (next to be held June 2009)

Judicial branch:
European Court of Justice (ensures that the treaties are
interpreted and applied correctly) - 25 Justices (one from each
member state) appointed for a six-year term; note - for the sake of
efficiency, the court can sit with 11 justices known as the "Grand
Chamber"; Court of First Instance - 25 justices appointed for a
six-year term

Political parties and leaders:
Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe or ALDE
[Graham R. WATSON]; Independence/Democracy Group or IND/DEM
[Jens-Peter BONDE and Nigel FARAGE]; Group of Greens/European Free
Alliance or Greens/EFA [Monica FRASSONI and Daniel Marc
COHN-BENDIT]; Socialist Group in the European Parliament or PES
[Martin SCHULZ]; Confederal Group of the European United Left-Nordic
Green Left or EUL/NGL [Francis WURTZ]; European People's
Party-European Democrats or EPP-ED [Hans-Gert POETTERING]; Union for
Europe of the Nations Group or UEN [Brian CROWLEY and Cristiana
MUSCARDINI]

International organization participation:
European Union: ASEAN (dialogue member), ARF (dialogue member),
EBRD, IDA, OAS (observer), OECD, WTO
European Commission: Australian Group, CBSS, CERN, FAO, G-10, NSG
(observer), UN (observer)
European Central Bank: BIS
European Investment Bank: WADB (nonregional member)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John BRUTON chancery: 2300 M Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20037 FAX: [1] (202) 429-1766 telephone: [1] (202) 862-9500

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rockwell SCHNABEL embassy: 13 Zinnerstraat (Rue Zinner), B-1000 Brussels mailing address: same as above telephone: [32] (2) 508-2222 FAX: [32] (2) 512-5720

Flag description:
on a blue field, 12 five-pointed gold stars arranged in a circle,
representing the union of the peoples of Europe; the number of stars
is fixed

Economy European Union

Economy - overview:
Domestically, the European Union attempts to lower trade barriers,
adopt a common currency, and move toward convergence of living
standards. Internationally, the EU aims to bolster Europe's trade
position and its political and economic power. Because of the great
differences in per capita income (from $10,000 to $28,000) and
historic national animosities, the European Community faces
difficulties in devising and enforcing common policies. For example,
both Germany and France since 2003 have flouted the member states'
treaty obligation to prevent their national budgets from running
more than a 3% deficit. In 2004, the EU admitted 10 central and
eastern European countries that are, in general, less advanced
technologically and economically than the existing 15. The Economic
and Monetary Union (EMU), an associated organization, introduced the
euro as the common currency on 1 January 1999. The UK, Sweden, and
Denmark do not now participate; the 10 new countries may choose to
join the EMU when they meet its fiscal and monetary criteria and the
member states so agree.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $11.05 trillion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $25,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.3% industry: 28.3% services: 69.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
percent of GDP - NA (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25.2% (1995 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
31.1 (2003 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
211.1 million

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 4.3%, industry 29%, services 66.8% (2000)

Unemployment rate:
9.1% (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, oilseeds, sugar beets, wine, grapes, dairy products,
cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, fish

Industries:
among the world's largest and most technologically advanced
industries, including iron and steel, aluminum, petroleum, coal,
cement, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, aircraft, railroad
equipment, shipbuilding, electrical power equipment, machine tools,
electronics, telecommunications equipment, fishing, food processing,
furniture, paper, textiles and clothing, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
0.8% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
2.822 trillion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
2.635 trillion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
234.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
245.7 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
3.244 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - consumption:
14.48 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - exports:
6.429 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
16.97 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
7.467 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
243.8 billion cu m (2001)

Natural gas - consumption:
463.6 billion cu m (2001)

Natural gas - exports:
77.04 billion cu m (2001)

Natural gas - imports:
292.2 billion cu m (2001)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
3.262 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$NA

Exports:
$850.3 billion (2002)

Exports - commodities:
machinery, motor vehicles, aircraft, plastics, pharmaceuticals and
other chemicals, fuels, iron and steel, nonferrous metals, wood pulp
and paper products, textiles, meat, dairy products, fish, alcoholic
beverages.

Exports - partners:
NA

Imports:
$887.1 billion (2002)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, vehicles, aircraft, plastics, crude oil, chemicals,
textiles, metals, foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners:
NA

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$NA

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - donor:
$NA

Currency:
euro; pound (Cyprus), koruna (Czech Republic), krone (Denmark),
kroon (Estonia), forint (Hungary), lat (Latvia), litas (Lithuania),
lira (Malta), zloty (Poland), koruna (Slovakia), tolar (Slovenia),
krona (Sweden), pound (UK)

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)

Fiscal year:
NA

Communications European Union

Telephones - main lines in use:
238,763,162 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
314,644,700 (2002)

Telephone system:
note - see individual country entries of member states

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 866, FM 13,396, shortwave 73 (1998); note - sum of individual
country radio broadcast stations; there is also a European-wide
station (Euroradio)

Television broadcast stations:
2,791 (1995); note - does not include repeaters; sum of indiviual
country television broadcast stations; there is also a European-wide
station (Eurovision)

Internet country code:
.eu (effective 2005); note - see country entries of member states
for individual country codes

Internet hosts:
22,000,414 (2004); note - sum of individual country Internet hosts

Internet users:
206,032,067 (September 2004)

Transportation European Union

Railways:
total: 222,293 km
broad gauge: 28,438 km
narrow gauge: 7,427 km
standard gauge: 186,405 km
other: 23 km (2003)

Highways:
total: 4,634,810 km (including 56,704 km of expressways)
paved: 4,161,318 km
unpaved: 473,492 km (1999-2000)

Waterways:
53,512 km

Ports and harbors:
Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Bremen (Germany), Copenhagen
(Denmark), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland),
Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon
(Portugal), London (UK), Marseille (France), Naples (Italy),
Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Riga (Latvia), Rotterdam
(Netherlands), Stockholm (Sweden), Talinn (Estonia)

Airports: total: 3,130 with paved runways: 1,834 with unpaved runways: 1,296 (2003)

Heliports: 94 (2003)

Military European Union

Military - note:
In October 2004, the European Union heads of government signed a
"constitutional treaty" that offers possibilities - with some limits
- for increased defense and security cooperation. If ratified, in a
process that may take some two years, this treaty will in effect
make operational the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP)
approved in the 2000 Nice Treaty. Despite limits of cooperation for
some EU members, development of a European military planning unit is
likely to continue. So is creation of a rapid-reaction military
force and a humanitarian aid system, which the planning unit will
support. France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and
Italy continue to press for wider coordination. The five-nation
Eurocorps - created in 1992 by France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and
Luxembourg - has already deployed troops and police on peacekeeping
missions to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, and the Democratic
Republic of Congo and assumed command of the International Security
Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan in August 2004. Eurocorps
directly commands the 5,000-man Franco-German Brigade and the
Multinational Command Support Brigade and will command EUFOR, which
will take over from SFOR in Bosnia in December 2004. Other troop
contributions are under national command - committments to provide
67,100 troops were made at the Helsinki EU session in 2000. Some
56,000 EU troops were actually deployed in 2003. In August 2004, the
new European Defense Agency, tasked with promoting cooperative
European defense capabilities, began operations. As of November
2004, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France had proposed creation
of three 1,500-man rapid-reaction "battle groups."

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Introduction Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Background:
Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first
landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in
1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established until
1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and the
islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first
between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The
UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval
garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April
1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed
seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced Argentine
surrender on 14 June 1982.

Geography Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Location:
Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east
of southern Argentina

Geographic coordinates:
51 45 S, 59 00 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 12,173 sq km
note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and
about 200 small islands
water: 0 sq km
land: 12,173 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
1,288 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on
more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches
in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and
February, but does not accumulate

Terrain:
rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m

Natural resources: fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
strong winds persist throughout the year

Environment - current issues:
overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were
introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is
the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the
Chornobyl disaster

Geography - note:
deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing
season

People Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Population: 2,967 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.44% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
NA children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Falkland Islander(s)
adjective: Falkland Island

Ethnic groups:
British

Religions:
primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist
Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist

Languages:
English

Government Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Stanley

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

National holiday:
Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)

Constitution:
3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998

Legal system:
English common law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by
the monarch
head of government: Governor Howard PEARCE (since 3 December 2002);
Chief Executive Chris SIMPKINS (since NA March 2003); Financial
Secretary Derek F. HOWATT (since NA)
cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative
Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial
secretary), and the governor

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council (10 seats - 2 ex officio, 8 elected
by popular vote, members serve four-year terms); presided over by
the governor
elections: last held 22 November 2001 (next to be held NA November
2005)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 8; note
- 71% voter turnout

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court
(senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions);
Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Political parties and leaders:
none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
ICFTU, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Flag description:
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the
flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising is the
major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew
discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the
motto DESIRE THE RIGHT

Economy Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Economy - overview:
The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep
farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic
activity. In 1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to
foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands exclusive fishing
zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which
goes to support the island's health, education, and welfare system.
Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy farming supports
domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Exports feature
shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage
stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for
defense. The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil
exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic
surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000
barrels per day; to date no exploitable site has been identified. An
agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse
licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign
interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism, especially
eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in
2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on money the
government has in the bank. The British military presence also
provides a sizeable economic boost.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $75 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $25,000 (2002 est.)

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

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.6% (1998)

Labor force:
1,100 (est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing)

Unemployment rate:
full employment; labor shortage (2001)

Budget:
revenues: $66.2 million
expenditures: $67.9 million, including capital expenditures of $23.2
million (FY98/99 est.)

Agriculture - products:
fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products

Industries:
fish and wool processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
16.33 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
15.19 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$82 million (2002)

Exports - commodities:
wool, hides, meat

Exports - partners:
Spain 80%, UK 9.3%, US 3.6% (2003)

Imports:
$53 million (2002)

Imports - commodities:
fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing

Imports - partners:
UK 62%, Spain 30.4%, Italy 2.5% (2003)

Debt - external:
NA (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
none (1997 est.)

Currency:
Falkland pound (FKP)

Currency code:
FKP

Exchange rates:
Falkland pounds per US dollar - 0.6125 (2003), 0.6661 (2002),
0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.618 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); note -
the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Telephones - main lines in use:
2,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
0 (2001)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB
radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all
points on both islands
international: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other
countries

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
1,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (operated by the British Forces Broadcasting Service) note: cable television is available in Stanley (2002)

Televisions:
1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.fk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
NA; however one-half of all households are reported to have
internet access (2002)

Transportation Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Highways: total: 440 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 390 km (2002)

Ports and harbors:
Stanley
note: the primary port is located in Stanley Harbour and known
locally as FIPASS (Falkland Interim Port and Storage System); the
facility consists of seven permanently moored barges providing 300
meters of berthing space; it was installed by the military after
1982 and handed over to the Falkland Islands Government in 1988

Airports:
5 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Military Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Military branches:
no regular military forces

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Disputes - international:
claimed by Argentina whose forces briefly occupied it in 1982, but
now declares it will no longer seek settlement by force; UK
continues to reject Argentine requests for sovereignty talks

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Faroe Islands

Introduction Faroe Islands

Background:
The population of the Faroe Islands is largely descended from
Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The islands have
been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th century. A high
degree of self-government was attained in 1948.

Geography Faroe Islands

Location:
Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to
Norway

Geographic coordinates:
62 00 N, 7 00 W

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 1,399 sq km
water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)
land: 1,399 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
1,117 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Climate:
mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy

Terrain:
rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m

Natural resources: fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Land use: arable land: 2.14% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.86% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one uninhabited island, and
a few uninhabited islets; strategically located along important sea
lanes in northeastern Atlantic; precipitous terrain limits
habitation to small coastal lowlands

People Faroe Islands

Population:
46,662 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.6% (male 5,056; female 5,041)
15-64 years: 64.6% (male 15,975; female 14,187)
65 years and over: 13.7% (male 2,877; female 3,526) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 35.1 years
male: 34.6 years
female: 35.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.66% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
13.89 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.68 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
1.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.38 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 7.72 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.05 years
male: 75.6 years
female: 82.51 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.22 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Faroese (singular and plural)
adjective: Faroese

Ethnic groups:
Scandinavian

Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran

Languages:
Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA note: probably the same as Denmark proper

Government Faroe Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Faroe Islands
local short form: Foroyar
local long form: none

Dependency status:
part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark since 1948

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Torshavn

Administrative divisions:
none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 49 municipalities

Independence:
none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark)

National holiday:
Olaifest, 29 July

Constitution:
5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal system:
Danish

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January
1972), represented by High Commissioner Birgit KLEIS, chief
administrative officer (since 1 November 2001)
election results: Joannes EIDESGAARD elected prime minister; percent
of parliamentary vote - NA%
note: coalition of Social Democrats, Union Party, and People's Party
elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held
20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than January 2008)
head of government: Prime Minister Joannes EIDESGAARD (since 3
February 2004)
cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister

Legislative branch:
unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (32 seats; members are
elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the seven
constituencies to serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 23.7%,
Social Democrats 21.8%, Republican Party 21.7%, People's Party
20.6%, Center Party 5.2%, Independence Party 4.6%; seats by party -
Union Party 7, Social Democrats 7, Republican Party 8, People's
Party 7, Center Party 2, Independence Party 1
note: election of 2 seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on
20 November 2001 (next to be held 8 February 2005); results -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 1,
Union Party 1
elections: last held 20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than
January 2008)

Judicial branch:
none

Political parties and leaders:
Center Party [Jenis A. RANA]; Independence Party [Helena Dam a
NEYSTABO]; People's Party [Anfinn KALLSBERG]; Republican Party
[Hogni HOYDAL]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD]; Union
Party [Lisbeth PETERSEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Flag description:
white with a red cross outlined in blue extending to the edges of
the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted toward the hoist
side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Faroe Islands

Economy - overview:
The Faroese economy has had a strong performance since 1994, mostly
as a result of increasing fish landings and high and stable export
prices. Unemployment is falling and there are signs of labor
shortages in several sectors. The positive economic development has
helped the Faroese Home Rule Government produce increasing budget
surpluses, which in turn help to reduce the large public debt, most
of it owed to Denmark. However, the total dependence on fishing
makes the Faroese economy extremely vulnerable, and the present
fishing efforts appear in excess of what is a sustainable level of
fishing in the long term. Oil finds close to the Faroese area give
hope for deposits in the immediate Faroese area, which may
eventually lay the basis for a more diversified economy and thus
lessen dependence on Danish economic assistance. Aided by a
substantial annual subsidy (15% of GDP) from Denmark, the Faroese
have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other
Scandinavians.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
10% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $22,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 27%
industry: 11%
services: 62% (1999)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.1% (1999)

Labor force:
24,250 (October 2000)

Labor force - by occupation: fishing, fish processing, and manufacturing 33%, construction and private services 33%, public services 34%

Unemployment rate:
1% (October 2000)

Budget:
revenues: $488 million
expenditures: $484 million, including capital expenditures of $21
million (1999)

Agriculture - products:
milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish

Industries:
fishing, fish processing, shipbuilding, construction, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
8% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
160.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
149.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
4,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$408 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999)

Exports - partners:
Denmark 36.7%, UK 32.1%, Netherlands 6.1%, Nigeria 5.6%, Norway
5.4% (2003)

Imports:
$466 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 29%, consumer goods 36%, raw
materials and semi-manufactures 32%, fuels, fish and salt (1999)

Imports - partners:
Denmark 52.7%, Norway 22.5%, Iceland 4.7%, Germany 4.2%, UK 4%
(2003)

Debt - external:
$64 million (1999)

Economic aid - recipient:
$135 million (annual subsidy from Denmark) (1998)

Currency:
Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code:
DKK

Exchange rates:
Danish kroner per US dollar - 6.5877 (2003), 7.89 (2002), 8.323
(2001), 8.083 (2000), 6.976 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Faroe Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
23,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
30,700 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: good international communications; good
domestic facilities
domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog)
and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed
international: country code - 298; satellite earth stations - 1
Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands,
linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic
submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
26,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:
15,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.fo

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
25,000 (2002)

Transportation Faroe Islands

Highways: total: 463 km paved: 454 km unpaved: 9 km (1999)

Ports and harbors:
Torshavn, Klaksvik, Tvoroyri, Runavik, Fuglafjordhur

Merchant marine:
total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 24,051 GRT/11,998 DWT
by type: cargo 3, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off
1, short-sea/passenger 1
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Denmark 2, Norway 1, United Kingdom 1

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Faroe Islands

Military branches:
no regular military forces

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Transnational Issues Faroe Islands

Disputes - international:
Faroese are considering proposals for full independence; Denmark
dispute with Iceland over the Faroe Islands fisheries median line
boundary of 200 nm; Denmark disputes with Iceland, the UK, and
Ireland the Faroe Islands claim extending its continental shelf
boundary beyond 200 nm

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Fiji

Introduction Fiji

Background:
Fiji became independent in 1970, after nearly a century as a
British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military
coups in 1987, caused by concern over a government perceived as
dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers
brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). A 1990
constitution favored native Melanesian control of Fiji, but led to
heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic
difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority.
Amendments enacted in 1997 made the constitution more equitable.
Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by
an Indo-Fijian, but a coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period
of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001
provided Fiji with a democratically elected government and gave a
mandate to the government of Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE.

Geography Fiji

Location:
Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds
of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
18 00 S, 175 00 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 18,270 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 18,270 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
1,129 km

Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation;
rectilinear shelf claim added
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m

Natural resources: timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 10.95% permanent crops: 4.65% other: 84.4% (2001)

Irrigated land:
30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber
83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited

People Fiji

Population:
880,874 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 31.7% (male 142,412; female 136,754)
15-64 years: 64.3% (male 283,690; female 283,027)
65 years and over: 4% (male 16,047; female 18,944) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 24 years
male: 23.6 years
female: 24.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.41% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
22.91 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.68 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-3.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 12.99 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 14.36 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.2 years
male: 66.74 years
female: 71.79 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Fijian(s)
adjective: Fijian

Ethnic groups:
Fijian 51% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture),
Indian 44%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and
other 5% (1998 est.)

Religions:
Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%, Muslim
8%, other 2%
note: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu, and there is
a Muslim minority (1986)

Languages:
English (official), Fijian, Hindustani

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.7%
male: 95.5%
female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

Government Fiji

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands
conventional short form: Fiji

Government type:
republic
note: military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA formally
declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987

Capital:
Suva (Viti Levu)

Administrative divisions:
4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*,
Western

Independence:
10 October 1970 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970)

Constitution:
promulgated on 25 July 1990 and amended on 25 July 1997 to allow
nonethnic Fijians greater say in government and to make multiparty
government mandatory; entered into force 28 July 1998; note - the
May 1999 election was the first test of the amended constitution and
introduced open voting - not racially prescribed - for the first
time at the national level

Legal system:
based on British system

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda (since 18
July 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10
September 2000)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament; note - there
is also a Presidential Council that advises the president on matters
of national importance and a Great Council of Chiefs, which consists
of the highest ranking members of the traditional chief system
elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a
five-year term; prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda elected president
by the Great Council of Chiefs; percent of vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (34 seats; 24 appointed
by the President on the advice of the Great Council of Chiefs, nine
appointed by the president, and one appointed by the council of
Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71 seats; 23 reserved for
ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic Indians, three reserved for
other ethnic groups, one reserved for the council of Rotuma
constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji, and 25 open seats;
members serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 25 August through 1
September, 19 September 2001 (next to be held not later than
September 2006)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - FLP 26.5%, SDL 27.5%, NFP 1.2%, MV 4.2%, NLUP 1.3%, UGP .3%,
independents 1.4%; seats by party - FLP 27, SDL 32, MV 6, NFP 1,
NLUP 2, UGP 1, independents 2

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of
Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts

Political parties and leaders:
Bai Kei Viti Party or BKV [Ratu Tevita MOMOEDONU]; Conservative
Alliance Party/Matanitu Vanua or MV [Ratu Rakuita VAKALALABURE];
Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic
Party or FDP [Felipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat
Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian Association Party or
FAP [Adi Kuini SPEED], Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily
Fijian) [Felipe BOLE], and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Tupeni
BABA]); Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDRHRY]; General Voters
Party or GVP [leader NA] (became part of United General Party);
Girmit Heritage Party or GHP [leader NA]; Justice and Freedom Party
or AIM [leader NA]; Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR [leader NA];
National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Pramond RAE];
Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of
National Unity or PANU [Meli BOGILEKA]; Party of the Truth or POTT
[leader NA]; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or
SDL [Laisenia QARASE]; United General Party or UGP [Millis Mick
BEDDOES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Mr. Paula NAVUNISARAVI (Charge D'Affaires ad
Interim)
FAX: [1] (202) 337-1996
telephone: [1] (202) 337-8320
chancery: 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 240, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David L. LYON
embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva
mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva
telephone: [679] 331-4466
FAX: [679] 330-0081

Flag description:
light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant
and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the
shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the
cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree,
bananas, and a white dove

Economy Fiji

Economy - overview:
Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one of
the most developed of the Pacific island economies, though still
with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports and a growing tourist
industry - with 300,000 to 400,000 tourists annually - are the major
sources of foreign exchange. Sugar processing makes up one-third of
industrial activity. Long-term problems include low investment,
uncertain land ownership rights, and the government's ability to
manage its budget. Yet short-run economic prospects are good,
provided tensions do not again erupt between indigenous Fijians and
Indo-Fijians.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $5.012 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.8% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16.6% industry: 22.4% services: 61% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
25.5% (1990-91)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
137,000 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture, including subsistence agriculture 70% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
7.6% (1999)

Budget:
revenues: $427.9 million
expenditures: $531.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes,
bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish

Industries:
tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small
cottage industries

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
520.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
483.7 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
5,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$609 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil

Exports - partners:
US 23.7%, Australia 18.4%, UK 13.6%, Samoa 6%, Japan 4.8% (2003)

Imports:
$835 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum
products, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:
Australia 35.1%, Singapore 19.2%, New Zealand 17.2%, Japan 4.9%
(2003)

Debt - external:
$188.1 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$40.3 million (1995)

Currency:
Fijian dollar (FJD)

Currency code:
FJD

Exchange rates:
Fijian dollars per US dollar - 1.8958 (2003), 2.1869 (2002), 2.2766
(2001), 2.1286 (2000), 1.9696 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Fiji

Telephones - main lines in use:
102,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
109,900 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern local, interisland, and international
(wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone,
telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications
center
domestic: NA
international: country code - 679; access to important cable links
between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
541,476 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
NA

Televisions:
88,110 (1999)

Internet country code:
.fj

Internet hosts:
493 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
55,000 (2003)

Transportation Fiji

Railways:
total: 597 km
narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge
note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used
to haul sugarcane during harvest season (May to December) (2003)

Highways:
total: 3,440 km
paved: 1,692 km
unpaved: 1,748 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
203 km
note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges
(2004)

Ports and harbors:
Lambasa, Lautoka, Levuka, Malau, Savusavu, Suva, Vuda

Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,372 GRT/7,453 DWT
foreign-owned: Australia 1, Singapore 1 (2004 est.)
by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger 1

Airports:
28 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 19 (2004 est.)

Military Fiji

Military branches:
Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval Division

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 239,221 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 131,349 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 9,302 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$34 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Fiji

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Finland

Introduction Finland

Background:
Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the
12th to the 19th centuries and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia
after 1809. It won its complete independence in 1917. During World
War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and resist
invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of territory.
In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a remarkable
transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern
industrial economy; per capita income is now on par with Western
Europe. As a member of the European Union, Finland was the only
Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January
1999.

Geography Finland

Location:
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and
Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia

Geographic coordinates:
64 00 N, 26 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 338,145 sq km
water: 33,672 sq km
land: 304,473 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries: total: 2,690 km border countries: Norway 736 km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,340 km

Coastline:
1,250 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary
with Sweden

Climate:
cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild
because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current,
Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes

Terrain:
mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low
hills

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Halti 1,328 m

Natural resources:
timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold,
silver, limestone

Land use: arable land: 7.19% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 92.78% (2001)

Irrigated land:
640 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to
acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural
chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national
capital on European continent; population concentrated on small
southwestern coastal plain

People Finland

Population:
5,214,512 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.5% (male 466,036; female 448,339)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 1,760,472; female 1,719,917)
65 years and over: 15.7% (male 323,082; female 496,666) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 40.7 years
male: 39.1 years
female: 42.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.18% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
10.56 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
9.69 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.59 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 3.91 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.24 years
male: 74.73 years
female: 81.89 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.73 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Finn(s)
adjective: Finnish

Ethnic groups:
Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.7%, Russian 0.4%, Estonian 0.2%, Roma 0.2%,
Sami 0.1%

Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Russian Orthodox 1%, none 9%, other 1%

Languages:
Finnish 93.4% (official), Swedish 5.9% (official), small Sami- and
Russian-speaking minorities

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% (2000 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

Government Finland

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Finland
conventional short form: Finland
local short form: Suomi
local long form: Suomen Tasavalta

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Helsinki

Administrative divisions:
6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani,
Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani

Independence:
6 December 1917 (from Russia)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

Constitution:
1 March 2000

Legal system:
civil law system based on Swedish law; the president may request
the Supreme Court to review laws; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June
2003) and Deputy Prime Minister Antti KALLIOMAKI (since 17 April
2003); note - former Prime Minister Anneli JAATTEENMAKI resigned
cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the
president, responsible to Parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 16 January 2000 and 6 February 2000 (next to be
held February 2006); the president appoints the prime minister and
deputy prime minister from the majority party or the majority
coalition after Parliamentary elections and the Parliament must
approve the appointment
note: government coalition - KESK, SDP, and SFP
election results: Tarja HALONEN elected president; percent of vote -
Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 51.6%, Esko AHO (Kesk) 48.4%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected
by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - Kesk 24.7%, SDP 24.5%,
Kok 18.5%, VAS 9.9%, VIHR 8%, KD 5.3%, SFP 4.6%; seats by party -
Kesk 55, SDP 53, Kok 40, VAS 19, VIHR 14, KD 7, SFP 8, others 4
elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats or KD
[Paivi RASANEN]; Green League or VIHR [Osmo SOININVAARA]; Left
Alliance or VAS composed of People's Democratic League and
Democratic Alternative [Suvi-Anne SIIMES]; National Coalition
(conservative) Party or Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic
Party or SDP [Paavo LIPPONEN]; Swedish People's Party or SFP
[Jan-Erik ENESTAM]

International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,
EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU
(observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jukka Robert VALTASAARI
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030
telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800
chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Earle I. MACK
embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, FIN-00140, Helsinki
mailing address: APO AE 09723
telephone: [358] (9) 616250
FAX: [358] (9) 6162 5800

Flag description:
white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag; the
vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style
of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Finland

Economy - overview:
Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy,
with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and
Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing - principally the
wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics
industries. Trade is important, with exports equaling one-third of
GDP. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on
imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for
manufactured goods. Because of the climate, agricultural development
is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products.
Forestry, an important export earner, provides a secondary
occupation for the rural population. Rapidly increasing integration
with Western Europe - Finland was one of the 12 countries joining
the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) - will dominate the
economic picture over the next several years. Growth in 2003 was
held back by the global slowdown but will pick up in 2004 provided
the world economy suffers no further blows.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $142.2 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.9% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $27,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.3% industry: 32.7% services: 62.9% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
18% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.2% highest 10%: 21.6% (1991)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
25.6 (1991)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.9% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
2.599 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture and forestry 8%, industry 22%, construction 6%, commerce 14%, finance, insurance, and business services 10%, transport and communications 8%, public services 32%

Unemployment rate:
9% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $87.03 billion
expenditures: $81.62 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
48.7% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish

Industries:
metal products, electronics, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, copper
refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing

Industrial production growth rate:
0.8% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
71.2 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
76.18 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
1.81 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
11.77 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
211,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
101,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
318,300 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
4.557 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
4.567 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$10.3 billion (2003)

Exports:
$54.28 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp
(1999)

Exports - partners:
Germany 11.8%, Sweden 9.9%, US 8.2%, UK 8%, Russia 7.5%,
Netherlands 4.8% (2003)

Imports:
$37.35 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport
equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics,
grains (1999)

Imports - partners:
Germany 16.2%, Sweden 14.1%, Russia 11.7%, Netherlands 6.3%,
Denmark 5.7%, UK 5.3%, France 4.3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$11.17 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$30 billion (December 1993)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $379 million (2001)

Currency:
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Finland

Telephones - main lines in use:
2.548 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.7 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system with excellent service
domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive
cellular network provide domestic needs
international: country code - 358; 1 submarine cable (Finland
Estonia Connection); satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat
transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1
Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares
the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark,
Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
7.7 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999)

Televisions:
3.2 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.fi

Internet hosts:
1,219,173 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2002)

Internet users:
2.65 million (2002)

Transportation Finland

Railways: total: 5,851 km broad gauge: 5,851 km 1.524-m gauge (2,400 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 78,137 km
paved: 50,398 km (including 750 km of expressways)
unpaved: 27,739 km (2003)

Waterways:
7,842 km
note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased
from Russia (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 694 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa, Oulu, Pori, Rauma,
Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus

Merchant marine:
total: 90 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,152,175 GRT/1,053,906 DWT
registered in other countries: 39 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 9, cargo 26, chemical tanker 5, container 1, passenger
2, petroleum tanker 9, roll on/roll off 28, short-sea/passenger 10
foreign-owned: Estonia 1

Airports:
148 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 75 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 73 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 69 (2004 est.)

Military Finland

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service
(October 2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,226,890 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,013,961 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 32,058 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.8 billion (FY98/99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2% (FY98/99)

Transnational Issues Finland

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@France

Introduction France

Background:
Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France
suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank
as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the
most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European
nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy
resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary
democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation
with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of
Europe, including the introduction of a common exchange currency,
the euro, in January 1999. At present, France is at the forefront of
efforts to develop the EU's military capabilities to supplement
progress toward an EU foreign policy.

Geography France

Location:
Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel,
between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the
Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain

Geographic coordinates:
46 00 N, 2 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 547,030 sq km
land: 545,630 sq km
note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the overseas
administrative divisions
water: 1,400 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 2,889 km
border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km,
Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km,
Switzerland 573 km

Coastline:
3,427 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean)

Climate:
generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot
summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry,
north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral

Terrain:
mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west;
remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m
highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m

Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash,
feldspar, fluorospar, gypsum, timber, fish

Land use: arable land: 33.53% permanent crops: 2.07% other: 64.4% (2001)

Irrigated land:
20,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires
in south near the Mediterranean

Environment - current issues:
some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial
and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes,
agricultural runoff

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
largest West European nation

People France

Population:
60,424,213 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.5% (male 5,724,185; female 5,446,716)
15-64 years: 65.1% (male 19,698,497; female 19,663,776)
65 years and over: 16.4% (male 4,049,970; female 5,841,069) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 38.6 years male: 37 years female: 40.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.39% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
12.34 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
9.06 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.31 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 4.83 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.44 years
male: 75.8 years
female: 83.27 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.85 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
120,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French

Ethnic groups:
Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese,
Basque minorities

Religions:
Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%,
unaffiliated 4%

Languages:
French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages
(Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1980 est.)

Government France

Country name:
conventional long form: French Republic
conventional short form: France
local long form: Republique Francaise
local short form: France

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Paris

Administrative divisions:
22 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine,
Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre,
Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie,
Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine,
Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie,
Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes
note: metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions (including the
"territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and is subdivided
into 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas
departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the
overseas territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and
Miquelon)

Dependent areas:
Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French
Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands,
Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis and
Futuna
note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

Independence:
486 (unified by Clovis)

National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
28 September 1958, amended concerning election of president in
1962, amended to comply with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht
Treaty, 1996 Amsterdam Treaty, 2000 Treaty of Nice; amended to
tighten immigration laws in 1993; amended in 2000 to change the
seven-year presidential term to a five-year term

Legal system:
civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative
but not legislative acts

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Pierre RAFFARIN (since 7 May
2002)
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(changed from seven-year term in October 2000); election last held
21 April and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round April 2007,
second round May 2007); prime minister nominated by the National
Assembly majority and appointed by the president
election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected president; percent of
vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN
(FN) 18.04%
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
suggestion of the prime minister

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat
(321 seats - 296 for metropolitan France, 13 for overseas
departments and territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad;
members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve
nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years); note -
between now and 2010, 25 new seats will be added to the Senate for a
total of 346 seats - 326 for metropolitan France and overseas
departments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre
and Miquelon, 3 for overseas territories, and 12 for French
nationals abroad; members will be indirectly elected by an electoral
college to serve six-year terms, with one-half the seats being
renewed every three years; and the National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale (577 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a
single-member majoritarian system to serve five-year terms)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - UMP 156, PS 97, UDF 33, PCF 23, RDSE 15, other 7; National
Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 355,
PS 140, UDF 29, PCF 21, Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22
elections: Senate - last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held
September 2007); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002 (next
to be held not later than June 2007)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed
by the president from nominations of the High Council of the
Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three
members appointed by the president, three appointed by the president
of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of
the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat

Political parties and leaders:
Citizen and Republican Movement or MCR [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT];
Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly RAD. and PRG)
[Jacques PELLETIER]; French Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George
BUFFET]; Left Radical Party or PRG (previously Radical Socialist
Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG) [Jean-Michel
BAYLET]; Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS]; Rally
for France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois
HOLLANDE]; Greens [Gilles LEMAIRE, Francine BAVAY, Jean DESESSARD,
Christophe PORQUIER, Maud LELIEVRE]; Union for French Democracy or
UDF [Francois BAYROU]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP
(including RPR, DL, and a part of UDF) [Nicolas SARKOZY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
historically-Communist labor union (Confederation Generale du
Travail) or CGT, approximately 700,000 members (claimed);
left-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du
Travail) or CFDT, approximately 889,000 members (claimed);
independent labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail - Force
Ouvriere) or FO, 300,000 members (est.); independent white-collar
union (Confederation Generale des Cadres) or CGC, 196,000 members
(claimed); employers' union (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) or
MEDEF, 750,000 companies as members (claimed)

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC
(observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FZ, G- 5,
G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO,
NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN
Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR,
UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB
(nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTE
chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco
telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. LEACH
embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75008 Paris Cedex 08
mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777
telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22
FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83
consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red;
known as the "Le drapeau tricolore" (French Tricolor), the origin of
the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution; the design and/or
colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of
Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, Luxembourg, and Netherlands;
the official flag for all French dependent areas

Economy France

Economy - overview:
France is in the midst of transition, from a well-to-do modern
economy that has featured extensive government ownership and
intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The
Socialist-led government partially or fully privatized many large
companies, banks, and insurers, but the government retains
controlling stakes in several leading firms, including Air France,
France Telecom, Renault, and Thales, and is dominant in some
sectors, particularly power, public transport, and defense
industries. The telecommunications sector is gradually being opened
to competition. France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism in
which they maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies,
and social spending that reduce income disparity and the impact of
free markets on public health and welfare. The current government
has lowered income taxes and introduced measures to boost
employment. The government is focusing on the problems of the high
cost of labor and labor market inflexibility resulting from the
35-hour workweek and restrictions on lay-offs. The government is
also pushing for pension reforms and simplification of
administrative procedures. The tax burden remains one of the highest
in Europe (43.8% of GDP in 2003). The current economic slowdown and
inflexible budget items have pushed the 2003 deficit to 4% of GDP,
above the EU's 3% debt limit. Business investment remains listless
because of low rates of capital utilization, sluggish demand, high
debt, and the steep cost of capital.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.661 trillion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $27,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.7% industry: 24.4% services: 72.9% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
19.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
6.5% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.1% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32.7 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
27.39 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 4.1%, industry 24.4%, services 71.5% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
9.7% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $882.8 billion
expenditures: $955.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $23
billion (2003 est.)

Public debt:
68.8% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy
products; fish

Industries:
machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft,
electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
-0.3% (2003)

Electricity - production:
520.1 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
415.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
72.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
4.2 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
34,920 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
2.026 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
409,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
2.281 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
144.3 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
1.898 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
42.01 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
1.725 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
40.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
12.86 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$13.8 billion (2003)

Exports:
$346.5 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics,
chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages

Exports - partners:
Germany 14.9%, Spain 9.6%, UK 9.4%, Italy 9.3%, Belgium 7.2%, US
6.8% (2003)

Imports:
$339.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics,
chemicals

Imports - partners:
Germany 19.1%, Belgium 9.4%, Italy 9%, Spain 7.4%, Netherlands 7%,
UK 7%, US 5.4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$70.76 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $5.4 billion (2002)

Currency:
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications France

Telephones - main lines in use:
33,905,400 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
41,683,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive
introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system
international: country code - 33; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for
Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF
radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and includes
many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
55.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
34.8 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.fr

Internet hosts:
2,396,761 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
62 (2000)

Internet users:
21.9 million (2003)

Transportation France

Railways:
total: 32,175 km
standard gauge: 32,008 km 1.435-m gauge (14,320 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 894,000 km
paved: 894,000 km (including 11,500 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
8,500 km (1,686 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons) (2000)

Pipelines:
gas 14,232 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bordeaux, Boulogne, Cherbourg, Dijon, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le
Havre, Lyon, Marseille, Mulhouse, Nantes, Paris, Rouen, Saint
Nazaire, Saint Malo, Strasbourg (2003)

Merchant marine:
total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 703,639 GRT/889,705 DWT
by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 6, container 2, liquefied gas 4,
passenger 1, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 2,
short-sea/passenger 4
registered in other countries: 118 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Germany 1, Monaco 2, New Caledonia 1, Sweden 5

Airports:
477 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 283 over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 914 to 1,523 m: 82 under 914 m: 65 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 95

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 195 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 72 under 914 m: 120 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 3 (2003 est.)

Military France

Military branches:
Army (includes Marines, Foreign Legion, Army Light Aviation), Navy
(including naval air), Air Force (including Air Defense), National
Gendarmerie

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
17 years of age with consent for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 14,487,165 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 12,044,827 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 394,413 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$45,238.1 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.6% (2003)

Transnational Issues France

Disputes - international:
Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands,
and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims
Tromelin Island; territorial dispute between Suriname and French
Guiana; territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); Matthew and
Hunter Islands, east of New Caledonia, claimed by France and Vanuatu

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for and consumer of South American cocaine,
Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@French Guiana

Introduction French Guiana

Background:
First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was the site of
notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European Space Agency
launches its communication satellites from Kourou.

Geography French Guiana

Location:
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Brazil and Suriname

Geographic coordinates:
4 00 N, 53 00 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 91,000 sq km
water: 1,850 sq km
land: 89,150 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 1,183 km border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km

Coastline: 378 km

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

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m

Natural resources:
bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), petroleum, kaolin, fish,
niobium, tantalum, clay

Land use: arable land: 0.14% permanent crops: 0.05% other: 99.81% (90% forest, 10% other) (2001)

Irrigated land:
20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion of
the South American continent

People French Guiana

Population:
191,309 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.6% (male 28,959; female 27,657)
15-64 years: 64.5% (male 66,388; female 57,020)
65 years and over: 5.9% (male 5,736; female 5,549) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 28.3 years
male: 29.4 years
female: 27.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.25% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
21 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.82 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
6.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 12.46 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.89 years
male: 73.57 years
female: 80.38 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.05 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)
adjective: French Guianese

Ethnic groups:
black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian
12%, other 10%

Religions:
Roman Catholic

Languages:
French

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83%
male: 84%
female: 82% (1982 est.)

Government French Guiana

Country name:
conventional long form: Department of Guiana
conventional short form: French Guiana
local short form: Guyane
local long form: none

Dependency status:
overseas department of France

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Cayenne

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas department of France)

Independence:
none (overseas department of France)

National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
French legal system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Ange MANCINI (since 31 July 2002)
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional
Councils are appointed by the members of those councils
head of government: President of the General Council Joseph
HO-TEN-YOU (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council
Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992)
cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a
unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be
held NA 2006); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to
be held NA 2004)
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7,
other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%,
various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari
Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6,
independents 3, Walwari Committee 2
note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998
(next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French
National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007);
results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1,
Walwari Committee 1

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in
Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French
Guiana)

Political parties and leaders:
Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; Guyanese
Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Guyana Democratic
Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Popular National Guyanese Party or
PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Socialist Party or PS [Paul DEBRIETTE]; Union for
a Popular Movement or UMP [Muriel ICARE]; Walwari Committee (aligned
with the PRG in France) [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
UPU, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas department of France)

Flag description:
the flag of France is used

Economy French Guiana

Economy - overview:
The economy is tied closely to the larger French economy through
subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at Kourou
(which accounts for 25% of GDP), fishing and forestry are the most
important economic activities. Forest and woodland cover 90% of the
country. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully
exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn
logs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastal
area, where the population is largely concentrated; rice and manioc
are the major crops. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports
of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly
among younger workers.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.551 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
58,800 (1997)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 18.2%, industry 21.2%, services, government, and commerce 60.6% (1980)

Unemployment rate:
22% (2001)

Budget:
revenues: $225 million
expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105
million (1996)

Agriculture - products: corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry

Industries:
construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
455 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
423.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$155 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing

Exports - partners:
France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (2001)

Imports:
$625 million c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment,
fuels and chemicals

Imports - partners:
France 63%, US, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy (2002 est.)

Debt - external:
$1.2 billion (1988)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA (1995)

Currency:
euro (EUR)

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
Euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications French Guiana

Telephones - main lines in use:
51,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
138,200 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system
international: country code - 594; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5
repeaters) (1998)

Radios:
104,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
30,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.gf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
3,200 (2002)

Transportation French Guiana

Highways:
total: 722 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (1996)

Waterways:
3,760 km
note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and
river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni

Airports:
11 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Military French Guiana

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Gendarmerie

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 52,294 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 33,914 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Guiana

Disputes - international:
Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini
(both headwaters of the Lawa)

Illicit drugs:
small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor
transshipment point to Europe

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@French Polynesia

Introduction French Polynesia

Background:
The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th
century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by
resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year
moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996.

Geography French Polynesia

Location:
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of
the way from South America to Australia

Geographic coordinates:
15 00 S, 140 00 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
water: 507 sq km
land: 3,660 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
2,525 km

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

Climate:
tropical, but moderate

Terrain:
mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m

Natural resources: timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 0.82% permanent crops: 5.46% other: 93.72% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
occasional cyclonic storms in January

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); Makatea in
French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in
the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati
and Nauru

People French Polynesia

Population:
266,339 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.5% (male 37,372; female 35,818)
15-64 years: 66.9% (male 92,594; female 85,455)
65 years and over: 5.7% (male 7,616; female 7,484) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 27.1 years
male: 27.4 years
female: 26.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.57% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
17.34 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.58 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
2.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.61 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 9.92 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.67 years
male: 73.29 years
female: 78.18 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.09 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian

Ethnic groups:
Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%

Religions:
Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%

Languages:
French (official), Tahitian (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1977 est.)

Government French Polynesia

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of French Polynesia
conventional short form: French Polynesia
local short form: Polynesie Francaise
local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise
former: French Colony of Oceania

Dependency status:
overseas territory of France since 1946

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Papeete

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel
des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent
note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French
Polynesia

Independence:
none (overseas territory of France)

National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
based on French system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Michel
MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001)
head of government: President of the Territorial Government of
French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 9 October 2004); President of
the Territorial Assembly Lucette TAERO (since 17 May 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members
of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as
ministers
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the
Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly
are elected by the members of the assembly

Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats
- changed from 49 seats for May 2004 election; members are elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held NA May 2009)
note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on NA September 1998
(next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the
French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA
2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Union for Democracy
27, New Star 1, This Country is Yours 1

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or
Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or
Tribunal Administratif

Political parties and leaders:
Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini
Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile
VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR
(Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; The New Star (Te Fetia Api)
[Philippe SHYLE]; This Country is Yours (No Oe E Te Nunaa) [Nicle
BOUTEAU]; Union for Democracy or UPD [Oscar TEMARU]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), UPU, WMO

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

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

Flag description:
two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered
on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on the
lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a
stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the
French flag is used for official occasions

Economy French Polynesia

Economy - overview:
Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region,
French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy
to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either
employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the
halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to
the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of
GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources
of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The
small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural
products. The territory benefits substantially from development
agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses
and strengthening social services.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $4.58 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $17,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6%
industry: 18%
services: 76% (1997)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
70,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997)

Unemployment rate:
11.8% (1994)

Budget:
revenues: $1 billion
expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185
million (1996)

Agriculture - products: coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products, coffee

Industries:
tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
428.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
398.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
4,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$244 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark
meat

Exports - partners:
France 66.3%, Japan 16.1%, US 9.1% (2003)

Imports:
$1.341 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners:
France 59.9%, Australia 11.9%, New Zealand 6%, US 6% (2003)

Debt - external:
NA (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$367 million (1997)

Currency:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code:
XPF

Exchange rates:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 105.73
(2003), 126.72 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000), 111.93 (1999)
note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications French Polynesia

Telephones - main lines in use:
52,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
90,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
128,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
40,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.pf

Internet hosts:
5,123 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
35,000 (2002)

Transportation French Polynesia

Highways: total: 2,590 km paved: 1,735 km unpaved: 855 km (1999)

Ports and harbors:
Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa

Merchant marine:
total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 17,537 GRT/15,150 DWT
by type: cargo 3, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, refrigerated cargo
1, roll on/roll off 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
49 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 37 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 23

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

Military French Polynesia

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Polynesia

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Introduction French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Background:
The Southern Lands consist of two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and
Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile
Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited
only by researchers studying the native fauna. The Antarctic portion
consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent
discovered and claimed by the French in 1840.

Geography French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Location:
southeast of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about
equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French
Southern and Antarctic Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul,
Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, along
with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US
does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land"

Geographic coordinates:
43 00 S, 67 00 E

Map references:
Antarctic Region

Area:
total: 7,829 sq km
note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet and Iles
Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in
Antarctica that is not recognized by the US
water: 0 sq km
land: 7,829 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
1,232 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen (does not
include the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands)

Climate:
antarctic

Terrain:
volcanic

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m

Natural resources: fish, crayfish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in
the southern Indian Ocean

People French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants (July 2002 est.)
note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary from
winter (July) to summer (January) (July 2004 est.)

Government French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern and
Antarctic Lands
conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands
local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques
Francaises
local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises

Dependency status:
overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by
Administrateur Superieur Michel CHAMPON (since 20 December 2004),
assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA)

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 3 districts named Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles
Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica
that is not recognized by the US

Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply

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

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

Flag description:
the flag of France is used

Economy French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Economy - overview:
Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and
geophysical research stations and French and other fishing fleets.
The fish catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are
exported to France and Reunion.

Communications French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Internet country code: .tf

Transportation French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only

Merchant marine:
total: 70 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,092,387 GRT/5,056,658 DWT
by type: bulk 4, cargo 2, chemical tanker 19, container 11,
liquefied gas 7, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 11, vehicle
carrier 2
foreign-owned: Denmark 2, France 49, Japan 4, Monaco 5, Norway 5,
Sweden 5 (2004 est.)

Airports:
none

Military French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Disputes - international: French claim to "Adelie Land" in Antarctica is not recognized by the US

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Gabon

Introduction Gabon

Background:
Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since independence
from France in 1960. Gabon's current President, El Hadj Omar BONGO -
one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - has
dominated Gabon's political scene for almost four decades. President
BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution
in the early 1990s. However, the low turnout and allegations of
electoral fraud during the most recent local elections in 2002-03
have exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon.
In addition, recent strikes have underscored the popular
disenchantment with the political system. Presidential elections
scheduled for 2005 are unlikely to bring change since the opposition
remains weak, divided, and financially dependent on the current
regime. Despite political conditions, a small population, abundant
natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make
Gabon one of the more prosperous and stable African countries.

Geography Gabon

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator,
between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea

Geographic coordinates:
1 00 S, 11 45 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 267,667 sq km
water: 10,000 sq km
land: 257,667 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Colorado

Land boundaries:
total: 2,551 km
border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km,
Equatorial Guinea 350 km

Coastline:
885 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain:
narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

Natural resources: petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 1.26% permanent crops: 0.66% other: 98.08% (2001)

Irrigated land:
150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; poaching

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon
become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these
circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its
pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity

People Gabon

Population:
1,355,246
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.2% (male 286,819; female 285,184)
15-64 years: 53.7% (male 362,311; female 365,132)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 23,157; female 32,643) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.5 years
male: 18.3 years
female: 18.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.5% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
36.4 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
11.43 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 54.34 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 44.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 64.15 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.46 years
male: 54.85 years
female: 58.12 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.8 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
8.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
48,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
adjective: Gabonese

Ethnic groups:
Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Bapounou,
Nzebi, Obamba), other Africans and Europeans 154,000, including
10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality

Religions:
Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%

Languages:
French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 63.2%
male: 73.7%
female: 53.3% (1995 est.)

Government Gabon

Country name:
conventional long form: Gabonese Republic
conventional short form: Gabon
local short form: Gabon
local long form: Republique Gabonaise

Government type:
republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties
legalized in 1990)

Capital:
Libreville

Administrative divisions:
9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga,
Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem

Independence:
17 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968)

Constitution:
adopted 14 March 1991

Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review
of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Francois NTOUTOUME-EMANE
(since 23 January 1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in
consultation with the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO reelected; percent of
vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO 66.6%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 16.5%, Fr. Paul
M'BA-ABESSOLE 13.4%

Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats; members
elected by members of municipal councils and departmental
assemblies) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120
seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly - last held 9 and 23 December 2001
(next to be held NA December 2006); Senate - last held 26 January
and 9 February 2003 (next to be held by January 2009)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - PDG 86, RNB-RPG 8, PGP 3, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PUP 1,
PSD 1, independents 13, others 3; Senate - percent of vote by party
- NA; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, CLR 1,
independents 9

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers -
Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts
of Appeal; Court of State Security; County Courts

Political parties and leaders:
Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface ASSELE];
Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE [Divungui-di-Ndinge
DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG, former sole party
[Simplice Nguedet MANZELA]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP
[Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE,]; National Rally of Woodcutters-Rally
for Gabon or RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's
Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Rally for Democracy and
Progress or RDP [Pierre EMBONI]; Social Democratic Party or PSD
[Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jules Marius OGOUEBANDJA
consulate(s): New York
FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668
telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000
chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth P. MOOREFIELD
embassy: Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville
mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville
telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, after hours - 74 34 92
FAX: [241] 74 55 07

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

Economy Gabon

Economy - overview:
Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most nations of
sub-Saharan Africa. This has supported a sharp decline in extreme
poverty; yet because of high income inequality a large proportion of
the population remains poor. Gabon depended on timber and manganese
until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. The oil sector
now accounts for 50% of GDP. Gabon continues to face fluctuating
prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports. Despite the
abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management hobbles the
economy. Devaluation of its Francophone currency by 50% on 12
January 1994 sparked a one-time inflationary surge, to 35%; the rate
dropped to 6% in 1996. The IMF provided a one-year standby
arrangement in 1994-95, a three-year Enhanced Financing Facility
(EFF) at near commercial rates beginning in late 1995, and stand-by
credit of $119 million in October 2000. Those agreements mandate
progress in privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided
additional financial support in January 1997 after Gabon had met IMF
targets for mid-1996. In 1997, an IMF mission to Gabon criticized
the government for overspending on off-budget items, overborrowing
from the central bank, and slipping on its schedule for
privatization and administrative reform. The rebound of oil prices
in 1999-2000 helped growth, but drops in production hampered Gabon
from fully realizing potential gains. In December 2000, Gabon signed
a new agreement with the Paris Club to reschedule its official debt.
A follow-up bilateral repayment agreement with the US was signed in
December 2001. Short-term progress depends on an upbeat world
economy and fiscal and other adjustments in line with IMF policies.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $7.301 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.1% industry: 48.8% services: 43.1% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
22.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
610,000 (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25%

Unemployment rate:
21% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.771 billion
expenditures: $1.413 billion, including capital expenditures of $310
million (2003 est.)

Public debt:
31.5% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical
softwood); fish

Industries:
petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining;
chemicals; ship repair; food and beverage; textile; lumbering and
plywood; cement

Industrial production growth rate:
1.6% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
798.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
742.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
301,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
2.45 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
80 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
80 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
66.47 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-101 million (2003)

Exports:
$2.891 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)

Exports - partners:
US 51.5%, France 8.7%, China 7.5%, Japan 4% (2003)

Imports:
$1.079 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction
materials

Imports - partners:
France 49.9%, US 5.3%, UK 4.6% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$201.9 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$3.284 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$331 million (1995)

Currency:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
XAF

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 581.2
(2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699
(1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Gabon

Telephones - main lines in use:
38,400 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
300,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate service by African standards and
improving with the help of the growing mobile cell system
domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay,
tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a
domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations
international: country code - 241; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
208,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
63,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ga

Internet hosts:
93 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2001)

Internet users:
35,000 (2003)

Transportation Gabon

Railways: total: 814 km standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 8,464 km paved: 838 km unpaved: 7,626 km (2000 est.)

Waterways:
1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2003)

Pipelines:
gas 210 km; oil 1,385 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo,
Port-Gentil

Airports:
56 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)

Military Gabon

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 314,434 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 162,847 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 13,462 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$149.3 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Gabon

Disputes - international:
creation of a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay
with Equatorial Guinea is hampered by dispute over Mbane Island,
administered and occupied by Gabon since the 1970s

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Gambia, The

Introduction Gambia, The

Background:
The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965; it formed a
short-lived federation of Senegambia with Senegal between 1982 and
1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation
treaty. A military coup in 1994 overthrew the president and banned
political activity, but a 1996 constitution and presidential
elections, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a
nominal return to civilian rule. The country undertook another round
of presidential and legislative elections in late 2001 and early
2002. Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH, the leader of the coup, has been
elected president in all subsequent elections.

Geography Gambia, The

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal

Geographic coordinates:
13 28 N, 16 34 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 11,300 sq km
land: 10,000 sq km
water: 1,300 sq km

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

Land boundaries: total: 740 km border countries: Senegal 740 km

Coastline: 80 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: not specified

Climate:
tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season
(November to May)

Terrain:
flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 53 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0.5% other: 74.5% (2001)

Irrigated land:
20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years)

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases prevalent

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

Geography - note:
almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of
Africa

People Gambia, The

Population:
1,546,848 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.7% (male 347,349; female 344,264)
15-64 years: 52.6% (male 403,297; female 410,382)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 21,459; female 20,097) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.5 years
male: 17.4 years
female: 17.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.98% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
40.3 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
12.08 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 73.48 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 66.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 80.14 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 54.79 years
male: 52.76 years
female: 56.87 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.46 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
6,800 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
600 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: typhoid fever, dengue fever, malaria, yellow fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, schistosomiasis overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Gambian(s)
adjective: Gambian

Ethnic groups:
African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli
9%, other 4%), non-African 1%

Religions:
Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Languages:
English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous
vernaculars

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 40.1%
male: 47.8%
female: 32.8% (2003 est.)

Government Gambia, The

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia
conventional short form: The Gambia

Government type:
republic under multiparty democratic rule

Capital:
Banjul

Administrative divisions:
5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Central River, Lower River, North
Bank, Upper River, Western

Independence:
18 February 1965 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Constitution:
24 April 1970; suspended July 1994; rewritten and approved by
national referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished January 1997

Legal system:
based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law, and
customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October
1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 he was Chairman of the Junta); Vice
President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18
October 1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 was he Chairman of the
Junta); Vice President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note
- the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
the number of terms is not restricted; election last held 18 October
2001 (next to be held October 2006)
election results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percent
of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 52.9%, Ousainou DARBOE 32.7%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 elected by popular vote,
five appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 17 January 2002 (next to be held NA January
2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
APRC 45, PDOIS 2, NRP 1,

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC
[Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; Gambian People's Party-Progressive People's
Party-United Democratic Party or GPP-PPP-UDP Coalition [Ousainou
DARBOE]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sheriff DIBBA]; National
Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People's Democratic
Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS [Sidia JATTA]
note: in August 2001, an independent electoral commission allowed
the reregistration of the GPP, NCP, and PPP, three parties banned
since 1996

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU,
MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Lena Manga
Sagnia SECK
chancery: Suite 905, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jackson McDONALD
embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul
mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul
telephone: [220] 392856, 392858, 391971
FAX: [220] 392475

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges,
and green

Economy Gambia, The

Economy - overview:
The Gambia has no important mineral or other natural resources and
has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the population depends
on crops and livestock for its livelihood. Small-scale manufacturing
activity features the processing of peanuts, fish, and hides.
Reexport trade normally constitutes a major segment of economic
activity, but a 1999 government-imposed preshipment inspection plan,
and instability of the Gambian dalasi (currency) have drawn some of
the reexport trade away from The Gambia. The government's 1998
seizure of the private peanut firm Alimenta eliminated the largest
purchaser of Gambian groundnuts; the following two marketing seasons
have seen substantially lower prices and sales. A decline in tourism
in 2000 has also held back growth. Unemployment and underemployment
rates are extremely high. Shortrun economic progress remains highly
dependent on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, on
responsible government economic management as forwarded by IMF
technical help and advice, and on expected growth in the
construction sector.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $2.56 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 46.8% industry: 9.3% services: 43.8% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
20% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
14% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
400,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 75%, industry, commerce, and services 19%, government 6%

Unemployment rate:
NA (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $58.63 million
expenditures: $62.64 million, including capital expenditures of $4.1
million (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava (tapioca),
palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:
processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism; beverages;
agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking; clothing

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
85.33 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
79.36 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-42 million (2003)

Exports:
$156 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels, re-exports

Exports - partners:
UK 26.7%, Belgium 6.7%, China 6.7%, Germany 6.7%, Italy 6.7%,
Malaysia 6.7%, Thailand 6.7% (2003)

Imports:
$271 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment

Imports - partners:
China 24.9%, Senegal 8.9%, Brazil 6.8%, UK 6.6%, US 5.6%,
Netherlands 5%, India 4.9% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$118 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$476 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$45.4 million (1995)

Currency:
dalasi (GMD)

Currency code:
GMD

Exchange rates:
dalasi per US dollar - NA (2003), 19.9182 (2002), 15.6872 (2001),
12.7876 (2000), 11.3951 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Gambia, The

Telephones - main lines in use:
38,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
100,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data network is
available
domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire
international: country code - 220; microwave radio relay links to
Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios:
196,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (government-owned) (1997)

Televisions:
5,000 (2000)

Internet country code:
.gm

Internet hosts:
568 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2001)

Internet users:
25,000 (2002)

Transportation Gambia, The

Highways: total: 2,700 km paved: 956 km unpaved: 1,744 km (1999)

Waterways:
390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can reach 190
km) (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Banjul

Merchant marine:
none (2004 est.)

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Gambia, The

Military branches:
Gambian National Army (GNA) (including Naval Unit), Presidential
Guard

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 350,256 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 176,733 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$900,000 (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.3% (2003)

Transnational Issues Gambia, The

Disputes - international:
attempts to stem refugees, cross-border raids, arms smuggling,
other illegal activities, and political instability from separatist
movement in southern Senegal's Casamance region

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Gaza Strip

Introduction Gaza Strip

Background:
The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government
Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993,
provided for a transitional period not exceeding five years of
Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West
Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain powers and
responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which includes the
Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January 1996, as part of
the interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza
Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip
and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo
Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in additional
areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995
Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol
Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998
Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh
Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility
during the transitional period for external and internal security
and for public order of settlements and Israeli citizens. Direct
negotiations to determine the permanent status of Gaza and West Bank
that began in September 1999 after a three-year hiatus, were
derailed by a second intifadah that broke out in September 2000. The
resulting widespread violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,
Israel's military response, and instability within the Palestinian
Authority continue to undermine progress toward a permanent
agreement. Following the death of longtime Palestinian leader Yasir
ARAFAT in November 2004, the election of his successor Mahmud ABBAS
in January 2005 could bring a turning point in the conflict.

Geography Gaza Strip

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
Israel

Geographic coordinates:
31 25 N, 34 20 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 360 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 360 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 62 km border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km

Coastline:
40 km

Maritime claims:
Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the
Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be
determined through further negotiation

Climate:
temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Terrain:
flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m

Natural resources:
arable land, natural gas

Land use:
arable land: 28.95%
permanent crops: 21.05%
other: 50% (2001)

Irrigated land:
120 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
droughts

Environment - current issues:
desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment;
water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and contamination
of underground water resources

Geography - note:
there are 25 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the
Gaza Strip (February 2002 est.)

People Gaza Strip

Population:
1,324,991
note: in addition, there are more than 5,000 Israeli settlers in the
Gaza Strip (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 49% (male 332,582; female 316,606)
15-64 years: 48.3% (male 326,450; female 314,098)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 14,847; female 20,408) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 15.5 years
male: 15.3 years
female: 15.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
3.83% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
40.62 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
3.95 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
1.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 23.54 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 22.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 24.71 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.59 years
male: 70.31 years
female: 72.94 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
6.04 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: NA
adjective: NA

Ethnic groups:
Palestinian Arab and other 99.4%, Jewish 0.6%

Religions:
Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 98.7%, Christian 0.7%, Jewish 0.6%

Languages:
Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians),
English (widely understood)

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

Government Gaza Strip

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gaza Strip local long form: none local short form: Qita Ghazzah

Economy Gaza Strip

Economy - overview:
Economic output in the Gaza Strip - under the responsibility of the
Palestinian Authority since the Cairo Agreement of May 1994 -
declined by about one-third between 1992 and 1996. The downturn was
largely the result of Israeli closure policies - the imposition of
generalized border closures in response to security incidents in
Israel - which disrupted previously established labor and commodity
market relationships between Israel and the WBGS (West Bank and Gaza
Strip). The most serious negative social effect of this downturn was
the emergence of high unemployment; unemployment in the WBGS during
the 1980s was generally under 5%; by 1995 it had risen to over 20%.
Israel's use of comprehensive closures decreased during the next few
years and, in 1998, Israel implemented new policies to reduce the
impact of closures and other security procedures on the movement of
Palestinian goods and labor. These changes fueled an almost
three-year-long economic recovery in the West Bank and Gaza Strip;
real GDP grew by 5% in 1998 and 6% in 1999. Recovery was upended in
the last quarter of 2000 with the outbreak of violence, triggering
tight Israeli closures of Palestinian self-rule areas and a severe
disruption of trade and labor movements. In 2001, and even more
severely in 2002, Israeli military measures in Palestinian Authority
areas resulted in the destruction of capital plant and
administrative structure, widespread business closures, and a sharp
drop in GDP. Including West Bank, the UN estimates that more than
100,000 Palestinians out of the 125,000 who used to work in Israel,
in Israeli settlements, or in joint industrial zones have lost their
jobs. In addition, about 80,000 Palestinian workers inside the
Territories are losing their jobs. International aid of $2 billion
in 2001-02 to the West Bank and Gaza Strip prevented the complete
collapse of the economy and allowed Finance Minister Salam FAYYAD to
implement several financial and economic reforms. Budgetary support,
however, was not as forthcoming in 2003.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $768 million (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 28% services: 63% (includes West Bank) (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
60% (2003 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.2% (includes West Bank) (2001 est.)

Labor force:
NA (1997)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 13%, industry 21%, services 66% (1996)

Unemployment rate:
50% (includes West Bank) (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $676.6 million
expenditures: $1.155 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(includes West Bank) (2003)

Agriculture - products:
olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Industries:
generally small family businesses that produce textiles, soap,
olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis
have established some small-scale modern industries in an industrial
center

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel (2001)

Exports:
$603 million f.o.b., includes West Bank

Exports - commodities:
citrus, flowers

Exports - partners:
Israel, Egypt, West Bank

Imports:
$1.9 billion c.i.f., includes West Bank

Imports - commodities:
food, consumer goods, construction materials

Imports - partners:
Israel, Egypt, West Bank

Debt - external:
$108 million (includes West Bank) (1997 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$800 million (includes West Bank) (2001 est.)

Currency:
new Israeli shekel (ILS)

Currency code:
ILS

Exchange rates:
new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.55 (2003), 4.74 (2002), 4.21
(2001), 4.08 (2000), 4.14 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Gaza Strip

Telephones - main lines in use: 95,729 (total for Gaza Strip and West Bank) (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 320,000 (cellular subscribers in both Gaza Strip and West Bank) (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: rudimentary telephone services provided by an open-wire
system
international: NA

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

Radios:
NA; note - most Palestinian households have radios (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (operated by the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation) (1997)

Televisions:
NA; note - most Palestinian households have televisions (1997)

Internet country code:
.ps

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (1999)

Internet users:
60,000 (includes West Bank) (2001)

Transportation Gaza Strip

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: small, poorly developed road network

Ports and harbors:
Gaza

Airports:
2 (2001)
note: includes Gaza International Airport (GIA), inaugurated on 24
November 1998 as part of agreements stipulated in the September 1995
Oslo II Accord and the 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum; GIA has
been largely closed since October 2000 by Israeli orders and its
runway was destroyed by the Israeli Defense Forces in December 2001
(2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)

Military Gaza Strip

Military branches:
in accordance with the peace agreement, the Palestinian Authority
is not permitted conventional military forces; there are, however, a
Public Security Force and a civil Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Gaza Strip

Disputes - international:
West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status
subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent
status to be determined through further negotiation

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 922,674 (Palestinian Refugees
(UNRWA)) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Georgia

Introduction Georgia

Background:
The region of present-day Georgia contained the ancient kingdoms of
Colchis and Kartli-Iberia. The area came under Roman influence in
the first centuries AD and Christianity became the state religion in
the 330s. Domination by Persians, Arabs, and Turks was followed by a
Georgian golden age (11th to the 13th centuries) that was cut short
by the Mongol invasion of 1236. Subsequently, the Ottoman and
Persian empires competed for influence in the region. Georgia was
absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Independent
for three years (1918-1921) following the Russian revolution, it was
forcibly incorporated into the USSR until the Soviet Union dissolved
in 1991. Despite myriad problems, some progress on market reforms
and democratization has been made since then. An attempt by the
government to manipulate legislative elections in November 2003
touched off widespread protests that led to the resignation of
Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, president since 1995. New elections in early
2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI into power along with his National
Movement Party.

Geography Georgia

Location:
Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and
Russia

Geographic coordinates:
42 00 N, 43 30 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 69,700 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 69,700 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:
total: 1,461 km
border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km,
Turkey 252 km

Coastline:
310 km

Maritime claims:
No data available

Climate:
warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

Terrain:
largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and
Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi (Kolkhida
Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin in
the east; good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills of
Kolkhida Lowland

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m

Natural resources:
forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor
coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important
tea and citrus growth

Land use:
arable land: 11.44%
permanent crops: 3.86%
other: 84.7% (2001)

Irrigated land:
4,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi; heavy pollution of Mtkvari
River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil
pollution from toxic chemicals

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

Geography - note:
strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much
of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them

People Georgia

Population:
4,693,892 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.7% (male 461,967; female 416,898)
15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,480,217; female 1,607,509)
65 years and over: 15.5% (male 290,534; female 436,767) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 37 years
male: 34.5 years
female: 39.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.36% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
10.1 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.98 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-4.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.16 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 19.34 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 16.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 21.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.62 years
male: 72.35 years
female: 79.44 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.4 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Georgian(s)
adjective: Georgian

Ethnic groups:
Georgian 70.1%, Armenian 8.1%, Russian 6.3%, Azeri 5.7%, Ossetian
3%, Abkhaz 1.8%, other 5%

Religions:
Georgian Orthodox 65%, Muslim 11%, Russian Orthodox 10%, Armenian
Apostolic 8%, unknown 6%

Languages:
Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7%
note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 100%
female: 98% (1999 est.)

Government Georgia

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Georgia
local long form: none
former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic
local short form: Sak'art'velo

Government type:
republic

Capital:
T'bilisi

Administrative divisions:
9 regions (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 9 cities (k'alak'ebi,
singular - k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous republics (avtomnoy
respubliki, singular - avtom respublika)
: regions: Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti,
Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti,
Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli
: cities: Chiat'ura, Gori, K'ut'aisi, P'ot'i, Rust'avi, T'bilisi,
Tqibuli, Tsqaltubo, Zugdidi
note: the administrative centers of the 2 autonomous republics are
shown in parentheses
: autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri
Respublika (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika
(Bat'umi)

Independence:
9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918 is the date of
independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 is the date of
independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:
adopted 17 October 1995

Legal system:
based on civil law system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January
2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government for the power ministries: state security (includes
interior) and defense
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 4 January 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: Mikheil SAAKASHVILI elected president; percent of
vote - Mikheil SAAKASHVILI 96.3%, Temur SHASHIASHVILI 1.9%
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers
head of government: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January
2004); Prime Minister Zurab ZHVANIA (since 9 February 2004); note -
the president is the chief of state and head of government for the
power ministries: state security (includes interior) and defense;
the prime minister is head of the remaining ministries of government

Legislative branch:
unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as Parliament) or
Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats - 150 elected by party lists); members
are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held spring 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - National
Movement-Democrats 67.6%, Rightist Opposition 7.6%, all other
parties received less than 7% each; seats by party - National
Movement-Democrats 135, Rightist Opposition 15

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the
president's recommendation); Constitutional Court; first and second
instance courts

Political parties and leaders:
Burjanadze-Democrats [Nino BURJANADZE]; Georgian People's Front
[Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian United Communist Party or UCPG
[Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Greens [Giorgi GACHECHILADZE]; Industry
Will Save Georgia (Industrialists) or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE]; Labor
Party [Shalva NATELASHVILI]; National Democratic Party or NDP
[Bachuki KARDAVA]; National Movement Democratic Front [Mikheil
SAAKASHVILI] bloc composed of National Movement and
Burjanadze-Democrats; National Movement [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI]; New
Right [Levaii GACHECHILADZE]; Republican Party [David
BERDZENISHVILI]; Rightist Opposition [Davit GAMKRELIDZE] bloc
composed of Industrialists and New Right Party; Socialist Party or
SPG [Irakli MINDELI]; Traditionalists [Akaki ASATIANI]; Union of
National Forces-Conservatives [Koba DAVITASHVILI and Zviad
DZIDZIGURI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Georgian independent deputies from Abkhaz government in exile;
separatists in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia;
supporters of the late ousted President Zviad GAMSAKHURDYA

International organization participation:
BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ITU, MIGA, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Levan MIKELADZE
FAX: [1] (202) 393-4537
telephone: [1] (202) 387-4537
chancery: Suite 602, 1101 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard M. MILES embassy: #25 Atoneli Street, T'bilisi 0105 mailing address: 7060 Tbilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060 telephone: [995] (32) 989-967/68 FAX: [995] (32) 933-759

Flag description:
white rectangle, in its central portion a red cross connecting all
four sides of the flag; in each of the four corners is a small red
bolnur-katskhuri cross; the five-cross flag appears to date back to
the 14th century

Economy Georgia

Economy - overview:
Georgia's main economic activities include the cultivation of
agricultural products such as citrus fruits, tea, hazelnuts, and
grapes; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small
industrial sector producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages,
metals, machinery, and chemicals. The country imports the bulk of
its energy needs, including natural gas and oil products. Its only
sizable internal energy resource is hydropower. Despite the severe
damage the economy has suffered due to civil strife, Georgia, with
the help of the IMF and World Bank, has made substantial economic
gains since 1995, achieving positive GDP growth and curtailing
inflation. However, the Georgian Government suffers from limited
resources due to a chronic failure to collect tax revenues. Georgia
also suffers from energy shortages; it privatized the T'bilisi
distribution network in 1998, but collection rates are low, making
the venture unprofitable. The country is pinning its hopes for
long-term growth on its role as a transit state for pipelines and
trade. The start of construction on the Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan oil
pipeline and the Baku-T'bilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline will bring
much-needed investment and job opportunities.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $12.18 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20.5% industry: 22.6% services: 56.9% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
18% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
54% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 27.9% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37.1 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.8% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
2.1 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services 40% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
17% (2001 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $603.5 million
expenditures: $700.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
citrus, grapes, tea, hazelnuts, vegetables; livestock

Industries:
steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining
(manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine

Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2000)

Electricity - production:
7.27 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
7.611 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
850 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
31,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
1.16 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
1.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$-365 million (2003)

Exports:
$615 million (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
scrap metal, machinery, chemicals; fuel reexports; citrus fruits,
tea, wine

Exports - partners:
Russia 17.7%, Turkey 17.3%, Turkmenistan 12.2%, Armenia 8.6%,
Switzerland 6.9%, Ukraine 6.3%, UK 5.9% (2003)

Imports:
$1.25 billion (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
fuels, machinery and parts, transport equipment, grain and other
foods, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:
Russia 14%, UK 12.9%, Turkey 9.9%, Azerbaijan 8.3%, US 8%, Germany
7.3%, Ukraine 7%, France 4.9% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$190.7 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.8 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA $150 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
lari (GEL)

Currency code:
GEL

Exchange rates:
lari per US dollar - 2.1457 (2003), 2.1957 (2002), 2.073 (2001),
1.9762 (2000), 2.0245 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Georgia

Telephones - main lines in use:
650,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
522,300 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: local - T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi have cellular telephone
networks; urban telephone density is about 20 per 100 people; rural
telephone density is about 4 per 100 people; intercity facilities
include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi;
nationwide pager service is available
international: country code - 995; Georgia and Russia are working on
a fiber-optic line between P'ot'i and Sochi (Russia); present
international service is available by microwave, landline, and
satellite through the Moscow switch; international electronic mail
and telex service are available

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
3.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
12 (plus repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:
2.57 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.ge

Internet hosts:
5,160 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)

Internet users:
150,500 (2003)

Transportation Georgia

Railways:
total: 1,612 km (1,612 km electrified)
broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified)
narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 20,363 km
paved: 19,038 km
unpaved: 1,325 km (2000)

Pipelines:
gas 1,697 km; oil 1,027 km; refined products 232 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bat'umi, P'ot'i, Sokhumi

Merchant marine:
total: 144 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 855,908 GRT/1,288,812 DWT
by type: bulk 20, cargo 95, chemical tanker 1, container 11,
liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 1,
petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2,
short-sea/passenger 1, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: Albania 2, Belize 2, British Virgin Islands 2,
Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 5, Ecuador 1, Egypt 3, Estonia 1, Germany 1,
Gibraltar 1, Greece 13, Israel 1, Italy 1, Latvia 4, Lebanon 3,
Liberia 2, Madagascar 1, Malta 1, Netherlands 2, Norway 1, Panama 8,
Romania 6, Russia 10, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines 4, Saudi Arabia 1, Syria 31, Turkey 10, Ukraine 16,
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
31 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2003 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 2

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
2 (2003 est.)

Transportation - note:
transportation network is in poor condition resulting from ethnic
conflict, criminal activities, and fuel shortages; network lacks
maintenance and repair

Military Georgia

Military branches:
Ground Forces (including National Guard), Air and Air Defense
Forces, Maritime Defense Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,156,302 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 906,400 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 39,570 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$23 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.59% (FY00)

Military - note:
a CIS peacekeeping force of Russian troops is deployed in the
Abkhazia region of Georgia together with a UN military observer
group; a Russian peacekeeping battalion is deployed in South Ossetia

Transnational Issues Georgia

Disputes - international:
about a third of the boundary with Russia remains undelimited, and
none of it demarcated, with several small, strategic segments
remaining in dispute; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas such as
the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Argun Gorge in
Abkhazia; Meshkheti Turks scattered throughout the former Soviet
Union seek to return to Georgia; boundary with Armenia remains
undemarcated; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of Georgia
seek greater autonomy from the Georgian government; Azerbaijan
protests Georgian construction at the Red Bridge crossing and
several other small segments of boundary, which remain unresolved
until delimitation

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 260,000 (displaced from Abkhazia and South Ossetia) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for
domestic consumption; used as transshipment point for opiates via
Central Asia to Western Europe and Russia

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Germany

Introduction Germany

Background:
As Europe's largest economy and most populous nation, Germany
remains a key member of the continent's economic, political, and
defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in
two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century and
left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US,
UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the
Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal
Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic
(GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic
and security organizations, the EC, which became the EU, and NATO,
while the Communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led
Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War
allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then, Germany has
expended considerable funds to bring Eastern productivity and wages
up to Western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU
countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro.

Geography Germany

Location:
Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between
the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark

Geographic coordinates:
51 00 N, 9 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 357,021 sq km
water: 7,798 sq km
land: 349,223 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries:
total: 3,621 km
border countries: Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646
km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577
km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km

Coastline:
2,389 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers;
occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind

Terrain:
lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.54 m
highest point: Zugspitze 2,963 m

Natural resources:
coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium,
potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land

Land use: arable land: 33.85% permanent crops: 0.59% other: 65.56% (2001)

Irrigated land:
4,850 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
flooding

Environment - current issues:
emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries contribute to
air pollution; acid rain, resulting from sulfur dioxide emissions,
is damaging forests; pollution in the Baltic Sea from raw sewage and
industrial effluents from rivers in eastern Germany; hazardous waste
disposal; government established a mechanism for ending the use of
nuclear power over the next 15 years; government working to meet EU
commitment to identify nature preservation areas in line with the
EU's Flora, Fauna, and Habitat directive

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
strategic location on North European Plain and along the entrance
to the Baltic Sea

People Germany

Population:
82,424,609 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.7% (male 6,197,490; female 5,879,052)
15-64 years: 67% (male 28,119,536; female 27,132,713)
65 years and over: 18.3% (male 6,096,106; female 8,999,712) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 41.7 years male: 40.4 years female: 43.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.02% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
8.45 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
10.44 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 4.64 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.54 years
male: 75.56 years
female: 81.68 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.38 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
41,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: German(s)
adjective: German

Ethnic groups:
German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of Greek,
Italian, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish)

Religions:
Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%, unaffiliated or
other 28.3%

Languages:
German

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1997 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

Government Germany

Country name:
conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany
conventional short form: Germany
local short form: Deutschland
former: German Empire, German Republic, German Reich
local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Government type:
federal republic

Capital:
Berlin

Administrative divisions:
13 states (Laender, singular - Land) and 3 free states*
(Freistaaten, singular - Freistaat); Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bayern*,
Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen,
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen,
Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen*, Sachsen-Anhalt,
Schleswig-Holstein, Thueringen*

Independence:
18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into four
zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945
following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West
Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and
French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany)
proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone;
unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October
1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights 15 March 1991

National holiday:
Unity Day, 3 October (1990)

Constitution:
23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the united
German people 3 October 1990

Legal system:
civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Horst KOEHLER (since 1 July 2004)
elections: president elected for a five-year term by a Federal
Convention including all members of the Federal Assembly and an
equal number of delegates elected by the state parliaments; election
last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held 23 May 2009); chancellor
elected by an absolute majority of the Federal Assembly for a
four-year term; election last held 22 September 2002 (next to be
held September 2006)
head of government: Chancellor Gerhard SCHROEDER (since 27 October
1998); Vice Chancellor Joschka FISCHER (since 17 October 1998)
cabinet: Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) appointed by
the president on the recommendation of the chancellor
election results: Horst KOEHLER elected president; received 604
votes of the Federal Convention against 589 for Gesine SCHWAN;
Gerhard SCHROEDER elected chancellor; percent of Federal Assembly
vote 50.7%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Federal Assembly
or Bundestag (603 seats; elected by popular vote under a system
combining direct and proportional representation; a party must win
5% of the national vote or three direct mandates to gain
representation; members serve four-year terms) and the Federal
Council or Bundesrat (69 votes; state governments are directly
represented by votes; each has 3 to 6 votes depending on population
and are required to vote as a block)
elections: Federal Assembly - last held 22 September 2002 (next to
be held NA September 2006); note - there are no elections for the
Bundesrat; composition is determined by the composition of the
state-level governments; the composition of the Bundesrat has the
potential to change any time one of the 16 states holds an election
election results: Federal Assembly - percent of vote by party - SPD
38.5%, CDU/CSU 38.5%, Alliance '90/Greens 8.6%, FDP 7.4%, PDS 4%;
seats by party - SPD 251, CDU/CSU 248, Alliance '90/Greens 55, FDP
47, PDS 2; Federal Council - current composition - NA

Judicial branch:
Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht (half the
judges are elected by the Bundestag and half by the Bundesrat)

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance '90/Greens [Angelika BEER and Reinhard BUETIKOFER];
Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Angela MERKEL]; Christian Social
Union or CSU [Edmund STOIBER, chairman]; Free Democratic Party or
FDP [Guido WESTERWELLE, chairman]; Party of Democratic Socialism or
PDS [Lothar BISKY]; Social Democratic Party or SPD [Franz
MUENTEFERING]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
business associations, employers' organizations; expellee, refugee,
trade unions, and veterans groups

International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CDB, CE,
CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM
(guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris
Club, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK,
UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Wolfgang Friedrich ISCHINGER consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 298-4249 telephone: [1] (202) 298-8140 chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel R. COATS embassy: Neustaedtische Kirchstrasse 4-5, 10117 Berlin; note - a new embassy will be built near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin; ground was broken in October 2004 and completion is scheduled for 2008 mailing address: PSC 120, Box 1000, APO AE 09265 telephone: [49] (030) 8305-0 FAX: [49] (030) 8305-1215 consulate(s) general: Duesseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold

Economy Germany

Economy - overview:
Germany's affluent and technologically powerful economy- the fifth
largest national economy in the world - has become one of the
slowest growing economies in the entire euro zone, and a quick
turnaround is not in the offing in the foreseeable future. Growth in
2001-03 fell short of 1%. The modernization and integration of the
eastern German economy continues to be a costly long-term process,
with annual transfers from west to east amounting to roughly $70
billion. Germany's ageing population, combined with high
unemployment, has pushed social security outlays to a level
exceeding contributions from workers. Structural rigidities in the
labor market - including strict regulations on laying off workers
and the setting of wages on a national basis - have made
unemployment a chronic problem. Corporate restructuring and growing
capital markets are setting the foundations that could allow Germany
to meet the long-term challenges of European economic integration
and globalization, particularly if labor market rigidities are
further addressed. The government is also starting long-needed
structural reforms designed to revitalize the country's economy. In
the short run, however, the fall in government revenues and the rise
in expenditures have raised the deficit above the EU's 3% debt limit.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $2.271 trillion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-0.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $27,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 31% services: 68% (2002 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
17.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 25.1% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
30 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
42.63 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 2.8%, industry 33.4%, services 63.8% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
10.5% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.079 trillion
expenditures: $1.173 trillion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
64.2% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages; cattle,
pigs, poultry

Industries:
among the world's largest and most technologically advanced
producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery,
vehicles, machine tools, electronics, food and beverages;
shipbuilding; textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
0.2% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
544.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
506.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
43.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
44 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
85,860 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
2.813 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
404,300 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
3.081 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
327.3 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
22.16 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
94.34 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
6.674 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
78.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
298.3 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$57.24 billion (2003)

Exports:
$696.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals and manufactures,
foodstuffs, textiles

Exports - partners:
France 10.6%, US 9.3%, UK 8.4%, Italy 7.4%, Netherlands 6.2%,
Austria 5.3%, Belgium 5.1%, Spain 4.9%, Switzerland 4% (2003)

Imports:
$585 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, vehicles, chemicals, foodstuffs, textiles, metals

Imports - partners:
France 9.2%, Netherlands 8.4%, US 7.3%, Italy 6.3%, UK 6%, Belgium
4.9%, China 4.7%, Austria 4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$96.84 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
NA (2000 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $5.6 billion (1998)

Currency:
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Germany

Telephones - main lines in use:
54.35 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
64.8 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: Germany has one of the world's most
technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of
intensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerly
backward system of the eastern part of the country, dating back to
World War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of the
western part
domestic: Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic
telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic
cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic
satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available,
expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign
countries
international: country code - 49; Germany's international service is
excellent worldwide, consisting of extensive land and undersea cable
facilities as well as earth stations in the INMARSAT, INTELSAT,
EUTELSAT, and INTERSPUTNIK satellite systems (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 51, FM 787, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
77.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
373 (plus 8,042 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
51.4 million (1998)

Internet country code:
.de

Internet hosts:
2,686,119 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
200 (2001)

Internet users:
39 million (2003)

Transportation Germany

Railways:
total: 46,039 km (20,100 km electrified)
standard gauge: 45,801 km 1.435-m gauge (20,084 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 214 km 1.000-m gauge (16 km electrified); 24 km
0.750-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 230,735 km
paved: 230,735 km (including 11,515 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Waterways:
7,300 km
note: Rhine River carries most goods; Main-Danube Canal links North
Sea and Black Sea (2004)

Pipelines:
condensate 325 km; gas 25,293 km; oil 3,540 km; refined products
3,827 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Berlin, Bonn, Brake, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Cologne, Dresden,
Duisburg, Emden, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Kiel, Luebeck, Magdeburg,
Mannheim, Rostock, Stuttgart

Merchant marine:
total: 278 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,721,495 GRT/6,810,631 DWT
by type: cargo 71, chemical tanker 14, container 169, liquefied gas
3, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 3, petroleum
tanker 5, rail car carrier 2, roll on/roll off 3,
short-sea/passenger 7
registered in other countries: 2,295 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Finland 4, Iceland 1, Netherlands 3

Airports:
550 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 331 over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 51 914 to 1,523 m: 71 under 914 m: 134 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 62

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 219 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 185 (2004 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 31

Heliports: 34 (2003 est.)

Military Germany

Military branches:
Army (Heer), Navy (Deutsche Marine; including Naval Air arm), Air
Force (Luftwaffe), Joint Support Service, Central Medical Service

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (conscripts serve a nine-month tour of compulsory
military service) (2004 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 20,468,942 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 17,338,435 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 484,837 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$35.063 billion (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.5% (2003)

Transnational Issues Germany

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine
processors; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian
heroin, Latin American cocaine, and European-produced synthetic
drugs; major financial center

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Ghana

Introduction Ghana

Background:
Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and
the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first
sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A
long series of coups resulted in the suspension of the constitution
in 1981 and the banning of political parties. A new constitution,
restoring multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry
RAWLINGS, head of state since 1981, won presidential elections in
1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a
third term in 2000. He was succeeded by John KUFUOR, who defeated
former Vice President Atta MILLS in a free and fair election.

Geography Ghana

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire
and Togo

Geographic coordinates:
8 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 239,460 sq km
land: 230,940 sq km
water: 8,520 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:
total: 2,094 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo
877 km

Coastline:
539 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and
humid in southwest; hot and dry in north

Terrain:
mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m

Natural resources:
gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish,
rubber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 16.26% permanent crops: 9.67% other: 74.07% (2001)

Irrigated land:
110 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to
March; droughts

Environment - current issues: recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

People Ghana

Population:
20,757,032
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 38% (male 3,988,800; female 3,904,989)
15-64 years: 58.3% (male 6,030,151; female 6,071,725)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 359,042; female 402,325) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 20 years
male: 19.8 years
female: 20.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.36% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
24.9 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
10.67 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 52.22 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 49.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 55.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.27 years
male: 55.36 years
female: 57.22 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.17 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
350,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
30,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, yellow fever, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Ghanaian(s)
adjective: Ghanaian

Ethnic groups:
black African 98.5% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%,
Ewe 13%, Ga 8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%), European and other 1.5% (1998)

Religions:
Christian 63%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 21%

Languages:
English (official), African languages (including Akan,
Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 67.1% (2003 est.)
male: 82.7%
total population: 74.8%

People - note:
there are 9,500 Liberians, 2,000 Sierra Leoneans, and 1,000
Togolese refugees residing in Ghana (2002)

Government Ghana

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Ghana
conventional short form: Ghana
former: Gold Coast

Government type:
constitutional democracy

Capital:
Accra

Administrative divisions:
10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra,
Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western

Independence:
6 March 1957 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

Constitution:
approved 28 April 1992

Legal system:
based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January
2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January
2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject
to approval by Parliament
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 December
2004 (next to be held December 2008)
election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR reelected president in
election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 53.4%, John Atta MILLS 43.7%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (230 seats; note - increased from 200 seats
in last election; members are elected by direct, popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held December 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
NPP 128, NDC 92, other 10

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
Convention People's Party or CPP [Nii Noi DOWUONA, general
secretary]; Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE [Owuraku AMOFA,
chairman]; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan LARTY];
National Convention Party or NCP [Sarpong KUMA-KUMA]; National
Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Huudu YAHAYA, general secretary];
New Patriotic Party or NPP [Samuel Arthur ODOI-SYKES]; People's
Convention Party or PCP [P. K. DONKOH-AYIFI, acting chairman];
People's Heritage Party or PHP [Emmanuel Alexander ERSKINE];
People's National Convention or PNC [Edward MAHAMA]; Reform Party
[Kyeretwie OPUKU, general secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS
(observer), ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL,
UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alan J. KYEREMATEN
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] (202) 686-4527
telephone: [1] (202) 686-4520
chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Carlin YATES
embassy: 6th and 10th Lanes, 798/1 Osu, Accra
mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra
telephone: [233] (21) 775-347, 775-348
FAX: [233] (21) 701-813

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a
large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the
popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of
Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band

Economy Ghana

Economy - overview:
Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice the
per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Even so,
Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and
technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major
sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to
revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 35% of
GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders.
Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country
(HIPC) program in 2002. Policy priorities include tighter monetary
and fiscal policies, accelerated privatization, and improvement of
social services. Receipts from the gold sector should help sustain
GDP growth in 2004. Inflation should ease, but remain a major
internal problem.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $44.44 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 35.4% industry: 25.4% services: 39.2% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
24.5% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
31.4% (1992 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.1% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40.7 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
26.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
10 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
20% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.943 billion
expenditures: $2.192 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts,
bananas; timber

Industries:
mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food
processing

Industrial production growth rate:
3.8% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
8.801 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
8.835 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
300 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
950 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
7,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
38,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
8.255 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
11.89 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$110 million (2003)

Exports:
$2.642 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore,
diamonds

Exports - partners:
Netherlands 11.2%, UK 10.7%, France 7.7%, Germany 6.2%, Japan 5.2%,
Italy 4.6%, Turkey 4.4%, US 4.3% (2003)

Imports:
$3.24 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Nigeria 13.2%, China 9.3%, UK 7.2%, US 6.1%, Germany 4.8%, France
4.5%, South Africa 4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$1.469 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$7.398 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$6.9 billion (1999)

Currency:
cedi (GHC)

Currency code:
GHC

Exchange rates:
cedis per US dollar - NA (2003), 7,932.7 (2002), 7,170.76 (2001),
5,455.06 (2000), 2,669.3 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Ghana

Telephones - main lines in use:
302,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
799,900 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: poor to fair system; Internet accessible; many
rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services is
underway
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has
been installed
international: country code - 233; satellite earth stations - 4
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel
system connects Ghana to its neighbors; fiber optic submarine cable
(SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 49, shortwave 3 (2001)

Radios:
12.5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
10 (2001)

Televisions:
1.9 million (2001)

Internet country code:
.gh

Internet hosts:
407 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
12 (2000)

Internet users:
170,000 (2002)

Transportation Ghana

Railways: total: 953 km narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 39,409 km paved: 11,665 km unpaved: 27,744 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
1,293 km
note: 168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano
rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta
(2003)

Pipelines:
refined products 74 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Takoradi, Tema

Merchant marine:
total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 19,086 GRT/26,185 DWT
foreign-owned: Brazil 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Spain 1
(2004 est.)
by type: petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 5

Airports:
12 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Ghana

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and volunteer military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 5,391,378 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,994,600 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 244,809 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$44 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.6% (2003)

Transnational Issues Ghana

Disputes - international: Ghana must still deal with refugees and returning nationals escaping rebel fighting in Cote d'Ivoire

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 42,466 (Liberia) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade;
major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a
lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the
US; widespread crime and corruption have made money laundering a
problem, but the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure
limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Gibraltar

Introduction Gibraltar

Background:
Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great Britain by
Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was
formally declared a colony in 1830. In referendums held in 1967 and
2002, Gibraltarians ignored Spanish pressure and voted
overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency.

Geography Gibraltar

Location:
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links
the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern
coast of Spain

Geographic coordinates:
36 8 N, 5 21 W

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 6.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 6.5 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 1.2 km border countries: Spain 1.2 km

Coastline:
12 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate:
Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

Terrain:
a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or natural
rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for drinking
water) and adequate desalination plant

Geography - note:
strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North
Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

People Gibraltar

Population:
27,833 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 2,554; female 2,452)
15-64 years: 66.2% (male 9,460; female 8,965)
65 years and over: 15.8% (male 1,939; female 2,463) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 39 years
male: 38.8 years
female: 39.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.19% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
10.99 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
9.05 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.22 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 5.81 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.52 years
male: 76.65 years
female: 82.54 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.65 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Gibraltarian(s)
adjective: Gibraltar

Ethnic groups:
Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, German, North
Africans

Religions:
Roman Catholic 76.9%, Church of England 6.9%, Muslim 6.9%, Jewish
2.3%, none or other 7% (1991)

Languages:
English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish,
Italian, Portuguese

Literacy: definition: NA total population: above 80% male: NA female: NA

Government Gibraltar

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

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Gibraltar

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national
referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain

Constitution:
30 May 1969

Legal system:
English law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have been
residents six months or more

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis RICHARDS
(since 27 May 2003)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
appointed chief minister by the governor
head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected
members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation
with the chief minister

Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats - 15 elected by popular
vote, one appointed for the Speaker, and two ex officio members;
members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 November 2003 (next to be held not later
than February 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%;
seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social Democrats
or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP
[Joseph John BOSSANO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization;
Women's Association

International organization participation:
Interpol (subbureau), UPU

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

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

Flag description:
two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a
three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging
from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band

Economy Gibraltar

Economy - overview:
Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore
banking, and its position as an international conference center. The
British military presence has been sharply reduced and now
contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in
1984. The financial sector, tourism (almost 5 million visitors in
1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also
generate revenue. The financial sector, the shipping sector, and
tourism each contribute 25%-30% of GDP. Telecommunications accounts
for another 10%. In recent years, Gibraltar has seen major
structural change from a public to a private sector economy, but
changes in government spending still have a major impact on the
level of employment.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $500 million (1997 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $17,500 (1997 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.5% (1998)

Labor force:
14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture negligible, industry 40%, services 60%

Unemployment rate:
2% (2001 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $307 million
expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY00/01 est.)

Agriculture - products:
none

Industries:
tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
100 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
93 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
42,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$136 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
(principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%,
other 8%

Exports - partners:
Germany 25.6%, France 24.8%, UK 14.3%, Turkmenistan 9.4%,
Switzerland 7.5%, Spain 5.6% (2003)

Imports:
$1.743 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Spain 26.5%, UK 14.8%, Russia 8.2%, Italy 6.6%, Netherlands 6.5%,
France 5.3%, Germany 4.6%, Romania 4.2% (2003)

Debt - external:
NA (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency:
Gibraltar pound (GIP)

Currency code:
GIP

Exchange rates:
Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001),
0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); note - the Gibraltar
pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Gibraltar

Telephones - main lines in use:
24,512 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
9,797 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system and
adequate international facilities
domestic: automatic exchange facilities
international: country code - 350; radiotelephone; microwave radio
relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
37,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
10,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.gi

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
6,200 (2002)

Transportation Gibraltar

Highways: total: 29 km paved: 29 km unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Ports and harbors:
Gibraltar

Merchant marine:
total: 133 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 980,636 GRT/1,254,661 DWT
by type: bulk 3, cargo 69, chemical tanker 14, container 27,
multi-functional large load carrier 3, passenger 2, petroleum tanker
13, roll on/roll off 2
registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Belgium 1, Cyprus 3, Denmark 1, Estonia 1, France 1,
Germany 92, Greece 11, Hong Kong 2, Iceland 1, Monaco 4, Norway 6,
Spain 1, United Kingdom 6, United States 2

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Gibraltar

Military branches:
Royal Gibraltar Regiment

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK; the last British regular
infantry forces left Gibraltar in 1992, replaced by the Royal
Gibraltar Regiment

Transnational Issues Gibraltar

Disputes - international:
since Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum in
2003 against a "total shared sovereignty" arrangement, talks between
the UK and Spain over the fate of the 300-year-old UK colony have
stalled; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater
autonomy

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Glorioso Islands

Introduction Glorioso Islands

Background:
A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso Islands are composed
of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile Glorieuse and Ile du Lys)
and three rock islets. A military garrison operates a weather and
radio station on Ile Glorieuse.

Geography Glorioso Islands

Location:
Southern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of
Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:
11 30 S, 47 20 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 5 sq km
note: includes Ile Glorieuse, Ile du Lys, Verte Rocks, Wreck Rock,
and South Rock
water: 0 sq km
land: 5 sq km

Area - comparative:
about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
35.2 km

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

Climate:
tropical

Terrain:
low and flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 12 m

Natural resources: guano, coconuts

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all lush vegetation and coconut palms) (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
the islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system

People Glorioso Islands

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a small French military garrison along with a few
meteorologists; visited by scientists (July 2004 est.)

Government Glorioso Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Glorioso Islands
local short form: Iles Glorieuses
local long form: none

Dependency status:
possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the
Republic, resident in Reunion

Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (possession of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (possession of France)

Flag description:
the flag of France is used

Economy Glorioso Islands

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications Glorioso Islands

Communications - note: 1 meteorological station

Transportation Glorioso Islands

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Glorioso Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Glorioso Islands

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Greece

Introduction Greece

Background:
Greece achieved its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829.
During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the
20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and
territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II,
Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied
by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war
between royalist supporters of the king and communist rebels.
Following the latter's defeat in 1949, Greece was able to join NATO
in 1952. A military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many
political liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted
seven years. The 1974 democratic elections and a referendum created
a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy. Greece joined
the European Community or EC in 1981 (which became the EU in 1992);
it became the 12th member of the euro zone in 2001.

Geography Greece

Location:
Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the
Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
39 00 N, 22 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 131,940 sq km
water: 1,140 sq km
land: 130,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Alabama

Land boundaries:
total: 1,228 km
border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km,
Macedonia 246 km

Coastline:
13,676 km

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

Climate:
temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain:
mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas
or chains of islands

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Natural resources:
lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel,
magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential

Land use: arable land: 21.1% permanent crops: 8.78% other: 70.12% (2001)

Irrigated land:
14,220 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
air pollution; water pollution

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

Geography - note:
strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach
to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago
of about 2,000 islands

People Greece

Population:
10,647,529 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.5% (male 792,938; female 746,119)
15-64 years: 67% (male 3,563,703; female 3,566,549)
65 years and over: 18.6% (male 873,540; female 1,104,680) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 40.2 years
male: 39.1 years
female: 41.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.2% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
9.73 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
10.08 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
2.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.19 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.94 years
female: 81.59 years (2004 est.)
male: 76.44 years

Total fertility rate:
1.32 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
8,800 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Greek(s)
adjective: Greek

Ethnic groups:
Greek 98%, other 2%
note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in
Greece

Religions:
Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Languages:
Greek 99% (official), English, French

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 96.5% (2003 est.)
total population: 97.5%
male: 98.6%

People - note:
women, men, and children are trafficked to and within Greece for
the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor

Government Greece

Country name:
conventional long form: Hellenic Republic
conventional short form: Greece
local short form: Ellas or Ellada
former: Kingdom of Greece
local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia

Government type:
parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December
1974

Capital:
Athens

Administrative divisions:
51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos) and 1 autonomous region*;
Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Achaia, Aitolia kai Akarmania, Argolis,
Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios, Dodekanisos,
Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos, Fthiotis,
Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria,
Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades,
Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella,
Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia,
Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos

Independence:
1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

Constitution:
11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001

Legal system:
based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil,
criminal, and administrative courts

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS
(since 10 March 1995)
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term;
election last held 8 February 2000 (next to be held by February
2005); according to the Greek Constitution, presidents may only
serve two terms; president appoints leader of the party securing
plurality of vote in election to become prime minister and form a
government
head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos KARAMANLIS (since 7
March 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the prime minister
election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS reelected president;
percent of Parliament vote - 90%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are
elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: elections last held 7 March 2004 (next to be held by
March 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - ND 45.4%, PASOK 40.6%,
KKE 5.9%, Synaspismos 3.3%; seats by party - ND 165, PASOK 117, KKE
12, Synaspismos 6

Judicial branch:
Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges
appointed for life by the president after consultation with a
judicial council

Political parties and leaders:
Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Alekos ALAVANOS];
Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or
ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist
Movement or PASOK [Yiorgos PAPANDREOU]; Popular Orthodox Rally
[Yeoryios KARATZAFERIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
General Confederation of Greek Workers or GSEE [Khristos
POLYZOGOPOLOS]; Federation of Greek Industries or SEV [Odysseas
KYRIAKOPOULOS]; Civil Servants Confederation or ADEDY [Spyros
PAPASPYROS]

International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU,
FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA,
MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Yeoryios SAVVAIDIS
consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and Tampa
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and
San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324
telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300
chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles RIES embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108 telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951 FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki

Flag description:
nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there
is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white
cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established
religion of the country

Economy Greece

Economy - overview:
Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector
accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP 70% of the
leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants
make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in menial jobs.
Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of
annual GDP. The Greek economy grew by about 4.0% for the past two
years, largely because of an investment boom and infrastructure
upgrades for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Despite strong growth,
Greece has failed to meet the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget
deficit criteria of 3% of GDP since 2000; public debt, inflation,
and unemployment are also above the eurozone average. Further
restructuring of the economy include privatizing several state
enterprises, undertaking pension and other reforms, and minimizing
bureaucratic inefficiencies.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $213.6 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.7% industry: 22% services: 71.2% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
25.5% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 25.3% (1993 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32.7 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
4.39 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 20%, industry 20%, services 60% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
9.4% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $76.84 billion
expenditures: $79.48 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
100.9% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco,
potatoes; beef, dairy products

Industries:
tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal
products; mining, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate:
0.7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
49.79 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
48.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
1.062 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
3.562 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
5,992 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
405,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
84,720 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
468,300 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
4.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
35 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
2.021 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
2.018 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
254.9 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-11.33 billion (2003)

Exports:
$5.899 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products,
chemicals, textiles

Exports - partners:
Germany 12.6%, Italy 10.5%, UK 7%, US 6.5%, Bulgaria 6.2%, Cyprus
4.8%, France 4.2%, Turkey 4% (2003)

Imports:
$33.27 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:
Germany 12.5%, Italy 12.2%, France 6.6%, Russia 6.1%, South Korea
5.4%, US 5.2%, Netherlands 5.2%, Japan 4.3%, UK 4.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$5.802 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$65.51 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$5.4 billion from EU (1995)

Currency:
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
365.399 (2000), 305.647 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Greece

Telephones - main lines in use:
5,205,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
8,936,200 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good
mobile telephone and international service
domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire
connections; submarine cable to offshore islands
international: country code - 30; tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine
cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and
1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
5.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US
Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)

Televisions:
2.54 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.gr

Internet hosts:
208,977 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
27 (2000)

Internet users:
1,718,400 (2003)

Transportation Greece

Railways:
total: 2,571 km (764 km electrified)
standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge
dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail
system) (2003)

Highways:
total: 117,000 km
paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,594 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
6 km
note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; shortens
sea voyage by 325 km (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 1,166 km; oil 94 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Alexandroupolis, Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkyra,
Chalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs (Piraeus),
Thessaloniki, Volos

Merchant marine:
total: 793 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 30,186,624 GRT/52,943,968 DWT
registered in other countries: 2,443 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, Israel 1, Italy 1, Liberia 3,
Malta 1, Marshall Islands 1, Norway 2, Panama 3, Singapore 1, Sweden
1, United Kingdom 2, United States 5
by type: bulk 298, cargo 57, chemical tanker 38, combination bulk 5,
combination ore/oil 3, container 49, liquefied gas 5, passenger 10,
petroleum tanker 267, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 19,
short-sea/passenger 38, specialized tanker 3

Airports:
79 (note - new Athens airport at Spata opened in March 2001) (2003
est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 66 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 7 (2003 est.)

Military Greece

Military branches:
Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force (EPA), National
Guard

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; during wartime the law allows for recruitment after reaching January of the year of inductee's 18th birthday, thus including 17 year olds; 17 years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation - 12 months for the Army, 14 months for the Air Force, 15 months for the Navy (April 2003)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,638,949 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,004,343 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 63,496 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$7,288.9 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4.3% (2003)

Transnational Issues Greece

Disputes - international:
Greece and Turkey have resumed discussions to resolve their complex
maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea;
Cyprus question with Turkey; dispute with the Republic of Macedonia
over its name

Illicit drugs:
a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin
from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor
chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is
consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug trafficking and
organized crime

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Greenland

Introduction Greenland

Background:
The world's largest island, Greenland is about 81% ice-capped.
Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish
colonization began in the 18th century and Greenland was made an
integral part of Denmark in 1953. It joined the European Community
(now the European Union) with Denmark in 1973 but withdrew in 1985
over a dispute over stringent fishing quotas. Greenland was granted
self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament. The law went into
effect the following year. Denmark continues to exercise control of
Greenland's foreign affairs.

Geography Greenland

Location:
Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the
North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada

Geographic coordinates:
72 00 N, 40 00 W

Map references:
Arctic Region

Area:
total: 2,166,086 sq km
land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km
ice-covered) (2000 est.)

Area - comparative:
slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
44,087 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Climate:
arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Terrain:
flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow,
mountainous, barren, rocky coast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m

Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium,
fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island

Environment - current issues:
protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit
traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting

Geography - note:
dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe;
sparse population confined to small settlements along coast, but
close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk;
world's second largest ice cap

People Greenland

Population:
56,384 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.5% (male 7,344; female 7,029)
15-64 years: 68.5% (male 20,894; female 17,715)
65 years and over: 6% (male 1,585; female 1,817) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 33.5 years
male: 34.8 years
female: 31.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.01% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
15.96 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.7 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-8.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 16.31 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 17.62 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.32 years
male: 65.75 years
female: 72.98 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.42 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
100 (1999)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Greenlander(s)
adjective: Greenlandic

Ethnic groups:
Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and
others 12% (January 2000)

Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran

Languages:
Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA note: similar to Denmark proper

Government Greenland

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Greenland
local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat
local long form: none

Dependency status:
part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark since 1979

Government type:
parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Nuuk (Godthab)

Administrative divisions:
3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu
(Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)
note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland

Independence:
none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; foreign affairs is the
responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates in
international agreements relating to Greenland)

National holiday:
June 21 (longest day)

Constitution:
5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal system:
Danish

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January
1972), represented by High Commissioner Peter LAURITEEN (since NA
2002)
note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit
election results: Hans ENOKSEN elected prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December
2002)
cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the Parliament
(Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed
by the monarch; prime minister is elected by Parliament (usually the
leader of the majority party); election last held 3 December 2002
(next to be held December 2006)

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; members are elected
by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
four-year terms)
note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or
Folketing on 20 November 2001 (next to be held 8 February 2005);
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit
Ataqatigiit 1
election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 28.7%, Inuit
Ataqatigiit 25.5%, Atassut Party 20.4%, Demokratiit 15.6%,
Katusseqatigiit 5.3%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Inuit Ataqatigiit
8, Atassut 7, Demokratiit 5, Katusseqatigiit 1
elections: last held on 3 December 2002 (next to be held by NA
December 2006)

Judicial branch:
High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre Landsret
or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in Copenhagen)

Political parties and leaders:
Atassut Party (Solidarity, a conservative party favoring continuing
close relations with Denmark) [Augusta SALLING]; Demokratiit [Per
BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood, a leftist
party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home
rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT]; Issituup (Polar Party) [Nicolai HEINRICH];
Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List, an independent right-of-center
party with no official platform [leader NA]; Siumut (Forward Party,
a social democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic
identity and greater autonomy from Denmark) [Hans ENOKSEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
NC, NIB, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk
slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the disk is
red, the bottom half is white

Economy Greenland

Economy - overview:
The economy remains critically dependent on exports of fish and
substantial support from the Danish Government, which supplies about
half of government revenues. The public sector, including
publicly-owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the
dominant role in the economy. Despite several interesting
hydrocarbon and minerals exploration activities, it will take
several years before production can materialize. Tourism is the only
sector offering any near-term potential, and even this is limited
due to a short season and high costs.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.8% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2001 est.)

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

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.6% (1999 est.)

Labor force:
24,500 (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
10% (2000 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $646 million
expenditures: $629 million, including capital expenditures of $85
million (1999)

Agriculture - products:
forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer;
fish

Industries:
fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut), handicrafts,
hides and skins, small shipyards, mining

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
245 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
227.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
3,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$388 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%)

Exports - partners:
Denmark 64.7%, Japan 14.2%, China 4.4% (2003)

Imports:
$445 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,
petroleum products

Imports - partners:
Denmark 82.6%, Norway 7.5%, Sweden 3.5% (2003)

Debt - external:
$25 million (1999)

Economic aid - recipient:
$380 million subsidy from Denmark (1997)

Currency:
Danish krone (DKK) is the official legal tender.

Currency code:
DKK

Exchange rates:
Danish kroner per US dollar - 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002), 8.323
(2001), 8.083 (2000), 6.976 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Greenland

Telephones - main lines in use:
26,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
16,747 (2001)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate domestic and international service
provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay; totally
digitalized in 1995
domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite
international: country code - 299; satellite earth stations - 12
Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
30,000 (1998 est.)

Television broadcast stations:
1 publicly-owned station, some local low-power stations, and three
AFRTS (US Air Force) stations (1997)

Televisions:
30,000 (1998 est.)

Internet country code:
.gl

Internet hosts:
2,642 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
20,000 (2002)

Transportation Greenland

Highways:
total: NA (there are no roads between towns) (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Aasiaat (Egedesminde), Ilulissat (Jakobshavn), Kangerlussuaq,
Nanortalik, Narsarsuaq, Nuuk (Godthab), Qaqortoq (Julianehab),
Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Tasiilaq

Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,593 GRT/3,640 DWT
foreign-owned: Denmark 1 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 2, passenger 1

Airports:
14 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Greenland

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Transnational Issues Greenland

Disputes - international: uncontested dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Canada's Ellesmere Island and Greenland

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Grenada

Introduction Grenada

Background:
One of the smallest independent countries in the western
hemisphere, Grenada was seized by a Marxist military council on 19
October 1983. Six days later the island was invaded by US forces and
those of six other Caribbean nations, which quickly captured the
ringleaders and their hundreds of Cuban advisers. Free elections
were reinstituted the following year.

Geography Grenada

Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean,
north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:
12 07 N, 61 40 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 344 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 344 sq km

Area - comparative:
twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
121 km

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

Climate:
tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Terrain:
volcanic in origin with central mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m

Natural resources: timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

Land use: arable land: 5.88% permanent crops: 29.41% other: 64.71% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to
November

Environment - current issues:
NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is
divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

People Grenada

Population:
89,357 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 34.5% (male 15,580; female 15,212)
15-64 years: 62% (male 29,321; female 26,104)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 1,467; female 1,673) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 20.9 years
male: 21.4 years
female: 20.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.14% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
22.61 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.31 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-13.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 14.62 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 14.18 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.52 years
male: 62.74 years
female: 66.31 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.41 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Grenadian(s)
adjective: Grenadian

Ethnic groups:
black 82%, mixed black and European 13%, European and East Indian
5% , and trace of Arawak/Carib Amerindian

Religions:
Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%

Languages:
English (official), French patois

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1970 est.)

Government Grenada

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

Government type:
constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament

Capital:
Saint George's

Administrative divisions:
6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petit Martinique*,
Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark,
Saint Patrick

Independence:
7 February 1974 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Constitution:
19 December 1973

Legal system:
based on English common law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Daniel WILLIAMS (since 9 August 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 22 June
1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 13-member body, 10
appointed by the government and three by the leader of the
opposition) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 27 November 2003 (next to be held by NA
November 2008)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - NNP 8, NDC 7

Judicial branch:
West Indies Associate States Supreme Court (an associate judge
resides in Grenada)

Political parties and leaders:
Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Herbert PREUDHOMME]; National
Democratic Congress or NDC [leader vacant]; New National Party or
NNP [George McGUIRE]; People Labor Movement or PLM [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber),
ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Denis G. ANTOINE consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 265-2468 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561 chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: the US Ambassador to Barbados, Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER, is accredited to Grenada embassy: Lance-aux-Epines Stretch, Saint George's mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's, Grenada, West Indies telephone: [1] (473) 444-1173 through 1176 FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820

Flag description:
a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top and
bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side), with a red
border around the flag; there are seven yellow, five-pointed stars
with three centered in the top red border, three centered in the
bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the center
of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the hoist-side
triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer of nutmeg,
after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven administrative
divisions

Economy Grenada

Economy - overview:
Grenada relies on tourism as its main source of foreign exchange,
especially since the construction of an international airport in
1985. Strong performances in construction and manufacturing,
together with the development of an offshore financial industry,
have also contributed to growth in national output.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $440 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.7% industry: 23.9% services: 68.4% (2000)

Population below poverty line:
32% (2000)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
42,300 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 24%, industry 14%, services 62% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
12.5% (2000)

Budget:
revenues: $85.8 million
expenditures: $102.1 million, including capital expenditures of $28
million (1997)

Agriculture - products:
bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops,
sugarcane, corn, vegetables

Industries:
food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism,
construction

Industrial production growth rate:
0.7% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
138 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
128.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$46 million (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace

Exports - partners:
US 14.9%, Germany 12.8%, Netherlands 8.5%, Saint Lucia 8.5%,
Antigua and Barbuda 6.4%, UK 6.4%, Belgium 4.3%, Dominica 4.3%,
France 4.3%, Saint Kitts and Nevis 4.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.3%
(2003)

Imports:
$208 million (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel

Imports - partners:
US 30%, Trinidad and Tobago 26.8%, UK 5.2%, Japan 4.4% (2003)

Debt - external:
$196 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
$8.3 million (1995)

Currency:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
XCD

Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7
(2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Grenada

Telephones - main lines in use:
33,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
7,600 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone system
domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links
international: country code - 1-473; new SHF radiotelephone links to
Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to
Trinidad

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
57,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (1997)

Televisions:
33,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.gd

Internet hosts:
18 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
14 (2000)

Internet users:
15,000 (2002)

Transportation Grenada

Highways: total: 1,040 km paved: 638 km unpaved: 402 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Grenville, Saint George's

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
3 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Grenada

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Royal Grenada Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Grenada

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point for
marijuana and cocaine to US

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Guadeloupe

Introduction Guadeloupe

Background:
Guadeloupe has been a French possession since 1635. The island of
Saint Martin is shared with the Netherlands; its southern portion is
named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles and its
northern portion is named Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe

Geography Guadeloupe

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

Geographic coordinates:
16 15 N, 61 35 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 1,780 sq km
note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands,
including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade,
Iles des Saintes (2), Saint-Barthelemy, Iles de la Petite Terre, and
Saint-Martin (French part of the island of Saint Martin)
water: 74 sq km
land: 1,706 sq km

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

Land boundaries: total: 10.2 km border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km

Coastline: 306 km

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

Climate:
subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity

Terrain:
Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains;
Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other
islands are volcanic in origin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Soufriere 1,484 m

Natural resources: cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism

Land use: arable land: 11.24% permanent crops: 3.55% other: 85.21% (2001)

Irrigated land:
20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is an active
volcano

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe proper into
two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the smaller,
eastern Grande-Terre

People Guadeloupe

Population:
444,515 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.4% (male 55,386; female 52,977)
15-64 years: 66.6% (male 146,772; female 149,314)
65 years and over: 9% (male 16,730; female 23,336) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 31.4 years
male: 30.6 years
female: 32.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.96% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
15.79 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.05 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.83 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 10.07 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.71 years
male: 74.56 years
female: 81.03 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.91 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Guadeloupian(s)
adjective: Guadeloupe

Ethnic groups:
black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less
than 5%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant 1%

Languages:
French (official) 99%, Creole patois

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90%
male: 90%
female: 90% (1982 est.)

Government Guadeloupe

Country name:
conventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe
conventional short form: Guadeloupe
local short form: Guadeloupe
local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe

Dependency status:
overseas department of France

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Basse-Terre

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas department of France)

Independence:
none (overseas department of France)

National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
French legal system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Paul GIROT DE LANGLADE (since 17
August 2004)
election results: NA
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and
Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
head of government: President of the General Council Jacques GILLOT
(since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Victorin
LUREL (since 2 April 2004)
cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (42 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the
unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held 22 March 1998 (next to be
held by NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 28 March 2004 (next
to be held NA 2010)
note: Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate;
elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September
2004); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 1, FGPS
1; Guadeloupe elects four representatives to the French National
Assembly; elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held
NA 2007); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 2, PS
1, different right parties 1
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - left-wing candidates 11, PS 8, RPR 8, PPDG 6,
right-wing candidates 5, PCG 3, UDF 1; Regional Council (second
round) - percent of vote by party - PS 58.4%, UMP 41.6%; seats by
party - PS 29, UMP 12

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe,
French Guiana, and Martinique

Political parties and leaders:
Communist Party of Guadeloupe or PCG [Mona CADOCE]; FGPS [Dominique
LARIFLA]; Left Radical Party or PRG [Flavien FERRANT]; Progressive
Democratic Party or PPDG [Henri BANGOU]; Socialist Party or PS
[Marlene MELISSE and Favrot DAVRAIN]; Union for French Democracy or
UDF [Marcel ESDRAS]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [Robert
JOYEUX]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG;
General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General Union of
Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement for Independent Guadeloupe or
MPGI; The Socialist Renewal Movement

International organization participation:
WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas department of France)

Flag description:
the flag of France is used

Economy Guadeloupe

Economy - overview:
The Caribbean economy depends on agriculture, tourism, light
industry, and services. It also depends on France for large
subsidies and imports. Tourism is a key industry, with most tourists
from the US; an increasingly large number of cruise ships visit the
islands. The traditional sugarcane crop is slowly being replaced by
other crops, such as bananas (which now supply about 50% of export
earnings), eggplant, and flowers. Other vegetables and root crops
are cultivated for local consumption, although Guadeloupe is still
dependent on imported food, mainly from France. Light industry
features sugar and rum production. Most manufactured goods and fuel
are imported. Unemployment is especially high among the young.
Hurricanes periodically devastate the economy.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $3.513 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $8,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 15%
industry: 17%
services: 68% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA (2003 est.)

Labor force:
125,900 (1997)

Labor force - by occupation:
NA

Unemployment rate:
27.8% (1998)

Budget:
revenues: $225 million
expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105
million (1996)

Agriculture - products: bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats

Industries:
construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
1.155 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.074 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$140 million f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities:
bananas, sugar, rum

Exports - partners:
France 60%, Martinique 18%, US 4% (1999)

Imports:
$1.7 billion c.i.f. (1997)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods,
construction materials

Imports - partners:
France 63%, Germany 4%, US 3%, Japan 2%, Netherlands Antilles 2%
(1999)

Debt - external:
NA (yearend 2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA; note - substantial annual French subsidies (1995)

Currency:
euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)

Currency code:
EUR; FRF

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Guadeloupe

Telephones - main lines in use:
210,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
323,500 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic facilities inadequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 590; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and
Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
113,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
5 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
118,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.gp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)

Internet users:
20,000 (2002)

Transportation Guadeloupe

Highways: total: 2,467 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1998)

Ports and harbors:
Basse-Terre, Gustavia (on Saint Barthelemy), Marigot, Pointe-a-Pitre

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,240 GRT/109 DWT
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: France 1
by type: passenger 1

Airports:
9 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Guadeloupe

Military branches:
no regular military forces

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Guadeloupe

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Guam

Introduction Guam

Background:
Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by the Japanese
in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The military
installation on the island is one of the most strategically
important US bases in the Pacific.

Geography Guam

Location:
Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of
the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Geographic coordinates:
13 28 N, 144 47 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 549 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 549 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
125.5 km

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

Climate:
tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast
trade winds; dry season from January to June, rainy season from July
to December; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat
coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep
coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in
center, mountains in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m

Natural resources: fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)

Land use: arable land: 9.09% permanent crops: 16.36% other: 74.55% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but
potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December)

Environment - current issues:
extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of
the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species

Geography - note:
largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago;
strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

People Guam

Population:
166,090 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.8% (male 25,577; female 23,850)
15-64 years: 64% (male 54,220; female 52,026)
65 years and over: 6.3% (male 4,912; female 5,505) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 28.2 years
male: 28 years
female: 28.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.5% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
19.31 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.35 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.15 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.12 years
male: 75.08 years
female: 81.34 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.61 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Guamanian(s)
adjective: Guamanian

Ethnic groups:
Chamorro 37%, Filipino 26%, white 10%, Chinese, Japanese, Korean,
and other 27%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)

Languages:
English, Chamorro, Japanese

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1990 est.)

Government Guam

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Guam
conventional short form: Guam
local long form: Guahan

Dependency status:
organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations
between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of
Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Hagatna (Agana)

Administrative divisions:
none (territory of the US)

Independence:
none (territory of the US)

National holiday:
Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)

Constitution:
Organic Act of 1 August 1950

Legal system:
modeled on US; US federal laws apply

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US
presidential elections

Executive branch:
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
2001)
election results: Felix P. P. CAMACHO elected governor; percent of
vote - Felix P. P. CAMACHO (Republican Party) 55.4%, Robert A.
UNDERWOOD (Democratic Party) 44.6%
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for a four-year term; governor and lieutenant governor
elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term;
election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2006)
head of government: Governor Felix P. P. CAMACHO (since 6 January
2003) and Lieutenant Governor Kaleo MOYLAN (since 6 January 2003)
cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with
the consent of the Guam legislature

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November
2004)
note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of
Representatives; election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held
2 November 2004); results - Madeleine BORDALLO (Democratic Party)
was elected as delegate; percent of vote by party - Democratic Party
64.6%, Republican Party 35.4%; seats by party - Democratic Party 1
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
Democratic Party 9, Republican Party 6

Judicial branch:
Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president);
Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by
the governor)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party (controls the legislature) [speaker, Vicente (Ben)
PANGELINAN]; Republican Party (party of Governor CAMACHO) [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU

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

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

Flag description:
territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four
sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse
containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree
with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the
national flag

Economy Guam

Economy - overview:
The economy depends on US military spending, tourism, and the
export of fish and handicrafts. Total US grants, wage payments, and
procurement outlays amounted to $1 billion in 1998. Over the past 20
years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a
construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones.
More than 1 million tourists visit Guam each year. The industry had
recently suffered setbacks because of the continuing Japanese
slowdown; the Japanese normally make up almost 90% of the tourists.
Most food and industrial goods are imported. Guam faces the problem
of building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of
military downsizing.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $3.2 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 15% services: 78% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
23% (2001 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0% (1999 est.)

Labor force:
60,000 (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: private 74% (industry 10%, trade 24%, other services 40%), federal and territorial government 26% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
15% (2000 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $340 million
expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef

Industries:
US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services,
concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
830 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
771.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$38 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products; construction
materials, fish, food and beverage products

Exports - partners:
Japan 70.1%, South Korea 17.9%, Singapore 6% (2003)

Imports:
$462 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Imports - partners:
Singapore 35.8%, Japan 22.2%, South Korea 17.5%, Hong Kong 11.4%
(2003)

Debt - external:
NA (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal Treasury
($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay no income or excise
taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress, the Guam
Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes
paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam
(2001 est.)

Currency:
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications Guam

Telephones - main lines in use:
84,134 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
32,600 (2001)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system, integrated with US facilities
for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers
domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service
and local access to the Internet
international: country code - 1-671; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is
a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and
GTE, linking the US and Asia)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2003)

Radios:
221,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
5 (1997)

Televisions:
106,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.gu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
20 (2000)

Internet users:
50,000 (2002)

Transportation Guam

Highways:
total: 885 km
paved: 675 km
unpaved: 210 km
note: there are also 685 km of roads classified non-public,
including roads located on federal government installations

Ports and harbors:
Apra Harbor

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
5 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Guam

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Guam

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Guatemala

Introduction Guatemala

Background:
The Maya civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding
regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost three
centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence in
1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a
variety of military and civilian governments as well as a 36-year
guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement
formally ending the conflict, which had led to the death of more
than 100,000 people and had created some 1 million refugees.

Geography Guatemala

Location:
Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El
Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean
Sea) between Honduras and Belize

Geographic coordinates:
15 30 N, 90 15 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 108,890 sq km
water: 460 sq km
land: 108,430 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
total: 1,687 km
border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256
km, Mexico 962 km

Coastline:
400 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Terrain:
mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone
plateau (Peten)

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 12.54% permanent crops: 5.03% other: 82.43% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent
earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and
other tropical storms

Environment - current issues:
deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution

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

Geography - note: no natural harbors on west coast

People Guatemala

Population:
14,280,596 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.6% (male 3,118,396; female 2,970,729)
15-64 years: 54% (male 3,898,939; female 3,817,435)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 221,154; female 253,943) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.4 years
male: 18.1 years
female: 18.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.61% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
34.58 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.79 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 36.91 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 36.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 37.71 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.19 years
male: 64.3 years
female: 66.13 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.6 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
78,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
5,800 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Guatemalan(s)
adjective: Guatemalan

Ethnic groups:
Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish or assimilated Amerindian - in
local Spanish called Ladino), approximately 55%, Amerindian or
predominantly Amerindian, approximately 43%, whites and others 2%

Religions:
Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs

Languages:
Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized
Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam,
Garifuna, and Xinca)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70.6%
male: 78%
female: 63.3% (2003 est.)

Government Guatemala

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

Government type:
constitutional democratic republic

Capital:
Guatemala

Administrative divisions:
22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Alta
Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso,
Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten,
Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa
Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa

Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended 25 May
1993 by former President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following
ouster of president; amended November 1993

Legal system:
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the armed forces
may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day)

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo (since
14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas (since 14
January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo
(since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas
(since 14 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 9 November 2003; runoff held 28 December 2003
(next to be held NA November 2007)
election results: Oscar BERGER Perdomo elected president; percent of
vote - Oscar BERGER Perdomo (GANA) 54.1%, Alvaro COLOM (UNE) 45.9%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica
(158 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms)
elections: last held 9 November 2003 (next to be held NA November
2007)
note: for the 9 November 2003 election, the number of congressional
seats increased from 113 to 158
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
GANA 49, FRG 41, UNE 33, PAN 17, other 18

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitutcionalidad is Guatemala's
highest court (five judges are elected for concurrent five-year
terms by Congress, each serving one year as president of the
Constitutional Court; one is elected by Congress, one elected by the
Supreme Court of Justice, one appointed by the President, one
elected by Superior Counsel of Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala,
and one by Colegio de Abogados); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte
Suprema de Justicia (thirteen members serve concurrent five-year
terms and elect a president of the Court each year from among their
number; the president of the Supreme Court of Justice also
supervises trial judges around the country, who are named to
five-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
Authentic Integral Development or DIA [Eduardo SUGER]; Democratic
Union or UD [Rodolfo PAIZ Andrade]; Grand National Alliance or GANA
[Oscar BERGER Perdomo]; Green Party or LOV [Rodolfo ROSALES
Garcis-Salaz]; Guatemalan Christian Democracy or DCG [Vinicio CEREZO
Arevalo]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Alba
ESTELA Maldonado, secretary general]; Guatemalan Republican Front or
FRG [Efrain RIOS Montt]; Movement for Guatemalan Unity or MGU
[Jacobo ARBENZ Villanueva]; Movement for Principals and Values or
MPV [Francisco BIANCHI]; National Advancement Party or PAN [Leonel
LOPEZ Rodas, secretary general]; National Unity for Hope or UNE
[Alvarado COLOM Caballeros]; New Nation Alliance or ANN, formed by
an alliance of DIA, URNG, and several splinter groups most of whom
subsequently defected [led by three co-equal partners - Nineth
Varenca MONTENEGRO Cottom, Rodolfo BAUER Paiz, and Jorge Antonio
BALSELLS TUT]; Patriot Party or PP [retired General Otto PEREZ
Molina]; Progressive Liberator Party or PLP [Acisclo VALLADARES
Molina]; Reform Movement or MR [Alfredo SKINNER-KLEE, secretary
general]; Unionista Party [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity or AAI;
Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee of
Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations or
CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM

International organization participation:
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM,
OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Guillermo CASTILLO chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908 telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John R. HAMILTON embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City mailing address: APO AA 34024 telephone: [502] 2331-1541/55 FAX: [502] 2334-8477

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and
light blue with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the
coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird)
and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE
1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposed
on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed swords and framed
by a wreath

Economy Guatemala

Economy - overview:
Guatemala is the largest and most populous of the Central American
countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of Brazil,
Argentina, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for about
one-fourth of GDP, two-thirds of exports, and half of the labor
force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. The 1996
signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed
a major obstacle to foreign investment, but widespread political
violence and corruption scandals continue to dampen investor
confidence. The distribution of income remains highly unequal, with
perhaps 75% of the population below the poverty line. Ongoing
challenges include increasing government revenues, negotiating
further assistance from international donors, upgrading both
government and private financial operations, curtailing drug
trafficking, and narrowing the trade deficit.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $56.5 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,100 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22.5% industry: 18.9% services: 58.5% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
15.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
75% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 46% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
55.8 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
3.84 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 50%, industry 15%, services 35% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
7.5% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.741 billion
expenditures: $3.316 billion, including capital expenditures of $750
million (2003 est.)

Public debt:
30.8% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep,
pigs, chickens

Industries:
sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum,
metals, rubber, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
4.1% (1999)

Electricity - production:
6.237 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
5.559 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
336 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
95 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
21,080 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
61,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
263 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.543 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-1.106 billion (2003)

Exports:
$2.763 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coffee, sugar, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom, meat,
apparel, petroleum, electricity

Exports - partners:
US 56.7%, El Salvador 10.8%, Nicaragua 3.6% (2003)

Imports:
$5.749 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials,
grain, fertilizers, electricity

Imports - partners:
US 34.1%, Mexico 8.8%, South Korea 7.8%, El Salvador 6.4%, China
4.6% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$2.843 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$4.957 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$250 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed

Currency code:
GTQ; USD

Exchange rates:
quetzales per US dollar - 7.9409 (2003), 7.8216 (2002), 7.8586
(2001), 7.7632 (2000), 7.3856 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Guatemala

Telephones - main lines in use:
846,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,577,100 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the city of
Guatemala
domestic: NA
international: country code - 502; connected to Central American
Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000)

Radios:
835,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
1.323 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.gt

Internet hosts:
20,360 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2000)

Internet users:
400,000 (2002)

Transportation Guatemala

Railways: total: 886 km narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 14,118 km
paved: 4,871 km (including 74 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,247 km (1999)

Waterways:
990 km
note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable
during high-water season (2004)

Pipelines:
oil 480 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Champerico, Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, San Jose, Santo Tomas
de Castilla

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
452 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 441
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 109
under 914 m: 323 (2004 est.)

Military Guatemala

Military branches:
Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 30 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 3,421,682 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,233,562 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 156,865 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$202.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.8% (2003)

Transnational Issues Guatemala

Disputes - international:
Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in Belize border region;
OAS brokered Differendum in 2002 creating small adjustment to land
boundary, large Guatemalan maritime corridor in Caribbean, joint
ecological park for disputed Sapodilla Cays, and substantial US-UK
financial package, but agreement was not brought to popular
referendum leaving Guatemala to continue to claim the southern half
of Belize intact; numbers of Guatemalans enter Mexico seeking work
or transit to the US

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 250,000 (government's scorched-earth offensive in 1980s
against indigenous people) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
major transit country for cocaine and heroin; minor producer of
illicit opium poppy and cannabis for mostly domestic consumption;
proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs
(particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a serious problem;
corruption is a major problem; remains on Financial Action Task
Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for continued
failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering control regime

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Guernsey

Introduction Guernsey

Background:
The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the
last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held sway
in both France and England. The islands were the only British soil
occupied by German troops in World War II.

Geography Guernsey

Location:
Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates:
49 28 N, 2 35 W

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 78 sq km
note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other
smaller islands
water: 0 sq km
land: 78 sq km

Area - comparative:
about one-half the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
50 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:
temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are
overcast

Terrain:
mostly level with low hills in southwest

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m

Natural resources: cropland

Land use: arable land: NA permanent crops: NA other: NA (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

People Guernsey

Population:
65,031 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.6% (male 5,161; female 5,013)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 21,497; female 21,897)
65 years and over: 17.6% (male 4,812; female 6,651) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 40.6 years
male: 39.6 years
female: 41.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.31% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
9.16 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
9.87 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
3.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.78 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 5.35 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.17 years
male: 77.17 years
female: 83.27 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.38 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic groups:
UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other
European countries

Religions:
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational,
Methodist

Languages:
English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts

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

Government Guernsey

Country name:
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
conventional short form: Guernsey

Dependency status:
British crown dependency

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Saint Peter Port

Administrative divisions:
none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 10 parishes including Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson, Vale,
Castel, Saint Saviour, Saint Pierre du Bois, Torteval, Forest, Saint
Martin, Saint Andrew

Independence:
none (British crown dependency)

National holiday:
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution:
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system:
English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal
Court

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Lt. Gen.
Sir John FOLEY (since NA 2000)
election results: Laurie MORGAN elected chief minister, percent of
vote of the States of Deliberation NA
elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed
by the monarch; chief minister is elected by States of Delibertion
head of government: Chief Minister Laurie MORGAN (since 1 May 2004)
cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation

Legislative branch:
unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members are elected by
popular vote for 4 years); note - Alderney and Sark have their own
parliaments
elections: last held 21 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2008)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents

Judicial branch:
Royal Court

Political parties and leaders:
none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (British crown dependency)

Flag description:
white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England)
extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross of
William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross

Economy Guernsey

Economy - overview:
Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance, etc. -
account for about 55% of total income in this tiny Channel Island
economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes
and cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and death duties
make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic integration
of the EU nations is changing the environment under which Guernsey
operates.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.7% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $20,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3%
industry: 10%
services: 87% (2000)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

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

Labor force:
31,320 (2000)

Unemployment rate:
0.5% (1999 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $381.3 million
expenditures: $368.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit;
Guernsey cattle

Industries:
tourism, banking

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

Exports:
NA

Exports - commodities:
tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other
vegetables

Exports - partners:
UK (regarded as internal trade)

Imports:
NA

Imports - commodities:
coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners:
UK (regarded as internal trade)

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency:
British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound

Currency code:
GBP

Exchange rates:
Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001),
0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); note - the Guernsey
pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Guernsey

Telephones - main lines in use:
55,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
31,500 (2001)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: 1 submarine cable

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

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.gg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Guernsey

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors:
Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
2 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Guernsey

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Guernsey

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Guinea

Introduction Guinea

Background:
Guinea has had only two presidents since gaining its independence
from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in 1984, when the
military seized the government after the death of the first
president Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic elections
until 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military government) was
elected president of the civilian government. He was reelected in
1998 and again in 2003. Unrest in Sierra Leone and Liberia has
spilled over into Guinea on several occasions over the past decade,
threatening stability and creating humanitarian emergencies.

Geography Guinea

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates:
11 00 N, 10 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 245,857 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 245,857 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 3,399 km border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km

Coastline: 320 km

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

Climate:
generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to
November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May)
with northeasterly harmattan winds

Terrain:
generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Natural resources: bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish

Land use: arable land: 3.63% permanent crops: 2.58% other: 93.79% (2001)

Irrigated land:
950 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry
season

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water;
desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing,
overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to
environmental damage

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

Geography - note:
the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources
in the Guinean highlands

People Guinea

Population:
9,246,462 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.4% (male 2,075,652; female 2,032,936)
15-64 years: 52.4% (male 2,417,440; female 2,428,085)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 127,654; female 164,695) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.7 years
male: 17.4 years
female: 17.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.37% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
42.26 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
15.53 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-3.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: as a result of conflict in neighboring countries, Guinea is
host to approximately 150,000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees
(2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 91.82 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 86.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 97.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 49.7 years
male: 48.45 years
female: 50.99 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.87 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
140,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
9,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, yellow fever, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Guinean(s)
adjective: Guinean

Ethnic groups:
Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%

Religions:
Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%

Languages:
French (official), each ethnic group has its own language

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 35.9%
male: 49.9%
female: 21.9% (1995 est.)

Government Guinea

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Guinea
conventional short form: Guinea
local short form: Guinee
former: French Guinea
local long form: Republique de Guinee

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Conakry

Administrative divisions:
33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla, Boffa,
Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah,
Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia,
Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola,
Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri, Telimele,
Tougue, Yomou

Independence:
2 October 1958 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 2 October (1958)

Constitution:
23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Legal system:
based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legal
codes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of military
government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Cellou Dalein DIALLO (since 9
December 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected
president; election last held 21 December 2003 (next to be held NA
December 2008); the prime minister is appointed by the president
election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote
- Lansana CONTE (PUP) 95.3%, Mamadou Boye BARRY (UPR) 4.6%

Legislative branch:
unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 30 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%,
other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or PDG-RDA [El
Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; National Union for Progress or
UPN [Mamadou Bhoye BARRY]; Party for Unity and Progress or PUP
[Lansana CONTE] - the governing party; People's Party of Guinea or
PPG [Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha
CONDE]; Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR [Siradiou DIALLO];
Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE,
secretary-general]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN,
UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rafiou Alpha Oumar BARRY FAX: [1] (202) 478-3010 telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300 chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Barrie R. WALKLEY embassy: Rue Ka 038, Conakry mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry telephone: [224] 41 15 20, 41 15 21, 41 15 23 FAX: [224] 41 15 22

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green;
uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Guinea

Economy - overview:
Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural
resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country
possesses over 30% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the
second-largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for
about 75% of exports in 1999. Long-run improvements in government
fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if
the country is to move out of poverty. Fighting along the Sierra
Leonean and Liberian borders, as well as refugee movements, have
caused major economic disruptions, including a loss in investor
confidence. Foreign mining companies have reduced expatriate staff,
while panic buying has created food shortages and inflation in local
markets. Guinea is not receiving multilateral aid. The IMF and World
Bank cut off most assistance in 2003. Growth should strengthen in
2004, however, because of a slowly improving security situation and
increased investor confidence.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $19.02 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 24.9% industry: 38.2% services: 36.9% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
21.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
40% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 32% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40.3 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
14.8% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
3 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $410.7 million
expenditures: $708.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
million (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas,
sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber

Industries:
bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light manufacturing and
agricultural processing industries

Industrial production growth rate:
3.2% (1994)

Electricity - production:
790.6 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
735.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
8,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-252 million (2003)

Exports:
$726 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural
products

Exports - partners:
South Korea 14.8%, Spain 10.7%, US 10.1%, France 9.2%, Russia 9%,
Ireland 7.9%, Belgium 6.4%, Germany 5.6%, Ukraine 5.3% (2003)

Imports:
$646 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment,
textiles, grain and other foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
France 16.8%, China 9.3%, Belgium 7.1%, Italy 6.6%, Netherlands
5.4%, UK 5.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.8%, US 4.5% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$191 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$3.25 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$359.2 million (1998)

Currency:
Guinean franc (GNF)

Currency code:
GNF

Exchange rates:
Guinean francs per US dollar - NA (2003), 1,975.84 (2002), 1,950.56
(2001), 1,746.87 (2000), 1,387.4 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use:
26,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
111,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines, small
radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relay
system
domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication
international: country code - 224; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4 (one station is inactive), FM 1 (plus 7 repeaters), shortwave
3 (2001)

Radios:
357,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
6 low-power stations (2001)

Televisions:
85,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.gn

Internet hosts:
380 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
4 (2001)

Internet users:
40,000 (2003)

Transportation Guinea

Railways:
total: 837 km
standard gauge: 175 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 662 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 30,500 km
paved: 5,033 km
unpaved: 25,467 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
1,295 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft) (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Boke, Conakry, Kamsar

Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,344 GRT/5,003 DWT
by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: Iraq 1 (2003 est.)

Airports:
16 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Guinea

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential Guard,
National Gendarmerie, General Directorate of National Police

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service
obligation - 2 years (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,108,948 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,064,965 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$58.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.7% (2003)

Transnational Issues Guinea

Disputes - international:
domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups in Guinea, domestic
fighting among disparate rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in
Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have created insurgencies, street
violence, looting, arms trafficking, ethnic conflicts skirmishes,
deaths, and refugees in border areas; in 2003, Guinea and Sierra
Leone established a boundary commission to resolve a dispute over
the town of Yenga

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 133,175 (Liberia), 13,633 (Sierra
Leone), 7,064 (Cote d'Ivoire)
IDPs: 100,000 (cross-border incursions from Liberia, Sierra Leone,
Cote d'Ivoire) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Guinea-Bissau

Introduction Guinea-Bissau

Background:
Since independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has
experienced considerable upheaval. The founding government consisted
of a single party system and command economy. In 1980, a military
coup established Joao VIEIRA as president and a path to a market
economy and multiparty system was implemented. A number of coup
attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him and
in 1994 he was elected president in the country's first free
elections. A military coup attempt and civil war in 1998 eventually
led to VIERA's ouster in 1999. In February 2000, an interim
government turned over power when opposition leader Kumba YALA took
office following two rounds of transparent presidential elections.
YALA was ousted in a bloodless coup in September 2003, and Henrique
ROSA was sworn in as President. Guinea-Bissau's transition back to
democracy will be complicated by its crippled economy, devastated in
the civil war.

Geography Guinea-Bissau

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea
and Senegal

Geographic coordinates:
12 00 N, 15 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 36,120 sq km
water: 8,120 sq km
land: 28,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 724 km border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km

Coastline: 350 km

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

Climate:
tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season
(June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to
May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

Terrain:
mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the
country 300 m

Natural resources:
fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, unexploited deposits of petroleum

Land use: arable land: 10.67% permanent crops: 8.82% other: 80.51% (2001)

Irrigated land:
170 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry
season; brush fires

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying
further inland

People Guinea-Bissau

Population:
1,388,363 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 41.7% (male 288,760; female 289,975)
15-64 years: 55.4% (male 367,728; female 400,996)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 17,570; female 23,334) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.9 years
male: 18.3 years
female: 19.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.99% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
38.03 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
16.57 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 108.72 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 97.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 119.37 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 46.98 years
male: 45.09 years
female: 48.92 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
10% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
17,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,200 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, yellow fever, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Guinean(s)
adjective: Guinean

Ethnic groups:
African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%,
Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%

Languages:
Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42.4%
male: 58.1%
female: 27.4% (2003 est.)

Government Guinea-Bissau

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau
conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau
local short form: Guine-Bissau
local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau
former: Portuguese Guinea

Government type:
republic, multiparty since mid-1991

Capital:
Bissau

Administrative divisions:
9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau,
Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note - Bolama may have
been renamed Bolama/Bijagos

Independence:
24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by Guinea-Bissau); 10
September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

Constitution:
16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993,
9 June 1993, and 1996

Legal system:
NA

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Henrique ROSA (interim; since 28
September 2003); note - a September 2003 coup overthrew the elected
government of Kumba YALA; General Verissimo Correia SEABRA served as
interim president from 14 to 28 September 2003
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 28 November 1999 and 16 January 2000 (next to be
held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president after
consultation with party leaders in the legislature
note: a bloodless coup led to the dissolution of the elected
government of Kumba YALA in September 2003; General Verissimo
Correia SEABRA served as interim president from 14 September 2003
until stepping aside on 28 September 2003 with the establishment of
a caretaker government
election results: Kumba YALA elected president; percent of vote,
second ballot - Kumba YALA (PRS) 72%, Malan Bacai SANHA (PAIGC) 28%
cabinet: NA
head of government: Prime Minister Carlos GOMES Junior (since 9 May
2004)

Legislative branch:
unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional
Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve a
maximum of four years); note - President YALA dissolved the National
People's Assembly in November 2002, elections for a new legislature
were scheduled to fall in February 2003 but were then postponed to
April, then July, then September, and were last scheduled to occur
in March 2004
elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAIGC 31.5%, PRS 24.8%,
PUSD 16.1%, UE 4.1%, APU 1.3%, 13 other parties 22.2% ; seats by
party - PAIGC 45, PRS 35, PUSD 17, UE 2, APU 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists of nine
justices who are appointed by the president and serve at his
pleasure; final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases);
Regional Courts (one in each of nine regions; first court of appeals
for Sectoral Court decisions; hear all felony cases and civil cases
valued at over $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not
necessarily trained lawyers; they hear civil cases under $1,000 and
misdemeanor criminal cases)

Political parties and leaders:
African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde
or PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Front for the Liberation and
Independence of Guinea or FLING [Francois MENDY]; Guinea-Bissau
Resistance-Ba Fata Movement or RGB-MB [Helder Vaz LOPES]; Guinean
Civic Forum or FCG [Antonieta Rosa GOMES]; International League for
Ecological Protection or LIPE [Alhaje Bubacar DJALO, president];
National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Abubacer BALDE,
secretary general]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Victor
MANDINGA]; Social Renovation Party or PRS [Kumba YALA]; Union for
Change or UM [Jorge MANDINGA, president, Dr. Anne SAAD, secretary
general]; United Platform or UP [coalition formed by PCD, FDS,
FLING, and RGB-MB]; United Social Democratic Party or PUSD
[Francisco Jose FADUL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Henrique
Adriano DA SILVA
chancery: 1511 K Street NW, Suite 519, Washington, DC 20005
FAX: [1] (202) 347-3954
telephone: [1] (202) 347-3950

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of
violent conflict between forces loyal to then President VIEIRA and
military-led junta; US embassy Dakar is responsible for covering
Guinea-Bissau: telephone - [221] 823-4296; FAX - [221] 822-5903

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a
vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed
star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors
of Ethiopia

Economy Guinea-Bissau

Economy - overview:
One of the 10 poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau depends
mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops have increased
remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks sixth in
cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood along with
small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice is the
major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting between
Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta destroyed
much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread damage to
the economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in GDP that
year, with partial recovery in 1999-2002. Before the war, trade
reform and price liberalization were the most successful part of the
country's structural adjustment program under IMF sponsorship. The
tightening of monetary policy and the development of the private
sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy. Because of high
costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and other mineral
resources is not a near-term prospect. However, unexploited offshore
oil reserves could provide much-needed revenue in the long run. The
inequality of income distribution is one of the most extreme in the
world. The government and international donors continue to work out
plans to forward economic development from a lamentably low base.
Government drift and indecision, however, have resulted in low
growth in 2002-03 and dim prospects for 2004.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.063 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 62%
industry: 12%
services: 26% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 42.4% (1991)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
480,000 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 82% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA (1998)

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

Agriculture - products:
rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm
kernels, cotton; timber; fish

Industries:
agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Industrial production growth rate:
2.6% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
55 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
51.15 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
2,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$54 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber

Exports - partners:
India 76.8%, Nigeria 12.1%, Italy 5.1% (2003)

Imports:
$104 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
Senegal 18.1%, India 14.6%, Portugal 14.6%, China 9.7%, Italy 9%,
Spain 4.9% (2003)

Debt - external:
$941.5 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$115.4 million (1995)

Currency:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
authority is the Central Bank of the West African States; previously
the Guinea-Bissau peso (GWP) was used

Currency code:
XOF; GWP

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 581.2
(2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699
(1999)
note: as of 1 May 1997, Guinea-Bissau adopted the XOF franc as the
national currency; since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc is pegged to
the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Guinea-Bissau

Telephones - main lines in use:
10,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,300 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: small system
domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines,
radiotelephone, and cellular communications
international: country code - 245

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios:
49,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
NA (1997)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.gw

Internet hosts:
2 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2002)

Internet users:
19,000 (2003)

Transportation Guinea-Bissau

Highways: total: 4,400 km paved: 453 km unpaved: 3,947 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
4 largest rivers are navigable for some distance; many inlets and
creeks give shallow-water access to much of interior (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
28 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 25
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Military Guinea-Bissau

Military branches:
People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes Army, Navy, and
Air Force), paramilitary force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 326,864 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 185,801 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$8.4 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.8% (2003)

Transnational Issues Guinea-Bissau

Disputes - international:
attempts to stem refugees and cross-border raids, arms smuggling,
and political instability from a separatist movement in Senegal's
Casamance region

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Guyana

Introduction Guyana

Background:
Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had
become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to black
settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured servants
from India to work the sugar plantations. This ethnocultural divide
has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved
independence from the UK in 1966, but until the early 1990s it was
ruled mostly by socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, Cheddi
JAGAN was elected president, in what is considered the country's
first free and fair election since independence. Upon his death five
years later, he was succeeded by his wife Janet, who resigned in
1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was
reelected in 2001.

Geography Guyana

Location:
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Suriname and Venezuela

Geographic coordinates:
5 00 N, 59 00 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 214,970 sq km
water: 18,120 sq km
land: 196,850 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Idaho

Land boundaries: total: 2,462 km border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km

Coastline:
459 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental
margin

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy
seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)

Terrain:
mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m

Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish

Land use: arable land: 2.44% permanent crops: 0.15% other: 97.41% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons

Environment - current issues:
water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial
chemicals; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber
83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname and
Uruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern territories
are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively

People Guyana

Population:
705,803
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.5% (male 95,431; female 91,806)
15-64 years: 68.3% (male 243,224; female 239,047)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 16,000; female 20,295) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 26.2 years
male: 25.6 years
female: 26.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.61% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
17.85 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
9.71 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-2.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 37.22 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 32.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 41.28 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.43 years
male: 60.12 years
female: 64.84 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.06 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
2.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
11,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Guyanese

Ethnic groups:
East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese, and
mixed 7%

Religions:
Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5%

Languages:
English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98.8%
male: 99.1%
female: 98.5% (2003 est.)

Government Guyana

Country name:
conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana
conventional short form: Guyana
former: British Guiana

Government type:
republic within the Commonwealth

Capital:
Georgetown

Administrative divisions:
10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, East
Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice,
Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, Upper
Takutu-Upper Essequibo

Independence:
26 May 1966 (from UK)

National holiday:
Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Constitution:
6 October 1980

Legal system:
based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch
law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999);
note - assumed presidency after resignation of President Janet JAGAN
head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since NA December
1997)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president,
responsible to the legislature
elections: president elected by the majority party in the National
Assembly following legislative elections, which must be held at
least every five years; elections last held 19 March 2001 (next to
be held by March 2006); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent of
legislative vote - NA

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (68 seats, 65 elected by popular vote,
1 elected Speaker of the National Assembly, and 2 nonvoting members
appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 19 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
PPP/C 34, PNC 27, GAP and WPA 2, ROAR 1, TUF 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Judicature; Judicial Court of Appeal; High Court

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Guyana or AFG (includes Guyana Labor Party or GLP and
Working People's Alliance or WPA) [Rupert ROOPNARAINE]; Guyana
Action Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Guyana Labor Party or GLP [leader
NA]; People's National Congress or PNC/R [Robert Herman Orlando
CORBIN]; People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat JAGDEO];
Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi DEV]; The United Force or
TUF [Manzoor NADIR]; Working People's Alliance or WPA [Rupert
ROOPNARAINE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Civil Liberties Action Committee or CLAC; Guyana Council of Indian
Organizations or GCIO; Trades Union Congress or TUC
note: the GCIO and the CLAC are small and active but not well
organized

International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Bayney KARRAN
chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297
telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Roland BULLEN
embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown
mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown
telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909
FAX: [592] 225-8497

Flag description:
green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side)
superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow, black
border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white border
between the yellow and the green

Economy Guyana

Economy - overview:
The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in 2001-02,
based on expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors, a more
favorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more realistic
exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continued support of
international organizations. Growth then slowed in 2003. Chronic
problems include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficient
infrastructure. The government is juggling a sizable external debt
against the urgent need for expanded public investment. The bauxite
mining sector should benefit in the near term by restructuring and
partial privatization.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $2.797 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 37.2% industry: 22.7% services: 40.1% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
38.5% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
418,000 (2001 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
9.1% (understated) (2000)

Budget:
revenues: $263.4 million
expenditures: $326.7 million, including capital expenditures of
$93.4 million (2003)

Agriculture - products: sugar, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish (shrimp)

Industries:
bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate:
7.1% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
852 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
792.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-158 million (2003)

Exports:
$512 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber

Exports - partners:
Canada 23.2%, US 21.8%, UK 13.5%, Portugal 6.7%, Belgium 6.5%,
Jamaica 6.1% (2003)

Imports:
$612 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food

Imports - partners:
US 22.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 19.2%, Italy 11.2%, UK 7.2%, Cuba
5.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$257 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.2 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
$84 million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC)
$253 million (1997) (2000 est.)

Currency:
Guyanese dollar (GYD)

Currency code:
GYD

Exchange rates:
Guyanese dollars per US dollar - NA (2003), 190.665 (2002), 187.321
(2001), 182.43 (2000), 177.995 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Guyana

Telephones - main lines in use:
80,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
87,300 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fair system for long-distance calling
domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines
international: country code - 592; tropospheric scatter to Trinidad;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
420,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (one public station; two private stations which relay US satellite services) (1997)

Televisions:
46,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.gy

Internet hosts:
613 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)

Internet users:
125,000 (2002)

Transportation Guyana

Railways:
total: 187 km
standard gauge: 139 km 1.435-m gauge
note: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.)
narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge

Highways:
total: 7,970 km
paved: 590 km
unpaved: 7,380 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
1,077 km
note: Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by
oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika

Merchant marine:
total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,475 GRT/8,758 DWT
foreign-owned: Barbados 1, Panama 1
registered in other countries: 8 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 3, container 1, refrigerated cargo 1

Airports:
49 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 41 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 32 (2004 est.)

Military Guyana

Military branches:
Guyana Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Corps; Guyana
People's Militia

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 209,545 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 157,264 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$6.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.8% (2003)

Transnational Issues Guyana

Disputes - international:
all of the area west of the Essequibo (river) is claimed by
Venezuela preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana
has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims
before UNCLOS that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with
Venezuela extends into their waters; Suriname claims a triangle of
land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute
over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks UNCLOS
arbitration to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over
the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich
waters

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarily
Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Haiti

Introduction Haiti

Background:
The native Arawak Amerindians - who inhabited the island of
Hispaniola when it was discovered by Columbus in 1492 - were
virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the
early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola,
and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the
island - Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and
sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the
Caribbean, but only through the heavy importation of African slaves
and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18th
century, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint
L'OUVERTURE and after a prolonged struggle, became the first black
republic to declare its independence in 1804. Haiti has been plagued
by political violence for most of its history. It is the poorest
country in the Western Hemisphere.

Geography Haiti

Location:
Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between
the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the
Dominican Republic

Geographic coordinates:
19 00 N, 72 25 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 27,750 sq km
land: 27,560 sq km
water: 190 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km

Coastline: 1,771 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Terrain:
mostly rough and mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m

Natural resources: bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 28.3% permanent crops: 11.61% other: 60.09% (2001)

Irrigated land:
750 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe
storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes;
periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is
being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion;
inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes

Geography - note:
shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western
one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)

People Haiti

Population:
7,656,166
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.2% (male 1,646,216; female 1,583,294)
15-64 years: 54.1% (male 2,018,914; female 2,124,287)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 133,241; female 150,214) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.1 years
male: 17.6 years
female: 18.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.71% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
33.76 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
13.21 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-3.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 74.38 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 68.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 79.83 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 51.78 years
male: 50.52 years
female: 53.12 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.76 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
5.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
280,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
24,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Haitian(s) adjective: Haitian

Ethnic groups:
black 95%, mulatto and white 5%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%,
Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982)
note: roughly half of the population practices Voodoo

Languages:
French (official), Creole (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 52.9%
male: 54.8%
female: 51.2% (2003 est.)

Government Haiti

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Haiti
conventional short form: Haiti
local short form: Haiti
local long form: Republique d'Haiti

Government type:
elected government

Capital:
Port-au-Prince

Administrative divisions:
9 departments (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite,
Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est

Independence:
1 January 1804 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 January (1804)

Constitution:
approved March 1987; suspended June 1988 with most articles
reinstated March 1989; in October 1991 government claimed to be
observing the constitution; returned to constitutional rule in
October 1994

Legal system:
based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Interim President Boniface ALEXANDRE (since 29
February 2004)
note: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE resigned as president on 29 February
2004; ALEXANDRE, as Chief of the Supreme Court, constitutionally
succeeded Aristide
head of government: Interim Prime Minister Gerald LATORTUE (since 12
March 2004), chosen by extraconstitutional Council of Eminent
Persons representing cross-section of political and civic interests
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with
the president
election results: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE elected president; percent
of vote - Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 92%
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held in November
2005); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by the
National Assembly

Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the
Senate (27 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year
terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of
Deputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms); note - the National Assembly stopped functioning
in January 2004 when the terms of all Deputies and two-thirds of
sitting Senators expired; no replacements have been elected; the
Prime Minister is currently ruling by decree
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - FL 26, independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
by party - NA%; seats by party - FL 73, MOCHRENA 3, PLB 2, OPL 1,
vacant 1, other minor parties and independents 3
elections: Senate - last held for two-thirds of seats 21 May 2000
with runoffs on 9 July boycotted by the opposition; seven seats
still disputed; election for remaining one-third held on 26 November
2000 (next to be held in 2004); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21
May 2000 with runoffs on 30 July boycotted by the opposition; one
vacant seat rerun 26 November 2000 (next to be held in November 2005)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or ALAH
[Reynold GEORGES]; Assembly of Progressive National Democrats or
RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Convention for Democratic Unity or KID
[leader Evans PAUL]; Democratic Convergence (opposition coalition
composed of KID, KONAKOM, OPL, PANPRA, RNDP, MIDH, and MOCHRENA)
[Evans PAUL, Victor BENOIT, Edgard LEBLANC, Serge GILLES, Leslie
MANIGAT, Marc BAZIN, Luc MESADIEU]; Democratic Movement for the
Liberation of Haiti or MODELH [Francois LATORTUE]; Grand Center
Right Front coalition (composed of MDN, MRN, and PDCH) [Hubert de
RONCERAY, Jean BUTEAU, Osner FEVRY and Marie-Denise CLAUDE]; Haitian
Christian Democratic Party or PDCH [Osner FEVRY and Marie-Denise
CLAUDE]; Haitian Democratic Party or PADEMH [Clark PARENT]; Haitian
Democratic and Reform Movement or MODEREH [Dany TOUSSAINT and Pierre
Soncon PRINCE]; Heads Together [Dr. Gerard BLOT]; Lavalas Family or
FL [Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE]; Liberal Party of Haiti or PLH [Michael
MADSEN]; Mobilization for National Development or MDN [Hubert DE
RONCERAY]; Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN [Jean
BUTEAU]; Movement for the Installation of Democracy in Haiti or MIDH
[Marc BAZIN]; National Front for the Reconstruction of Haiti or FRON
[Guy PHILIPPE and Winter ETIENNE]; National Progressive Democratic
Party or PNDPH [Turneb DELPE]; New Christian Movement for a New
Haiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Popular Party for the Renewal of
Haiti, or Generation 2000 [Claude ROMAIN and Daniel SUPPLICE];
Struggling People's Organization or OPL [Edgard LEBLANC]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Autonomous Organizations of Haitian Workers or CATH [Fignole
ST-CYR]; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation of
Workers Trade Unions or FOS; Group of 184 Civil Society
Organization, or G-184 [Andy APAID]; National Popular Assembly or
APN; Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP [Chavannes JEAN-BAPTISTE];
Popular Organizations Gathering Power or PROP; Roman Catholic Church

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, Caricom, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, MIGA, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Raymond JOSEPH (as of November
2004)
chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan
(Puerto Rico)
FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215
telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James B. FOLEY embassy: 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince telephone: [509] 222-0354, 222-0269, 222-0200, 222-0327 FAX: [509] 223-1641 or 222-0200 ext 460

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered
white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree
flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto
L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)

Economy Haiti

Economy - overview:
In this poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, 80% of the
population lives in abject poverty. Two-thirds of all Haitians
depend on the agriculture sector, which consists mainly of
small-scale subsistence farming. Following legislative elections in
May 2000, fraught with irregularities, international donors -
including the US and EU - suspended almost all aid to Haiti. The
economy shrank an estimated 1.2% in 2001 and an estimated 0.9% in
2002. Suspended aid and loan disbursements totaled more than $500
million at the start of 2003. Haiti also suffers from rampant
inflation, a lack of investment, and a severe trade deficit. The
resumption of aid flows from all donors will alleviate but not end
the nation's bitter economic problems. Extensive civil strife in
early 2004, marked by the flight of President ARISTIDE, further
impoverished Haiti.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $12.3 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 20% services: 50% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
80% (2003 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
37.8% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 3.6 million note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1995)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 66%, industry 9%, services 25%

Unemployment rate:
widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds
of the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $231.6 million
expenditures: $366.7 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum, wood

Industries:
sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light assembly
industries based on imported parts

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
580 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
539.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-48 million (2003)

Exports:
$321 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
manufactures, coffee, oils, cocoa

Exports - partners:
US 83.8%, Dominican Republic 6.5%, Canada 3.2% (2003)

Imports:
$1.028 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, fuels,
raw materials

Imports - partners:
US 53.5%, Dominican Republic 5.9%, Colombia 2.9% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$73 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.2 billion (1999)

Economic aid - recipient:
$120 million (FY02)

Currency:
gourde (HTG)

Currency code:
HTG

Exchange rates:
gourdes per US dollar - 40.5 (2003), 29.2505 (2002), 24.4291
(2001), 21.1707 (2000), 16.9379 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications Haiti

Telephones - main lines in use:
130,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
140,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate;
international facilities slightly better
domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service
international: country code - 509; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)

Radios:
415,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)

Televisions:
38,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ht

Internet hosts:
NA

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)

Internet users:
80,000 (2002)

Transportation Haiti

Highways: total: 4,160 km paved: 1,011 km unpaved: 3,149 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Les Cayes, Miragoane,
Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
12 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Military Haiti

Military branches:
Haitian National Police (HNP)
note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been
demobilized but still exist on paper until or unless they are
constitutionally abolished

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary recruitment into the police force (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,792,112 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 975,341 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 97,429 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$25.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Haiti

Disputes - international:
despite efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians fleeing
economic privation and civil unrest continue to cross into Dominican
Republic and to sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claims
US-administered Navassa Island

Illicit drugs:
major Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US
and Europe; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian
narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial
transactions; pervasive corruption

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Introduction Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Background:
These uninhabited, barren, sub-Antarctic islands were transferred
from the UK to Australia in 1947. Populated by large numbers of seal
and bird species, the islands have been designated a nature preserve.

Geography Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Location:
islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from
Madagascar to Antarctica

Geographic coordinates:
53 06 S, 72 31 E

Map references:
Antarctic Region

Area:
total: 412 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 412 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
101.9 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
antarctic

Terrain:
Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by
a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak);
McDonald Islands - small and rocky

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mawson Peak, on Big Ben 2,745 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island

Environment - current issues:
NA

People Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Population: uninhabited (July 2004 est.)

Government Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald
Islands
conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Dependency status:
territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the
Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment
and Heritage

Legal system:
the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

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

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

Flag description:
the flag of Australia is used

Economy Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Economy - overview:
No indigenous economic activity, but the Australian Government
allows limited fishing around the islands.

Communications Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Internet country code: .hm

Transportation Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Australia; Australia conducts
fisheries patrols

Transnational Issues Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Holy See (Vatican City)

Introduction Holy See (Vatican City)

Background:
Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula
for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many
of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of
Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when
Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner"
popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties,
which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted
Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat
between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier
treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the
Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include
religious freedom, international development, the Middle East,
terrorism, the failing health of Pope JOHN PAUL II, interreligious
dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine
in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people
worldwide profess the Catholic faith.

Geography Holy See (Vatican City)

Location:
Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)

Geographic coordinates:
41 54 N, 12 27 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 0.44 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 0.44 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry
summers (May to September)

Terrain:
low hill

Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
urban; landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state;
outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo
(the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights

People Holy See (Vatican City)

Population:
921 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.01% (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: none
adjective: none

Ethnic groups:
Italians, Swiss, other

Religions:
Roman Catholic

Languages:
Italian, Latin, French, various other languages

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

Government Holy See (Vatican City)

Country name:
conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City)
conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City)
local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)
local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano)

Government type:
ecclesiastical

Capital:
Vatican City

Administrative divisions:
none

Independence:
11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signed
with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, the
full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial
extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the
years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the
8th century

National holiday:
Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22 October (1978)

Constitution:
new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope John Paul II on 26 November
2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Law
of 1929)

Legal system:
based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it

Suffrage:
limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Executive branch:
chief of state: Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16 October 1978)
head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since
1 December 1990)
cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope
elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals;
election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death
of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope
election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope

Legislative branch:
unicameral Pontifical Commission

Judicial branch:
there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal
matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues
pertaining to the Holy See
note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pius
XII on 1 May 1946

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)

International organization participation:
CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS
(observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO,
WToO (observer), WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036 chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346

Flag description:
two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the
crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the
white band

Economy Holy See (Vatican City)

Economy - overview:
This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by an
annual contribution from Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the
world, as well as by special collections (known as Peter's Pence);
the sale of postage stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos;
fees for admission to museums; and the sale of publications.
Investments and real estate income also account for a sizable
portion of revenue. The incomes and living standards of lay workers
are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Labor force:
NA

Labor force - by occupation:
essentially services with a small amount of industry; note -
dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live
outside the Vatican

Budget:
revenues: $245.2 million
expenditures: $260.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2002)

Industries:
printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps, a small
amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and
financial activities

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh

Electricity - imports:
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy

Economic aid - recipient:
none

Currency:
euro (EUR)

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003),1.1324 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Holy See (Vatican City)

Telephones - main lines in use:
NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: automatic exchange
domestic: tied into Italian system
international: country code - 39; uses Italian system

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
1 (1996)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.va

Internet hosts:
9 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Holy See (Vatican City)

Highways:
none; all city streets

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
none (2003 est.)

Military Holy See (Vatican City)

Military branches:
Swiss Guards Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are
posted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and
protect the Pope

Transnational Issues Holy See (Vatican City)

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Honduras

Introduction Honduras

Background:
Part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras became an
independent nation in 1821. After two and one-half decades of mostly
military rule, a freely elected civilian government came to power in
1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for anti-Sandinista
contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government and an ally to
Salvadoran Government forces fighting against leftist guerrillas.
The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed
about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion in damage.

Geography Honduras

Location:
Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and
Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean),
between El Salvador and Nicaragua

Geographic coordinates:
15 00 N, 86 30 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 112,090 sq km
land: 111,890 sq km
water: 200 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
total: 1,520 km
border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua
922 km

Coastline:
820 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Terrain:
mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

Natural resources:
timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal,
fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 9.55% permanent crops: 3.22% other: 87.23% (2001)

Irrigated land:
760 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to
damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast

Environment - current issues:
urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging and
the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further land
degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled development
and improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands;
mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largest
source of fresh water), as well as several rivers and streams, with
heavy metals

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline,
including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast

People Honduras

Population:
6,823,568
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 41.2% (male 1,434,555; female 1,376,216)
15-64 years: 55.1% (male 1,866,219; female 1,896,027)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 118,404; female 132,147) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 19 years
male: 18.6 years
female: 19.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.24% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
31.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.64 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 29.64 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 25.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 33.22 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.15 years
male: 64.99 years
female: 67.37 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.97 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
63,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Honduran(s)
adjective: Honduran

Ethnic groups:
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black
2%, white 1%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority

Languages:
Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.2%
male: 76.1%
female: 76.3% (2003 est.)

Government Honduras

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

Government type:
democratic constitutional republic

Capital:
Tegucigalpa

Administrative divisions:
18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Atlantida,
Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso, Francisco
Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La Paz,
Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro

Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended 1995

Legal system:
rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing influence of
English common law; recent judicial reforms include abandoning
Napoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial system;
accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27 January
2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since 27
January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DE LOPEZ
Contreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice President Alberto DIAZ
Lobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president is both the chief
of state and head of government
head of government: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27
January 2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since
27 January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DE
LOPEZ Contreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice President
Alberto DIAZ Lobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held 27 November
2005)
election results: Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (PN) elected president -
52.2%, Raphael PINEDA Ponce (PL) 44.3%, others 3.5%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128 seats;
members are elected proportionally to the number of votes their
party's presidential candidate receives to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held 27 November
2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
PN 61, PL 55, PUD 5, PDC 4, PINU-SD 3

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are
elected for seven-year terms by the National Congress)

Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Juan Ramon VELAZQUEZ Nassar];
Democratic Unification Party or PUD [Matias FUNES]; Liberal Party or
PL [Roberto MICHELETTI Bain]; National Innovation and Unity
Party-Social Democratic Party or PINU-SD [Olban F. VALLADARES];
National Party of Honduras or PN [Jose Celin DISCUA Elvir]; United
Confederation of Honduran Workers or CUTH

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or CODEH;
Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; Coordinating Committee of
Popular Organizations or CCOP; General Workers Confederation or CGT;
Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or COHEP; National
Association of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH; National Union of
Campesinos or UNC; Popular Bloc or BP; United Federation of Honduran
Workers or FUTH

International organization participation:
ABEDA, BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OAS,
OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mario Miguel CANAHUATI honorary consulate(s): Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Jacksonville consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751 telephone: [1] (202) 966-7702 chancery: Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Larry Leon PALMER embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa telephone: [504] 238-5114, 236-9320 FAX: [504] 236-9037

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with
five blue, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered in
the white band; the stars represent the members of the former
Federal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El
Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words
REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white
band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a
triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and
AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band

Economy Honduras

Economy - overview:
Honduras, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere
with an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income and massive
unemployment, is banking on expanded trade privileges under the
Enhanced Caribbean Basin Initiative and on debt relief under the
Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. While the country
has met most of its macroeconomic targets, it has failed to meet the
IMF's goals to liberalize its energy and telecommunications sectors.
Growth remains dependent on the status of the US economy, its major
trading partner, on commodity prices, particularly coffee, and on
reduction of the high crime rate.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $17.55 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12.8% industry: 31.9% services: 55.3% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
24% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
53% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.6% highest 10%: 42.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
56.3 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
2.41 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 34%, industry 21%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
27.5% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.342 billion
expenditures: $1.744 billion, including capital expenditures of $106
million (2003)

Public debt:
57.8% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp

Industries:
sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Industrial production growth rate:
7.7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
3.778 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
3.822 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
308 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
29,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-279.6 million (2003)

Exports:
$1.37 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coffee, bananas, shrimp, lobster, meat; zinc, lumber (2000)

Exports - partners:
US 65.5%, El Salvador 3.5%, Guatemala 2.4% (2003)

Imports:
$3.11 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials,
chemical products, fuels, foodstuffs (2000)

Imports - partners:
US 53.1%, El Salvador 4.5%, Mexico 3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$1.439 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$5.246 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
$557.8 million (1999)

Currency:
lempira (HNL)

Currency code:
HNL

Exchange rates:
lempiras per US dollar - 17.3453 (2003), 16.4334 (2002), 15.4737
(2001), 14.8392 (2000), 14.2132 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Honduras

Telephones - main lines in use:
322,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
326,500 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 504; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave
System

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 241, FM 53, shortwave 12 (1998)

Radios:
2.45 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
11 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
570,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.hn

Internet hosts:
1,944 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
8 (2000)

Internet users:
168,600 (2002)

Transportation Honduras

Railways: total: 699 km narrow gauge: 279 km 1.067-m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 13,603 km paved: 2,775 km unpaved: 10,828 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
465 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2004)

Ports and harbors:
La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela, Puerto
Lempira

Merchant marine:
total: 238 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 598,600 GRT/616,158 DWT
registered in other countries: 16 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Argentina 1, Bahrain 1, British Virgin Islands 1,
Bulgaria 1, Cayman Islands 1, China 4, Costa Rica 1, Cyprus 1, Egypt
5, El Salvador 1, Greece 16, Hong Kong 3, Indonesia 2, Israel 1,
Italy 1, Japan 2, Jordan 1, South Korea 9, Lebanon 4, Liberia 4,
Maldives 2, Marshall Islands 3, Mexico 1, Nigeria 2, Panama 10,
Philippines 1, Russia 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines 1, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 22, Spain 1, Taiwan 2,
Tanzania 1, Thailand 1, Turkey 2, Turks and Caicos Islands 1, United
States 7, Vanuatu 1, Vietnam 1
by type: bulk 12, cargo 139, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 1,
container 5, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 3,
passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 54, refrigerated cargo 8, roll
on/roll off 4, short-sea/passenger 3

Airports:
115 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 104 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 84 (2004 est.)

Military Honduras

Military branches:
Army, Navy (including Naval Infantry), Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary 2-3 year military service (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,642,029 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 977,130 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 76,143 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$99.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.5% (2003)

Transnational Issues Honduras

Disputes - international:
in 1992, ICJ ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed
areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras border, and the OAS is
assisting with a technical resolution of bolsones; in 2003, the ICJ
rejected El Salvador's request to revise its decision on one
bolsone; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a
maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca with consideration of
Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny
Conejo Island, not mentioned by the ICJ, off Honduras in the Gulf of
Fonseca; Honduras claims Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize but
agreed to creation of a joint ecological park and Guatemalan
corridor in the Caribbean in the failed 2002 Belize-Guatemala
Differendum; Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and
against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over a complex maritime dispute
in the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit producer of
cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally for local
consumption; corruption is a major problem; some money-laundering
activity

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Hong Kong

Introduction Hong Kong

Background:
Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China
the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the
19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on
19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this
agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two
systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be
imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of
autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the
next 50 years.

Geography Hong Kong

Location:
Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Geographic coordinates:
22 15 N, 114 10 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 1,092 sq km
water: 50 sq km
land: 1,042 sq km

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

Land boundaries: total: 30 km regional border: China 30 km

Coastline:
733 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate:
tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from
spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

Terrain:
hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m

Natural resources: outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

Land use: arable land: 5.05% other: 93.94% (2001) permanent crops: 1.01%

Irrigated land:
20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
occasional typhoons

Environment - current issues:
air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Marine Dumping (associate member)

Geography - note:
more than 200 islands

People Hong Kong

Population:
6,855,125 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.2% (male 510,702; female 465,145)
15-64 years: 73.3% (male 2,461,914; female 2,560,382)
65 years and over: 12.5% (male 394,697; female 462,285) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 39.4 years
male: 39.3 years
female: 39.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.65% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
7.23 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.98 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
5.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 2.97 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 3.16 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.39 years
male: 78.72 years
female: 84.3 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
0.91 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Chinese/Hong Konger
adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong

Ethnic groups:
Chinese 95%, other 5%

Religions:
eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%

Languages:
Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 93.5%
male: 96.9%
female: 89.6% (2002)

Government Hong Kong

Country name:
conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
conventional short form: Hong Kong
local short form: Xianggang
local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu
abbreviation: HK

Dependency status:
special administrative region of China

Government type:
limited democracy

Administrative divisions:
none (special administrative region of China)

Independence:
none (special administrative region of China)

National holiday:
National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic
of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is celebrated as
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Constitution:
Basic Law approved in March 1990 by China's National People's
Congress is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"

Legal system:
based on English common law

Suffrage:
direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents
living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years;
indirect election limited to about 200,000 members of functional
constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad
regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government
bodies

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)
head of government: Chief Executive TUNG Chee-hwa (since 1 July 1997)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of seven non-official members
and 14 official members; including Chief Secretary Donald TSANG
Yam-kuen (since 1 May 2001), Financial Secretary Henry TANG (since 2
August 2003), and Secretary of Justice Elsie LEUNG (since 1 July
1997)
elections: TUNG Chee-hwa was elected to a second term in March 2002
by an 800-member election committee dominated by pro-Beijing forces;
the next election is scheduled to be held in 2007

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; in 2004 30 seats
indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected by
popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 12 September 2004 (next to be held in September
2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - pro-democracy group
62%; seats by party - (pro-Beijing 34) DAB 12, Liberal Party 10,
independents 11, FTU 1; (pro-democracy 25) independents 11,
Democratic Party 9, CTU 2, ADPL 1, Frontier Party 1, NWSC 1

Judicial branch:
Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Political parties and leaders:
Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL
[Frederick FUNG Kin-kee, chairman]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN
Kai-chung]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong or
DAB [MA Lik, chairman]; Democratic Party [LEE Wing-tat, chairman];
Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing, chairwoman]; Liberal Party
[James TIEN Pei-chun, chairman]
note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - Association for
Democracy and People's Livelihood, Democratic Party, Frontier Party;
pro-Beijing - Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong,
Hong Kong Progressive Alliance, Liberal Party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese
Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade
Unions (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE Cheuk-yan,
general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation
of Trade Unions (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong, executive councilor];
Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement
in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union
Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong
Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG Man-kwong, president]; The
Alliance [Bernard CHAN, exco member]

International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, BIS, ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (special administrative region of China)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Consul General James KEITH consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006 telephone: [852] 2523-9011 FAX: [852] 2524-0860

Flag description: red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center

Economy Hong Kong

Economy - overview:
Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on
international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw
materials must be imported. Imports and exports, including
reexports, each exceed GDP in dollar value. Even before Hong Kong
reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997 it had extensive
trade and investment ties with China. Hong Kong has been further
integrating its economy with China because China's growing openness
to the world economy has increased competitive pressure on Hong
Kong's service industries, and Hong Kong's re-export business from
China is a major driver of growth. Per capita GDP compares with the
level in the four big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth
averaged a strong 5% in 1989-1997, but Hong Kong suffered two
recessions in the past 6 years because of the Asian financial crisis
in 1998 and the global downturn of 2001-2002. The Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak also battered Hong Kong's
economy, but a boom in tourism from the mainland because of China's
easing of travel restrictions, a return of consumer confidence, and
a solid rise in exports resulted in the resumption of strong growth
in late 2003.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $213 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $28,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.1% industry: 12.1% services: 87.9% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
22.3% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-2.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
3.5 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
manufacturing 8.2%, construction 2.9%, wholesale and retail trade,
restaurants, and hotels 43.5%, financing, insurance, and real estate
19.5%, transport and communications 7.8%, community and social
services 17.8% (Note: above data exclude public sector) (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
7.9% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $26.17 billion
expenditures: $32.64 billion, including capital expenditures of $5
billion (2003)

Agriculture - products:
fresh vegetables, poultry, fish, pork

Industries:
textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics,
plastics, toys, watches, clocks

Industrial production growth rate:
-9.2% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
30.48 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
37.12 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
1.581 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
10.36 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
257,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
680.9 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
680.9 million cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$17.42 billion (2003)

Exports:
$225.9 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear,
watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones

Exports - partners:
China 42.6%, US 18.7%, Japan 5.4% (2003)

Imports:
$230.3 billion (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, foodstuffs,
transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum,
plastics; a large share is reexported

Imports - partners:
China 43.5%, Japan 11.9%, Taiwan 6.9%, US 5.5%, Singapore 5%, South
Korea 4.8% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$118.4 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$59.21 billion (2003 est.)

Currency:
Hong Kong dollar (HKD)

Currency code:
HKD

Exchange rates:
Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.7868 (2003), 7.7989 (2002),
7.7988 (2001), 7.7912 (2000), 7.7575 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Hong Kong

Telephones - main lines in use:
3,801,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
7,241,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic
and international services
domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic
network
international: country code - 852; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to
Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables
providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan,
Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
4.45 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
4 (2004)

Televisions:
1.84 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.hk

Internet hosts:
591,993 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
17 (2000)

Internet users:
3,212,800 (2003)

Transportation Hong Kong

Highways: total: 1,831 km paved: 1,831 km unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Hong Kong

Merchant marine:
total: 663 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,478,042 GRT/34,554,455 DWT
registered in other countries: 569 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Australia 2, Belgium 1, British Virgin Islands 1,
China 178, Cyprus 1, Denmark 3, France 2, Germany 14, Greece 4,
India 9, Indonesia 2, Japan 22, South Korea 2, Malaysia 3, Monaco 9,
Norway 16, Panama 4, Philippines 17, Singapore 22, Taiwan 3,
Thailand 1, United Kingdom 22, United States 1
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 364, cargo 78, chemical tanker 23,
combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 3, container 97, liquefied
gas 20, multi-functional large load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 60,
refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea/passenger 1,
specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 4

Airports:
4 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
914 to 1523 m: 1

Heliports:
2 (2003 est.)

Military Hong Kong

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of
China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) including elements of the PLA
Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under
the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing
and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military
Region

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (2004 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,878,574 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,404,705 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 41,821 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
Hong Kong garrison is funded by China; figures are NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA (FY02)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of China

Transnational Issues Hong Kong

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
Makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces difficult
challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to
regional and world markets; modern banking system provides a conduit
for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs,
especially among young people

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Howland Island

Introduction Howland Island

Background:
Discovered by the US early in the 19th century, the island was
officially claimed by the US in 1857. Both US and British companies
mined for guano until about 1890. Earhart Light is a day beacon near
the middle of the west coast that was partially destroyed during
World War II, but has since been rebuilt; it is named in memory of
the famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART. The island is administered by the
US Department of the Interior as a National Wildlife Refuge.

Geography Howland Island

Location:
Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between
Hawaii and Australia

Geographic coordinates:
0 48 N, 176 38 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 1.6 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1.6 sq km

Area - comparative:
about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
6.4 km

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

Climate:
equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Terrain:
low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow
fringing reef; depressed central area

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Natural resources:
guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial and aquatic
wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime
hazard

Environment - current issues:
no natural fresh water resources

Geography - note:
almost totally covered with grasses, prostrate vines, and
low-growing shrubs; small area of trees in the center; primarily a
nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds,
and marine wildlife

People Howland Island

Population:
uninhabited
note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and
naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during
World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by
special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and
generally restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually
by US Fish and Wildlife Service (July 2004 est.)

Government Howland Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Howland Island

Dependency status:
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,
DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the
Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system:
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of the US is used

Economy Howland Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Howland Island

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat
landing area along the middle of the west coast

Airports:
airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling stop on the
round-the-world flight of Amelia EARHART and Fred NOONAN - they left
Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island, but were never seen again; the
airstrip is no longer serviceable (2003 est.)

Transportation - note:
Earhart Light is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
that was partially destroyed during World War II, but has since been
rebuilt; named in memory of famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART

Military Howland Island

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US
Coast Guard

Transnational Issues Howland Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Hungary

Introduction Hungary

Background:
Hungary was part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire, which
collapsed during World War I. The country fell under Communist rule
following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and announced withdrawal
from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military intervention
by Moscow. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968, Hungary
began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called "goulash
Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in 1990 and
initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and the EU
in 2004.

Geography Hungary

Location:
Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Geographic coordinates:
47 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 93,030 sq km
water: 690 sq km
land: 92,340 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:
total: 2,171 km
border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 151 km, Slovakia 677 km, Slovenia 102 km,
Ukraine 103 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers

Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the
Slovakian border

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Tisza River 78 m
highest point: Kekes 1,014 m

Natural resources:
bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land

Land use: arable land: 50.09% other: 47.85% (2001) permanent crops: 2.06%

Irrigated land: 2,100 sq km (1998 est.)

Environment - current issues: the upgrading of Hungary's standards in waste management, energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution with environmental requirements for EU accession will require large investments

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Geography - note:
landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between
Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and
Mediterranean basin; the north-south flowing Duna (Danube) and Tisza
Rivers divide the country into three large regions

People Hungary

Population:
10,032,375 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16% (male 826,032; female 782,687)
15-64 years: 69% (male 3,407,931; female 3,517,450)
65 years and over: 15% (male 545,488; female 952,787) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.4 years
male: 35.9 years
female: 41.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.25% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
9.77 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
13.16 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.68 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 9.34 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.25 years
male: 68.07 years
female: 76.69 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.31 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,800 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Hungarian(s)
adjective: Hungarian

Ethnic groups:
Hungarian 89.9%, Roma 4%, German 2.6%, Serb 2%, Slovak 0.8%,
Romanian 0.7%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 67.5%, Calvinist 20%, Lutheran 5%, atheist and other
7.5%

Languages:
Hungarian 98.2%, other 1.8%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.4%
male: 99.5%
female: 99.3% (2003 est.)

Government Hungary

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Hungary
conventional short form: Hungary
local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag
local short form: Magyarorszag

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Budapest

Administrative divisions:
19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 20 urban counties (singular
- megyei varos), and 1 capital city (fovaros)
: counties: Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen,
Csongrad, Fejer, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves,
Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komarom-Esztergom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy,
Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala
: urban counties: Bekescsaba, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Gyor,
Hodmezovasarhely, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa,
Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar, Szolnok,
Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg
: capital city: Budapest

Independence:
1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

National holiday:
Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August

Constitution:
18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949, revised 19 April 1972; 18
October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals and
constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and
also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997
amendment streamlined the judicial system

Legal system:
rule of law based on Western model

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Ferenc MADL (since 4 August 2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on
the recommendation of the president
election results: Ferenc MADL elected president; percent of
legislative vote - NA% (but by a simple majority in the third round
of voting); Ferenc GYURCSANY elected prime minister; percent of
legislative vote - 197 to 12
note: to be elected, the president must win two-thirds of
legislative vote in the first two rounds or a simple majority in the
third round
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 6 June 2000 (next to be held by
June 2005); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the
recommendation of the president; election last held 29 September 2004
head of government: Prime Minister Ferenc GYURCSANY (since 29
September 2004)

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats; members
are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional and
direct representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 and 21 April 2002 (next to be held NA April
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote
required for parliamentary representation in the first round) -
Fidesz/MDF 48.70%, MSzP 46.11%, SzDSz 4.92%, other 0.27%; seats by
party - Fidesz 164, MSzP 178, MDF 24, SzDSz 20

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly
for nine-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Gabor KUNCZE]; Hungarian Civic
Alliance or Fidesz-MPP [Viktor ORBAN, chairman]; Hungarian
Democratic Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian Democratic
People's Party or MDNP [Erzsebet PUSZTAI, chairman]; Hungarian
Socialist Party or MSzP [Istvan HILLER, chairman]; Hungarian
Workers' Party or MMP [Gyula THURMER, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA
(cooperating state), EU (new member), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member
affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Andras SIMONYI FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730 chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador George Herbert WALKER embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest Place, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270 telephone: [36] (1) 475-4400 FAX: [36] (1) 475-4764

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green

Economy Hungary

Economy - overview:
Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to a
market economy, with a per capita income one-half that of the Big
Four European nations. Hungary continues to demonstrate strong
economic growth and joined the European Union in May 2004. The
private sector accounts for over 80% of GDP. Foreign ownership of
and investment in Hungarian firms are widespread, with cumulative
foreign direct investment totaling more than $23 billion since 1989.
Hungarian sovereign debt was upgraded in 2000 to the second-highest
rating among all the Central European transition economies.
Inflation has declined substantially, from 14% in 1998 to 4.7% in
2003; unemployment has persisted around the 6% level. Germany is by
far Hungary's largest economic partner. Short-term issues include
the reduction of the public sector deficit and further increasing
the flexibility of the labor markets.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $139.8 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.9% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $13,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.3% industry: 32.5% services: 64.2% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
22% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
8.6% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 20.5% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
24.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
4.164 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 8%, industry 27%, services 65% (1996)

Unemployment rate:
5.9% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $35 billion
expenditures: $39.88 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
57% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle,
poultry, dairy products

Industries:
mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods,
textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles

Industrial production growth rate:
6.4% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
34.39 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
35.15 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
7.261 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
10.43 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
41,190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
140,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
47,180 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
136,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
110.7 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
3.231 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
13.37 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
4 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
9.587 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
50.45 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-7.347 billion (2003)

Exports:
$42.03 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 57.6%, other manufactures 31.0%, food
products 7.5%, raw materials 1.9%, fuels and electricity 1.9% (2001)

Exports - partners:
Germany 34.1%, Austria 8%, Italy 5.8%, France 5.7%, UK 4.5%,
Netherlands 4.1% (2003)

Imports:
$46.19 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures 35.3%, fuels and
electricity 8.2%, food products 2.9%, raw materials 2.0% (2001)

Imports - partners:
Germany 24.5%, Italy 7.1%, China 6.9%, Austria 6.3%, Russia 6.2%,
France 4.8%, Japan 4.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$12.78 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$42.38 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA $250 million (2000)

Currency:
forint (HUF)

Currency code:
HUF

Exchange rates:
forints per US dollar - 224.307 (2003), 257.887 (2002), 286.49
(2001), 282.179 (2000), 237.146 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Hungary

Telephones - main lines in use:
3,666,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
6,862,800 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: the telephone system has been modernized and is
capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication service
domestic: the system is digitalized and highly automated; trunk
services are carried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave
radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was
initiated in 1996; heavy use is made of mobile cellular telephones
international: country code - 36; Hungary has fiber-optic cable
connections with all neighboring countries; the international switch
is in Budapest; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture
terminal (VSAT) system of ground terminals

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 17, FM 57, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
7.01 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
35 (plus 161 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
4.42 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.hu

Internet hosts:
383,071 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)

Internet users:
1.6 million (2002)

Transportation Hungary

Railways:
total: 7,937 km
broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge
standard gauge: 7,682 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 188,203 km
paved: 81,680 km (including 438 km of expressways)
unpaved: 106,523 km (1999)

Waterways:
1,622 km (most on Danube River) (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 4,397 km; oil 990 km; refined products 335 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Budapest, Dunaujvaros, Gyor-Gonyu, Csepel, Baja, Mohacs (2003)

Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,568 GRT/10,025 DWT by type: cargo 2 registered in other countries: 8 (2004 est.)

Airports: 43 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 18 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 26
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 11

Heliports:
5 (2003 est.)

Military Hungary

Military branches:
Ground Forces, Air Forces

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in June 2004 (June 2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,519,052 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,011,750 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 64,426 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.08 billion (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.75% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Hungary

Disputes - international:
Hungary amended the status law extending special social and
cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians in neighboring states, who
had objected to the law; Slovakia and Hungary have renewed
discussions on ways to resolve differences over the
Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam on the Danube, with possible
resort again to the ICJ for final resolution

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and cannabis and for
South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; limited producer
of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamine and
methamphetamine; improving, but remains vulnerable to money
laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Iceland

Introduction Iceland

Background:
Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants
during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the
world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing,
established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was
subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja
volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused
widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the
island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Limited
home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete independence
attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, income, and social cohesion
are first-rate by world standards.

Geography Iceland

Location:
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK

Geographic coordinates:
65 00 N, 18 00 W

Map references:
Arctic Region

Area:
total: 103,000 sq km
water: 2,750 sq km
land: 100,250 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Kentucky

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
4,988 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy
winters; damp, cool summers

Terrain:
mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast
deeply indented by bays and fiords

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)

Natural resources:
fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

Land use:
arable land: 0.07%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.93% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
earthquakes and volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:
water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater
treatment

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost
European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in
the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental
Europe

People Iceland

Population:
293,966 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 22.5% (male 33,522; female 32,489)
15-64 years: 65.8% (male 98,091; female 95,450)
65 years and over: 11.7% (male 15,552; female 18,862) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 33.8 years
male: 33.3 years
female: 34.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.97% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
13.83 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.57 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
2.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.31 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 3.44 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.18 years
male: 78.18 years
female: 82.27 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.93 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
220 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Icelander(s)
adjective: Icelandic

Ethnic groups:
homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%,
population of foreign origin 6%

Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran 87.1%, other Protestant 4.1%, Roman Catholic
1.7%, other 7.1% (2002)

Languages:
Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.9% (1997 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

Government Iceland

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Iceland
conventional short form: Iceland
local short form: Island
local long form: Lydhveldidh Island

Government type:
constitutional republic

Capital:
Reykjavik

Administrative divisions:
8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra,
Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland

Independence:
1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown);
17 June 1944 (from Denmark)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 17 June (1944)

Constitution:
16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944

Legal system:
civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August
1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Halldor ASGRIMSSON (since 15
September 2004); note - Former Prime Minister David ODDSSON switched
positions with former Foreign Minister Halldor ASGRIMMSON
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by
Parliament
elections: president, which is largely a ceremonial post, elected by
popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 26 June 2004
(next to be held June 2008); prime minister appointed by the
president
election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON wins with 85.6% of the
vote, Baldur AGUSTSSON 12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party
33.7%, Social Democratic Alliance 31.0%, Progressive Party 17.7%,
Left-Green Alliance 8.8%, Liberal Party 7.4%; seats by party -
Independence Party 22, Social Democratic Alliance 20, Progressive
Party 12, Left-Green Alliance 5, Liberal Party 4

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by
the Minister of Justice); eight district courts (justices are
appointed for life by the Minister of Justice)

Political parties and leaders:
Independence Party or IP [David ODDSSON]; Left-Green Alliance or
LGP [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon
KRISTJANSSON]; Progressive Party or PP [Halldor ASGRIMSSON]; Social
Democratic Alliance (includes People's Alliance or PA, Social
Democratic Party or SDP, Women's List) or SDA [Ossur SKARPHEDINSSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Helgi AGUSTSSON
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656
telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653
chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1704

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James I. GADSDEN
embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik
mailing address: US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, FPO AE 09728-0340
telephone: [354] 562-9100
FAX: [354] 562-9118

Flag description:
blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the edges of
the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist
side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Iceland

Economy - overview:
Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, yet
with an extensive welfare system (including generous housing
subsidies), low unemployment, and remarkably even distribution of
income. In the absence of other natural resources (except for
abundant geothermal power), the economy depends heavily on the
fishing industry, which provides 70% of export earnings and employs
12% of the work force. The economy remains sensitive to declining
fish stocks as well as to fluctuations in world prices for its main
exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and ferrosilicon.
Government policies include reducing the budget and current account
deficits, limiting foreign borrowing, containing inflation, revising
agricultural and fishing policies, diversifying the economy, and
privatizing state-owned industries. The government remains opposed
to EU membership, primarily because of Icelanders' concern about
losing control over their fishing resources. Iceland's economy has
been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the
last decade, and new developments in software production,
biotechnology, and financial services are taking place. The tourism
sector is also expanding, with the recent trends in ecotourism and
whale watching. Growth had been remarkably steady in 1996-2001 at
3%-5%, but could not be sustained in 2002 in an environment of
global recession. Growth resumed in 2003, and inflation dropped back
from 5% to 2%.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $8.678 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.6% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $30,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9.2% (includes fishing 12%) industry: 26.7% services: 64.2% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
21.6% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
160,000 (2003)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 5.1%, fishing and fish processing 11.8%, manufacturing 12.9%, construction 10.7%, services 59.5% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
3.4% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $4.205 billion
expenditures: $4.405 billion, including capital expenditures of $467
million (2003)

Public debt:
41.5% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
potatoes, green vegetables, mutton, dairy products, fish

Industries:
fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production,
geothermal power; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
8.1% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
7.894 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
7.341 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
16,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
15,470 bbl/day (2001)

Current account balance:
$-574 million (2003)

Exports:
$2.379 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products 70%, animal products, aluminum, diatomite,
ferrosilicon

Exports - partners:
Germany 17.4%, UK 17.4%, Netherlands 11.2%, US 9.8%, Spain 6.3%,
Denmark 5%, Norway 4.5%, France 4% (2003)

Imports:
$2.59 billion (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, petroleum products; foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:
Germany 11.8%, Denmark 8%, US 7.5%, UK 7.5%, Norway 7%, Sweden
6.5%, Netherlands 6.2%, Italy 4.7% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$818.7 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$2.6 billion (1999)

Economic aid - donor:
NA

Currency:
Icelandic krona (ISK)

Currency code:
ISK

Exchange rates:
Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 76.709 (2003), 91.6617 (2002),
97.4246 (2001), 78.6159 (2000), 72.3353 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Iceland

Telephones - main lines in use:
190,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
279,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: extensive domestic service
domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic
cables and microwave radio relay links
international: country code - 354; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the
other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
260,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
98,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.is

Internet hosts:
122,175 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
20 (2001)

Internet users:
195,000 (2003)

Transportation Iceland

Highways:
total: 12,955 km
paved/oiled gravel: 3,863 km
unpaved: 9,092 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Akureyri, Hornafjordhur, Isafjordhur, Keflavik, Raufarhofn,
Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vesttmannaeyjar

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,341 GRT/6,019 DWT
registered in other countries: 26 (2004 est.)
by type: petroleum tanker 1

Airports:
100 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 93
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 29
under 914 m: 61 (2004 est.)

Military Iceland

Military branches:
no regular armed forces; Police, Coast Guard

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 75,568 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 66,503 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
0

Military - note:
defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF)
headquartered at Keflavik

Transnational Issues Iceland

Disputes - international:
Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and
the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the
Rockall area) remains dormant; dispute with Denmark over the Faroe
Islands' fisheries median line boundary within 200 nm; disputes with
Denmark, the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental
shelf boundary outside 200 nm

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@India

Introduction India

Background:
The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world,
dates back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest
invaded about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier inhabitants
created the classical Indian culture. Arab incursions starting in
the 8th century and Turkish in the 12th were followed by European
traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century,
Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands.
Indian armed forces in the British army played a vital role in both
World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism under
Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU led to independence in 1947.
The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the
smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two
countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate
nation of Bangladesh. Fundamental concerns in India include the
ongoing dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, massive overpopulation,
environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic and
religious strife, all this despite impressive gains in economic
investment and output.

Geography India

Location:
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal,
between Burma and Pakistan

Geographic coordinates:
20 00 N, 77 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 3,287,590 sq km
land: 2,973,190 sq km
water: 314,400 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than one-third the size of the US

Land boundaries:
total: 14,103 km
border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463
km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km

Coastline:
7,000 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north

Terrain:
upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along
the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m

Natural resources:
coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese,
mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds,
petroleum, limestone, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 54.4%
permanent crops: 2.74%
other: 42.86% (2001)

Irrigated land:
590,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive
flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air
pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water
pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap
water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing
population is overstraining natural resources

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean
trade routes

People India

Population:
1,065,070,607 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 31.7% (male 173,869,856; female 164,003,915)
15-64 years: 63.5% (male 349,785,804; female 326,289,402)
65 years and over: 4.8% (male 25,885,725; female 25,235,905) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 24.4 years male: 24.4 years female: 24.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.44% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
22.8 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.38 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 57.92 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 57.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 58.52 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.99 years
male: 63.25 years
female: 64.77 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.85 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.8% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3.97 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
310,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Indian(s)
adjective: Indian

Ethnic groups:
Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)

Religions:
Hindu 81.3%, Muslim 12%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other groups
including Buddhist, Jain, Parsi 2.5% (2000)

Languages:
English enjoys associate status but is the most important language
for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the
national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people; there are
14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu,
Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri,
Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu
spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official
language

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 59.5%
male: 70.2%
female: 48.3% (2003 est.)

Government India

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of India
conventional short form: India

Government type:
federal republic

Capital:
New Delhi

Administrative divisions:
28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*,
Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*,
Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa,
Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand,
Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Pondicherry*, Punjab,
Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh,
West Bengal

Independence:
15 August 1947 (from UK)

National holiday:
Republic Day, 26 January (1950)

Constitution:
26 January 1950

Legal system:
based on English common law; limited judicial review of legislative
acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Abdul KALAM (since 26 July 2002); Vice
President Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT (since 19 August 2002)
elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of
elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of
the states for a five-year term; election last held NA July 2002
(next to be held 18 July 2007); vice president elected by both
houses of Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 12
August 2002 (next to be held NA August 2007); prime minister chosen
by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative
elections; election last held April - May 2004 (next to be held NA
2009)
head of government: Prime Minister Manmohan SINGH (since NA May 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
election results: Abdul KALAM elected president; percent of
electoral college vote - 89.6%; Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT elected vice
president; percent of Parliament vote - 59.8%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of States or
Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than 250 members, up to
12 of which are appointed by the president, the remainder are chosen
by the elected members of the state and territorial assemblies;
members serve six-year terms) and the People's Assembly or Lok Sabha
(545 seats; 543 elected by popular vote, 2 appointed by the
president; members serve five-year terms)
elections: People's Assembly - last held 20 April through 10 May
2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - INC 145, BJP 138, CPI(M) 43, SP 36, RJD 21, BSP 19,
DMK 16, SS 12, BJD 11, CPI 10, NCP 9, JDU 8, SAD 8, PMK 6, TDP 5,
TRS 5, JMM 5, LJSP 4, MDMK 4, independents 5, other 30

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president and remain in
office until they reach the age of 65)

Political parties and leaders:
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or AIADMK [C. Jayalalitha
JAYARAM]; All India Forward Bloc or AIFB, [D. BISWAS, general
secretary]; Asom Gana Parishad [Brindaban GOSWAMI]; Bahujan Samaj
Party or BSP [MAYAWATI]; Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP [Venkaiah
NAIDU]; Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen PATNAIK]; Communist Party of
India or CPI [Ardhendu Bhushan BARDHAN]; Communist Party of
India/Marxist-Leninist or CPI/ML [Dipankar BHATTACHARYA]; Congress
(I) Party [Sonia GANDHI]; Dravida Munnetra Kazagham or DMK (a
regional party in Tamil Nadu) [M. KARUNANIDHI]; Indian National
Congress or INC [leader NA]; Indian National League [Suliaman
SAITH]; Janata Dal (Secular) [H. D. Deve GOWDA]; Janata Dal (United)
or JDU [Sharad YADAV]; Jharkhand Mukti Morcha or JMM [leader NA];
Kerala Congress (Mani faction) [K. M. MANI]; Lok Jan Shakti Party or
LSP [leader NA]; Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or MDMK
[VAIKO]; Muslim League [G. M. BANATWALA]; Nationalist Congress Party
or NCP [Sharad PAWAR]; Pattali Makkal Katchi or PMK [leader NA];
Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD [Laloo Prasad YADAV]; Revolutionary
Socialist Party or RSP [Abani ROY]; Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam
Singh YADAV]; Shiromani Akali Dal or SAD [G. S. TOHRA]; Shiv Sena or
SS [Bal THACKERAY]; Tamil Maanila Congress [G. K. VASAN]; Telangana
Rashtra Samithi or TRS [leader NA]; Telugu Desam Party or TDP
[Chandrababu NAIDU]; Trinamool Congress [Mamata BANERJEE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations,
including Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh; various separatist groups seeking greater
communal and/or regional autonomy, including the All Parties
Hurriyat Conference

International organization participation:
AfDB, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, C, CERN (observer),
CP, FAO, G- 6, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW,
PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE,
UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ranendra SEN
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 265-4351
telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000
chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note -
Consular Wing located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David C. MULFORD
embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [91] (11) 2419-8000
FAX: [91] (11) 2419-0017
consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai
(Bombay)

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange) (top),
white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in
the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small
orange disk centered in the white band

Economy India

Economy - overview:
India's economy encompasses traditional village farming, modern
agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a
multitude of support services. Government controls have been reduced
on foreign trade and investment, and privatization of domestic
output has proceeded slowly. The economy has posted an excellent
average growth rate of 6% since 1990, reducing poverty by about 10
percentage points. India is capitalizing on its large numbers of
well-educated people skilled in the English language to become a
major exporter of software services and software workers. Despite
strong growth, the World Bank and others worry about the continuing
public-sector budget deficit, running at approximately 60% of GDP.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $3.033 trillion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
8.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23.6% industry: 28.4% services: 48% (2002 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
23.1% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
25% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.5% highest 10%: 33.5% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37.8 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.8% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
472 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 60%, industry 17%, services 23% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
9.5% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $86.69 billion
expenditures: $114.6 billion, including capital expenditures of
$13.5 billion (2003)

Public debt:
59.7% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes;
cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry; fish

Industries:
textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation
equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software

Industrial production growth rate:
6.5% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
533.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
497.2 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
321 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
1.54 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
732,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
2.13 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
4.33 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
22.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
22.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
542.4 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$3.41 billion (2003)

Exports:
$57.24 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals,
leather manufactures

Exports - partners:
US 20.6%, China 6.4%, UK 5.3%, Hong Kong 4.8%, Germany 4.4% (2003)

Imports:
$74.15 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals

Imports - partners:
US 6.4%, Belgium 5.6%, UK 4.8%, China 4.3%, Singapore 4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$102.3 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$101.7 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$2.9 billion (FY98/99)

Currency:
Indian rupee (INR)

Currency code:
INR

Exchange rates:
Indian rupees per US dollar - 46.5806 (2003), 48.6103 (2002),
47.1864 (2001), 44.9416 (2000), 43.0554 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications India

Telephones - main lines in use:
48.917 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
26,154,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: recent deregulation and liberalization of
telecommunications laws and policies have prompted rapid change;
local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of
the country, with services primarily concentrated in the urban
areas; steady improvement is taking place with the recent admission
of private and private-public investors, but telephone density
remains low at about seven for each 100 persons nationwide but only
one per 100 persons in rural areas and a national waiting list of
over 1.7 million; fastest growth is in cellular service with modest
growth in fixed lines
domestic: expansion of domestic service, although still weak in
rural areas, resulted from increased competition and dramatic
reductions in price led in large part by wireless service; mobile
cellular service (both CDMA and GSM) introduced in 1994 and
organized nationwide into four metropolitan cities and 19 telecom
circles each with about three private service providers and one
state-owned service provider; in recent years significant trunk
capacity added in the form of fiber-optic cable and one of the
world's largest domestic satellite systems, the Indian National
Satellite system (INSAT), with 5 satellites supporting 33,000 very
small aperture terminals (VSAT)
international: country code - 91; satellite earth stations - 8
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); nine
gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata
(Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gandhinagar,
Hyderabad, and Ernakulam; 5 submarine cables, including Sea-Me-We-3
with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay), Fiber-Optic Link
Around the Globe (FLAG) with landing site at Mumbai (Bombay), South
Africa - Far East (SAFE) with landing site at Cochin, i2icn linking
to Singapore with landing sites at Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai
(Madras), and Tata Indicom linking Singapore and Chennai (Madras),
provide a significant increase in the bandwidth available for both
voice and data traffic (2004)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 153, FM 91, shortwave 68 (1998)

Radios:
116 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 562 (of which 82 stations have 1 kW or greater power and 480 stations have less than 1 kW of power) (1997)

Televisions:
63 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.in

Internet hosts:
86,871 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
43 (2000)

Internet users:
18.481 million (2003)

Transportation India

Railways:
total: 63,140 km (15,994 km electrified)
broad gauge: 45,099 km 1.676-m gauge
narrow gauge: 14,776 km 1.000-m gauge; 3,265 km 0.762-m gauge and
0.610-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 3,319,644 km
paved: 1,517,077 km
unpaved: 1,802,567 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
14,500 km
note: 5,200 km on major rivers and 485 km on canals suitable for
mechanized vessels (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 6,171 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,195 km; oil 5,613 km; refined
products 5,567 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Chennai (Madras), Cochin, Jawaharal Nehru, Kandla, Kolkata
(Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay), Vishakhapatnam

Merchant marine:
total: 306 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,555,507 GRT/11,069,791 DWT
by type: bulk 90, cargo 77, chemical tanker 14, combination bulk 1,
combination ore/oil 2, container 10, liquefied gas 10,
passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 93, roll on/roll off 1,
short-sea/passenger 2, specialized tanker 1
registered in other countries: 63 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: China 2, Portugal 1

Airports:
333 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 234 over 3,047 m: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 47 914 to 1,523 m: 74 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 78

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 99
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
under 914 m: 45 (2004 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 42

Heliports:
20 (2003 est.)

Military India

Military branches:
Army, Navy (including naval air arm), Air Force, Coast Guard,
various security or paramilitary forces (including Border Security
Force, Assam Rifles, National Security Guards, Indo-Tibetan Border
Police, Special Frontier Force, Central Reserve Police Force,
Central Industrial Security Force, Railway Protection Force, and
Defense Security Corps)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 293,677,117 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 172,153,371 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 11,174,415 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$14,018.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.4% (2003)

Transnational Issues India

Disputes - international:
Kashmir remains the world's most highly militarized territorial
dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China
(Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir
and Northern Areas), but recent discussions and confidence-building
measures among parties are beginning to defuse tensions; India does
not recognize Pakistan's ceding lands to China in the 1965 boundary
agreement; disputes with Pakistan over Indus River water sharing and
the terminus of the Sir Creek Estuary at the mouth of the Rann of
Kutch, which prevents maritime boundary delimitation; Pakistani maps
continue to show Junagadh claim in Indian Gujarat State; most of the
rugged, militarized boundary with China is in dispute, but sides
have committed to begin resolution with discussions on the least
disputed Middle Sector; Joint Border Committee with Nepal continues
to work on resolution of minor disputed boundary sections;
discussions with Bangladesh remain stalled to delimit a small
section of river boundary, to exchange 162 miniscule enclaves in
both countries, to allocate divided villages, and to stop illegal
cross-border trade, migration, and violence; Bangladesh protests
India's attempts to fence off high-traffic sections of the porous
boundary; dispute with Bangladesh over volcanic New Moore/South
Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime
boundary delimitation; India seeks cooperation from Bhutan and Burma
to keep out Indian Nagaland insurgents; joint border commission
continues to work on small disputed sections of boundary with Nepal;
India has instituted a stricter border regime to restrict transit of
Maoist insurgents and illegal cross-border activities from Nepal

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 92,394 (China), 60,922 (Sri Lanka)
IDPs: 650,000 (Jammu and Kashmir conflicts; most IDPs are Kashmiri
Hindus) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
world's largest producer of licit opium for the pharmaceutical
trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is diverted to illicit
international drug markets; transit point for illicit narcotics
produced in neighboring countries; illicit producer of methaqualone;
vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through the hawala system

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Indian Ocean

Introduction Indian Ocean

Background:
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's five oceans
(after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the
Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important access
waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb
(Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of
Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia). The decision by the International
Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth
ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean
south of 60 degrees south.

Geography Indian Ocean

Location:
body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia, and
Australia

Geographic coordinates:
20 00 S, 80 00 E

Map references:
Political Map of the World

Area:
total: 68.556 million sq km
note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Flores Sea,
Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Java Sea,
Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of
Malacca, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:
about 5.5 times the size of the US

Coastline:
66,526 km

Climate:
northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to
October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and
October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February
in the southern Indian Ocean

Terrain:
surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular system
of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of
surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric
pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in
the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents,
while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter
air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest
winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean
Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest
Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m
highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:
oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates,
placer deposits, polymetallic nodules

Natural hazards:
occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches

Environment - current issues:
endangered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, and
whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea

Geography - note:
major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait
of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait

Economy Indian Ocean

Economy - overview:
The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle
East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries
a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products
from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are
of great and growing importance to the bordering countries for
domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan,
South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for
shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in
the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western
Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production
comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and
offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering
countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka,
and Thailand.

Transportation Indian Ocean

Ports and harbors:
Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban (South
Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kolkata (Calcutta; India) Melbourne
(Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richards Bay (South Africa)

Transnational Issues Indian Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Indonesia

Introduction Indonesia

Background:
The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th century;
the islands were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. Indonesia
declared its independence after Japan's surrender, but it required
four years of intermittent negotiations, recurring hostilities, and
UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to relinquish its colony.
Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic state. Current issues
include: alleviating widespread poverty, preventing terrorism,
continuing the transition to popularly-elected governments after
four decades of authoritarianism, implementing reforms of the
banking sector, addressing charges of cronyism and corruption,
holding the military and police accountable for human rights
violations, and resolving armed separatist movements in Aceh and
Papua.

Geography Indonesia

Location:
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the
Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates:
5 00 S, 120 00 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 1,919,440 sq km
water: 93,000 sq km
land: 1,826,440 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 2,830 km
border countries: East Timor 228 km, Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New
Guinea 820 km

Coastline:
54,716 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Terrain:
mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper,
fertile soils, coal, gold, silver

Land use: arable land: 11.32% permanent crops: 7.23% other: 81.45% (2001)

Irrigated land:
48,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes,
volcanoes, forest fires

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage; air
pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forest fires

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life
Conservation

Geography - note:
archipelago of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles equator;
strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian
Ocean to Pacific Ocean

People Indonesia

Population:
238,452,952 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.4% (male 35,635,790; female 34,416,854)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 78,097,767; female 78,147,909)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 5,308,986; female 6,845,646) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 26.1 years male: 25.7 years female: 26.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.49% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
21.11 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.26 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 36.82 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 31.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 42.09 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.26 years
male: 66.84 years
female: 71.8 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.47 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
110,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
2,400 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Indonesian(s)
adjective: Indonesian

Ethnic groups:
Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal Malays 7.5%,
other 26%

Religions:
Muslim 88%, Protestant 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%, Buddhist
1%, other 1% (1998)

Languages:
Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English,
Dutch, local dialects, the most widely spoken of which is Javanese

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 87.9%
male: 92.5%
female: 83.4% (2002)

Government Indonesia

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia
conventional short form: Indonesia
local short form: Indonesia
former: Netherlands East Indies; Dutch East Indies
local long form: Republik Indonesia

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Jakarta

Administrative divisions:
30 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular - propinsi), 2 special
regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah istimewa), and 1
special capital city district** (daerah khusus ibukota); Aceh*,
Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Irian Jaya Barat, Jakarta Raya**,
Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat,
Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Kepulauan
Bangka Belitung, Kepulauan Riau, Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara, Nusa
Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Papua, Riau, Sulawesi Barat,
Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi
Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera Utara,
Yogyakarta*; note - with the implementation of decentralization on 1
January 2001, the 357 districts or regencies became the key
administrative units responsible for providing most government
services

Independence:
17 August 1945 (independence proclaimed); 27 December 1949
(Netherlands recognizes Indonesian independence)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 17 August (1945)

Constitution:
August 1945, abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and
Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959

Legal system:
based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by indigenous
concepts and by new criminal procedures and election codes; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20
October 2004) and Vice President Muhammad Yusuf KALLA (since 20
October 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
elections: president and vice president were elected by direct vote
of the citizenry
head of government: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20
October 2004) and Vice President Muhammad Yusuf KALLA (since 20
October 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
election results: Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO elected president
receiving 60.6% of vote; MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri received 39.4%

Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat
(DPR) (550 seats; members serve five-year terms); House of Regional
Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Daerah or DPD), constitutionally
mandated role includes providing legislative input to DPR on issues
affecting regions; People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis
Permusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) has role in inaugurating and
impeaching President and in amending constitution; consists of
popularly-elected members in DPR and DPD; MPR does not formulate
national policy
elections: last held 5 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - Golkar 21.6%, PDI-P
18.5%, PKB 10.6%, PPP 8.2%, PD 7.5%, PKS 7.3%, PAN 6.4%, others
19.9%; seats by party - Golkar 128, PDI-P 109, PPP 58, PD 55, PAN
53, PKB 52, PKS 45, others 50
note: because of election rules, the number of seats won does not
always follow the number of votes received by parties

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung (justices appointed by the
president from a list of candidates approved by the legislature); a
separate Constitutional Court or Makhama Konstitusi was invested by
the president on 16 August 2003; in March 2004 the Supreme Court
assumed administrative and financial responsibility for the lower
court system from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights

Political parties and leaders:
Crescent Moon and Star Party or PBB [Yusril Ihza MAHENDRA,
chairman]; Democratic Party or PD [Subur BUDHISANTOSO, chairman];
Functional Groups Party or Golkar [Yusuf KALLA, chairman]; Indonesia
Democratic Party-Struggle or PDI-P [MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri,
chairperson]; National Awakening Party or PKB [Alwi SHIHAB,
chairman]; National Mandate Party or PAN [Amien RAIS, chairman];
Prosperous Justice Party or PKS [MAHFUD, acting chairman]; United
Development Party or PPP [Hamzah HAZ, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador SOEMADI Brotodiningrat
chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
FAX: [1] (202) 775-5365
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and
San Francisco
telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador B. Lynn PASCOE
embassy: Jalan 1 Medan Merdeka Selatan 3-5, Jakarta 10110
mailing address: Unit 8129, Box 1, FPO AP 96520
telephone: [62] (21) 3435-9000
FAX: [62] (21) 385-7189
consulate(s) general: Surabaya

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the
flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of
Poland, which is white (top) and red

Economy Indonesia

Economy - overview:
Indonesia, a vast polyglot nation, faces economic development
problems stemming from recent acts of terrorism, unequal resource
distribution among regions, endemic corruption, the lack of reliable
legal recourse in contract disputes, weaknesses in the banking
system, and a generally poor climate for foreign investment.
Indonesia withdrew from its IMF program at the end of 2003, but
issued a "White Paper" that commits the government to maintaining
fundamentally sound macroeconomic policies previously established
under IMF guidelines. Investors, however, continued to face a host
of on-the-ground microeconomic problems and an inadequate judicial
system. Keys to future growth remain internal reform, building up
the confidence of international and domestic investors, and strong
global economic growth.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $758.8 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16.6% industry: 43.6% services: 39.9% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
19.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
27% (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 26.7% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
105.7 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 45%, industry 16%, services 39% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
8.7% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $40.91 billion
expenditures: $44.95 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
72.9% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil,
copra, poultry, beef, pork, eggs

Industries:
petroleum and natural gas, textiles, apparel, footwear, mining,
cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood, rubber, food, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
3.7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
95.78 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
89.08 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
1.451 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1.045 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
7.083 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
69 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
36.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
32.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.549 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$7.336 billion (2003)

Exports:
$63.89 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles, rubber

Exports - partners:
Japan 22.3%, US 12.1%, Singapore 8.9%, South Korea 7.1%, China 6.2%
(2003)

Imports:
$40.22 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
Japan 13%, Singapore 12.8%, China 9.1%, US 8.3%, Thailand 5.2%,
Australia 5.1%, South Korea 4.7%, Saudi Arabia 4.6% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$36.25 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$135.7 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$43 billion Indonesia finished its IMF program in December 2003 but
still receives bilateral aid through the Consultative Group on
Indonesia (CGI), which pledged $2.8 billion in grants and loans for
2004. (2003 est.)

Currency:
Indonesian rupiah (IDR)

Currency code:
IDR

Exchange rates:
Indonesian rupiahs per US dollar - 8,577.13 (2003), 9,311.19
(2002), 10,260.8 (2001), 8,421.77 (2000), 7,855.15 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year; note - previously was 1 April - 31 March, but
starting with 2001, has been changed to calendar year

Communications Indonesia

Telephones - main lines in use:
7.75 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
11.7 million (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic service fair, international service
good
domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net;
domestic satellite communications system
international: country code - 62; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 678, FM 43, shortwave 82 (1998)

Radios:
31.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
41 (1999)

Televisions:
13.75 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.id

Internet hosts:
62,036 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
24 (2000)

Internet users:
8 million (2002)

Transportation Indonesia

Railways:
total: 6,458 km
narrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (125 km electrified); 497 km
0.750-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 342,700 km
paved: 158,670 km
unpaved: 184,030 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
21,579 km
note: Sumatra 5,471 km, Java and Madura 820 km, Kalimantan 10,460
km, Sulawesi (Celebes) 241 km, Irian Jaya 4,587 km (2004)

Pipelines:
condensate 850 km; condensate/gas 128 km; gas 8,506 km; oil 7,472
km; oil/gas/water 66 km; refined products 1,329 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Cilacap, Cirebon, Jakarta, Kupang, Makassar, Palembang, Semarang,
Surabaya

Merchant marine:
total: 718 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,192,847 GRT/4,319,739 DWT
by type: bulk 47, cargo 398, chemical tanker 13, container 57,
liquefied gas 6, livestock carrier 1, passenger 10, passenger/cargo
13, petroleum tanker 128, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 15,
short-sea/passenger 9, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 7
registered in other countries: 109 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: France 1, Germany 1, Greece 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong
2, Japan 3, Malaysia 1, Monaco 2, Panama 1, Philippines 2, Singapore
12, Switzerland 1, United Kingdom 2, United States 1

Airports:
661 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 154 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 49 under 914 m: 44 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 44

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 513 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 under 914 m: 480 (2004 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 27

Heliports: 22 (2003 est.)

Military Indonesia

Military branches:
Indonesia Armed Forces (TNI): Army (TNI-AD), Navy (TNI-AL,
including Marines, Naval Air arm), Air Force (TNI-AU)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
conscript service obligation - 2 years (2002)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 66,458,805 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 38,728,029 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 2,196,424 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1 billion (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.3% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Indonesia

Disputes - international:
East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to meet, survey
and delimit land boundary, but several sections of the boundary
remain unresolved; Indonesia and East Timor contest the sovereignty
of the uninhabited coral island of Palau Batek/Fatu Sinai, which
hinders a decision on a northern maritime boundary; numbers of East
Timor refugees in Indonesia refuse repatriation; a 1997 treaty
between Indonesia and Australia settled some parts of their maritime
boundary but outstanding issues remain; ICJ's award of Sipadan and
Ligitan islands to Malaysia in 2002 prompted Indonesia to assert
claims to and to establish a presence on its smaller outer islands;
Indonesian secessionists, squatters, and illegal migrants create
repatriation problems for Papua New Guinea

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 535,000 (government offensives against rebels in Aceh; most
IDPs in Aceh, Central Kalimantan, Maluku, and Central Sulawesi
Provinces) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use; possible
growing role as transshipment point for Golden Triangle heroin

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Iran

Introduction Iran

Background:
Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979
after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and the shah was forced
into exile. Conservative clerical forces established a theocratic
system of government with ultimate political authority nominally
vested in a learned religious scholar. Iranian-US relations have
been strained since a group of Iranian students seized the US
Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held it until 20 January
1981. During 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq
that eventually expanded into the Persian Gulf and led to clashes
between US Navy and Iranian military forces between 1987-1988. Iran
has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism for its activities
in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains subject to US
economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued
involvement. Following the elections of a reformist President and
Majlis in the late 1990s, attempts to foster political reform in
response to popular dissatisfaction have floundered as conservative
politicians have prevented reform measures from being enacted,
increased repressive measures, and consolidated their control over
the government.

Geography Iran

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the
Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan

Geographic coordinates:
32 00 N, 53 00 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 1.648 million sq km
land: 1.636 million sq km
water: 12,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries:
total: 5,440 km
border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km,
Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq
1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km

Coastline:
2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: natural prolongation
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the
Persian Gulf

Climate:
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast

Terrain:
rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts,
mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead,
manganese, zinc, sulfur

Land use: arable land: 8.72% permanent crops: 1.39% other: 89.89% (2001)

Irrigated land:
75,620 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions,
refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation;
overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf;
wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination);
inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw
sewage and industrial waste; urbanization

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

Geography - note:
strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which
are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport

People Iran

Population:
69,018,924 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 28% (male 9,935,527; female 9,411,647)
15-64 years: 67.2% (male 23,608,621; female 22,744,128)
65 years and over: 4.8% (male 1,645,246; female 1,673,755) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 23.5 years male: 23.3 years female: 23.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.07% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
17.1 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.53 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 42.86 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 42.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 43.01 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.66 years
male: 68.31 years
female: 71.07 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.93 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
20,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
290 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Iranian(s)
adjective: Iranian

Ethnic groups:
Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab
3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%

Religions:
Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 9%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian,
and Baha'i 2%

Languages:
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%,
Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.4%
male: 85.6%
female: 73% (2003 est.)

Government Iran

Country name:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran
conventional short form: Iran
local short form: Iran
former: Persia
local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran

Government type:
theocratic republic

Capital:
Tehran

Administrative divisions:
28 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e
Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari,
Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman,
Kermanshah, Khorasan, Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad,
Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan,
Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan

Independence:
1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)

National holiday:
Republic Day, 1 April (1979)
note: additional holidays celebrated widely in Iran include
Revolution Day, 11 February (1979); Noruz (New Year's Day), 21
March; Constitutional Monarchy Day, 5 August (1925)

Constitution:
2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency
and eliminate the prime ministership

Legal system:
the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government

Suffrage:
15 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI
(since 4 June 1989)
elections: leader of the Islamic Revolution appointed for life by
the Assembly of Experts; president elected by popular vote for a
four-year term; election last held 8 June 2001 (next to be held June
2005)
election results: (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani reelected
president; percent of vote - (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani 77%
cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with
legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over
appointments to the more sensitive ministries
head of government: President (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani (since
3 August 1997); First Vice President Dr. Mohammad Reza AREF-Yazdi
(since 26 August 2001)

Legislative branch:
unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or
Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (290 seats, note - changed from 270 seats
with the 18 February 2000 election; members elected by popular vote
to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 February 2004 with a runoff held 7 May 2004
(next to be held February 2008)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party -
conservatives/Islamists 190, reformers 50, independents 43,
religious minorities 5, and 2 seats unaccounted for

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court - above a special clerical court, a revolutionary
court, and a special administrative court

Political parties and leaders:
formal political parties are a relatively new phenomenon in the
Islamic Republic and most conservatives still prefer to work through
political pressure groups rather than parties; a loose pro-reform
coalition called the 2nd Khordad front, which includes political
parties as well as less formal pressure groups and organizations,
achieved considerable success at elections to the sixth Majles in
early 2000; groups in the coalition include: Islamic Iran
Participation Front (IIPF); Executives of Construction Party
(Kargozaran); Solidarity Party; Islamic Labor Party; Mardom Salari;
Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization (MIRO); and
Militant Clerics Society (Ruhaniyun); the coalition is expected to
participate in the seventh Majles elections in early 2004; a new
apparently conservative group, the Builders of Islamic Iran, took a
leading position in the new Majles afte winning a majority of the
seats in February 2004

Political pressure groups and leaders: political pressure groups conduct most of Iran's political activities; groups that generally support the Islamic Republic include Ansar-e Hizballah, Muslim Students Following the Line of the Imam, Tehran Militant Clergy Association (Ruhaniyat), Islamic Coalition Party (Motalefeh), and Islamic Engineers Society; active pro-reform student groups include the Organization for Strengthening Unity; opposition groups include Freedom Movement of Iran, the National Front, Marz-e Por Gohar, and various ethnic and Monarchist organizations; armed political groups that have been almost completely repressed by the government include Mujahidin-e Khalq Organization (MEK), People's Fedayeen, Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, and Komala

International organization participation:
CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory),
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none; note - Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani
Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Pakistani Embassy, 2209
Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone: [1] (202)
965-4990; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the
national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in the
shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in the
white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is
repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11
times along the top edge of the red band

Economy Iran

Economy - overview:
Iran's economy is marked by a bloated, inefficient state sector,
over reliance on the oil sector, and statist policies that create
major distortions throughout. Most economic activity is controlled
by the state. Private sector activity is typically small-scale -
workshops, farming, and services. President KHATAMI has continued to
follow the market reform plans of former President RAFSANJANI, with
limited progress. Relatively high oil prices in recent years have
enabled Iran to amass some $22 billion in foreign exchange reserves,
but have not eased economic hardships such as high unemployment and
inflation. In December 2003 a major earthquake devastated the city
of Bam in southeastern Iran, killing more than 30,000 people.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $478.2 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12.5% industry: 41.2% services: 46.2% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
28.6% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
40% (2002 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
16.4% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 22.32 million note: shortage of skilled labor (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
15.7% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $40.38 billion
expenditures: $40.29 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.6
billion (2003 est.)

Public debt:
28.2% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy
products, wool; caviar

Industries:
petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction
materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and
vegetable oil production), metal fabricating, armaments

Industrial production growth rate:
3% excluding oil (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
124.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
115.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
3.804 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1.277 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
2.2 million bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
94.39 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
61.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
65.59 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
110 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
4.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
24.8 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$3.935 billion (2003)

Exports:
$29.88 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and
nuts, carpets

Exports - partners:
Japan 21.8%, China 9.7%, Italy 6.3%, Taiwan 5.5%, Turkey 5.4%,
South Korea 5.4% (2003)

Imports:
$25.26 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods,
foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military
supplies

Imports - partners:
Germany 11%, France 8.6%, China 8.4%, Italy 8.1%, UAE 7.9%, South
Korea 6.5%, Russia 4.8%, Japan 4.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$25.13 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$10.96 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$408 million (2002 est.)

Currency:
Iranian rial (IRR)

Currency code:
IRR

Exchange rates:
rials per US dollar - 8,193.89 (2003), 6,906.96 (2002), 1,753.56
(2001), 1,764.43 (2000), 1,752.93 (1999)
note: Iran has been using a managed floating exchange rate regime
since unifying multiple exchange rates in March 2002.

Fiscal year:
21 March - 20 March

Communications Iran

Telephones - main lines in use:
14,571,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
3,376,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate but currently being modernized and
expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and
increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing
telephone service to several thousand villages, not presently
connected
domestic: as a result of heavy investing in the telephone system
since 1994, the number of long-distance channels in the microwave
radio relay trunk has grown substantially; many villages have been
brought into the net; the number of main lines in the urban systems
has approximately doubled; and thousands of mobile cellular
subscribers are being served; moreover, the technical level of the
system has been raised by the installation of thousands of digital
switches
international: country code - 98; HF radio and microwave radio relay
to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria,
Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable to
UAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG);
Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan
through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion
to Georgia and Azerbaijan; satellite earth stations - 9 Intelsat and
4 Inmarsat

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998)

Radios:
17 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
4.61 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.ir

Internet hosts:
5,269 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
100 (2002)

Internet users:
4.3 million (2003)

Transportation Iran

Railways:
total: 7,203 km
broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge
standard gauge: 7,109 km 1.435-m gauge (189 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 167,157 km
paved: 94,109 km (including 890 km of expressways)
unpaved: 73,048 km (1998)

Waterways:
850 km (on Karun River and Lake Urmia) (2004)

Pipelines:
condensate/gas 212 km; gas 16,998 km; liquid petroleum gas 570 km;
oil 8,256 km; refined products 7,808 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Abadan (largely destroyed in fighting during 1980-88 war), Ahvaz,
Bandar 'Abbas, Bandar-e Anzali, Bushehr, Bandar-e Emam Khomeyni,
Bandar-e Lengeh, Bandar-e Mahshahr, Bandar-e Torkaman, Chabahar
(Bandar Beheshti), Jazireh-ye Khark, Jazireh-ye Lavan, Jazireh-ye
Sirri, Khorramshahr (limited operation since November 1992), Now
Shahr

Merchant marine:
total: 134 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,715,242 GRT/8,240,069 DWT
by type: bulk 40, cargo 36, chemical tanker 3, container 7,
liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large load carrier 5, petroleum
tanker 33, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea/passenger 1
registered in other countries: 10 (2004 est.)

Airports:
303 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 127 over 3,047 m: 39 2,438 to 3,047 m: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 32 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 178 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 under 914 m: 39 (2004 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 129

Heliports: 13 (2003 est.)

Military Iran

Military branches:
Islamic Republic of Iran regular forces (includes Ground Forces,
Navy, Air Force and Air Defense Command), Islamic Revolutionary
Guards Corps (IRGC) (includes Ground Forces, Air Force, Navy, Qods
Force [special operations], and Basij [Popular Mobilization Army]),
Law Enforcement Forces

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; soldiers as young as 9 were recruited extensively during the Iran-Iraq war; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 20,937,348 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 12,434,810 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 912,569 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$4.3 billion (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.3% (2003 est.)

Transnational Issues Iran

Disputes - international:
Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed waters on
Helmand River tributaries in periods of drought; thousands of Afghan
refugees still reside in Iran; creation of a maritime boundary with
Iraq remains in hiatus until full sovereignty is restored in Iraq;
Iran and UAE engage in direct talks and solicit Arab League support
to resolve disputes over Iran's occupation of Tunb Islands and Abu
Musa Island; Iran stands alone among littoral states in insisting
upon a division of the Caspian Sea into five equal sectors

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 1,223,823 (Afghanistan), 124,014
(Iraq) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
despite substantial interdiction efforts, Iran remains a key
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; domestic
narcotics consumption remains a persistent problem and according to
official Iranian statistics there are at least 2 million drug users
in the country; lax anti-money-laundering regulations

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Iraq

Introduction Iraq

Background:
Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by Britain
during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a League
of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over the next
dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. A
"republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of
military strongmen ruled the country, the latest was SADDAM Husayn.
Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly
eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait, but
was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during the Gulf War of
January-February 1991. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN
Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass
destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification
inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions
over a period of 12 years resulted in the US-led invasion of Iraq in
March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime. Coalition
forces remain in Iraq, helping to restore degraded infrastructure
and facilitating the establishment of a freely elected government,
while simultaneously dealing with a robust insurgency. The Coalition
Provisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim
Government (IG) in June 2004 and the election of its president,
Ghazi al-Ujayl al-YAWR, was held in January 2005.

Geography Iraq

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait

Geographic coordinates:
33 00 N, 44 00 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 437,072 sq km
water: 4,910 sq km
land: 432,162 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

Land boundaries:
total: 3,650 km
border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi
Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km

Coastline:
58 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: not specified

Climate:
mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless
summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish
borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that
melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in
central and southern Iraq

Terrain:
mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south
with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and
Turkey

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: unamed peak 3,611 m; note - this peak is not Gundah
Zhur 3,607 m or Kuh-e Hajji-Ebrahim 3,595 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur

Land use: arable land: 13.15% permanent crops: 0.78% other: 86.07% (2001)

Irrigated land:
35,250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
dust storms, sandstorms, floods

Environment - current issues:
government water control projects have drained most of the
inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting
the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of Marsh
Arabs, who inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has been
displaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat poses
serious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequate
supplies of potable water; development of the Tigris and Euphrates
rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian
Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salination) and
erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the
Persian Gulf

People Iraq

Population:
25,374,691 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.3% (male 5,198,966; female 5,039,173)
15-64 years: 56.7% (male 7,280,167; female 7,094,688)
65 years and over: 3% (male 357,651; female 404,046) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 19.2 years
male: 19.1 years
female: 19.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.74% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
33.09 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.66 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 52.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 46.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 58.58 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.26 years
male: 67.09 years
female: 69.48 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.4 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Iraqi(s)
adjective: Iraqi

Ethnic groups:
Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%

Religions:
Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%

Languages:
Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 40.4%
male: 55.9%
female: 24.4% (2003 est.)

Government Iraq

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Iraq
conventional short form: Iraq
local short form: Al Iraq
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah

Government type:
none; note - the Iraqi Interim Government (IG) was appointed on 1
June 2004

Capital:
Baghdad

Administrative divisions:
18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al
Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah,
At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Maysan,
Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit

Independence:
3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British
administration); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional
Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim Government

National holiday:
Revolution Day, 17 July (1968); note - this holiday was celebrated
under the SADDAM Husayn regime but the Iraqi Interim Government has
yet to declare a new national holiday

Constitution:
interim constitution signed 8 March 2004; note - the Transitional
Administrative Law (TAL) was enacted 8 March 2004 to govern the
country until an elected Iraqi Transitional Government can draft and
ratify a new constitution in 2005

Legal system:
based on civil and Islamic law under the Iraqi Interim Government
(IG) and Transitional Administrative Law (TAL)

Suffrage:
formerly 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Interim Iraqi Government (IG) President Ghazi al-Ujayl al-YAWR (since 1 June 2004); Deputy Presidents Ibrahim al-JAFARI and Rowsch SHAWAYS (since 1 June 2004); note - the President and Deputy Presidents comprise the Presidency Council head of government: Interim Iraqi Government (IG) Prime Minister Ayad ALLAWI (since 28 June 2004) cabinet: 31 ministers appointed by the Presidency Council, plus a Deputy Prime Minister, Barham SALIH elections: scheduled to be held January 2005

Legislative branch:
Iraqi Interim National Council formed in July 2004

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court appointed by the Prime Minister, confirmed by the
Presidency Council

Political parties and leaders:
note - the Iraqi political parties included below reflect only the
major groups; new political parties continue to emerge, indicative
of a rapidly changing political landscape; Al-Sadr Movement [Muqtada
Al-SADR]; Da'wa Party [Ibrahim al-JA'FARI]; Iraqi Hizballah [Karim
Mahud al-MUHAMMADAWI]; Iraqi National Accord or INA [Ayad ALLAWI];
Iraqi National Congress or INC [Ahmad CHALABI]; Jama'at al Fadilah
or JAF [Ayatollah Muhammad ' Ali al-YAQUBI]; The Supreme Council for
the Islamic Revolution in Iraq or SCIRI [Abd al-Aziz al-HAKIM];
Constitutional Monarchy Movement or CMM [Sharif Ali Bin al-HUSAYN];
Independent Iraqi Alliance or IIA [Falah al-NAQIB]; Iraqi
Independent Democrats or IID [Adnan PACHACHI, Mahdi al-HAFIZ]; Iraqi
Islamic Party or IIP [Muhsin Abd al-HAMID, Hajim al-HASSANI]; Iraqi
National Unity Movement or INUM [Ahmad al-KUBAYSI, chariman]; Muslim
Ulama Council or MUC [Harith Sulayman al-DARI, secretary general];
Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP [Masud BARZANI]; Patriotic Union
of Kurdistan or PUK [Jalal TALABANI]

Political pressure groups and leaders: an insurgency against the Iraqi Interim Government and Coalition forces is primarily concentrated in Baghdad and in areas west and north of the capital; the diverse, multigroup insurgency is led principally by Sunni Arabs whose only common denominator is a shared desire to oust the Coalition and end US influence in Iraq

International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS,
NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 1801 P Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20036
FAX: [1] (202) 462-5066
telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John D. NEGROPONTE
embassy: Baghdad
mailing address: APO AE 09316
telephone: 00-1-240-553-0584 ext. 4354; note - Consular Section
FAX: NA

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with
three green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the
white band; the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green Arabic
script - Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar to the
left of the middle star - was added in January 1991 during the
Persian Gulf crisis; similar to the flag of Syria, which has two
stars but no script, Yemen, which has a plain white band, and that
of Egypt which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white
band; design is based upon the Arab Liberation colors

Economy Iraq

Economy - overview: Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which has traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. In the 1980s financial problems caused by massive expenditures in the eight-year war with Iran and damage to oil export facilities by Iran led the government to implement austerity measures, borrow heavily, and later reschedule foreign debt payments; Iraq suffered economic losses from that war of at least $100 billion. After hostilities ended in 1988, oil exports gradually increased with the construction of new pipelines and restoration of damaged facilities. Iraq's seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent international economic sanctions, and damage from military action by an international coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically reduced economic activity. Although government policies supporting large military and internal security forces and allocating resources to key supporters of the regime have hurt the economy, implementation of the UN's oil-for-food program beginning in December 1996 helped improve conditions for the average Iraqi citizen. Iraq was allowed to export limited amounts of oil in exchange for food, medicine, and some infrastructure spare parts. In December 1999, the UN Security Council authorized Iraq to export under the program as much oil as required to meet humanitarian needs. The drop in GDP in 2001-02 was largely the result of the global economic slowdown and lower oil prices. Per capita food imports increased significantly, while medical supplies and health care services steadily improved. Per capita output and living standards were still well below the pre-1991 level, but any estimates have a wide range of error. The military victory of the US-led coalition in March-April 2003 resulted in the shutdown of much of the central economic administrative structure, but with the loss of a comparatively small amount of capital plant. The rebuilding of oil, electricity, and other production is proceeding steadily at the start of 2004 with foreign support and despite the continuation of severe internal strife. A joint UN and World Bank report released in the fall of 2003 estimated that Iraq's key reconstruction needs through 2007 would cost $55 billion. In October 2003, international donors pledged assistance worth more than $33 billion toward this rebuilding effort.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $37.92 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-21.8% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6%
industry: 13%
services: 81% (1993 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
29.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
7.8 million (2004 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
NA (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $12.8 billion NA
expenditures: $13.4 billion NA, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 budget)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep

Industries:
petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food
processing

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
36.01 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
33.49 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
2.2 million bbl/day; note - prewar production was 2.8 million
bbl/day (January 2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
460,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
1.7 million bbl/day (January 2004)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
113.8 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
3.149 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$1.136 billion (2003)

Exports:
$7.542 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
crude oil

Exports - partners:
US 48.8%, Jordan 8.4%, Canada 8%, Italy 7.9%, Morocco 5.3% (2003)

Imports:
$6.521 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food, medicine, manufactures

Imports - partners:
Turkey 18.1%, Jordan 13.4%, Vietnam 10.7%, US 6.9%, Germany 5%, UK
4.7% (2003)

Debt - external:
$93.95 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
more than $33 billion in foreign aid pledged for 2004-07 (2004)

Currency:
New Iraqi dinar (NID) as of 22 January 2004

Currency code:
NID, IQD prior to 22 January 2004

Exchange rates:
New Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 1,890 (second half, 2003)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Iraq

Telephones - main lines in use: 675,000; note - an unknown number of telephone lines were damaged or destroyed during the March-April 2003 war (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
20,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: the 2003 war severely disrupted
telecommunications throughout Iraq including international
connections; USAID is overseeing the repair of switching capability
and the construction of mobile and satellite communications
facilities
domestic: repairs to switches and lines destroyed in the recent
fighting continue but sabotage remains a problem; cellular service
is expected to be in place within two years
international: country code - 964; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable
and microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey;
Kuwait line is probably nonoperational

Radio broadcast stations: after 17 months of unregulated media growth, there are approximately 80 radio stations on the air inside Iraq (2004)

Radios:
4.85 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
21 (2004)

Televisions:
1.75 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.iq

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
25,000 (2002)

Transportation Iraq

Railways: total: 1,963 km standard gauge: 1,963 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 45,550 km
paved: 38,399 km
unpaved: 7,151 km (2000 est.)

Waterways:
5,275 km (not all navigable)
note: Euphrates River (2,815 km), Tigris River (1,895 km), and Third
River (565 km) are principal waterways (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 1,739 km; oil 5,418 km; refined products 1,343 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al Basrah have limited functionality

Merchant marine:
total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 83,221 GRT/125,255 DWT
by type: cargo 6, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 5, roll
on/roll off 1
registered in other countries: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports:
111; note - unknown number were damaged during the March-April 2003
war (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 79
over 3,047 m: 21
2,438 to 3,047 m: 36
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 32
under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

Heliports:
6 (2003 est.)

Military Iraq

Military branches:
note: in the summer of 2003 the Coalition Provisional Authority
(CPA) began recruiting and training a New Iraqi Army (NIA) that
would have a purely defensive mission and capability; in March 2004,
the Iraqi Interim Government established a Ministry of Defense to
create an Iraqi Armed Force; at that time the NIA was renamed the
Iraqi Armed Force - Army (IAF-A); plans also were put into effect to
reconstitute an Iraqi Army Air Corps (IAAC) and Coastal Defense
Force (navy), but there are no plans to reconstitute an Iraqi Air
Force; the Army's primary new focus will be domestic
counterinsurgency, which is a change of direction from the CPA's
intent to create an army not involved in domestic politics; in
mid-2004 the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps (ICDC) was designated the
Iraqi National Guard (ING) and subordinated to the Defense Ministry
and the Iraqi Armed Forces Pre-war Iraqi military equipment was
largely destroyed by Coalition forces during combat operations in
early 2003 or subsequently looted or scrapped (September 2004)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age; the Iraqi Interim Government is creating a new professional Iraqi military force of men aged 18 to 40 to defend Iraqi territory from external threats (September 2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 6,547,762 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,654,947 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 304,527 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.3 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Iraq

Disputes - international:
coalition forces assist Iraqis in monitoring boundary security, but
resolution of disputes and creation of maritime boundaries with
neighboring states will remain in hiatus until full sovereignty is
restored in Iraq; Turkey has expressed concern over the status of
Kurds in Iraq

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 150,000 (Palestinian Territories) IDPs: 1,340,280 (ongoing US-led war and Kurds' subsequent return) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Ireland

Introduction Ireland

Background:
Celtic tribes settled on the island from 600-150 B.C. Invasions by
Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally ended when
King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. English invasions began
in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of
Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh
repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off
several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in
independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern
(Ulster) counties remained part of the United Kingdom. In 1948
Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the
European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the
peaceful unification of Ireland and have cooperated with Britain
against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland,
known as the Good Friday Agreement and approved in 1998, is being
implemented with some difficulties.

Geography Ireland

Location:
Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in
the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain

Geographic coordinates:
53 00 N, 8 00 W

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 70,280 sq km
water: 1,390 sq km
land: 68,890 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: UK 360 km

Coastline: 1,448 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild
winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the
time

Terrain:
mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills
and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m

Natural resources:
natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum,
limestone, dolomite

Land use:
arable land: 15.2%
permanent crops: 0.03%
other: 84.77% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
strategic location on major air and sea routes between North
America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides
within 97 km of Dublin

People Ireland

Population:
3,969,558 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 21% (male 430,905; female 404,218)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 1,342,233; female 1,337,580)
65 years and over: 11.5% (male 199,379; female 255,243) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 33.4 years
male: 32.6 years
female: 34.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.16% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
14.47 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.91 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
4.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 6.04 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.36 years
male: 74.74 years
female: 80.15 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.87 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,400 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)
adjective: Irish

Ethnic groups:
Celtic, English

Religions:
Roman Catholic 91.6%, Church of Ireland 2.5%, other 5.9% (1998)

Languages:
English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge)
spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98% (1981 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

Government Ireland

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

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Dublin

Administrative divisions:
26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway,
Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth,
Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary,
Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow
note: Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are part of Ulster Province

Independence:
6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty)

National holiday:
Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March

Constitution:
29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite

Legal system:
based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenous
concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Bertie AHERN (since 26 June 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination
by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives
election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote -
Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6%
note: government coalition - Fianna Fail and the Progressive
Democrats
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 31 October 1997 (next scheduled for 22 October
2004); note - Mary MCALEESE appointed to a second term when no other
candidate qualified for the 2004 presidential election; prime
minister nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by
the president

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad
Eireann (60 seats - 49 elected by the universities and from
candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated
by the prime minister; members serve five-year terms) and the House
of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected
by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
five-year terms)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - Fianna Fail 30, Fine Gael 15, Labor Party 5, Progressive
Democrats 4, independents and others 6; House of Representatives -
percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.5%, Fine Gael 22.5%, Labor
Party 10.8%, Sinn Fein 6.5%, Progressive Democrats 4.0%, Green Party
3.8%, others 10.9%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 81, Fine Gael 31,
Labor Party 21, Progressive Democrats 8, Green Party 6, Sinn Fein 5,
others 14
elections: Senate - last held 16 and 17 July 2002 (next to be held
by July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 17 May 2002
(next to be held by May 2007)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of
the prime minister and cabinet)

Political parties and leaders:
Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party
[Trevor SARGENT]; Labor Party [Pat RABITTE]; Progressive Democrats
[Mary HARNEY]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe
HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Sean GARLAND]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM
(guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club,
PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIK,
UNMIL, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Noel FAHEY
chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993
telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James C. KENNY
embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777
FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and
has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green;
also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors
of green (hoist side), white, and red

Economy Ireland

Economy - overview:
Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth
averaging a robust 8% in 1995-2002. The global slowdown, especially
in the information technology sector, pressed growth down to 2.1% in
2003. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by
industry and services. Industry accounts for 46% of GDP and about
80% of exports and employs 28% of the labor force. Although exports
remain the primary engine for Ireland's growth, the economy has also
benefited from a rise in consumer spending, construction, and
business investment. Per capita GDP is 10% above that of the four
big European economies and the second highest in the sEU, behind
Luxembourg. Over the past decade, the Irish Government has
implemented a series of national economic programs designed to curb
price and wage inflation, reduce government spending, increase labor
force skills, and promote foreign investment. Ireland joined in
launching the euro currency system in January 1999 along with 10
other EU nations.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $116.2 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.4% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $29,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 46% services: 49% (2002 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
22.9% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
10% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 27.3% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
35.9 (1987)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
1.871 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 8%, industry 29%, services 64% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
4.7% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $53.22 billion
expenditures: $53.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.5
billion (2003)

Public debt:
31.2% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products

Industries:
food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals,
pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and
crystal; software

Industrial production growth rate:
6.7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
23.53 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
21.63 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
285 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
38 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
174,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
27,450 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
178,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
815 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
4.199 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
3.384 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
9.911 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-2.994 billion (2003)

Exports:
$98.31 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals;
live animals, animal products (1999)

Exports - partners:
US 20.5%, UK 18.1%, Belgium 12.6%, Germany 8.3%, France 6.1%,
Netherlands 5.1%, Italy 4.6% (2003)

Imports:
$57.54 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment,
chemicals; petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing

Imports - partners:
UK 34.9%, US 15.8%, Germany 7.9%, Netherlands 4.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$4.152 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$11 billion (1998)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $283 million (2001)

Currency:
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Ireland

Telephones - main lines in use:
1.955 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.4 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave
radio relay
domestic: microwave radio relay
international: country code - 353; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
2.55 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
1.82 million (2001)

Internet country code:
.ie

Internet hosts:
162,228 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
22 (2000)

Internet users:
1.26 million (2003)

Transportation Ireland

Railways:
total: 3,312 km
broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (46 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat
Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants)
(2003)

Highways:
total: 92,500 km
paved: 87,043 km (including 115 km of expressways)
unpaved: 5,457 km (2000 est.)

Waterways:
753 km (pleasure craft only) (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 1,795 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross,
Waterford

Merchant marine:
total: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 288,401 GRT/383,628 DWT
registered in other countries: 18 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Germany 3, Italy 7, Norway 2
by type: bulk 7, cargo 22, chemical tanker 1, container 3, roll
on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 1

Airports:
36 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)

Military Ireland

Military branches:
Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 17 years of age for voluntary military service; enlistees under the age of 17 can be recruited for specialist positions (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,029,525 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 827,811 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 30,083 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$700 million (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.9% (FY00/01)

Transnational Issues Ireland

Disputes - international: disputes with Iceland, Denmark, and the UK over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 nm

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa
to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs;
minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for
Western Europe; despite recent legislation, narcotics-related money
laundering using bureaux de change, trusts, shell companies
involving the offshore financial community remains a concern

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Israel

Introduction Israel

Background:
Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of
Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish
states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, the
Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending the
deep tensions between the two sides. The territories occupied by
Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country
profile, unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew
from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty.
Israel and Palestinian officials signed on 13 September 1993 a
Declaration of Principles (also known as the "Oslo accords") guiding
an interim period of Palestinian self-rule. Outstanding territorial
and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994
Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In addition, on 25 May 2000, Israel
withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied
since 1982. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid
Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations were conducted
between Israel and Palestinian representatives and Syria to achieve
a permanent settlement. On 24 June 2002, US President BUSH laid out
a "road map" for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which
envisions a two-state solution. However, progress toward a permanent
status agreement has been undermined by Palestinian-Israeli violence
ongoing since September 2000. The conflict may have reached a
turning point with the election in January 2005 of Mahmud ABBAS as
the new Palestinian leader following the November 2004 death of
Yasir ARAFAT.

Geography Israel

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
Lebanon

Geographic coordinates:
31 30 N, 34 45 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 20,770 sq km
water: 440 sq km
land: 20,330 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
total: 1,017 km
border countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km,
Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km

Coastline:
273 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Climate:
temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas

Terrain:
Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains;
Jordan Rift Valley

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m

Natural resources:
timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium
bromide, clays, sand

Land use: arable land: 16.39% permanent crops: 4.17% other: 79.44% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,990 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic
earthquakes

Environment - current issues: limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life
Conservation

Geography - note:
there are 242 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in
the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 25 in the
Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (February 2002 est.); Sea of
Galilee is an important freshwater source

People Israel

Population:
6,199,008
note: includes about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank,
about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, more than 5,000
in the Gaza Strip, and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.7% (male 847,591; female 808,399)
15-64 years: 63.4% (male 1,976,539; female 1,954,782)
65 years and over: 9.9% (male 262,781; female 348,916) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 29.2 years
male: 28.3 years
female: 30 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.29% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
18.45 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.19 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.21 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 7.96 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.17 years
male: 77.08 years
female: 81.37 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.47 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,400 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Israeli(s)
adjective: Israeli

Ethnic groups:
Jewish 80.1% (Europe/America-born 32.1%, Israel-born 20.8%,
Africa-born 14.6%, Asia-born 12.6%), non-Jewish 19.9% (mostly Arab)
(1996 est.)

Religions:
Jewish 80.1%, Muslim 14.6% (mostly Sunni Muslim), Christian 2.1%,
other 3.2% (1996 est.)

Languages:
Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority,
English most commonly used foreign language

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.4%
male: 97.3%
female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Government Israel

Country name:
conventional long form: State of Israel
conventional short form: Israel
local short form: Yisra'el
local long form: Medinat Yisra'el

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Jerusalem; note - Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in
1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its
Embassy in Tel Aviv

Administrative divisions:
6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem,
Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv

Independence:
14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British
administration)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declared
independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and
the holiday may occur in April or May

Constitution:
no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are
filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws of
the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law

Legal system:
mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, in
personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; in
December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would no
longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Moshe KATZAV (since 31 July 2000)
elections: president is largely a ceremonial role and is elected by
the Knesset for a seven-year term; election last held 31 July 2000
(next to be held mid-2007); following legislative elections, the
president assigns a Knesset member - traditionally the leader of the
largest party - the task of forming a governing coalition; election
last held 28 January 2003 (next schedulde to be held fall of 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Ariel SHARON (since 7 March 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the
Knesset
election results: Moshe KATZAV elected president by the 120-member
Knesset with a total of 60 votes, other candidate, Shimon PERES,
received 57 votes (there were three abstentions); Ariel SHARON
continues as prime minister after Likud Party victory in January
2003 Knesset elections; Likud won 38 seats and then formed coalition
government with Shinui, the National Religious Party, and the
National Union

Legislative branch:
unicameral Knesset or parliament (120 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 28 January 2003 (next scheduled to be held fall
of 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - Likud Party 29.4%,
Labor 14.5%, Shinui 12.3%, Shas 8.2%, National Union 5.5%, Meretz
5.2%, United Torah Judaism 4.3%, National Religious Party 4.2%,
Democratic Front for Peace and Equality 3.0%, One Nation 2.8%,
National Democratic Assembly 2.3%, Yisra'el Ba'Aliya (YBA) 2.2%,
United Arab List 2.1%, Green Leaf Party 1.2%, Herut 1.2%, other
1.6%; seats by party - Likud 38, Labor 19, Shinui 15, Shas 11,
National Union 7, Meretz 6, National Religious Party 6, United Torah
Judaism 5, Democratic Front for Peace and Equality 3, One Nation 3,
National Democratic Assembly 3, YBA 2, United Arab List 2

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (justices appointed for life by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash) [Muhammad BARAKA];
Green Leaf Party (no longer active) [Boaz WACHTEL and Shlomi
SANDAK]; Herut (no longer active) [Michael KLEINER]; Labor Party
[Shimon PERES]; Likud Party [Ariel SHARON]; Meretz (merged with
YAHAD) [Zahava GALON]; National Democratic Assembly (Balad) [Azmi
BISHARA]; National Religious Party [Ephraim "Efie" EITAM]; National
Union (Haichud Haleumi) [Avigdor LIBERMAN] (includes Tekuma Moledet
and Yisra'el Beiteinu); One Nation [David TAL]; Shas [Eliyahu
YISHAI]; Shinui [Yosef "Tommy" LAPID]; United Arab List [Abd
al-Malik DAHAMSHAH]; United Torah Judaism [Yaakov LITZMAN]; YAHAD
[Yossi BEILIN]; Yisra'el Ba'Aliya or YBA (merged with Likud) [Natan
SHARANSKY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Israeli nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bank
and Gaza Strip; Peace Now supports territorial concessions in the
West Bank and Gaza Strip; Yesha (settler) Council promotes settler
interests and opposes territorial compromise; B'Tselem monitors
human rights abuses

International organization participation:
BIS, BSEC (observer), CE (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, FAO,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MIGA, OAS (observer), OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel AYALON consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 364-5560 telephone: [1] (202) 364-5578 chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel C. KURTZER embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv 63903 mailing address: PSC 98, Box 29, APO AE 09830 telephone: [972] (3) 519-7369/7453/7454/7457/7458/7551/7575 FAX: [972] (3) 516-4390 consulate(s) general: Jerusalem; note - an independent US mission, established in 1928, whose members are not accredited to a foreign government

Flag description:
white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the
Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal
blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag

Economy Israel

Economy - overview:
Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with
substantial government participation. It depends on imports of crude
oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited
natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural
and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Israel imports
substantial quantities of grain but is largely self-sufficient in
other agricultural products. Cut diamonds, high-technology
equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are the
leading exports. Israel usually posts sizable current account
deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad
and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debt
is owed to the US, which is its major source of economic and
military aid. The bitter Israeli-Palestinian conflict; difficulties
in the high-technology, construction, and tourist sectors; and
fiscal austerity in the face of growing inflation led to small
declines in GDP in 2001 and 2002. The economy grew at 1% in 2003,
with improvements in tourism and foreign direct investment. In 2004,
rising business and consumer confidence - as well as higher demand
for Israeli exports - boosted GDP by 2.7%.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $120.9 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $19,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.8% industry: 37.7% services: 59.5% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
17.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
18% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 28.3% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
35.5 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
2.61 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, forestry, and fishing 2.6%, manufacturing 20.2%, construction 7.5%, commerce 12.8%, transport, storage, and communications 6.2%, finance and business 13.1%, personal and other services 6.4%, public services 31.2% (1996)

Unemployment rate:
10.7% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $44.98 billion
expenditures: $51.07 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Public debt:
108.6% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products

Industries:
high-technology projects (including aviation, communications,
computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics), wood
and paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, and
tobacco, caustic soda, cement, diamond cutting

Industrial production growth rate:
-0.6% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
42.24 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
37.82 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
1.457 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
80 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
260,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
1.92 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
10 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
10 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
20.81 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-174 million (2003)

Exports:
$29.32 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural
products, chemicals, textiles and apparel

Exports - partners:
US 38.4%, Belgium 7.4%, Hong Kong 4.8% (2003)

Imports:
$32.27 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough
diamonds, fuels, grain, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
US 15.6%, Belgium 9.3%, Germany 8%, UK 6.7%, Switzerland 6.1%,
Italy 4.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$26.32 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$70.97 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$662 million from US (2003 est.)

Currency:
new Israeli shekel (ILS); note - NIS is the currency abbreviation;
ILS is the International Organization for Standarization (ISO) code
for the NIS

Currency code:
ILS

Exchange rates:
new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.5541 (2003), 4.7378 (2002),
4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000), 4.1397 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Israel

Telephones - main lines in use:
3.006 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.334 million (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: most highly developed system in the Middle East
although not the largest
domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay;
all systems are digital
international: country code - 972; 3 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
3.07 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
17 (plus 36 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
1.69 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.il

Internet hosts:
437,516 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
21 (2000)

Internet users:
2 million (2002)

Transportation Israel

Railways: total: 640 km standard gauge: 640 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 16,281 km
paved: 16,281 km (including 56 km of expressways)
unpaved: NA (2000)

Pipelines:
gas 140 km; oil 1,509 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Ashdod, Ashqelon, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa, Tel Aviv-Yafo

Merchant marine:
total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 752,873 GRT/881,711 DWT
by type: container 18
registered in other countries: 40 (2004 est.)

Airports:
51 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 3 (2003 est.)

Military Israel

Military branches:
Israel Defense Forces (IDF): Ground Corps (including Pioneer
Fighting Youth (Nahal)), Navy, Air Force(including Air Defense
Forces); note - historically there have been no separate Israeli
military services

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
17 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes) and voluntary
(Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes are
eligible for military service; conscript service obligation - 36
months for men, 21 months for women (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,581,883
females age 15-49: 1,532,234 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,294,742
females age 15-49: 1,250,969 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 51,054
females: 53,515 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$9.11 billion (FY03)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
8.7% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Israel

Disputes - international:
West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status
subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent
status to be determined through further negotiation; Golan Heights
is Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of Golan
Heights)

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 276,000 (Arab villagers displaced from homes in northern
Israel) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin abuse; drugs arrive
in country from Lebanon and, increasingly, from Jordan;
money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Italy

Introduction Italy

Background:
Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-states of the
peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King
Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to a
close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist
dictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led to
Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the
monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a charter
member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has
been at the forefront of European economic and political
unification, joining the European Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent
problems include illegal immigration, organized crime, corruption,
high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the low incomes and
technical standards of southern Italy compared with the prosperous
north.

Geography Italy

Location:
Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central
Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia

Geographic coordinates:
42 50 N, 12 50 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 301,230 sq km
note: includes Sardinia and Sicily
water: 7,210 sq km
land: 294,020 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Arizona

Land boundaries:
total: 1,932.2 km
border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican
City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km

Coastline:
7,600 km

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

Climate:
predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south

Terrain:
mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a
secondary peak of Mont Blanc)

Natural resources:
coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice,
fluorospar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil
reserves, fish, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 27.79%
permanent crops: 9.53%
other: 62.68% (2001)

Irrigated land:
26,980 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches,
earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice

Environment - current issues: air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as
southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe

People Italy

Population:
58,057,477 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 14% (male 4,181,946; female 3,935,565)
15-64 years: 66.9% (male 19,590,497; female 19,256,747)
65 years and over: 19.1% (male 4,608,479; female 6,484,243) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 41.4 years male: 39.8 years female: 43 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.09% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
9.05 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
10.21 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
2.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.07 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 6.68 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.54 years
male: 76.61 years
female: 82.66 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.27 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
100,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Italian(s)
adjective: Italian

Ethnic groups:
Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and
Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and
Greek-Italians in the south)

Religions:
predominately Roman Catholic with mature Protestant and Jewish
communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community

Languages:
Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are
predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking
minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking
minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.6%
male: 99%
female: 98.3% (2003 est.)

Government Italy

Country name:
conventional long form: Italian Republic
conventional short form: Italy
local long form: Repubblica Italiana
former: Kingdom of Italy
local short form: Italia

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Rome

Administrative divisions:
16 regions (regioni, singular - regione) and 4 autonomous regions*
(regioni autonome, singular - regione autonoma); Abruzzo,
Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia
Giulia*, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte,
Puglia, Sardegna*, Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige*, Umbria,
Valle d'Aosta*, Veneto

Independence:
17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally
unified until 1870)

National holiday:
Republic Day, 2 June (1946)

Constitution:
passed 11 December 1947; effective 1 January 1948; amended many
times

Legal system:
based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials; judicial
review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where
minimum age is 25)

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI (since 13 May 1999)
elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of
both houses of Parliament and 58 regional representatives for a
seven-year term; election last held 13 May 1999 (next to be held NA
May 2006); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed
by Parliament
head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the
president of the Council of Ministers) Silvio BERLUSCONI (since 10
June 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
approved by the president
election results: Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI elected president; percent of
electoral college vote - 70%
note: a four-party government coalition includes Forza Italia,
National Alliance, Northern League, and Union of Christian Democrats
and Democrats of the Center

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato
della Repubblica (315 seats elected by popular vote of which 232 are
directly elected and 83 are elected by regional proportional
representation; in addition, there are a small number of
senators-for-life including former presidents of the republic;
members serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera
dei Deputati (630 seats; 475 are directly elected, 155 by regional
proportional representation; members serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held 2006);
Chamber of Deputies - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held May
2006)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - House of Liberties 172 (Forza Italia 77, National Alliance
47, UDC 31, Lega Padana 17), Olive Tree 108 (Democrats of the Left
63, Daisy Alliance 35, Greens 10), Per le Autonomie 10, other 25;
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party
- House of Liberties 337 (Forza Italia 176, National Alliance 97,
UDC 36, Northern League 28), Olive Tree 214 (Democrats of the Left
135, Daisy Alliance 79), Rifondazione Communista 11, other 68

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15
judges: one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by
Parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative
Supreme Courts)

Political parties and leaders:
Center-Left Olive Tree Coalition [Francesco RUTELLI] - Democrats of
the Left, Daisy Alliance (including Italian Popular Party, Italian
Renewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The Democrats), Sunflower
Alliance (including Green Federation, Italian Democratic
Socialists), Italian Communist Party; Center-Right Freedom House
Coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI] (formerly House of Liberties and
Freedom Alliance) - Forza Italia, National Alliance, The Whiteflower
Alliance (includes Christian Democratic Center, United Christian
Democrats), Northern League; Democrats of the Left or DS [Piero
FASSINO]; Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; Green Federation
[Alfonso Pecoraro SCANIO]; Italian Communist Party or PdCI [Armando
COSSUTTA]; Italian Renewal or RI [Lamberto DINI]; merged with PPI
and I Democratici to form La Margherita (or The Daisy Alliance);
Italian Social Democrats or SDI [Enrico BOSELLI]; Lega Padana
[Roberto BERNARDELLI]; National Alliance or AN [Gianfranco FINI];
Northern League or NL [Umberto BOSSI]; Socialist Movement-Tricolor
Flame or MS-Fiamma [Luca ROMAGNOLI]; South Tyrol People's Party or
SVP (German speakers) [Elmar Pichler ROLLE]; Sunflower Alliance
(includes Green Federation, Italian Social Democrats); The Daisy
Alliance (includes Italian Popular Party, Italian Renewal, Union of
Democrats for Europe, The Democrats) [Francesco RUTELLI]; The
Democrats [Arturo PARISI]; The Radicals (formerly Pannella Reformers
and Autonomous List) [Marco PANNELLA]; Union of Democrats for Europe
or UDEUR [Clemente MASTELLA]; Union of Christian and Center
Democrats or UDC [Marco FOLLINI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Italian manufacturers and merchants associations (Confindustria,
Confcommercio); organized farm groups (Confcoltivatori,
Confagricoltura); Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union
confederations (Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL
[Guglielmo EPIFANI] which is left wing, Confederazione Italiana dei
Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Savino PEZZOTTA], which is Roman
Catholic centrist, and Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Luigi
ANGELETTI] which is lay centrist)

International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CDB, CE, CEI,
CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA
(observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sergio VENTO consulate(s): Detroit consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151 telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400 chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Melvin F. SEMBLER embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 119/A, 00187-Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 46741 FAX: [39] (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356 consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red;
similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist
side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote
d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side),
white, and green
note: inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in
1797

Economy Italy

Economy - overview:
Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly the same
total and per capita output as France and the UK. This capitalistic
economy remains divided into a developed industrial north, dominated
by private companies, and a less developed, welfare-dependent
agricultural south, with 20% unemployment. Most raw materials needed
by industry and more than 75% of energy requirements are imported.
Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a tight fiscal policy in
order to meet the requirements of the Economic and Monetary Unions
and has benefited from lower interest and inflation rates. The
current government has enacted numerous short-term reforms aimed at
improving competitiveness and long-term growth. Italy has moved
slowly, however, on implementing needed structural reforms, such as
lightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labor
market and over-generous pension system, because of the current
economic slowdown and opposition from labor unions.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.55 trillion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0.4% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $26,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.2% industry: 28.9% services: 68.9% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
19.1% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 26.6% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
27.3 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
24.15 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 5%, industry 32%, services 63% (2001)

Unemployment rate:
8.6% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $668 billion
expenditures: $703.1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Public debt:
106.4% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain,
olives; beef, dairy products; fish

Industries:
tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing,
textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics

Industrial production growth rate:
-0.5% (2003)

Electricity - production:
258.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
289.1 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
556 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
48.93 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
79,460 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1.866 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
456,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
2.158 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
586.6 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
15.49 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
71.18 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
61 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
54.78 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
209.7 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-22.28 billion (2003)

Exports:
$278.1 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery,
motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and
tobacco; minerals and nonferrous metals

Exports - partners:
Germany 13.8%, France 12.3%, US 8.5%, Spain 7%, UK 6.9% (2003)

Imports:
$271.1 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy
products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing;
food, beverages and tobacco

Imports - partners:
Germany 17.9%, France 11.2%, Netherlands 5.8%, Spain 4.8%, UK 4.7%,
Belgium 4.3%, US 4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$63.26 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$868.5 billion NA (2003)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $1 billion (2002 est.)

Currency:
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Italy

Telephones - main lines in use:
26.596 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
55.918 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully automated
telephone, telex, and data services
domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks
international: country code - 39; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2
for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA
Eutelsat; 21 submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations:
AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)

Radios:
50.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
30.3 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.it

Internet hosts:
1,437,511 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
93 (Italy and Holy See) (2000)

Internet users:
18.5 million (2003)

Transportation Italy

Railways:
total: 19,507 km (11,651 km electrified)
standard gauge: 18,070 km 1.435-m gauge (11,375 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 123 km 1.000-m gauge (88 km electrified); 1,314 km
0.950-m gauge (188 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 479,688 km
paved: 479,688 km (including 6,621 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Waterways:
2,400 km
note: used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared
to road and rail (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 17,335 km; oil 1,136 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Augusta (Sicily), Bagnoli, Bari, Brindisi, Gela (Sicily), Genoa, La
Spezia, Livorno, Milazzo (Sicily), Naples, Porto Foxi, Porto Torres
(Sardinia), Salerno, Savona, Taranto, Trieste, Venice

Merchant marine:
total: 475 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 8,970,017 GRT/10,354,685 DWT
foreign-owned: Denmark 4, France 3, Greece 5, Japan 1, Isle of Man
1, Monaco 22, Netherlands 4, Panama 2, Switzerland 2, Taiwan 10,
United Kingdom 5, United States 13
registered in other countries: 144 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 39, cargo 40, chemical tanker 106, combination ore/oil
2, container 23, liquefied gas 43, livestock carrier 2,
multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 13, passenger/cargo
1, petroleum tanker 74, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 62,
short-sea/passenger 31, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 23

Airports:
134 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 96 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 32 914 to 1,523 m: 30 under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 4 (2003 est.)

Military Italy

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI),
Carabinieri

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (2004 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 14,408,392 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 12,279,516 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 285,601 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$28,182.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Italy

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and
Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money
laundering by organized crime and from smuggling

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Jamaica

Introduction Jamaica

Background:
Jamaica gained full independence within the British Commonwealth in
1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to
recurrent violence and a drop off in tourism. Elections in 1980 saw
the democratic socialists voted out of office. Political violence
marred elections during the 1990s.

Geography Jamaica

Location:
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Geographic coordinates:
18 15 N, 77 30 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 10,991 sq km
land: 10,831 sq km
water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
1,022 km

Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin
contiguous zone: 24 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Terrain:
mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m

Natural resources:
bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Land use:
arable land: 16.07%
permanent crops: 10.16%
other: 73.77% (2001)

Irrigated land:
250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
hurricanes (especially July to November)

Environment - current issues: heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions

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

Geography - note:
strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the
main sea lanes for the Panama Canal

People Jamaica

Population:
2,713,130 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.2% (male 390,966; female 372,961)
15-64 years: 65% (male 883,053; female 880,296)
65 years and over: 6.9% (male 82,788; female 103,066) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 26.8 years
male: 26.2 years
female: 27.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.66% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
16.94 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.4 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-4.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 12.81 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 13.82 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.07 years
male: 74.04 years
female: 78.21 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.98 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
22,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
900 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Jamaican(s)
adjective: Jamaican

Ethnic groups:
black 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%, mixed
7.3%, other 0.1%

Religions:
Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Baptist 8.8%, Anglican 5.5%,
Seventh-Day Adventist 9%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Methodist 2.7%, United
Church 2.7%, Brethren 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%, Moravian 1.1%),
Roman Catholic 4%, other including some spiritual cults 34.7%

Languages:
English, patois English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 87.9%
male: 84.1%
female: 91.6% (2003 est.)

Government Jamaica

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

Government type:
constitutional parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Kingston

Administrative divisions:
14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland,
Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint
James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland
note: for local government purposes, Kingston and Saint Andrew were
amalgamated in 1923 into the present single corporate body known as
the Kingston and Saint Andrew Corporation

Independence:
6 August 1962 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, first Monday in August (1962)

Constitution:
6 August 1962

Legal system:
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir Howard Felix COOKE (since 1
August 1991)
head of government: Prime Minister Percival James PATTERSON (since
30 March 1992)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime
minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House
of Representatives is appointed prime minister by the governor
general; the deputy prime minister is recommended by the prime
minister

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member body
appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the
prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is
allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated eight seats) and
the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 16 October 2002 (next to be held in October
2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - PNP 52%, JLP 47.3%;
seats by party - PNP 34, JLP 26

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on the
advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Edward SEAGA]; National Democratic
Movement or NDM [Hyacinth BENNETT]; People's National Party or PNP
[Percival James PATTERSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black
religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)

International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS,
OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gordon SHIRLEY
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081
telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660
chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Sue McCourt COBB
embassy: Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor,
Kingston 5
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859
FAX: [1] (876) 935-6001

Flag description:
diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green
(top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)

Economy Jamaica

Economy - overview:
The Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on services, which now
account for 70% of GDP. The country continues to derive most of its
foreign exchange from tourism, remittances, and bauxite/alumina. The
global economic slowdown, particularly after the terrorist attacks
in the US on 11 September 2001, stunted economic growth; the economy
rebounded moderately in 2003, with one of the best tourist seasons
on record. But the economy faces serious long-term problems: high
interest rates; increased foreign competition; a pressured,
sometimes sliding, exchange rate; a sizable merchandise trade
deficit; large-scale unemployment; and a growing internal debt, the
result of government bailouts to ailing sectors of the economy. The
ratio of debt to GDP is close to 150%. Inflation, previously a
bright spot, is expected to remain in the double digits. Depressed
economic conditions have led to increased civil unrest, including
gang violence fueled by the drug trade. In 2004, the government
faces the difficult prospect of having to achieve fiscal discipline
in order to maintain debt payments while simultaneously attacking a
serious and growing crime problem that is hampering economic growth.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $10.61 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.9% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.7% industry: 37.2% services: 56.2% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
31.6% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
19.7% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 30.3% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37.9 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
1.13 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 21%, industry 19%, services 60% (1998)

Unemployment rate:
15.9% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.596 billion
expenditures: $3.111 billion, including capital expenditures of $236
million (2003 est.)

Public debt:
145.6% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, yams, vegetables, poultry,
goats, milk, crustaceans, and mollusks

Industries:
tourism, bauxite/alumina, textiles, agro processing, wearing
apparel, light manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical
products, telecommunications

Industrial production growth rate:
-2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
6.272 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
5.833 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
66,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-842 million (2003)

Exports:
$1.355 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, rum, coffee, yams, beverages,
chemicals, wearing apparel, mineral fuels

Exports - partners:
US 29.6%, UK 11%, Canada 10.8%, France 7.9%, Norway 6.8%, Germany
6.2%, China 6%, Netherlands 4.4% (2003)

Imports:
$3.265 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food and other consumer goods, industrial supplies, fuel, parts and
accessories of capital goods, machinery and transport equipment,
construction materials

Imports - partners:
US 39.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 9.7%, Germany 5.6%, Venezuela 4.5%,
France 4.5%, Japan 4.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$1.195 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$4.962 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$16 million (2003)

Currency:
Jamaican dollar (JMD)

Currency code:
JMD

Exchange rates:
Jamaican dollars per US dollar - 57.7409 (2003), 48.4159 (2002),
45.9962 (2001), 42.7011 (2000), 39.0435 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Jamaica

Telephones - main lines in use:
444,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.4 million (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone network
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-876; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
1.215 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
7 (1997)

Televisions:
460,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.jm

Internet hosts:
1,480 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
21 (2000)

Internet users:
600,000 (2002)

Transportation Jamaica

Railways:
total: 272 km
standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge
note: 207 of these km belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation
had been in common carrier service until 1992 but are no longer
operational; 57 km of the remaining track is privately owned and
used by ALCAN to transport bauxite (2003)

Highways:
total: 18,700 km
paved: 13,109 km
unpaved: 5,591 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Alligator Pond, Discovery Bay, Kingston, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios,
Port Antonio, Rocky Point, Port Esquivel (Longswharf)

Merchant marine:
total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 74,881 GRT/100,682 DWT
foreign-owned: Greece 2, Iceland 1, Latvia 1, United States 2 (2004
est.)
by type: bulk 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2,
short-sea/passenger 1

Airports:
35 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.)

Military Jamaica

Military branches:
Jamaica Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Wing

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; younger recruits may be conscripted with parental consent (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 764,266 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 533,768 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 27,126 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$31 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.4% (2003)

Transnational Issues Jamaica

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
major transshipment point for cocaine from South America to North
America and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis; government has
an active manual cannabis eradication program; corruption is a major
concern; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics
traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit financial transactions

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Jan Mayen

Introduction Jan Mayen

Background:
This desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch whaling
captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier claims are
inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters and
trappers over the following centuries, the island came under
Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VII
Toppen/Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the
northernmost active volcano on earth.

Geography Jan Mayen

Location:
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian
Sea, northeast of Iceland

Geographic coordinates:
71 00 N, 8 00 W

Map references:
Arctic Region

Area:
total: 373 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 373 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
124.1 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 4 nm contiguous zone: 10 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog

Terrain:
volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic
activity resumed in 1970

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
barren volcanic island with some moss and grass

People Jan Mayen

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and
the weather and coastal services radio station (July 2004 est.)

Government Jan Mayen

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jan Mayen

Dependency status:
territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from Oslo
through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however,
authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian
Defense Communication Service

Legal system:
the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of Norway is used

Economy Jan Mayen

Economy - overview:
Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural
resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for
employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations on the
island.

Communications Jan Mayen

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA note: there is one radio and meteorological station (1998)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (Jan Mayen and Svalbard) (2000)

Transportation Jan Mayen

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Jan Mayen

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Norway

Transnational Issues Jan Mayen

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Japan

Introduction Japan

Background:
In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a
long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure
its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy
stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Following the
Treaty of Kanagawa with the United States in 1854, Japan opened its
ports and began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During
the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional
power that was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia.
It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island.
In 1933 Japan occupied Manchuria and in 1937 it launched a
full-scale invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces in 1941 -
triggering America's entry into World War II - and soon occupied
much of East and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II,
Japan recovered to become an economic power and a staunch ally of
the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national
unity, actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians,
bureaucrats, and business executives. The economy experienced a
major slowdown starting in the 1990s following three decades of
unprecedented growth, but Japan still remains a major economic
power, both in Asia and globally. In 2005, Japan began a two-year
term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Geography Japan

Location:
Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the
Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula

Geographic coordinates:
36 00 N, 138 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 377,835 sq km
note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto,
Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and
Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)
water: 3,091 sq km
land: 374,744 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
29,751 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the international
straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and
Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Terrain:
mostly rugged and mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m highest point: Mount Fuji 3,776 m

Natural resources: negligible mineral resources, fish

Land use: arable land: 12.19% permanent crops: 0.96% other: 86.85% (2001)

Irrigated land:
26,790 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic
occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain;
acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and
threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of
fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these
resources in Asia and elsewhere

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

Geography - note:
strategic location in northeast Asia

People Japan

Population:
127,333,002 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.3% (male 9,337,867; female 8,876,996)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 42,697,264; female 42,196,835)
65 years and over: 19% (male 10,169,190; female 14,054,850) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 42.3 years male: 40.5 years female: 44.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.08% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
9.56 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.75 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.28 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 3.54 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.04 years
male: 77.74 years
female: 84.51 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.38 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
12,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Japanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Japanese

Ethnic groups:
Japanese 99%, others 1% (Korean 511,262, Chinese 244,241, Brazilian
182,232, Filipino 89,851, other 237,914)
note: up to 230,000 Brazilians of Japanese origin migrated to Japan
in the 1990s to work in industries; some have returned to Brazil
(2004)

Religions:
observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including
Christian 0.7%)

Languages:
Japanese

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2002)

Government Japan

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

Government type:
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government

Capital:
Tokyo

Administrative divisions:
47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka,
Fukushima, Gifu, Gumma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki,
Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto,
Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita,
Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka,
Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata,
Yamaguchi, Yamanashi

Independence:
660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu)

National holiday:
Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)

Constitution:
3 May 1947

Legal system:
modeled after European civil law system with English-American
influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)
elections: Diet designates prime minister; constitution requires
that prime minister commands parliamentary majority; following
legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of
majority coalition in House of Representatives usually becomes prime
minister; monarch is hereditary
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister Junichiro KOIZUMI (since 26 April
2001)

Legislative branch:
bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors or
Sangi-in (242 seats - members elected for six-year terms; half
reelected every three years; 144 members in multi-seat
constituencies and 98 by proportional representation); House of
Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - members elected for
four-year terms; 300 in single-seat constituencies; 180 members by
proportional representation in 11 regional blocs)
election results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - LDP 115, DPJ 82, Komeito 24, JCP 9, SDP 5,
others 7; distribution of seats as of October 2004 - LDP 114, DPJ
84, Komeito 24, JCP 9, SDP 5, others 6
: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - LDP 49.38%,
DPJ 36.88%, Komeito 7.09%, JCP 1.88%, SDP 1.25%, NCP .84%; seats by
party - LDP 237, DPJ 177, Komeito 34, JCP 9, SDP 6, NCP 4, others
13; distribution of seats as of December 2004: LDP 249, DPJ 177,
Komeito 34, JCP 9, SDP 6, others 3, vacant 2
note: Liberal Party merged with Democratic Party of Japan in
September 2003; Conservative New Party merged with Liberal
Democratic Party following election in November 2003 (2004)
elections: House of Councillors - last held 11 July 2004 (next to be
held in July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 9 November
2003 (next election by November 2007)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after
designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the
cabinet)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Katsuya OKADA, leader; Tatsuo
KAWABATA, secretary general]; Japan Communist Party or JCP [Kazuo
SHII, chairman; Tadayoshi ICHIDA, secretary general]; Komeito
[Takenori KANZAKI, president; Tetsuzo FUYUSHIBA, secretary general];
Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Junichiro KOIZUMI, president;
Tsutomu TAKEBE, secretary general]; Social Democratic Party or SDP
[Mizuho FUKUSHIMA, chairperson; Seiji MATAICHI, secretary general]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
AfDB, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group,
BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EBRD, FAO, G-5, G-7, G-8,
G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA, MIGA,
NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner),
Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ryozo KATO
FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187
consulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands)
consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver,
Detroit, Hagatna (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, and Seattle
chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. BAKER, Jr. embassy: 10-5 Akasaka 1-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420 mailing address: Unit 45004, Box 258, APO AP 96337-5004 telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000 FAX: [81] (03) 3505-1862 consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya

Flag description:
white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in
the center

Economy Japan

Economy - overview:
Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of
high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of
GDP) helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of
second most technologically-powerful economy in the world after the
US and third-largest economy after the US and China. One notable
characteristic of the economy is the working together of
manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in closely-knit groups
called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee of
lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor
force. Both features are now eroding. Industry, the most important
sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw
materials and fuels. The much smaller agricultural sector is highly
subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the
world. Usually self-sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 50%
of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains
one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly
15% of the global catch. For three decades overall real economic
growth had been spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5%
average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed
markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of the
after effects of overinvestment during the late 1980s and
contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative
excesses from the stock and real estate markets. Government efforts
to revive economic growth have met with little success and were
further hampered in 2000-2003 by the slowing of the US, European,
and Asian economies. Japan's huge government debt, which totals more
than 150% of GDP, and the ageing of the population are two major
long-run problems. Robotics constitutes a key long-term economic
strength with Japan possessing 410,000 of the world's 720,000
"working robots." Internal conflict over the proper way to reform
the ailing banking system continues.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $3.582 trillion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $28,200 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.3% industry: 25.4% services: 73.3% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
23.9% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.8% highest 10%: 21.7% (1993)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
24.9 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
66.66 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 5%, industry 25%, services 70% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
5.3% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $1.327 trillion
expenditures: $1.646 trillion, including capital expenditures
(public works only) of about $71 billion (2003 est.)

Public debt:
154.6% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit, pork, poultry, dairy
products, eggs, fish

Industries:
among world's largest and technologically advanced producers of
motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and
nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods

Industrial production growth rate:
3.3% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
1.037 trillion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
964.2 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
17,330 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
5.29 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
93,360 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
5.449 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
29.29 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
2.519 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
80.42 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
77.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
20.02 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$135.9 billion (2003)

Exports:
$447.1 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
motor vehicles, semiconductors, office machinery, chemicals

Exports - partners:
US 24.8%, China 12.1%, South Korea 7.3%, Taiwan 6.6%, Hong Kong
6.3% (2003)

Imports:
$346.6 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles,
raw materials (2001)

Imports - partners:
China 19.7%, US 15.6%, South Korea 4.7%, Indonesia 4.3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$664.6 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
NA (2002 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $7 billion (FY03/04)

Currency:
yen (JPY)

Currency code:
JPY

Exchange rates:
yen per US dollar - 115.933 (2003), 125.388 (2002), 121.529 (2001),
107.765 (2000), 113.907 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Japan

Telephones - main lines in use:
71.149 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
86,658,600 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international service
domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of
every kind
international: country code - 81; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
(Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean
regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US
(via Guam) (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 215 plus 370 repeaters, FM 89 plus 485 repeaters, shortwave 21
(2001)

Radios:
120.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 211 plus 7,341 repeaters note: in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV cable services (1999)

Televisions:
86.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.jp

Internet hosts:
12,962,065 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
73 (2000)

Internet users:
57.2 million (2002)

Transportation Japan

Railways:
total: 23,705 km (16,519 km electrified)
standard gauge: 3,204 km 1.435-m gauge (3,204 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge (77 km electrified); 20,393 km
1.067-m gauge (13,227 km electrified); 11 km 0.762-m gauge (11 km
electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 1,161,894 km
paved: 534,471 km (including 6,455 km of expressways)
unpaved: 627,423 km (1999)

Waterways:
1,770 km (seagoing vessels use inland seas) (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 2,719 km; oil 170 km; oil/gas/water 60 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Akita, Amagasaki, Chiba, Hachinohe, Hakodate, Higashi-Harima,
Himeji, Hiroshima, Kawasaki, Kinuura, Kobe, Kushiro, Mizushima,
Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Sakai, Sakaide, Shimizu, Tokyo, Tomakomai

Merchant marine:
total: 568 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 10,149,196 GRT/12,680,544 DWT
by type: bulk 113, cargo 39, chemical tanker 18, combination bulk
31, combination ore/oil 1, container 14, liquefied gas 53, passenger
8, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 170, refrigerated cargo 6,
roll on/roll off 58, short-sea/passenger 7, vehicle carrier 49
registered in other countries: 1,989 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: China 1, Panama 1, Philippines 1, Singapore 1

Airports:
174 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 143 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 37 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 32 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 39

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 over 3047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 15 (2003 est.)

Military Japan

Military branches:
Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Maritime Self-Defense Force
(Navy), Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force), Coast Guard

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 29,179,095 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 25,189,438 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 700,931 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$42,488.1 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1% (2003)

Transnational Issues Japan

Disputes - international:
The sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and
Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the "Northern
Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kuril Islands", occupied
by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia and claimed
by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peace
treaty formally ending World War II hostilities; intensified media
coverage and protests highlight dispute over the fishing-rich
Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima) also claimed by South Korea;
China and Taiwan have intensified their claims to the Senkaku
Islands (Diaoyu Tai) administered by Japan

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Jarvis Island

Introduction Jarvis Island

Background:
First discovered by the British in 1821, the uninhabited island was
annexed by the US in 1858, but abandoned in 1879 after tons of guano
had been removed. The UK annexed the island in 1889, but never
carried out plans for further exploitation. The US occupied and
reclaimed the island in 1935. Abandoned after World War II, the
island is currently a National Wildlife Refuge administered by the
US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the
middle of the west coast.

Geography Jarvis Island

Location:
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between
Hawaii and the Cook Islands

Geographic coordinates:
0 22 S, 160 03 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 4.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 4.5 sq km

Area - comparative:
about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
8 km

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

Climate:
tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Terrain:
sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 7 m

Natural resources:
guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial and aquatic
wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island poses a maritime
hazard

Environment - current issues:
no natural fresh water resources

Geography - note:
sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs;
primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds,
shorebirds, and marine wildlife

People Jarvis Island

Population:
uninhabited
note: Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally
used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was
abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical
Year by scientists who left in 1958; public entry is by special-use
permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally
restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually by US Fish
and Wildlife Service (July 2004 est.)

Government Jarvis Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jarvis Island

Dependency status:
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,
DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the
Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system:
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of the US is used

Economy Jarvis Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Jarvis Island

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat
landing area in the middle of the west coast and another near the
southwest corner of the island

Transportation - note:
there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

Military Jarvis Island

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US
Coast Guard

Transnational Issues Jarvis Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Jersey

Introduction Jersey

Background:
The island of Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent the
last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy that held sway in
both France and England. These islands were the only British soil
occupied by German troops in World War II.

Geography Jersey

Location:
Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates:
49 15 N, 2 10 W

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 116 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 116 sq km

Area - comparative:
about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
70 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:
temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Terrain:
gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 143 m

Natural resources: arable land

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of
population concentrated in Saint Helier

People Jersey

Population:
90,502 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.7% (male 8,268; female 7,716)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 30,237; female 30,490)
65 years and over: 15.2% (male 6,016; female 7,775) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 40.3 years
male: 39.6 years
female: 41.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.36% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
10.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
9.17 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
2.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.33 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 5.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.09 years
male: 76.63 years
female: 81.74 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.57 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic groups:
UK and Norman-French descent

Religions:
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church,
Methodist, Presbyterian

Languages:
English (official), French (official), Norman-French dialect spoken
in country districts

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

Government Jersey

Country name:
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
conventional short form: Jersey

Dependency status:
British crown dependency

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Saint Helier

Administrative divisions:
none (British crown dependency)

Independence:
none (British crown dependency)

National holiday:
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution:
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system:
English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal
Court

Suffrage:
NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor and
bailiff appointed by the monarch
head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Air
Chief Marshall Sir John CHESHIRE (since 24 January 2001) and Bailiff
Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since NA February 1995)
cabinet: committees appointed by the Assembly of the States

Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the States (55 voting members - 12 senators
(elected for 6-year terms), 12 constables or heads of parishes
(elected for 3-year terms), 29 deputies (elected for 3-year terms);
the bailiff and the deputy bailiff; and 3 non-voting members - the
Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor General all
appointed by the monarch)
elections: last held NA (next to be held NA)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 52

Judicial branch:
Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)

Political parties and leaders:
none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (British crown dependency)

Flag description:
white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of the
flag; in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a red
shield with the three lions of England in yellow

Economy Jersey

Economy - overview:
The economy is based largely on international financial services,
agriculture, and tourism. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes, and
especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to the
UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and
represents an important export income earner. Milk products go to
the UK and other EU countries. In 1996 the finance sector accounted
for about 60% of the island's output. Tourism, another mainstay of
the economy, accounts for 24% of GDP. In recent years, the
government has encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with
the result that an electronics industry has developed alongside the
traditional manufacturing of knitwear. All raw material and energy
requirements are imported, as well as a large share of Jersey's food
needs. Light taxes and death duties make the island a popular tax
haven.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $2.2 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $24,800 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 2%
services: 93% (1996)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.7% (1998)

Labor force:
57,050 (1996)

Unemployment rate:
0.7% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $601 million
expenditures: $588 million, including capital expenditures of $98
million (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products

Industries:
tourism, banking and finance, dairy

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - imports:
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France

Exports:
NA

Exports - commodities:
light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles

Exports - partners:
UK

Imports:
NA

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs,
mineral fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:
UK

Debt - external:
none

Economic aid - recipient:
none

Currency:
British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound

Currency code:
GBP

Exchange rates:
Jersey pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596
(2000), 0.6180 (1999); the Jersey pound is at par with the British
pound

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Jersey

Telephones - main lines in use:
73,900 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
61,400 (2001)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: 3 submarine cables

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

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
2 (1997)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.je

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Jersey

Highways: total: 577 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors:
Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Jersey

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Jersey

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Johnston Atoll

Introduction Johnston Atoll

Background:
Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed Johnston Atoll in
1858, but it was the US that mined the guano deposits until the late
1880s. Johnston and Sand Islands were designated wildlife refuges in
1926. The US Navy took over the atoll in 1934, and subsequently the
US Air Force assumed control in 1948. The site was used for
high-altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s, and until late
in 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage and disposal site for
chemical weapons. Munitions destruction is now complete. Cleanup and
closure of the facility is progressing, with completion anticipated
in 2004.

Geography Johnston Atoll

Location:
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 717 nm (1328 km)
southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, about one-third of the way from
Hawaii to the Marshall Islands

Geographic coordinates:
16 45 N, 169 31 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 2.8 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 2.8 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
34 km

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

Climate:
tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with
little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
mostly flat

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Summit Peak 5 m

Natural resources:
guano deposits worked until depletion about 1890, terrestrial and
aquatic wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
no natural fresh water resources

Geography - note:
strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; Johnston Island and
Sand Island are natural islands, which have been expanded by coral
dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade
islands formed from coral dredging; the egg-shaped reef is 34 km in
circumference; closed to the public; a former US nuclear weapons
test site; site of now-closed Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal
System (JACADS); most facilities dismantled and cleanup complete in
2004; some low-growing vegetation

People Johnston Atoll

Population:
396 no indigenous inhabitants
note: in previous years, there was an average of 1,100 US military
and civilian contractor personnel present; as of September 2001,
population had decreased significantly when US Army Chemical
Activity Pacific (USACAP) departed; as of January 2004 the island
population was just above 200 personnel, including US Air Force, US
Fish and Wildlife Service, and civilian contractor personnel (July
2004 est.)

Government Johnston Atoll

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Johnston Atoll

Dependency status:
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Honolulu, HI,
by Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, and the Fish and
Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the
National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system:
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of the US is used

Economy Johnston Atoll

Economy - overview:
Economic activity is limited to providing services to US military
personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and
manufactured goods must be imported.

Communications Johnston Atoll

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: 512 KB satellite link to Hawaii teleport; 20 (POTS) voice and data lines international: NA (2002)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 256 KB circuit to US Department of Defense-run Nonsecure Internet Protocol Router Network (NIPRNET) (2002)

Transportation Johnston Atoll

Ports and harbors:
Johnston Island

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Johnston Atoll

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Johnston Atoll

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Jordan

Introduction Jordan

Background:
For most of its history since independence from British
administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-99).
A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing pressures
from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states,
Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, despite several
wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he reinstituted parliamentary
elections and gradual political liberalization; in 1994 he signed a
formal peace treaty with Israel. King ABDALLAH II - the eldest son
of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne following his
father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his
power and undertaken an aggressive economic reform program. Jordan
acceded to the World Trade Organization in 2000, and began to
participate in the European Free Trade Association in 2001. After a
two-year delay, parliamentary and municipal elections took place in
the summer of 2003. The Prime Minister and government appointed in
October 2004 declared their commitment to accelerated economic and
political reforms and the new cabinet includes an unprecedented four
women as ministers.

Geography Jordan

Location:
Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
31 00 N, 36 00 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 92,300 sq km
water: 329 sq km
land: 91,971 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:
total: 1,635 km
border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km,
Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Coastline:
26 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate:
mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)

Terrain:
mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift
Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m

Natural resources:
phosphates, potash, shale oil

Land use: arable land: 2.67% permanent crops: 1.83% other: 95.5% (2001)

Irrigated land:
750 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
droughts; periodic earthquakes

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

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

Geography - note:
strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as the Arab
country that shares the longest border with Israel and the occupied
West Bank

People Jordan

Population:
5,611,202 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 35.2% (male 1,009,604; female 967,645)
15-64 years: 61.1% (male 1,829,984; female 1,598,141)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 100,896; female 104,932) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 22.2 years
male: 22.8 years
female: 21.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.67% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
22.73 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
2.62 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
6.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 18.11 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 21.63 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.06 years
male: 75.59 years
female: 80.69 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.86 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Jordanian(s)
adjective: Jordanian

Ethnic groups:
Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

Religions:
Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some
Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox,
Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several
small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)

Languages:
Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle
classes

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.3%
male: 95.9%
female: 86.3% (2003 est.)

Government Jordan

Country name:
conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
conventional short form: Jordan
local short form: Al Urdun
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah
former: Transjordan

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
'Amman

Administrative divisions:
12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al
'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az
Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba

Independence:
25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British
administration)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

Constitution:
8 January 1952

Legal system:
based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of
legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Prince
HUSSEIN (born 1994), son of King ABDALLAH, is first in line to
inherit the throne
head of government: Prime Minister Faisal al-FAYEZ (since 25 October
2003)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation
with the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
by the monarch

Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the
Senate, also called the House of Notables (Majlis al-Ayan) (55
seats; members appointed by the monarch from designated categories
of public figures; members serve four-year terms) and the House of
Representatives, also called the House of Deputies (Majlis
al-Nuwaab) (110 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis
of proportional representation to serve four-year terms; note - six
seats are reserved for women and are allocated by a special
electoral panel if no women are elected)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 17 June 2003 (next
to be held NA 2007)
note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved
by the monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989, the first
parliamentary elections in 22 years were held; political parties
were not legalized until 1992; King ABDALLAH delayed the 2001
elections until 2003
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - independents and others 89.6%, Islamic Action Front 10.4%;
seats by party - independents and others 92, Islamic Action Front
18; note - one of the six quota seats was given to a female IAF
candidate

Judicial branch:
Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)

Political parties and leaders:
Al-Ahed Party [Khaldoun al-NASSER, secretary general]; Al-Ajyal
[Muhammad KHALAYLEH, secretary general]; Ba'th Arab Progressive
Party [Mahmood MA'AYTEH, secretary general]; Al-Umma (Nation) Party
[Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary general]; Arab Land Party [Dr.
Muhammad al-'ORAN, secretary general]; Communist Party [Munir
HAMARINAH, secretary general]; Constitutional Front [Mahdi al-TALL,
secretary general]; Democratic Arab Islamic Movement [Yusuf ABU
BAKR, president]; Green Party [Muhammad BATAYNEH, secretary
general]; Jordanian Democratic Left Party [Musa MA'AYTEH, secretary]
general; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id Dhiyab Ali
MUSTAFA, secretary general]; Jordanian Progressive Party [Fawwaz
al-ZUBI, secretary general]; Jordanian People's Democratic (Hashd)
Party [Salim al-NAHHAS, secretary general]; Islamic Action Front
[Hazma MANSOUR, secretary general]; Muslim Centrist Party [NA
leader]; National Action (Haqq) Party [Muhammad al-ZUBI, secretary
general]; National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI,
secretary general]; (Arab) Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysir al-HIMSI,
secretary general]; Pan-Arab (Democratic) Movement [Mahmud
al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice
chairman]; Jordanian Bar Association [Saleh ARMOUTI, president];
Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim
Brotherhood [Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT, secretary general]

International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB,
OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Karim Tawfiq KAWAR
chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110
telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David M.
HALE
embassy: Abdoun, Amman
mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box
5, APO AE 09892-0200
telephone: [962] (6) 592-0101
FAX: [962] (6) 592-4102

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), representing the
Abbassid Caliphate, white, representing the Ummayyad Caliphate, and
green, representing the Fatimid Caliphate; a red isosceles triangle
on the hoist side, representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916, and
bearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the seven
verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the seven
points on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, national
spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations; design is
based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I

Economy Jordan

Economy - overview:
Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water
and other natural resources such as oil. Debt, poverty, and
unemployment are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH, since
assuming the throne in 1999, has undertaken some broad economic
reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. 'Amman in
the past three years has worked closely with the IMF, practiced
careful monetary policy, and made substantial headway with
privatization. The government also has liberalized the trade regime
sufficiently to secure Jordan's membership in the WTrO (2000), a
free trade accord with the US (2000), and an association agreement
with the EU (2001). These measures have helped improve productivity
and have put Jordan on the foreign investment map. The US-led war in
Iraq in 2003 dealt an economic blow to Jordan, which was dependent
on Iraq for discounted oil (worth $300-$600 million a year). Several
Gulf nations have provided temporary aid to compensate for the loss
of this oil; when this foreign aid expires, the Jordanian government
has pledged to raise retail petroleum product prices and the sales
tax base. Other ongoing challenges include fiscal adjustment to
reduce the budget deficit, broader investment incentives to promote
job-creating ventures, and the encouragement of tourism.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $23.64 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.6% industry: 29% services: 67.4% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
18.8% of GDP (2003)

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

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 29.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36.4 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.4% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
1.36 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 5%, industry 12.5%, services 82.5% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
16% official rate; actual rate is 25%-30% (2001 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.397 billion
expenditures: $3.587 billion, including capital expenditures of $582
million (2003 est.)

Public debt:
92.7% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats,
poultry

Industries:
phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement,
potash, light manufacturing, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
3.5% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
7.091 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
6.86 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
267 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
40 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
103,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
445,000 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
290 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
290 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
3.256 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$903 million (2003)

Exports:
$2.908 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
clothing, phosphates, fertilizers, potash, vegetables,
manufactures, pharmaceuticals

Exports - partners:
US 21.5%, Iraq 17.6%, Switzerland 6.5%, India 6.5%, Saudi Arabia
5.3% (2003)

Imports:
$4.946 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
crude oil, textile fabrics, machinery, transport equipment,
manufactured goods

Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 11.3%, China 7.9%, Germany 7.9%, US 6.8%, Iraq 6.5%
(2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$5.364 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$7.683 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $553 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Currency code:
JOD

Exchange rates:
Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.709 (2003), 0.709 (2002), 0.709
(2001), 0.709 (2000), 0.709 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Jordan

Telephones - main lines in use:
622,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,325,300 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: service has improved recently with increased
use of digital switching equipment, but better access to the
telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access to
pay telephones is needed by the urban public
domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and
fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of
mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available
international: country code - 962; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals;
fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link
with Egypt and Syria; connection to international submarine cable
FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL;
international links total about 4,000

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)

Radios:
1.66 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
500,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.jo

Internet hosts:
3,160 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2000)

Internet users:
457,000 (2003)

Transportation Jordan

Railways: total: 505 km narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 7,245 km paved: 7,245 km unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Pipelines:
gas 10 km; oil 743 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Al 'Aqabah

Merchant marine:
total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 78,814 GRT/92,695 DWT
registered in other countries: 11 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Greece 6
by type: cargo 2, container 1, roll on/roll off 5,
short-sea/passenger 1

Airports:
17 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 1

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)

Military Jordan

Military branches:
Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) (Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal
Naval Force, Royal Jordanian Air Force, and Special Operations
Command or SOCOM); note - Public Security Directorate normally falls
under Ministry of Interior but comes under JAF in wartime or crisis
situations

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription at age 18 was suspended in 1999, although all males under age 37 are required to register (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,636,537 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,153,385 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 59,471 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$2,043.2 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
20.2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Jordan

Disputes - international:
border dispute settled with Syria in 2004

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 1,740,170 (Palestinian Refugees
(UNRWA))
IDPs: 800,000 (1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Juan de Nova Island

Introduction Juan de Nova Island

Background:
Named after a famous 15th century Spanish navigator and explorer,
the island has been a French possession since 1897. It has been
exploited for its guano and phosphate. Presently a small military
garrison oversees a meteorological station.

Geography Juan de Nova Island

Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-third
of the way between Madagascar and Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
17 03 S, 42 45 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 4.4 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 4.4 sq km

Area - comparative:
about seven times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
24.1 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
tropical

Terrain:
low and flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 10 m

Natural resources: guano deposits and other fertilizers

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (90% forest) (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
wildlife sanctuary

People Juan de Nova Island

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a small French military garrison along with a few
meteorologists; occasionally visited by scientists (July 2004 est.)

Government Juan de Nova Island

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Juan de Nova Island
local short form: Ile Juan de Nova
local long form: none

Dependency status:
possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the
Republic, resident in Reunion

Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (possession of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (possession of France)

Flag description:
the flag of France is used

Economy Juan de Nova Island

Economy - overview:
Up to 12,000 tons of guano are mined per year.

Communications Juan de Nova Island

Communications - note: 1 meteorological station

Transportation Juan de Nova Island

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Juan de Nova Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Juan de Nova Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Kazakhstan

Introduction Kazakhstan

Background:
Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who
migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united as
a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th
century and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. During the
1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens
were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures.
This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some other
deported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled
non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence in 1991 caused many
of these newcomers to emigrate. Current issues include: developing a
cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the
country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets;
achieving a sustainable economic growth outside the oil, gas, and
mining sectors; and strengthening relations with neighboring states
and other foreign powers.

Geography Kazakhstan

Location:
Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural
River in eastern-most Europe

Geographic coordinates:
48 00 N, 68 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 2,717,300 sq km
water: 47,500 sq km
land: 2,669,800 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 12,012 km
border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846
km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked); note - Kazakhstan borders the Aral Sea, now
split into two bodies of water (1,070 km), and the Caspian Sea
(1,894 km)

Climate:
continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid

Terrain:
extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains
in western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m
highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m

Natural resources:
major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore,
manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead,
zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium

Land use:
arable land: 7.98%
permanent crops: 0.05%
other: 91.97% (2001)

Irrigated land:
23,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty

Environment - current issues:
radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with former defense
industries and test ranges scattered throughout the country pose
health risks for humans and animals; industrial pollution is severe
in some cities; because the two main rivers which flowed into the
Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, it is drying up and
leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical pesticides and natural
salts; these substances are then picked up by the wind and blown
into noxious dust storms; pollution in the Caspian Sea; soil
pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals and salination from
poor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation practices

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
landlocked; Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of territory
enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome; in January 2004, Kazakhstan and
Russia extended the lease to 2050

People Kazakhstan

Population:
15,143,704 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.4% (male 1,884,369; female 1,807,585)
15-64 years: 68% (male 5,028,455; female 5,268,726)
65 years and over: 7.6% (male 404,940; female 749,629) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 28.3 years
male: 26.6 years
female: 30 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.26% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
15.52 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
9.59 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-3.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.54 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 30.54 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 25.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 35.24 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.07 years
male: 60.72 years
female: 71.73 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.9 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
6,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Kazakhstani(s)
adjective: Kazakhstani

Ethnic groups:
Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek 2.5%,
German 2.4%, Uygur 1.4%, other 6.6% (1999 census)

Religions:
Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%

Languages:
Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in
everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic
communication") 95% (2001 est.)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.4%
male: 99.1%
female: 97.7% (1999 est.)

Government Kazakhstan

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan
conventional short form: Kazakhstan
local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy
former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic
local short form: none

Government type:
republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power
outside the executive branch

Capital:
Astana; note - the government moved from Almaty to Astana in
December 1998

Administrative divisions:
14 provinces (oblystar, singular - oblys) and 3 cities* (qala,
singular - qalasy); Almaty Oblysy, Almaty Qalasy*, Aqmola Oblysy
(Astana), Aqtobe Oblysy, Astana Qalasy*, Atyrau Oblysy, Batys
Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oral), Bayqongyr Qalasy*, Mangghystau Oblysy
(Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy,
Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, Shyghys
Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oskemen), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy
(Petropavlovsk), Zhambyl Oblysy (Taraz)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses); in 1995 the Governments of
Kazakhstan and Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia would
lease for a period of 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km enclosing the
Baykonur space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr
(Baykonur, formerly Leninsk)

Independence:
16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 16 December (1991)

Constitution:
adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995; first
post-independence constitution was adopted 28 January 1993

Legal system:
based on civil law system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV (chairman of the
Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected president 1 December
1991)
head of government: Prime Minister Daniyal AKHMETOV (since 13 June
2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Akhmetzhan YESIMOV (since 14 May
2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
election results: Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV reelected president;
percent of vote - Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV 81.7%, Serikbolsyn
ABDILDIN 12.1%, Gani KASYMOV 4.7%, Engels GABBASSOV 1.5%
note: President NAZARBAYEV arranged a referendum in 1995 that
expanded his presidential powers: only he can initiate
constitutional amendments, appoint and dismiss the government,
dissolve Parliament, call referenda at his discretion, and appoint
administrative heads of regions and cities
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 10 January 1999, a year before it was previously
scheduled (next to be held NA 2006); note - President NAZARBAYEV's
previous term was extended to 2000 by a nationwide referendum held
30 April 1995; prime minister and first deputy prime minister
appointed by the president

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (39 seats; 7 senators
are appointed by the president; other members are popularly elected,
two from each of the 14 oblasts, the capital of Astana, and the city
of Almaty, to serve six-year terms; note - formerly composed of 47
seats) and the Majilis (77 seats; 10 out of the 77 Majilis members
are elected from the winning party's lists; members are popularly
elected to serve five-year terms)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - NA; candidates nominated by local councils; Majilis -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Otan 42, AIST 11,
ASAR (All Together) 4, Ak Zhol (Bright Path) 1, Democratic Party 1,
independent 18; note - most independent candidates are affiliated
with parastatal enterprises and other pro-government institutions
elections: Senate - (indirect) last held 17 September 1999 (next to
be held December 2005); Majilis - last held 19 September and 3
October 2004 (next to be held September 2009)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (44 members); Constitutional Council (7 members)

Political parties and leaders:
Agrarian Party [Romin MADINOV]; AIST (Agrarian Party-Civic Party
Bloc); Ak Zhol Party "Bright Path" [Bulat ABILOV, Uraz ZHANDOSOV,
Lyudmila ZHULANOVA, Alikhan BAYMENOV, Altynbek SARSENBAYEV,
co-chairs]; ASAR "All Together" [Dariga NAZARBAYEVA, chairwoman];
AUL "Village" [Gani KALIYEV]; Civic Party [Azat PERUASHEV, first
secretary]; Communist Party or KPK [Serikbolsyn ABDILDIN, first
secretary]; Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan [Vladislav
KOSAREV]; Democratic Choice Party of Kazakhstan [Galiymzhan
ZHAKIYANOV]; Democratic Party of Kazakhstan [Maksut NARIKBAEV]; Otan
"Fatherland" [Nursultan NAZARBAYEV, chairman]; Patriots' Party [Gani
KASYMOV]; Rukhaniyat [Altynshash JAGANOVA]
note: twelve parties in Kazakhstan were registered for the elections
in the fall of 2004

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]; Almaty Helsinki Group [Ninel FOKINA];
Confederation of Free Trade Unions [Sergei BELKIN]; Kazakhstan
International Bureau on Human Rights [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, executive
director]; Pensioners Movement or Pokoleniye [Irina SAVOSTINA,
chairwoman]; Republican Network of International Monitors [Dos
KUSHIM]; Transparency International [Sergei ZLOTNIKOV]

International organization participation:
AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM
(observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kanat B. SAUDABAYEV
FAX: [1] (202) 232-5845
consulate(s): New York
telephone: [1] (202) 232-5488
chancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John M. ORDWAY
embassy: 99/97A Fumanova, Samal-2, Almaty, 480099
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [7] (3272) 50-48-02
FAX: [7] (3272) 50-48-84

Flag description:
sky blue background representing the endless sky and a gold sun
with 32 rays soaring above a golden steppe eagle in the center; on
the hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in gold

Economy Kazakhstan

Economy - overview:
Kazakhstan, the largest of the former Soviet republics in
territory, excluding Russia, possesses enormous fossil fuel reserves
as well as plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It also
is a large agricultural - livestock and grain - producer.
Kazakhstan's industrial sector rests on the extraction and
processing of these natural resources and also on a growing
machine-building sector specializing in construction equipment,
tractors, agricultural machinery, and some defense items. The
breakup of the USSR in December 1991 and the collapse in demand for
Kazakhstan's traditional heavy industry products resulted in a
short-term contraction of the economy, with the steepest annual
decline occurring in 1994. In 1995-97, the pace of the government
program of economic reform and privatization quickened, resulting in
a substantial shifting of assets into the private sector. Kazakhstan
enjoyed double-digit growth in 2000-01 - and a solid 9.5% in 2002 -
thanks largely to its booming energy sector, but also to economic
reform, good harvests, and foreign investment. The opening of the
Caspian Consortium pipeline in 2001, from western Kazakhstan's
Tengiz oilfield to the Black Sea, substantially raised export
capacity. The country has embarked upon an industrial policy
designed to diversify the economy away from overdependence on the
oil sector, by developing light industry. Additionally, the policy
aims to reduce the influence of foreign investment and foreign
personnel; the government has engaged in several disputes with
foreign oil companies over the terms of production agreements, and
tensions continue.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $105.5 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
9.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.7% industry: 37.7% services: 54.6% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
23.9% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
26% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 27.3% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
35.4 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
7.634 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 20%, industry 30%, services 50% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
8.8% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $6.729 billion
expenditures: $6.999 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
15.5% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; livestock

Industries:
oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper,
titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron and steel;
tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors,
construction materials

Industrial production growth rate:
8.8% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
52.43 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
48.36 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
3.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
3.2 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
798,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
195,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
2.709 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
10.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
14.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
4.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
8.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
920.3 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-68.8 million (2003)

Exports:
$12.72 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
oil and oil products 58%, ferrous metals 24%, chemicals 5%,
machinery 3%, grain, wool, meat, coal (2001)

Exports - partners:
Bermuda 17%, Russia 15.2%, Switzerland 13%, China 12.8%, Italy 7.8%
(2003)

Imports:
$8.621 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 41%, metal products 28%, foodstuffs 8%
(2001)

Imports - partners:
Russia 39%, Germany 8.7%, China 6.2%, US 5.6% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$4.962 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$24.45 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$610 million in US assistance programs, 1992-2000 (2000)

Currency:
tenge (KZT)

Currency code:
KZT

Exchange rates:
tenge per US dollar - 149.576 (2003), 153.279 (2002), 146.736
(2001), 142.133 (2000), 119.523 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Kazakhstan

Telephones - main lines in use:
2,081,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.027 million (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: service is poor; equipment antiquated
domestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; mobile
cellular systems are available in most of Kazakhstan
international: country code - 7; international traffic with other
former Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwave
radio relay and with other countries by satellite and by the
Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations
- 2 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 60, FM 17, shortwave 9 (1998)

Radios:
6.47 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
12 (plus nine repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:
3.88 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.kz

Internet hosts:
21,984 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
10 (with their own international channels) (2001)

Internet users:
250,000 (2002)

Transportation Kazakhstan

Railways: total: 13,601 km broad gauge: 13,601 km 1.520-m gauge (3,661 km electrified) (2003)

Highways: total: 81,331 km paved: 77,020 km unpaved: 4,311 km (2000)

Waterways:
4,000 km
note: on the Syr Darya (Syrdariya) and Ertis (Irtysh) rivers (2004)

Pipelines:
condensate 18 km; gas 10,370 km; oil 10,158 km; refined products
1,187 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk),
Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk)

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,064 GRT/646 DWT
by type: roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 26 Netherlands 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
392 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 64
over 3,047 m: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 26
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 10 (2003 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 328
under 914 m: 217 (2003 est.)
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 71
1,524 to 2,437 m: 22

Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)

Military Kazakhstan

Military branches:
Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Naval Force, Republican
Guard

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service
obligation - 2 years; minimum age for volunteers NA (2004 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 4,233,623 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,381,606 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 169,004 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$221.8 million (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.9% (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)

Transnational Issues Kazakhstan

Disputes - international:
Kazakhstan and China have resolved their border dispute and are
working to demarcate their borders to control population migration,
illegal activities, and trade; delimitation of boundary with Russia
is almost complete - delimitations with Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
are complete with demarcations underway - delimitation with
Kyrgyzstan is largely complete; creation of a seabed boundary with
Turkmenistan in the Caspian Sea is under discussion; equidistant
seabed treaties have been signed with Azerbaijan and Russia in the
Caspian Sea, but no resolution has been made on dividing the water
column among any of the littoral states

Illicit drugs:
significant illicit cultivation of cannabis for CIS markets, as
well as limited cultivation of opium poppy and ephedra (for the drug
ephedrine); limited government eradication of illicit crops; transit
point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of
Europe

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Kenya

Introduction Kenya

Background:
Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA led
Kenya from independence until his death in 1978, when President
Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession.
The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982 when
the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) made itself the sole
legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and external pressure
for political liberalization in late 1991. The ethnically fractured
opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power in elections in 1992
and 1997, which were marred by violence and fraud, but are viewed as
having generally reflected the will of the Kenyan people. President
MOI stepped down in December of 2002 following fair and peaceful
elections. Mwai KIBAKI, running as the candidate of the multiethnic,
united opposition group, the National Rainbow Coalition, defeated
KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA and assumed the presidency following a
campaign centered on an anticorruption platform.

Geography Kenya

Location:
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and
Tanzania

Geographic coordinates:
1 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 582,650 sq km
water: 13,400 sq km
land: 569,250 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Land boundaries:
total: 3,477 km
border countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km,
Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km

Coastline:
536 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior

Terrain:
low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley;
fertile plateau in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m

Natural resources:
gold, limestone, soda ash, salt, rubies, fluorspar, garnets,
wildlife, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 8.08% permanent crops: 0.98% other: 90.94% (2001)

Irrigated land:
670 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons

Environment - current issues: water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine
Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,
Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful
agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on
Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography
supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic
value

People Kenya

Population:
32,021,856
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.6% (male 6,575,409; female 6,430,218)
15-64 years: 56.5% (male 9,126,847; female 8,962,905)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 399,050; female 527,427) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.6 years
female: 18.7 years (2004 est.)
male: 18.5 years

Population growth rate:
1.14% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
27.82 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
16.31 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: according to UNHCR, by the end of 2001 Kenya was host to
220,000 refugees from neighboring countries, including: Somalia
145,000 and Sudan 68,000 (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 62.62 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 59.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 65.55 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 44.94 years
male: 44.79 years
female: 45.1 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.31 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
6.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.2 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
150,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Kenyan(s)
adjective: Kenyan

Ethnic groups:
Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%,
Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab)
1%

Religions:
Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%, Muslim
10%, other 2%
note: a large majority of Kenyans are Christian, but estimates for
the percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenous
beliefs vary widely

Languages:
English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous
languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.1%
male: 90.6%
female: 79.7% (2003 est.)

Government Kenya

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Kenya
conventional short form: Kenya
former: British East Africa

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Nairobi

Administrative divisions:
7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*,
North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western

Independence:
12 December 1963 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

Constitution:
12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with
amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, and 2001

Legal system:
based on Kenyan statutory law, Kenyan and English common law,
tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional
amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in
1991

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002) and
Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002)
and Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
in addition to receiving the largest number of votes in absolute
terms, the presidential candidate must also win 25% or more of the
vote in at least five of Kenya's seven provinces and one area to
avoid a runoff; election last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held
NA December 2007); vice president appointed by the president
election results: President Mwai KIBAKI elected; percent of vote -
Mwai KIBAKI 63%, Uhuru KENYATTA 30%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (224 seats; 210 members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, 12 so-called
"nominated" members who are appointed by the president but selected
by the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals, 2
ex-officio members)
elections: last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held by early 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NARC 125, KANU 64, FORD-P 14, other 7; ex-officio 2; seats appointed
by the president - NARC 7, KANU 4, FORD-P 1

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); High
Court

Political parties and leaders:
Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People
[Kimaniwa NYOIKE, chairman]; Kenya African National Union or KANU
[Uhuru KENYATTA]; National Rainbow Coalition or NARC [Mwai KIBAKI] -
the governing party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
human rights groups; labor unions; Muslim organizations; National
Convention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition of
political parties and nongovernment organizations [Kivutha KIBWANA];
Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK [Mutava
MUSYIMI]; Roman Catholic and other Christian churches; Supreme
Council of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur al-BUSAIDY]

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, ONUB,
OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK,
UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard NGAITHE
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829
telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101
chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William M. BELLAMY embassy: US Embassy, United Nations Ave., Gigiti; P. O. Box 606 Village Market Nairobi mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831 telephone: [254] (2) 537-800 FAX: [254] (2) 537-810

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the
red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering
crossed spears is superimposed at the center

Economy Kenya

Economy - overview:
The regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, Kenya has
been hampered by corruption, notably in the judicial system, and by
reliance upon several primary goods whose prices have remained low.
In 1997, the IMF suspended Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment
Program due to the government's failure to maintain reforms and curb
corruption. A severe drought from 1999 to 2000 compounded Kenya's
problems, causing water and energy rationing and reducing
agricultural output. As a result, GDP contracted by 0.2% in 2000.
The IMF, which had resumed loans in 2000 to help Kenya through the
drought, again halted lending in 2001 when the government failed to
institute several anticorruption measures. Despite the return of
strong rains in 2001, weak commodity prices, endemic corruption, and
low investment limited Kenya's economic growth to 1.2%. Growth
lagged at 1.1% in 2002 because of erratic rains, low investor
confidence, meager donor support, and political infighting up to the
elections. In the key 27 December 2002 elections, Daniel Arap MOI's
24-year-old reign ended, and a new opposition government took on the
formidable economic problems facing the nation. In 2003, progress
was made in rooting out corruption, and encouraging donor support,
with GDP growth edging up to 1.7%.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $33.03 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 19.7% industry: 18.6% services: 61.8% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
14.3% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
50% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 37.2% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
44.9 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.8% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
11.45 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 75% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
40% (2001 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.761 billion
expenditures: $3.406 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
62.9% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy
products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs

Industries:
small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries,
textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products
processing; oil refining, cement; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
2% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
4.033 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
3.981 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
230 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
57,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-306 million (2003)

Exports:
$2.514 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish,
cement

Exports - partners:
Uganda 12.7%, UK 12.5%, US 9.4%, Netherlands 8.5%, Pakistan 5%,
Egypt 4.6%, Tanzania 4.3% (2003)

Imports:
$3.705 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motor
vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics

Imports - partners:
UAE 13.2%, Saudi Arabia 9.6%, South Africa 8.6%, UK 7.4%, China
6.3%, US 5.1%, India 5.1%, Japan 4.9%, Germany 4.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$1.455 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$5.916 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$453 million (1997)

Currency:
Kenyan shilling (KES)

Currency code:
KES

Exchange rates:
Kenyan shillings per US dollar - 75.9356 (2003), 78.7491 (2002),
78.5632 (2001), 76.1755 (2000), 70.3262 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Kenya

Telephones - main lines in use:
328,400 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,590,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: unreliable; little attempt to modernize except
for service to business
domestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data
commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system
international: country code - 254; satellite earth stations - 4
Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 24, FM 18, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios:
3.07 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
8 (2002)

Televisions:
730,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ke

Internet hosts:
8,325 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
65 (2001)

Internet users:
400,000 (2002)

Transportation Kenya

Railways: total: 2,778 km narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 63,942 km paved: 7,737 km unpaved: 56,205 km (2000)

Waterways:
part of Lake Victoria system is within boundaries of Kenya (2004)

Pipelines:
refined products 752 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa

Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,049 GRT/7,082 DWT
registered in other countries: 9 (2004 est.)
by type: petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2

Airports:
221 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 206 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 110 under 914 m: 84 (2004 est.)

Military Kenya

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 8,313,051 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 5,150,405 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$231 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.8% (2003)

Transnational Issues Kenya

Disputes - international:
Kenya's administrative boundary still extends into the Sudan,
creating the "Ilemi Triangle"; Kenya has acted as an important
mediator in Sudan's north-south civil war; Kenya and Uganda are
working together to stem cattle rustling and violence by Lord's
Resistance Army along the border

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 154,272 (Somalia), 11,139 (Ethiopia),
63,197 (Sudan)
IDPs: 350,000 (KANU attacks on opposition tribal groups in 1990s)
(2004)

Illicit drugs:
widespread harvesting of small plots of marijuana; transit country
for South Asian heroin destined for Europe and North America; Indian
methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa; significant
potential for money-laundering activity given the country's status
as a regional financial center, massive corruption, and relatively
high levels of narcotics-associated activities

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Kingman Reef

Introduction Kingman Reef

Background:
The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon served as a
way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa flights
during the late 1930s. There are no terrestrial plants on the reef,
which is frequently awash, but it does support abundant and diverse
marine fauna and flora. In 2001, the waters surrounding the reef out
to 12 nm around the reef were designated a US National Wildlife
Refuge.

Geography Kingman Reef

Location:
Oceania, reef in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between
Hawaii and American Samoa

Geographic coordinates:
6 24 N, 162 24 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 1 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
3 km

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

Climate:
tropical; moderated by prevailing winds

Terrain:
low and nearly level

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 1 m

Natural resources: terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of about 1 meter
makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard

Environment - current issues:
none

Geography - note:
barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to the public

People Kingman Reef

Population: uninhabited (July 2004 est.)

Government Kingman Reef

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Kingman Reef

Dependency status:
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,
DC, by the US Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the
Interior
note: on 1 September 2000, the Department of the Interior accepted
restoration of its administrative jurisdiction over Kingman Reef
from the Department of the Navy; Executive Order 3223 signed 18
January 2001 established Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge to be
administered by the Director, US Fish and Wildlife Service; this
refuge is managed to protect the terrestrial and aquatic wildlife of
Kingman Reef out to the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea limit

Legal system:
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of the US is used

Economy Kingman Reef

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Kingman Reef

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and American
Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and 1938
(2003 est.)

Military Kingman Reef

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Kingman Reef

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Kiribati

Introduction Kiribati

Background:
The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 and
complete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati. The US
relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line
Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.

Geography Kiribati

Location:
Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, straddling
the equator; the capital Tarawa is about one-half of the way from
Hawaii to Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimed
that all of its territory lies in the same time zone as its Gilbert
Islands group (GMT +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the Line
Islands under its jurisdiction lie on the other side of the
International Date Line

Geographic coordinates:
1 25 N, 173 00 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 811 sq km
note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,
Phoenix Islands
water: 0 sq km
land: 811 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
1,143 km

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

Climate:
tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain:
mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m

Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Land use: arable land: 2.74% permanent crops: 50.68% other: 46.58% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March;
occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them
very sensitive to changes in sea level

Environment - current issues:
heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to heavy
migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrines
and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk

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

Geography - note:
21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island) in
Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru

People Kiribati

Population:
100,798 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 39.3% (male 20,087; female 19,566)
15-64 years: 57.3% (male 28,523; female 29,280)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 1,434; female 1,908) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 19.8 years
male: 19.4 years
female: 20.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.25% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
30.99 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.49 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 49.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 44.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 55.04 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 61.32 years
male: 58.34 years
female: 64.44 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.24 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)
adjective: I-Kiribati

Ethnic groups:
predominantly Micronesian with some Polynesian

Religions:
Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, some
Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, and Church
of God (1999)

Languages:
I-Kiribati, English (official)

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

Government Kiribati

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati
conventional short form: Kiribati
former: Gilbert Islands
note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Tarawa

Administrative divisions:
3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note - in
addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line
Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21 island
councils - one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang, Abemama,
Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati,
Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea,
Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina)

Independence:
12 July 1979 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Constitution:
12 July 1979

Legal system:
NA

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice
President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
elections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidential
candidates from among their members and then those candidates
compete in a general election; president is elected by popular vote
for a four-year term; election last held 4 July 2003 (next to be
held not later than July 2007); vice president appointed by the
president
election results: Anote TONG 47.4%, Harry TONG 43.5%, Banuera BERINA
9.1%
cabinet: 12-member Cabinet appointed by the president from among the
members of the House of Parliament
head of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice
President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government

Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (42 seats;
39 elected by popular vote, one ex officio member - the attorney
general, one appointed to represent Banaba, and one other; members
serve four-year terms)
elections: first round elections last held 29 November 2002; second
round elections held 6 December 2002 (next to be held by November
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
BTK 17, MTM 16, independents 7, other 2 (includes attorney general)
note: new legislative elections were held in two rounds - the first
round on 9 May 2003 and the second round on 14 May 2003

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges at all
levels are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:
Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taberannang TIMEON]; Maneaban Te
Mauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO]; Maurin Kiribati Pati or MKP
[leader NA]; National Progressive Party or NPP [Dr. Harry TONG]
note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties
in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups
because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party
structures

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an honorary
consulate in Honolulu

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador to Fiji
is accredited to Kiribati

Flag description:
the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a
yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontal
wavy white stripes to represent the ocean

Economy Kiribati

Economy - overview:
A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has few
natural resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were
exhausted at the time of independence from the UK in 1979. Copra and
fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy
has fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic development is
constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure,
and remoteness from international markets. Tourism provides more
than one-fifth of GDP. The financial sector is at an early stage of
development as is the expansion of private sector initiatives.
Foreign financial aid from UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and
China equals 25%-50% of GDP. Remittances from workers abroad account
for more than $5 million each year.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $79 million - supplemented by a nearly
equal amount from external sources (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.5% (2001 est.)

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

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 30%
industry: 7%
services: 63% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (2001
est.)

Unemployment rate:
2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $28.4 million
expenditures: $37.2 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish

Industries:
fishing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
0.7% (1991 est.)

Electricity - production:
7 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
6.51 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$35 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish

Exports - partners:
Japan 75%, Australia 8.3%, US 8.3%, Philippines 4.2%, Thailand 4.2%
(2003)

Imports:
$83 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured
goods, fuel

Imports - partners:
Australia 41.7%, Fiji 26.7%, New Zealand 8.9%, Japan 5.9%, US 4%
(2003)

Debt - external:
$10 million (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$15.5 million largely from UK and Japan (2001 est.)

Currency:
Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
AUD

Exchange rates:
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002),
1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000), 1.55 (1999)

Fiscal year:
NA

Communications Kiribati

Telephones - main lines in use:
4,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
500 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
note: country code - 686; Kiribati is being linked to the Pacific
Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should improve
telephone service

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1
note: the shortwave station may be inactive (2002)

Radios:
17,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (not reported to be active) (2002)

Televisions:
1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ki

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
2,000 (2002)

Transportation Kiribati

Highways: total: 670 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands) (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Banaba, Betio, English Harbour, Kanton

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,291 GRT/1,295 DWT
by type: passenger 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
20 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Military Kiribati

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Police Force (carries out law
enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; small police posts
are on all islands)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Military - note:
Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance is
provided by Australia and NZ

Transnational Issues Kiribati

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Korea, North

Introduction Korea, North

Background:
An independent kingdom under Chinese suzerainty for most of the
past millennium, Korea was occupied by Japan in 1905 following the
Russo-Japanese War; five years later, Japan formally annexed the
entire peninsula. Following World War II, Korea was split, with the
northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored Communist domination.
After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the US-backed
republic in the southern portion by force, North Korea under its
founder President KIM Il Sung adopted a policy of ostensible
diplomatic and economic "self-reliance" as a check against excessive
Soviet or Communist Chinese influence and molded political,
economic, and military policies around the core ideological
objective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang's
control. KIM's son, the current ruler KIM Jong Il, was officially
designated as KIM's future successor in 1980 and assumed a growing
political and managerial role until his father's death in 1994, when
he assumed full power without opposition. After decades of economic
mismanagement and resource misallocation, the North since the
mid-1990s has relied heavily on international food aid to feed its
population while continuing to expend resources to maintain an army
of about 1 million. North Korea's long-range missile development and
research into nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and massive
conventional armed forces are of major concern to the international
community. In December 2002, following revelations it was pursuing a
nuclear weapons program based on enriched uranium in violation of a
1994 agreement with the United States to freeze and ultimately
dismantle its existing plutonium-based program, North Korea expelled
monitors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and in
January 2003 declared its withdrawal from the international
Non-Proliferation Treaty. In mid-2003 Pyongyang announced it had
completed the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel rods (to extract
weapons-grade plutonium) and was developing a "nuclear deterrent."
Since August 2003 North Korea has participated in six-party talks
with the United States, China, South Korea, Japan, and Russia to
resolve the stalemate over its nuclear programs.

Geography Korea, North

Location:
Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the
Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea

Geographic coordinates:
40 00 N, 127 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 120,540 sq km
water: 130 sq km
land: 120,410 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Mississippi

Land boundaries: total: 1,673 km border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

Coastline:
2,495 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
note: military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the
exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign
vessels and aircraft without permission are banned

Climate:
temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Terrain:
mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys;
coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m

Natural resources:
coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper,
gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 20.76% permanent crops: 2.49% other: 76.75% (2001)

Irrigated land:
14,600 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional
typhoons during the early fall

Environment - current issues:
water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; water-borne
disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia;
mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated

People Korea, North

Population:
22,697,553 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.6% (male 2,836,991; female 2,755,127)
15-64 years: 67.8% (male 7,575,590; female 7,812,878)
65 years and over: 7.6% (male 583,463; female 1,133,504) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 31.4 years
male: 30.2 years
female: 32.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.98% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
16.77 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.99 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 24.84 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 23 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 26.59 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.08 years
male: 68.38 years
female: 73.92 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.2 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups:
racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few
ethnic Japanese

Religions:
traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and
syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)
note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent;
government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of
religious freedom

Languages:
Korean

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99%

Government Korea, North

Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea
conventional short form: North Korea
local short form: none
local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk
note: the North Koreans generally use the term "Choson" to refer to
their country
abbreviation: DPRK

Government type:
Communist state one-man dictatorship

Capital:
Pyongyang

Administrative divisions:
9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4 municipalities (si,
singular and plural)
: provinces: Chagang-do (Chagang), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong),
Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae),
Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae), Kangwon-do (Kangwon),
P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan),
Yanggang-do (Yanggang)
: municipalites: Kaesong-si (Kaesong), Najin Sonbong-si (Najin),
Namp'o-si (Namp'o), P'yongyang-si (Pyongyang)

Independence:
15 August 1945 (from Japan)

National holiday:
Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9
September (1948)

Constitution:
adopted 1948, completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in
April 1992 and September 1998

Legal system:
based on German civil law system with Japanese influences and
Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: KIM Jong Il (since July 1994); note - on 3
September 2003, rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA)
reelected KIM Jong Il Chairman of the National Defense Commission, a
position accorded nation's "highest administrative authority"; SPA
reelected KIM Yong Nam President of its Presidium also with
responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic
credentials; SPA appointed PAK Pong Ju Premier
election results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees
for positions and ran unopposed
head of government: Premier PAK Pong Ju (since 3 September 2003);
Vice Premiers KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), JON Sung Hun
(since 3 September 2003), RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet (Naegak), members, except for the Minister of
People's Armed Forces, are appointed by the SPA
elections: election last held in September 2003 (next to be held in
September 2008)

Legislative branch:
unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui (687
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NA; the KWP approves a list of candidates who are elected without
opposition; some seats are held by minor parties
elections: last held 3 August 2003 (next to be held in August 2008)

Judicial branch:
Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme People's Assembly)

Political parties and leaders: major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong Il, general secretary]; minor parties - Chondoist Chongu Party [RYU Mi Yong, chairwoman] (under KWP control); Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong Dae, chairman] (under KWP control)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
ARF, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC, ISO, ITU,
NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none; North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the US as consular
protecting power)

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue;
the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is
a white disk with a red five-pointed star

Economy Korea, North

Economy - overview:
North Korea, one of the world's most centrally planned and isolated
economies, faces desperate economic conditions. Industrial capital
stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of
underinvestment and spare parts shortages. Industrial and power
output have declined in parallel. The nation has suffered its tenth
year of food shortages because of a lack of arable land, collective
farming, weather-related problems, and chronic shortages of
fertilizer and fuel. Massive international food aid deliveries have
allowed the regime to escape mass starvation since 1995-96, but the
population remains the victim of prolonged malnutrition and
deteriorating living conditions. Large-scale military spending eats
up resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. In
2003, heightened political tensions with key donor countries and
general donor fatigue threatened the flow of desperately needed food
aid and fuel aid as well. Black market prices continued to rise
following the increase in official prices and wages in the summer of
2002, leaving some vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and
unemployed, less able to buy goods. The regime, however, relaxed
restrictions on farmers' market activities in spring 2003, leading
to an expansion of market activity.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $29.58 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 30.2%
industry: 33.8%
services: 36% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA (2003 est.)

Labor force:
9.6 million

Labor force - by occupation:
agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64%

Unemployment rate:
NA (2003)

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

Agriculture - products:
rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs

Industries:
military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals;
mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and
precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
30.01 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
27.91 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
85,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$1.044 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures (including
armaments); textiles and fishery products

Exports - partners:
South Korea 28.5%, China 28.4%, Japan 24.7% (2002)

Imports:
$2.042 billion c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment; textiles, grain

Imports - partners:
China 39.7%, Thailand 14.6%, Japan 11.2%, Germany 7.6%, South Korea
6.2% (2002)

Debt - external:
$12 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA; note - over $133 million in food aid through the World Food
Program in 2003 plus additional aid from bilateral donors and
non-governmental organizations

Currency:
North Korean won (KPW)

Currency code:
KPW

Exchange rates:
official: North Korean won per US dollar - 150 (December 2002),
2.15 (December 2001), 2.15 (May 1994), 2.13 (May 1992), 2.14
(September 1991), 2.1 (January 1990); market: North Korean won per
US dollar - 300-600 (December 2002), 200 (December 2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Korea, North

Telephones - main lines in use:
1.1 million (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 850; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); other
international connections through Moscow and Beijing

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 16, FM 14, shortwave 12 (1999)

Radios:
3.36 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
38 (1999)

Televisions:
1.2 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.kp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Korea, North

Railways: total: 5,214 km standard gauge: 5,214 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) (2003)

Highways: total: 31,200 km paved: 1,997 km unpaved: 29,203 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 2,250 km note: most navigable only by small craft (2004)

Pipelines:
oil 154 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin,
Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan

Merchant marine:
total: 203 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 921,577 GRT/1,339,929 DWT
by type: bulk 6, cargo 166, combination bulk 2, container 3,
liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large load
carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated
cargo 6, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea/passenger 1
registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Albania 1, Belize 1, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 3, Cyprus 1,
Egypt 3, Germany 1, Greece 4, Italy 1, Lebanon 2, Marshall Islands
1, Pakistan 1, Portugal 1, Romania 8, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Syria
9, Tanzania 1, Tunisia 1, Turkey 5, Ukraine 2, United States 3

Airports:
78 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 35 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2003 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 43
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
under 914 m: 8 (2003 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 14

Heliports:
19 (2003 est.)

Military Korea, North

Military branches:
Korean People's Army (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Civil
Security Forces

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
17 years of age (2004 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 6,181,038 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,694,855 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 189,014 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$5,217.4 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
22.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Korea, North

Disputes - international:
with China, certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers are in
uncontested dispute; a section of boundary around Paektu-san
(mountain) is indefinite; China has been attempting to stop mass
illegal migration of North Koreans escaping famine, economic
privation, and oppression into northern China; Military Demarcation
Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North
from South Korea since 1953; periodic maritime disputes with South
Korea

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 50,000-250,000 (government repression and famine) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
for years, from the 1970's into the 2000's, citizens of the
Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea (DPRK), many of them
diplomatic employees of the government, were apprehended abroad
while trafficking in narcotics, including two in Turkey in December
2004; in recent years, police investigations in Taiwan and Japan
have linked North Korea to large illicit shipments of heroin and
methamphetamine, including an attempt by the North Korean merchant
ship Pong Su to deliver 150 kg of heroin to Australia in April 2003;
all indications point to North Korea emerging as an important
regional source of illicit drugs targeting markets in Japan, Taiwan,
the Russian Far East, and China

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Korea, South

Introduction Korea, South

Background:
Korea was an independent kingdom under Chinese suzerainty for most
of the past millennium. Following its victory in the Russo-Japanese
War in 1905, Japan occupied Korea; five years later it formally
annexed the entire peninsula. After World War II, a republic was set
up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a
Communist-style government was installed in the north. During the
Korean War (1950-1953), US and other UN forces intervened to defend
South Korea from North Korean attacks supported by the Chinese. An
armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along a
demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South
Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising
to roughly 18 times the level of North Korea. In 1987, South Korean
voters elected ROH Tae-woo to the presidency, ending 26 years of
military dictatorships. South Korea today is a fully functioning
modern democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit
took place between the South's President KIM Tae-chung and the
North's leader KIM Jong Il.

Geography Korea, South

Location:
Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the
Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

Geographic coordinates:
37 00 N, 127 30 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 98,480 sq km
land: 98,190 sq km
water: 290 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 238 km border countries: North Korea 238 km

Coastline:
2,413 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait
continental shelf: not specified
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Terrain:
mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m

Natural resources: coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential

Land use: arable land: 17.18% permanent crops: 1.95% other: 80.87% (2001)

Irrigated land:
11,590 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic
activity common in southwest

Environment - current issues:
air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the
discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
strategic location on Korea Strait

People Korea, South

Population:
48,598,175 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.4% (male 5,223,344; female 4,681,594)
15-64 years: 71.4% (male 17,625,302; female 17,072,029)
65 years and over: 8.2% (male 1,597,085; female 2,398,821) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 33.7 years male: 32.8 years female: 34.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.62% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
12.33 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.13 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.18 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 7.64 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.58 years
male: 71.96 years
female: 79.54 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.56 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
8,300 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups:
homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Religions:
no affiliation 46%, Christian 26%, Buddhist 26%, Confucianist 1%,
other 1%

Languages:
Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.9%
male: 99.2%
female: 96.6% (2002)

Government Korea, South

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Korea
conventional short form: South Korea
local long form: Taehan-min'guk
abbreviation: ROK
note: the South Koreans generally use the term "Han'guk" to refer to
their country
local short form: none

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Seoul

Administrative divisions:
9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities
(gwangyoksi, singular and plural)
: provinces: Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto (North Cholla), Cholla-namdo
(South Cholla), Ch'ungch'ong-bukto (North Ch'ungch'ong),
Ch'ungch'ong-namdo (South Ch'ungch'ong), Kangwon-do, Kyonggi-do,
Kyongsang-bukto (North Kyongsang), Kyongsang-namdo (South Kyongsang)
: metropolitan cities: Inch'on-gwangyoksi (Inchon),
Kwangju-gwangyoksi (Kwangju), Pusan-gwangyoksi (Pusan),
Soul-t'ukpyolsi (Seoul), Taegu-gwangyoksi (Taegu), Taejon-gwangyoksi
(Taejon), Ulsan-gwangyoksi (Ulsan)

Independence:
15 August 1945 (from Japan)

National holiday:
Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

Constitution:
17 July 1948

Legal system:
combines elements of continental European civil law systems,
Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought

Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President ROH Moo-hyun (since 25 February 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hae-chan (since 25 May 2004);
Deputy Prime Ministers KIM Jin-pyo (since 28 January 2005), LEE
Hun-jai (since 10 February 2004), and OH Myung (since 18 October
2004)
elections: president elected by popular vote for single five-year
term; election last held 19 December 2002 (next to be held in
December 2007); prime minister appointed by president with consent
of National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by president
on prime minister's recommendation
election results: results of the 19 December 2002 election - ROH
Moo-hyun elected president; percent of vote - ROH Moo-hyun (MDP)
48.9%; LEE Hoi-chang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5%
cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime
minister's recommendation

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats — members
elected for four-year terms; 243 in single-seat constituencies, 56
by proportional representation
election results: percent of vote by party - Uri 51%, GNP 41%, DLP
3%, MDP 3%, others 2%; seats by party - Uri 152, GNP 121, DLP 10,
MDP 9, others 7 (2004)
elections: last held 15 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2008;
by-elections scheduled for April 2005))

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (justices appointed by president with consent of
National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices appointed by
president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief
Justice of the court)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Labor Party or DLP [KIM Hye-kyung, chairwoman]; Grand
National Party or GNP [PARK Geun-hye, chairwoman]; Millennium
Democratic Party or MDP [HAHN Hwa-kap, chairman]; United Liberal
Democrats or ULD [KIM Hak-won, chairman]; Uri Party [LIM Chae-jung,
interim chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean Trade Unions;
Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National Council of
Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans' Association;
National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic Alliance of
Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National
Federation of Student Associations

International organization participation:
AfDB, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group,
BIS, CP, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
ITU, LAIA, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador HONG Seok-hyun chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle consulate(s): New York, Tamuning (Guam) FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205 telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher R. HILL embassy: 82 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710 mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-5550 telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114 FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845

Flag description:
white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center;
there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of
Changes) in each corner of the white field

Economy Korea, South

Economy - overview:
Since the early 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible
record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world
economy. Four decades ago GDP per capita was comparable with levels
in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. Today its GDP per capita
is 18 times North Korea's and equal to the lesser economies of the
European Union. This success through the late 1980s was achieved by
a system of close government/business ties, including directed
credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of specific industries, and
a strong labor effort. The government promoted the import of raw
materials and technology at the expense of consumer goods and
encouraged savings and investment over consumption. The Asian
financial crisis of 1997-99 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South
Korea's development model, including high debt/equity ratios,
massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector.
Growth plunged to a negative 6.6% in 1998, then strongly recovered
to 10.8% in 1999 and 9.2% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001
because of the slowing global economy, falling exports, and the
perception that much-needed corporate and financial reforms had
stalled. Led by consumer spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an
impressive 6.2%, despite anemic global growth, followed by moderate
2.8% growth in 2003. In 2003 the National Assembly approved
legislation reducing the six-day work week to five days.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $857.8 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $17,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.6% industry: 36.4% services: 60% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
29.6% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
4% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 22.5% (1999 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
31.6 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
22.92 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 8.8%, industry 19.1%, services 72.1% (2001)

Unemployment rate:
3.4% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $135.5 billion
expenditures: $128.7 billion, including capital expenditures of
$23.5 billion (2003)

Public debt:
13.8% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs,
chickens, milk, eggs; fish

Industries:
electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals,
shipbuilding, steel

Industrial production growth rate:
5.1% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
290.7 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
270.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
2.14 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
804,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
2.965 million bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
20.92 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
21.11 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$12.32 billion (2003)

Exports:
$201.3 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
Semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor
vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals

Exports - partners:
China 18.2%, US 17.8%, Japan 9%, Hong Kong 7.6% (2003)

Imports:
$175.6 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel,
transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics

Imports - partners:
Japan 20.3%, US 13.9%, China 12.3%, Saudi Arabia 5.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$155.4 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$130.3 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA $200 million

Currency:
South Korean won (KRW)

Currency code:
KRW

Exchange rates:
South Korean won per US dollar - 1,191.61 (2003), 1,251.09 (2002),
1,290.99 (2001), 1,130.96 (2000), 1,188.82 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Korea, South

Telephones - main lines in use:
22.877 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
33,591,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international services
domestic: NA
international: country code - 82; fiber-optic submarine cable to
China; the Russia-Korea-Japan submarine cable; satellite earth
stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1
Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 58, FM 150, shortwave 2 (2004)

Radios:
47.5 million (2000)

Television broadcast stations: 64 (additionally 119 Cable Operators; 239 Relay Cable Operators) (2004)

Televisions:
15.9 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.kr

Internet hosts:
694,206 (2001)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
11 (2000)

Internet users:
29.22 million (2003)

Transportation Korea, South

Railways: total: 3,125 km standard gauge: 3,125 km 1.435-m gauge (661 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 86,990 km
paved: 64,808 km (including 1,996 km of expressways)
unpaved: 22,182 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 1,608 km note: most navigable only by small craft (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 1,433 km; refined products 827 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Chinhae, Inch'on, Kunsan, Masan, Mokp'o, P'ohang, Pusan,
Tonghae-hang, Ulsan, Yosu

Merchant marine:
total: 535 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,978,949 GRT/9,761,699 DWT
registered in other countries: 442 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Bahrain 1, China 1, Gibraltar 1, Honduras 1,
Indonesia 1, Japan 3, Malaysia 1, Panama 1, Philippines 1, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines 1, United Kingdom 1, United States 1
by type: bulk 97, cargo 174, chemical tanker 61, combination bulk
10, container 60, liquefied gas 19, passenger 3, petroleum tanker
73, refrigerated cargo 20, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea/passenger
2, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier 3

Airports:
102 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 88 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 38 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 91 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 88 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 206 (2003 est.)

Military Korea, South

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Maritime Police
(Coast Guard)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 20-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 24-28 months, depending on the military branch involved; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 14,233,895 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 8,966,241 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 341,697 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$14.522 billion (FY03)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.7% (FY03)

Transnational Issues Korea, South

Disputes - international:
Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone
has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic maritime
disputes with North Korea over the Northern Limit Line; unresolved
dispute with Japan over Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima) and
occasional protests over fishing rights in grounds also claimed by
Japan

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Kuwait

Introduction Kuwait

Background:
Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling
Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961.
Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following
several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a
ground assault on 23 February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four
days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure
damaged during 1990-91.

Geography Kuwait

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi
Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
29 30 N, 45 45 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 17,820 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 17,820 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 462 km border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Coastline:
499 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Terrain:
flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: unnamed location 306 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 0.73% permanent crops: 0.11% other: 99.16% (2001)

Irrigated land:
60 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy
rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms
occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and
August

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping

Geography - note: strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

People Kuwait

Population: 2,257,549 note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.5% (male 316,237; female 304,671)
15-64 years: 69.8% (male 1,007,298; female 569,128)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 38,408; female 21,807) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 25.9 years
male: 28.2 years
female: 22 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
3.36%
note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of
expatriates (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
21.85 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
2.44 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
14.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.77 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.76 male(s)/female
total population: 1.52 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 10.26 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 11.27 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.84 years
male: 75.86 years
female: 77.86 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.03 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.12% (2001 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Kuwaiti(s)
adjective: Kuwaiti

Ethnic groups:
Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%

Religions:
Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and
other 15%

Languages:
Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.5%
male: 85.1%
female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

Government Kuwait

Country name:
conventional long form: State of Kuwait
conventional short form: Kuwait
local short form: Al Kuwayt
local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt

Government type:
nominal constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Kuwait

Administrative divisions:
5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al
Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli

Independence:
19 June 1961 (from UK)

National holiday:
National Day, 25 February (1950)

Constitution:
approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

Legal system:
civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more or have
resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendants at
age 21
note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996,
naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but
have been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for the
first time

Executive branch:
chief of state: Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31
December 1977); Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdullah al-Salim Al Sabah
head of government: Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah
(since 13 July 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
the Interior NAWWAF al-Ahmad Al Sabah (since 2003); Deputy Prime
Ministers JABIR MUBARAK al-Hamad Al Sabah (since 2001) and Muhammad
Dayfallah al-SHARAR (since 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and
approved by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and
deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 6 July 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - Islamists 21,
government supporters 14, liberals 3, and independents 12; note -
all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National
Assembly

Judicial branch:
High Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
none; formation of political parties is illegal

Political pressure groups and leaders:
several political groups act as de facto parties: Bedouins,
merchants, Sunni and Shi'a activists, and secular leftists and
nationalists

International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC,
OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM al-Abdallah Jabir Al Sabah
FAX: [1] (202) 364-2868
telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702
chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard LEBARON
embassy: Bayan, Area 14, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the Bayan
palace), Kuwait City
mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE
09880-9000
telephone: [965] 539-5307, 5308
FAX: [965] 538-0282

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a
black trapezoid based on the hoist side; design, which dates to
1961, based on the Arab revolt flag of World War I

Economy Kuwait

Economy - overview:
Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with proved crude
oil reserves of about 98 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves.
Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues,
and 80% of government income. Kuwait's climate limits agricultural
development. Consequently, with the exception of fish, it depends
almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water must be
distilled or imported. Kuwait continues its discussions with foreign
oil companies to develop fields in the northern part of the country.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $41.46 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.6% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.4% industry: 59.5% services: 40% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
8% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.2% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
1.38 million
note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force. (2003
est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture NA, industries NA, services NA

Unemployment rate:
2.1% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $29.41 billion
expenditures: $17.57 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Public debt:
29.5% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
practically no crops; fish

Industries:
petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing,
construction materials

Industrial production growth rate:
-5% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
31.49 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
29.29 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
2.27 million bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
293,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
1.97 million bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
NA (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:
97.68 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
8.7 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
8.7 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.548 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$8.652 billion (2003)

Exports:
$22.29 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
oil and refined products, fertilizers

Exports - partners:
Japan 21.3%, South Korea 14.9%, US 11.5%, Singapore 9.8%, Taiwan
9.3% (2003)

Imports:
$9.606 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing

Imports - partners:
US 14.7%, Japan 10.3%, Germany 9.6%, China 6.6%, UK 6.1%, Saudi
Arabia 5.5%, Italy 5%, France 4.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$7.685 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$12.18 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA (2001)

Currency:
Kuwaiti dinar (KWD)

Currency code:
KWD

Exchange rates:
Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.298 (2003), 0.3039 (2002), 0.3067
(2001), 0.3068 (2000), 0.3044 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Kuwait

Telephones - main lines in use:
486,900 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.42 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: the quality of service is excellent
domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new
subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay,
coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular
telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well
supplied with pay telephones
international: country code - 965; coaxial cable and microwave radio
relay to Saudi Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the
Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat
(1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and
2 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
1.175 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)

Televisions:
875,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.kw

Internet hosts:
3,437 (2001)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)

Internet users:
567,000 (2003)

Transportation Kuwait

Highways: total: 4,450 km paved: 3,587 km unpaved: 863 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines:
gas 169 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al
Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud

Merchant marine:
total: 38 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,319,082 GRT/3,768,828 DWT
registered in other countries: 5 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: India 1, Saudi Arabia 1
by type: bulk 1, container 6, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 4,
petroleum tanker 21, roll on/roll off 1

Airports:
7 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
3 (2003 est.)

Military Kuwait

Military branches:
Land Forces, Navy, Air Force (including Air Defense Force),
National Guard

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 880,461 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 531,556 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 18,849 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$2,500.4 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
5.8% (2003)

Transnational Issues Kuwait

Disputes - international:
Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime
boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the
Persian Gulf

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Kyrgyzstan

Introduction Kyrgyzstan

Background:
A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud
nomadic traditions, Kyrgyzstan was annexed by Russia in 1864; it
achieved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Current
concerns include: privatization of state-owned enterprises,
expansion of democracy and political freedoms, interethnic
relations, and combating terrorism.

Geography Kyrgyzstan

Location:
Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates:
41 00 N, 75 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 198,500 sq km
water: 7,200 sq km
land: 191,300 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries:
total: 3,878 km
border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870
km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in
southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone

Terrain:
peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass
entire nation

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m
highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m

Natural resources:
abundant hydropower; significant deposits of gold and rare earth
metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other
deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc

Land use:
arable land: 7.3%
permanent crops: 0.35%
note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural growth walnut
forest (2001)
other: 92.35%

Irrigated land:
10,740 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
water pollution; many people get their water directly from
contaminated streams and wells; as a result, water-borne diseases
are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty irrigation
practices

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

Geography - note:
landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range;
many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

People Kyrgyzstan

Population:
5,081,429 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 32.3% (male 835,599; female 804,384)
15-64 years: 61.6% (male 1,535,447; female 1,594,972)
65 years and over: 6.1% (male 120,555; female 190,472) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 23.1 years
male: 22.2 years
female: 24 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.25% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
22.13 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.19 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-2.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 36.81 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 31.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 42.23 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.84 years
male: 63.84 years
female: 72.05 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.71 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,900 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Kyrgyzstani(s)
adjective: Kyrgyzstani

Ethnic groups:
Kyrgyz 64.9%, Uzbek 13.8%, Russian 12.5%, Dungan 1.1%, Ukrainian
1%, Uygur 1%, other 5.7% (1999 census)

Religions:
Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%

Languages:
Kyrgyz - official language, Russian - official language
note: in December 2001, the Kyrgyzstani legislature made Russian an
official language, equal in status to Kyrgyz

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

Government Kyrgyzstan

Country name:
conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic
conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan
local short form: none
former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic
local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Bishkek

Administrative divisions:
7 provinces (oblastlar, singular - oblasty) and 1 city* (shaar);
Batken Oblasty, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad
Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty, Ysyk-Kol Oblasty
(Karakol)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses)

Independence:
31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 31 August (1991)

Constitution:
adopted 5 May 1993; note - amendment proposed by President AKAYEV
and passed in a national referendum on 2 February 2003 significantly
expands the powers of the president at the expense of the legislature

Legal system:
based on civil law system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October 1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Nikolay TANAYEV (since 22 May
2002); note - Prime Minister Kurmanbek BAKIYEV resigned on 22 May
2002 when five demonstrators were killed in a clash with police in
March of 2002; First Deputy Prime Minister Kubanychbek JUMALIYEV
(since 19 March 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
election results: Askar AKAYEV reelected president; percent of vote
- Askar AKAYEV 74%, Omurbek TEKEBAYEV 14%, other candidates 12%;
note - election marred by serious irregularities
elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;
elections last held 29 October 2000 (next to be 30 October 2005);
prime minister appointed by the president; note - President AKAYEV
has publicly stated that he will not seek reelection when his
current term expires in 2005

Legislative branch:
bicameral Supreme Council or Jorgorku Kenesh consists of the
Assembly of People's Representatives (70 seats; members are elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Legislative
Assembly (35 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms); note - in accordance with a 2003 referendum, the
Parliament is slated to become unicameral with 75 deputies after the
27 February 2005 elections
election results: Assembly of People's Representatives - percent of
vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; and Legislative Assembly -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - total
seats by party in the Supreme Council were as follows: Union of
Democratic Forces 12, Communists 6, My Country Party of Action 4,
independents 73, other 10
note: the legislature became bicameral for the 5 February 1995
elections; the 2000 election results include both the Assembly of
People's Representatives and the Legislative Assembly
elections: Assembly of People's Representatives - last held 20
February and 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA February 2005);
Legislative Assembly - last held 20 February and 12 March 2000;
elections for the new unicameral body or Jorgorku Kenesh are to be
held 27 February 2005)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed for 10-year terms by the
Supreme Council on the recommendation of the president);
Constitutional Court; Higher Court of Arbitration

Political parties and leaders:
Adilet (Justice) Party [Toychubek KASYMOV]; Agrarian Labor Party of
Kyrgyzstan [Uson SYDYKOV]; Agrarian Party of Kyrgyzstan [Erkin
ALIYEV]; Alga, Kyrgyzstan (Forward, Kyrgyzstan) [Bolot BEGALIYEV];
Ar-Namys (Dignity) Party [Emil ALIYEV]; Asaba (Banner National
Revival Party) [Azimbek BEKNAZAROV]; Ata-Meken (Fatherland) [Omurbek
TEKEBAYEV]; Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan [Klara ADZHIBEKOVA];
Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Jypar JEKSHEYEV]; Erkin
Kyrgyzstan Progressive and Democratic Party [Bektur ASANOV];
Erkindik (Freedom) Party [Topchubek TURGUNALIYEV]; Future of
Kyrgyzstan [Balbak TULEBAYEV]; Jany Kyrgyzstan (New Kyrgyzstan)
[Dosbol NUR UULU]; Kairan El [Dooronbek SADYKOV]; Kyrgyz National
Party [Bakyt BESHIMOV]; Kyrgyzstan Kelechegi [Ruslan CHYNYBAYEV];
Manas El (Party of Spiritual Restoration) [Chingiz AITMATOV]; Moya
Strana (My Country Party of Action) [Joomart OTORBAYEV]; Party of
Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Bakytbek BEKBOYEV]; Party of
Justice and Progress [Muratbek IMANALIEV]; Party of Peasants
[Esengul ISAKOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Council of Free Trade Unions; Kyrgyz Committee on Human Rights
[Ramazan DYRYLDAYEV]; National Unity Democratic Movement; Union of
Entrepreneurs

International organization participation:
AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK,
UNMIL, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Bakyt ABDRISAYEV
FAX: [1] (202) 338-5139
consulate(s): New York
telephone: [1] (202) 338-5141
chancery: 1732 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen M. YOUNG
embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [996] (312) 551-241, (517) 777-217
FAX: [996] (312) 551-264

Flag description:
red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays
representing the 40 Kyrgyz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run
counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the
sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized
representation of the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt

Economy Kyrgyzstan

Economy - overview:
Kyrgyzstan is a poor, mountainous country with a predominantly
agricultural economy. Cotton, tobacco, wool, and meat are the main
agricultural products, although only tobacco and cotton are exported
in any quantity. Industrial exports include gold, mercury, uranium,
and natural gas and electricity. Kyrgyzstan has been fairly
progressive in carrying out market reforms, such as an improved
regulatory system and land reform. Kyrgyzstan was the first CIS
country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. With fits
and starts, inflation has been lowered to an estimated 7% in 2001,
2.1% in 2002, and 4.0% in 2003. Much of the government's stock in
enterprises has been sold. Drops in production had been severe after
the breakup of the Soviet Union in December 1991, but by mid-1995
production began to recover and exports began to increase.
Kyrgyzstan has distinguished itself by adopting relatively liberal
economic policies. The drop in output at the Kumtor gold mine
sparked a 0.5% decline in GDP in 2002, but GDP growth bounced back
to 6% in 2003. The government has made steady strides in controlling
its substantial fiscal deficit and aims to reduce the deficit to 4.4
percent of GDP in 2004. The government and the international
financial institutions have been engaged in a comprehensive
medium-term poverty reduction and economic growth strategy. Further
restructuring of domestic industry and success in attracting foreign
investment are keys to future growth.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $7.808 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 38.7% industry: 22.9% services: 38.4% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
17.6% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
50% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 27.7% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
34.6 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
2.7 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 55%, industry 15%, services 30% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
7.2% (1999 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $371.5 million
expenditures: $387.1 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries;
sheep, goats, cattle, wool

Industries:
small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn
logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth
metals

Industrial production growth rate:
6% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
13.45 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
10.46 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
2.25 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
200 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
16 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
2.016 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$-108 million (2003)

Exports:
$548 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas,
hydropower; machinery; shoes

Exports - partners:
UAE 24.7%, Switzerland 20.3%, Russia 16.7%, Kazakhstan 9.8%, Canada
5.3%, China 4% (2003)

Imports:
$601 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Russia 24.7%, Kazakhstan 24%, China 10.3%, US 6.7%, Uzbekistan
5.5%, Germany 5.3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$399.3 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.5 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$50 million from the US (2001)

Currency:
Kyrgyzstani som (KGS)

Currency code:
KGS

Exchange rates:
soms per US dollar - 43.6484 (2003), 46.9371 (2002), 48.378 (2001),
47.7038 (2000), 39.0077 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Kyrgyzstan

Telephones - main lines in use:
394,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
53,100 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: poorly developed; about 100,000 unsatisfied
applications for household telephones
domestic: principally microwave radio relay; one cellular provider,
probably limited to Bishkek region
international: country code - 996; connections with other CIS
countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other
countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway
switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik
and 1 Intelsat; connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe
(TAE) fiber-optic line

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 12 (plus 10 repeater stations), FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
520,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
NA (repeater stations throughout the country relay programs from
Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey) (1997)

Televisions:
210,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.kg

Internet hosts:
12,299 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Internet users:
152,000 (2002)

Transportation Kyrgyzstan

Railways: total: 470 km broad gauge: 470 km 1.520-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 18,500 km
paved: 16,854 km (including 140 km of expressways)
unpaved: 1,646 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
600 km (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 367 km; oil 13 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)

Airports:
61 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 under 914 m: 2 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 44 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 37 (2003 est.)

Military Kyrgyzstan

Military branches:
Army, Air and Air Defense, Security Forces, Border Troops

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,347,312 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,091,548 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 59,759 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$19.2 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.4% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Kyrgyzstan

Disputes - international:
boundary with China is fully demarcated; delimitation with
Kazakhstan is largely complete with only minor disputed areas;
disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with
Tajikistan; delimitation is underway with Uzbekistan but serious
disputes around enclaves and elsewhere continue to mar progress for
some 130 km of border

Illicit drugs:
limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy for CIS
markets; limited government eradication of illicit crops; transit
point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of
Europe

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Laos

Introduction Laos

Background:
Laos was under the control of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th
century until the late 19th century when it became part of French
Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao
border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control
of the government, ending a six-century-old monarchy. Initial closer
ties to Vietnam and socialization were replaced with a gradual
return to private enterprise, a liberalization of foreign investment
laws, and the admission into ASEAN in 1997.

Geography Laos

Location:
Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:
18 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 236,800 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km
land: 230,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Utah

Land boundaries:
total: 5,083 km
border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km,
Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season
(December to April)

Terrain:
mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mekong River 70 m highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Land use:
arable land: 3.8%
permanent crops: 0.35%
other: 95.85% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,640 sq km
note: rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation -
750 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
floods, droughts

Environment - current issues: unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly
forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western
boundary with Thailand

People Laos

Population:
6,068,117 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 41.9% (male 1,277,152; female 1,265,761)
15-64 years: 54.9% (male 1,642,895; female 1,688,175)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 87,995; female 106,139) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.6 years
male: 18.3 years
female: 19 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.44% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
36.47 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
12.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 87.06 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 76.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 97.05 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 54.69 years
male: 52.71 years
female: 56.75 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.86 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,700 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
adjective: Lao or Laotian

Ethnic groups:
Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung
(highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic
Vietnamese/Chinese 1%

Religions:
Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian
denominations 1.5%)

Languages:
Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 66.4%
male: 77.4%
female: 55.5% (2002)

Government Laos

Country name:
conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic
conventional short form: Laos
local short form: none
local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao

Government type:
Communist state

Capital:
Vientiane

Administrative divisions:
16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural), 1 municipality*
(kampheng nakhon, singular and plural), and 1 special zone**
(khetphiset, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai,
Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphrabang,
Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan*, Viangchan,
Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun**, Xekong, Xiangkhoang

Independence:
19 July 1949 (from France)

National holiday:
Republic Day, 2 December (1975)

Constitution:
promulgated 14 August 1991

Legal system:
based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures,
and socialist practice

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphadon (since 26 February
1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 27
March 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister BOUNGNANG Volachit (since 27
March 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Bouasone BOUPHAVANH (since
3 October 2003) Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since
May 2002), Deputy Prime Minister THONGLOUN Sisolit (since 27 March
2001), and Deputy Prime Minister SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26
February 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved
by the National Assembly
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held
in 2007); prime minister appointed by the president with the
approval of the National Assembly for a five-year term
election results: KHAMTAI Siphandon elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (109 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms; note - total number of seats
increased from 99 to 109 for the 2002 election)
elections: last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held in 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
LPRP or LPRP-approved (independent, non-party members) 109

Judicial branch:
People's Supreme Court (the president of the People's Supreme Court
is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the
National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the
People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National
Assembly Standing Committee)

Political parties and leaders:
Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphandon, party
president]; other parties proscribed

Political pressure groups and leaders:
noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders
fled the country in 1975

International organization participation:
ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
(observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador PHANTHONG Phommahaxay
FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923
telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416
chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia M. HASLACH embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, B. P. 114, Vientiane mailing address: American Embassy, Box V, APO AP 96546 telephone: [856] (21) 212581, 212582, 212585 FAX: [856] (21) 212584

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red
with a large white disk centered in the blue band

Economy Laos

Economy - overview:
The government of Laos - one of the few remaining official
Communist states - began decentralizing control and encouraging
private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely
low base, were striking - growth averaged 7% in 1988-2001 except
during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis
beginning in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a
country with a primitive infrastructure; it has no railroads, a
rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal
telecommunications. Electricity is available in only a few urban
areas. Subsistence agriculture accounts for half of GDP and provides
80% of total employment. The economy will continue to benefit from
aid from the IMF and other international sources and from new
foreign investment in food processing and mining.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $10.32 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 49.4% industry: 24.5% services: 26.1% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 30.6% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
15.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
2.6 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 80% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
5.7% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $298.5 million
expenditures: $429.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco,
cotton, tea, peanuts, rice, water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry

Industries:
tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural
processing, construction, garments, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
9.7% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
1.317 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
824.7 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
400 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
2,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-58 million (2003)

Exports:
$332 million (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
garments, wood products, coffee, electricity, tin

Exports - partners:
Thailand 20.7%, Vietnam 15.9%, France 7.3%, Germany 5.3%, Belgium
4% (2003)

Imports:
$492 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
Thailand 59.4%, China 12.8%, Vietnam 10.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$201 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$2.49 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
$243 million (2001 est.)

Currency:
kip (LAK)

Currency code:
LAK

Exchange rates:
kips per US dollar - 10,443 (2003), 10,056.3 (2002), 8,954.58
(2001), 7,887.64 (2000), 7,102.02 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications Laos

Telephones - main lines in use:
61,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
55,200 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: service to general public is poor but improving
with over 20,000 telephones currently in service and an additional
48,000 expected by 2001; the government relies on a radiotelephone
network to communicate with remote areas
domestic: radiotelephone communications
international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1
Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
730,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
4 (1999)

Televisions:
52,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.la

Internet hosts:
937 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
15,000 (2002)

Transportation Laos

Highways:
total: 21,716 km
paved: 9,664 km
unpaved: 12,052 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
4,600 km
note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional km are
intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2003)

Pipelines:
refined products 540 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
none

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT
by type: cargo 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
46 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 35
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Military Laos

Military branches:
Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 15 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - minimum 18 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,456,500 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 783,800 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 68,563 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$10.9 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.5% (2003)

Transnational Issues Laos

Disputes - international:
demarcation of boundaries with Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam is
largely complete, but with Thailand several areas including Mekong
River islets remain in dispute; ongoing disputes with Thailand and
Vietnam over squatters; concern among Mekong Commission members that
China's construction of dams on the Mekong River will affect water
levels

Illicit drugs:
world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated cultivation
in 2003 - 18,900 hectares, a 19% decrease over 2002; estimated
potential production in 2003 - 200 metric tons, a 11% increase from
2002); potential heroin producer; transshipment point for heroin and
methamphetamine produced in Burma; illicit producer of cannabis;
growing methamphetamine abuse problem

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Latvia

Introduction Latvia

Background:
After a brief period of independence between the two World Wars,
Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It reestablished its
independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the
Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to
Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Geography Latvia

Location:
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and
Lithuania

Geographic coordinates:
57 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 64,589 sq km
water: 1,000 sq km
land: 63,589 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
total: 1,150 km
border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km,
Russia 217 km

Coastline:
531 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
maritime; wet, moderate winters

Terrain:
low plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m

Natural resources: peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land

Land use: arable land: 29.67% permanent crops: 0.47% other: 69.86% (2001)

Irrigated land:
200 sq km
note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not
irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land
has been improved by drainage (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service
industries after the country regained independence; the main
environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality
and sewage system, household and hazardous waste management, and
reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession
negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of
EU environmental directives by 2010

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with
some hills in the east

People Latvia

Population:
2,306,306 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 15% (male 177,223; female 169,241)
15-64 years: 69.2% (male 772,496; female 823,410)
65 years and over: 15.8% (male 118,035; female 245,901) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.8 years
male: 35.6 years
female: 41.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.71% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
8.87 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
13.73 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-2.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female
total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.67 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 11.45 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.86 years
male: 65.91 years
female: 76.09 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.25 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Latvian(s)
adjective: Latvian

Ethnic groups:
Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%,
Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)

Religions:
Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox

Languages:
Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Government Latvia

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Latvia
conventional short form: Latvia
local short form: Latvija
former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
local long form: Latvijas Republika

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Riga

Administrative divisions:
26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*: Aizkraukles
Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons,
Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons,
Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala*, Kraslavas
Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja*, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons,
Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu Rajons,
Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu
Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*,
Ventspils Rajons

Independence:
21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is
the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4
May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August
1991 is the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:
15 February 1922; an October 1998 amendment on Fundamental Human
Rights replaced the 1991 Constitutional Law, which had supplemented
the constitution

Legal system:
based on civil law system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December
2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
appointed by the Parliament
elections: president reelected by Parliament for a four-year term;
election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be held by June 2007);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected president;
parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88 of 94 votes cast

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by
direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 5 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - New Era 23.9%, PCTVL
18.9%, People's Party 16.7%, ZZS 9.5%, First Party 7.6%, LNNK 5.4%;
seats by party - New Era 26, PCTVL 24, People's Party 21, ZZS 12,
First Party 10, LNNK 7

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance of the Greens and Farmers Union or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS
(Farmer's Union); Indulis EMSIS (Green Party)]; First Party of
Latvia [Ainars SLESERS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or
PCTVL [Jakovs PLINERS]; For Our Latvia or ML [Rihards Jablokovs];
Latvian National Democratic Party or LNDP [Jevgenijs Osiopovs];
Latvian National Front [Aivars GARDA]; Latvian Social-Democratic
Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Alfred RUBIKS]; Latvia's
Way Union or LC; Light of Latgale or LG; New Era Party or JL [Einars
REPSE]; New Politics Party or JP [Sergejs DOLGOPOLOVS]; People's
Harmony Party or TSP [Janis JURKANS]; People's Party or TP [Atis
SLAKTERIS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]; Union
for the Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK or TB/LNNK [Janis STRAUME];
United Social Democratic Welfare Party or SLP [Juris ZURAVLOVS];
United Republican Party of Latvia or LARP

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB)
[Aleksandr KAZAKOV]

International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member),
FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NIB, NSG,
OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO,
WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Maris RIEKSTINS
FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785
telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214
chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine Todd-Bailey
embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510
mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE
09723
telephone: [371] 703-6200
FAX: [371] 782-0047

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and
maroon

Economy Latvia

Economy - overview:
Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian
financial crisis, largely due to the SKELE government's budget
stringency and a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU
countries, lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. The
majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized,
although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large
enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization
in February 1999. Preparing for EU membership continues as a top
foreign policy goal. The current account and internal government
deficits remain major concerns, but the government's efforts to
increase efficiency in revenue collection may lessen the budget
deficit.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $23.9 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7.4% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $10,200 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.5% industry: 24.5% services: 70.9% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
27.1% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.9% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
1.18 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
8.6% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $3.691 billion
expenditures: $3.871 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
14.4% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs;
fish

Industries:
buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers,
agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios,
electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note -
dependent on imports for energy and raw materials

Industrial production growth rate:
8% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
4.365 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
6.046 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
703 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
2.69 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
44,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
1.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
1.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$-955.9 million (2003)

Exports:
$3 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles,
foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
UK 15.6%, Germany 14.8%, Sweden 10.5%, Lithuania 8.2%, Estonia
6.6%, Denmark 6%, Russia 5.4% (2003)

Imports:
$4.921 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles

Imports - partners:
Germany 16.1%, Lithuania 9.7%, Russia 8.7%, Finland 7.4%, Estonia
6.4%, Sweden 6.3%, Poland 5.1%, Italy 4.4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$1.535 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$6.793 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$96.2 million (1995)

Currency:
Latvian lat (LVL)

Currency code:
LVL

Exchange rates:
lati per US dollar - 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182 (2002), 0.6279 (2001),
0.6065 (2000), 0.5852 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Latvia

Telephones - main lines in use:
653,900 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,219,600 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide
an international capability independent of the Moscow international
switch; more facilities are being installed for individual use
domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections,
rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied
subscriber applications
international: country code - 371; international connections are now
available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling
direct connections for most calls (1998)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
1.76 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
1.22 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.lv

Internet hosts:
51,758 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
41 (2001)

Internet users:
936,000 (2003)

Transportation Latvia

Railways:
total: 2,303 km
broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 73,202 km
paved: 28,256 km
unpaved: 44,946 km (2000)

Waterways:
300 km (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 1,097 km; oil 409 km; refined products 415 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils

Merchant marine:
total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 53,153 GRT/37,414 DWT
foreign-owned: Germany 1, Greece 1, Ukraine 1
registered in other countries: 96 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll
on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 1

Airports:
51 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 27
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 16 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 24
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 20 (2003 est.)

Military Latvia

Military branches:
Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard, Home Guard
(Zemessardze)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 19 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers; Latvia plans to phase out conscription, tentatively moving to an all-professional force by 2007 (August 2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 594,596 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 466,659 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 19,209 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$87 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.2% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Latvia

Disputes - international:
the Russian Duma refuses to ratify boundary delimitation treaty
with Latvia; the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998
maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns
over oil exploration rights

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and
Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American
cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; vulnerable
to money laundering despite improved legislation due to nascent
enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of
offshore companies, exchange firms, and the gaming industry;
organized crime (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion,
stolen cars, and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Lebanon

Introduction Lebanon

Background:
Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political
institutions since 1991 and the end of the devastating 15-year civil
war. Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national
reconciliation - the Lebanese have established a more equitable
political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater say in
the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divisions
in the government. Since the end of the war, the Lebanese have
conducted several successful elections, most of the militias have
been weakened or disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have
extended central government authority over about two-thirds of the
country. Hizballah, a radical Shia organization, retains its
weapons. Syria maintains about 16,000 troops in Lebanon, based
mainly east of Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Syria's troop
deployment was legitimized by the Arab League during Lebanon's civil
war and in the Ta'if Accord. Damascus justifies its continued
military presence in Lebanon by citing Beirut's requests and the
failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the
constitutional reforms in the Ta'if Accord. Israel's withdrawal from
southern Lebanon in May 2000, however, encouraged some Lebanese
groups to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as well. The passage
of UNSCR 1559 in early October 2004 - a resolution calling for Syria
to withdraw from Lebanon and end its interference in Lebanese
affairs - further emboldened Lebanese groups opposed to Syria's
presence in Lebanon.

Geography Lebanon

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and
Syria

Geographic coordinates:
33 50 N, 35 50 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 10,400 sq km
water: 170 sq km
land: 10,230 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 454 km border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km

Coastline:
225 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers;
Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows

Terrain:
narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and
Anti-Lebanon Mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m

Natural resources:
limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit
region, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 16.62%
permanent crops: 13.98%
other: 69.4% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in
Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes;
pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life
Conservation

Geography - note:
Nahr el Litani only major river in Near East not crossing an
international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate,
protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion,
clan, and ethnicity

People Lebanon

Population:
3,777,218 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.9% (male 517,356; female 496,888)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 1,197,430; female 1,305,339)
65 years and over: 6.9% (male 117,930; female 142,275) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 26.9 years
male: 25.9 years
female: 27.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.3% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
19.31 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.28 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 25.48 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 22.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 28.21 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.35 years
male: 69.91 years
female: 74.91 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.95 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.09% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2,800 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Lebanese

Ethnic groups:
Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

Religions:
Muslim 59.7% (Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri),
Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Melkite Catholic, Armenian
Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Roman Catholic,
Protestant), other 1.3%
note: seventeen religious sects recognized

Languages:
Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 87.4%
male: 93.1%
female: 82.2% (2003 est.)

Government Lebanon

Country name:
conventional long form: Lebanese Republic
conventional short form: Lebanon
local short form: Lubnan
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Beirut

Administrative divisions:
6 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beyrouth, Beqaa,
Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye

Independence:
22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French
administration)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

Constitution:
23 May 1926, amended a number of times, most recently Charter of
Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989

Legal system:
mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law;
no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at
age 21 with elementary education

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November 1998)
head of government: Prime Minister Omar KARAMI (since 21 October
2004); Deputy Prime Minister Issam FARES (since 23 October 2000)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with
the president and members of the National Assembly
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year
term; election last held 15 October 1998 (next election date NA);
note - on 3 September 2004 the National Assembly voted 96 to 29 to
extend Emile LAHUD's six-year term by three years; the prime
minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in
consultation with the National Assembly; by agreement, the president
is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and
the speaker of the legislature is a Shia Muslim
election results: For 15 October 1998 election: Emile LAHUD elected
president; National Assembly vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against,
10 abstentions

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) or
Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popular
vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 August and 3 September 2000 (next to be held
spring 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by sect -
Muslim 64 ( of which Sunnis 27, Shia 27, Druze 8, Alawite 2),
Christian 64 (of which Maronite 34)

Judicial branch:
four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial
cases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional Council
(called for in Ta'if Accord - rules on constitutionality of laws);
Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and prime
minister as needed)

Political parties and leaders: political activity is organized along largely sectarian lines; numerous political groupings exist, consisting of individual political figures and followers motivated by religious, ethnic, clan, and economic considerations

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Farid ABBOUD
consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles
FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6300
chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey D. FELTMAN embassy: Awkar, Lebanon mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; PSC 815, Box 2, FPO AE 09836-0002 telephone: [961] (4) 542600, 543600 FAX: [961] (4) 544136

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width), and red
with a green cedar tree centered in the white band

Economy Lebanon

Economy - overview:
The 1975-91 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic
infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended
Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub.
Peace enabled the central government to restore control in Beirut,
begin collecting taxes, and regain access to key port and government
facilities. Economic recovery was helped by a financially sound
banking system and resilient small- and medium-scale manufacturers.
Family remittances, banking services, manufactured and farm exports,
and international aid provided the main sources of foreign exchange.
Lebanon's economy made impressive gains since the launch in 1993 of
"Horizon 2000," the government's $20 billion reconstruction program.
Real GDP grew 8% in 1994, 7% in 1995, 4% in 1996 and in 1997, but
slowed to 1.2% in 1998, -1.6% in 1999, -0.6% in 2000, 0.8% in 2001,
1.5% in 2002, and 3% in 2003. During the 1990s, annual inflation
fell to almost 0% from more than 100%. Lebanon has rebuilt much of
its war-torn physical and financial infrastructure. The government
nonetheless faces serious challenges in the economic arena. It has
funded reconstruction by borrowing heavily - mostly from domestic
banks. In order to reduce the ballooning national debt, the
re-installed HARIRI government began an economic austerity program
to rein in government expenditures, increase revenue collection, and
privatize state enterprises. The HARIRI government met with
international donors at the Paris II conference in November 2002 to
seek bilateral assistance restructuring its domestic debt at lower
rates of interest. While privatization of state-owned enterprises
had not occurred by the end of 2003, massive receipts from donor
nations stabilized government finances in 2002-04.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $17.82 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12% industry: 21% services: 67% (2000)

Investment (gross fixed):
24.8% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
28% (1999 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
1.5 million
note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers
(2001 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
18% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $4.414 billion
expenditures: $7.026 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
185.1% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives,
tobacco; sheep, goats

Industries:
banking; food processing; jewelry; cement; textiles; mineral and
chemical products; wood and furniture products; oil refining; metal
fabricating

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
6.728 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
7.44 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
1.183 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
107,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-2.865 billion (2003)

Exports:
$1.359 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
authentic jewelry, inorganic chemicals, miscellaneous consumer
goods, fruit, tobacco, construction minerals, electric power
machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper

Exports - partners:
Switzerland 10.8%, UAE 10%, Saudi Arabia 7.5%, US 7.3%, Turkey
5.5%, Jordan 4.4% (2003)

Imports:
$6.073 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, cars, medicinal products, clothing, meat and
live animals, consumer goods, paper, textile fabrics, tobacco

Imports - partners:
France 13.4%, Germany 11.7%, Italy 10.7%, Syria 5.3%, China 5.2%,
UK 4.9%, US 4.5% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$16.35 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$20.79 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$3.5 billion (pledges 1997-2001); $4.2 billion in soft loan pledges
November 2002 Paris II Aid Conference (2002)

Currency:
Lebanese pound (LBP)

Currency code:
LBP

Exchange rates:
Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2003), 1,507.5 (2002),
1,507.5 (2001), 1,507.5 (2000), 1,507.84 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Lebanon

Telephones - main lines in use:
678,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
775,100 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: telecommunications system severely damaged by
civil war; rebuilding well underway
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay and cable
international: country code - 961; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations);
coaxial cable to Syria; microwave radio relay to Syria but
inoperable beyond Syria to Jordan; 3 submarine coaxial cables

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
2.85 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
1.18 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.lb

Internet hosts:
6,998 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
22 (2000)

Internet users:
400,000 (2002)

Transportation Lebanon

Railways:
total: 401 km
standard gauge: 319 km 1.435-m
note: rail system was unusable because of damage during the civil
war in the 1980s; short sections are operable (2003)
narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050-m

Highways: total: 7,300 km paved: 6,198 km unpaved: 1,102 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines:
oil 209 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Antilyas, Batroun, Beirut, Chekka, El Mina, Ez Zahrani, Jbail,
Jounie, Naqoura, Sidon, Tripoli, Tyre

Merchant marine:
total: 49 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 198,602 GRT/248,313 DWT
registered in other countries: 52 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Greece 7, India 1, Netherlands 4, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines 1, Spain 1, Syria 2
by type: bulk 5, cargo 23, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1,
container 2, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 8, refrigerated
cargo 1, roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 3

Airports:
8 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Lebanon

Military branches:
Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,049,097 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 643,050 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$541 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4.8% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Lebanon

Disputes - international:
Syrian troops in central and eastern Lebanon since October 1976;
Lebanese Government claims Shab'a Farms area of Israeli-occupied
Golan Heights

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 394,532 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA))
IDPs: 300,000 (1975-1990 civil war, Israeli invasions) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares in
2002; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of Latin
American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on way
to European markets and for Middle Eastern consumption

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Lesotho

Introduction Lesotho

Background:
Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence
from the UK in 1966. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990.
Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 23 years of
military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny
following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody South
African military intervention. Constitutional reforms have since
restored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections were
held in 2002.

Geography Lesotho

Location:
Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Geographic coordinates:
29 30 S, 28 30 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 30,355 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 30,355 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 909 km border countries: South Africa 909 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Terrain:
mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m
highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

Natural resources:
water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other
minerals

Land use: arable land: 10.87% permanent crops: 0.13% other: 89% (2001)

Irrigated land:
10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in
overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion;
desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and
redirects water to South Africa

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous,
more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level

People Lesotho

Population:
1,865,040
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.3% (male 350,288; female 345,815)
15-64 years: 57.2% (male 521,434; female 545,183)
65 years and over: 5.5% (male 41,903; female 60,417) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 20 years
male: 19.5 years
female: 20.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.14% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
26.91 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
24.79 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 85.22 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 80.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 90.19 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 36.81 years
male: 36.81 years
female: 36.81 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.44 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
28.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
320,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
29,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)
adjective: Basotho

Ethnic groups:
Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,

Religions:
Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%

Languages:
Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84.8%
male: 74.5%
female: 94.5% (2003 est.)

Government Lesotho

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
conventional short form: Lesotho
former: Basutoland

Government type:
parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Maseru

Administrative divisions:
10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru,
Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

Independence:
4 October 1966 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Constitution:
2 April 1993

Legal system:
based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of
legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note -
King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to
February 1995, while his father was in exile
head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May
1998)
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: none; according to the constitution, the leader of the
majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister;
the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution,
which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is
a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative
powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to
determine who is next in the line of succession, who shall serve as
regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age, and may
even depose the monarch

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22
principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party)
and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by direct popular vote and 40 by
proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year
terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120
in the May 2002 election
elections: last held 25 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54%, BNP 21%, LPC
7%, other 18%; seats by party - LCD 76, BNP 21, LPC 5, other 18

Judicial branch:
High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of
Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court

Political parties and leaders:
Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Tseliso MAKHAKHE]; Basotho National
Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; Lesotho Congress
for Democracy or LCD [Phebe MOTEBANO, chairwoman; Pakalitha
MOSISILI, leader] - the governing party; Lesotho People's Congress
or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Charles
MOFELI]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP and Setlamo Alliance
[Vincent MALEBO]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Chief Peete
Nkoebe PEETE]; Sefate Democratic Party or SDP [Bofihla NKUEBE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA,
NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKI
FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815
telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536
chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert G. LOFTIS embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section) mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho telephone: [266] 312666 FAX: [266] 310116

Flag description:
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper half
is white, bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield with
crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band with
a green triangle in the corner

Economy Lesotho

Economy - overview:
Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances
from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the
Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government
revenue, but the government has strengthened its tax system to
reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major
hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to
South Africa, also generating royalties for Lesotho. As the number
of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a
small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that
support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries and a
rapidly growing apparel-assembly sector. The economy is still
primarily based on subsistence agriculture, especially livestock,
although drought has decreased agricultural activity. The extreme
inequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback.
Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility
with the IMF.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $5.583 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15.3% industry: 43.3% services: 41.4% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
34.1% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
49% (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 43.4%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
56 (1986-87)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
838,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa

Unemployment rate:
45% (2002)

Budget:
revenues: $625.4 million
expenditures: $675.2 million, including capital expenditures of $15
million (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock

Industries:
food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts;
construction; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
15.5% (1999)

Electricity - production:
0 kWh NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
40 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
40 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1,500 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-112 million (2003)

Exports:
$450 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and
mohair, food and live animals (2000)

Exports - partners:
US 97.6%, Canada 1.5%, France 0.5% (2003)

Imports:
$661 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum
products (2000)

Imports - partners:
Hong Kong 36.6%, Taiwan 36.2%, China 12%, Germany 9.9% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$460 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$735 million (2002)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA $4.4 million

Economic aid - recipient:
$41.5 million (2000)

Currency:
loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)

Currency code:
LSL; ZAR

Exchange rates:
maloti per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092
(2001), 6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Lesotho

Telephones - main lines in use:
28,600 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
92,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: rudimentary system
domestic: consists of a few landlines, a small microwave radio relay
system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system; a cellular
mobile telephone system is growing
international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
NA (2002)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2000)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.ls

Internet hosts:
119 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
21,000 (2002)

Transportation Lesotho

Highways: total: 5,940 km paved: 1,087 km unpaved: 4,853 km (1999)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
28 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Military Lesotho

Military branches:
Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; with Army and Air Wing)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 465,827 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 253,974 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$32.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.6% (2003)

Military - note:
the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the future
structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially
considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening
in political affairs

Transnational Issues Lesotho

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Liberia

Introduction Liberia

Background:
In August 2003, a comprehensive peace agreement ended 14 years of
civil war and prompted the resignation of former president Charles
TAYLOR, who was exiled to Nigeria. The National Transitional
Government of Liberia (NTGL) - which is composed of rebel,
government, and civil society groups - assumed control in October
2003. Chairman Gyude BRYANT, who was given a two-year mandate to
oversee efforts to rebuild Liberia, heads the new government. The
United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which maintains a strong
presence throughout the country, completed a disarmament program for
former combatants in late 2004, but the security situation is still
volatile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic
structure of this war-torn country remains sluggish.

Geography Liberia

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote
d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates:
6 30 N, 9 30 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 111,370 sq km
water: 15,050 sq km
land: 96,320 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
total: 1,585 km
border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone
306 km

Coastline:
579 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold
nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and
low mountains in northeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m

Natural resources:
iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 3.95% permanent crops: 2.28% other: 93.77% (2001)

Irrigated land:
30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)

Environment - current issues: tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by
lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland
grassy plateau supports limited agriculture

People Liberia

Population:
3,390,635 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.4% (male 742,508; female 730,677)
15-64 years: 52.9% (male 875,951; female 918,570)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 61,867; female 61,062) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.1 years
male: 17.7 years
female: 18.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.7% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
44.81 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
17.86 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: at least 200,000 Liberian refugees are in surrounding
countries; the uncertain security situation has hindered their
ability to return (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 130.51 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 123.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 137.32 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 47.93 years
male: 46.9 years
female: 48.99 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
6.16 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
5.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
100,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
7,200 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, yellow fever, Lassa fever, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Liberian(s)
adjective: Liberian

Ethnic groups:
indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru,
Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella,
Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of
immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5%
(descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Languages:
English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a
few can be written and are used in correspondence

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.5%
male: 73.3%
female: 41.6%
note: (2003 est.)

Government Liberia

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Liberia
conventional short form: Liberia

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Monrovia

Administrative divisions:
15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount,
Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba,
River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe

Independence:
26 July 1847

National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

Constitution:
6 January 1986

Legal system:
dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for
the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal
practices for indigenous sector

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Chairman Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003); note
- this is an interim position until presidential elections in 2005;
the chairman is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: Chairman Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003);
note - this is an interim position until presidential elections in
2005; the chairman is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the
Senate; note - current cabinet positions are divided among groups
participating in the Liberian peace process
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term
(renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA
October 2005)
note:: a UN-brokered cease-fire among warring factions and the
Liberian government resulted in the August 2003 resignation of
former president Charles TAYLOR; a jointly agreed upon replacement,
Chairman Gyude BRYANT, assumed office as head of the National
Transitional Government on 14 October 2003
election results: Charles Ghankay TAYLOR elected president; percent
of vote - Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF
(UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1%; note - Taylor
stepped down in August 2003

Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (26 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the
House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote
to serve six-year terms)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House of Representatives - percent of
vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPP 49, UP 7, ALCOP 3, Alliance
of Political Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1
elections: Senate - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA
2006); House of Representatives - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be
held NA October 2005)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance of Political Parties (a coalition of LAP and LUP) [leader
NA]; All Liberia Coalition Party or ALCOP [Peter KERBAY]; Liberian
Action Party or LAP [C. Gyude BRYANT]; Liberian People's Party or
LPP [Koffa NAGBE]; Liberia Unification Party or LUP [leader NA];
National Patriotic Party or NPP [Cyril ALLEN] - governing party;
United People's Party or UPP [Wesley JOHNSON]; Unity Party or UP
[Charles CLARKE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU,
NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Aaron B.
KOLLIE
chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436
telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John William BLANEY III
embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point,
1000 Monrovia, 10 Liberia
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [231] 226-370 through 226-380
FAX: [231] 226-148

Flag description:
11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating
with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in
the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag

Economy Liberia

Economy - overview:
Civil war and misgovernment have destroyed much of Liberia's
economy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Many
businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and expertise with
them. Some have returned, many will not. Richly endowed with water,
mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture,
Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products -
primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign
owned, had been small in scope. The departure of the former
president, Charles TAYLOR, to Nigeria in August 2003, the
establishment of the all-inclusive National Transition Government of
Liberia (NTGL), and the arrival of a UN mission are all encouraging
signs that the political crisis is coming to an end. The restoration
of infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy
depend on the implementation of sound macro- and micro-economic
policies, including the encouragement of foreign investment, and
generous support from donor countries.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $3.261 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 76.9% industry: 5.4% services: 17.7% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
80%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
15% (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 70%, industry 8%, services 22% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
85% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $85.4 million
expenditures: $90.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products: rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber

Industries:
rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
468.8 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
435.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
3,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$1.079 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee

Exports - partners:
Germany 43.3%, Poland 10.9%, Greece 9.1%, US 6%, France 5.5%,
Thailand 4.9%, China 4.1% (2003)

Imports:
$5.051 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured
goods; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
South Korea 39.2%, Japan 16.2%, Singapore 12.4%, Germany 9.9%,
Spain 4.1% (2003)

Debt - external:
$2.1 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$94 million (1999)

Currency:
Liberian dollar (LRD)

Currency code:
LRD

Exchange rates:
Liberian dollars per US dollar - NA (2003), 61.7542 (2002), 48.5833
(2001), 40.9525 (2000), 41.9025 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Liberia

Telephones - main lines in use:
7,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
general assessment: telephone and telegraph service via microwave
radio relay network; main center is Monrovia
domestic: NA
international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios:
790,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
70,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.lr

Internet hosts:
14 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2001)

Internet users:
1,000 (2002)

Transportation Liberia

Railways:
total: 490 km
standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge
note: none of the railways are in operation (2003)

Highways:
total: 10,600 km
paved: 657 km
unpaved: 9,943 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Buchanan, Greenville, Harper, Monrovia, Robertsport

Merchant marine:
total: 1,449 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 50,555,752 GRT/79,125,329 DWT
registered in other countries: 35 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Argentina 9, Australia 3, Austria 16, Belgium 8,
Bermuda 1, Brazil 5, Chile 7, China 40, Croatia 11, Cyprus 4,
Denmark 4, Estonia 1, France 3, Germany 510, Greece 142, Hong Kong
56, Iceland 1, India 3, Indonesia 1, Israel 4, Italy 8, Japan 81,
South Korea 7, Latvia 22, Isle of Man 5, Mexico 1, Monaco 59,
Netherlands 11, Nigeria 2, Norway 54, Panama 1, Poland 2, Portugal
6, Russia 68, Saudi Arabia 23, Singapore 43, Slovenia 1, Spain 1,
Sri Lanka 1, Sweden 9, Switzerland 7, Taiwan 36, Turkey 3, Ukraine
3, United Kingdom 36, United States 95, Uruguay 3
by type: bulk 278, cargo 67, chemical tanker 161, combination bulk
10, combination ore/oil 20, container 388, liquefied gas 77,
multi-functional large load carrier 3, passenger 3, petroleum tanker
317, refrigerated cargo 62, roll on/roll off 14, short-sea/passenger
3, specialized tanker 13, vehicle carrier 33

Airports:
53 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 51 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 38 (2004 est.)

Military Liberia

Military branches:
Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 752,943 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 406,293 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$10 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.3% (2003)

Transnational Issues Liberia

Disputes - international:
domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups, warlords, and youth
gangs in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have created
insurgencies, street violence, looting, arms trafficking, and ethnic
conflicts and refugees in border areas; the Cote d'Ivoire Government
accuses Liberia of supporting Ivorian rebels

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 13,941 (Sierra Leone), 38,325 (Cote
d'Ivoire)
IDPs: 500,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began in
November 2004) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and
South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption,
criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade provide
significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of
well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
major money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Libya

Introduction Libya

Background:
From the earliest days of his rule following his 1969 military
coup, Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI has espoused his own
political system, the Third Universal Theory. The system is a
combination of socialism and Islam derived in part from tribal
practices and is supposed to be implemented by the Libyan people
themselves in a unique form of "direct democracy." QADHAFI has
always seen himself as a revolutionary and visionary leader. He used
oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside
Libya, supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the
end of Marxism and capitalism. In addition, beginning in 1973, he
engaged in military operations in northern Chad's Aozou Strip - to
gain access to minerals and to use as a base of influence in Chadian
politics - but was forced to retreat in 1987. UN sanctions in 1992
isolated QADHAFI politically following the downing of Pan AM Flight
103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Libyan support for terrorism appears
to have decreased after the sanction imposition. During the 1990s,
QADHAFI also began to rebuild his relationships with Europe. UN
sanctions were suspended in April 1999 and finally lifted in
September 2003 after Libya resolved the Lockerbie case. In December
2003, Libya announced that it had agreed to reveal and end its
programs to develop weapons of mass destruction, and QADHAFI has
made significant strides in normalizing relations with western
nations since then. He has received various Western European leaders
as well as many working-level and commercial delegations, and made
his first trip to Western Europe in 15 years when he traveled to
Brussels in April 2004. QADHAFI also finally resolved in 2004
several outstanding cases against his government for terrorist
activities in the 1980s by paying compensation to the families of
victims of the UTA and La Belle disco bombings.

Geography Libya

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

Geographic coordinates:
25 00 N, 17 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1,759,540 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1,759,540 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries:
total: 4,348 km
border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km,
Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

Coastline:
1,770 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north

Climate:
Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Terrain:
mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Land use: arable land: 1.03% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 98.78% (2001)

Irrigated land:
4,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four
days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:
desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources; the
Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in
the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under
the Sahara to coastal cities

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert

People Libya

Population: 5,631,585 note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 34.2% (male 983,050; female 941,603)
15-64 years: 61.7% (male 1,794,396; female 1,679,828)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 113,391; female 119,317) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 22.4 years
male: 22.5 years
female: 22.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.37% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
27.17 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
3.48 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 25.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 23.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 28.04 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.28 years
male: 74.1 years
female: 78.58 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.42 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
7,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Libyan(s)
adjective: Libyan

Ethnic groups:
Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians,
Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians

Religions:
Sunni Muslim 97%

Languages:
Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major
cities

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.6%
male: 92.4%
female: 72% (2003 est.)

Government Libya

Country name:
conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab
Jamahiriya
conventional short form: Libya
local short form: none
local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah
al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma

Government type:
Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the
populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship

Capital:
Tripoli

Administrative divisions:
25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al
'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al
Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi,
Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt,
Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25
municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions

Independence:
24 December 1951 (from Italy)

National holiday:
Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

Constitution:
11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977

Legal system:
based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate
religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of
legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar
al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title,
but is de facto chief of state
elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of
people's committees; head of government elected by the General
People's Congress; election last held 2 March 2000 (next to be held
NA)
election results: NA
cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General
People's Congress
head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee
(Prime Minister) Shukri Muhammad GHANIM (since 14 June 2003)

Legislative branch:
unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members elected
indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible
memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some
Islamic elements; an anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile movement exists,
primarily based in London, but has little influence

International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
(observer), WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
Libya does not have an embassy in the US but maintains an interest
section under the protective power of the United Arab Emirates
Embassy in the US

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US suspended all embassy activities in Tripoli in May 1980, resumed embassy activities in February 2004 under the protective power of the US interests section of the Belgian Embassy in Tripoli, then opened a Liaison Office in Tripoli in June 2004

Flag description:
plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state
religion)

Economy Libya

Economy - overview:
The Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil
sector, which contribute practically all export earnings and about
one-quarter of GDP. These oil revenues and a small population give
Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little of
this income flows down to the lower orders of society. Libyan
officials in the past three years have made progress on economic
reforms as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate the country
into the international fold. This effort picked up steam after UN
sanctions were lifted in September 2003 and as Libya announced in
December 2003 that it would abandon programs to build weapons of
mass destruction. Libya faces a long road ahead in liberalizing the
socialist-oriented economy, but initial steps - including applying
for WTO membership, reducing some subsidies, and announcing plans
for privatization - are laying the groundwork for a transition to a
more market-based economy. The non-oil manufacturing and
construction sectors, which account for about 20% of GDP, have
expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include the
production of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Climatic
conditions and poor soils severely limit agricultural output, and
Libya imports about 75% of its food.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $35 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.6% industry: 46.1% services: 45.3% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
15% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
1.51 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 17%, industry 29%, services 54% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
30% (2001)

Budget:
revenues: $10.28 billion
expenditures: $7.86 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
16.6% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle

Industries:
petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
20.18 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
18.77 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
1.429 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
216,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
29.75 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
6.18 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
5.41 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
770 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.321 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$6.641 billion (2003)

Exports:
$14.32 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
crude oil, refined petroleum products (1999)

Exports - partners:
Italy 38.8%, Spain 13.4%, Germany 13.4%, Turkey 7.1%, France 6.1%
(2003)

Imports:
$6.282 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods (1999)

Imports - partners:
Italy 27.8%, Germany 10.5%, Tunisia 7.6%, UK 7.1%, France 6%,
Turkey 4.6% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$19.78 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$4.194 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$15 million (2000)

Currency:
Libyan dinar (LYD)

Currency code:
LYD

Exchange rates:
Libyan dinars per US dollar - 1.2929 (2003), 1.2707 (2002), 0.6051
(2001), 0.4994 (2000), 0.3936 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Libya

Telephones - main lines in use:
750,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
100,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: telecommunications system is being modernized;
mobile cellular telephone system became operational in 1996
domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular,
tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth
stations
international: country code - 218; satellite earth stations - 4
Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to
France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt;
tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios:
1.35 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
12 (plus one low-power repeater) (1999)

Televisions:
730,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ly

Internet hosts:
67 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
160,000 (2003)

Transportation Libya

Railways:
0 km
note: Libya is working on 7 lines totaling 2,757 km of 1.435-m gauge
track; it hopes to open a 191 km line by the end of 2004 (2003)

Highways:
total: 83,200 km
paved: 47,590 km
unpaved: 35,610 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines:
condensate 225 km; gas 3,611 km; oil 7,252 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Al Khums, Banghazi, Darnah, Marsa al Burayqah, Misratah, Ra's
Lanuf, Tobruk, Tripoli, Zuwarah

Merchant marine:
total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 129,627 GRT/105,110 DWT
by type: cargo 8, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll
off 4, short-sea/passenger 4
foreign-owned: Algeria 1, Kuwait 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
140 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 59
over 3,047 m: 23
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 23

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 80
under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 41
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)

Military Libya

Military branches:
Armed Peoples on Duty (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
17 years of age (2004 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,588,533 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 938,196 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 61,828 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.3 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.9% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Libya

Disputes - international:
Libya has claimed more than 32,000 sq km in southeastern Algeria
and about 25,000 sq km in Niger in currently dormant disputes;
various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in southern Libya

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Liechtenstein

Introduction Liechtenstein

Background:
The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy
Roman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in 1806. Until the
end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria, but the economic
devastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to enter
into a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Since World War
II (in which Liechtenstein remained neutral), the country's low
taxes have spurred outstanding economic growth. Shortcomings in
banking regulatory oversight have resulted in concerns about the use
of the financial institutions for money laundering. Liechtenstein
has, however, implemented new anti-money-laundering legislation and
recently concluded a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US.

Geography Liechtenstein

Location:
Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Geographic coordinates:
47 16 N, 9 32 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 160 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 160 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 76 km border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km

Coastline:
0 km (doubly landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool
to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers

Terrain:
mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m

Natural resources: hydroelectric potential, arable land

Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0% other: 75% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries
in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation

People Liechtenstein

Population:
33,436 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.8% (male 2,950; female 3,014)
15-64 years: 70.5% (male 11,745; female 11,837)
65 years and over: 11.6% (male 1,598; female 2,292) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.8 years
male: 38.3 years
female: 39.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.86% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
10.65 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.94 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
4.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.77 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 6.47 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.4 years
male: 75.8 years
female: 83.02 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.51 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective: Liechtenstein

Ethnic groups:
Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2%
(June 2002)

Languages:
German (official), Alemannic dialect

Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100%

Government Liechtenstein

Country name:
conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short form: Liechtenstein
local short form: Liechtenstein
local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein

Government type:
hereditary constitutional monarchy on a democratic and
parliamentary basis

Capital:
Vaduz

Administrative divisions:
11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen,
Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen,
Triesenberg, Vaduz

Independence:
23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12
July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire)

National holiday:
Assumption Day, 15 August

Constitution:
5 October 1921

Legal system:
local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November 1989,
assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince
ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968) note - on 15 August
2004, HANS ADAM transferred the official duties of the ruling prince
to ALOIS, but HANS ADAM retains status of chief of state
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party in the Diet is usually
appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of
the largest minority party in the Diet is usually appointed the
deputy head of government by the monarch
cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch
head of government: Head of Government Otmar HASLER (since 5 April
2001) and Deputy Head of Government Rita KIEBER-BECK (since 5 April
2001)

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by
direct, popular vote under proportional representation to serve
four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 49.90%, VU 41.35%,
FL 8.71%; seats by party - FBP 13, VU 11, FL 1
elections: last held 11 February 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or
Obergericht

Political parties and leaders:
Patriotic Union (was Fatherland Union) or VU [Heinz FROMMELT];
Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Johannes MATT]; The Free List or
FL [Dr. Pepo FRICK, Elisabeth TELLENBACH-FRICK, Adolf RITTER]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE chancery: 1300 Eye Street NW, Suite 550W, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 216-0460 FAX: [1] (202) 216-0459

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but the US
Ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited to Liechtenstein

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown
on the hoist side of the blue band

Economy Liechtenstein

Economy - overview:
Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein
has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized,
free-enterprise economy with a vital financial service sector and
living standards on a par with its large European neighbors. The
Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of
small businesses. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 20% -
and easy incorporation rules have induced many holding or so-called
letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein,
providing 30% of state revenues. The country participates in a
customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its
national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy
requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the European
Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between the
European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the EU) since May 1995.
The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with
those of an integrated Europe.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $825 million (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
11% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $25,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA
industry: 40%
services: NA (1999)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (2001)

Labor force:
29,000 of whom 19,000 are foreigners; 13,000 commute from Austria,
Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (31 December 2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 1.3%, industry 47.4%, services 51.3% (31 December 2001
est.)

Unemployment rate:
1.3% (September 2002)

Budget:
revenues: $424.2 million
expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1998 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products

Industries:
electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics,
pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism,
optical instruments

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Exports:
$2.47 billion (1996)

Exports - commodities:
small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts
for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs,
electronic equipment, optical products

Exports - partners:
EU 62.6% (Germany 24.3%, Austria 9.5%, France 8.9%, Italy 6.6%, UK
4.6%), US 18.9%, Switzerland 15.7%

Imports:
$917.3 million (1996)

Imports - commodities:
agricultural products, raw materials, machinery, metal goods,
textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles

Imports - partners:
EU, Switzerland

Debt - external:
$0 (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
none

Currency:
Swiss franc (CHF)

Currency code:
CHF

Exchange rates:
Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876
(2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Liechtenstein

Telephones - main lines in use:
19,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
11,400 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: automatic telephone system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable
and microwave radio relay

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

Radios:
21,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)

Televisions:
12,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.li

Internet hosts:
3,727 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000)

Internet users:
20,000 (2002)

Transportation Liechtenstein

Highways: total: 250 km paved: 250 km unpaved: 0 km

Waterways:
28 km (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 20 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
none (2003 est.)

Military Liechtenstein

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Switzerland

Transnational Issues Liechtenstein

Disputes - international:
Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of
land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918

Illicit drugs:
has strengthened money-laundering controls, but money laundering
remains a concern due to Liechtenstein sophisticated offshore
financial services sector

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Lithuania

Introduction Lithuania

Background:
Independent between the two World Wars, Lithuania was annexed by
the USSR in 1940. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of
the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but Moscow did not
recognize this proclamation until September of 1991 (following the
abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993.
Lithuania subsequently restructured its economy for integration into
Western European institutions; it joined both NATO and the EU in the
spring of 2004.

Geography Lithuania

Location:
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia

Geographic coordinates:
56 00 N, 24 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 65,200 sq km
water: NA sq km
land: NA sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
total: 1,273 km
border countries: Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km,
Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km

Coastline:
99 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate
winters and summers

Terrain:
lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Juozapines/Kalnas 292 m

Natural resources: peat, arable land

Land use: arable land: 45.22% permanent crops: 0.91% other: 53.87% (2001)

Irrigated land:
90 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues: contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are
ancient glacial deposits

People Lithuania

Population:
3,607,899 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.7% (male 309,736; female 294,129)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 1,202,603; female 1,262,784)
65 years and over: 14.9% (male 184,145; female 354,502) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 37.4 years
male: 34.8 years
female: 40.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.33% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
8.49 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
11.03 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female
total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.13 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 8.61 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.46 years
male: 68.22 years
female: 79 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.17 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,300 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Lithuanian(s)
adjective: Lithuanian

Ethnic groups:
Lithuanian 80.6%, Russian 8.7%, Polish 7%, Belarusian 1.6%, other
2.1%

Religions:
Roman Catholic (primarily), Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Protestant,
Evangelical Christian Baptist, Muslim, Jewish

Languages:
Lithuanian (official), Polish, Russian

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

Government Lithuania

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania
conventional short form: Lithuania
local short form: Lietuva
former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic
local long form: Lietuvos Respublika

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Vilnius

Administrative divisions:
10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis); Alytaus, Kauno,
Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages, Telsiu,
Utenos, Vilniaus

Independence:
11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6
September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note - 16 February 1918 is
the date Lithuania declared its independence from Soviet Russia and
established its statehood; 11 March 1990 is the date it declared its
independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:
adopted 25 October 1992

Legal system:
based on civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the
constitutional court

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Valdas ADAMKUS (since 12 July 2004)
head of government: Premier Algirdas Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS (since 3
July 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
nomination of the premier
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 13 June 2004 and 27 June 2004; premier appointed
by the president on the approval of the Parliament
election results: Valdas ADAMKUS elected president; percent of vote
- Valdas ADAMKUS 52.2%, Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE 47.8%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats, 71 members are directly
elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional
representation; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 and 24 October 2004 (next to be held October
2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - Labor 28.6%, Working
for Lithuania (Social Democrats and Social Liberals) 20.7%, Homeland
Union (Conservatives) 14.6%, For Order and Justice (Liberal
Democrats and Lithuanian People's Union) 11.4%, Liberal and Center
Union 9.1%, Union of Farmers and New Democracy 6.6%; seats by
faction - Labor 39, Homeland Union 25, Social Democrats 20, Liberal
and Center Union 18, Social Liberals 11, Union of Farmers and New
Democracy Parties 10, Liberal Democrats 10, Electoral Action 2,
independents 6

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judges for
all courts appointed by the President

Political parties and leaders:
Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI,
chairman]; Homeland Union/Conservative Party or TS [Andrius
KUBILIUS, chairman]; Labor Party [Viktor USPASKICH, chairman];
Liberal and Center Union [Arturas ZUOKAS, chairman]; Liberal
Democratic Party [Valentinas MAZURONIS, chairman]; Lithuanian
Christian Democrats or LKD [Valentinas STUNDYS, chairman];
Lithuanian People's Union for a Fair Lithuania; Lithuanian Social
Democratic Coalition [Algirdas BRAZAUSKAS, chairman] consists of the
Lithuanian Democratic Labor Party or LDDP and the Lithuanian Social
Democratic Party or LSDP; New Democracy and Farmer's Union or VNDPS
[Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE, chairman]; Social Liberals (New Union)
[Arturas PAULAUSKAS, chairman]; Social Union of Christian
Conservatives [Gediminas VAGNORIUS, chairman]; Young Lithuania and
New Nationalists

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,
EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
MIGA, NIB, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Vygaudas USACKAS consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860 chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen D. MULL
embassy: 2600 Akmenu 6, Vilnius
mailing address: American Embassy, Vilnius, PSC 78, Box V, APO AE
09723
telephone: [370] (5) 266 5500
FAX: [370] (5) 266 5510

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red

Economy Lithuania

Economy - overview:
Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with
Russia, has slowly rebounded from the 1998 Russian financial crisis.
Unemployment remains high, still 10.7% in 2003, but is improving.
Growing domestic consumption and increased investment have furthered
recovery. Trade has been increasingly oriented toward the West.
Lithuania has gained membership in the World Trade Organization and
has moved ahead with plans to join the EU. Privatization of the
large, state-owned utilities, particularly in the energy sector, is
nearing completion. Overall, more than 80% of enterprises have been
privatized. Foreign government and business support have helped in
the transition from the old command economy to a market economy.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $40.88 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
9% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.1% industry: 31.3% services: 62.6% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
20.8% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 25.6% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
34 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-1.2% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
1.642 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 20%, industry 30%, services 50% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
10.3% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $5.427 billion
expenditures: $5.742 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
23.6% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs;
fish

Industries:
metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television sets,
refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small
ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing, fertilizers,
agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic components,
computers, amber

Industrial production growth rate:
16.1% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
14.62 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
8.683 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
6.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
1.389 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
4,594 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
72,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$-1.218 billion (2003)

Exports:
$7.89 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
mineral products 23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery and
equipment 11%, chemicals 6%, wood and wood products 5%, foodstuffs
5% (2001)

Exports - partners:
Switzerland 11.6%, Russia 10.1%, Germany 9.9%, Latvia 9.7%, UK
6.4%, France 5.1%, Denmark 4.7%, Estonia 4.3%, Sweden 4% (2003)

Imports:
$9.2 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
mineral products 21%, machinery and equipment 17%, transport
equipment 11%, chemicals 9%, textiles and clothing 9%, metals 5%
(2001)

Imports - partners:
Russia 22%, Germany 16.1%, Poland 5.2%, Italy 4.3%, France 4.2%
(2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$3.45 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$7.671 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$228.5 million (1995)

Currency:
litas (LTL)

Currency code:
LTL

Exchange rates:
litai per US dollar - 3.0609 (2003), 3.677 (2002), 4 (2001), 4
(2000), 4 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Lithuania

Telephones - main lines in use:
824,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,169,900 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide
an improved international capability and better residential access
domestic: a national, fiber-optic cable, interurban, trunk system is
nearing completion; rural exchanges are being improved and expanded;
mobile cellular systems are being installed; access to the Internet
is available; still many unsatisfied telephone subscriber
applications
international: country code - 370; landline connections to Latvia
and Poland; major international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and
Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 29, FM 142, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
1.9 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
27
note: Lithuania has approximately 27 broadcasting stations, but may
have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations (2001)

Televisions:
1.7 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.lt

Internet hosts:
67,769 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
32 (2001)

Internet users:
695,700 (2003)

Transportation Lithuania

Railways:
total: 1,998 km
broad gauge: 1,807 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified)
standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 169 km 0.750-m gauge (all service suspended) (2003)

Highways:
total: 75,243 km
paved: 68,697 km (including 417 km of expressways)
unpaved: 6,546 km (2000)

Waterways:
600 km (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 1,696 km; oil 331 km; refined products 109 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Butinge, Kaunas, Klaipeda

Merchant marine:
total: 49 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 296,856 GRT/317,731 DWT
foreign-owned: Denmark 12, Netherlands 1
registered in other countries: 11 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 20, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 8, petroleum
tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 2,
short-sea/passenger 4

Airports:
102 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 14 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 74 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 67 (2003 est.)

Military Lithuania

Military branches:
National Defense Volunteer Forces (SKAT), Ground Forces, Navy, Air
Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
19-45 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript
service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 943,063 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 738,602 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 28,300 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$230.8 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Lithuania

Disputes - international:
in May 2003, the Russian Parliament ratified the 1997 land and
maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, which ratified the treaty
in 1999, legalizing limits of former Soviet republic borders; both
states also implement a simplified transit regime for Russian
nationals transiting Lithuania to and from the Russian Kaliningrad
coastal enclave; the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998
maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns
over oil exploration rights

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from
Southwest Asia, Latin America, and Western Europe to Western Europe
and Scandinavia; limited production of methamphetamine and ecstasy;
susceptible to money laundering despite changes to banking
legislation

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Luxembourg

Introduction Luxembourg

Background:
Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an
independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of
its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of
autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany
in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered
into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following
year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries
of the European Economic Community (later the European Union), and
in 1999 it joined the euro currency area.

Geography Luxembourg

Location:
Western Europe, between France and Germany

Geographic coordinates:
49 45 N, 6 10 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 2,586 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 2,586 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: total: 359 km border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
modified continental with mild winters, cool summers

Terrain:
mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands
to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle
flood plain in the southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Moselle River 133 m highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m

Natural resources: iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land

Land use: arable land: 23.28% permanent crops: 0.4% other: 76.32% (includes Belgium) (2001)

Irrigated land:
40 sq km (includes Belgium) (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world

People Luxembourg

Population:
462,690 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 19% (male 45,422; female 42,638)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 155,519; female 151,891)
65 years and over: 14.5% (male 26,981; female 40,239) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.3 years
male: 37.4 years
female: 39.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.28% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
12.21 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.42 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
8.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.88 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.58 years
male: 75.31 years
female: 82.07 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Luxembourger(s)
adjective: Luxembourg

Ethnic groups:
Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian,
Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo) and European (guest and
resident workers)

Religions:
87% Roman Catholic, 13% Protestants, Jews, and Muslims (2000)

Languages:
Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative
language), French (administrative language)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2000 est.)

Government Luxembourg

Country name:
conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
conventional short form: Luxembourg
local short form: Luxembourg
local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Luxembourg

Administrative divisions:
3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg

Independence:
1839 (from the Netherlands)

National holiday:
National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June

Constitution:
17 October 1868, occasional revisions

Legal system:
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir
Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November 1981)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1
January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July
2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and
appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following popular
elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority
party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed
prime minister by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is
appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of
Deputies
note: government coalition - CSV and LSAP

Legislative branch:
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats;
members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 13 June 2004 (next to be held by June 2009)
note: there is also a Council of State that serves as an advisory
body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21 members
appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister
election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 36.1%, LSAP 23.4%,
DP 16.1%, Green Party 11.6%, ADR 10%; seats by party - CSV 24, LSAP
14, DP 10, Green Party 7, ADR 5

Judicial branch:
judicial courts and tribunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2 district
courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative courts and
tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative courts and
tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are
appointed for life by the monarch

Political parties and leaders:
Action Committee for Democracy and Justice or ADR [Gast GIBERYOEN];
Christian Social People's Party or CSV (known also as Christian
Social Party or PCS) [Francois BILTGEN]; Democratic Party or DP
[Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois BAUSCH]; Luxembourg Socialist
Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; Marxist and Reformed Communist
Party DEI LENK (the Left) [no formal leadership]; other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union);
Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural producers); CEP
(professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union representing civil
service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des
Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industrialists);
LCGP (center-right trade union); OGBL (center-left trade union)

International organization participation:
ACCT, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU,
FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NEA,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Arlette CONZEMIUS-PACCOURD
chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: New York and San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270
telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter TERPELUK, Jr. embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE 09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box 9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail) telephone: [352] 46 01 23 FAX: [352] 46 14 01

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue;
similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and
is shorter; design was based on the flag of France

Economy Luxembourg

Economy - overview:
This stable, high-income economy features solid growth, low
inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, initially
dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to include
chemicals, rubber, and other products. Growth in the financial
sector, which now accounts for about 22% of GDP, has more than
compensated for the decline in steel. Most banks are foreign-owned
and have extensive foreign dealings. Agriculture is based on small
family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign and trans-border
workers for more than 30% of its labor force. Although Luxembourg,
like all EU members, has suffered from the global economic slump,
the country has maintained a fairly strong growth rate and enjoys an
extraordinarily high standard of living.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $25.01 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $55,100 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.5% industry: 16.6% services: 82.9% (2002 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
20.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
200,000 (of whom 87,400 are foreign cross-border workers primarily
from France, Belgium, and Germany) (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 1.9%, industry 8%, services 90.1% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
3.6% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $11.82 billion
expenditures: $12.06 billion, including capital expenditures of $760
million (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; livestock
products

Industries:
banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal
products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum

Industrial production growth rate:
1.7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
457 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
6.07 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
744 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
6.389 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
50,650 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
634 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
50,700 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
865 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
867 million cu m (2001 est.)

Exports:
$8.571 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber
products, glass

Exports - partners:
Germany 23.3%, France 19%, Belgium 10.4%, UK 9.1%, Italy 6.8%,
Spain 4.6%, Netherlands 4.3% (2003)

Imports:
$11.61 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods

Imports - partners:
Belgium 29%, Germany 22.9%, France 11.4%, China 10.9%, Netherlands
4.8% (2003)

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $147 million (2002)

Currency:
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Luxembourg

Telephones - main lines in use:
355,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
473,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed, completely automated and
efficient system, mainly buried cables
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable
international: country code - 352; 3 channels leased on TAT-6
coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios:
285,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
5 (1999)

Televisions:
285,000 (1998 est.)

Internet country code:
.lu

Internet hosts:
28,214 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
8 (2000)

Internet users:
165,000 (2002)

Transportation Luxembourg

Railways: total: 274 km standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (242 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 5,189 km
paved: 5,189 km (including 114 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
37 km (on Moselle River) (2003)

Pipelines:
gas 155 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Mertert

Merchant marine:
total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 652,454 GRT/805,101 DWT
by type: chemical tanker 11, container 8, liquefied gas 4, passenger
4, petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 7
foreign-owned: Belgium 7, Denmark 1, Finland 3, France 3, Germany
10, Monaco 1, Netherlands 5, Switzerland 1, United Kingdom 7, United
States 3
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
2 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)

Military Luxembourg

Military branches:
Army

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers under 18 are not deployed into combat or with peacekeeping missions (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 115,721 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 95,107 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 2,601 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$231.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Luxembourg

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Macau

Introduction Macau

Background:
Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the
first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement
signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the
Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December
1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems"
formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in
Macau, and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all
matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.

Geography Macau

Location:
Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Geographic coordinates:
22 10 N, 113 33 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 25.4 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 25.4 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 0.34 km regional border: China 0.34 km

Coastline:
41 km

Maritime claims:
not specified

Climate:
subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Terrain:
generally flat

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m

Natural resources:
NEGL

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: "green areas" represent 22.4% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
typhoons

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the two
islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland

People Macau

Population:
445,286 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 41,460; female 38,595)
15-64 years: 74.2% (male 157,629; female 172,810)
65 years and over: 7.8% (male 14,380; female 20,412) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 35.2 years
male: 34.9 years
female: 35.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.87% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
8.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
4.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 82.03 years
male: 79.2 years
female: 84.99 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
0.93 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Chinese
adjective: Chinese

Ethnic groups:
Chinese 95%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry),
Portuguese, other

Religions:
Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.)

Languages:
Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.5%
male: 97.2%
female: 92% (2003 est.)

Government Macau

Country name:
conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region
conventional short form: Macau
local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)
local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao
Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)

Dependency status:
special administrative region of China

Government type:
limited democracy

Administrative divisions:
none (special administrative region of China)

Independence:
none (special administrative region of China)

National holiday:
National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic
of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is celebrated
as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Constitution:
Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's
Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"

Legal system:
based on Portuguese civil law system

Suffrage:
direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent residents
living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited
to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently
registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad
regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government
bodies

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)
elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member selection
committee for up to two five-year terms
election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected on 29 August 2004;
received 296 votes in Election Committee out of 300 possible; 3
members submitted blank ballots; 1 member was absent
cabinet: Executive Council consists of all one government secretary,
four legislators, four businessmen, and one pro-Beijing unionist
head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20
December 1999)

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (27 seats; 10 elected by
popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and sevem appointed by the chief
executive; members serve four-year terms); number of legislators
will increase to 29 from September 2005
elections: last held 23 September 2001 (next to be September 2005)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by political bloc -
Entertainment Industry 3, pro-democracy 2, pro-Beijing Labor Union
2, pro-Beijing Neighborhood Association 2, pro-business 1

Judicial branch:
The Court of Final Appeal in the Macau Special Administrative Region

Political parties and leaders:
Some civic associations operate as de facto political parties:
Electoral Union; Pro-Macao and Flower of Friendship and Development
of Macao; Associacao para a Defesa dos Interesses de Macao; Centro
Democratico de Macao; Grupo Independente de Macao; Macau Economic
Promotion Association; Progress Promotion Union; Development Union

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Catholic Church [LAI Hung-sing, bishop]; Macau Society of Tourism
and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO, managing director]; Union for
Democracy Development [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong, leader]

International organization participation:
IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (sub-bureau), ISO (correspondent),
UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (special administrative region of China)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US has no offices in Macau; US interests are monitored by the
US Consulate General in Hong Kong

Flag description:
light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water
in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large
in center of arc and four smaller

Economy Macau

Economy - overview:
Macau's well-to-do economy has remained one of the most open in the
world since its reversion to China in 1999. The territory's net
exports of goods and services account for roughly 41% of GDP with
tourism and apparel exports as the mainstays. Although the territory
was hit hard by the 1998 Asian financial crisis and the global
downturn in 2001, its economy grew 9.5% in 2002. A rapid rise in the
number of mainland visitors because of China's easing of
restrictions on travel drove the recovery. The budget also returned
to surplus in 2002 because of the surge in visitors from China and a
hike in taxes on gambling profits, which generated about 70% of
government revenue. The liberalization of Macao's gambling monopoly
contributes to GDP growth, as the three companies awarded gambling
licenses have pledged to invest $2.2 billion in the territory. Much
of Macau's textile industry may move to the mainland as the
Multi-Fiber Agreement is phased out. The territory may have to rely
more on gambling and trade-related services to generate growth. The
government estimated GDP growth at 4% in 2003 with the drop in large
measure due to concerns over the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS), but private sector analysts think the figure may have been
higher because of the continuing boom in tourism.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $9.1 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $19,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 12%
services: 87% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-2.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
214,000 (2002)

Labor force - by occupation:
manufacturing 20%, construction 7%, transport and communications
6%, wholesale and retail trade 15%, restaurants and hotels 12%,
gambling 7%, public sector 8%, other services and agriculture 25%
(2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
6.3% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $1.9 billion
expenditures: $1.68 billion, including capital expenditures of $194
million (2002)

Agriculture - products:
vegetables, livestock

Industries:
tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
1.611 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - consumption:
1.688 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
193 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
11,190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$2.356 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
clothing, textiles, footwear, cement, machines, and parts

Exports - partners:
US 49.4%, China 14.1%, Germany 8.1%, Hong Kong 6.7%, UK 4.5% (2003)

Imports:
$2.53 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
clothing, textiles, yarn, foodstuffs, fuel, automobiles, capital
goods

Imports - partners:
China 43%, Hong Kong 12.7%, Japan 8.7%, Taiwan 5.6% (2003)

Debt - external:
$121 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA (1997)

Currency:
pataca (MOP)

Currency code:
MOP

Exchange rates:
patacas per US dollar - 8.0212 (2003), 8.0334 (2002), 8.0335
(2001), 8.0259 (2000), 7.9919 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Macau

Telephones - main lines in use:
174,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
364,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities
maintained for domestic and international services
domestic: NA
international: country code - 853; HF radiotelephone communication
facility; access to international communications carriers provided
via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Indian Ocean)

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

Radios:
160,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2003)

Televisions:
49,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.mo

Internet hosts:
89 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
120,000 (2003)

Transportation Macau

Highways: total: 271 km paved: 271 km unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
Macau

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Macau

Military branches:
responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999;
there are local police forces

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 125,060 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 68,913 (2004 est.)

Transnational Issues Macau

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Macedonia

Introduction Macedonia

Background:
International recognition of Macedonia's independence from
Yugoslavia in 1991 was delayed by Greece's objection to the new
state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols.
Greece finally lifted its trade blockade in 1995 and the two
countries agreed to normalize relations, although differences over
Macedonia's name remain. The undetermined status of neighboring
Kosovo, implementation of the Framework Agreement - which ended the
2001 ethnic Albanian armed insurgency - and a weak economy continue
to be challenges for Macedonia.

Geography Macedonia

Location:
Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

Geographic coordinates:
41 50 N, 22 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 25,333 sq km
water: 477 sq km
land: 24,856 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Vermont

Land boundaries:
total: 766 km
border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 221 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
warm, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with
heavy snowfall

Terrain:
mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three
large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by
the Vardar River

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Vardar River 50 m
highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m

Natural resources:
low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese,
nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land

Land use: arable land: 22.26% permanent crops: 1.81% other: 75.93% (2001)

Irrigated land:
550 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
high seismic risks

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from metallurgical plants

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central
Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe

People Macedonia

Population:
2,071,210 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.5% (male 231,078; female 213,906)
15-64 years: 67.8% (male 707,298; female 696,830)
65 years and over: 10.7% (male 97,437; female 124,661) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 32.8 years
male: 31.7 years
female: 33.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.39% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
13.14 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.83 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 11.74 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 12.67 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.73 years
male: 72.45 years
female: 77.2 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.74 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Macedonian(s)
adjective: Macedonian

Ethnic groups:
Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.8%, Roma 2.7%, Serb
1.8%, other 2.3% (2002)

Religions:
Macedonian Orthodox 70%, Muslim 29%, other 1%

Languages:
Macedonian 68%, Albanian 25%, Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian 2%, other
2%

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

Government Macedonia

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Macedonia
conventional short form: Macedonia; note - the provisional
designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia (FYROM)
local long form: Republika Makedonija
former: People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of
Macedonia
local short form: Makedonija

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Skopje

Administrative divisions:
123 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aracinovo, Bac,
Belcista, Berovo, Bistrica, Bitola, Blatec, Bogdanci, Bogomila,
Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Cair (Skopje), Capari, Caska,
Cegrane, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo,
Debar, Delcevo, Delogozdi, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dobrusevo,
Dolna Banjica, Dolneni, Dorce Petrov (Skopje), Drugovo, Dzepciste,
Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Izvor,
Jegunovce, Kamenjane, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo,
Kisela Voda (Skopje), Klecevce, Kocani, Konce, Kondovo, Konopiste,
Kosel, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kuklis,
Kukurecani, Kumanovo, Labunista, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Lukovo, Makedonska
Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovi Anovi, Meseista, Miravci, Mogila,
Murtino, Negotino, Negotino-Polosko, Novaci, Novo Selo, Oblesevo,
Ohrid, Orasac, Orizari, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica,
Podares, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman,
Rostusa, Samokov, Saraj, Sipkovica, Sopiste, Sopotnica, Srbinovo,
Star Dojran, Staravina, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica,
Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo,
Topolcani, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Velesta, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica,
Vitoliste, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Vratnica, Vrutok, Zajas,
Zelenikovo, Zeleno, Zitose, Zletovo, Zrnovci
note: the seven municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses
collectively constitute "greater Skopje"; new information suggests
that the 123 municipalities have been consolidated into 84
municipalities

Independence:
8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsing
independence from Yugoslavia)

National holiday:
Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint Elijah's
Day and Ilinden

Constitution:
adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991
note: in November of 2001, the Macedonian Assembly approved a series
of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights

Legal system:
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 12 May 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Vlado BUCKOVSKI (since 17
December 2004)
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
two-round election last held 14 April and 28 April 2004 (next to be
held April 2009); prime minister elected by the Assembly; election
last held 1 November 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected president on
second-round ballot; percent of vote - Branko CRVENKOVSKI 62.7%,
Sasko KEDEV 37.3%; Vlado BUCKOVSKI elected prime minister by the
Assembly
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all
the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the
government coalition parties SDSM, LDP, and BDI

Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats - members elected by
popular vote from party lists based on the percentage of the overall
vote the parties gain in each of six electoral districts; all serve
four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
Together for Macedonia coalition 60 (SDSM 43, LDP 12, others 5),
VMRO-DPMNE 33 (VMRO 28 and LDT 5), Democratic Union for Integration
16, Democratic Party of Albanians 7, Party for Democratic Prosperity
2, National Democratic Party 1, Socialist Party of Macedonia 1
elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Constitutional
Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Republican Judicial
Council - the Assembly appoints the judges

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Alliance [Pavle TRAJANOV]; Democratic Alternative or DA
[Vasil TUPURKOVSKI, president]; Democratic League of the Bosniaks
[Rafet MUMINOVIC]; Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSH/DPA [Arben
XHAFERI, president]; Democratic Party of Serbs [Ivan STOILJKOVIC];
Democratic Party of Turks [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic Republican
Union of Macedonia or DRUM [Dosta DIMOVSKA]; Democratic Union of
Vlachs for Macedonia [leader NA]; Democratic Union for Integration
or BDI/DUI [Ali AHMETI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary
Organization-Agrarian Party or VMRO-Agrarian Party [Marjan GJORCEV];
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for
Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE (including VMRO and LDT)
[Nikola GRUEVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary
Organization-True Macedonian Option or VMRO-Vistinska [Boris
ZMEJKOVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary
Organization-Macedonian [Boris STOJMENOV]; Internal Macedonian
Revolutionary Organization-People's Party or VMRO-Narodna [Vesna
JANEVSKA]; League for Democracy [Gjorgi MARJANOVIC]; Liberal
Democratic Party or LDP [Risto PENOV]; Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV];
National Democratic Party or PDK [Basri HALITI]; National Farmers'
Party [VejljoTANTAROV]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD/PDP
[Abduljhadi VEJSELI]; Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or
SDSM [Vlado BUCKOVSKI, president]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or
SP [Ljubisav IVANOV, president]; Together for Macedonia coalition
(including the SDSM and LDP) [Vlado BUCKOVSI]; United Party for
Emancipation or OPE [Nezdet MUSTAFA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Civic Movement of Macedonia [Gordana SILJANOVSKA]; Movement for
Macedonia's Euro-Atlantic Integration [Dosta DIMOVSKA]

International organization participation:
ACCT, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),
ISO, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nikola DIMITROV chancery: Suite 302, 1101 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 consulate(s) general: Southfield, Michigan FAX: [1] (202) 337-3093 telephone: [1] (202) 337-3063

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lawrence Edward BUTLER embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 1000 Skopje mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch) telephone: [389] 2 311-6180 FAX: [389] 2 311-7103

Flag description:
a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of
the red field

Economy Macedonia

Economy - overview:
At independence in September 1991, Macedonia was the least
developed of the Yugoslav republics, producing a mere 5% of the
total federal output of goods and services. The collapse of
Yugoslavia ended transfer payments from the center and eliminated
advantages from inclusion in a de facto free trade area. An absence
of infrastructure, UN sanctions on Yugoslavia, one of its largest
markets, and a Greek economic embargo over a dispute about the
country's constitutional name and flag hindered economic growth
until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year through 2000. However,
the leadership's commitment to economic reform, free trade, and
regional integration was undermined by the ethnic Albanian
insurgency of 2001. The economy shrank 4.5% because of decreased
trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit spending on
security needs, and investor uncertainty. Growth barely recovered in
2002 to 0.9%, then rose to 2.8% in 2003. Unemployment at one-third
of the workforce remains the most critical economic problem. The
gray economy is estimated at around 40% of GDP. Politically, the
country is more stable than in 2002.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $13.81 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.8% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.3% industry: 32.1% services: 56.6% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
16.3% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
30.2% (2002 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.2% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
860,000 (2003 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
36.7% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.582 billion
expenditures: $1.661 billion, including capital expenditures of $80
million NA (2003 est.)

Public debt:
30.2% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
rice, tobacco, wheat, corn, millet, cotton, sesame, mulberry
leaves, citrus, vegetables; beef, pork, poultry, mutton

Industries:
coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, ferronickel, textiles, wood
products, tobacco, food processing, buses, steel

Industrial production growth rate:
4.5% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
6.465 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
6.112 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
100 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-278 million (2003)

Exports:
$1.346 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
food, beverages, tobacco; miscellaneous manufactures, iron and steel

Exports - partners:
Serbia and Montenegro 37.8%, Germany 27%, Italy 14.7%, Greece 9.7%,
Croatia 6.9%, US 6.1%, Netherlands 4.8% (2003)

Imports:
$2.184 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; food products

Imports - partners:
Greece 17.3%, Germany 12.6%, Serbia and Montenegro 9.2%, Slovenia
7.9%, Bulgaria 7.4%, Italy 6.2%, Turkey 6% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$935.1 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.929 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$250 million (2003 est.)

Currency:
Macedonian denar (MKD)

Currency code:
MKD

Exchange rates:
Macedonian denars per US dollar - NA (2003), 64.3498 (2002),
68.0371 (2001), 65.9039 (2000), 56.9018 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Macedonia

Telephones - main lines in use:
560,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
365,300 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 389

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 29, FM 20, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
410,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
510,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.mk

Internet hosts:
3,738 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)

Internet users:
100,000 (2002)

Transportation Macedonia

Railways: total: 699 km standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 8,684 km
paved: 5,540 km (including 133 km of expressways)
unpaved: 3,144 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines:
gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
17 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Military Macedonia

Military branches:
Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM; including Air and Air
Defense Command)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service, tour of conscript
duty is 6 months; 17 years of age for voluntary service (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 555,611 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 448,095 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 17,595 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$200 million (FY01/02 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
6% (FY01/02 est.)

Transnational Issues Macedonia

Disputes - international:
the Albanian government calls for the protection of the rights of
ethnic Albanians in Macedonia while continuing to seek regional
cooperation; ethnic Albanians in Kosovo resist demarcation of a
small section of the Macedonia-Kosovo boundary in accordance with
the 2000 delimitation treaty, which transferred a small amount of
land to Macedonia; dispute with Greece over country's name persists

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 2,678 (ethnic conflict in 2001; most IDPs have returned)
(2004)

Illicit drugs:
major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish;
minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe;
although most criminal activity is thought to be domestic and not a
financial center, money laundering is a problem due to a mostly
cash-based economy and weak enforcement (no arrests or prosecutions
for money laundering to date)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Madagascar

Introduction Madagascar

Background:
Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony
in 1896, but regained its independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free
presidential and National Assembly elections were held, ending 17
years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential
race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was
returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was
contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc
RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In
April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the
winner.

Geography Madagascar

Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
20 00 S, 47 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 587,040 sq km
water: 5,500 sq km
land: 581,540 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
4,828 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m deep isobath
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:
tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Terrain:
narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m

Natural resources:
graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands,
semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 5.07% permanent crops: 1.03% other: 93.91% (2001)

Irrigated land:
10,900 sq km (2000 est.)

Natural hazards:
periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation

Environment - current issues: soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to the island are endangered

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

Geography - note:
world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique
Channel

People Madagascar

Population:
17,501,871 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.9% (male 3,935,523; female 3,922,077)
15-64 years: 52% (male 4,509,877; female 4,596,662)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 245,168; female 292,564) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.4 years
male: 17.2 years
female: 17.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
3.03% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
41.91 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
11.62 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 78.52 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 69.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 86.84 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.54 years
male: 54.19 years
female: 58.96 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.7 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
140,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
7,500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)
adjective: Malagasy

Ethnic groups:
Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed
African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka,
Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Languages:
French (official), Malagasy (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 68.9%
male: 75.5%
female: 62.5% (2003 est.)

Government Madagascar

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar
conventional short form: Madagascar
local short form: Madagascar
former: Malagasy Republic
local long form: Republique de Madagascar

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Antananarivo

Administrative divisions:
6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa,
Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Independence:
26 June 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

Constitution:
19 August 1992 by national referendum

Legal system:
based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA November
2006); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 37.7%,
Marc RAVALOMANANA (TIM) 50.5%

Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (160 seats;
members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms); Senate (100 seats; two-thirds of the seats filled by
regional assemblies whose members will be elected by popular vote;
the remaining one-third of the seats appointed by the president; all
members will serve four-year terms)
elections: National Assembly - last held 15 December 2002 (next to
be held NA 2006)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - TIM 103, FP 22, AREMA 3, LEADER/Fanilo 2, RPSD 5,
others 3, independents 22

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute
Cour Constitutionnelle

Political parties and leaders:
Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [Pierrot
RAJAONARIVO]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National
Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana Party or
FP [Guy-Willy RAZANAMASY]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [Marc
RAVALOMANANA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD
[Evariste MARSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR; Committee
for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert Zafy]; National Council
of Christian Churches or FFKM

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Rajaonarivony NARISOA
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] (202) 483-7603
telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526
chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT
embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101
mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56
FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical
white band of the same width on hoist side

Economy Madagascar

Economy - overview:
Having discarded past socialist economic policies, Madagascar has
since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank and IMF led policy of
privatization and liberalization. This strategy has placed the
country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low
level. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of
the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and
employing four-fifths of the population. Exports of apparel have
boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the
United States. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of
firewood as the primary source of fuel are serious concerns.
President RAVALOMANANA has worked aggressively to revive the economy
following the 2002 political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in
GDP that year. Poverty reduction and combating corruption will be
the centerpieces of economic policy for the next few years.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $13.02 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 34.5% industry: 7.8% services: 57.7% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
14.8% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
71% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 29% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
38.1 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
7.3 million (2000)

Unemployment rate:
5.9% (1998)

Budget:
revenues: $739.6 million
expenditures: $1.071 billion, including capital expenditures of $331
million (2003)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca),
beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products

Industries:
meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles,
glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum,
tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
830.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
772.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-398 million (2003)

Exports:
$700 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite,
petroleum products

Exports - partners:
France 37.4%, US 29.2%, Germany 5.5%, Mauritius 5.2% (2003)

Imports:
$920 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

Imports - partners:
China 14.2%, France 13.2%, South Africa 6.4%, Iran 6.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$423 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$4.6 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
$354 million (2001)

Currency:
Malagasy franc (MGF)

Currency code:
MGF

Exchange rates:
Malagasy francs per US dollar - 6,210 (2003), 6,831.96 (2002),
6,588.49 (2001), 6,767.48 (2000), 6,283.77 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Madagascar

Telephones - main lines in use:
59,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
279,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: system is above average for the region
domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay,
and tropospheric scatter links connect regions
international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1
Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios:
3.05 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
325,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.mg

Internet hosts:
773 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
70,500 (2003)

Transportation Madagascar

Railways: total: 732 km narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 49,827 km paved: 5,780 km unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
600 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Merchant marine:
total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2

Airports:
116 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 29 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 87 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 42 under 914 m: 43 (2004 est.)

Military Madagascar

Military branches:
People's Armed Forces: comprising Intervention Force, Development
Force, and Aeronaval - Navy and Air - Force; National Gendarmerie

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - 18 months
(2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 4,004,242 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,373,342 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 169,186 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$69.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Madagascar

Disputes - international:
claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan
de Nova Island (all administered by France)

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used
mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Malawi

Introduction Malawi

Background:
Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became
the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of
one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country
held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution,
which came into full effect the following year. Current President
Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in May 2004 after the previous president
was unable to amend the constitution to permit another term, has
struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor, who still
leads their shared political party. MATHARIKA's anti-corruption
efforts have led to several high-level arrests but no convictions.
Increasing corruption, population growth, increasing pressure on
agricultural lands, and HIV/AIDS pose major problems for the country.

Geography Malawi

Location:
Southern Africa, east of Zambia

Geographic coordinates:
13 30 S, 34 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 118,480 sq km
water: 24,400 sq km
land: 94,080 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries: total: 2,881 km border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to
November)

Terrain:
narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some
mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international
boundary with Mozambique 37 m
highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m

Natural resources:
limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of
uranium, coal, and bauxite

Land use: arable land: 23.38% permanent crops: 1.49% other: 75.13% (2001)

Irrigated land:
280 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues: deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most
prominent physical feature

People Malawi

Population:
11,906,855
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 46.8% (male 2,811,751; female 2,759,515)
15-64 years: 50.5% (male 2,978,406; female 3,029,735)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 130,600; female 196,848) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 16.4 years
male: 16.1 years
female: 16.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.14% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
44.35 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
23.01 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 104.23 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 99.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 108.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 37.48 years
male: 37.08 years
female: 37.88 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
6.04 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
14.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
900,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
84,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, plague, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Malawian(s)
adjective: Malawian

Ethnic groups:
Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde,
Asian, European

Religions:
Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs
3%, other 2%

Languages:
English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages important
regionally

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 62.7%
male: 76.1%
female: 49.8% (2003 est.)

Government Malawi

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Malawi
conventional short form: Malawi
former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland
Protectorate, Nyasaland

Government type:
multiparty democracy

Capital:
Lilongwe

Administrative divisions:
27 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa,
Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe),
Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay,
Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba

Independence:
6 July 1964 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)

Constitution:
18 May 1994

Legal system:
based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May
2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held NA May 2009)
election results: Bingu wa MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of
vote - Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (UDF) 35.9%, John TEMBO (MCP) 27.1%,
Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MC) 25.7%, Brown MPINGANJIRA (NDA) 8.7%,
Justin MALEWEZI (independent) 2.5%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held NA May 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
MCP 56, UDF 49, Mgwirizano Coalition (MC) 25, independents 39,
others 24

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed by the
president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the Judicial
Service Commission); magistrate's courts

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Chakufwa CHIHANA]; Malawi Congress
Party or MCP [John TEMBO]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo
KALUA]; Malawi Forum for Unity and Development or MAFUNDE [George
MNESA]; Mgwirizano Coalition or MC (coalition of MAFUNDE, MDP,
MGODE, NUP, PETRA, PPM, RP) [Gwandaguluwe Chakuamba]; Movement for
Genuine Democratic Change or MGODE [Sam Kandodo BANDA]; National
Democratic Alliance or NDA [Brown MPINGANJIRA]; National Unity Party
or NUP [Harry CHIUME]; New Congress for Democracy or NCD [Hetherwick
NTABA]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Aleke BANDA]; People's
Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu CHIBAMBO]; Republican Party
or RP [Gwandaguluwe Chakuamba]; United Democratic Front or UDF
[Bingu wa MUTHARIKA] - governing party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIK, UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Paul Tony Steven KANDIERO
FAX: [1] (202) 265-0976
telephone: [1] (202) 797-1007
chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen BROWNING embassy: Area 40, Plot 24, Kenyatta Road mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi telephone: [265] (1) 773 166 FAX: [265] (1) 770 471

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a
radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band

Government - note:
the executive exerts considerable influence over the legislature

Economy Malawi

Economy - overview:
Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed
countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 90%
of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounted for
nearly 40% of GDP and 88% of export revenues in 2001. The economy
depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF,
the World Bank, and individual donor nations. In late 2000, Malawi
was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
(HIPC) program. In November 2002 the World Bank approved a $50
million drought recovery package, which is to be used for famine
relief. The government faces strong challenges, e.g., to fully
develop a market economy, to improve educational facilities, to face
up to environmental problems, to deal with the rapidly growing
problem of HIV/AIDS, and to satisfy foreign donors that fiscal
discipline is being tightened. The performance of the tobacco sector
is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for over 50% of
exports.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $6.845 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 51% industry: 21.8% services: 27.2% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
12.3% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
55% (2003 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
4.5 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 90% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $528.1 million
expenditures: $653.2 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Public debt:
235.7% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products: tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses; groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats

Industries:
tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate:
-1.6% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
769.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
715.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
5,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-58 million (2003)

Exports:
$455 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
tobacco 60%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products,
apparel

Exports - partners:
South Africa 23.3%, US 13.4%, Germany 11.3%, Egypt 5.7%, Portugal
4.8%, Japan 4.5%, Netherlands 4.1% (2003)

Imports:
$505 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods,
transportation equipment

Imports - partners:
South Africa 53.7%, India 4.9%, Tanzania 3.9% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$132 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$3.026 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
$540 million (1999)

Currency:
Malawian kwacha (MWK)

Currency code:
MWK

Exchange rates:
Malawian kwachas per US dollar - NA (2003), 76.6866 (2002), 72.1973
(2001), 59.5438 (2000), 44.0881 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Malawi

Telephones - main lines in use:
85,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
135,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
links, and radiotelephone communications stations
international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus a third
station held in standby status) (2001)

Radios:
2.6 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.mw

Internet hosts:
18 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2002)

Internet users:
36,000 (2003)

Transportation Malawi

Railways: total: 797 km narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 28,400 km paved: 5,254 km unpaved: 23,146 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 700 km note: on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba

Airports:
42 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Military Malawi

Military branches:
Army (including Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police (including
Mobile Force Unit)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,691,881 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,381,607 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$11.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.7% (2003)

Transnational Issues Malawi

Disputes - international: dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Malaysia

Introduction Malaysia

Background:
During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain established
colonies and protectorates in the area of current Malaysia; these
were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled
territories on the Malay Peninsula formed the Federation of Malaya,
which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when
the former British colonies of Singapore and the East Malaysian
states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo joined
the Federation. The first several years of the country's history
were marred by Indonesian efforts to control Malaysia, Philippine
claims to Sabah, and Singapore's secession from the Federation in
1965.

Geography Malaysia

Location:
Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern
one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and
the South China Sea, south of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:
2 30 N, 112 30 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 329,750 sq km
water: 1,200 sq km
land: 328,550 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 2,669 km border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km

Coastline:
4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation;
specified boundary in the South China Sea

Climate:
tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast
(October to February) monsoons

Terrain:
coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m

Natural resources: tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite

Land use: arable land: 5.48% other: 76.91% (2001) permanent crops: 17.61%

Irrigated land:
3,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
flooding, landslides, forest fires

Environment - current issues: air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

Geography - note:
strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China
Sea

People Malaysia

Population:
23,522,482 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.3% (male 4,033,037; female 3,806,451)
15-64 years: 62.1% (male 7,326,068; female 7,289,783)
65 years and over: 4.5% (male 469,499; female 597,644) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 23.8 years
male: 23.2 years
female: 24.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.83% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
23.37 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.08 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal
immigrants from other countries in the region (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 18.35 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 21.23 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.95 years
male: 69.29 years
female: 74.81 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.1 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
52,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
2,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Malaysian(s)
adjective: Malaysian

Ethnic groups:
Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 24%, Indian 8%, others 10%
(2000)

Religions:
Muslim, Buddhist, Daoist, Hindu, Christian, Sikh; note - in
addition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia

Languages:
Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese,
Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu,
Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note - in addition, in East Malaysia
several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest are Iban and
Kadazan

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.7%
male: 92%
female: 85.4% (2002)

Government Malaysia

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Malaysia former: Federation of Malaysia

Government type:
constitutional monarchy
note: Malaya (what is now Peninsular Malaysia) formed 31 August
1957; Federation of Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore)
formed 9 July 1963 (Singapore left Federation on 9 August 1965);
nominally headed by paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament
consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house;
all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers except Melaka
and Penang; those two states along with Sabah and Sarawak in East
Malaysia have governors appointed by Malaysian Government; powers of
state governments are limited by federal constitution; under terms
of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional
prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their own immigration
controls); Sabah - currently holds 20 seats in House of
Representatives and will hold 25 seats after the next election;
Sarawak holds 28 seats in House of Representatives

Capital:
Kuala Lumpur
note: Putrajaya is referred to as administrative center not capital;
Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur

Administrative divisions:
13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) Johor, Kedah,
Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau
Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, and Terengganu; and one federal
territory (wilayah persekutuan) with three components, city of Kuala
Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya

Independence:
31 August 1957 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)

Constitution:
31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963

Legal system:
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in
the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Paramount Ruler Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni
Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail, the Raja of Perlis (since 12
December 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since
31 October 2003); Deputy Prime Minister NAJIB Tun Razak (since 7
January 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler
election results: Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed
Putra Jamalullail elected paramount ruler
elections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers
of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held 12
December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister designated
from among the members of the House of Representatives; following
legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins a plurality
of seats in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of the Senate or Dewan
Negara (70 seats; 44 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26 appointed
by the state legislatures) and the House of Representatives or Dewan
Rakyat (219 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - BN 91%, DAP 5%, PAS 3%, other 1%; seats by party - BN 199,
DAP 12, PAS 6, Keadilan 1, independent 1
elections: House of Representatives - last held 21 March 2004 (next
must be held by 2009)

Judicial branch:
Federal Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the
advice of the prime minister)

Political parties and leaders:
ruling-coalition National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN,
consisting of the following parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party
or PGRM [LIM Keng Yaik]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal
Demokratik - Sabah) or LDP [CHONG Kah Kiat]; Malaysian Chinese
Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [ONG Ka Ting];
Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongresi India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Samy
VELLU]; Parti Bersatu Pakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]; Parti
Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka
Bumiputra Bersatu or PBB [Patinggi Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Parti
Rakyat Sarawak or PRS [James MASING]; Sabah Progressive Party (Parti
Progresif Sabah) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]; Sarawak United People's
Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam];
United Malays National Organization or UMNO [ABDULLAH Ahmad Badawi];
United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Pertubuhan
Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Bernard DOMPOK];
People's Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Penduduk Malaysia) or
PPP [M.Keyveas]; Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party or SPDP
[William MAWANI]; opposition parties: Democratic Action Party (Parti
Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KARPAL Singh]; Islamic Party of
Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang];
People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN AZIZAH
Wan Ismael]; Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Edwin DANDUNG];
opposition coalition Alternative Front (Barisan Alternatif) or BA
consists of PAS and PKR

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ABEDA, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK,
UNMIL, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador GHAZZALI bin Sheikh Abdul Khalid
chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882
telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher J. LAFLEUR embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur mailing address: P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur; American Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152 telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000 FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207

Flag description:
14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white
(bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the crescent
and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based
on the flag of the US

Economy Malaysia

Economy - overview:
Malaysia, a middle-income country, transformed itself from 1971
through the late 1990s from a producer of raw materials into an
emerging multi-sector economy. Growth was almost exclusively driven
by exports - particularly of electronics. As a result Malaysia was
hard hit by the global economic downturn and the slump in the
information technology (IT) sector in 2001 and 2002. GDP in 2001
grew only 0.5% due to an estimated 11% contraction in exports, but a
substantial fiscal stimulus package equal to US $1.9 billion
mitigated the worst of the recession and the economy rebounded in
2002 with a 4.1% increase. The economy grew 4.9% in 2003,
notwithstanding a difficult first half, when external pressures from
SARS and the Iraq War led to caution in the business community.
Healthy foreign exchange reserves and a relatively small external
debt make it unlikely that Malaysia will experience a crisis similar
to the one in 1997, but the economy remains vulnerable to a more
protracted slowdown in Japan and the US, top export destinations and
key sources of foreign investment. The Malaysian ringgit is pegged
to the dollar, and the Japanese central bank continues to intervene
and prop up the yen against the dollar.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $207.8 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.3% industry: 33.5% services: 59.1% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
22.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
8% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 39.2% (2003 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
49.2 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
10.26 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 14.5%, industry 36%, services 49.5% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
3.6% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $22.95 billion
expenditures: $27.75 billion, including capital expenditures of $9.4
billion (2003 est.)

Public debt:
45.5% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah -
subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak - rubber,
pepper; timber

Industries:
Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and
manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin mining
and smelting, logging and processing timber; Sabah - logging,
petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum
production and refining, logging

Industrial production growth rate:
9.3% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
75.33 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - consumption:
68.4 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
690,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
460,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
230,200 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
NA (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:
3.729 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
53.66 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
31.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
22.41 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.23 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$13.38 billion (2003)

Exports:
$98.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and
wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals

Exports - partners:
US 19.6%, Singapore 15.7%, Japan 10.7%, China 6.5%, Hong Kong 6.5%,
Thailand 4.4% (2003)

Imports:
$74.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles,
iron and steel products, chemicals

Imports - partners:
Japan 17.3%, US 15.5%, Singapore 11.9%, China 8.8%, South Korea
5.5%, Taiwan 5%, Germany 4.7%, Thailand 4.6% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$44.58 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$48.84 billion (2003 est.)

Currency:
ringgit (MYR)

Currency code:
MYR

Exchange rates:
ringgits per US dollar - 3.8 (2003), 3.8 (2002), 3.8 (2001), 3.8
(2000), 3.8 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Malaysia

Telephones - main lines in use:
4,571,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
11,124,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system; international service excellent
domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia
mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio
relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic
satellite system with 2 earth stations
international: country code - 60; submarine cables to India, Hong
Kong, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian
Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001)

Radios:
10.9 million (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 15 high-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
10.8 million (1999)

Internet country code:
.my

Internet hosts:
107,971 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
7 (2000)

Internet users:
8,692,100 (2003)

Transportation Malaysia

Railways:
total: 2,418 km (207 km electrified)
standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 2,361 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 65,877 km
paved: 49,935 km (including 1,192 km of expressways)
unpaved: 15,942 km (1999)

Waterways:
7,200 km
note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km, Sabah 1,500 km, Sarawak 2,500 km
(2004)

Pipelines:
condensate 279 km; gas 5,047 km; oil 1,841 km; refined products 114
km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Kuching, Kudat, Labuan, Lahad
Datu, Lumut, Miri, Pasir Gudang, George Town (Penang), Port Dickson,
Port Kelang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tanjung Berhala, Tanjung Kidurong, Tawau

Merchant marine:
total: 360 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,389,397 GRT/7,539,178 DWT
foreign-owned: China 1, Germany 2, Hong Kong 8, Indonesia 2, Japan
2, South Korea 1, Liberia 1, Monaco 1, Norway 1, Philippines 2,
Singapore 81, Vietnam 1
registered in other countries: 75 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 59, cargo 100, chemical tanker 38, container 66,
liquefied gas 25, livestock carrier 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker
56, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 8

Airports:
117 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 38 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 79 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 72 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

Military Malaysia

Military branches:
Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force,
Royal Malaysian Marine Police, Sarawak Border Scouts

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 6,193,587 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,746,960 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 223,466 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.69 billion (FY00 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.03% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Malaysia

Disputes - international:
involved in complex dispute with China, Philippines, Taiwan,
Vietnam and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002
"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has
eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of
conduct" desired by several of the disputants; disputes over
deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land
reclamation, bridge construction, maritime boundaries, and Pedra
Branca Island/Pulau Batu Putih persist - parties agree to ICJ
arbitration on island dispute within three years; ICJ awarded
Ligitan and Sipadan islands off the coast of Sabah, also claimed by
Indonesia and Philippines, to Malaysia; a 1 kilometer segment at the
mouth of the Golok River remains in dispute with Thailand;
Philippines retains a now dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in
northern Borneo based on the Sultanate of Sulu's granting the
Philippines Government power of attorney to pursue the Sultanate's
sovereignty claim; in 2003 Brunei and Malaysia ceased gas and oil
exploration in their offshore and deepwater seabeds until
negotiations progress to an agreement over allocation of disputed
areas; Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is in
dispute

Illicit drugs:
transit point for some illicit drugs; drug trafficking prosecuted
vigorously and carries severe penalties

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Maldives

Introduction Maldives

Background:
The Maldives were long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then
under British protection. They became a republic in 1968, three
years after independence. Since 1978, President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM
- currently in his sixth term in office - has dominated the island's
political scene. Following riots in the capital Male in August 2004,
the president and his government have pledged to embark upon
democratic reforms, including a more representative political system
and expanded political freedoms. Tourism and fishing are being
developed on the archipelago.

Geography Maldives

Location:
Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest
of India

Geographic coordinates:
3 15 N, 73 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 300 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 300 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
644 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines exclusive economic zone: 200 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March);
rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

Terrain:
flat, with white sandy beaches

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu
Atoll 2.4 m

Natural resources:
fish

Land use:
arable land: 13.33%
permanent crops: 16.67%
other: 70% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise

Environment - current issues: depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching

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

Geography - note:
1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands,
plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with strategic
location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

People Maldives

Population:
339,330 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.4% (male 77,424; female 73,191)
15-64 years: 52.6% (male 91,045; female 87,331)
65 years and over: 3% (male 5,207; female 5,132) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.5 years
male: 17.4 years
female: 17.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.86% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
36.06 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.44 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 58.32 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 59.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 57.43 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.68 years
male: 62.41 years
female: 65.01 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.14 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Maldivian(s)
adjective: Maldivian

Ethnic groups:
South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs

Religions:
Sunni Muslim

Languages:
Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic),
English spoken by most government officials

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.2%
male: 97.1%
female: 97.3% (2003 est.)

Government Maldives

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
conventional short form: Maldives
local short form: Dhivehi Raajje
local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Male

Administrative divisions:
19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and 1 other first-order
administrative division*; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu,
Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu,
Lhaviyani, Maale*, Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu

Independence:
26 July 1965 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Constitution:
adopted January 1998

Legal system:
based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law
primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November
1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
elections: president nominated by the Majlis and then the nomination
must be ratified by a national referendum (at least a 51% approval
margin is required); president elected for a five-year term;
election last held 17 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)
election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected in
referendum held 17 October 2003; percent of popular vote - Maumoon
Abdul GAYOOM 90.3%
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11
November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government

Legislative branch:
unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 elected by
popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 22 January 2005 (next to be held NA 2010)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 50

Judicial branch:
High Court

Political parties and leaders:
although political parties are not banned, none exist

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Dr. Mohamed LATHEEF
chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to
Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there

Flag description:
red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical
white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side
of the flag

Economy Maldives

Economy - overview:
Tourism, Maldives' largest industry, accounts for 20% of GDP and
more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Over 90%
of government tax revenue comes from import duties and
tourism-related taxes. Fishing is a second leading sector. The
Maldivian Government began an economic reform program in 1989
initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the
private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to
allow more foreign investment. Agriculture and manufacturing
continue to play a lesser role in the economy, constrained by the
limited availability of cultivable land and the shortage of domestic
labor. Most staple foods must be imported. Industry, which consists
mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts,
accounts for about 18% of GDP. Maldivian authorities worry about the
impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying
country; 80% of the area is one meter or less above sea level.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.25 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 20%
industry: 18%
services: 62% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
88,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
NEGL% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $224 million (excluding foreign grants)
expenditures: $282 million, including capital expenditures of $80
million (2002 est.)

Agriculture - products:
coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish

Industries:
fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut
processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand
mining

Industrial production growth rate:
4.4% (1996 est.)

Electricity - production:
117 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
108.8 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
3,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$90 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
fish, clothing

Exports - partners:
US 32.1%, Thailand 17%, Sri Lanka 13.4%, Japan 10.7%, UK 9.8%,
Indonesia 4.5% (2003)

Imports:
$392 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
Singapore 24.8%, Sri Lanka 13.8%, India 10.2%, Malaysia 7.6%, UAE
7.6%, Thailand 5.1% (2003)

Debt - external:
$281 million (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA (1995)

Currency:
rufiyaa (MVR)

Currency code:
MVR

Exchange rates:
rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2003), 12.8 (2002), 12.2421 (2001),
11.77 (2000), 11.77 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Maldives

Telephones - main lines in use:
28,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
41,900 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: minimal domestic and international facilities
domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all
inhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax service
international: country code - 960; satellite earth station - 3
Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

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

Radios:
35,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)

Televisions:
10,000 (1999)

Internet country code:
.mv

Internet hosts:
532 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
15,000 (2002)

Transportation Maldives

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors:
Gan, Male

Merchant marine:
total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 54,164 GRT/68,973 DWT
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1,
short-sea/passenger 1
foreign-owned: North Korea 1

Airports:
5 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Military Maldives

Military branches:
National Security Service: comprising Security Branch (ground
forces), Air Element; Coast Guard

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 81,221 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 45,142 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$43.1 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
8.6% (2003)

Transnational Issues Maldives

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Mali

Introduction Mali

Background:
The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in
1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few
months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed
Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 with a
transitional government and in 1992 when Mali's first democratic
presidential election was held. After his reelection in 1997,
President Alpha KONARE continued to push through political and
economic reforms and to fight corruption. In keeping with Mali's
two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was
succeeded by Amadou TOURE.

Geography Mali

Location:
Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Geographic coordinates:
17 00 N, 4 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1.24 million sq km
water: 20,000 sq km
land: 1.22 million sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 7,243 km
border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea
858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km,
Senegal 419 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy, humid,
and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February

Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in
south, rugged hills in northeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Senegal River 23 m
highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

Natural resources:
gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, hydropower
note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are
known but not exploited

Land use:
arable land: 3.82%
permanent crops: 0.03%
other: 96.15% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,380 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring
droughts; occasional Niger River flooding

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies
of potable water; poaching

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

Geography - note:
landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern,
cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the
northern, arid Saharan

People Mali

Population:
11,956,788 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 47.1% (male 2,835,378; female 2,801,578)
15-64 years: 49.9% (male 2,862,075; female 3,101,009)
65 years and over: 3% (male 163,927; female 192,821) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 16.3 years
male: 15.7 years
female: 16.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.78% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
47.29 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
19.12 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 117.99 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 111.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 124.51 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 45.28 years
male: 44.7 years
female: 45.87 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
6.58 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
140,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
12,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Malian(s)
adjective: Malian

Ethnic groups:
Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%,
Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%

Religions:
Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%

Languages:
French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 46.4%
male: 53.5%
female: 39.6% (2003 est.)

Government Mali

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Mali
conventional short form: Mali
local short form: Mali
former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic
local long form: Republique de Mali

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Bamako

Administrative divisions:
8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal,
Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou

Independence:
22 September 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 22 September (1960)

Constitution:
adopted 12 January 1992

Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review
of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which was formally
established on 9 March 1994); has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Amadou Toumani TOURE (since 8 June 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Ousmane Issoufi MAIGA (since 30
April 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(two-term limit); election last held 12 May 2002 (next to be held NA
May 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Amadou Toumani TOURE elected president; percent of
vote - Amadou Toumani TOURE 64.4%, Soumaila CISSE 35.6%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 July and 28 July 2002 (next to be held NA
July 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
Hope 2002 coalition 66, ADEMA 51, other 30

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda TRAORE, party
chairman]; Block of Alternative for the Renewal of Africa or BARA
[Yoro DIAKITE]; Democratic and Social Convention or CDS [Mamadou
Bakary SANGARE, chairman]; Hope 2002 [leader NA]; Movement for the
Independence, Renaissance and Integration of Africa or MIRIA
[Mohamed Lamine TRAORE, Mouhamedou DICKO]; National Congress for
Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL, chairman]; Party for
Democracy and Progress or PDP [Me Idrissa TRAORE]; Party for
National Renewal or PARENA [Yoro DIAKITE, chairman; Tiebile DRAME,
secretary general]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Ali
GNANGADO]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Almamy SYLLA,
chairman]; Rally for Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Bonbasor KEITA, chairman];
Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou
TOURE, secretary general]; Union of Democratic Forces for Progress
or UFDP [Youssouf TOURE, secretary general]; Union for Democracy and
Development or UDD [Moussa Balla COULIBALY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Patriotic Movement of the Ghanda Koye or MPGK; United Movement and
Fronts of Azawad or MFUA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abdoulaye DIOP FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603 telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950 chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Vicki HUDDLESTONE embassy: Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako mailing address: B. P. 34, Bamako telephone: [223] (2) 223-833 FAX: [223] (2) 223-712

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red;
uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Mali

Economy - overview:
Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with 65% of its
land area desert or semidesert and with a highly unequal
distribution of income. Economic activity is largely confined to the
riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population is
nomadic and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and
fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm
commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable
to fluctuations in world prices for cotton, its main export, along
with gold. The government has continued its successful
implementation of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program
that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign
investment. Mali's adherence to economic reform and the 50%
devaluation of the African franc in January 1994 have pushed up
economic growth to a sturdy 5% average in 1996-2002. Worker
remittances and external trade routes have been jeopardized by
continued unrest in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $10.53 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 45% industry: 17% services: 38% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
64% average; 30% of the total population living in urban areas; 70%
of the total population living in rural areas) (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.8%
highest 10%: 40.4% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
50.5 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
3.93 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture and fishing 80% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
14.6% urban areas; 5.3% rural areas (2001 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $764 million
expenditures: $828 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2002 est.)

Agriculture - products: cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:
food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

Industrial production growth rate:
NA (FY96/97)

Electricity - production:
480.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
446.6 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh; note - recent hydropower developments may be providing electricity to Senegal and Mauritania (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$915 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
cotton, gold, livestock

Exports - partners:
Thailand 14%, China 12.1%, India 7.9%, Italy 7.5%, Bangladesh 6.1%,
UK 6.1% (2003)

Imports:
$927 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials,
foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:
France 15.4%, Senegal 7.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 7.1% (2003)

Debt - external:
$3.3 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
$596.4 million (2001)

Currency:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
XOF

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 581.2
(2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699
(1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Mali

Telephones - main lines in use:
56,600 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
250,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving;
provides only minimal service
domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open-wire, and
radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio
relay in progress
international: country code - 223; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 28, shortwave 1 note: the shortwave station in Bamako has seven frequencies and five transmitters and relays broadcasts for China Radio International (2001)

Radios:
570,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
45,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ml

Internet hosts:
187 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
13 (2001)

Internet users:
25,000 (2002)

Transportation Mali

Railways: total: 729 km narrow gauge: 729 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 15,100 km paved: 1,827 km unpaved: 13,273 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
1,815 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Koulikoro

Airports:
27 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 19 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Military Mali

Military branches:
Army, Air Force, National Guard

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,529,147 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,450,795 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$51.1 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.3% (2003)

Transnational Issues Mali

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Malta

Introduction Malta

Background:
Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The
island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and
remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A
decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the
island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a
financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU
member in May of 2004.

Geography Malta

Location:
Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily
(Italy)

Geographic coordinates:
35 50 N, 14 35 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 316 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 316 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:
Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers

Terrain:
mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)

Natural resources: limestone, salt, arable land

Land use: arable land: 28.13% permanent crops: 3.13% other: 68.74% (2001)

Irrigated land:
20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination

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

Geography - note:
the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest
islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being
inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and Tunisia are
discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf
between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

People Malta

Population:
396,851 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.1% (male 36,891; female 34,912)
15-64 years: 68.5% (male 137,259; female 134,611)
65 years and over: 13.4% (male 22,691; female 30,487) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 38 years
male: 36.6 years
female: 39.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.42% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
10.09 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.93 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
2.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.94 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 4.45 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.68 years
male: 76.51 years
female: 80.98 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.49 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective: Maltese

Ethnic groups:
Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians, with
strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 98%

Languages:
Maltese (official), English (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 92.8%
male: 92%
female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Government Malta

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Malta
conventional short form: Malta
local short form: Malta
local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Valletta

Administrative divisions: none (administered directly from Valletta); note - Local Councils carry out administrative orders

Independence:
21 September 1964 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 21 September (1964)

Constitution:
1964 constitution substantially amended on 13 December 1974 and
again in 1987

Legal system:
based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Eddie FENECH ADAMI (since 4 April 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 23 March
2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the
prime minister
elections: president elected by the House of Representatives for a
five-year term; election last held 29 March 2004 (next to be held by
April 2009); following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually
appointed prime minister by the president for a five-year term; the
deputy prime minister is appointed by the president on the advice of
the prime minister
election results: Eddie FENECH ADAMI elected president; percent of
House of Representatives vote - 33 out of 65 votes

Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Representatives (usually 65 seats; note -
additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular
vote to ensure a legislative majority; members are elected by
popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held by April 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - PN 51.7%, MLP 47.6%, AD
0.7%; seats by party - PN 34, MLP 31

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are
appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

Political parties and leaders:
Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Harry
VASSALLO]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred SANT]; Nationalist Party
or PN [Lawrence GONZI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer affiliate), WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John LOWELL
consulate(s): New York
FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470
telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612
chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires William
GRANT
embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana,
Malta VLT 01
mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, Malta, CMR01
telephone: [356] 2561 4000
FAX: [356] 21 243229

Flag description:
two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the
upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross,
edged in red

Economy Malta

Economy - overview:
Major resources are limestone, a favorable geographic location, and
a productive labor force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food
needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has no domestic energy
sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing
(especially electronics and textiles), and tourism. Malta is
privatizing state-controlled firms and liberalizing markets in order
to prepare for membership in the European Union. The island remains
divided politically, however, over the question of joining the EU.
Continued sluggishness in the global economy is holding back
exports, tourism, and overall growth.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $7.082 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0.8% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $17,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 23% services: 74% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
23.1% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.4% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
160,000 (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 5%, industry 24%, services 71% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
7% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.086 billion
expenditures: $2.367 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Agriculture - products:
potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut
flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs

Industries:
tourism; electronics, ship building and repair, construction; food
and beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
1.768 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.644 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-250 million (2003)

Exports:
$2.175 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactures

Exports - partners:
Singapore 17.4%, US 11.6%, UK 9.4%, Germany 8.8%, France 7.5%,
China 7% (2003)

Imports:
$2.761 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and
semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, and tobacco

Imports - partners:
Italy 19.3%, France 13.7%, UK 8.5%, Germany 6.6%, Singapore 6.1%,
Japan 5.7%, South Korea 5.5%, US 4.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$2.429 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$130 million (1997)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency:
Maltese lira (MTL)

Currency code:
MTL

Exchange rates:
Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.3772 (2003), 0.4336 (2002), 0.4501
(2001), 0.4382 (2000), 0.3989 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Malta

Telephones - main lines in use:
208,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
290,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: automatic system satisfies normal requirements
domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands
international: country code - 356; 2 submarine cables; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999)

Radios:
255,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
6 (2000)

Televisions:
280,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.mt

Internet hosts:
7,156 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2002)

Internet users:
120,000 (2002)

Transportation Malta

Highways: total: 2,254 km paved: 1,972 km unpaved: 282 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
Marsaxlokk, Valletta

Merchant marine:
total: 1,176 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 25,102,401 GRT/41,176,791 DWT
by type: bulk 468, cargo 251, chemical tanker 46, combination bulk
8, combination ore/oil 8, container 74, liquefied gas 4, livestock
carrier 2, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 7,
passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 210, refrigerated cargo 40, roll
on/roll off 35, short-sea/passenger 6, vehicle carrier 15
registered in other countries: 18 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Australia 4, Austria 6, Bangladesh 3, Belgium 13,
Bulgaria 19, Canada 8, China 14, Croatia 9, Cyprus 6, Denmark 4,
Estonia 1, Finland 1, France 1, Germany 52, Greece 603, Hong Kong 3,
Iceland 5, India 4, Indonesia 2, Iran 4, Israel 20, Italy 24, Japan
3, South Korea 2, Latvia 25, Lebanon 6, Madagascar 1, Monaco 14,
Netherlands 5, Nigeria 1, Norway 32, Pakistan 1, Poland 30, Portugal
3, Romania 8, Russia 69, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 2, Slovenia 3,
Switzerland 30, Syria 4, Taiwan 1, Turkey 108, Ukraine 22, United
Kingdom 2, United States 8

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Malta

Military branches:
Armed Forces: Land Forces (including Air Squadron and Maritime
Squadron), Revenue Security Corps

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 99,324 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 79,128 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$33.3 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.7% (2003)

Transnational Issues Malta

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western
Europe

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Man, Isle of

Introduction Man, Isle of

Background:
Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th
century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the
British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost
extinct Manx Gaelic language.

Geography Man, Isle of

Location:
Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and
Ireland

Geographic coordinates:
54 15 N, 4 30 W

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 572 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 572 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
160 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:
temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about one-third
of the time

Terrain:
hills in north and south bisected by central valley

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m highest point: Snaefell 621 m

Natural resources:
none

Land use:
arable land: 9%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 91% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland)
(2002)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary air
pollution

Geography - note:
one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest, and is a
bird sanctuary

People Man, Isle of

Population:
74,655 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.4% (male 6,669; female 6,357)
15-64 years: 65.4% (male 24,527; female 24,302)
65 years and over: 17.1% (male 5,128; female 7,672) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 39.3 years
male: 38 years
female: 40.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.53% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
11.28 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
11.35 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
5.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.05 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 7.08 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.16 years
male: 74.8 years
female: 81.7 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.65 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)
adjective: Manx

Ethnic groups:
Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Briton

Religions:
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society
of Friends

Languages:
English, Manx Gaelic

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

Government Man, Isle of

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Isle of Man

Dependency status:
British crown dependency

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Douglas

Administrative divisions:
none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined
by the US Government, but there are 24 local authorities each with
its own elections

Independence:
none (British crown dependency)

National holiday:
Tynwald Day, 5 July

Constitution:
unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act, 1961, does not
embody the unwritten Manx Constitution

Legal system:
English common law and Manx statute

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Ian MACFADYEN (since 26
October 2002)
election results: Donald GELLING elected chief minister by the
Tynwald; note - Richard CORKILL resigned 2 December 2004
elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed
by the monarch for a five-year term; the Chief Minister is elected
by the Tynwald; election last held 14 December 2004 (next to be held
NA December 2010)
head of government: Chief Minister Donald GELLING (since 14 December
2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers

Legislative branch:
bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council (an 11-member
body composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord Bishop of Sodor
and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and 8 others named by the
House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members are elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Keys - last held 22 November 2001 (next to be
held NA November 2006)
election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - Man
Labor Party 17.3%, Alliance for Progressive Government 14.6%; seats
by party - Man Labor Party 2, Alliance for Progressive Government 3,
independents 19

Judicial branch:
High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the Lord
Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant governor)

Political parties and leaders: Man Labor Party [leader NA]; Alliance for Progressive Government [leader NA]; Man Nationalist Party [leader NA] note: most members sit as independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (British crown dependency)

Flag description:
red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center;
the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; in
order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag,
a two-sided emblem is used

Economy Man, Isle of

Economy - overview:
Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the
economy. The government's policy of offering incentives to
high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on
the island has paid off in expanding employment opportunities in
high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once
the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their shares of GDP.
Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to
EU markets.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.6 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
13.5%

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 13%
services: 86% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.6% (March 2003 est.)

Labor force:
36,610 (1998)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture, forestry and fishing 3%, manufacturing 11%,
construction 10%, transport and communication 8%, wholesale and
retail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 18%,
public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%,
entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10%

Unemployment rate:
0.7% (March 2003)

Budget:
revenues: $485 million
expenditures: $463 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY00/01 est.)

Agriculture - products:
cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry

Industries:
financial services, light manufacturing, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
3.2% (FY96/97)

Exports:
NA

Exports - commodities:
tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb

Exports - partners:
UK (2000)

Imports:
NA

Imports - commodities:
timber, fertilizers, fish

Imports - partners:
UK (2000)

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency:
British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Manx pound

Currency code:
GBP

Exchange rates:
Manx pounds per US dollar - 0.6125 (2003), 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944
(2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999); the Manx pound is at par with
the British pound

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Man, Isle of

Telephones - main lines in use:
51,000 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system
international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite
earth station, submarine cable

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

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999)

Televisions:
27,490 (1999)

Internet country code:
.im

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Man, Isle of

Railways: total: 61 km (35 km electrified) (2003)

Highways: total: 800 km paved: 800 km unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Ports and harbors:
Castletown, Douglas, Peel, Ramsey

Merchant marine:
total: 226 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,055,436 GRT/9,972,459 DWT
by type: bulk 25, cargo 40, chemical tanker 25, combination bulk 2,
container 19, liquefied gas 31, multi-functional large load carrier
1, petroleum tanker 59, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 17,
specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 5
registered in other countries: 9 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Australia 3, Cyprus 4, Denmark 30, Estonia 3, France
1, Germany 57, Greece 8, Hong Kong 11, Iceland 1, Italy 6, Monaco 4,
Netherlands 2, New Zealand 1, Norway 10, Singapore 2, Sweden 3,
United Kingdom 80, United States 1

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Man, Isle of

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Man, Isle of

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Marshall Islands

Introduction Marshall Islands

Background:
After almost four decades under US administration as the
easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands,
the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a Compact
of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a result of US
nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and 1962. The
Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Reagan
Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile defense
network.

Geography Marshall Islands

Location:
Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific Ocean,
about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates:
9 00 N, 168 00 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 181.3 sq km
note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro,
Rongelap, and Utirik
water: 0 sq km
land: 181.3 sq km

Area - comparative:
about the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
370.4 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:
tropical; hot and humid; wet season from May to November; islands
border typhoon belt

Terrain:
low coral limestone and sand islands

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m

Natural resources:
coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Land use:
arable land: 16.67%
permanent crops: 38.89%
other: 44.44% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km

Natural hazards:
infrequent typhoons

Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels

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

Geography - note:
two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and 1,152 islands;
Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the
famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US missile test
range

People Marshall Islands

Population:
57,738 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.6% (male 11,347; female 10,934)
15-64 years: 58.7% (male 17,380; female 16,520)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 748; female 809) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 19.6 years
male: 19.6 years
female: 19.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.29% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
33.88 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.94 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-6.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 30.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 26.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 34.19 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.7 years
male: 67.77 years
female: 71.73 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.02 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Marshallese (singular and plural)
adjective: Marshallese

Ethnic groups:
Micronesian

Religions:
Christian (mostly Protestant)

Languages:
English (widely spoken as a second language, both English and
Marshallese are official languages), two major Marshallese dialects
from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.7%
male: 93.6%
female: 93.7% (1999)

Government Marshall Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands
conventional short form: Marshall Islands
former: Marshall Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific
Islands)

Government type:
constitutional government in free association with the US; the
Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986 and
the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004

Capital:
Majuro

Administrative divisions:
33 municipalities; Ailinginae, Ailinglaplap, Ailuk, Arno, Aur,
Bikar, Bikini, Bokak, Ebon, Enewetak, Erikub, Jabat, Jaluit, Jemo,
Kili, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap, Mejit, Mili,
Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Rongrik, Toke, Ujae, Ujelang, Utirik,
Wotho, Wotje

Independence:
21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:
Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)

Constitution:
1 May 1979

Legal system:
based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature,
municipal, common, and customary laws

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January 2004);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January
2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of
Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament from among its own
members for a four-year term; election last held 17 November 2003
(next to be held NA November 2007)
election results: Kessai Hesa NOTE elected president; percent of
Parliament vote - 100%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 November 2003 (next to be held not later
than November 2007)
note: the Council of Chiefs is a 12-member body that advises on
matters affecting customary law and practice
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; High Court

Political parties and leaders: traditionally there have been no formally organized political parties; what has existed more closely resembles factions or interest groups because they do not have party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures; the following two "groupings" have competed in legislative balloting in recent years - Kabua Party [Imata KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa TOMEING]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Banny DE BRUM chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Honolulu FAX: [1] (202) 232-3236 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5414

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Greta N. MORRIS
embassy: Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro
mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall
Islands 96960-1379
telephone: [692] 247-4011
FAX: [692] 247-4012

Flag description:
blue with two stripes radiating from the lower hoist-side corner -
orange (top) and white; there is a white star with four large rays
and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the two stripes

Economy Marshall Islands

Economy - overview:
US Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island
economy. Agricultural production is primarily subsistence and is
concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are
coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to
handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. The tourist industry, now a
small source of foreign exchange employing less than 10% of the
labor force, remains the best hope for future added income. The
islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports.
Under the terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US has
provided more than $1 billion in aid since 1986. Negotiations have
continued for an extended agreement. Government downsizing, drought,
a drop in construction, the decline in tourism and foreign
investment due to the Asian financial difficulties, and less income
from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have held GDP growth to
an average of 1% over the past decade.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $115 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 14%
industry: 16%
services: 70% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
28,700 (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 21.4%, industry 20.9%, services 57.7%

Unemployment rate:
30.9% (1999 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $42 million
expenditures: $40 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999)

Agriculture - products:
coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens

Industries:
copra, fish, tourism, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Exports:
$9 million f.o.b. (2000)

Exports - commodities:
copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish

Exports - partners:
US, Japan, Australia, China (2000)

Imports:
$54 million f.o.b. (2000)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco

Imports - partners:
US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Fiji, China, Philippines (2000)

Debt - external:
$86.5 million (FY99/00 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
more than $1 billion from the US, 1986-2002

Currency:
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
the US dollar is the legal tender

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications Marshall Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
4,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
600 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: digital switching equipment; modern services
include telex, cellular, internet, international calling, caller ID,
and leased data circuits
domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular,
seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by
shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes)
international: country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications
system on Kwajalein (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0
note: additionally, the US Armed Forces Radio and Television
Services (Central Pacific Network) operate one FM and one AM station
on Kwajalein (2002)

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
2 (both are US military stations) (2002)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.mh

Internet hosts:
6 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
1,400 (2003)

Transportation Marshall Islands

Highways:
total: NA km
paved: 64.5 km
unpaved: NA km
note: paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise
stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks (2002)

Ports and harbors:
Majuro

Merchant marine:
total: 420 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 16,954,092 GRT/28,176,762 DWT
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 81, cargo 25, chemical tanker 41,
combination bulk 4, combination ore/oil 7, container 77, liquefied
gas 9, multi-functional large load carrier 5, passenger 6, petroleum
tanker 149, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 7, vehicle
carrier 4
registered in other countries: 50 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Australia 2, Chile 3, Croatia 2, Cyprus 10, Denmark
2, Germany 119, Greece 82, Hong Kong 12, India 2, Japan 16, Monaco
18, Netherlands 6, New Zealand 1, Norway 5, Poland 11, Singapore 1,
Slovenia 1, Switzerland 4, Thailand 2, Turkey 8, United Kingdom 10,
United States 92

Airports:
15 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Marshall Islands

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Marshall Islands Police

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Marshall Islands

Disputes - international: claims US territory of Wake Island

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Martinique

Introduction Martinique

Background:
Colonized by France in 1635, the island has subsequently remained a
French possession except for three brief periods of foreign
occupation.

Geography Martinique

Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic
Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:
14 40 N, 61 00 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 1,100 sq km
water: 40 sq km
land: 1,060 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
350 km

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

Climate:
tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to October);
vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on
average; average temperature 17.3 degrees C; humid

Terrain:
mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Montagne Pelee 1,397 m

Natural resources: coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land

Land use: arable land: 10.38% permanent crops: 9.43% other: 80.19% (2001)

Irrigated land:
30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one
major natural disaster every five years)

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
the island is dominated by Mount Pelee, which on 8 May 1902 erupted
and completely destroyed the city of Saint Pierre, killing 30,000
inhabitants

People Martinique

Population:
429,510 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 22.6% (male 49,245; female 47,845)
15-64 years: 67% (male 143,893; female 143,963)
65 years and over: 10.4% (male 20,043; female 24,521) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 33.1 years
male: 32.5 years
female: 33.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.81% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
14.56 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.43 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.27 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 4.79 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.88 years
male: 79.35 years
female: 78.4 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural)
adjective: Martiniquais

Ethnic groups:
African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%, white 5%, East
Indian, Chinese less than 5%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 10.5%, Muslim 0.5%, Hindu 0.5%,
other 3.5% (1997)

Languages:
French, Creole patois

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.7%
male: 97.4%
female: 98.1% (2003 est.)

Government Martinique

Country name:
conventional long form: Department of Martinique
conventional short form: Martinique
local short form: Martinique
local long form: Departement de la Martinique

Dependency status:
overseas department of France

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Fort-de-France

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas department of France)

Independence:
none (overseas department of France)

National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
French legal system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995); Prefect Yves DASSONVILLE (since 14 January 2004); note - took
office 8 February 2004
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and
Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
head of government: President of the General Council Claude LISE
(since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Alfred
MARIE-JEANNE (since NA March 1998)
cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (45 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a
unicameral Regional Assembly or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be
held NA 2006); Regional Assembly - last held on 28 March 2004 (next
to be held by March 2010)
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - left-wing candidates 13, PPM 11, RPR 6, right-wing
candidates 5, PCM 3, UDF 3, PMS 2, independents 2; note - the PPM
won a plurality; Regional Assembly (second round) - percent of vote
by party - MIM 53.8%, PPM 30.6%; seats by party - MIM 28, PPM 9,
other 4
note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last
held NA September 2001 (next to be held September 2004); results -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPM 2; Martinique
also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last
held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next
to be held not later than June 2007); results - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, PS 1, MIM 1, left-wing
candidate 1 (candidacy of the left-wing candidate was found invalid
by the Constitutional Council; new elections will be called)

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
Martinique Communist Party or PCM [Georges ERICHOT]; Martinique
Independence Movement or MIM [Alfred MARIE-JEANNE]; Martinique
Progressive Party or PPM [Pierre SUEDILE]; Martinique Socialist
Party or PMS [Ernest WAN-AJOUHU]; Movement of Democrats and
Ecologists for a Sovereign Martinique or Modemas [Garcin MALSA];
Rally for the Republic or RPR [Michel CHARLONE]; Socialist
Revolution Group or GRS [Philippe PIERRE-CHARLES]; Union for French
Democracy or UDF [Jean MAREN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union for
Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR]; Frantz Fanon Circle;
League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP

International organization participation:
UPU, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas department of France)

Flag description:
a light blue background is divided into four quadrants by a white
cross; in the center of each rectangle is a white snake; the flag of
France is used for official occasions

Economy Martinique

Economy - overview:
The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and light
industry. Agriculture accounts for about 6% of GDP and the small
industrial sector for 11%. Sugar production has declined, with most
of the sugarcane now used for the production of rum. Banana exports
are increasing, going mostly to France. The bulk of meat, vegetable,
and grain requirements must be imported, contributing to a chronic
trade deficit that requires large annual transfers of aid from
France. Tourism, which employs more than 11,000 people, has become
more important than agricultural exports as a source of foreign
exchange.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $6.117 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $14,400 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6%
industry: 11%
services: 83% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.9% (1990)

Labor force:
165,900 (1998)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 10%, industry 17%, services 73% (1997)

Unemployment rate:
27.2% (1998)

Budget:
revenues: $900 million
expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $140
million (1996)

Agriculture - products:
pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, sugarcane

Industries:
construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
1.151 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.07 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
13,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$250 million f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities:
refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples (2001 est.)

Exports - partners:
France 45%, Guadeloupe 28% (2000)

Imports:
$2 billion c.i.f. (1997)

Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials,
vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods

Imports - partners:
France 62%, Venezuela 6%, Germany 4%, Italy 4%, US 3% (2000)

Debt - external:
$180 million (1994)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA; note - substantial annual aid from France (1998)

Currency:
euro (EUR)

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.8860 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995
(1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Martinique

Telephones - main lines in use:
172,000 est (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
319,900 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic facilities are adequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 596; microwave radio relay to
Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 14, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
82,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
11 (plus nine repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
66,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.mq

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
40,000 (2002)

Transportation Martinique

Highways: total: 2,105 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
Fort-de-France, La Trinite

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
2 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Martinique

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Gendarmerie

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Martinique

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and
Europe

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Mauritania

Introduction Mauritania

Background:
Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern
third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976, but
relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario
guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Opposition
parties were legalized and a new constitution approved in 1991. Two
multiparty presidential elections since then were widely seen as
flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections were
generally free and open. Mauritania remains, in reality, a one-party
state. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions between
its black population and the dominant Moor (Arab-Berber) populace.

Geography Mauritania

Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Senegal and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates:
20 00 N, 12 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1,030,700 sq km
land: 1,030,400 sq km
water: 300 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries:
total: 5,074 km
border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km,
Western Sahara 1,561 km

Coastline:
754 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Terrain:
mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m

Natural resources: iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish

Land use: arable land: 0.48% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.51% (2001)

Irrigated land:
490 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and
April; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought
are contributing to desertification; very limited natural fresh
water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only perennial
river; locust infestation

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

Geography - note:
most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and
Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the
country

People Mauritania

Population:
2,998,563 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 45.9% (male 689,371; female 686,486)
15-64 years: 51.9% (male 767,551; female 788,520)
65 years and over: 2.2% (male 27,106; female 39,529) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 16.9 years
male: 16.7 years
female: 17.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.91% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
41.79 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
12.74 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 72.35 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 69.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 75.22 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 52.32 years
male: 50.15 years
female: 54.56 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
6.01 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, Rift Valley fever
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Mauritanian(s)
adjective: Mauritanian

Ethnic groups:
mixed Maur/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30%

Religions:
Muslim 100%

Languages:
Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya, Wolof

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 41.7%
male: 51.8%
female: 31.9% (2003 est.)

Government Mauritania

Country name:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
conventional short form: Mauritania
local short form: Muritaniyah
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Nouakchott

Administrative divisions:
12 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital district*;
Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh
Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*, Tagant, Tiris
Zemmour, Trarza

Independence:
28 November 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Constitution:
12 July 1991

Legal system:
a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA (since 12
December 1984)
head of government: Prime Minister Sghair Ould M'BARECK (since 6
July 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 7 November 2003 (next to be held NA 2009); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA reelected
for a third term with 60.8% of the vote

Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh
(56 seats, a part of the seats up for election every two years;
members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms) and
the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (81 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2002 (next to be held NA
April 2004); National Assembly - last held 19 and 26 October 2001
(next to be held NA 2006)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PRDS 54, RFD 1, UNDD 1; National Assembly - percent of vote
by party - PRDS 79%, RDU 3.5%, UDP 3.5%, AC 5%, UFP 3.5%, FP 1.5%;
seats by party - PRDS 64, UDP 3, RDU 3, AC 4, RFD 3, UFP 3, and FP 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts

Political parties and leaders:
Action for Change or AC [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Alliance for
Justice and Democracy or AJD [Kebe ABDOULAYE]; Democratic and Social
Republican Party or PRDS (ruling party) [President Maaouya Ould Sid
Ahmed TAYA]; Mauritanian Party for Renewal and Concorde or PMRC
[Molaye El Hassen Ould JIYID]; National Union for Democracy and
Development or UNDD [Tidjane KOITA]; Party for Liberty, Equality and
Justice or PLEJ [Daouda M'BAGNIGA]; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould
CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progress Alliance or APP [Messoud Ould
BOULKHEIR]; Popular Social and Democratic Union or UPSD [Mohamed
Mahmoud Ould MAH]; Progress Force Union or UFP [Mohamed Ould
MAOULOUD]; Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH];
Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA]; Union
for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]
note: the Action for Change party was banned in January 2002
although its members were permitted to keep their seats in the
National Assembly; parties legalized by constitution ratified 12
July 1991, however, politics continue to be tribally based

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Arab nationalists; Ba'athists; General Confederation of Mauritanian
Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould MOHAMED, secretary general];
Independent Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM [Samory
Ould BEYE]; Islamists; Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM [Mohamed Ely
Ould BRAHIM, secretary general]

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member),
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tijani Ould KERIM
chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623
telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700, 5701

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph E. LEBARON embassy: 288 Rue Abdallaye (between Presidency building and Spanish Embassy), Nouakchott mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott telephone: [222] 525-2660/525-2663 FAX: [222] 25-25-92

Flag description:
green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal
crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent,
star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Mauritania

Economy - overview:
Half the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for
a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and subsistence farmers
were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and
1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account
for nearly 40% of total exports. The decline in world demand for
this ore, however, has led to cutbacks in production. The nation's
coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, but
overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue.
The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986.
In the past, drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a
buildup of foreign debt. In February 2000, Mauritania qualified for
debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)
initiative and in December 2001 received strong support from donor
and lending countries at a triennial Consultative Group review. In
2001, exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated
potential extraction at current world oil prices. A new investment
code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct
foreign investment. Ongoing negotiations with the IMF involve
problems of economic reforms and fiscal discipline. Substantial oil
production and exports probably will not begin until 2005. Meantime
the government emphasizes reduction of poverty, improvement of
health and education, and promoting privatization of the economy.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $5.195 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 29% services: 46% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 50% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 30.2% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37.3 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
786,000 (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 50%, industry 10%, services 40% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
21% (1999 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $421 million
expenditures: $378 million, including capital expenditures of $154
million (2002 est.)

Agriculture - products:
dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, dates; cattle, sheep

Industries:
fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

Industrial production growth rate:
2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
157.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
146.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$541 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
iron ore, fish and fish products, gold

Exports - partners:
Japan 12.5%, France 12.1%, Spain 11.4%, Italy 10.4%, Belgium 7.8%,
Germany 7.4%, Russia 5%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.2%, Netherlands 4% (2003)

Imports:
$860 million f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods,
foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
France 16.8%, Spain 7.7%, China 6.3%, Belgium 5.1%, Germany 4.9%,
Japan 4.3%, UK 4.1%, US 4% (2003)

Debt - external:
$2.5 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
$220 million (2000)

Currency:
ouguiya (MRO)

Currency code:
MRO

Exchange rates:
ouguiyas per US dollar - NA (2003), 271.739 (2002), 255.629 (2001)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Mauritania

Telephones - main lines in use:
31,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
300,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire lines,
minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications
stations (improvements being made)
domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed
domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with
regional capitals
international: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
410,000 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2002)

Televisions:
98,000 (2001)

Internet country code:
.mr

Internet hosts:
25 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2001)

Internet users:
10,000 (2002)

Transportation Mauritania

Railways: 717 km standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 7,720 km paved: 830 km unpaved: 6,890 km (2000)

Waterways:
some ferry traffic on Senegal River (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bogue, Kaedi, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Rosso

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
24 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Mauritania

Military branches:
Army, Navy (including Naval Infantry), Air Force, National
Gendarmerie, National Guard, National Police, Presidential Guard
(BSSP)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 686,629 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 332,633 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$40.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.7% (2003)

Transnational Issues Mauritania

Disputes - international: Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara have been dormant in recent years

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Mauritius

Introduction Mauritius

Background:
Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, Mauritius was subsequently
held by the Dutch, French, and British before independence was
attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and
a positive human rights record, the country has attracted
considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa's
highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and declining sugar
prices have slowed economic growth, leading to some protests over
standards of living in the Creole community.

Geography Mauritius

Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:
20 17 S, 57 33 E

Map references:
Political Map of the World

Area:
total: 2,040 sq km
note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint
Brandon), and Rodrigues
water: 10 sq km
land: 2,030 sq km

Area - comparative:
almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
177 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May
to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

Terrain:
small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling
central plateau

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Piton 828 m

Natural resources:
arable land, fish

Land use: arable land: 49.26% permanent crops: 2.96% other: 47.78% (2001)

Irrigated land:
200 sq km (2000 est.)

Natural hazards:
cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs
that may pose maritime hazards

Environment - current issues:
water pollution, degradation of coral reefs

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of
volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs

People Mauritius

Population:
1,220,481 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.8% (male 152,424; female 149,908)
15-64 years: 68.8% (male 418,836; female 420,411)
65 years and over: 6.5% (male 31,104; female 47,798) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 30.1 years
male: 29.3 years
female: 31.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.81% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
15.85 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.82 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.57 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 18.36 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.09 years
male: 68.11 years
female: 76.13 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.97 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
700 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Mauritian(s)
adjective: Mauritian

Ethnic groups:
Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian
2%

Religions:
Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%),
Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%

Languages:
English (official), Creole, French (official), Hindi, Urdu, Hakka,
Bhojpuri

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.6%
male: 88.6%
female: 82.7% (2003 est.)

Government Mauritius

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius
conventional short form: Mauritius

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Port Louis

Administrative divisions:
9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River,
Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses,
Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne

Independence:
12 March 1968 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

Constitution:
12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Legal system:
based on French civil law system with elements of English common
law in certain areas

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October
2003) and Vice President Abdool Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25 February
2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 30 September
2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 25 February 2002
(next to be held NA 2007); prime minister and deputy prime minister
appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly
election results: Karl OFFMANN elected president and Raouf BUNDHUN
elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly -
NA; note - Karl OFFMANN stepped down on 30 September 2003

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (66 seats; 62 elected by popular vote,
4 appointed by the election commission from the losing political
parties to give representation to various ethnic minorities; members
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 11 September 2000 (next to be held NA
September 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - MSM/MMM 52.3%, MLP/PMSD
36.9%, OPR 10.8%; seats by party - MSM/MMM 54, MLP/PMSD 6, OPR 2

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH]; Mauritian Labor Party or MLP
[Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul
BERENGER] - in coalition with MSM; Mauritian Social Democrat Party
or PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL]; Militant Socialist Movement or
MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH] - governing party; Rodrigues Movement or MR
[Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR
[Serge CLAIR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
various labor unions

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC,
ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Usha JEETAH
FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983
telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492
chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John PRICE
embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis
mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US
mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, Department of State, Washington,
DC 20521-2450
telephone: [230] 202-4400
FAX: [230] 208-9534

Flag description:
four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green

Economy Mauritius

Economy - overview:
Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a
low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income
diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist
sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order
of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more
equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered
infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is
grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25%
of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on
expanding local financial institutions and building a domestic
information telecommunications industry. Mauritius has attracted
more than 9,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India
and South Africa, and investment in the banking sector alone has
reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector
and responsible fiscal management, has been well poised to take
advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $13.85 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.1% industry: 30.3% services: 63.6% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
22.9% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
10% (2001 est.)

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

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37 (1987 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.2% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
560,000 (2003)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture and fishing 14%, construction and industry 36%, transportation and communication 7%, trade, restaurants, hotels 16%, finance 3%, other services 24% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
9.8% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.122 billion
expenditures: $1.461 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003)

Public debt:
31.9% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish

Industries:
food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing;
chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical
machinery; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
8% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
1.311 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.219 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
21,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$289 million (2003)

Exports:
$1.965 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses

Exports - partners:
UK 31%, France 21.3%, US 17.6%, Madagascar 6.3% (2003)

Imports:
$2.136 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum
products, chemicals

Imports - partners:
South Africa 12.1%, France 12%, China 8.4%, India 8.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$1.598 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.75 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$42 million (1997)

Currency:
Mauritian rupee (MUR)

Currency code:
MUR

Exchange rates:
Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 27.9015 (2003), 29.962 (2002),
29.1293 (2001), 26.2496 (2000), 25.1858 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Mauritius

Telephones - main lines in use:
348,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
462,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: small system with good service
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system
international: country code - 230; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF
radiotelephone links to several countries; fiber optic submarine
cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios:
420,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
258,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.mu

Internet hosts:
3,985 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
150,000 (2003)

Transportation Mauritius

Highways:
total: 1,926 km
paved: 1,868 km (including 44 km of expressways)
unpaved: 58 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
Port Louis

Merchant marine:
total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 22,946 GRT/27,102 DWT
foreign-owned: Belgium 1, India 4, Switzerland 2 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 1, combination bulk 4, passenger/cargo 1,
refrigerated cargo 2

Airports:
5 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Mauritius

Military branches:
National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special Mobile
Force or SMF and National Coast Guard)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 342,482 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 172,157 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$11.2 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Mauritius

Disputes - international:
Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British
Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside
chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to
repatriation in 2001; claims French-administered Tromelin Island

Illicit drugs:
minor consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South Asia;
small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally; significant
offshore financial industry creates potential for money laundering,
but corruption levels are relatively low and the government appears
generally to be committed to regulating its banking industry

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Mayotte

Introduction Mayotte

Background:
Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of the
Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago
that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego
independence.

Geography Mayotte

Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half
of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
12 50 S, 45 10 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 374 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 374 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
185.2 km

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

Climate:
tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern
monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November)

Terrain:
generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Benara 660 m

Natural resources:
NEGL

Land use:
arable land: NA
permanent crops: NA
other: NA (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
cyclones during rainy season

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands

People Mayotte

Population:
186,026 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 46.4% (male 43,301; female 42,934)
15-64 years: 51.9% (male 52,534; female 44,100)
65 years and over: 1.7% (male 1,579; female 1,578) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 16.9 years
male: 18.1 years
female: 15.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
4.09% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
42.19 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.11 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
6.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 64.19 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 57.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 70.42 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 60.99 years
male: 58.85 years
female: 63.2 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.98 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective: Mahoran

Ethnic groups:
NA

Religions:
Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)

Languages:
Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by
35% of the population

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

Government Mayotte

Country name:
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form: Mayotte

Dependency status:
territorial collectivity of France

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Mamoutzou

Administrative divisions:
none (territorial collectivity of France)

Independence:
none (territorial collectivity of France)

National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
French law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Paul KIHL (since 17 January 2005)
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council
elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term
head of government: President of the General Council Younoussa
BAMANA (since NA 1977)
cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 7 October 2000 (next to be held NA 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA
note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last
held 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007); results
- percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also
elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last
held 16 June 2002 (next to be held as a special election on NA June
2005); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.08%, UDF
44.92%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular Movement
or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or RPR [Mansour
KAMARDINE]; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar
SALIM]; Socialist Party or PS (local branch of French Parti
Socialiste) [Ibrahim ABUBACAR]; Union for French Democracy or UDF
[Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territorial collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territorial collectivity of France)

Flag description:
the flag of France is used

Economy Mayotte

Economy - overview:
Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector,
including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not
self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food
requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development
of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance,
an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an
obstacle to the development of tourism.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $466.8 million (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,600 (1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA

Labor force:
48,800 (2000)

Unemployment rate:
38% (1999)

Budget:
revenues: NA
expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1991 est.)

Agriculture - products:
vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra

Industries:
newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Exports:
$3.44 million f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities:
ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee,
cinnamon

Exports - partners:
France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion (2000)

Imports:
$141.3 million f.o.b. (1997)

Imports - commodities:
food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals,
chemicals

Imports - partners:
France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 11% (2000 est.)

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$107.7 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (1995)

Currency:
euro (EUR)

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.8860 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Mayotte

Telephones - main lines in use:
10,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
21,700 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: small system administered by French Department
of Posts and Telecommunications
domestic: NA
international: country code - 269; microwave radio relay and HF
radiotelephone communications to Comoros (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
3 (2001)

Televisions:
3,500 (1994)

Internet country code:
.yt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Mayotte

Highways: total: 93 km paved: 72 km unpaved: 21 km

Ports and harbors:
Dzaoudzi

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Mayotte

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of French
forces stationed on the island

Transnational Issues Mayotte

Disputes - international: claimed by Comoros

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Mexico

Introduction Mexico

Background:
The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came under
Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early
in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw
Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in over
half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive recovery.
Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages,
underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable
income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the
largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern states.
Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time since the 1910
Mexican Revolution that the opposition defeated the party in
government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Vicente FOX
of the National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in on 1 December 2000
as the first chief executive elected in free and fair elections.

Geography Mexico

Location:
Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico,
between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific Ocean,
between Guatemala and the US

Geographic coordinates:
23 00 N, 102 00 W

Map references:
North America

Area:
total: 1,972,550 sq km
land: 1,923,040 sq km
water: 49,510 sq km

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

Land boundaries: total: 4,353 km border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km

Coastline:
9,330 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:
varies from tropical to desert

Terrain:
high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m

Natural resources: petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber

Land use: arable land: 12.99% permanent crops: 1.31% other: 85.7% (2001)

Irrigated land:
65,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive
earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific,
Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts

Environment - current issues:
scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to urban
migration; natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted in
north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme
southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in
urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification;
deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in
the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land
subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion
note: the government considers the lack of clean water and
deforestation national security issues

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

Geography - note:
strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize), one of
the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated in
Mexico

People Mexico

Population:
104,959,594 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 31.6% (male 16,913,290; female 16,228,552)
15-64 years: 62.9% (male 31,975,391; female 34,090,440)
65 years and over: 5.5% (male 2,618,713; female 3,133,208) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 24.6 years male: 23.7 years female: 25.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.18% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
21.44 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.73 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-4.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 21.69 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 23.63 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.94 years
male: 72.18 years
female: 77.83 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.49 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
160,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
5,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Mexican(s)
adjective: Mexican

Ethnic groups:
mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly
Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%

Religions:
nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%

Languages:
Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous
languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.2%
male: 94%
female: 90.5% (2003 est.)

Government Mexico

Country name:
conventional long form: United Mexican States
conventional short form: Mexico
local short form: Mexico
local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos

Government type:
federal republic

Capital:
Mexico (Distrito Federal)

Administrative divisions:
31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district*
(distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California
Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Colima,
Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco,
Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca,
Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi,
Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave,
Yucatan, Zacatecas

Independence:
16 September 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 16 September (1810)

Constitution:
5 February 1917

Legal system:
mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system; judicial
review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December
2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
election results: Vicente FOX Quesada elected president; percent of
vote - Vicente FOX Quesada (PAN) 42.52%, Francisco LABASTIDA Ochoa
(PRI) 36.1%, Cuauhtemoc CARDENAS Solorzano (PRD) 16.64%, other 4.74%
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held 2 July 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment of
attorney general requires consent of the Senate
head of government: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December
2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government

Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of the
Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 are elected by popular
vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 are allocated on the basis of
each party's popular vote) and the Federal Chamber of Deputies or
Camara Federal de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are directly
elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; remaining 200
members are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote,
also for three-year terms)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - PRI 60, PAN 46, PRD 16, PVEM 5, unassigned 1; Chamber of
Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRI 222,
PAN 151, PRD 95, PVEM 17, PT 6, CD 5, unassigned 4; note - special
elections were held in December 2003; the PRI and the PRD each won
one seat and were each assigned one additional proportional
representation seat
elections: Senate - last held 2 July 2000 for all of the seats (next
to be held 2 July 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 July 2003
(next to be held 2 July 2006)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia Nacional
(justices or ministros are appointed by the president with consent
of the Senate)

Political parties and leaders:
Convergence for Democracy or CD [Dante DELGADO Ranauro];
Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Roberto MADRAZO Pintado];
Mexican Green Ecological Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio GONZALEZ
Martinez]; National Action Party or PAN [Luis Felipe BRAVO Mena];
Party of the Democratic Revolution or PRD [Leonel GODOY]; Workers
Party or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or COPARMEX;
Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN; Confederation of
Mexican Workers or CTM; Confederation of National Chambers of
Commerce or CONCANACO; Coordinator for Foreign Trade Business
Organizations or COECE; Federation of Unions Providing Goods and
Services or FESEBES; National Chamber of Transformation Industries
or CANACINTRA; National Peasant Confederation or CNC; National Union
of Workers or UNT; Regional Confederation of Mexican Workers or
CROM; Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants or CROC;
Roman Catholic Church

International organization participation:
APEC, BCIE, BIS, CDB, CE (observer), EBRD, FAO, G-3, G-6, G-15,
G-19, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM (observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Carlos Alberto de ICAZA
Gonzalez
FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698
consulate(s): Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico
(California), Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas (Arizona), Eagle
Pass (Texas), Fresno (California), Indianapolis (Indiana), Kansas
City (Missouri), Las Vegas, McAllen (Texas), Omaha, Orlando, Oxnard
(California), Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Presidio (Texas),
Raleigh, Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, Santa Ana (California),
Seattle, Tucson, Yuma (Arizona)
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas,
Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo (Texas), Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, Nogales (Arizona), Phoenix, Sacramento, San
Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio O. GARZA
embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico,
Distrito Federal
mailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-0900
telephone: [52] (55) 5080-2000
FAX: [52] (55) 5525-5040
consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana
consulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nogales, Nuevo, Laredo

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red;
the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its
beak) is centered in the white band

Economy Mexico

Economy - overview:
Mexico has a free market economy with a mixture of modern and
outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the
private sector. Recent administrations have expanded competition in
seaports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity generation,
natural gas distribution, and airports. Per capita income is
one-fourth that of the US; income distribution remains highly
unequal. Trade with the US and Canada has tripled since the
implementation of NAFTA in 1994. Real GDP growth was a weak -0.3% in
2001, 0.9% in 2002, and 1.2% in 2003, with the US slowdown the
principal cause. Mexico implemented free trade agreements with
Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and the European Free Trade Area
in 2001, putting more than 90% of trade under free trade agreements.
The government is cognizant of the need to upgrade infrastructure,
modernize the tax system and labor laws, and provide incentives to
invest in the energy sector, but progress is slow.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $941.2 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 26.4% services: 69.6% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
19.3% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
40% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 35.6% (2002)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
53.1 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
34.11 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 18%, industry 24%, services 58% (2003)

Unemployment rate:
3.3% plus underemployment of perhaps 25% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $148.3 billion
expenditures: $152.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
23.1% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit,
tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products

Industries:
food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum,
mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables,
tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
-0.7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
198.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
186.7 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
77 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
2.068 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
3.59 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1.507 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
1.881 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
374,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
15.11 billion bbl (1 January 2003)

Natural gas - production:
36.87 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
38.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
254 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
2.967 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
969.2 billion cu m (1 January 2003)

Current account balance:
$-9.15 billion (2003)

Exports:
$164.8 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits,
vegetables, coffee, cotton

Exports - partners:
US 87.6%, Canada 1.8%, Germany 1.2% (2003)

Imports:
$168.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery,
electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor
vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts

Imports - partners:
US 61.8%, China 5.5%, Japan 4.5% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$59.02 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$159.8 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$1.166 billion (1995)

Currency:
Mexican peso (MXN)

Currency code:
MXN

Exchange rates:
Mexican pesos per US dollar - 10.789 (2003), 9.656 (2002), 9.3423
(2001), 9.4556 (2000), 9.5604 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Mexico

Telephones - main lines in use:
15,958,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
28.125 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: low telephone density with about 15.2 main
lines per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; the opening to
competition in January 1997 improved prospects for development, but
Telemex remains dominant
domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government,
but the population is poorly served; mobile subscribers far
outnumber fixed-line subscribers; domestic satellite system with 120
earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network;
considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable
international: country code - 52; satellite earth stations - 32
Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South
America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing
domestic communications), numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations;
linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections;
high capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to
the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, and Italy
(1997)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 850, FM 545, shortwave 15 (2003)

Radios:
31 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
236 (plus repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
25.6 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.mx

Internet hosts:
1,333,406 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
51 (2000)

Internet users:
10.033 million (2002)

Transportation Mexico

Railways: total: 19,510 km standard gauge: 19,510 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 329,532 km
paved: 108,087 km (including 6,429 km of expressways)
unpaved: 221,445 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
2,900 km
note: navigable rivers and coastal canals (2004)

Pipelines:
crude oil 28,200 km; petroleum products 10,150 km; natural gas
13,254 km; petrochemical 1,400 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Acapulco, Altamira, Bahias de Huatulco, Cabo San Lucas,
Coatzacoalcos, Dos Bocas, Ensenada, Guaymas, Lazaro Cardenas,
Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Puerto Progreso, Puerto Madero, Puerto
Vallarta, Salina Cruz, Tampico, Topolobampo, Tuxpan, Veracruz (2003)

Merchant marine:
total: 50 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 649,389 GRT/942,766 DWT
by type: bulk 1, cargo 3, chemical tanker 3, combination ore/oil 1,
liquefied gas 5, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 9,
short-sea/passenger 3
foreign-owned: Denmark 1, Germany 1, Greece 1, Marshall Islands 1,
Netherlands 2
registered in other countries: 13 (2004 est.)

Airports:
1,827 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 233
over 3,047 m: 12
2,438 to 3,047 m: 28
914 to 1,523 m: 80
under 914 m: 29 (2004 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 84

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1,600
under 914 m: 1,075 (2004 est.)
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 454
1,524 to 2,437 m: 69

Heliports:
2 (2003 est.)

Military Mexico

Military branches:
National Defense Secretariat (Sedena) (including Army and Air
Force), Navy Secretariat (including Naval Air and Marines)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary enlistment (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 27,374,153 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 19,755,614 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 1,055,368 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$5,168.3 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Mexico

Disputes - international:
prolonged drought, population growth, and outmoded practices and
infrastructure in the border region have strained water-sharing
arrangements with the US; nationals from Central America slip into
Mexico seeking work or transit into the US; undocumented Mexican
nationals continue to enter the United States

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 12,000 (government's quashing of Zapatero uprising in 1994 in
eastern Chiapas Region) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
illicit cultivation of opium poppy (cultivation in 2001 - 4,400
hectares; potential heroin production - 7 metric tons) and of
cannabis (in 2001 - 4,100 hectares); government eradication efforts
have been key in keeping illicit crop levels low; major supplier of
heroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine
to the US market; continues as the primary transshipment country for
US-bound cocaine from South America, accounting for about 70 percent
of estimated annual cocaine movement to the US; major drug
syndicates control majority of drug trafficking throughout the
country; producer and distributor of ecstasy; significant
money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Micronesia, Federated States of

Introduction Micronesia, Federated States of

Background:
In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory
under US administration, adopted a constitution. In 1986
independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association with
the US, which was amended and renewed in 2003. Present concerns
include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on
US aid.

Geography Micronesia, Federated States of

Location:
Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about
three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:
6 55 N, 158 15 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 702 sq km
note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands,
and Kosrae (Kosaie)
water: 0 sq km (fresh water only)
land: 702 sq km

Area - comparative:
four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
6,112 km

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

Climate:
tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern
islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with
occasionally severe damage

Terrain:
islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low,
coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m

Natural resources:
forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals

Land use:
arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 45.71%
other: 48.58% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
typhoons (June to December)

Environment - current issues:
overfishing, climate change, pollution

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

Geography - note:
four major island groups totaling 607 islands

People Micronesia, Federated States of

Population:
108,155 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.7% (male 20,830; female 19,993)
15-64 years: 59.2% (male 32,055; female 31,927)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 1,505; female 1,845) (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.02% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
25.8 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.97 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-20.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 31.28 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 34.45 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 27.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.44 years
male: 67.68 years
female: 71.29 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.37 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality: noun: Micronesian(s) adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese

Ethnic groups:
nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups

Religions:
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%

Languages:
English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese,
Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89%
male: 91%
female: 88% (1980 est.)

Government Micronesia, Federated States of

Country name:
conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia
conventional short form: none
abbreviation: FSM
former: Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts (Trust Territory of the
Pacific Islands)

Government type:
constitutional government in free association with the US; the
Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 and
the Amended Compact entered into force May 2004

Capital:
Palikir

Administrative divisions:
4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap

Independence:
3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)

National holiday:
Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

Constitution:
10 May 1979

Legal system:
based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature,
municipal, common, and customary laws

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003);
Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May
2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from
among the four senators at large for four-year terms; election last
held 11 May 2003 (next to be held NA May 2007); note - a proposed
constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for
president and vice president failed
election results: Joseph J. URUSEMAL elected president; percent of
Congress vote - NA; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percent
of Congress vote - NA

Legislative branch:
unicameral Congress (14 seats; four - one elected from each state
to serve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-member
districts delineated by population to serve two-year terms; members
elected by popular vote)
elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003
(next to be held NA March 2007); elections for two-year term seats
last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2005)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 14

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
no formal parties

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, ITU,
MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAU telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383 consulate(s) general: Honolulu and Tamuning (Guam) FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391 chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Suzanne K. HALE embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia 96941 telephone: [691] 320-2187 FAX: [691] 320-2186

Flag description:
light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars
are arranged in a diamond pattern

Economy Micronesia, Federated States of

Economy - overview:
Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and
fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting,
except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist
industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate
facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. In
November 2002, the country experienced a further reduction in future
revenues from the Compact of Free Association - the agreement with
the US in which Micronesia received $1.3 billion in financial and
technical assistance over a 15-year period until 2001. The country's
medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the
reduction in US assistance but also to the slow growth of the
private sector. Geographical isolation and a poorly developed
infrastructure remain major impediments to long-term growth.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $277 million
note: GDP is supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100
million annually (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 50% industry: 4% services: 46% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
26.7%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
NA (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
two-thirds are government employees

Unemployment rate:
16% (1999 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $161 million ($69 million less grants)
expenditures: $160 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1998 est.)

Agriculture - products:
black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava
(tapioca), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens

Industries:
tourism, construction, fish processing, specialized aquaculture,
craft items from shell, wood, and pearls

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Exports:
$22 million (f.o.b.) (FY99/00 est.)

Exports - commodities:
fish, garments, bananas, black pepper

Exports - partners:
Japan, US, Guam (2000)

Imports:
$149 million f.o.b. (FY99/00 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages

Imports - partners:
US, Australia, Japan (2000)

Debt - external:
$53.1 million (FY02/03 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US pledged $1.3
billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001

Currency:
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications Micronesia, Federated States of

Telephones - main lines in use:
10,100 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,800 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used
mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground
stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; cellular service
available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap
international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
9,400 (1996)

Television broadcast stations:
3; note - cable TV also available (2004)

Televisions:
2,800 (1999)

Internet country code:
.fm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
6,000 (2002)

Transportation Micronesia, Federated States of

Highways: total: 240 km paved: 42 km unpaved: 198 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Colonia (Yap), Kolonia (Pohnpei), Lele, Moen

Merchant marine:
none (2004 est.)

Airports:
6 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Micronesia, Federated States of

Military - note:
Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a sovereign, self-governing
state in free association with the US; FSM is totally dependent on
the US for its defense

Transnational Issues Micronesia, Federated States of

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Midway Islands

Introduction Midway Islands

Background:
The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867. The laying of
the trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the islands, brought
the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947, Midway was used
as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The US naval victory
over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of the turning
points of World War II. The islands continued to serve as a naval
station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a national
wildlife refuge. From 1996 to 2001 the refuge was open to the
public; it is now temporarily closed.

Geography Midway Islands

Location:
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the
way from Honolulu to Tokyo

Geographic coordinates:
28 13 N, 177 22 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 6.2 sq km
note: includes Eastern Island, Sand Island, and Spit Island
water: 0 sq km
land: 6.2 sq km

Area - comparative:
about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
15 km

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

Climate:
subtropical; moderated by prevailing easterly winds

Terrain:
low, nearly level

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 13 m

Natural resources: wildlife, terrestrial and aquatic

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge and open to the
public for wildlife-related recreation in the form of wildlife
observation and photography, sport fishing, snorkeling, and scuba
diving; the refuge is temporarily closed for reorganization at
present (2004)

People Midway Islands

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants; approximately 40 people make up the
staff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services contractor
living at the atoll (July 2004 est.)

Government Midway Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Midway Islands

Dependency status:
unincorporated territory of the US; formerly administered from
Washington, DC, by the US Navy, under Naval Facilities Engineering
Command, Pacific Division; this facility has been operationally
closed since 10 September 1993; on 31 October 1996, through a
presidential executive order, the jurisdiction and control of the
atoll was transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US
Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge
system

Legal system:
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of the US is used

Economy Midway Islands

Economy - overview:
The economy is based on providing support services for the national
wildlife refuge activities located on the islands. All food and
manufactured goods must be imported.

Transportation Midway Islands

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors:
Sand Island

Airports:
3 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Transportation - note:
airfield serves as an emergency landing site for commercial
aircraft crossing the Pacific Ocean

Military Midway Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Midway Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Moldova

Introduction Moldova

Background:
Formerly part of Romania, Moldova was incorporated into the Soviet
Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from the
USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory
east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority
population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a
"Transnistria" republic. The poorest nation in Europe, Moldova
became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its
president in 2001.

Geography Moldova

Location:
Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Geographic coordinates:
47 00 N, 29 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 33,843 sq km
water: 472 sq km
land: 33,371 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 1,389 km border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
moderate winters, warm summers

Terrain:
rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dniester River 2 m highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Natural resources: lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone

Land use: arable land: 55.3% permanent crops: 10.79% other: 33.91% (2001)

Irrigated land:
3,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
landslides (57 cases in 1998)

Environment - current issues: heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and
minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

People Moldova

Population:
4,446,455 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.6% (male 466,485; female 449,645)
15-64 years: 69.1% (male 1,478,220; female 1,595,695)
65 years and over: 10.3% (male 169,026; female 287,384) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 32.1 years
male: 29.9 years
female: 34.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.18% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
14.81 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
12.76 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 41 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 37.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 43.96 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.03 years
male: 60.88 years
female: 69.39 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 300 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Moldovan(s)
adjective: Moldovan

Ethnic groups:
Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Jewish 1.5%,
Bulgarian 2%, Gagauz and other 5.2% (1989 est.)
note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region

Religions:
Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)

Languages:
Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language),
Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.1%
male: 99.6%
female: 98.7% (2003 est.)

Government Moldova

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Moldova
conventional short form: Moldova
local long form: Republica Moldova
former: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic; Moldovan Soviet
Socialist Republic
local short form: none

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Chisinau

Administrative divisions:
32 raions (raioane, singular - raionul), 3 municipalities
(municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala
autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala)
: counties: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir,
Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari,
Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova,
Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti,
Soroca, Stefan-Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni
: municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau
: territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului
: autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia

Independence:
27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

Constitution:
new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet
constitution of 1979

Legal system:
based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of
legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; it is
unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but accepts
many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) documents

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001)
elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term;
election last held 4 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2005); note -
presidential elections were scheduled for December 2000, but in July
2000, Parliament canceled direct, popular elections; Parliament's
failure to choose a new president in December 2000 led to early
parliamentary elections in February 2001; prime minister designated
by the president, upon consultation with Parliament; note - within
15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request
a vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work
program and entire cabinet; prime minister designated 15 April 2001,
cabinet received a vote of confidence 19 April 2001
election results: Vladimir VORONIN elected president; parliamentary
votes - Vladimir VORONIN 71, Dumitru BRAGHIS 15, Valerian CRISTEA 3;
Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of
confidence - 75 of 101
cabinet: selected by president, subject to approval of Parliament
head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April
2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasile IOVV (since 29 January
2002)

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and
electoral blocs elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - PCRM 50.1%, Braghis
Alliance (now Our Moldova Alliance) 13.4%, PPCD 8.2%, other parties
28.3%; seats by party - PCRM 71, Braghis Alliance (now Our Moldova
Alliance) 19, PPCD 11

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for
constitutional judicature)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Modova Bloc [Serafim URECHEANU] includes: Democratic
Party [Dumitru DIACOV], Our Moldova Alliance [Dumitru BRAGHIS,
Serafim URECHEANU], Social Liberal Party [Oleg SEREBRIAN]; Communist
Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN, first
chairman]; Popular Christian Democratic Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OPCW, OSCE, PFP,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mihail MANOLI FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204 telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Heather M. HODGES embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [373] (22) 408-300 FAX: [373] (22) 23-30-44

Flag description:
same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of blue
(hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a
Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons
carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its
right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast
is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox
head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow

Economy Moldova

Economy - overview:
Moldova remains the poorest country in Europe despite recent
progress from its small economic base. It enjoys a favorable climate
and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result,
the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits,
vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import almost all of its
energy supplies from Russia. Energy shortages contributed to sharp
production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.
As part of an ambitious reform effort, Moldova introduced a
convertible currency, freed prices, stopped issuing preferential
credits to state enterprises, backed steady land privatization,
removed export controls, and freed interest rates. The government
entered into agreements with the World Bank and the IMF to promote
growth and reduce poverty. The economy returned to positive growth,
of 2.1% in 2000, 6.1% in 2001, 7.2% in 2002, and 6.3% in 2003.
Further reforms will come slowly because of strong political forces
backing government controls. The economy remains vulnerable to
higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of
foreign investors.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $7.792 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 21% industry: 27% services: 52% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
17.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
80% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40.6 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
1.383 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 40%, industry 14%, services 46% (1998)

Unemployment rate:
8% (roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad) (2002
est.)

Budget:
revenues: $474.8 million
expenditures: $443.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
88.4% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed,
tobacco; beef, milk

Industries:
food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment,
refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar,
vegetable oil, shoes, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
17% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
3.394 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
3.216 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
60 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$-135 million (2003)

Exports:
$790 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
foodstuffs, textiles, machinery

Exports - partners:
Russia 39%, Romania 11.4%, Italy 10.4%, Germany 7.1%, Ukraine 7.1%,
Belarus 5.2%, US 4.3% (2003)

Imports:
$1.34 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
mineral products and fuel 32%, machinery and equipment, chemicals,
textiles (2000)

Imports - partners:
Ukraine 22%, Russia 13%, Germany 9.7%, Italy 8.3%, Romania 7% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$302.3 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.515 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
$100 million (2000)

Currency:
Moldovan leu (MDL)

Currency code:
MDL

Exchange rates:
lei per US dollar - 13.9449 (2003), 13.5705 (2002), 12.8651 (2001),
12.4342 (2000), 10.5158 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Moldova

Telephones - main lines in use:
706,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
338,200 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside
Chisinau; some effort to modernize is under way
domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile
cellular telephone service being introduced
international: country code - 373; service through Romania and
Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat,
and Intersputnik

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
3.22 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
1.26 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.md

Internet hosts:
11,984 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (1999)

Internet users:
150,000 (2002)

Transportation Moldova

Railways:
total: 1,138 km
broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge
standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 12,657 km
paved: 11,012 km
unpaved: 1,645 km (1999)

Waterways:
424 km (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 606 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
none

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,636 GRT/1,088 DWT
foreign-owned: 2 Russia 1
registered in other countries: 4
by type: cargo 1

Airports:
24 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 11 (2003 est.)

Military Moldova

Military branches:
National Army: Ground Forces, Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; national service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,186,818 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 942,071 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 44,466 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$9.5 million (FY03)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Moldova

Disputes - international:
difficulties with the Transnistria region complicate controlling
border crossing and customs regimes with Ukraine, despite
concordance on 2003 delimitation and customs protocols and OSCE
assistance

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 1,000 (internal secessionist uprising in Transdniestrian
region in 1991) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for CIS
consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest
Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and possibly the
US; widespread crime and underground economic activity

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Monaco

Introduction Monaco

Background:
Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with a
railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since then,
the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and gambling
facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and recreation
center.

Geography Monaco

Location:
Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the southern
coast of France, near the border with Italy

Geographic coordinates:
43 44 N, 7 24 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 1.95 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1.95 sq km

Area - comparative:
about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 4.4 km border countries: France 4.4 km

Coastline:
4.1 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers

Terrain:
hilly, rugged, rocky

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mont Agel 140 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See);
almost entirely urban

People Monaco

Population:
32,270 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.5% (male 2,554; female 2,453)
15-64 years: 62.1% (male 9,860; female 10,165)
65 years and over: 22.4% (male 2,959; female 4,279) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 45.1 years
male: 43.1 years
female: 47.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.44% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
9.36 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
12.74 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
7.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.42 years
male: 75.53 years
female: 83.5 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.76 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s)
adjective: Monegasque or Monacan

Ethnic groups:
French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 90%

Languages:
French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99% male: NA female: NA

Government Monaco

Country name:
conventional long form: Principality of Monaco
conventional short form: Monaco
local short form: Monaco
local long form: Principaute de Monaco

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Monaco

Administrative divisions:
none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined
by the US Government, but there are four quarters (quartiers,
singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville,
Monte-Carlo

Independence:
1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi)

National holiday:
National Day (Prince of Monaco Holiday), 19 November

Constitution:
17 December 1962

Legal system:
based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Prince RAINIER III (since 9 May 1949); Heir
Apparent Prince ALBERT Alexandre Louis Pierre, son of the monarch
(born 14 March 1958)
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state
appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national
candidates presented by the French Government
cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch
head of government: Minister of State Patrick LECLERCQ (since 5
January 2000)

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Council or Conseil National (24 seats; 16
members elected by list majority system, 8 by proportional
representation; to serve five-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
UNAM 21, UND 3
elections: last held 9 February 2003 (next to be held NA February
2008)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the monarch
on the basis of nominations by the National Council)

Political parties and leaders:
National and Democratic Union or UND [Jean-Louis CAMPORA]; Union
for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of Monaco
or UNAM [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, CE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFRCS, IHO,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNITAR, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
Monaco does not have an embassy in the US
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Consul General in
Marseille (France) is accredited to Monaco

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the
flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which is
white (top) and red

Economy Monaco

Economy - overview:
Monaco, bordering France on the Mediterranean coast, is a popular
resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. In
2001, a major construction project extended the pier used by cruise
ships in the main harbor. The principality has successfully sought
to diversify into services and small, high-value-added, nonpolluting
industries. The state has no income tax and low business taxes and
thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who have established
residence and for foreign companies that have set up businesses and
offices. The state retains monopolies in a number of sectors,
including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal service.
Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in prosperous
French metropolitan areas. Monaco does not publish national income
figures; the estimates below are extremely rough.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $870 million (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $27,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA (2000)

Labor force:
30,540 (January 1994)

Unemployment rate:
3.1% (1998)

Budget:
revenues: $518 million
expenditures: $531 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1995)

Agriculture - products:
none

Industries:
tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer products

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Electricity - imports:
NA kWh
note: electricity supplied by France

Exports:
$NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and
rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market
system through customs union with France

Imports:
$NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and
rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market
system through customs union with France

Debt - external:
NA (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency:
euro (EUR)

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.8860 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Monaco

Telephones - main lines in use:
33,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
19,300 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern automatic telephone system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 377; no satellite earth stations;
connected by cable into the French communications system

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM NA, shortwave 8 (1998)

Radios:
34,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
5 (1998)

Televisions:
25,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.mc

Internet hosts:
533 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
16,000 (2002)

Transportation Monaco

Highways: total: 50 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Monaco

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
none; linked to the airport at Nice, France by helicopter service
(2003) (2003 est.)

Heliports:
1 (shuttle service between the international airport at Nice,
France, and Monaco's heliport at Fontvieille) (2003 est.)

Military Monaco

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Monaco

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Mongolia

Introduction Mongolia

Background:
The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under Chinggis
KHAN they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After his death the
empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but these
broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually retired to
their original steppe homelands and later came under Chinese rule.
Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A
Communist regime was installed in 1924. During the early 1990s, the
ex-Communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually
yielded its monopoly on power to the Democratic Union Coalition
(DUC), which defeated the MPRP in a national election in 1996. Since
then, parliamentary elections returned the MPRP overwhelmingly to
power in 2000 and produced a coalition government in 2004.

Geography Mongolia

Location:
Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Geographic coordinates:
46 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 1,564,116 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries: total: 8,220 km border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,543 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)

Terrain:
vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west
and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m
highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m

Natural resources:
oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel,
zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron

Land use: arable land: 0.77% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.23% (2001)

Irrigated land:
840 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud," which
is harsh winter conditions

Environment - current issues:
limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; the policies
of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and
industrial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the
burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of
environmental laws severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar;
deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land to
agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain;
desertification and mining activities had a deleterious effect on
the environment

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

Geography - note:
landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

People Mongolia

Population:
2,751,314 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.7% (male 415,735; female 400,560)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 916,445; female 918,235)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 43,205; female 57,134) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 23.9 years
male: 23.6 years
female: 24.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.43% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
21.44 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 55.45 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 51.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 58.97 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.17 years
male: 61.97 years
female: 66.48 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.27 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 500 (2003 est)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Mongolian(s)
adjective: Mongolian

Ethnic groups:
Mongol (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%, Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%, other
(including Chinese and Russian) 0.1% (2000)

Religions:
Buddhist Lamaist 50%, none 40%, Shamanist and Christian 6%, Muslim
4% (2004)

Languages:
Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8%
male: 98%
female: 97.5% (2002)

Government Mongolia

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Mongolia
local short form: Mongol Uls
former: Outer Mongolia
local long form: none

Government type:
mixed parliamentary/presidential

Capital:
Ulaanbaatar

Administrative divisions:
21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1 municipality*
(singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan
Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan, Govi-Altay, Govi-Sumber,
Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay, Selenge,
Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs

Independence:
11 July 1921 (from China)

National holiday:
Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)

Constitution:
12 February 1992

Legal system:
blend of Soviet, German, and US systems that combine "continental"
or "civil" code and case-precedent; constitution ambiguous on
judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (since 20 June 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Tsakhiagiyn ELBEGDORJ (since 20
August 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Chultem ULAAN (since 28
September 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural (parliament) in
consultation with the president
elections: presidential candidates nominated by political parties
represented in State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a
four-year term; presidential tenure limited to two four-year terms;
election last held 20 May 2001 (next to be held in May 2005);
following legislative elections, leader of majority party or
majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by State Great
Hural; election last held 27 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008)
election results: Natsagiyn BAGABANDI reelected president in 2001;
percent of vote - Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (MPRP) 58.13%,
Radnaasumbereliyn GONCHIGDORJ (DP) 36.58%, Luvsandamba DASHNYAM
(CWP) 3.54%, other 1.75%; Tsakkhiagiyn ELBEGDORJ elected prime
minister by the State Great Hural 74 to 0

Legislative branch:
unicameral State Great Hural 76 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms
elections: last held 27 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - MPRP 48.78%, MDC 44.8%,
independents 3.5%, Republican Party 1.5%, others 1%; seats by party
- MPRP 36, MDC 34, others 4; note - following the June 2004
election, two seats in dispute and unoccupied

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people's and provincial
courts but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts; judges are
nominated by the General Council of Courts and approved by the
president)

Political parties and leaders:
Citizens' Will Republican Party or CWRP (also called Civil Courage
Republican Party or CCRP) [Sanjaasurengiin OYUN]; Democratic Party
or DP [R. GONCHIKDORJ]; Motherland-Mongolian New Socialist
Democratic Party or M-MNSDP [B. ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian People's
Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR]; Mongolian
Republican Party or MRP [B. JARGALSAIKHAN]
note: DP and M-MNSDP formed Motherland-Democracy Coalition (MDC) in
2003 and with CWRP contested June 2004 elections as single party;
MDC's leadership dissolved coalition in December 2004

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ARF, AsDB, CP, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,
MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SCO (observer), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ravdangiyn BOLD
chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227
telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela J. SLUTZ
embassy: Micro Region 11, Big Ring Road, C.P.O. 1021, Ulaanbaatar 13
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002
telephone: [976] (11) 329095
FAX: [976] (11) 320776

Flag description:
three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and red;
centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national emblem
("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric
representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang
symbol)

Economy Mongolia

Economy - overview:
Economic activity traditionally has been based on agriculture and
breeding of livestock. Mongolia also has extensive mineral deposits;
copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold account for a
large part of industrial production. Soviet assistance, at its
height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990-91 at
the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. Mongolia was driven into
deep recession, prolonged by the Mongolian People's Revolutionary
Party's (MPRP) reluctance to undertake serious economic reform. The
Democratic Union Coalition (DUC) government embraced free-market
economics, eased price controls, liberalized domestic and
international trade, and attempted to restructure the banking system
and the energy sector. Major domestic privatization programs were
undertaken, as well as the fostering of foreign investment through
international tender of the oil distribution company, a leading
cashmere company, and banks. Reform was held back by the
ex-Communist MPRP opposition and by the political instability
brought about through four successive governments under the DUC.
Economic growth picked up in 1997-99 after stalling in 1996 due to a
series of natural disasters and declines in world prices of copper
and cashmere. In August and September 1999, the economy suffered
from a temporary Russian ban on exports of oil and oil products, and
Mongolia remains vulnerable in this sector. Mongolia joined the
World Trade Organization (WTrO) in 1997. The international donor
community pledged over $300 million per year at the Consultative
Group Meeting, held in Ulaanbaatar in June 1999. The MPRP
government, elected in July 2000, was anxious to improve the
investment climate; it also had to deal with a heavy burden of
external debt. Falling prices for Mongolia's mainly primary sector
exports, widespread opposition to privatization, and adverse effects
of weather on agriculture in early 2000 and 2001 restrained real GDP
growth. Despite drought problems in 2002, GDP rose 4.0%, followed by
a solid 5.0% increase in 2003. The first applications under the land
privatization law have been marked by a number of disputes over
particular sites. Russia claims Mongolia owes it $11 billion from
the Soviet period; any settlement could substantially increase
Mongolia's foreign debt burden.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $4.882 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20.6% industry: 21.4% services: 58% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 33% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 37% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
44 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
1.4 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation: herding/agriculture 46%, manufacturing 6%, trade 10.3%, public sector 4.7%, other/unemployed 33% (2001)

Unemployment rate:
4.6% (2001)

Budget:
revenues: $387 million
expenditures: $428 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2001 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, potatoes, forage crops, sheep, goats, cattle,
camels, horses

Industries:
construction materials; mining (coal, copper, molybdenum,
fluorspar, and gold); oil; food and beverages; processing of animal
products

Industrial production growth rate:
4.1% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
2.225 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
2.194 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
25 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
196 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
8,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$524 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
copper, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides,
fluorspar, other nonferrous metals

Exports - partners:
China 46.1%, US 23.2%, Russia 6.7%, Singapore 5.7%, Australia 5.5%,
UK 4.2% (2003)

Imports:
$691 million c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels, food products, industrial consumer
goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea

Imports - partners:
Russia 33.1%, China 21.5%, South Korea 8.5%, Japan 7.9%, Germany
4.7% (2003)

Debt - external:
$885 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$332 million (2003 est.)

Currency:
togrog/tugrik (MNT)

Currency code:
MNT

Exchange rates:
togrogs/tugriks per US dollar - 1,171 (2003), 1,110.31 (2002),
1,097.7 (2001), 1,076.67 (2000), 1,021.87 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Mongolia

Telephones - main lines in use:
128,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
216,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: very low density: about 3.5 telephones for each
thousand persons
domestic: NA
international: country code - 976; satellite earth station - 1
Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 7, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
155,900 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
9 (plus 18 provincial repeaters and many low power repeaters) (2004)

Televisions:
168,800 (1999)

Internet country code:
.mn

Internet hosts:
40 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2001)

Internet users:
50,000 (2002)

Transportation Mongolia

Railways: 1,810 km broad gauge: 1,810 km 1.524-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 49,250 km paved: 1,724 km unpaved: 47,526 km (2003)

Waterways:
580 km
note: only waterway in operation is Lake Khovsgol (135 km); Selenge
River (270 km) and Orkhon River (175 km) are navigable but carry
little traffic; lakes and rivers freeze in winter, are open from May
to September (2004)

Ports and harbors:
none

Merchant marine:
total: 65 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 339,423 GRT/533,853 DWT
foreign-owned: Belize 1, Cambodia 1, China 4, Cuba 1, Hong Kong 2,
Indonesia 1, Japan 1, North Korea 1, Lebanon 1, Malaysia 1, Malta 1,
Marshall Islands 5, Moldova 1, Panama 3, Romania 1, Russia 14,
Singapore 13, Syria 4, Thailand 1, Turkey 1, Ukraine 1, United
States 3, Vietnam 4 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 4, cargo 53, chemical tanker 1, container 2, liquefied
gas 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, specialized tanker 1

Airports:
36 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 25
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
under 914 m: 5 (2003 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
over 3,047 m: 2

Heliports:
2 (2003 est.)

Military Mongolia

Military branches:
Mongolian People's Army (comprising Ground Forces, Air Defense
Forces), Border Guards, Internal Security Forces, Construction Corps
Forces, Civil Defense Authority

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 818,977 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 530,594 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 33,718 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$23.1 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Mongolia

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Montserrat

Introduction Montserrat

Background:
Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the population
fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano
that began on 18 July 1995.

Geography Montserrat

Location:
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:
16 45 N, 62 12 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 102 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 102 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
40 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) 914 m

Natural resources: negligible

Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere
Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995)

Environment - current issues:
land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation

Geography - note:
the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active
volcanoes

People Montserrat

Population:
9,245
note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the
resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned
(July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.3% (male 1,092; female 1,062)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 2,889; female 3,162)
65 years and over: 11.2% (male 543; female 497) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 28.2 years
male: 28 years
female: 28.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.03% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
17.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.09 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.56 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.53 years
male: 76.39 years
female: 80.78 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality: noun: Montserratian(s) adjective: Montserratian

Ethnic groups:
black, white

Religions:
Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day
Adventist, other Christian denominations

Languages:
English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 97% (1970 est.)

Government Montserrat

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

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim
government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in the Carr's
Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat)

Administrative divisions:
3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution:
present constitution came into force 19 December 1989

Legal system:
English common law and statutory law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor Deborah Barnes JONES (since 10 May 2004)
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the
monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party usually becomes chief minister
head of government: Chief Minister John OSBORNE (since 5 April 2001)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief
minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the
finance secretary

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected;
members serve five-year terms)
note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney
general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members
elections: last held April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006)
note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single
constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast
ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NPLM 7, NPP 2

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

Political parties and leaders:
National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New People's
Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Caricom, CDB, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU

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

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

Flag description:
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the
flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow
harp with her arm around a black cross

Economy Montserrat

Economy - overview:
Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a
damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June
1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and
social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the
island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited
the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the
lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops.
Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation
to the volcano and on public sector construction activity. The UK
has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help
reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain
uninhabitable for another decade.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $29 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.4%
industry: 13.6%
services: 81% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.6% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
4,521 ; note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity
(2000 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
6% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $31.4 million
expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4
million (1997 est.)

Agriculture - products: cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, livestock products

Industries:
tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
2.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
2.325 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$700,000 (2001)

Exports - commodities:
electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, live
plants, cattle

Exports - partners:
US, Antigua and Barbuda

Imports:
$17 million (2001)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured
goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials

Imports - partners:
US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada

Debt - external:
$8.9 million (1997)

Economic aid - recipient:
As of 31 March 2003, UK's DFID had provided about $328 million in
economic relief from volcanic activity, and by 31 March 2006, DFID
aid is expected to total $411 million.

Currency:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
XCD

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

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Montserrat

Telephones - main lines in use:
NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
70 (1994)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-664

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
7,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)

Televisions:
3,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ms

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
17 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Montserrat

Highways:
total: 227 km
paved: NA km
note: volcanic eruptions beginning in 1995 destroyed most of the
road system (2003)
unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors:
Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing),
Carr's Bay

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Montserrat

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Montserrat

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the
US and Europe

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Morocco

Introduction Morocco

Background:
Morocco's long struggle for independence from France ended in 1956.
The internationalized city of Tangier was turned over to the new
country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara
during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the
territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s
resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature in 1997.
Parliamentary elections were held for the second time in September
2002 and municipal elections were held in September 2003.

Geography Morocco

Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the
Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates:
32 00 N, 5 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 446,550 sq km
land: 446,300 sq km
water: 250 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
total: 2,017.9 km
border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain
(Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km

Coastline:
1,835 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior

Terrain:
northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of
bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m
highest point: Jbel Toubkal 4,165 m

Natural resources:
phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt

Land use: arable land: 19.61% permanent crops: 2.17% other: 78.22% (2001)

Irrigated land:
12,910 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to
earthquakes; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation); water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs; oil pollution of coastal waters

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,
Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

People Morocco

Population:
32,209,101 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 32.6% (male 5,355,388; female 5,156,762)
15-64 years: 62.5% (male 10,013,466; female 10,112,060)
65 years and over: 4.9% (male 692,465; female 878,960) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 23.3 years
male: 22.8 years
female: 23.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.61% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
22.79 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.71 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 43.25 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 39.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 47.09 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.35 years
male: 68.06 years
female: 72.74 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.81 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
13,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Moroccan(s)
adjective: Moroccan

Ethnic groups:
Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

Religions:
Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Languages:
Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of
business, government, and diplomacy

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 51.7%
male: 64.1%
female: 39.4% (2003 est.)

Government Morocco

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco
conventional short form: Morocco
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah
local short form: Al Maghrib

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Rabat

Administrative divisions:
16 regions: Casablanca, Chaouia-Ourdigha, Doukkala-Abda,
Fes-Boulmane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara,
Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz,
Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira,
Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal,
Tangier-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate

Independence:
2 March 1956 (from France)

National holiday:
Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July
(1999)

Constitution:
10 March 1972, revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create
bicameral legislature) September 1996

Legal system:
based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law system;
judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of
Supreme Court

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)

Executive branch:
chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 30 July 1999)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
by the monarch following legislative elections
head of government: Prime Minister Driss JETTOU (since 9 October
2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Chamber of
Counselors (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils,
professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year
terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three years) and a
lower house or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats; 295 by
multi-seat constituencies and 30 from national lists of women;
members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 6 October 2003 (next to
be held NA 2006); Chamber of Representatives - last held 27
September 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - RNI 42, MDS 33, UC 28, MP 27, PND 21, PI 21,
USFP 16, MNP 15, PA 13, FFD 12, other 42; Chamber of Representatives
- percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - USFP 50, PI 48,
PJD 42, RNI 41, MP 27, MNP 18, UC 16, PND 12, PPS 11, UD 10, other 50

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of the
Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Alliance of Liberties or
ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or Annahj [Abdellah EL HARIF];
Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS [Ahmed BENJELLOUN];
Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizen's Initiatives
for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional Union or UC
[Mohamed ABIED (interim)]; Democratic and Independence Party or PDI
[Abdelwahed MAACH]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud
ARCHANE]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Aissa OUARDIGHI];
Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and Development
Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of Democratic Forces or FFD
[Thami EL KHYARI]; Istiqlal Party (Independence Party) or PI [Abbas
El FASSI]; Justice and Development Party or PJD [Saad Eddine
OTHMANI]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohamed ZIANE]; National
Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI]; National Ittihadi
Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; National Popular
Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents
or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP
[Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd or Al Ahd [Najib EL OUAZZANI,
chairman]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI];
Party of Renewal and Equity or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Party of the
Unified Socialist Left or GSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]; Popular
Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Reform and Development Party or
PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Social Center Party or PSC [Lahcen
MADIH]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Mohammed
El-YAZGHI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General
Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan
Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National Labor Union
of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan Workers or
UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK]

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA,
MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner),
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161 telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 through 7982 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas T. RILEY embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 09718 telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65 FAX: [212] (37) 76 56 61 consulate(s) general: Casablanca

Flag description:
red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as
Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; red and green
are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red is
more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian gulf;
design dates to 1912

Economy Morocco

Economy - overview:
Morocco faces the problems typical of developing countries -
restraining government spending, reducing constraints on private
activity and foreign trade, and achieving sustainable economic
growth. Despite structural adjustment programs supported by the IMF,
the World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is only fully
convertible for current account transactions. Reforms of the
financial sector are being contemplated. Droughts depressed activity
in the key agricultural sector and contributed to a stagnant economy
in 2002. Morocco reported large foreign exchange inflows from the
sale of a mobile telephone license, and partial privatization of the
state-owned telecommunications company and the state tobacco
company. Favorable rainfall in 2003 led to a growth of 6%.
Formidable long-term challenges include: preparing the economy for
freer trade with the EU and US, improving education, and attracting
foreign investment to boost living standards and job prospects for
Morocco's youth.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $128.3 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22.9% industry: 35.5% services: 41.5% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
21.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
19% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39.5 (1998-99)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.2% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
10.84 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 40%, industry 15%, services 45% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
19% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $13.8 billion
expenditures: $14 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.1
billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
76.2% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock

Industries:
phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather
goods, textiles, construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
13.35 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
14.61 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
2.2 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
167,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
900,000 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
665.4 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$963 million (2003)

Exports:
$8.466 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals,
fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products, fruits,
vegetables

Exports - partners:
France 26.5%, Spain 16.7%, UK 7.2%, Germany 5.2%, Italy 5%, US 4%
(2003)

Imports:
$12.75 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment,
wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics

Imports - partners:
France 20.6%, Spain 12.4%, Italy 7.1%, Germany 5.2%, Saudi Arabia
5%, Russia 4.9%, US 4.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$14.08 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$17.32 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$565.6 million (1995)

Currency:
Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Currency code:
MAD

Exchange rates:
Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 9.5744 (2003), 11.0206 (2002),
11.303 (2001), 10.6256 (2000), 9.8044 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Morocco

Telephones - main lines in use:
1,219,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
7,332,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system with all important capabilities;
however, density is low with only 4.6 main lines available for each
100 persons
domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and
microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive;
principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national
network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural
service employs microwave radio relay
international: country code - 212; 7 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat;
microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara;
coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in
Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and
Tunisia (1998)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998)

Radios:
6.64 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.ma

Internet hosts:
3,627 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
8 (2000)

Internet users:
800,000 (2003)

Transportation Morocco

Railways: total: 1,907 km standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 57,707 km
paved: 32,547 km (including 481 km of expressways)
unpaved: 25,160 km (2000)

Pipelines:
gas 695 km; oil 285 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Agadir, El Jadida, Casablanca, El Jorf Lasfar, Kenitra, Mohammedia,
Nador, Rabat, Safi, Tangier; also Spanish-controlled Ceuta and
Melilla

Merchant marine:
total: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 236,131 GRT/252,367 DWT
by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 7, container 7, petroleum tanker
1, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 5, short-sea/passenger 2
foreign-owned: France 1, Germany 2, Greece 1, Hong Kong 1,
Netherlands 2, Norway 2, United Kingdom 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
64 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 25 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 38
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 15

Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)

Military Morocco

Military branches:
Royal Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 8,788,971 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 5,529,267 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 352,711 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$2,297.2 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4.8% (2003)

Transnational Issues Morocco

Disputes - international:
claims and administers Western Sahara whose sovereignty remains
unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since
September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and
parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; Morocco
protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta,
Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de
Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; Morocco also
rejected Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the
Canary Islands in 2002 to set limits to undersea resource
exploration and refugee interdiction, but agreed in 2003 to discuss
a comprehensive maritime delimitation; Morocco serves as one of the
primary launching areas of illegal migration into Spain from North
Africa

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of hashish; shipments of hashish mostly directed
to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South America
destined for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Mozambique

Introduction Mozambique

Background:
Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a close with
independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by whites, economic
dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil
war hindered the country's development. The ruling Front for the
Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) party formally abandoned Marxism
in 1989, and a new constitution the following year provided for
multiparty elections and a free market economy. A UN-negotiated
peace agreement between FRELIMO and rebel Mozambique National
Resistance (RENAMO) forces ended the fighting in 1992. In December
2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim CHISSANO
steped down after 18 years in office. His newly elected successor,
Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, has promised to continue the sound economic
policies that have encouraged foreign investment.

Geography Mozambique

Location:
South-eastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between
South Africa and Tanzania

Geographic coordinates:
18 15 S, 35 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 801,590 sq km
water: 17,500 sq km
land: 784,090 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 4,571 km
border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland
105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km

Coastline:
2,470 km

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

Climate:
tropical to subtropical

Terrain:
mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in
northwest, mountains in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m

Natural resources:
coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite

Land use: arable land: 5.1% permanent crops: 0.3% other: 94.6% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods occur in central
and southern provinces

Environment - current issues: a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant poaching for ivory is a problem

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

Geography - note:
the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most fertile part
of the country

People Mozambique

Population:
18,811,731
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected; the 1997
Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2004
est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.6% (male 4,126,178; female 4,074,759)
15-64 years: 53.6% (male 4,944,416; female 5,145,167)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 215,418; female 305,793) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.2 years
male: 17.8 years
female: 18.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.22% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
36.06 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
23.86 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 137.08 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 131.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 142.67 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 37.1 years
male: 37.83 years
female: 36.34 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
12.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.3 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
110,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, plague, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Mozambican(s)
adjective: Mozambican

Ethnic groups:
indigenous tribal groups 99.66% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, and
others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08%

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Languages:
Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, numerous other indigenous languages,
Portuguese (official; spoken by 27% of population as a second
language)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 47.8%
male: 63.5%
female: 32.7% (2003 est.)

Government Mozambique

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique
conventional short form: Mozambique
local short form: Mocambique
former: Portuguese East Africa
local long form: Republica de Mocambique

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Maputo

Administrative divisions:
10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city (cidade)*;
Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Cidade de Maputo*,
Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia

Independence:
25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 June (1975)

Constitution:
30 November 1990

Legal system:
based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Armando GUEBUZA (since 2 February 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Luisa DIOGO (since 17 February
2004)
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held December
2009); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Armando GUEBUZA elected president; percent of vote
- Armando GUEBUZA 63.7%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 31.7%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250
seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on a secret
ballot to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held December
2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - Frelimo 62%, Renamo
29.7%; seats by party - Frelimo 160, Renamo 90

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (the court of final appeal; some of its professional
judges are appointed by the president and some are elected by the
Assembly); other courts include an Administrative Court, customs
courts, maritime courts, courts marshal, labor courts
note: although the constitution provides for the creation of a
separate Constitutional Court, one has never been established; in
its absence the Supreme Court reviews constitutional cases

Political parties and leaders:
Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de
Mocambique) or Frelimo [Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO, president];
Mozambique National Resistance-Electoral Union (Resistencia Nacional
Mocambicana-Uniao Eleitoral) or Renamo-UE [Afonso DHLAKAMA,
president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Institute for Peace and Democracy (Instituto para Paz e Democracia)
or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS, president]; Etica [Abdul CARIMO Issa,
chairman]; Movement for Peace and Citizenship (Movimento para Paz e
Cidadania); Mozambican League of Human Rights (Liga Mocambicana dos
Direitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president]; Human Rights and
Development (Direitos Humanos e Desenvolvimento) or DHD [Artemisia
FRANCO, secretary general]

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
ONUB, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISET, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Armando PANGUENE chancery: 1990 M Street NW, Suite 570, Washington, DC 20036 FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245 telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Sharon P. WILKINSON
embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo
mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo
telephone: [258] (1) 492797
FAX: [258] (1) 490448

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow with
a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band is
edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointed
star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on an
open white book

Economy Mozambique

Economy - overview:
At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the world's poorest
countries. Socialist mismanagement and a brutal civil war from
1977-92 exacerbated the situation. In 1987, the government embarked
on a series of macroeconomic reforms designed to stabilize the
economy. These steps, combined with donor assistance and with
political stability since the multi-party elections in 1994, have
led to dramatic improvements in the country's growth rate. Inflation
was reduced to single digits during the late 1990s although it
returned to double digits in 2000-03. Fiscal reforms, including the
introduction of a value-added tax and reform of the customs service,
have improved the government's revenue collection abilities. In
spite of these gains, Mozambique remains dependent upon foreign
assistance for much of its annual budget, and the majority of the
population remains below the poverty line. Subsistence agriculture
continues to employ the vast majority of the country's workforce. A
substantial trade imbalance persists although the opening of the
MOZAL aluminum smelter, the country's largest foreign investment
project to date has increased export earnings. Additional investment
projects in titanium extraction and processing and garment
manufacturing should further close the import/export gap.
Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt has been reduced through
forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor
Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives, and is now at a
manageable level.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $21.23 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20.1% industry: 27.3% services: 52.7% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
47.8% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
70% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 31.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39.6 (1996-97)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
14% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
9.2 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 81%, industry 6%, services 13% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
21% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.089 billion
expenditures: $1.269 billion, including capital expenditures of
$479.4 million (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn,
coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes, sunflowers;
beef, poultry

Industries:
food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), aluminum,
petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
3.4% (2000)

Electricity - production:
7.193 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.39 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
5.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
500 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
8,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
63.71 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-566 million (2003)

Exports:
$795 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk
electricity

Exports - partners:
Belgium 26%, South Africa 14.4%, Italy 9.6%, Spain 9.5%, Germany
8.3%, Zimbabwe 4.7% (2003)

Imports:
$1.142 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products,
foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:
South Africa 26.3%, Australia 9.2%, US 3.9% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$990 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$966 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$632.8 million (2001)

Currency:
metical (MZM)

Currency code:
MZM

Exchange rates:
meticais per US dollar - 23,782.3 (2003), 23,678 (2002), 20,703.6
(2001), 15,447.1 (2000), 13,028.6 (1999)
note: effective October 2000, the exchange rate is determined as the
weighted average of buying and selling exchange rates of all
transactions of commercial banks and stock exchanges with the public

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Mozambique

Telephones - main lines in use:
83,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
428,900 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fair system but not available generally
(telephone density is only 16 telephones for each 1,000 persons)
domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunk
connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter
international: country code - 258; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001)

Radios:
730,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)

Televisions:
67,600 (2000)

Internet country code:
.mz

Internet hosts:
3,249 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
11 (2002)

Internet users:
50,000 (2002)

Transportation Mozambique

Railways: total: 3,123 km narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 30,400 km paved: 5,685 km unpaved: 24,715 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
460 km (Zambezi River navigable to Tete and along Cahora Bassa
Lake) (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 649 km; refined products 292 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Beira, Inhambane, Maputo, Nacala, Pemba, Quelimane

Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,125 GRT/7,024 DWT by type: cargo 3 foreign-owned: Belgium 2 (2004 est.)

Airports: 158 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 136 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 34 under 914 m: 87 (2004 est.)

Military Mozambique

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

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 4,335,294 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,485,197 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$101.3 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Mozambique

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
Southern African transit point for South Asian hashish, South Asian
heroin, and South American cocaine probably destined for the
European and South African markets; producer of cannabis (for local
consumption) and methaqualone (for export to South Africa);
corruption and poor regulatory capability makes the banking system
vulnerable to money laundering, but the lack of a well-developed
financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a
money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Namibia

Introduction Namibia

Background:
South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa during
World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War
II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-West
Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war
of independence for the area that was soon named Namibia, but it was
not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in
accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Namibia won
its independence in 1990 and has been governed by SWAPO since.
Hifikepunye POHAMBA was elected president in November 2004 in a
landslide victory replacing Sam NUJOMA who led the country during
its first 14 years of self rule.

Geography Namibia

Location:
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola
and South Africa

Geographic coordinates:
22 00 S, 17 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 825,418 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 825,418 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Land boundaries:
total: 3,936 km
border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa
967 km, Zambia 233 km

Coastline:
1,572 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Terrain:
mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in
east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m

Natural resources:
diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc,
salt, vanadium, natural gas, hydropower, fish
note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Land use:
arable land: 0.99%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.01% (2001)

Irrigated land:
70 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
prolonged periods of drought

Environment - current issues:
very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification;
wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas

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

Geography - note:
first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the
environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is
protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip

People Namibia

Population:
1,954,033
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.4% (male 419,700; female 409,156)
15-64 years: 54% (male 527,553; female 528,386)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 30,427; female 38,811) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.3 years
male: 18 years
female: 18.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.25% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
33.51 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
21.02 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 69.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 66.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 72.65 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 40.53 years
male: 42.36 years
female: 38.64 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.65 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
21.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
210,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
16,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Namibian(s)
adjective: Namibian

Ethnic groups:
black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5%
note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9%
to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups are: Herero 7%, Damara
7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

Religions:
Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs
10% to 20%

Languages:
English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the
population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%,
indigenous languages: Oshivambo, Herero, Nama

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84%
male: 84.4%
female: 83.7% (2003 est.)

Government Namibia

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Namibia
conventional short form: Namibia
former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Windhoek

Administrative divisions:
13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene,
Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa

Independence:
21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

Constitution:
ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990

Legal system:
based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since November 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Theo-Ben GURIRAB (since 28 August
2002)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
of the National Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 15 November 2004 (next to be held November 2009)
election results: Hifikepunye POHAMBA elected president; percent of
vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26 seats;
two members are chosen from each regional council to serve six-year
terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: National Council - elections for regional councils, to
determine members of the National Council, held 15-16 November 2004
(next to be held November 2009); National Assembly - last held 15-16
November 2004 (next to be held November 2009)
note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body
election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4, UDF 3, MAG 1, other 4

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)

Political parties and leaders:
Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic Turnhalle
Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA, president]; Monitor
Action Group or MAG [Kosie PRETORIUS]; South West Africa People's
Organization or SWAPO [Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA]; United Democratic
Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard Nangolo IIPUMBU chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443 telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kevin J. McGUIRE embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek telephone: [264] (61) 221601 FAX: [264] (61) 229792

Flag description:
a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper left
section and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower right
section; the triangles are separated by a red stripe that is
contrasted by two narrow white-edge borders

Economy Namibia

Economy - overview:
The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing
of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP. Rich
alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for
gem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of
nonfuel minerals in Africa, the world's fifth-largest producer of
uranium, and the producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin,
silver, and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the
population while about half of the population depends on subsistence
agriculture for its livelihood. Namibia normally imports about 50%
of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are a
major problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the
region, hides the great inequality of income distribution; nearly
one-third of Namibians had annual incomes of less than $1,400 in
constant 1994 dollars, according to a 1993 study. The Namibian
economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar
pegged to the South African rand. Privatization of several
enterprises in coming years may stimulate long-run foreign
investment. Mining of zinc, copper, and silver and increased fish
production led growth in 2003.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $13.85 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $7,200 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.5% industry: 29.8% services: 58.7% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
19.8% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
50% (2002 est.)

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

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
70 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.3% (2003)

Labor force:
760,000 (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 47%, industry 20%, services 33% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
35% (1998)

Budget:
revenues: $1.434 billion
expenditures: $1.62 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003)

Public debt:
35.6% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish

Industries:
meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamond,
lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
26.95 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
603.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
578 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
31.15 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$123 million (2003)

Exports:
$1.09 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed
fish, karakul skins

Exports - partners:
EU 79%, US 4% (2001)

Imports:
$1.371 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment,
chemicals

Imports - partners:
US 50%, EU 31% (2001)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$325.2 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.04 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA $160 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)

Currency code:
NAD; ZAR

Exchange rates:
Namibian dollars per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002),
8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Namibia

Telephones - main lines in use:
127,400 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
223,700 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each 100
persons
domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio
relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are
by open wire; 100% digital
international: country code - 264; fiber-optic cable to South
Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to
other neighboring countries; connected to Africa ONE and South
African Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa;
satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
232,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
60,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.na

Internet hosts:
3,164 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
65,000 (2003)

Transportation Namibia

Railways: total: 2,382 km narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 66,467 km paved: 9,172 km unpaved: 57,285 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Merchant marine:
none (2004 est.)

Airports:
136 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 21
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 115
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
914 to 1,523 m: 71
under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Military Namibia

Military branches:
Namibian Defense Force: Army (including Naval Wing, Air Wing),
Police

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 468,934 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 279,755 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$111.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.5% (2003)

Transnational Issues Namibia

Disputes - international:
commission established with Botswana to resolve small residual
disputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu marshlands
along the Linyanti River; Botswana residents protest Namibia's
planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric dam on Popa
Falls; managed dispute with South Africa over the location of the
boundary in the Orange River; Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and
Zimbabwe boundary convergence is not clearly defined or delimited;
Angolan rebels and refugees still reside in Namibia

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Nauru

Introduction Nauru

Background:
Nauru's phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th
century by a German-British consortium; the island was occupied by
Australian forces in World War I. Nauru achieved independence in
1968 and joined the UN in 1999. Nauru is the world's smallest
independent republic.

Geography Nauru

Location:
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall
Islands

Geographic coordinates:
0 32 S, 166 55 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 21 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 21 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
30 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:
tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to
February)

Terrain:
sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with
phosphate plateau in center

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m

Natural resources:
phosphates, fish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect
rainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination
plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainly
by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of
Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources

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

Geography - note:
Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and
Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator

People Nauru

Population:
12,809 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.2% (male 2,516; female 2,372)
15-64 years: 60% (male 3,782; female 3,898)
65 years and over: 1.9% (male 128; female 113) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 19.9 years
male: 19.5 years
female: 20.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.87% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
25.61 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.95 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 10.14 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 12.76 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.33 years
male: 58.78 years
female: 66.06 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.29 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Nauruan(s)
adjective: Nauruan

Ethnic groups:
Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%

Religions:
Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)

Languages:
Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English
widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and
commercial purposes

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

Government Nauru

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Nauru
conventional short form: Nauru
former: Pleasant Island

Government type:
republic

Capital:
no official capital; government offices in Yaren District

Administrative divisions:
14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada,
Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren

Independence:
31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN
trusteeship)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

Constitution:
29 January 1968

Legal system:
acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law

Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 26 October 2004);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term;
election last held 23 October 2004 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: Ludwig SCOTTY was unopposed in the parliamentary
elections for president
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
of Parliament
head of government: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 26 October 2004);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held not later than May
2006)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - Nauru First Party 3,
independents 15

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
loose multiparty system; Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru
Party (informal) [leader NA]; Naoero Amo (Nauru First) Party [leader
NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF,
Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
Nauru does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a UN office
at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, New York 10017; telephone:
(212) 937-0074
consulate(s): Hagatna (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji
is accredited to Nauru

Flag description:
blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and
a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side;
the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator
(the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original
tribes of Nauru

Economy Nauru

Economy - overview:
Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come from exports
of phosphates, but reserves are now depleted. Few other resources
exist with most necessities being imported, mainly from Australia,
its former occupier and later major source of support. The
rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from
phosphates are serious long-term problems. In anticipation of the
exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits, substantial amounts of
phosphate income have been invested in trust funds to help cushion
the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. As a result
of heavy spending from the trust funds, the government faces virtual
bankruptcy. To cut costs the government has called for a freeze on
wages, a reduction of over-staffed public service departments,
privatization of numerous government agencies, and closure of some
overseas consulates. In recent years Nauru has encouraged the
registration of offshore banks and corporations. In 2004 the
deterioration in housing, hospitals, and other capital plant
continued, and the cost to Australia of keeping the government and
economy afloat has substantially mounted. Few comprehensive
statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's GDP
varying widely.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $60 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

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

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-3.6% (1993)

Labor force - by occupation: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation

Unemployment rate:
0% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $23.4 million
expenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY95/96)

Agriculture - products:
coconuts

Industries:
phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
30 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
27.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$18 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
phosphates

Exports - partners:
Japan 42.3%, India 38.5%, South Korea 7.7% (2003)

Imports:
$31 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery

Imports - partners:
Australia 67.9%, Indonesia 10.7%, US 7.1% (2003)

Debt - external:
$33.3 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
$2.25 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.) (2000 est.)

Currency:
Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
AUD

Exchange rates:
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.2641 (2002)
1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Nauru

Telephones - main lines in use:
1,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,500 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone
communication provided via Australian facilities
domestic: NA
international: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

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

Radios:
7,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)

Televisions:
500 (1997)

Internet country code:
.nr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
300 (2002)

Transportation Nauru

Highways: total: 30 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 6 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Nauru

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Nauru

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 3,275 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,810 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Military - note:
Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement,
defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues Nauru

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
offshore banking recently stopped, remains on Financial Action Task
Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for continued
failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering control regime

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Navassa Island

Introduction Navassa Island

Background:
This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857 for its
guano. Mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The lighthouse,
built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration of Navassa
Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department of the
Interior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island described it as
a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the following year it
became a National Wildlife Refuge and annual scientific expeditions
have continued.

Geography Navassa Island

Location:
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, 35 miles west of Tiburon
Peninsula of Haiti

Geographic coordinates:
18 25 N, 75 02 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 5.4 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 5.4 sq km

Area - comparative:
about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
8 km

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

Climate:
marine, tropical

Terrain:
raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by
vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m

Natural resources:
guano

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo
Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock but with enough grassland to support
goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus

People Navassa Island

Population:
uninhabited
note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island
(July 2004 est.)

Government Navassa Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Navassa Island

Dependency status:
unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the Fish and
Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior, from the Caribbean
Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Boqueron, Puerto Rico; in
September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and maintenance of
Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse on the southern
side of the island; there has also been a private claim advanced
against the island

Legal system:
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of the US is used

Economy Navassa Island

Economy - overview:
Subsistence fishing and commercial trawling activities within
refuge waters.

Transportation Navassa Island

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Navassa Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Navassa Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Haiti, source of subsistence fishing

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Nepal

Introduction Nepal

Background:
In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule
by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of
government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy
within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist
insurgency, launched in 1996, has gained traction and is threatening
to bring down the regime, especially after a negotiated cease-fire
between the Maoists and government forces broke down in August 2003.
In 2001, the crown prince massacred ten members of the royal family,
including the king and queen, and then took his own life. In October
2002, the new king dismissed the prime minister and his cabinet for
"incompetence" after they dissolved the parliament and were
subsequently unable to hold elections because of the ongoing
insurgency. While stopping short of reestablishing parliament, the
king in June 2004 reinstated the most recently elected Prime
Minister who formed a four-party coalition government, which the
king subsequently tasked with paving the way for elections to be
held in spring of 2005.

Geography Nepal

Location:
Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates:
28 00 N, 84 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 140,800 sq km
water: 4,000 sq km
land: 136,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Arkansas

Land boundaries: total: 2,926 km border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical
summers and mild winters in south

Terrain:
Terai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill
region, rugged Himalayas in north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m
highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999)

Natural resources:
quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of
lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 21.68% permanent crops: 0.64% other: 77.68% (2001)

Irrigated land:
11,350 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine
depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer
monsoons

Environment - current issues:
deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives);
contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural
runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular
emissions

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains
eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest - the
world's tallest - on the border with China

People Nepal

Population:
27,070,666 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 39.4% (male 5,500,698; female 5,151,705)
15-64 years: 57% (male 7,912,553; female 7,518,430)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 483,998; female 503,282) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 19.9 years
male: 19.7 years
female: 20 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.23% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
31.96 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
9.66 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 68.77 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 70.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 67.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 59.4 years
male: 59.73 years
female: 59.06 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.29 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
58,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
2,400 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)
adjective: Nepalese

Ethnic groups:
Brahman, Chetri, Newar, Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa,
Tharu, and others (1995)

Religions:
Hinduism 86.2%, Buddhism 7.8%, Islam 3.8%, other 2.2%
note: only official Hindu state in the world (1995)

Languages:
Nepali (official; spoken by 90% of the population), about a dozen
other languages and about 30 major dialects; note - many in
government and business also speak English (1995)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 45.2%
male: 62.7%
female: 27.6% (2003 est.)

Government Nepal

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal
conventional short form: Nepal

Government type:
parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Kathmandu

Administrative divisions:
14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri,
Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali,
Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti

Independence:
1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)

National holiday:
Birthday of King GYANENDRA, 7 July (1946)

Constitution:
9 November 1990

Legal system:
based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King GYANENDRA Bir Bikram Shah (succeeded to the
throne 4 June 2001 following the death of his nephew, King DIPENDRA
Bir Bikram Shah)
head of government: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur DEUBA (since 3 June
2004); note - Prime Minister THAPA resigned 7 May 2004
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of
the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority
coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch
note: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev died in a bloody shooting at
the royal palace on 1 June 2001 that also claimed the lives of most
of the royal family; King BIRENDRA's son, Crown Price DIPENDRA, is
believed to have been responsible for the shootings before fatally
wounding himself; immediately following the shootings and while
still clinging to life, DIPENDRA was crowned king; he died three
days later and was succeeded by his uncle

Legislative branch:

: bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35 appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15 elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) note: Nepal's Parliament was dissolved on 22 May 2002 election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP 10.4%, NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%, NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP 11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP 1 elections: House of Representatives - last held 3 and 17 May 1999 (next election NA 2004)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed by
the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the
other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of
the Judicial Council)

Political parties and leaders:
Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Madhav
Kumar NEPAL, general secretary]; National Democratic Party or NDP
(also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP) [Surya Bahadur THAPA,
chairman]; People's Front Nepal (Rastriya Jana Morcha) [Chitra
BAHADUR, chairman]; Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party or NSP [Bhadri
Prasad MANDAL, acting party president]; Nepal Workers and Peasants
Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE, party chairman]; Nepali
Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA, party president; Sushil
KOIRALA, general secretary]; Nepali Congress-Democratic [Sher
Bahadur DEUBA, president]; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [NA leader]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, also known as PRAHANDA, chairman; Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI, from Communist Party of Nepal/Maoist, chief negotiator]; numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist groups

International organization participation:
AsDB, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MICAH, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SAARC,
SACEP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK,
UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kedar Bhakta SHRESTHA
FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534
consulate(s) general: New York
telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550
chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MORIARTY
embassy: Panipokhari, Kathmandu
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [977] (1) 411179
FAX: [977] (1) 419963

Flag description:
red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping
right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized
moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun

Economy Nepal

Economy - overview:
Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the
world with 42% of its population living below the poverty line.
Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood
for over 80% of the population and accounting for 40% of GDP.
Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural
produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Security
concerns in the wake of the Maoist conflict and the 11 September
2001 terrorist attacks in the US have led to a decrease in tourism,
a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has considerable scope for
exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent
foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or
investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of
the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its
remoteness, its landlocked geographic location, its civil strife,
and its susceptibility to natural disaster. The international
community's role of funding more than 60% of Nepal's development
budget and more than 28% of total budgetary expenditures will likely
continue as a major ingredient of growth.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $38.29 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 40% industry: 20% services: 40% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 42% (1995-96)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 29.8% (1995-96)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36.7 (FY95/96)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.9% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 10 million note: severe lack of skilled labor (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 81%, industry 3%, services 16%

Unemployment rate:
47% (2001 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $665 million
expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY99/00 est.)

Agriculture - products:
rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat

Industries:
tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed
mills; cigarette; cement and brick production

Industrial production growth rate:
8.7% (FY99/00)

Electricity - production:
1.755 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.764 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
95 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
227 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
16,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$568 million f.o.b., but does not include unrecorded border trade
with India (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain

Exports - partners:
India 50.7%, US 26%, Germany 6.6% (2003)

Imports:
$1.419 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer

Imports - partners:
India 22.9%, China 13.4%, UAE 12.5%, Singapore 7.1%, Saudi Arabia
5.5%, Kuwait 4.6% (2003)

Debt - external:
$2.7 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
$424 million (FY00/01)

Currency:
Nepalese rupee (NPR)

Currency code:
NPR

Exchange rates:
Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 76.1414 (2003), 77.8766 (2002),
74.9492 (2001), 71.0938 (2000), 68.2394 (1999)

Fiscal year:
16 July - 15 July

Communications Nepal

Telephones - main lines in use:
371,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
50,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair
radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone
network
domestic: NA
international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications;
microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (January 2000)

Radios:
840,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:
130,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.np

Internet hosts:
917 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)

Internet users:
80,000 (2002)

Transportation Nepal

Railways: total: 59 km narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 13,223 km paved: 4,073 km unpaved: 9,150 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
46 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 37
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 29 (2004 est.)

Military Nepal

Military branches:
Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air Service),
Nepalese Police Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 6,865,849 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,566,576 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 308,776 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$295 million (FY03)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.6% (2003)

Transnational Issues Nepal

Disputes - international:
joint border commission continues to work on small disputed
sections of boundary with India; India has instituted a stricter
border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents and illegal
cross-border activities

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 104,235 (Bhutan)
IDPs: 100,000-200,000 (ongoing conflict between government forces
and Maoist rebels; displacement spread across the country) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and
international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast
Asia to the West

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Netherlands

Introduction Netherlands

Background:
The Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium
seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained
neutral in World War I, but suffered invasion and occupation by
Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the
Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The
country was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now the EU), and
participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Geography Netherlands

Location:
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany

Geographic coordinates:
52 30 N, 5 45 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 41,526 sq km
water: 7,643 sq km
land: 33,883 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 1,027 km border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

Coastline: 451 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Terrain:
mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in
southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m
highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m

Natural resources:
natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel,
arable land

Land use: arable land: 26.71% other: 72.32% (2001) permanent crops: 0.97%

Irrigated land:
5,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
flooding

Environment - current issues:
water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and
nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from
vehicles and refining activities; acid rain

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,
Whaling

Geography - note:
located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or
Meuse, and Schelde)

People Netherlands

Population:
16,318,199 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.3% (male 1,527,316; female 1,457,192)
15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,598,706; female 5,459,936)
65 years and over: 13.9% (male 953,370; female 1,321,679) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 38.7 years
male: 37.9 years
female: 39.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.57% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
11.41 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.67 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
2.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.11 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 5.68 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.68 years
male: 76.15 years
female: 81.34 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.66 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
17,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)
adjective: Dutch

Ethnic groups:
Dutch 83%, other 17% (of which 9% are non-Western origin mainly
Turks, Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese and Indonesians) (1999 est.)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 31%, Protestant 21%, Muslim 4.4%, other 3.6%,
unaffiliated 40% (1998)

Languages:
Dutch (official language), Frisian (official language)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (2000 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

Government Netherlands

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands
conventional short form: Netherlands
local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden
local short form: Nederland

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government

Administrative divisions:
12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie); Drenthe,
Flevoland, Friesland (Fryslan), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg,
Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland,
Zuid-Holland

Dependent areas:
Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

Independence:
23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low Countries
conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; it was not until
1648 that Spain recognized their independence)

National holiday:
Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession
to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April

Constitution:
adopted 1815; amended many times, last time 2002

Legal system:
civil law system incorporating French penal theory; constitution
does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent
WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the monarch
head of government: Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22
July 2002) and Deputy Prime Ministers Gerrit ZALM (since 27 May
2003) and Thom DE GRAAF (since 27 May 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following Second
Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a
majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
monarch; vice prime ministers appointed by the monarch
note: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir
apparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the cabinet
on legislative and administrative policy

Legislative branch:
bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the First
Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the
country's 12 provincial councils for four-year terms) and the Second
Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: First Chamber - last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held
May 2007); Second Chamber - last held 22 January 2003 (next to be
held May 2007)
election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - CDA 23, PvdA 19, VVD 15, Green Party 5, Socialist
Party 4, D66 3, other 6; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party -
CDA 28.6%, PvdA 27.3%, VVD 12.9%, Socialist Party 6.3%, List Pim
Fortuyn 5.7%, Green Party 5.1%, D66 4.1%; seats by party - CDA 44,
PvdA 42, VVD 28, Socialist Party 9, List Pim Fortuyn 8, Green Party
8, D66 6, other 5

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by the
monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Maxime Jacques Marcel
VERHAGEN]; Christian Union Party [Andre ROUVOET]; Democrats 66 or
D66 [Boris DITTRICH]; Green Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party or
PvdA [Wouter BOS]; List Pim Fortuyn [Gerard van AS]; People's Party
for Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Jozias VAN AARTSEN];
Socialist Party [Jan MARIJNISSEN]; plus a few minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Netherlands Trade Union Federation (FNV) (consisting of a merger of
Socialist and Catholic trade unions); Christian Trade Union
Federation (CNV); Trade Union Federation of Middle and High
Personnel (MHP); Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers
Associations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinational
firms; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises

International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Boudewijn J. VAN EENENNAAM
consulate(s): Boston
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430
telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300
chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford M. SOBEL
embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague
mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715
telephone: [31] (70) 310-9209
FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688
consulate(s) general: Amsterdam

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar
to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer;
one of the oldest flags in constant use, originating with William I,
Prince of Orange, in the latter half of the 16th century

Economy Netherlands

Economy - overview:
The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy, which depends
heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable industrial
relations, moderate unemployment and inflation, a sizable current
account surplus, and an important role as a European transportation
hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food processing,
chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly
mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 4% of the labor
force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry
and for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU partners,
began circulating the euro currency on 1 January 2002. The country
continues to be one of the leading European nations for attracting
foreign direct investment. Economic growth slowed considerably in
2001-03, as part of the global economic slowdown, but for the four
years before that, annual growth averaged nearly 4%, well above the
EU average. The government is wrestling with a deteriorating budget
position, and is moving toward the EU 3% of GDP budget deficit limit.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $461.4 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-0.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $28,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.5% industry: 24.4% services: 73.1% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
20.1% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.1% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32.6 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
7.46 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 4%, industry 23%, services 73% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
5.3% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $237.1 billion
expenditures: $249.5 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Public debt:
54.1% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Industries:
agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical
machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction,
microelectronics, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
-2.1% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
88.32 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
99.42 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
4.209 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
21.49 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
46,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
895,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
1.418 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
2.284 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
88.06 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
77.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
49.72 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
49.28 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
20.78 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.693 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$12.09 billion (2003)

Exports:
$253.2 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
Germany 25.3%, Belgium 12.6%, France 10.2%, UK 10.1%, Italy 6%, US
4.5% (2003)

Imports:
$217.7 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs,
clothing

Imports - partners:
Germany 18.2%, Belgium 10%, US 8%, UK 7.3%, China 6.2%, France 5%
(2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$21.44 billion (2003)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $3.3 billion (2002 est.)

Currency:
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Netherlands

Telephones - main lines in use:
10.004 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
12.5 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed and well maintained
domestic: extensive fixed-line fiber-optic network; cellular
telephone system is one of the largest in Europe with five major
network operators utilizing the third generation of the Global
System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
international: country code - 31; 9 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1
Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2004)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 246, shortwave 3 (2004)

Radios:
15.3 million (1996)

Television broadcast stations:
21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
8.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.nl

Internet hosts:
4,518,226 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
52 (2000)

Internet users:
8.5 million (2003)

Transportation Netherlands

Railways: total: 2,808 km standard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 116,500 km
paved: 104,850 km (including 2,235 km of expressways)
unpaved: 11,650 km (1999)

Waterways:
5,046 km (navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2004)

Pipelines:
condensate 325 km; gas 6,998 km; oil 590 km; refined products 716
km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Amsterdam, Delfzijl, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Groningen, Haarlem,
IJmuiden, Maastricht, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Utrecht, Vlissingen

Merchant marine:
total: 635 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,796,460 GRT/5,212,557 DWT
foreign-owned: Belgium 2, Denmark 4, Finland 9, Germany 54, Ireland
14, Norway 9, Singapore 1, Sweden 19, Thailand 1, United Kingdom 31,
United States 16
registered in other countries: 241 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 1, cargo 375, chemical tanker 59, combination bulk 1,
container 71, liquefied gas 13, multi-functional large load carrier
15, passenger 12, petroleum tanker 28, refrigerated cargo 37, roll
on/roll off 14, short-sea/passenger 2, specialized tanker 7

Airports:
27 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 20 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)

Military Netherlands

Military branches:
Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (including Naval Air
Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal
Constabulary, Defense Interservice Command

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
20 years of age for an all volunteer force (May 2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 4,070,043 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,534,392 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 97,624 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$8,044.4 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.6% (2003)

Transnational Issues Netherlands

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
major European producer of ecstasy, illicit amphetamines, and other
synthetic drugs; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish
entering Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy; large financial
sector vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Netherlands Antilles

Introduction Netherlands Antilles

Background:
Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island of Curacao
was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity
(and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th
century with the construction of oil refineries to service the newly
discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Saint Martin is
shared with France; its southern portion is named Sint Maarten and
is part of the Netherlands Antilles; its northern portion is called
Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe.

Geography Netherlands Antilles

Location:
Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - one includes
Curacao and Bonaire north of Venezuela; the other is east of the
Virgin Islands

Geographic coordinates:
12 15 N, 68 45 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 960 sq km
note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint
Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)
water: 0 sq km
land: 960 sq km

Area - comparative:
more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 10.2 km border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint Martin) 10.2 km

Coastline: 364 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:
tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

Terrain:
generally hilly, volcanic interiors

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m

Natural resources: phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% other: 90% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are
rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are
subject to hurricanes from July to October

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles are divided
geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group (Saba, Sint
Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands (southern)
group (Bonaire and Curacao)

People Netherlands Antilles

Population:
218,126 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.5% (male 27,387; female 26,094)
15-64 years: 67.2% (male 70,024; female 76,552)
65 years and over: 8.3% (male 7,443; female 10,626) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 32.1 years
male: 30.6 years
female: 33.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.86% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
15.36 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 10.37 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 11.18 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.6 years
male: 73.37 years
female: 77.95 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.02 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality: noun: Dutch Antillean(s) adjective: Dutch Antillean

Ethnic groups:
mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian

Religions:
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist

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

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.7%
male: 96.7%
female: 96.8% (2003 est.)

Government Netherlands Antilles

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles
local long form: none
former: Curacao and Dependencies
local short form: Nederlandse Antillen

Dependency status:
part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal
affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Government responsible for defense
and foreign affairs

Government type:
parliamentary

Capital:
Willemstad

Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) note: each island has its own government

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

National holiday:
Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession
to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April

Constitution:
29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as
amended

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

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April
1980), represented by Governor General Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1
July 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Etienne YS (since 3 June 2004)
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections,
the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister
by the Staten; election last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held
by NA 2006)
note: government coalition - PAR, PNP, PLKP, DP St. Maarten, UP
Bonaire, WIPM Saba, DP Statia
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (legislature)

Legislative branch:
unicameral States or Staten (22 seats - Curacao 14, Bonaire 3, St.
Maarten 3, St. Eustatius 1, Saba 1; members are elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
PAR 4, PNP 3, PLKP 2, DP St. M 2, UP Bonaire 2, WIPM 1, DP
note: the government of Prime Minister Etienne YS is a coalition of
several parties; current government formed after collapse of FOL led
government on 4 April 2004
elections: last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held in 2006)

Judicial branch:
Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
Antillean Restructuring Party or PAR [Etienne YS]; C 93 [Stanley
BROWN]; Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM];
Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; Democratic
Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY]; Democratic
Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS];
Foundation Energetic Management Anti-Narcotics or FAME [Eric
LODEWIJKS]; Labor Party People's Crusade or PLKP [Errol COVA];
National Alliance [William MARLIN]; National People's Party or PNP
[Susanne F. C. CAMELIA-ROMER]; New Antilles Movement or MAN [Kenneth
GIJSBERTHA]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramonsito BOOI];
Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten or SPA [Vance JAMES, Jr.];
People's Party or PAPU [Richard HODI]; Pro Curacao Party or PPK
[Winston LOURENS]; Saba Democratic Labor Movement [Steve HASSELL];
Saba Unity Party [Carmen SIMMONDS]; St. Eustatius Alliance or SEA
[Kenneth VAN PUTTEN]; Serious Alternative People's Party or Sapp
[Julian ROLLOCKS]; Social Action Cause or KAS [Benny DEMEI];
Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Will JOHNSTON]; Workers'
Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT, Rignald LAK, Editha WRIGHT]
note: political parties are indigenous to each island

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO,
WToO (associate)

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

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Consul General Robert E. SORENSON
consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad AN, Curacao
mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao
telephone: [599] (9) 4613066
FAX: [599] (9) 4616489

Flag description:
white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on
a vertical red band, also centered; five white, five-pointed stars
are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the
five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao,
Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten

Economy Netherlands Antilles

Economy - overview:
Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays
of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world.
Although GDP has declined or grown slightly in each of the past
seven years, the islands enjoy a high per capita income and a
well-developed infrastructure compared with other countries in the
region. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, the US
and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate
water supplies hamper the development of agriculture. Budgetary
problems hamper reform of the health and pension systems of an aging
population.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $2.45 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 15%
services: 84% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
89,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
15.6% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $710.8 million
expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1997 est.)

Agriculture - products:
aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit

Industries:
tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining
(Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire),
light manufacturing (Curacao)

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
1.061 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
986.8 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
72,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$1.579 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum products

Exports - partners:
US 21.3%, Venezuela 16%, Bahamas, The 7.6%, Singapore 5.2%,
Honduras 4.9%, Guatemala 4.4% (2003)

Imports:
$2.233 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
crude petroleum, food, manufactures

Imports - partners:
Venezuela 64.8%, US 13.6%, Netherlands 7.8% (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.35 billion (1996)

Economic aid - recipient:
IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its
support with $40 million (2000)

Currency:
Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)

Currency code:
ANG

Exchange rates:
Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.79 (2003), 1.79
(2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.79 (2000), 1.79 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Netherlands Antilles

Telephones - main lines in use:
81,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
81,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
general assessment: generally adequate facilities
domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
international: country code - 599; submarine cables - 2; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
217,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (there is also a cable service, which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and two Venezuelan channels) (2004)

Televisions:
69,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.an

Internet hosts:
119 (2001)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6

Internet users:
2,000 (2000)

Transportation Netherlands Antilles

Highways: total: 600 km paved: 300 km unpaved: 300 km

Ports and harbors:
Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad

Merchant marine:
total: 162 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,317,007 GRT/1,668,499 DWT
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Belgium 3, Denmark 1, Germany 57, Monaco 4,
Netherlands 70, New Zealand 1, Norway 5, Peru 1, Spain 1, Sweden 5,
Turkey 2, United Kingdom 6
by type: bulk 4, cargo 59, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1,
combination ore/oil 3, container 28, liquefied gas 6,
multi-functional large load carrier 22, passenger 1, petroleum
tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 28, roll on/roll off 7, specialized
tanker 1

Airports:
5 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2038 to 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Netherlands Antilles

Military branches:
National Guard, Police Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 16 years of age for military recruitment; no conscription (July 2002)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 55,536 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 31,025 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 1,660 (2004 est.)

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

Transnational Issues Netherlands Antilles

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and
Europe; money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@New Caledonia

Introduction New Caledonia

Background:
Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the
19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It
served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for
independence during the 1980s and early 1990s has dissipated.

Geography New Caledonia

Location:
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Geographic coordinates:
21 30 S, 165 30 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 19,060 sq km
water: 485 sq km
land: 18,575 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
2,254 km

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

Climate:
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

Terrain:
coastal plains with interior mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

Natural resources: nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper

Land use: arable land: 0.38% permanent crops: 0.33% other: 99.29% (2001)

Irrigated land:
160 sq km (1991)

Natural hazards:
cyclones, most frequent from November to March

Environment - current issues:
erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

Geography - note:
consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in
the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous
small, sparsely populated islands and atolls

People New Caledonia

Population:
213,679 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.4% (male 32,076; female 30,772)
15-64 years: 64.3% (male 69,150; female 68,310)
65 years and over: 6.3% (male 6,259; female 7,112) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 27.2 years
male: 26.9 years
female: 27.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.33% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
18.98 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.64 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.89 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 8.59 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.78 years
male: 70.82 years
female: 76.89 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.35 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: New Caledonian(s)
adjective: New Caledonian

Ethnic groups:
Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%,
Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

Languages:
French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91%
male: 92%
female: 90% (1976 est.)

Government New Caledonia

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies
conventional short form: New Caledonia
local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie
local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances

Dependency status:
overseas territory of France since 1956

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Noumea

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud

Independence:
none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on
independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is
scheduled for 2014

National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the
islands; formerly under French law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
1995), represented by High Commissioner Daniel CONSTANTIN (since 3
July 2002)
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the
government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress; note
- last election held 29 June 2004 when Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU was
elected on the third vote with 8 votes for and 3 abstentions
head of government: President of the Government Marie-Noelle
THEMEREAU (since 10 June 2004)
cabinet: Consultative Committee

Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats;
members are members of the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees
Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 9 May 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
RPCR-UMP 16, AE 16, UNI-FLNKS 8, UE 7, FN 4, others 3
note: New Caledonia currently holds 1 seat in the French Senate;
elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held not later
than September 2007; between now and 2010 New Caledonia will gain a
second seat in the French Senate); results - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - NA; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats
to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 and 16 June
2002 (next to be held by June 2007); results - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce
Tribunal Court; Children's Court

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Caleonian
Union or UC [leader NA]; Federation des Comites de Coordination des
Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Guy
GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak
Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [leader NA]
(includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or
PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in
the Republic (anti independent) or RPCR-UMP [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The
Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; Union Nationale pour
l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist,
but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de
Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM
[Victor TUTUGORO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), UPU, WFTU, WMO

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

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

Flag description:
the flag of France is used

Economy New Caledonia

Economy - overview:
New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources.
Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and
food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel,
substantial financial support from France - equal to more than
one-fourth of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the
economy. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined
with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic
outlook for the next several years.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $3.158 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 30%
services: 65% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.6% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
79,400 (including 15,018 unemployed, 1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
19% (1996)

Budget:
revenues: $861.3 million
expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52
million (1996 est.)

Agriculture - products:
vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products

Industries:
nickel mining and smelting

Industrial production growth rate:
-0.6% (1996)

Electricity - production:
1.613 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.5 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
8,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$448 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

Exports - partners:
Japan 21.8%, France 19.2%, Taiwan 14%, Spain 11%, South Korea 8.5%,
Australia 7.2%, Italy 5.1% (2003)

Imports:
$1.007 billion f.o.b. (2002)

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

Imports - partners:
France 46.1%, Australia 9.5%, Singapore 9.3%, New Zealand 4.3%
(2003)

Debt - external:
$79 million (1998 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$880 million annual subsidy from France (1998)

Currency:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the
euro in 2003

Currency code:
XPF

Exchange rates:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 105.73
(2003), 126.72 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications New Caledonia

Telephones - main lines in use:
52,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
80,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
107,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
52,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.nc

Internet hosts:
4,449 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
60,000 (2003)

Transportation New Caledonia

Highways: total: 4,825 km paved: 2,287 km unpaved: 2,538 km (1999)

Ports and harbors:
Mueo, Noumea, Thio

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,261 GRT/1,600 DWT
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Malaysia 1
by type: cargo 1

Airports:
25 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 6 (2003 est.)

Military New Caledonia

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed Forces
(including Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues New Caledonia

Disputes - international: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@New Zealand

Introduction New Zealand

Background:
The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In
1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the
Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen
Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the
British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of
land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native
peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent
dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars.
New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances
lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to
address longstanding Maori grievances.

Geography New Zealand

Location:
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia

Geographic coordinates:
41 00 S, 174 00 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 268,680 sq km
note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands,
Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
water: NA sq km
land: NA sq km

Area - comparative:
about the size of Colorado

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
15,134 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Terrain:
predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m

Natural resources:
natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold,
limestone

Land use: arable land: 5.6% permanent crops: 6.99% other: 87.41% (2001)

Irrigated land:
2,850 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by
species introduced from outside

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the
southernmost national capital in the world

People New Zealand

Population:
3,993,817 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.7% (male 443,211; female 422,507)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 1,337,383; female 1,325,683)
65 years and over: 11.6% (male 203,084; female 261,949) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 33.4 years
male: 32.6 years
female: 34.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.05% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
14.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.54 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
4.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.96 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 6.83 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.49 years
male: 75.5 years
female: 81.61 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,400 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: New Zealander(s)
adjective: New Zealand

Ethnic groups:
New Zealand European 74.5%, Maori 9.7%, other European 4.6%,
Pacific Islander 3.8%, Asian and others 7.4%

Religions:
Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%, Methodist 5%,
Baptist 2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none 33% (1986)

Languages:
English (official), Maori (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1980 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

Government New Zealand

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: New Zealand
abbreviation: NZ

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Wellington

Administrative divisions:
13 regions; Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Gisborne-Hawke's
Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui, Nelson-Marlborough, Northland, Otago,
Southland, Taranaki, Waikato, Wellington, West Coast

Dependent areas:
Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

Independence:
26 September 1907 (from UK)

National holiday:
Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty
over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution:
consists of a series of legal documents, including certain acts of
the UK and New Zealand Parliaments and The Constitution Act 1986
which is the principal formal charter

Legal system:
based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts
for the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Dame Silvia CARTWRIGHT (since 4
April 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Helen CLARK (since 10 December
1999) and Deputy Prime Minister Michael CULLEN (since NA July 2002)
cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament
(120 seats; 69 members elected by popular vote in single-member
constituencies including 7 Maori constituencies, and 51 proportional
seats chosen from party lists, all to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 27 July 2002 (next to be held NA 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NZLP 52, NP 27, NZFP 13, ACT New Zealand 9, Green Party 9, UF 8,
other 2

Judicial branch:
High Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
ACT New Zealand [Richard PREBBLE]; Green Party [Jeanette FITZSIMONS
and Rod DONALD]; National Party or NP [Don BRASH]; New Zealand First
Party or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New Zealand Labor Party or NZLP
[Helen CLARK]; Progressive Coalition [James (Jim) ANDERTON]; United
Future or UF [Peter DUNNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986),
APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C,
CP, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNAMSIL,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador L. John WOOD consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227 telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800 chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Charles J. SWINDELLS
embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington
mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP
96531-1034
telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000
FAX: [64] (4) 499-0490
consulate(s) general: Auckland

Flag description:
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with
four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer
half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross
constellation

Economy New Zealand

Economy - overview:
Over the past 20 years the government has transformed New Zealand
from an agrarian economy dependent on concessionary British market
access to a more industrialized, free market economy that can
compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes (but
left behind many at the bottom of the ladder), broadened and
deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector,
and contained inflationary pressures. Per capita income has been
rising and is now 80% of the level of the four largest EU economies.
New Zealand is heavily dependent on trade - particularly in
agricultural products - to drive growth, and it has been affected by
the global economic slowdown and the slump in commodity prices. Thus
far the economy has been resilient, and growth should continue at
the same level in 2004. Expenditures on health, education, and
pensions will increase proportionately.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $85.34 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $21,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.8% industry: 27.4% services: 67.8% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
20.9% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.3% highest 10%: 29.8% (1991 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.8% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
2.008 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 10%, industry 25%, services 65% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
4.7% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $32.14 billion
expenditures: $30.13 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Public debt:
25.6% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, beef,
dairy products; fish

Industries:
food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery,
transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining

Industrial production growth rate:
1.3% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
37.51 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
34.88 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
42,160 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
132,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
30,220 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
119,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
89.62 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
6.504 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
6.504 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
58.94 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-3.446 billion (2003)

Exports:
$15.86 billion (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish, machinery

Exports - partners:
Australia 21.8%, US 14.6%, Japan 11%, China 4.9%, UK 4.8% (2003)

Imports:
$16.06 billion (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum,
electronics, textiles, plastics

Imports - partners:
Australia 22.2%, US 11.8%, Japan 11.8%, China 9%, Germany 5.3%
(2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$5.083 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$37.46 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $99.7 million

Currency:
New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:
NZD

Exchange rates:
New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003), 2.1622 (2002),
2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000), 1.8896 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications New Zealand

Telephones - main lines in use:
1.765 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.599 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international systems
domestic: NA
international: country code - 64; submarine cables to Australia and
Fiji; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
3.75 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 41 (plus 52 medium-power repeaters and over 650 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
1.926 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.nz

Internet hosts:
474,395 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
36 (2000)

Internet users:
2.11 million (2003)

Transportation New Zealand

Railways: total: 3,898 km narrow gauge: 3,898 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 92,053 km
paved: 57,809 km (including at least 190 km of expressways)
unpaved: 34,244 km (2000)

Pipelines:
gas 2,213 km; liquid petroleum gas 79 km; oil 160 km; refined
products 304 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Tauranga, Wellington

Merchant marine:
total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 77,523 GRT/108,352 DWT
by type: bulk 3, cargo 2, container 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll
on/roll off 2
registered in other countries: 8 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Australia 1, Isle of Man 1

Airports:
113 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 46 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 70 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 39 (2004 est.)

Military New Zealand

Military branches:
New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air
Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be
deployed until the age of 18 (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,033,464 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 868,984 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 27,157 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.147 billion (FY03/04)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1% (FY02)

Transnational Issues New Zealand

Disputes - international: territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Nicaragua

Introduction Nicaragua

Background:
The Pacific Coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from
Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was
declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in
1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the
19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in
subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation
and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a
short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas
to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador
caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through
much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and again in 2001
saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country has slowly rebuilt its
economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by Hurricane Mitch in
1998.

Geography Nicaragua

Location:
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North
Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras

Geographic coordinates:
13 00 N, 85 00 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 129,494 sq km
water: 9,240 sq km
land: 120,254 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than the state of New York

Land boundaries: total: 1,231 km border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km

Coastline: 910 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: natural prolongation

Climate:
tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Terrain:
extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior
mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m

Natural resources:
gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish

Land use: arable land: 15.94% permanent crops: 1.94% other: 82.12% (2001)

Irrigated land:
880 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely
susceptible to hurricanes

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater
body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua

People Nicaragua

Population:
5,359,759 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.1% (male 1,038,887; female 1,001,518)
15-64 years: 58.9% (male 1,570,494; female 1,586,706)
65 years and over: 3% (male 71,125; female 91,029) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 20.2 years
male: 19.8 years
female: 20.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.97% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
25.5 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.54 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 30.15 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 26.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 33.73 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.02 years
male: 67.99 years
female: 72.16 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.89 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
6,400 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Nicaraguan(s)
adjective: Nicaraguan

Ethnic groups:
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%,
Amerindian 5%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant

Languages:
Spanish (official)
note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 67.5%
male: 67.2%
female: 67.8% (2003 est.)

Government Nicaragua

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

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Managua

Administrative divisions:
15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2
autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region
autonomista); Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*, Boaco, Carazo,
Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz,
Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas

Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
9 January 1987, with reforms in 1995 and 2000

Legal system:
civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts

Suffrage:
16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10 January
2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January 2002);
note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10
January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January
2002); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 4 November
2001 (next to be held by November 2006)
election results: Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (PLC) elected president -
56.3%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 42.3%, Alberto SABORIO (PCN)
1.4%; Jose RIZO Castellon elected vice president

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 seats;
members are elected by proportional representation and party lists
to serve five-year terms; one seat for previous President, one seat
for runner-up in previous Presidential election
elections: last held 4 November 2001 (next to be held by November
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Alliance
(ruling party - includes PCCN, PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%,
FSLN 36.55%, PCN 2.12%; seats by party - Liberal Alliance 53, FSLN
38, PCN 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for five-year
terms by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
Conservative Party of Nicaragua or PCN [Mario RAPPACCIOLI];
Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Anibal MARTINEZ Nunez, Pedro REYES
Vallejos]; Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path or PCCN [Guillermo
OSORNO Molina]; Nicaraguan Resistance Party or PRN [Salvador
TALAVERA]; Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN [Daniel
ORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [leader NA];
Unity Alliance or AU [leader NA]; Liberal Constitutional Party or
PLC [Jorge CASTILLO Quant]; Alliance for the Republic or APRE
[Miguel LOPEZ Baldizon, Oscar WENDOLYN Vargas, Karla WHITE]; Liberal
Salvation Movement or MSL [Eliseo NUNEZ Hernandez]; Christian
Alternative Party or AC [Orlando TARDENCILLA Espinoza]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
National Workers Front or FNT is a Sandinista umbrella group of
eight labor unions including - Farm Workers Association or ATC,
Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes and Martyrs
Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO, National
Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of
Employees or UNE, National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG,
Sandinista Workers Central or CST, and Union of Journalists of
Nicaragua or UPN; Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT is an
umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions including -
Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A, Confederation of
Labor Unification or CUS, Independent General Confederation of Labor
or CGT-I, and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS; Nicaraguan
Workers' Central or CTN is an independent labor union; Superior
Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP is a confederation of
business groups

International organization participation:
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL,
OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Salvador STADTHAGEN (since 5 December
2003)
consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San
Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 939-6545
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570, [1] (202) 939-6573
chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Calandra MOORE embassy: Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua mailing address: APO AA 34021 telephone: [505] 266-6010 FAX: [505] 266-9074

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with
the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of
arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE
NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to
the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by
the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in
the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five
blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

Economy Nicaragua

Economy - overview:
Nicaragua, one of the hemisphere's poorest countries, faces low per
capita income, massive unemployment, and huge external debt.
Distribution of income is one of the most unequal on the globe.
While the country has made progress toward macroeconomic stability
over the past few years, GDP annual growth of 1.5% - 2.5% has been
far too low to meet the country's need. Nicaragua will continue to
be dependent on international aid and debt relief under the Heavily
Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Nicaragua has undertaken
significant economic reforms that are expected to help the country
qualify for more than $4 billion in debt relief under HIPC in early
2004. Donors have made aid conditional on the openness of government
financial operation, poverty alleviation, and human rights. A
three-year poverty reduction and growth plan, agreed to with the IMF
in December 2002, guides economic policy.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $11.6 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28.9% industry: 25.4% services: 45.7% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
28.1% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
50% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 48.8% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
60.3 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
1.91 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 42%, industry 15%, services 43% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
22% plus considerable underemployment (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $672.5 million
expenditures: $954.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
125.3% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame,
soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products

Industries:
food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles,
clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear,
wood

Industrial production growth rate:
4.4% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
2.549 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
2.388 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
17 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
24,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-859 million (2003)

Exports:
$632 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coffee, shrimp and lobster, cotton, tobacco, bananas, beef, sugar,
gold

Exports - partners:
US 35.9%, El Salvador 17.2%, Costa Rica 8.1%, Honduras 7.3%, Mexico
4.6%, Guatemala 4.3% (2003)

Imports:
$1.658 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products,
consumer goods

Imports - partners:
US 24.9%, Venezuela 9.7%, Costa Rica 9%, Mexico 8.4%, Guatemala
7.3%, El Salvador 4.9%, Japan 4.3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$502 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$5.833 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
Substantial foreign support (2001)

Currency:
gold cordoba (NIO)

Currency code:
NIO

Exchange rates:
gold cordobas per US dollar - 14.2513 (2003), 14.2513 (2002),
13.3719 (2001), 12.6844 (2000), 11.8092 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Nicaragua

Telephones - main lines in use:
171,600 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
202,800 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate system being upgraded by foreign
investment
domestic: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being
expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System
international: country code - 505; satellite earth stations - 1
Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
1.24 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
320,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ni

Internet hosts:
7,094 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)

Internet users:
90,000 (2002)

Transportation Nicaragua

Railways: total: 6 km narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 19,032 km paved: 2,094 km unpaved: 16,938 km (2000)

Waterways:
2,220 km (including lakes Managua and Nicaragua) (1997)

Pipelines:
oil 54 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino,
Rama, San Juan del Sur

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
176 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 165 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 141 (2004 est.)

Military Nicaragua

Military branches:
Army (includes Navy), Navy

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
17 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,399,356 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 858,022 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 61,869 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$30.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Nicaragua

Disputes - international:
territorial disputes with Colombia over the Archipelago de San
Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank region; the 1992 ICJ
ruling for El Salvador and Honduras advised a tripartite resolution
to establish a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca, which
considers Honduran access to the Pacific; legal dispute over
navigational rights of San Juan River on border with Costa Rica

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and
transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Niger

Introduction Niger

Background:
Not until 1993, 33 years after independence from France, did Niger
hold its first free and open elections. A 1995 peace accord ended a
five-year Tuareg insurgency in the north. Coups in 1996 and 1999
were followed by the creation of a National Reconciliation Council
that effected a transition to civilian rule by December 1999. Niger
is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government
services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base. The
largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently
disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa.

Geography Niger

Location:
Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

Geographic coordinates:
16 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1.267 million sq km
water: 300 sq km
land: 1,266,700 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 5,697 km
border countries: Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km,
Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south

Terrain:
predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains
in south; hills in north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Niger River 200 m
highest point: Mont Bagzane 2,022 m

Natural resources:
uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, petroleum

Land use: arable land: 3.54% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 96.45% (2001)

Irrigated land:
660 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
recurring droughts

Environment - current issues:
overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife
populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion)
threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the
Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world: northern
four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna, suitable for
livestock and limited agriculture

People Niger

Population:
11,360,538 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 47.5% (male 2,749,039; female 2,643,479)
15-64 years: 50.4% (male 2,799,125; female 2,925,133)
65 years and over: 2.1% (male 128,101; female 115,661) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 16.2 years
male: 15.7 years
female: 16.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.67% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
48.91 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
21.51 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 122.66 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 118.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 126.96 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 42.18 years
male: 42.38 years
female: 41.97 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
6.83 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
70,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,800 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Nigerien(s)
adjective: Nigerien

Ethnic groups:
Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%, Tuareg 8%, Beri Beri (Kanouri)
4.3%, Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%, about 1,200 French
expatriates

Religions:
Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christian

Languages:
French (official), Hausa, Djerma

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 17.6%
male: 25.8%
female: 9.7% (2003 est.)

Government Niger

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Niger
conventional short form: Niger
local short form: Niger
local long form: Republique du Niger

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Niamey

Administrative divisions:
7 departments (departements, singular - departement) and 1 capital
district* (capitale district); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi,
Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder

Independence:
3 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Republic Day, 18 December (1958)

Constitution:
a new constitution was adopted 18 July 1999

Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President TANDJA Mamadou (since 22 December 1999);
note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President TANDJA Mamadou (since 22 December
1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
government; Prime Minister Hama AMADOU (since 31 December 1999) was
appointed by the president and shares some executive
responsibilities with the president
cabinet: 23-member Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
second round last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December
2009); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: TANDJA Mamadou reelected president; percent of
vote - TANDJA Mamadou 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; note - expanded from 83
seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
MNSD 47, CDS 22, PNDS 17, Social Democratic Rally 7 RDP 6i ANDP 5,
Party for Socialism and Democarcy in Niger 1, other 8

Judicial branch:
State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ANDP [leader NA]; Democratic
Rally of the People-Jama'a or RDP-Jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]; Democratic
and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane OUSMANE];
National Movement for a Developing Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara
[Mamadou TANDJA, chairman]; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and
Social Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni Adamou
DJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism-Tarayya or
PNDS-Tarayya [Mahamadou ISSOUFOU]; Party for Socialism and Democracy
in Niger [leader NA]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP
[leader NA]; Union of Democratic Patriots and Progressives-Chamoua
or UPDP-Chamoua [Professor Andre' SALIFOU, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB,
OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional),
WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph DIATTA FAX: [1] (202)483-3169 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227 chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gail Dennise Thomas MATHIEU embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey telephone: [227] 72 26 61 through 72 26 64 FAX: [227] 73 31 67, 72-31-46

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with
a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the white
band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel
centered in the white band

Economy Niger

Economy - overview:
Niger is a poor, landlocked Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy
centers on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, and reexport
trade, and increasingly less on uranium, because of declining world
demand. The 50% devaluation of the West African franc in January
1994 boosted exports of livestock, cowpeas, onions, and the products
of Niger's small cotton industry. The government relies on bilateral
and multilateral aid - which was suspended following the April 1999
coup d'etat - for operating expenses and public investment. In
2000-01, the World Bank approved a structural adjustment loan of
$105 million to help support fiscal reforms. However, reforms could
prove difficult given the government's bleak financial situation.
The IMF approved a $73 million poverty reduction and growth facility
for Niger in 2000 and announced $115 million in debt relief under
the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Further
disbursements of aid occurred in 2002. Future growth may be
sustained by exploitation of oil, gold, coal, and other mineral
resources.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $9.062 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.8% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 39% industry: 17% services: 44% (2001)

Population below poverty line: 63% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 35.4% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
50.5 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
70,000 receive regular wages or salaries (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%, government 4%

Unemployment rate:
NA (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $320 million - including $134 million from foreign sources
expenditures: $320 million, including capital expenditures of $178
million (2002 est.)

Agriculture - products:
cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice;
cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry

Industries:
uranium mining, cement, brick, textiles, food processing,
chemicals, slaughterhouses

Industrial production growth rate:
NA (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
242 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
325.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
100 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$280 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions

Exports - partners:
France 42.2%, Nigeria 28.9%, Japan 17.2%, Spain 4.4% (2003)

Imports:
$400 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals

Imports - partners:
France 16.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 13.8%, China 10.5%, Nigeria 7.7%, US
5.5%, Japan 4.9% (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.6 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$341 million (1997)

Currency:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
XOF

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 581.2
(2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699
(1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Niger

Telephones - main lines in use:
22,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
24,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: small system of wire, radio telephone
communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in the
southwestern area of Niger
domestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio
relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned
international: country code - 227; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
680,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (2002)

Televisions:
125,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ne

Internet hosts:
134 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
15,000 (2002)

Transportation Niger

Highways:
total: 10,100 km
paved: 798 km
unpaved: 9,302 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
300 km
note: Niger River is navigable to Gaya between September and March
(2004)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
27 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Niger

Military branches:
Army, Air Force, National Intervention and Security Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,460,637 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,333,027 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 122,363 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$21.7 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.1% (2003)

Transnational Issues Niger

Disputes - international:
Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant dispute;
much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria,
remains undemarcated, and ICJ ad hoc judges have been selected to
rule on disputed Niger and Mekrou River islands; Lake Chad
Commission continues to urge signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and
Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over the lake region, which
remains the site of armed clashes among local populations and
militias

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Nigeria

Introduction Nigeria

Background:
Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was
adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian government
was completed. The president faces the daunting task of rebuilding a
petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through
corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In
addition, the OBASANJO administration must defuse longstanding
ethnic and religious tensions, if it is to build a sound foundation
for economic growth and political stability. Despite some
irregularities, the April 2003 elections marked the first civilian
transfer of power in Nigeria's history.

Geography Nigeria

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and
Cameroon

Geographic coordinates:
10 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 923,768 sq km
water: 13,000 sq km
land: 910,768 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:
total: 4,047 km
border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger
1,497 km

Coastline:
853 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north

Terrain:
southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains
in southeast, plains in north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m

Natural resources:
natural gas, petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone,
lead, zinc, arable land

Land use: arable land: 31.29% permanent crops: 2.96% other: 65.75% (2001)

Irrigated land:
2,330 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts; flooding

Environment - current issues:
soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water
pollution; desertification; oil pollution - water, air, and soil;
has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land;
rapid urbanization

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

Geography - note:
the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows southward
through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of
Guinea

People Nigeria

Population:
137,253,133
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.4% (male 29,985,427; female 29,637,684)
15-64 years: 53.7% (male 37,502,756; female 36,205,442)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 1,944,260; female 1,977,564) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 18.1 years male: 18.2 years female: 17.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.45% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
38.24 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
13.99 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 70.49 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 67.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 73.55 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 50.49 years
male: 50.35 years
female: 50.63 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.32 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
5.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3.6 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
310,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, Lassa fever
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Nigerian(s)
adjective: Nigerian

Ethnic groups:
Nigeria, which is Africa's most populous country, is composed of
more than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous and
politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo
(Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%

Religions:
Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%

Languages:
English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 68%
male: 75.7%
female: 60.6% (2003 est.)

Government Nigeria

Country name:
conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria
conventional short form: Nigeria

Government type:
republic transitioning from military to civilian rule

Capital:
Abuja; note - on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially
transferred from Lagos to Abuja; most federal government offices
have now made the move to Abuja

Administrative divisions:
36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra,
Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo,
Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa,
Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger,
Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara

Independence:
1 October 1960 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960)

Constitution:
new constitution adopted May 1999

Legal system:
based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (only in some
northern states), and traditional law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Federal Executive Council
elections: president is elected by popular vote for no more than two
four-year terms; election last held 19 April 2003 (next to be held
NA 2007)
election results: Olusegun OBASANJO elected president; percent of
vote - Olusegun OBASANJO (PDP) 61.9%, Muhammadu BUHARI (ANPP) 31.2%,
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu OJUKWU (APGA) 3.3%, other 3.6%

Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (107 seats, members
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and House of
Representatives (346 seats, members elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held NA
2007); House of Representatives - last held 12 April 2003 (next to
be held NA 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 53.6%,
ANPP 27.9%, AD 9.7%; seats by party - PDP 73, ANPP 28, AD 6; House
of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 54.5%, ANPP
27.4%, AD 9.3%, other 8.8%; seats by party - PDP 213, ANPP 95, AD
31, other 7; note - two constituencies are not reported

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges appointed by the President); Federal Court of
Appeal (judges are appointed by the federal government on the advice
of the Advisory Judicial Committee)

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Democracy or AD [Alhaji Adamu ABDULKADIR]; All Nigeria
Peoples' Party or ANPP [Don ETIEBET]; All Progressives Grand
Alliance or APGA [Chekwas OKORIE]; National Democratic Party or NDP
[Aliyu Habu FARI]; Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Audu OGBEH];
Peoples Redemption Party or PRP [Abdulkadir Balarabe MUSA]; Peoples
Salvation Party or PSP [Lawal MAITURARE]; United Nigeria Peoples
Party or UNPP [Saleh JAMBO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Nigerian Labor Congress or NLC [Adams OSHIOMOLE]

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB,
OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR,
UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jibril Muhammad AMINU
consulate(s) general: Atlanta and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 775-1385
telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400
chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Howard Franklin JETER
embassy: 7 Mambilla Drive, Abuja
mailing address: P. O. Box 554, Lagos
telephone: [234] (9) 523-0916/0906/5857/2235/2205
FAX: [234] (9) 523-0353

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green

Economy Nigeria

Economy - overview:
Oil-rich Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability,
corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic
management, is undertaking some reforms under the new civilian
administration. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify
the economy away from overdependence on the capital-intensive oil
sector, which provides 20% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings,
and about 65% of budgetary revenues. The largely subsistence
agricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid population
growth - Nigeria is Africa's most populous country - and the
country, once a large net exporter of food, now must import food.
Following the signing of an IMF stand-by agreement in August 2000,
Nigeria received a debt-restructuring deal from the Paris Club and a
$1 billion credit from the IMF, both contingent on economic reforms.
Nigeria pulled out of its IMF program in April 2002, after failing
to meet spending and exchange rate targets, making it ineligible for
additional debt forgiveness from the Paris Club. The government has
lacked the political will to implement the market-oriented reforms
urged by the IMF, such as to modernize the banking system, to curb
inflation by blocking excessive wage demands, and to resolve
regional disputes over the distribution of earnings from the oil
industry. During 2003, however, the government deregulated fuel
prices and announced the privatization of the country's four oil
refineries. GDP growth probably will rise marginally in 2004, led by
oil and natural gas exports.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $114.8 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30.8% industry: 43.8% services: 25.4% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
27.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
60% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 40.8% (1996-97)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
50.6 (1996-97)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
13.8% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
54.36 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 70%, industry 10%, services 20% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $8.026 billion
expenditures: $11.09 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
28.6% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava
(tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber; fish

Industries:
crude oil, coal, tin, columbite, palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubber,
wood, hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction
materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing,
ceramics, steel

Industrial production growth rate:
2.3% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
15.67 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
14.55 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
20 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
2.256 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
275,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
27 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
15.68 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
7.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
7.83 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
4.007 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$1.439 billion (2003)

Exports:
$21.8 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber

Exports - partners:
US 38.3%, India 9.9%, Brazil 6.8%, Spain 6.2%, France 5.6%, Japan
4% (2003)

Imports:
$14.54 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured goods, food
and live animals

Imports - partners:
US 15.6%, UK 9.6%, Germany 7.3%, China 7.2%, Italy 4.3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$7.128 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$31.07 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
IMF $250 million (1998)

Currency:
naira (NGN)

Currency code:
NGN

Exchange rates:
nairas per US dollar - 129.222 (2003), 120.578 (2002), 111.231
(2001), 101.697 (2000), 92.3381 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Nigeria

Telephones - main lines in use:
853,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
3,149,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: an inadequate system, further limited by poor
maintenance; major expansion is required and a start has been made
domestic: intercity traffic is carried by coaxial cable, microwave
radio relay, a domestic communications satellite system with 19
earth stations, and a coastal submarine cable; mobile cellular
facilities and the Internet are available
international: country code - 234; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); fiber optic
submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001)

Radios:
23.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (the government controls 2 of the broadcasting stations and 15 repeater stations) (2002)

Televisions:
6.9 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.ng

Internet hosts:
1,142 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
11 (2000)

Internet users:
750,000 (2003)

Transportation Nigeria

Railways:
total: 3,557 km
narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge
standard gauge: 52 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 194,394 km
paved: 60,068 km (including 1,194 km of expressways)
unpaved: 134,326 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
8,600 km (Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks)
(2004)

Pipelines:
condensate 105 km; gas 1,896 km; oil 3,638 km; refined products
3,626 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt, Sapele, Warri

Merchant marine:
total: 45 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 327,808 GRT/608,076 DWT
by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 5, petroleum tanker 30,
refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1
registered in other countries: 26 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Norway 2, Pakistan 1, Togo 1, United States 1

Airports:
70 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 36 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

Military Nigeria

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 32,665,407 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 18,763,229 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 1,452,231 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$469.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Nigeria

Disputes - international:
ICJ ruled in 2002 on the entire Cameroon-Nigeria land and maritime
boundary but the parties formed a Joint Border Commission to resolve
differences bilaterally and have commenced with demarcation in
less-contested sections of the boundary, starting in Lake Chad in
the north; Nigeria initially rejected cession of the Bakasi
Peninsula; the ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of
Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of
Guinea, but imprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision, the
unresolved Bakasi allocation, and a sovereignty dispute between
Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the
Ntem River all contribute to the delay in implementation; several
villages along the Okpara River are in dispute with Benin; Lake Chad
Commission continues to urge signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and
Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over lake region, which
remains the site of armed clashes among local populations and
militias

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 250,000 (communal violence between Christians and Muslims
since President Obasanjo's election in 1999) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European, East
Asian, and North American markets; safehaven for Nigerian
narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major money-laundering center;
massive corruption and criminal activity, remains on Financial
Action Task Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for
continued failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering
control regime

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Niue

Introduction Niue

Background:
Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic differences
between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest of the Cook
Islands, have caused it to be separately administered. The
population of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200 in
1966 to about 2,100 in 2004), with substantial emigration to New
Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest.

Geography Niue

Location:
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga

Geographic coordinates:
19 02 S, 169 52 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 260 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 260 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
64 km

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

Climate:
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

Terrain:
steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m

Natural resources:
fish, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 15.38%
permanent crops: 11.54%
other: 73.08% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
typhoons

Environment - current issues: increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: one of world's largest coral islands

People Niue

Population: 2,156 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.01% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
NA (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
NA children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Niuean(s)
adjective: Niuean

Ethnic groups:
Polynesian (with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and Tongans)

Religions:
Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely related
to the London Missionary Society) 75%, Latter-Day Saints 10%, other
15% (mostly Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day
Adventist)

Languages:
Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and Samoan;
English

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA female: NA

Government Niue

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Niue former: Savage Island

Dependency status:
self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974;
Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains
responsibility for external affairs and defense; however, these
responsibilities confer no rights of control and are only exercised
at the request of the Government of Niue

Government type:
self-governing parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Alofi

Administrative divisions:
none; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as
defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at the
second order

Independence:
on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary
government in free association with New Zealand

National holiday:
Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty
over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution:
19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)

Legal system:
English common law
note: Niue is self-governing, with the power to make its own laws

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK
and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner
John BRYAN (since NA May 2000)
election results: Young VIVIAN elected premier; percent of
Legislative Assembly vote - Young VIVIAN (NPP) 70%, Hunukitama
HUNUKI (AI) 30%
elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the
Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 1 May
2002 (next to be held NA May 2005)
head of government: Premier Young VIVIAN (since 1 May 2002)
cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve three-year terms; six elected from a common
roll and 14 are village representatives)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NPP 9, independents 11; note - all 20 seats were reelected
elections: last held 21 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2005)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue

Political parties and leaders:
Niue People's Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN]; Alliance of
Independents or AI [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, FAO, PIF, Sparteca, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)

Flag description:
yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant;
the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars - a large
one on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on each arm of
the bold red cross

Economy Niue

Economy - overview:
The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island problems of
geographic isolation, few resources, and a small population.
Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall
is made up by critically needed grants from New Zealand that are
used to pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut government
expenditures by reducing the public service by almost half. The
agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening,
although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists
primarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil,
honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign
collectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recent
years has suffered a serious loss of population because of migration
of Niueans to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include the
promotion of tourism and a financial services industry, although
Premier LAKATANI announced in February 2002 that Niue will shut down
the offshore banking industry. Economic aid from New Zealand in 2002
was about $2.6 million.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $7.6 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-0.3% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,600 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: 55%

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (1995)

Labor force:
NA (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in
government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board

Unemployment rate:
NA (March 1999)

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

Agriculture - products:
coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava
(tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle

Industries:
tourism, handicrafts, food processing

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
2.79 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
20 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$137,200 (1999)

Exports - commodities:
canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruit
products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts

Exports - partners:
New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia (2000)

Imports:
$2.38 million (1999)

Imports - commodities:
food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels,
lubricants, chemicals, drugs

Imports - partners:
New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Australia, US (2000)

Debt - external:
$418,000 (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$2.6 million from New Zealand (2002)

Currency:
New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:
NZD

Exchange rates:
New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003), 2.1620 (2002),
2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Niue

Telephones - main lines in use:
1,100 est (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
400 (2002)

Telephone system:
domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on
island
international: country code - 683

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

Radios:
1,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.nu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Niue

Highways: total: 234 km paved: 86 km unpaved: 148 km (2001)

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Niue

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Transnational Issues Niue

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Norfolk Island

Introduction Norfolk Island

Background:
Two British attempts at establishing the island as a penal colony
(1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In 1856, the
island was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the
Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.

Geography Norfolk Island

Location:
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Geographic coordinates:
29 02 S, 167 57 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 34.6 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 34.6 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
32 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Bates 319 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
typhoons (especially May to July)

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
most of the 32-km coastline consists of almost inaccessible cliffs,
but the land slopes down to the sea in one small southern area on
Sydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston is situated

People Norfolk Island

Population: 1,841 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.2% 15-64 years: 63.9% 65 years and over: 15.9% (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.01% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio:
NA

Infant mortality rate:
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years

Total fertility rate:
NA children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Norfolk Islander(s)
adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)

Ethnic groups:
descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander,
Polynesians

Religions:
Anglican 37.4%, Uniting Church in Australia 14.5%, Roman Catholic
11.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.1%, none 12.2%, unknown 17.4%, other
3.9% (1996)

Languages:
English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English and
ancient Tahitian

Literacy:
NA

Government Norfolk Island

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island
conventional short form: Norfolk Island

Dependency status:
territory of Australia; Canberra administers Commonwealth
responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department of
Environment, Sport, and Territories

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Kingston

Administrative divisions:
none (territory of Australia)

Independence:
none (territory of Australia)

National holiday:
Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn Islanders), 8 June
(1856)

Constitution:
Norfolk Island Act of 1979

Legal system:
based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and acts; English
common law applies in matters not covered by either Australian or
Norfolk Island law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK
and Australia are represented by Administrator Grant TAMBLING (since
1 November 2003)
election results: Geoffrey Robert GARDNER elected chief minister;
percent of Legislative Assembly vote - NA
elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the
governor general of Australia; chief minister elected by the
Legislative Assembly for a term of not more than three years;
election last held 29 November 2001 (next to be held by December
2004)
head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister Geoffrey
Robert GARDNER (since 5 December 2001)
cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members of
the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and
acts as an advisor to the administrator

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members elected by
electors who have nine equal votes each but only four votes can be
given to any one candidate; members serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 29 November 2001 (next to be held by December
2004)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
UPU

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

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

Flag description:
three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green with a
large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in the slightly wider
white band

Economy Norfolk Island

Economy - overview:
Tourism, the primary economic activity, has steadily increased over
the years and has brought a level of prosperity unusual among
inhabitants of the Pacific islands. The agricultural sector has
become self-sufficient in the production of beef, poultry, and eggs.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - NA

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - NA

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

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA

Labor force:
NA

Labor force - by occupation:
tourism NA, subsistence agriculture NA

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $4.6 million
expenditures: $4.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY92/93)

Agriculture - products:
Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables,
fruit; cattle, poultry

Industries:
tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Exports:
$1.5 million f.o.b. (FY91/92)

Exports - commodities:
postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm,
small quantities of avocados

Exports - partners:
Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe

Imports:
$17.9 million c.i.f. (FY91/92)

Imports - commodities:
NA

Imports - partners:
Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency:
Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
AUD

Exchange rates:
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002),
1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Norfolk Island

Telephones - main lines in use: 2,532; note: a mix of analog (2500) and digital (32) circuits (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (proposed cellular service disallowed in August 2002 island referendum) (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with
Australia, New Zealand, and Canada; satellite service planned for
near future

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
2,500 (1996)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that bring in
Australian programs by satellite) (1998)

Televisions:
1,200 (1996)

Internet country code:
.nf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Norfolk Island

Highways: total: 80 km paved: 53 km unpaved: 27 km (2001)

Ports and harbors:
none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Norfolk Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues Norfolk Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Northern Mariana Islands

Introduction Northern Mariana Islands

Background:
Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory of the
Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in the
1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links
with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A
covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US
was approved in 1975. A new government and constitution went into
effect in 1978.

Geography Northern Mariana Islands

Location:
Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters
of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Geographic coordinates:
15 12 N, 145 45 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 477 sq km
note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian
water: 0 sq km
land: 477 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
1,482 km

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

Climate:
tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little
seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy
season July to October

Terrain:
southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing
coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m

Natural resources:
arable land, fish

Land use:
arable land: 13.04%
permanent crops: 4.35%
other: 82.61% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August
to November)

Environment - current issues: contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development

Geography - note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean

People Northern Mariana Islands

Population:
78,252 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.3% (male 8,286; female 7,625)
15-64 years: 78.1% (male 25,579; female 35,534)
65 years and over: 1.6% (male 603; female 625) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 29.2 years
male: 31.4 years
female: 28.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.71% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
19.77 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
2.3 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
9.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.72 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 0.79 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.25 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 7.18 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.67 years
male: 73.11 years
female: 78.38 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.33 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: NA
adjective: NA

Ethnic groups:
Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians, Caucasian, Japanese,
Chinese, Filipino, Korean

Religions:
Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs
and taboos may still be found)

Languages:
English, Chamorro, Carolinian
note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 96% (1980 est.)

Government Northern Mariana Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands
former: Mariana Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific
Islands)

Dependency status:
commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the
Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior,
Office of Insular Affairs

Government type:
commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor,
lieutenant governor, and legislature

Capital:
Saipan

Administrative divisions:
none (commonwealth in political union with the US); there are no
first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
Government, but there are four municipalities at the second order;
Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian

Independence:
none (commonwealth in political union with the US)

National holiday:
Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)

Constitution:
Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and the Constitution
of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1
January 1978

Legal system:
based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws,
and taxation

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens
but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
2001)
head of government: Governor Juan N. BABAUTA (since NA January
2002); Lieutenant Governor Diego T. BENAVENTE (since NA January 2002)
cabinet: NA
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
last held NA November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2005)
election results: Juan N. BABAUTA elected governor in a four-way
race; percent of vote - Juan N. BABAUTA (Republican Party) 49%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the
House of Representatives (18 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve two-year terms)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - Covenant Party 9, Republican Party 7,
Democratic Party 1, independent 1
note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting
delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or
"resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party
- Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO)
elections: Senate - last held 1 November 2003 (next to be held 5
November 2005); House of Representatives - last held 1 November 2003
(next to be held 5 November 2005)

Judicial branch:
Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [NA];
Covenant Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Interpol (subbureau)

Flag description:
blue, with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on the gray
silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in
building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath

Economy Northern Mariana Islands

Economy - overview:
The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from
the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated
government revenues have grown. The key tourist industry employs
about 50% of the work force and accounts for roughly one-fourth of
GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual tourist entries have
exceeded one-half million in recent years, but financial
difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown. The
agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms
producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment
production is by far the most important industry with employment of
17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under
duty and quota exemptions.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $900 million
note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2000 est.)

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

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.2% (1997 est.)

Labor force:
6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717
foreign workers (June 1995)

Labor force - by occupation:
NA

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $193 million
expenditures: $223 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY01/02 est.)

Agriculture - products:
coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle

Industries:
tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh

Exports:
NA

Exports - commodities:
garments

Exports - partners:
US (2000)

Imports:
NA

Imports - commodities:
food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
US, Japan (2000)

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
extensive funding from US

Currency:
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications Northern Mariana Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
21,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
3,000 (2000)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-670; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
1 (on Saipan and one station planned for Rota; in addition, two
cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite
networks) (1997)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.mp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2001)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Northern Mariana Islands

Highways: total: 362 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1991)

Ports and harbors:
Saipan, Tinian

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
6 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)

Military Northern Mariana Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Northern Mariana Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Norway

Introduction Norway

Background:
Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off following the
adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in 994. Conversion
of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In
1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that was to last
for more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the
cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution.
Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its
constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king.
Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905
referendum granting Norway independence. Although Norway remained
neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to its shipping.
Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but
was nonetheless occupied for five-years by Nazi Germany (1940-45).
In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a member of
NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s
boosted Norway's economic fortunes. The current focus is on
containing spending on the extensive welfare system and planning for
the time when petroleum reserves are depleted. In referenda held in
1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU.

Geography Norway

Location:
Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, west of Sweden

Geographic coordinates:
62 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 324,220 sq km
land: 307,860 sq km
water: 16,360 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:
total: 2,551 km
border countries: Finland 736 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km

Coastline:
21,925 km (includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands 2,413 km, long
fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 16,093 km)

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder
interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy
year-round on west coast

Terrain:
glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by
fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented
by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium,
pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2.87% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.13% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,270 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
rockslides, avalanches

Environment - current issues:
water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting
lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much
indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air
routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines
in world

People Norway

Population:
4,574,560 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.8% (male 462,899; female 440,725)
15-64 years: 65.4% (male 1,520,481; female 1,473,101)
65 years and over: 14.8% (male 284,170; female 393,184) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 37.9 years
male: 37 years
female: 38.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.41% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
11.89 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
9.51 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
1.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.73 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 4.11 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.25 years
male: 76.64 years
female: 82.01 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,800 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Norwegian(s)
adjective: Norwegian

Ethnic groups:
Norwegian, Sami 20,000

Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran 86% (state church), other Protestant and Roman
Catholic 3%, other 1%, none and unknown 10% (1997)

Languages:
Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official)
note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: NA
female: NA

Government Norway

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
conventional short form: Norway
local short form: Norge
local long form: Kongeriket Norge

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Oslo

Administrative divisions:
19 counties (fylker, singular - fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder,
Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland,
Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane,
Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold

Dependent areas:
Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard

Independence:
7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26
October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union)

National holiday:
Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)

Constitution:
17 May 1814, modified in 1884

Legal system:
mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law
traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature
when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir
Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20
July 1973)
head of government: Prime Minister Kjell Magne BONDEVIK (since 19
October 2001)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of
Parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
monarch with the approval of the Parliament

Legislative branch:
modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (165 seats; members are
elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 September 2001 (next to be held NA September
2005)
note: for certain purposes, the Parliament divides itself into two
chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house
or Lagting
election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 24.3%,
Conservative Party 21.2%, Progress Party 14.6%, Socialist Left Party
12.5%, Christian People's Party 12.4%, Center Party 5.6%, Liberal
Party 3.9%, Coastal Party 1.7%, other 3.8%; seats by party - Labor
Party 43, Conservative Party 38, Progress Party 26, Socialist Left
Party 23, Christian People's Party 22, Center Party 10, Liberal
Party 2, Coastal Party 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
Center Party [Aslaug Marie HAGA]; Christian People's Party [Dagfinn
HOYBRATEN]; Coastal Party [Steinar BASTESEN]; Conservative Party
[Erna SOLBERG]; Labor Party [Jens STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party [Lars
SPONHEIM]; Progress Party [Carl I. HAGEN]; Socialist Left Party
[Kristin HALVORSEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA,
ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNMEE, UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Knut VOLLEBAEK
chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, and San
Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870
telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ONG embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707 telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50 FAX: [47] (22) 44 33 63

Flag description:
red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges
of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist
side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Norway

Economy - overview:
The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of welfare
capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and
government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as
the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises).
The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum,
hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on
its oil production and international oil prices, with oil and gas
accounting for one-third of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia
export more oil than Norway. Norway opted to stay out of the EU
during a referendum in November 1994. The government has moved ahead
with privatization. With arguably the highest quality of life
worldwide, Norwegians still worry about that time in the next two
decades when the oil and gas begin to run out. Accordingly, Norway
has been saving its oil-boosted budget surpluses in a Government
Petroleum Fund, which is invested abroad and now is valued at more
than $43 billion. GDP growth was a lackluster 1% in 2002 and 0.5% in
2003 against the background of a faltering European economy.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $171.7 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0.6% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $37,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.5% industry: 36.2% services: 61.2% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
17.8% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 21.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
25.8 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
2.38 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, forestry, and fishing 4%, industry 22%, services 74% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
4.7% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $129.8 billion
expenditures: $105.5 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
22.1% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish

Industries:
petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper
products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
-3.5% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
120.1 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
115.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
7.162 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
10.76 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
3.408 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
171,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
3.466 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
88,870 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
9.859 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
54.6 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
4.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
50.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.716 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$29.34 billion (2003)

Exports:
$67.27 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals,
chemicals, ships, fish

Exports - partners:
UK 21.3%, Germany 13%, Netherlands 9.6%, US 8.7%, France 8.2%,
Sweden 7.4% (2003)

Imports:
$40.19 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
Sweden 16.1%, Germany 13.3%, Denmark 7.9%, UK 7.2%, US 5.2%,
Netherlands 4.5%, China 4.4%, France 4.3%, Italy 4% (2003)

Debt - external:
$0 (Norway is a net external creditor) (2003 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $1.4 billion (1998)

Currency:
Norwegian krone (NOK)

Currency code:
NOK

Exchange rates:
Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 7.0802 (2003), 7.9838 (2002),
8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000), 7.7992 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Norway

Telephones - main lines in use:
3.343 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
4,163,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most
advanced telecommunications networks in Europe
domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover, the
prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular mobile
systems instead of fixed-wire systems
international: country code - 47; 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4
coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the
other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM at least 650, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
4.03 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
360 (plus 2,729 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
2.03 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.no

Internet hosts:
593,850 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
13 (2000)

Internet users:
2.288 million (2002)

Transportation Norway

Railways: total: 4,077 km standard gauge: 4,077 km 1.435-m gauge (2,518 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 91,454 km
paved: 69,505 km (including 143 km of expressways)
unpaved: 21,949 km (2000)

Pipelines:
condensate 411 km; gas 6,199 km; oil 2,213 km; oil/gas/water 746
km; unknown (oil/water) 38 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bergen, Drammen, Floro, Hammerfest, Harstad, Haugesund,
Kristiansand, Larvik, Narvik, Oslo, Porsgrunn, Stavanger, Tromso,
Trondheim

Merchant marine:
total: 693 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 18,820,495 GRT/27,449,456 DWT
foreign-owned: Cyprus 3, Denmark 23, Estonia 2, Germany 12, Greece
15, Hong Kong 1, Iceland 2, Japan 10, Lithuania 1, Malta 1, Marshall
Islands 1, Monaco 33, Poland 1, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 12, Sweden
31, United Kingdom 4, United States 5
registered in other countries: 695 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 62, cargo 128, chemical tanker 124, combination bulk
7, combination ore/oil 32, container 15, liquefied gas 84,
multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 6, petroleum tanker
113, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 48, short-sea/passenger
22, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 43

Airports:
101 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 65
2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 14

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 36 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 29 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

Military Norway

Military branches:
Norwegian Army, Royal Norwegian Navy (including Coast Artillery and
Coast Guard), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske
Luftforsvaret, RNoAF), Home Guard

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age in wartime; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18 years of age for women; 16 years of age for volunteers to the Home Guard; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,106,484 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 916,155 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 27,252 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$4,033.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Norway

Disputes - international:
Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land
and its continental shelf); despite recent discussions, Russia and
Norway continue to dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea
and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits
within the Svalbard Treaty zone

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Oman

Introduction Oman

Background:
In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al Said ousted his father and has ruled as
sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has opened
the country to the outside world and has preserved a long-standing
political and military relationship with the UK. Oman's moderate,
independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations
with all Middle Eastern countries.

Geography Oman

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian
Gulf, between Yemen and UAE

Geographic coordinates:
21 00 N, 57 00 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 212,460 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 212,460 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Kansas

Land boundaries: total: 1,374 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km

Coastline: 2,092 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong
southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south

Terrain:
central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium,
gypsum, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 0.12% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 99.74% (2001)

Irrigated land:
620 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in
interior; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited
natural fresh water resources

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

Geography - note:
strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of
Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

People Oman

Population: 2,903,165 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.4% (male 628,078; female 603,829)
15-64 years: 55.1% (male 955,765; female 643,687)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 38,761; female 33,045) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 19.3 years
male: 22.1 years
female: 16.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
3.35% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
37.12 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
3.91 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.49 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female
total population: 1.27 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 20.26 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 23.18 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.85 years
male: 70.66 years
female: 75.16 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.9 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,300 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Omani(s)
adjective: Omani

Ethnic groups:
Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan,
Bangladeshi), African

Religions:
Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu

Languages:
Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 75.8% male: 83.1% female: 67.2% (2003 est.)

Government Oman

Country name:
conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman
conventional short form: Oman
local long form: Saltanat Uman
former: Muscat and Oman
local short form: Uman

Government type:
monarchy

Capital:
Muscat

Administrative divisions:
5 regions (manaatiq, singular - mintaqat) and 3 governorates*
(muhaafazaat, singular - muhaafaza) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al
Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat*, Musandam*, Zufar*

Independence:
1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

National holiday:
Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)

Constitution:
none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal
decree promulgating a basic law considered by the government to be a
constitution which, among other things, clarifies the royal
succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from
holding interests in companies doing business with the government,
establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil
liberties for Omani citizens

Legal system:
based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the
monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
in Oman's most recent Majlis al-Shura elections in 2003, suffrage
was universal for all Omanis over age 21 except for members of the
military and security forces; the next Majlis al-Shura elections are
scheduled for 2007

Executive branch:
chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said
(since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of state
and head of government
head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al
Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of
state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Legislative branch:
bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis
al-Dawla (58 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory
powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 seats;
members elected by universal suffrage for four-year term; body has
some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only
advisory powers)
elections: last held 4 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: NA

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has
judges who practice secular and Sharia (Islamic) law

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,
LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad bin Ali bin Thani al-KHUSSAIBY
chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988
FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Lewis BALTIMORE III
embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat
mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Al-Sultan Qaboos,
Muscat
telephone: [968] 24-698989
FAX: [968] 24-699771

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with
a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem
(a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords
in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the vertical band

Economy Oman

Economy - overview:
Oman is a small, well-off middle Eastern economy with large oil and
gas resources, a substantial trade surplus, and low inflation. The
government is moving ahead with privatization of its utilities, the
development of a body of commercial law to facilitate foreign
investment, and increased budgetary outlays. Oman continues to
liberalize its markets and joined the World Trade Organization (WTO)
in November 2000. In order to reduce unemployment and limit
dependence on foreign countries, the government is encouraging the
replacement of expatriate workers with local people, i.e., the
process of Omanization. Training in information technology, business
management, and English support this objective. Industrial
development plans focus on gas resources.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $36.7 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $13,100 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.1% industry: 42.1% services: 54.8% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
13% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
920,000 (2002 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $8.218 billion
expenditures: $7.766 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
15.6% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish

Industries:
crude oil production and refining, natural gas production,
construction, cement, copper

Industrial production growth rate:
0.2% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
9.274 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
8.625 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
963,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
53,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
5.703 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
13.77 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
6.34 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
7.43 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
846.4 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$2.173 billion (2003)

Exports:
$11.7 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles

Exports - partners:
South Korea 18.7%, China 18.5%, Japan 16.2%, Thailand 12.2%, UAE
7.8%, Iran 4.1% (2003)

Imports:
$5.659 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,
livestock, lubricants

Imports - partners:
UAE 21.6%, Japan 17.1%, US 6.2%, UK 5.6%, Germany 4.4%, India 4.4%
(2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$3.594 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$5.973 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$76.4 million (1995)

Currency:
Omani rial (OMR)

Currency code:
OMR

Exchange rates:
Omani rials per US dollar - 0.3845 (2003), 0.3845 (2002), 0.3845
(2001), 0.3845 (2000), 0.3845 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Oman

Telephones - main lines in use:
233,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
464,900 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire,
microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited
coaxial cable
domestic: open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a
domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations
international: country code - 968; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios:
1.4 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999)

Televisions:
1.6 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.om

Internet hosts:
726 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
180,000 (2002)

Transportation Oman

Highways:
total: 34,965 km
paved: 9,673 km (including 550 km of expressways)
unpaved: 25,292 km (2001)

Pipelines:
gas 3,754 km; oil 3,212 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut

Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 15,430 GRT/6,360 DWT by type: passenger 2 registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports: 135 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 130 914 to 1,523 m: 34 under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 52 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7

Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

Military Oman

Military branches:
Royal Omani Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 796,792 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 443,006 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 31,274 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$242.07 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
11.4% (2003)

Transnational Issues Oman

Disputes - international: boundary agreement signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Pacific Ocean

Introduction Pacific Ocean

Background:
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five oceans
(followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and
Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways include the
La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and Torres
Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization
in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean,
removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60 degrees south.

Geography Pacific Ocean

Location:
body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia, Australia, and the
Western Hemisphere

Geographic coordinates:
0 00 N, 160 00 W

Map references:
Political Map of the World

Area:
total: 155.557 million sq km
note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East
China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of
Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other
tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:
about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of the global
surface; larger than the total land area of the world

Coastline:
135,663 km

Climate:
planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit
remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and
westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal
fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of
Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America;
continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less
pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude
in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal - a
rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden
winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the
winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to
the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and
east Asia from May to December

Terrain:
surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a
clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and
in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in
the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of
Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica
reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the
eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the
western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana
Trench, which is the world's deepest

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench -10,924 m
highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:
oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel
aggregates, placer deposits, fish

Natural hazards:
surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity
sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to
tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to
December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones
(hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and
Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September);
cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial
Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the
western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme
north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific
can be a maritime hazard from June to December

Environment - current issues:
endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter,
seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and
South China Sea

Geography - note:
the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon
Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides the Pacific
Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean;
dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the
southwestern Pacific Ocean

Economy Pacific Ocean

Economy - overview:
The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world economy and
particularly to those nations its waters directly touch. It provides
low-cost sea transportation between East and West, extensive fishing
grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals, and sand and gravel
for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60% of the world's fish
catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation of offshore oil and
gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy
supplies of the US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru. The high cost of
recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in
world prices for oil since 1985, has led to fluctuations in new
drillings.

Transportation Pacific Ocean

Ports and harbors:
Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong, Kao-hsiung (Taiwan), Los Angeles
(US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South Korea), San Francisco (US),
Seattle (US), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney (Australia),
Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)

Transportation - note:
Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast Alaska to
Puget Sound (Washington state)

Transnational Issues Pacific Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Pakistan

Introduction Pakistan

Background:
The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of
Pakistan (with two sections West and East) and largely Hindu India
was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan have
fought two wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the disputed Kashmir
territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which
India capitalized on Islamabad's marginalization of Bengalis in
Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate
nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing,
Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. The dispute over the state
of Kashmir is ongoing, but recent discussions and
confidence-building measures may be a start toward lessened tensions.

Geography Pakistan

Location:
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east
and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north

Geographic coordinates:
30 00 N, 70 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 803,940 sq km
land: 778,720 sq km
water: 25,220 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 6,774 km
border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912
km, Iran 909 km

Coastline:
1,046 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north

Terrain:
flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest;
Balochistan plateau in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

Natural resources:
land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor
quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

Land use: arable land: 27.87% permanent crops: 0.87% other: 71.26% (2001)

Irrigated land:
180,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and
west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)

Environment - current issues:
water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and
agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; a
majority of the population does not have access to potable water;
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes
between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

People Pakistan

Population:
159,196,336 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.2% (male 32,919,441; female 31,058,929)
15-64 years: 55.8% (male 45,381,469; female 43,377,613)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 3,123,594; female 3,335,290) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 19.4 years male: 19.2 years female: 19.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.98% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
31.22 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.67 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-2.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 74.43 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 74 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 74.84 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.61 years
male: 61.69 years
female: 63.58 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.29 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
78,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,500 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Pakistani(s)
adjective: Pakistani

Ethnic groups:
Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from
India at the time of partition and their descendants)

Religions:
Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and other 3%

Languages:
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu
8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English
(official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government
ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 45.7%
male: 59.8%
female: 30.6% (2003 est.)

Government Pakistan

Country name:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
conventional short form: Pakistan
former: West Pakistan

Government type:
federal republic

Capital:
Islamabad

Administrative divisions:
4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**; Balochistan,
Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital Territory**,
North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh
note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and
Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir and the Northern Areas

Independence:
14 August 1947 (from UK)

National holiday:
Republic Day, 23 March (1956)

Constitution:
10 April 1973, suspended 5 July 1977, restored with amendments 30
December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored 31 December 2002

Legal system:
based on English common law with provisions to accommodate
Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved
parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims

Executive branch:
note: following a military takeover on 12 October 1999, Chief of
Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee,
General Pervez MUSHARRAF, suspended Pakistan's constitution and
assumed the additional title of Chief Executive; on 12 May 2000,
Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the October 1999 coup
and granted MUSHARRAF executive and legislative authority for three
years from the coup date; on 20 June 2001, MUSHARRAF named himself
as president and was sworn in, replacing Mohammad Rafiq TARAR; in a
referendum held on 30 April 2002, MUSHARRAF's presidency was
extended by five more years; on 1 January 2004, MUSHARRAF won a vote
of confidence in the Senate, National Assembly, and four provincial
assemblies
chief of state: President General Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 20 June
2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Shaukat AZIZ (since 28 August
2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the Prime Minister
election results: AZIZ elected by the National Assembly on 27 August
2004 with 191 of the votes
elections: the president is elected by Parliament for a five-year
term; note - in a referendum held on 30 April 2002, MUSHARRAF's
presidency was extended by five more years (next to be held NA
2007); the prime minister is selected by the National Assembly for a
five-year term (next to be held NA 2007)

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (100
seats - formerly 87; members indirectly elected by provincial
assemblies to serve four-year terms; and the National Assembly (342
seats - formerly 217; 60 seats represent women; 10 seats represent
minorities; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
election results: Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - PML/Q 40, PPPP 11, MMA 21, MQM/A 6, PML/N 4, NA 3,
PML/F 1, PkMAP 2, ANP 2, PPP/S 2, JWP 1, BNP-Awami 1, BNP-Mengal 1,
BNM/H 1, independents 4; National Assembly results - percent of
votes by party - NA; seats by party - PML/Q 126, PPPP 81, MMA 63,
PML/N 19, MQM/A 17, NA 16, PML/F 5, PML/J 3, PPP/S 2, BNP 1, JWP 1,
PAT 1, PML/Z 1, PTI 1, MQM/H 1, PkMAP 1, independents 3
elections: Senate - last held 24 and 27 February 2003 (next to be
held by February 2007); National Assembly - last held 10 October
2002 (next to be held by October 2006)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president); Federal
Islamic or Shari'a Court

Political parties and leaders:
Awami National Party or ANP [Wali KHAN]; Balochistan National
Movement/Hayee Group or BNM/H [Dr. Hayee BALUCH]; Baluch National
Party-Mengal or BNP/M [Sardar Ataullah MENGAL]; Baluch National
Party/Awami or BNP/Awami [Moheem Khan BALOCH]; Jamhoori Watan Party
or JWP [Akbar Khan BUGTI]; Jamiat-al-Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR];
Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Fazlur Rehman faction or JUI/F [Fazlur
REHMAN]; Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Sami ul-HAQ faction or JUI/S [Sami
ul-HAQ]; Jamiat-i-Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Jamiat
Ulema-i-Pakistan or JUP [Shah Faridul HAQ]]; Millat Party or MP
[Farooq LEGHARI]; Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf faction or MQM/A
[Altaf HUSSAIN]; Muttahida Quami Movement, Haqiqi faction or MQM/H
[Afaq AHMAD]; Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal Pakistan or MMA [Qazi Hussain
AHMED]; National People's Party or NPP [Ghulam Mustapha JATOI];
Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PkMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI];
Pakhtun Quami Party or PQP [Mohammed Afzal KHAN]; Pakistan Awami
Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan Democratic Party or PDP
[Mehbooba Mufti SAYEED]; Pakistan Muslim League, Functional Group or
PML/F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif faction or
PML/N [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan Muslim League or PML [Chaudhry
Shujaat HUSSAIN]; note - as of May 2004, the PML/Q changed its name
to PML and absorbed the PML/J, PML/Z, and NA; Pakistan National
Party or PNP [Hasil BIZENJO]; Pakistan People's Party or PPP [Aftab
Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]; Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians or
PPPP [Benazir BHUTTO]; Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN];
Tehrik-i-Islami [Allama Sajid NAQVI]
note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently

Political pressure groups and leaders:
military remains most important political force; ulema (clergy),
landowners, industrialists, and small merchants also influential

International organization participation:
ARF, AsDB, C (reinstated 2004), CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,
OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMSIL,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI,
UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jehangir KARAMAT
FAX: [1] (202) 686-1534
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and
Boston (Honarary)
telephone: [1] (202) 243-3277
chancery: 3517 International Court, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ryan CROCKER
embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad
mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200
telephone: [92] (51) 2080-0000
FAX: [92] (51) 2276427
consulate(s): Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar

Flag description:
green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of religious
minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and star are
centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color green are
traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Pakistan

Economy - overview:
Pakistan, an impoverished and underdeveloped country, has suffered
from decades of internal political disputes, low levels of foreign
investment, and a costly, ongoing confrontation with neighboring
India. However, IMF-approved government policies, bolstered by
generous foreign assistance and renewed access to global markets
since late 2001, have generated solid macroeconomic recovery the
last two years. The government has made substantial inroads in
macroeconomic reform since 2000, although progress on more
politically sensitive reforms has slowed. For example, in the third
and final year of its $1.3 billion IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth
Facility, Islamabad has continued to require waivers for energy
sector reforms. While long-term prospects remain uncertain, given
Pakistan's low level of development, medium-term prospects for job
creation and poverty reduction are the best in nearly a decade.
Islamabad has raised development spending from about 2% of GDP in
the 1990s to 4% in 2003, a necessary step towards reversing the
broad underdevelopment of its social sector. GDP growth is heavily
dependent on rain-fed crops, and last year's end to a four-year
drought should support moderate agricultural growth for the next few
years. Foreign exchange reserves continued to reach new levels in
2003, supported by robust export growth and steady worker
remittances.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $318 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23.3% industry: 23.5% services: 53.2% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
12.9% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
35% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 27.6% (FY96/97)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
41 (FY98/99)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.9% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
43.98 million
note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use
of child labor (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 44%, industry 17%, services 39% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
7.7% plus substantial underemployment (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $12.08 billion
expenditures: $15.41 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
72.7% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef,
mutton, eggs

Industries:
textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals,
construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp

Industrial production growth rate:
7.6% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
66.96 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
62.27 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
62,870 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
365,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
297.1 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
23.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
23.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m NA (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
695.6 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$3.358 billion (2003)

Exports:
$11.7 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, and yarn), rice,
leather goods, sports goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets and
rugs

Exports - partners:
US 23.1%, UAE 9.4%, UK 7.1%, Germany 5.1%, Hong Kong 4.6% (2003)

Imports:
$12.51 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation
equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea

Imports - partners:
UAE 11.2%, Saudi Arabia 10.9%, China 7.3%, Japan 6.6%, Kuwait 6.4%,
US 6%, Malaysia 4.6%, Germany 4.4%, Singapore 4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$11.67 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$33.54 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$2.4 billion (FY01/02)

Currency:
Pakistani rupee (PKR)

Currency code:
PKR

Exchange rates:
Pakistani rupees per US dollar - 57.752 (2003), 59.7238 (2002),
61.9272 (2001), 53.6482 (2000), 49.1183 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Pakistan

Telephones - main lines in use:
3,982,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,624,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: the domestic system is mediocre, but improving;
service is adequate for government and business use, in part because
major businesses have established their own private systems; since
1988, the government has promoted investment in the national
telecommunications system on a priority basis, significantly
increasing network capacity; despite major improvements in trunk and
urban systems, telecommunication services are still not readily
available to the majority of the rural population
domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable,
cellular, and satellite networks
international: country code - 92; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational
international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad);
microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 27, FM 1, shortwave 21 (1998)

Radios:
13.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
22 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.pk

Internet hosts:
15,124 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
30 (2000)

Internet users:
1.5 million (2002)

Transportation Pakistan

Railways:
total: 8,163 km
broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 254,410 km
paved: 109,396 km (including 339 km of expressways)
unpaved: 145,014 km (1999)

Pipelines:
gas 9,945 km; oil 1,821 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Karachi, Port Muhammad bin Qasim

Merchant marine:
total: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 329,486 GRT/512,506 DWT
by type: cargo 11, container 2, petroleum tanker 4
registered in other countries: 16 (2004 est.)

Airports:
129 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 92 over 3,047 m: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 32

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 39 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 9

Heliports: 15 (2003 est.)

Military Pakistan

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age of 18 (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 39,793,586 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 24,355,985 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 1,891,101 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$2.7 billion (FY02/03)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.9% (FY02/03)

Transnational Issues Pakistan

Disputes - international:
Kashmir remains the world's largest and most highly militarized
territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administration
of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad
Kashmir, and Northern Areas), but recent discussions and
confidence-building measures among the parties are beginning to
defuse tensions; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding lands to
China in 1965 boundary agreement; disputes with Pakistan over Indus
River water sharing and the terminus of the Sir Creek Estuary at the
mouth of the Rann of Kutch, which prevents maritime boundary
delimitation; Pakistani maps continue to show Junagadh claim in
India's Gujarat State; despite largely successful UN efforts at
voluntary repatriation, 2-3 million Afghan refugees continue to
reside in Pakistan, many at their own choosing; Pakistan has sent
troops into remote tribal areas to control the border with
Afghanistan to stem organized terrorist and other illegal
cross-border activities; regular meetings with Afghan and coalition
allies aim to resolve periodic claims of boundary encroachments

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 1,064,230 (Afghanistan)
IDPs: undetermined (government strikes on Islamic militants in South
Waziristan) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
opium poppy in Federally Administered Tribal Areas, North-West
Frontier Province, and Balochistan Province has rebounded since it
was nearly eliminated in 2001; key transit point for Afghan drugs,
including heroin, opium, morphine, and hashish, bound for Western
markets, the Gulf States, and Africa; financial crimes related to
drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption, and smuggling remain
problems

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Palau

Introduction Palau

Background:
After three decades as part of the UN Trust Territory of the
Pacific under US administration, this westernmost cluster of the
Caroline Islands opted for independence in 1978 rather than join the
Federated States of Micronesia. A Compact of Free Association with
the US was approved in 1986, but not ratified until 1993. It entered
into force the following year, when the islands gained independence.

Geography Palau

Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of
the Philippines

Geographic coordinates:
7 30 N, 134 30 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 458 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 458 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
1,519 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
extended fishing zone: 200 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:
Tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November

Terrain:
varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of
Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier
reefs

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m

Natural resources:
forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed
minerals

Land use:
arable land: 8.7%
permanent crops: 4.35%
other: 86.95% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
typhoons (June to December)

Environment - current issues:
inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the
marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing
practices, and overfishing

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

Geography - note:
westernmost archipelago in the Caroline chain, consists of six
island groups totaling more than 300 islands; includes World War II
battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands

People Palau

Population:
20,016 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.6% (male 2,746; female 2,578)
15-64 years: 68.8% (male 7,456; female 6,319)
65 years and over: 4.6% (male 437; female 480) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 31.1 years
male: 32.1 years
female: 30 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.46% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
18.69 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.89 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
2.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.14 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 17.07 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.82 years
male: 66.67 years
female: 73.15 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.46 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Palauan(s)
adjective: Palauan

Ethnic groups:
Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 70%,
Asian (mainly Filipinos, followed by Chinese, Taiwanese, and
Vietnamese) 28%, white 2% (2000 est.)

Religions:
Christian (Roman Catholics 49%, Seventh-Day Adventists, Jehovah's
Witnesses, the Assembly of God, the Liebenzell Mission, and
Latter-Day Saints), Modekngei religion (one-third of the population
observes this religion, which is indigenous to Palau)

Languages:
English and Palauan official in all states except Sonsoral
(Sonsoralese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are
official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92%
male: 93%
female: 90% (1980 est.)

Government Palau

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Palau
conventional short form: Palau
local short form: Belau
former: Palau District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)
local long form: Beluu er a Belau

Government type:
constitutional government in free association with the US; the
Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994

Capital:
Koror; note - a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast of
Koror

Administrative divisions:
16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel, Koror,
Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar,
Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol

Independence:
1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)

National holiday:
Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)

Constitution:
1 January 1981

Legal system:
based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal,
common, and customary laws

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19
January 2001) and Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19
January 2001) and Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 2 November
2004 (next to be held November 2008)
election results: Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. reelected president;
percent of vote - Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. 64%, Polycarp BASILIUS
33%; Elias Camsek CHIN elected vice president; percent of vote -
Elias Camsek CHIN 70%, Sandra PIERANTOZZI 29%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) consists of the
Senate (9 seats; members elected by popular vote on a population
basis to serve four-year terms) and the House of Delegates (16
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
November 2008); House of Delegates - last held 2 November 2004 (next
to be held November 2008)
election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA%; seats -
independents 9 (four new members elected); House of Delegates -
percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 16 (one new member
elected)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC,
MIGA, OPCW, PIF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA consulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands) FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281 telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814 chancery: 1800 K Street NW, Suite 714, Washington, DC 20006

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Francis J. RICCIARDONE, US ambassador to the Philippines is accredited to Palau embassy: Koror (no street address) mailing address: P. O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940 telephone: [680] 488-2920, 2990 FAX: [680] 488-2911

Flag description:
light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted
slightly to the hoist side

Economy Palau

Economy - overview:
The economy consists primarily of tourism, subsistence agriculture
and fishing. The government is the major employer of the work force,
relying heavily on financial assistance from the US. Business and
tourist arrivals numbered 50,000 in FY00/01. The population enjoys a
per capita income twice that of the Philippines and much of
Micronesia. Long-run prospects for the key tourist sector have been
greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific, the
rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries, and the
willingness of foreigners to finance infrastructure development.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $174 million
note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2001 est.)

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

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.4% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
9,845 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 20%, industry NA, services NA (1990)

Unemployment rate:
2.3% (2000 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $57.7 million
expenditures: $80.8 million, including capital expenditures of $17.1
million (FY98/99 est.)

Agriculture - products:
coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes

Industries:
tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction,
garment making

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Exports:
$18 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities:
shellfish, tuna, copra, garments

Exports - partners:
US, Japan, Singapore (2000)

Imports:
$99 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
US, Guam, Japan, Singapore, Korea (2000)

Debt - external:
$0 (FY99/00)

Economic aid - recipient:
$155.8 million ; note - the Compact of Free Association with the
US, entered into after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October
1994, provides Palau with up to $700 million in US aid over 15 years
in return for furnishing military facilities

Currency:
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications Palau

Telephones - main lines in use:
6,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios:
12,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (cable) (2005)

Televisions:
11,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.pw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Transportation Palau

Highways: total: 61 km paved: 36 km unpaved: 25 km

Ports and harbors:
Koror

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
3 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Palau

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US; under a Compact of Free
Association between Palau and the US, the US military is granted
access to the islands for 50 years

Transnational Issues Palau

Disputes - international: border delineation disputes being negotiated with Philippines, Indonesia

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Palmyra Atoll

Introduction Palmyra Atoll

Background:
The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and the US
included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the
archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not
include Palmyra Atoll, which is now privately owned by the Nature
Conservancy. This organization is managing the atoll as a nature
preserve. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12 nautical
mile US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and
Wildlife Service and were designated a National Wildlife Refuge in
January 2001.

Geography Palmyra Atoll

Location:
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between
Hawaii and American Samoa

Geographic coordinates:
5 52 N, 162 06 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 11.9 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 11.9 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
14.5 km

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

Climate:
equatorial, hot, and very rainy

Terrain:
very low

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 2 m

Natural resources: terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (forests and woodlands) (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
about 50 islets covered with dense vegetation, coconut trees, and
balsa-like trees up to 30 meters tall

People Palmyra Atoll

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants; 4 to 20 Nature Conservancy staff, US
Fish and Wildlife staff (July 2004 est.)

Government Palmyra Atoll

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Palmyra Atoll

Dependency status:
incorporated territory of the US; privately owned, but administered
from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US
Department of the Interior; the Office of Insular Affairs of the US
Department of the Interior continues to administer nine excluded
areas comprising certain tidal and submerged lands within the 12 nm
territorial sea or within the lagoon

Legal system:
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of the US is used

Economy Palmyra Atoll

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Palmyra Atoll

Highways:
most of the roads and many causeways built during World War II are
unserviceable and overgrown (2001)

Ports and harbors:
West Lagoon

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Palmyra Atoll

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Palmyra Atoll

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Panama

Introduction Panama

Background:
With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly
signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal
and US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of the
structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the
US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. On 7 September
1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal
from the US to Panama by the end of 1999. Certain portions of the
Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over
in the intervening years. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was
deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the
Canal, and remaining US military bases were turned over to Panama by
or on 31 December 1999.

Geography Panama

Location:
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North
Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica

Geographic coordinates:
9 00 N, 80 00 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 78,200 sq km
water: 2,210 sq km
land: 75,990 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries: total: 555 km border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km

Coastline: 2,490 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May
to January), short dry season (January to May)

Terrain:
interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland
plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m

Natural resources:
copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 7.36% permanent crops: 1.98% other: 90.66% (2001)

Irrigated land:
320 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area

Environment - current issues: water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal; air pollution in urban areas; mining threatens natural resources

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land bridge
connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal that links
North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean

People Panama

Population:
3,000,463 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 30.2% (male 461,427; female 443,932)
15-64 years: 63.6% (male 967,490; female 940,344)
65 years and over: 6.2% (male 88,611; female 98,659) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 25.9 years
male: 25.6 years
female: 26.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.31% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
20.36 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.39 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 20.95 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 23.08 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.14 years
male: 69.82 years
female: 74.56 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.49 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
16,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Panamanian(s)
adjective: Panamanian

Ethnic groups:
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed
(West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Languages:
Spanish (official), English 14%
note: many Panamanians bilingual

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.6%
male: 93.2%
female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

Government Panama

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

Government type:
constitutional democracy

Capital:
Panama

Administrative divisions:
9 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 territory*
(comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera,
Los Santos, Panama, San Blas*, and Veraguas

Independence:
3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28
November 1821)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 3 November (1903)

Constitution:
11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983, 1994, and 2004

Legal system:
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in
the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1 September
2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1 September
2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since 1
September 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1
September 2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1
September 2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since
1 September 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state
and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 2 May 2004
(next to be held 3 May 2009); note - beginning in 2009, Panama will
have only one vice president.
note: government coalition - PRD (Democratic Revolutionary Party),
PP (Popular Party)
election results: Martin TORRIJOS Espino elected president; percent
of vote - Martin TORRIJOS Espino 47.5%, Guillermo ENDARA Galimany
30.6%, Jose Miguel ALEMAN 17%, Ricardo MARTINELLI 4.9%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (formerly called Legislative Assembly)
or Asamblea Nacional (78 seats; members are elected by popular vote
to serve five-year terms; note - In 2009, the number of seats will
change to 71)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
PRD 40, PA 17, PS 8, MOLIRENA 3, Democratic Change 2, PP 2, PLN 1,
other 5
note: legislators from outlying rural districts are chosen on a
plurality basis while districts located in more populous towns and
cities elect multiple legislators by means of a proportion-based
formula
elections: last held 2 May 2004 (next to be held 3 May 2009)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine judges
appointed for 10-year terms); five superior courts; three courts of
appeal

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Change or CD [Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic
Revolutionary Party or PRD [Martin TORRIJOS]; National Liberal Party
or PLN [Anibal GALINDO]; Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or
MOLIRENA [Jesus ROSAS]; Panamenista Party or PA (formerly the
Arnulfista Party) [Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez]; Popular Party or
PP (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC) [Ruben AROSEMENA];
Solidarity Party or PS [Jose Raul MULINO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Chamber of Commerce; National Civic Crusade; National Council of
Organized Workers or CONATO; National Union of Construction and
Similar Workers (SUNTRACS); National Council of Private Enterprise
or CONEP; Panamanian Association of Business Executives or APEDE;
Panamanian Industrialists Society or SIP; Workers Confederation of
the Republic of Panama or CTRP

International organization participation:
FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES,
LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Federico HUMBERT Arias
FAX: [1] (202) 483-8416
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New
York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa
telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407
chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Linda Ellen WATT
embassy: Avenida Balboa and Calle 37, Apartado Postal 0816-02561,
Zona 5, Panama City 5
mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002
telephone: [507] 207-7000
FAX: [507] 227-1964

Flag description:
divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are white
(hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and plain
red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and white with
a red five-pointed star in the center

Economy Panama

Economy - overview:
Panama's dollarised economy rests primarily on a well-developed
services sector that accounts for three-fourths of GDP. Services
include operating the Panama Canal, banking, the Colon Free Zone,
insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism. A slump
in Colon Free Zone and agricultural exports, the global slowdown,
and the withdrawal of US military forces held back economic growth
in 2000-03. The government has been backing public works programs,
tax reforms, new regional trade agreements, and development of
tourism in order to stimulate growth. Unemployment remains at an
unacceptably high level.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $18.78 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.3% industry: 14.7% services: 77.1% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
24.8% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
37% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 35.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
48.5 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.4% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
1.19 million
note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled
labor (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 20.8%, industry 18%, services 61.2% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate:
13.8% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.995 billion
expenditures: $3.421 billion, including capital expenditures of $471
million (2003 est.)

Public debt:
73.3% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock;
shrimp

Industries:
construction, petroleum refining, brewing, cement and other
construction materials, sugar milling

Industrial production growth rate:
7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
4.039 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
3.681 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
118 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
43 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
52,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-408 million (2003)

Exports:
$5.237 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing (1999)

Exports - partners:
US 13.9%, Nigeria 9.8%, Germany 8.1%, South Korea 7.8%, Peru 5.1%,
Costa Rica 4.9%, Belgium 4.8%, Japan 4.5% (2003)

Imports:
$6.622 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
capital goods, crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals
(1999)

Imports - partners:
Japan 33.2%, US 11.4%, China 9.1%, South Korea 7.7%, Singapore 7.1%
(2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$1.011 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$8.834 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$197.1 million (1995)

Currency:
balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
PAB; USD

Exchange rates:
balboas per US dollar - 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000), 1
(1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Panama

Telephones - main lines in use:
386,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
834,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic and international facilities well
developed
domestic: NA
international: country code - 507; 1 coaxial submarine cable;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to
the Central American Microwave System

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
815,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
38 (including repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:
510,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.pa

Internet hosts:
7,129 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)

Internet users:
120,000 (2002)

Transportation Panama

Railways:
total: 355 km
standard gauge: 76 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 11,400 km
paved: 3,944 km (including 30 km of expressways)
unpaved: 7,456 km (1999)

Waterways:
800 km (includes 82 km Panama Canal) (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Balboa, Cristobal, Coco Solo, Manzanillo (part of Colon area),
Vacamonte

Merchant marine:
total: 4,833 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 122,960,929 GRT/183,615,337
DWT
registered in other countries: 85 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Albania 2, Angola 1, Antigua and Barbuda 2, Argentina
7, Australia 11, Austria 1, Bahamas 3, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 5,
Belize 4, Brazil 4, British Virgin Islands 8, Cambodia 2, Canada 6,
Cayman Islands 1, Chile 13, China 286, Colombia 14, Croatia 3, Cuba
17, Cyprus 6, Denmark 4, Dominican Republic 1, Ecuador 1, Egypt 16,
Equatorial Guinea 1, France 7, Germany 89, Greece 549, Haiti 1,
Honduras 2, Hong Kong 288, India 22, Indonesia 44, Iran 1, Ireland
2, Israel 4, Italy 7, Japan 1630, Jordan 8, Kenya 1, South Korea
349, Kuwait 1, Latvia 11, Liberia 3, Lithuania 2, Luxembourg 1,
Malaysia 12, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 3, Mexico 7, Monaco 29,
Netherlands 14, Netherlands Antilles 1, New Zealand 1, Nigeria 6,
Norway 86, Oman 1, Pakistan 1, Peru 17, Philippines 41, Poland 12,
Portugal 6, Puerto Rico 3, Romania 9, Russia 8, Saint Kitts and
Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Saudi Arabia 6,
Singapore 105, South Africa 3, Spain 52, Sri Lanka 3, Sudan 1,
Sweden 4, Switzerland 93, Syria 1, Taiwan 348, Thailand 14, Trinidad
and Tobago 1, Turkey 12, Ukraine 2, United Kingdom 51, United States
99, Venezuela 4
by type: barge carrier 3, bulk 1,434, cargo 819, chemical tanker
388, combination bulk 73, combination ore/oil 18, container 613,
liquefied gas 190, livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large load
carrier 15, passenger 36, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 514,
rail car carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 281, roll on/roll off 125,
short-sea/passenger 37, specialized tanker 36, vehicle carrier 242

Airports:
103 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 44 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 61 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 49 (2004 est.)

Military Panama

Military branches:
an amendment to the Constitution abolished the armed forces, but
there are security forces (Panamanian Public Forces or PPF includes
the Panamanian National Police, National Maritime Service, and
National Air Service)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 810,341 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 553,422 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$145 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.2% (2003)

Military - note:
on 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA
abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by
creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's
Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting
the creation of a standing military force, but allowing the
temporary establishment of special police units to counter acts of
"external aggression"

Transnational Issues Panama

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
major cocaine transshipment point and primary money-laundering
center for narcotics revenue; money-laundering activity is
especially heavy in the Colon Free Zone; offshore financial center;
negligible signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of financial
transactions is improving; official corruption remains a major
problem

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Papua New Guinea

Introduction Papua New Guinea

Background:
The eastern half of the island of New Guinea - second largest in
the world - was divided between Germany (north) and the UK (south)
in 1885. The latter area was transferred to Australia in 1902, which
occupied the northern portion during World War I and continued to
administer the combined areas until independence in 1975. A
nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville ended in
1997 after claiming some 20,000 lives.

Geography Papua New Guinea

Location:
Oceania, group of islands including the eastern half of the island
of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean,
east of Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:
6 00 S, 147 00 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 462,840 sq km
land: 452,860 sq km
water: 9,980 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 820 km border countries: Indonesia 820 km

Coastline: 5,152 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon
(May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m

Natural resources: gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries

Land use: arable land: 0.46% permanent crops: 1.44% other: 98.1% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire"; the
country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud
slides; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:
rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing
commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining
projects; severe drought

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest
swamps along southwest coast

People Papua New Guinea

Population:
5,420,280 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.3% (male 1,053,940; female 1,019,492)
15-64 years: 58% (male 1,622,124; female 1,519,104)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 96,638; female 108,982) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 21 years
male: 21.1 years
female: 20.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.3% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
30.52 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.5 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 53.15 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 48.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 57.39 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.56 years
male: 62.41 years
female: 66.81 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.04 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
16,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
600 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, dengue fever, malaria
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Papua New Guinean(s)
adjective: Papua New Guinean

Ethnic groups:
Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian

Religions:
Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%, Presbyterian/Methodist/London
Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%, Evangelical Alliance 4%,
Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant 10%, indigenous beliefs
34%

Languages:
Melanesian Pidgin serves as the lingua franca, English spoken by
1%-2%, Motu spoken in Papua region
note: 715 indigenous languages — many unrelated

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 64.6%
male: 71.1%
female: 57.7% (2002)

Government Papua New Guinea

Country name:
conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea
conventional short form: Papua New Guinea
abbreviation: PNG
former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea

Government type:
constitutional monarchy with parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Port Moresby

Administrative divisions:
20 provinces; Bougainville, Central, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands,
East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang, Manus, Milne Bay,
Morobe, National Capital, New Ireland, Northern, Sandaun, Southern
Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New Britain

Independence:
16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 16 September (1975)

Constitution:
16 September 1975

Legal system:
based on English common law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by governor general Sir Paulius MATANE (since 29 June
2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Sir Michael SOMARE (since 2
August 2002); deputy prime minister (vacant)
cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor
general on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the National Executive Council; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by the
governor general

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Parliament - sometimes referred to as the House
of Assembly (109 seats, 89 elected from open electorates and 20 from
provincial electorates; members elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 15-29 June 2002 and April and May 2003;
completed in May 2003 (voting in the Southern Highlands was not
completed during the June 2002 election period); next to be held not
later than June 2007
election results: percent of vote by party - National Alliance 18%,
URP 13%, PDM 12%, PPP 8%, Pangu 6%, PAP 5%, PLP 4%, others 34%;
seats by party - National Alliance 19, UPR 14, PDM 13, PPP 8, Pangu
6, PAP 5, PLP 4, others 40; note - association with political
parties is fluid (2003)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor
general on the proposal of the National Executive Council after
consultation with the minister responsible for justice; other judges
are appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission)

Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Party [Dr.Banare BUN, party leader];
Melanesian Alliance Party or MAP [Sir Moi AVEL, party leader];
National Alliance Party or NA [Michael SOMARE, party leader; George
MANOA, party president]; National Party [Melchior PEP, party
leader]; Papua and Niugini Union Party or PANGU [Chris HAIVETA,
party leader]; Papua New Guinea First Party [Cecilking DORUBA, party
leader]; Papua New Guinea Labor Party [Bob DANAYA, party leader];
Papua New Guinea Party [Sir Mekere MORAUTA, party leader]; People's
Action Party or PAP [Moses MALADINA, party leader]; People's Labor
Party or PLP [Ekis ROPENU, party leader]; People's National Congress
or PNC [Peter O'NEILL, party leader]; People's Progressive Party or
PPP [Andrew BAING, party leader]; Pipol First Party [Luther WENGE,
party leader]; Rural People's Party [Peter NAMUS, party leader];
United Party [Bire KIMASOPA, party leader]; United Resources Party
or URP [Tim NEVILLE, party leader] (2004)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, APEC, ARF, AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF,
Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Evan Jeremy PAKI
FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679
telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680
chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC
20036

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert W. FITTS embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby mailing address: 4240 Port Moresby PI, US Department of State, Washington DC 20521-4240 telephone: [675] 321-1455 FAX: [675] 321-3423

Flag description:
divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner; the upper triangle
is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise centered; the lower
triangle is black with five, white, five-pointed stars of the
Southern Cross constellation centered

Economy Papua New Guinea

Economy - overview:
Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but
exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain and the high cost
of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence
livelihood for 85% of the population. Mineral deposits, including
oil, copper, and gold, account for 72% of export earnings. The
economy has faltered over the past four years. Former Prime Minister
Mekere MORAUTA had tried to restore integrity to state institutions,
to stabilize the kina, restore stability to the national budget, to
privatize public enterprises where appropriate, and to ensure
ongoing peace on Bougainville. The government has had considerable
success in attracting international support, specifically gaining
the backing of the IMF and the World Bank in securing development
assistance loans. Challenges face Prime Minister Michael SOMARE,
including curbing inflation, gaining further investor confidence,
continuing efforts to privatize government assets, maintaining the
support of members of Parliament, and balancing relations with
Australia, the former colonial ruler.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $11.48 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.4% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 34% industry: 37.7% services: 28.3% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
13.9% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
37% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 40.5% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
50.9 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
14.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
3.25 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 85%, industry NA, services NA

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $954.1 million
expenditures: $996.8 million, including capital expenditures of $344
million (2003 est.)

Public debt:
72.4% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, tea, rubber, sweet potatoes,
fruit, vegetables, poultry, pork

Industries:
copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip
production; mining of gold, silver, and copper; crude oil
production; construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
NA (FY01/02 est.)

Electricity - production:
1.496 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.391 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
67,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
15,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
345.2 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
110 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
110 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
385.5 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$12 million (2003)

Exports:
$1.938 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish,
prawns

Exports - partners:
Australia 25.6%, Japan 7.4%, China 5.8% (2003)

Imports:
$967 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels,
chemicals

Imports - partners:
Australia 44.6%, Singapore 20.6%, New Zealand 7.7%, China 5% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$510.5 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$2.909 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$400 million (1999 est.)

Currency:
kina (PGK)

Currency code:
PGK

Exchange rates:
kina per US dollar - 3.5635 (2003), 3.8952 (2002), 3.3887 (2001),
2.7822 (2000), 2.5708 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Papua New Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use:
62,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
15,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: services are adequate; facilities provide
radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and
international radio communication services
domestic: mostly radiotelephone
international: country code - 675; submarine cables to Australia and
Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean);
international radio communication service

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)

Radios:
410,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (all in the Port Moresby area) note: additional stations at Mt. Hagen, Goroka, Lae, and Rabaul are planned (2004)

Televisions:
59,841 (1999)

Internet country code:
.pg

Internet hosts:
389 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)

Internet users:
75,000 (2002)

Transportation Papua New Guinea

Highways: total: 19,600 km paved: 686 km unpaved: 18,914 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
10,940 km (2003)

Pipelines:
oil 264 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Kieta, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul

Merchant marine:
total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 47,586 GRT/60,934 DWT
foreign-owned: Singapore 2, United Kingdom 6
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 1, cargo 12, chemical tanker 1, combination ore/oil 2,
container 1, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 2

Airports:
559 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 21
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 4

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 550 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 62 under 914 m: 478 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2003 est.)

Military Papua New Guinea

Military branches:
Papua New Guinea Defense Force: Ground Force, Maritime Operations
Element, and Air Operations Element

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,403,467 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 775,064 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$16.9 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Papua New Guinea

Disputes - international:
seeks assistance from Australia to control illegal cross-border
activities from primarily Indonesia, including smuggling, drug
trafficking, and Indonesian squatters and secessionists

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Paracel Islands

Introduction Paracel Islands

Background:
The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds
and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina
annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island;
maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has
occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a
South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands
are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.

Geography Paracel Islands

Location:
Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South
China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the
northern Philippines

Geographic coordinates:
16 30 N, 112 00 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

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

Area - comparative:
NA

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
518 km

Maritime claims:
NA

Climate:
tropical

Terrain:
mostly low and flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
typhoons

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the
northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group

People Paracel Islands

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2004 est.)

Government Paracel Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands

Economy Paracel Islands

Economy - overview:
China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.

Transportation Paracel Islands

Ports and harbors:
small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island
being expanded

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Paracel Islands

Military - note: occupied by China

Transnational Issues Paracel Islands

Disputes - international: occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Paraguay

Introduction Paraguay

Background:
In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70), Paraguay
lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its territory. It
stagnated economically for the next half century. In the Chaco War
of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were won from
Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER was
overthrown in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political
infighting in recent years, relatively free and regular presidential
elections have been held since then.

Geography Paraguay

Location:
Central South America, northeast of Argentina

Geographic coordinates:
23 00 S, 58 00 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 406,750 sq km
water: 9,450 sq km
land: 397,300 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries: total: 3,920 km border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern
portions, becoming semiarid in the far west

Terrain:
grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco
region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river,
and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m
highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m

Natural resources:
hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

Land use: arable land: 7.6% permanent crops: 0.23% other: 92.17% (2001)

Irrigated land:
670 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly
drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal
present health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands

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

Geography - note:
landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population
concentrated in southern part of country

People Paraguay

Population:
6,191,368 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.2% (male 1,201,459; female 1,162,954)
15-64 years: 57% (male 1,773,151; female 1,758,323)
65 years and over: 4.8% (male 136,376; female 159,105) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 21.1 years
male: 20.8 years
female: 21.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.51% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
29.78 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.58 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 26.67 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 31.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.64 years
male: 72.12 years
female: 77.29 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.98 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
220 (2001 est.)

Nationality: noun: Paraguayan(s) adjective: Paraguayan

Ethnic groups:
mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and other Protestant

Languages:
Spanish (official), Guarani (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94%
male: 94.9%
female: 93% (2003 est.)

Government Paraguay

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay
conventional short form: Paraguay
local short form: Paraguay
local long form: Republica del Paraguay

Government type:
constitutional republic

Capital:
Asuncion

Administrative divisions:
17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1
capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion*,
Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion,
Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari,
Presidente Hayes, San Pedro

Independence:
14 May 1811 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 14 May (1811) (observed 15 May annually)

Constitution:
promulgated 20 June 1992

Legal system:
based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial
review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicanor DUARTE Frutos (since 15 August
2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August 2003);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Nicanor DUARTE Frutos (since 15 August
2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August 2003);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 27 April
2003 (next to be held NA April 2008)
election results: Nicanor DUARTE Frutos elected president; percent
of vote - Nicanor DUARTE Frutos 37.1%, Julio Cesar Ramon FRANCO
Gomez 23.9%, Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella 21.3%, Guillermo
SANCHEZ Guffanti 13.5%, other 4.2%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of Senators
or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara
de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 27 April 2003 (next to be
held NA April 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 27 April 2003
(next to be held NA April 2008)
election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 16, PLRA 12, UNACE 7, MPQ 7,
PPS 2, PEN 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - Colorado Party 37, PLRA 21, UNACE 10, PQ 10, PPS 2

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges
appointed on the proposal of the Council of Magistrates or Consejo
de la Magistratura)

Political parties and leaders:
Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR [Herminio
CACERES, interim president]; Patria Querida (Beloved Fatherland
Party) or PQ [Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella]; Movimiento Union
Nacional de Ciudadanos Eticos or UNACE [Enrique GONZALEZ Quintana,
acting chairman]; Partido Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Luis TORALES
Kenney]; Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA [Julio Cesar
FRANCO]; Partido Pais Solidario or PPS [Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA
Pallares]; note - Nicanor DUARTE Frutos on leave as party leader of
the Colorado Party or ANR while serving as President of Paraguay;
Lino Cesar OVIEDO Silva, leader of UNACE, is currently serving a
ten-year prison term

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Ahorristas Estafados or AE; Coordinating Table of National
Campesino Organizations or MCNOC; National Federation of Campesinos
or FNC; National Workers Central or CNT; Paraguayan Workers
Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central
or CUT;;

International organization participation:
FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer),
OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE,
UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James SPALDING Hellmers
consulate(s) general: Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans,
New York
FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508
telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962
chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John F. KEANE embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001 telephone: [595] (21) 213-715 FAX: [595] (21) 213-728

Flag description:
three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue with an
emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the emblem
is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left)
bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a
green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within
two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the seal
of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the
words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words
REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)

Economy Paraguay

Economy - overview:
Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector.
The informal sector features both reexport of imported consumer
goods to neighboring countries as well as the activities of
thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. Because of
the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures
are difficult to obtain. A large percentage of the population
derives their living from agricultural activity, often on a
subsistence basis. The formal economy grew by an average of about 3%
annually in 1995-97; but GDP declined slightly in 1998, 1999, and
2000, rose slightly in 2001, only to fall again in 2002. On a per
capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most
observers attribute Paraguay's poor economic performance to
political uncertainty, corruption, lack of progress on structural
reform, substantial internal and external debt, and deficient
infrastructure.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $28.17 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.8% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 24.8% industry: 23.7% services: 51.4% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
17.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
36% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 43.8% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
57.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
14.2% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
2.15 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 45%

Unemployment rate:
18.5% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $937.8 million
expenditures: $988.4 million, including capital expenditures of $700
million (2003 est.)

Public debt:
45.1% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava
(tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber

Industries:
sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel,
metallurgic, electric power

Industrial production growth rate:
0% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
44.89 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
2.637 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
39.11 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
25,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$146 million (2003)

Exports:
$2.727 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity, wood,
leather

Exports - partners:
Brazil 34.2%, Uruguay 19.6%, Switzerland 7.8%, Argentina 5.3% (2003)

Imports:
$2.77 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products,
electrical machinery

Imports - partners:
Brazil 32.5%, Argentina 21.6%, China 12.7% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$982 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$2.96 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA (2001)

Currency:
guarani (PYG)

Currency code:
PYG

Exchange rates:
guarani per US dollar - 6,424.34 (2003), 5,716.26 (2002), 4,105.92
(2001), 3,486.35 (2000), 3,119.07 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Paraguay

Telephones - main lines in use:
273,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,770,300 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: meager telephone service; principal switching
center is Asuncion
domestic: fair microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 595; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive) (1998)

Radios:
925,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
5 (2003)

Televisions:
990,000 (2001)

Internet country code:
.py

Internet hosts:
9,243 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
4 (2000)

Internet users:
120,000 (2003)

Transportation Paraguay

Railways: total: 441 km standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 29,500 km paved: 14,986 km unpaved: 14,514 km (1999 est)

Waterways:
3,100 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion

Merchant marine:
total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 31,667 GRT/30,826 DWT
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 14, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll
on/roll off 3
foreign-owned: Argentina 2, Japan 1

Airports:
880 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 12
over 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 866
1,524 to 2,437 m: 26
914 to 1,523 m: 323
under 914 m: 517 (2004 est.)

Military Paraguay

Military branches:
Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,504,407 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,084,087 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 63,386 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$52.7 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Paraguay

Disputes - international:
unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders
is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and drug trafficking,
and fundraising for extremist organizations

Illicit drugs:
major illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is
consumed in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile; transshipment country for
Andean cocaine headed for Brazil, other Southern Cone markets,
Europe, and US; corruption and some money-laundering activity,
especially in the Tri-Border Area

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Peru

Introduction Peru

Background:
Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean
civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was
captured by the Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence
was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces defeated in 1824.
After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic
leadership in 1980, but experienced economic problems and the growth
of a violent insurgency. President Alberto FUJIMORI's election in
1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the
economy and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity.
Nevertheless, the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian
measures and an economic slump in the late 1990s generated mounting
dissatisfaction with his regime. FUJIMORI won reelection to a third
term in the spring of 2000, but international pressure and
corruption scandals led to his ouster by Congress in November of
that year. A caretaker government oversaw new elections in the
spring of 2001, which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO as the new head of
government; his presidency has been hampered by allegations of
corruption.

Geography Peru

Location:
Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between
Chile and Ecuador

Geographic coordinates:
10 00 S, 76 00 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 1,285,220 sq km
water: 5,220 sq km
land: 1.28 million sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries:
total: 5,536 km
border countries: Bolivia 900 km, Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km,
Colombia 1,496 km (est.), Ecuador 1,420 km

Coastline:
2,414 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:
varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to
frigid in Andes

Terrain:
western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center
(sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m

Natural resources:
copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal,
phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 2.89% permanent crops: 0.4% other: 96.71% (2001)

Irrigated land:
11,950 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity

Environment - current issues: deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake,
with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak, is the
ultimate source of the Amazon River

People Peru

Population:
27,544,305 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 32.1% (male 4,496,146; female 4,340,580)
15-64 years: 62.8% (male 8,709,098; female 8,594,351)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 660,734; female 743,396) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 24.6 years
male: 24.4 years
female: 24.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.39% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
21.27 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 32.95 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 30.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 35.57 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.22 years
male: 67.48 years
female: 71.03 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.61 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
82,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Peruvian(s)
adjective: Peruvian

Ethnic groups:
Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white
15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 90%

Languages:
Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara, and a large number
of minor Amazonian languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.9%
male: 95.2%
female: 86.8% (2003 est.)

Government Peru

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Peru
conventional short form: Peru
local long form: Republica del Peru
local short form: Peru

Government type:
constitutional republic

Capital:
Lima

Administrative divisions:
24 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1
constitutional province* (provincia constitucional); Amazonas,
Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao*, Cusco,
Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima,
Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin,
Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali
note: some reports indicate that the 24 departments and 1
constitutional province are now being referred to as regions; Peru
is implementing a decentralization program whereby these 25
administrative divisions will begin to exercise greater governmental
authority over their territories; in November 2002, voters chose
their new regional presidents and other regional leaders; the
authority that the regional government will exercise has not yet
been clearly defined, but it will be devolved to the regions over
the course of several years

Independence:
28 July 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 July (1821)

Constitution:
31 December 1993

Legal system:
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70; note
- members of the military may not vote

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28 July
2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by the
constitution, First Vice President (vacant) and Second Vice
President David WAISMAN (since 28 July 2001)
head of government: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28
July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
of government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by
the constitution, First Vice President (vacant) and Second Vice
President David WAISMAN (since 28 July 2001)
note: Prime Minister Carlos FERRERO Costa (since 15 December 2003)
does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the
president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
special presidential and congressional elections held 8 April 2001,
with runoff election held 3 June 2001; next to be held 9 April 2006
election results: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique elected
president in runoff election; percent of vote - Alejandro TOLEDO
Manrique 53.1%, Alan GARCIA 46.9%
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

Legislative branch:
unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la
Republica del Peru (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote
to serve five-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - Peru Posible 26.3%,
APRA 19.7%, Unidad Nacional 13.8%, FIM 11.0%, others 29.2%; seats by
party - Peru Posible 47, APRA 28, Unidad Nacional 17, FIM 11, others
17
elections: last held 8 April 2001 (next to be held 9 April 2006)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are
appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary)

Political parties and leaders:
Peruvian Aprista Party or PAP (also referred to by its original
name Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana or APRA) [Alan
GARCIA]; Independent Moralizing Front or FIM [Fernando OLIVERA
Vega]; National Unity (Unidad Nacional) or UN [Lourdes FLORES Nano];
Peru Posible or PP [David WAISMAN]; Popular Action or AP [Javier
DIAZ Orihuela]; Solucion Popular [Carlos BOLANA]; Somos Peru or SP
[Alberto ANDRADE]; Union for Peru or UPP [Roger GUERRA Garcia]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path [Abimael GUZMAN
Reynoso (imprisoned), Gabriel MACARIO (top leader at-large)]; Tupac
Amaru Revolutionary Movement or MRTA [Victor POLAY (imprisoned),
Hugo AVALLENEDA Valdez (top leader at-large)]

International organization participation:
APEC, CAN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur
(associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Eduardo FERRERO Costa
chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles,
Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco, Washington
(DC)
FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124
telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador J. Curtis STRUBLE
embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17s/n, Surco, Lima 33
mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima),
APO AA 34031-5000
telephone: [51] (1) 434-3000
FAX: [51] (1) 434-3037

Flag description:
three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red
with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms
features a shield bearing a vicuna, cinchona tree (the source of
quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all
framed by a green wreath

Economy Peru

Economy - overview:
Peru's economy reflects its varied geography - an arid coastal
region, the Andes further inland, and tropical lands bordering
Colombia and Brazil. Abundant mineral resources are found in the
mountainous areas, and Peru's coastal waters provide excellent
fishing grounds. However, overdependence on minerals and metals
subjects the economy to fluctuations in world prices, and a lack of
infrastructure deters trade and investment. After several years of
inconsistent economic performance, the Peruvian economy was one of
the fastest growing in Latin America in 2002 and 2003, growing by 5%
and 4%, respectively, with the exchange rate stable and an annual
inflation lower than 2%. Foreign direct investment also was strong,
thanks to the ongoing Camisea natural gas pipeline project
(scheduled to begin operations in 2004) and investments in gold
mining. Risk premiums on Peruvian bonds on secondary markets reached
historically low levels in late 2003, reflecting investor optimism
and the government's fiscal restraint. Despite the strong
macroeconomic performance, political intrigue and allegations of
corruption continued to swirl in 2003, with the TOLEDO
administration growing increasingly unpopular, and local and foreign
concern rising that the political turmoil could place the country's
hard-won fiscal and financial stability at risk. Moreover, as of
late 2003, unemployment had yet to respond to the strong growth in
economic activity, owing in part to rigid labor market regulations
that act as an impediment to hiring.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $146 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,100 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 27% services: 65% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
17.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
54% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 35.4% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
46.2 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
8.63 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 5.9%, mining and quarrying 0.4%, manufacturing 12.6%, construction 5.3%, commerce 26.3%, household work 4.9%, other services 44.6% (2004)

Unemployment rate:
9.7%; widespread underemployment (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $15.86 billion
expenditures: $17.05 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6
billion (2003 est.)

Public debt:
49.2% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, wheat, potatoes, corn, plantains,
coca; poultry, beef, dairy products, wool; fish

Industries:
mining of metals, petroleum, fishing, textiles, clothing, food
processing, cement, auto assembly, steel, shipbuilding, metal
fabrication

Industrial production growth rate:
2% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
20.59 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
19.15 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
95,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
161,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
614.7 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
370 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
370 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
245.1 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-1.116 billion (2003)

Exports:
$8.954 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products, gold, copper, zinc, crude petroleum and
byproducts, lead, coffee, sugar, cotton

Exports - partners:
US 27.1%, UK 12.4%, China 7.7%, Switzerland 7.6%, Chile 4.7%, Japan
4.4% (2003)

Imports:
$8.244 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum, iron and
steel, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:
US 28.6%, Spain 10%, Chile 7.5%, Brazil 5.1%, Colombia 4.5% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$10.24 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$29.95 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$895.1 million (1995)

Currency:
nuevo sol (PEN)

Currency code:
PEN

Exchange rates:
nuevo sol per US dollar - 3.4785 (2003), 3.5165 (2002), 3.5068
(2001), 3.49 (2000), 3.3833 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Peru

Telephones - main lines in use:
1,839,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,908,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate for most requirements
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic
satellite system with 12 earth stations
international: country code - 51; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Pan American submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 472, FM 198, shortwave 189 (1999)

Radios:
6.65 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
13 (plus 112 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
3.06 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.pe

Internet hosts:
65,868 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
10 (2000)

Internet users:
2.85 million (2003)

Transportation Peru

Railways:
total: 3,462 km
standard gauge: 2,962 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 500 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 72,900 km
paved: 9,331 km
unpaved: 63,569 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
8,808 km
note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km
of Lago Titicaca (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 388 km; oil 1,557 km; refined products 13 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Callao, Chimbote, Ilo, Matarani, Paita, Puerto Maldonado,
Salaverry, San Martin, Talara, Iquitos, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas
note: Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are all on the upper reaches
of the Amazon and its tributaries

Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 13,666 GRT/17,611 DWT
foreign-owned: United States 1
registered in other countries: 19 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1

Airports:
233 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 52 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 182 1,524 to 2,437 m: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 62 under 914 m: 99 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

Military Peru

Military branches:
Army (Ejercito Peruano), Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru; includes
Naval Air, Naval Infantry, and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea
del Peru; FAP)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service (1999)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 7,374,187 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 4,938,512 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 277,931 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$829.4 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.3% (2003)

Transnational Issues Peru

Disputes - international:
Bolivia has reanimated its claim to restore the Atacama corridor
ceded to Chile and adjoining Peru in 1884 to secure sovereign
maritime assess for Bolivian natural gas

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 60,000 (civil war from 1980-2000; most IDPs are indigenous
peasants in Andean and Amazonian regions) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
until 1996 the world's largest coca leaf producer; emerging opium
producer; cultivation of coca in Peru fell 15 percent to 31,150
hectares between 2002 and the end of 2003; much of the cocaine base
is shipped to neighboring Colombia for processing into cocaine,
while finished cocaine is shipped out from Pacific ports to the
international drug market; increasing amounts of base and finished
cocaine, however, are being moved to Brazil and Bolivia for use in
the Southern Cone or transshipped to Europe and Africa

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Philippines

Introduction Philippines

Background:
The Philippine Islands became a Spanish colony during the 16th
century; they were ceded to the US in 1898 following the
Spanish-American War. In 1935 the Philippines became a
self-governing commonwealth. Manuel QUEZON was elected President and
was tasked with preparing the country for independence after a
10-year transition. In 1942 the islands fell under Japanese
occupation during WWII, and US forces and Filipinos fought together
during 1944-45 to regain control. On 4 July 1946 the Philippines
attained their independence. The 21-year rule of Ferdinand MARCOS
ended in 1986, when a widespread popular rebellion forced him into
exile and installed Corazon AQUINO as president. Her presidency was
hampered by several coup attempts, which prevented a return to full
political stability and economic development. Fidel RAMOS was
elected president in 1992 and his administration was marked by
greater stability and progress on economic reforms. In 1992, the US
closed its last military bases on the islands. Joseph ESTRADA was
elected president in 1998, but was succeeded by his vice-president,
Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, in January 2001 after Estrada's stormy
impeachment trial on corruption charges broke down and widespread
demonstrations led to his ouster. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was elected to a
six-year term in May 2004. The Philippine Government faces threats
from armed communist insurgencies and from Muslim separtists in the
south.

Geography Philippines

Location:
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the
South China Sea, east of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:
13 00 N, 122 00 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 300,000 sq km
water: 1,830 sq km
land: 298,170 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Arizona

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
36,289 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100 nm from
coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also
claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 nm in
breadth
continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest
monsoon (May to October)

Terrain:
mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m

Natural resources:
timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper

Land use:
arable land: 18.95%
permanent crops: 16.77%
other: 64.28% (2001)

Irrigated land:
15,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to
six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes;
destructive earthquakes; tsunamis

Environment - current issues: uncontrolled deforestation especially in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in major urban centers; coral reef degradation; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps that are important fish breeding grounds

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
the Philippine archipelago is made up of 7,107 islands; favorably
located in relation to many of Southeast Asia's main water bodies:
the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, and
Luzon Strait

People Philippines

Population:
86,241,697 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 35.8% (male 15,758,255; female 15,152,291)
15-64 years: 60.2% (male 25,847,345; female 26,096,211)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 1,473,873; female 1,913,722) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 22.1 years male: 21.6 years female: 22.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.88% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
25.8 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.53 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 24.24 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 27.11 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.6 years
male: 66.74 years
female: 72.61 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.22 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Filipino(s)
adjective: Philippine

Ethnic groups:
Christian Malay 91.5%, Muslim Malay 4%, Chinese 1.5%, other 3%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 5%, Buddhist and other 3%

Languages:
two official languages - Filipino (based on Tagalog) and English;
eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocan, Hiligaynon or
Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.6%
male: 92.5%
female: 92.7% (2002)

Government Philippines

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines
conventional short form: Philippines
local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas
local short form: Pilipinas

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Manila

Administrative divisions:
79 provinces and 116 chartered cities
: provinces: Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay,
Antique, Apayao, Aurora, Basilan, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas,
Biliran, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines
Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cebu,
Compostela, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Eastern
Samar, Guimaras, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Isabela,
Kalinga, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, La Union, Leyte,
Maguindanao, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro
Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain Province,
Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern Samar,
Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon,
Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Samar, Sarangani, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South
Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao del Norte,
Surigao del Sur, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi, Zambales, Zamboanga del Norte,
Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay
: chartered cities: Alaminos, Angeles, Antipolo, Bacolod, Bago,
Baguio, Bais, Balanga, Batangas, Bayawan, Bislig, Butuan,
Cabanatuan, Cadiz, Cagayan de Oro, Calamba, Calapan, Calbayog,
Candon, Canlaon, Cauayan, Cavite, Cebu, Cotabato, Dagupan, Danao,
Dapitan, Davao, Digos, Dipolog, Dumaguete, Escalante, Gapan, General
Santos, Gingoog, Himamaylan, Iligan, Iloilo, Isabela, Iriga,
Kabankalan, Kalookan, Kidapawan, Koronadal, La Carlota, Laoag,
Lapu-Lapu, Las Pinas, Legazpi, Ligao, Lipa, Lucena, Maasin, Makati,
Malabon, Malaybalay, Malolos, Mandaluyong, Mandaue, Manila, Marawi,
Markina, Masbate, Muntinlupa, Munoz, Naga, Olongapo, Ormoc,
Oroquieta, Ozamis, Pagadian, Palayan, Panabo, Paranaque, Pasay,
Pasig, Passi, Puerto Princesa, Quezon, Roxas, Sagay, Samal, San
Carlos (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos (in Pangasinan), San
Fernando (in La Union), San Fernando (in Pampanga), San Jose, San
Jose del Monte, San Pablo, Santa Rosa, Santiago, Silay, Sipalay,
Sorsogon, Surigao, Tabaco, Tacloban, Tacurong, Tagaytay, Tagbilaran,
Tagum, Talisay (in Cebu), Talisay (in Negros Oriental), Tanauan,
Tangub, Tanjay, Tarlac, Toledo, Tuguegarao, Trece Martires,
Urdaneta, Valencia, Valenzuela, Victorias, Vigan, Zamboanga

Independence:
12 June 1898 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 June (1898)
note: 12 June 1898 was date of declaration of independence from
Spain; 4 July 1946 was date of independence from US

Constitution:
2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

Legal system:
based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January
2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20
January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
elections: president and vice president (Manuel "Noli" DE CASTRO)
elected on separate tickets by popular vote for six-year terms;
election last held 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2010)
election results: results of the election - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
elected president; percent of vote - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO 40%,
Fernando POE 37%, three others 23%
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with the consent of the
Commission of Appointments

Legislative branch:
bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24
seats - one-half elected every three years; members elected at large
by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (212 members
representing districts plus 24 sectoral party-list members; members
elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - the
Constitution prohibits the House of Representatives from having more
than 250 members)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - Lakas 30%, LP
13%, KNP 13%, independents 17%, others 27%; seats by party - Lakas
7, LP 3, KNP 3, independents 4, others 6; note - there are 23 rather
than 24 sitting senators because one senator was elected Vice
President; 14 senators are pro-government, 9 are in opposition;
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - Lakas 93, NPC 53, LP 34, LDP 11, others 20; party-listers
24; note - there are 211 rather than 212 sitting representatives
because one was appointed Secretary of Tourism (2004)
elections: Senate - last held 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May
2007); House of Representatives - elections last held 10 May 2004
(next to be held in May 2007)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (15 justices are appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council and serve until 70
years of age); Court of Appeals; Sandigan-bayan (special court for
hearing corruption cases of government officials)

Political parties and leaders:
Laban Ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino Democrats) or
LDP [Edgardo ANGARA, president]; Lakas Ng Edsa (National Union of
Christian Democrats) or Lakas [Jose DE VENECIA, president; Gloria
MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, chairperson]; Liberal Party or LP [Franklin
DRILON, president; Jose ATIENZA, JR., chairman]; National People's
Coalition or NPC [Eduardo COJUANGCO, chairman emeritus; Frisco SAN
JUAN, president]; PDP-Laban [Aquilino PIMENTEL, president]; Pwersa
ng Masang Pilipino (Party of the Philippine Masses) or PMP [Joseph
ESTRADA, president; Juan Ponce ENRILE, chairman]; Aksyon Demokratiko
Party [Raul ROCO, president]; Reporma [Renato DE VILLA, chairman];
PROMDI [Emilio OSMENA, president]; Nacionalista [Manuel VILLAR,
president]; People's Reform Party [Miriam Defensor SANTIAGO,
president}

Political pressure groups and leaders:
AKBAYAN [Reps. Etta ROSALES, Mario AGUJA, and Risa
HONTIVEROS-BARAQUIEL]; ANAKPAWIS [Reps. Crispin BELTRAN and Rafael
MARIANO]; Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC)
[Reps. Edgar VALDEZ, Ernesto PABLO, and Sunny Rose MADAMBA]; Bayan
Muna [Reps. Satur OCAMPO, Joel VIRADOR, and Teodoro CASINO, Jr.];
BUHAY [Reps. Rene VELARDE and Hans Christian SENERES]; BUTIL [Rep.
Benjamin CRUZ]; CIBAC [Rep. Emmanuel Joel VILLANUEVA]; GABRIELA
[Rep. Liza MAZA}; PARTIDO NG MANGGAGAWA [Rep. Renato MAGTUBO] (2003)

International organization participation:
APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS
(observer), ONUB, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Albert DEL ROSARIO
chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San
Francisco, San Jose (Northern Mariana Islands), Tamuning (Guam)
consulate(s): honorary consuls in Ft. Lauderdale and Houston
FAX: [1] (202) 328-7614
telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Francis J. RICCIARDONE
embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila
mailing address: PSC 500, FPO AP 96515-1000
telephone: [63] (2) 523-6300
FAX: [63] (2) 522-4361

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a white
equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; in the center of the
triangle is a yellow sun with eight primary rays (each containing
three individual rays) and in each corner of the triangle is a small
yellow five-pointed star

Economy Philippines

Economy - overview:
The Philippines was less severely affected by the Asian financial
crisis of 1998 than its neighbors, aided in part by annual
remittances of $6-7 billion from overseas workers. From a 0.6%
decline in 1998, GDP expanded by 2.4% in 1999, and 4.4% in 2000, but
slowed to 3.2% in 2001 in the context of a global economic slowdown,
an export slump, and political and security concerns. GDP growth
accelerated to 4.4% in 2002 and 4.2% in 2003, reflecting the
continued resilience of the service sector, gains in industrial
output, and improved exports. Nonetheless, it will take a higher,
sustained growth path to make appreciable progress in poverty
alleviation given the Philippines' high annual population growth
rate and unequal distribution of income. The MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
Administration has promised to continue economic reforms to help the
Philippines match the pace of development in the newly
industrialized countries of East Asia. The strategy includes
improving the infrastructure, strengthening tax collection to
bolster government revenues, furthering deregulation and
privatization of the economy, enhancing the viability of the
financial system, and increasing trade integration with the region.
Prospects for 2004 will depend on the economic performance of two
major trading partners, the US and Japan, and on increased
confidence on the part of the international investment community.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $390.7 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14.5% industry: 32.3% services: 53.2% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
18.1% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
40% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 38.4% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
48.1 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
34.56 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 45%, industry 15%, services 40% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
11.4% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $11.56 billion
expenditures: $15.25 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.4
million NA (2003)

Public debt:
77% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, mangoes,
pork, eggs, beef, fish

Industries:
electronics assembly, textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood
products, food processing, petroleum refining, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
-0.1% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
45.21 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
42.04 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
8,460 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
343,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
164 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
10 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
10 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
104.6 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$3.349 billion (2003)

Exports:
$34.56 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
electronic equipment, machinery and transport equipment, garments,
coconut products, chemicals

Exports - partners:
US 20.1%, Japan 15.9%, Hong Kong 8.5%, Netherlands 8.1%, Taiwan
6.9%, Malaysia 6.8%, Singapore 6.7%, China 5.9% (2003)

Imports:
$35.97 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
raw materials, machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:
Japan 20.4%, US 19.8%, Singapore 6.8%, South Korea 6.4%, Taiwan 5%,
China 4.8%, Hong Kong 4.3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$16.87 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$57.96 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA commitments, $1.2 billion (2002)

Currency:
Philippine peso (PHP)

Currency code:
PHP

Exchange rates:
Philippine pesos per US dollar - 54.2033 (2003), 51.6036 (2002),
50.9926 (2001), 44.1922 (2000), 39.089 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Philippines

Telephones - main lines in use:
3,310,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
15.201 million (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: good international radiotelephone and submarine
cable services; domestic and inter-island service adequate
domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations
international: country code - 63; 9 international gateways;
satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific
Ocean); submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and
Japan

Radio broadcast stations: AM 369, FM 583, shortwave 5 note: each shortwave station operates on multiple frequencies in the language of the target audience (2004)

Radios:
11.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
225; note - 1373 CATV networks (2004)

Televisions:
3.7 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.ph

Internet hosts:
38,440 (2002)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
33 (2000)

Internet users:
3.5 million (2002)

Transportation Philippines

Railways: total: 897 km narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067-m gauge (492 km are in operation) (2003)

Highways: total: 201,994 km paved: 42,419 km unpaved: 159,575 km (2000)

Waterways: 3,219 km note: limited to vessels with draft less than 1.5 m (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 565 km; oil 135 km; refined products 100 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras Island, Iligan,
Iloilo, Jolo, Legaspi, Manila, Masao, Puerto Princesa, San Fernando,
Subic Bay, Zamboanga

Merchant marine:
total: 385 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,524,259 GRT/6,437,171 DWT
foreign-owned: Australia 2, Canada 1, Germany 2, Greece 11, Hong
Kong 15, Japan 50, Malaysia 5, Netherlands 15, Norway 6, Panama 1,
United Kingdom 2, United States 4
registered in other countries: 87 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 99, cargo 103, chemical tanker 7, combination bulk 7,
container 8, liquefied gas 9, livestock carrier 10, passenger 4,
passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 45, refrigerated cargo 21, roll
on/roll off 16, short-sea/passenger 26, specialized tanker 1,
vehicle carrier 19

Airports:
253 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 82 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 35 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 173 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 68 under 914 m: 100 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2003 est.)

Military Philippines

Military branches:
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP): Army, Navy (includes Coast
Guard and Marine Corps), Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 22,435,982 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 15,780,602 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 851,009 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$995 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.5% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Philippines

Disputes - international:
involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam
and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands, known locally as the
Kalayaan (Freedom) Islands, the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of
Parties in the South China Sea," has eased tensions but falls short
of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the
disputants; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah
State in northern Borneo based on the Sultanate of Sulu's granting
the Philippines Government power of attorney to pursue a sovereignty
claim

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 150,000 (fighting between government troops and MILF and Abu
Sayyaf groups) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
exports locally-produced marijuana and hashish to East Asia, the
US, and other Western markets; serves as a transit point for heroin
and crystal methamphetamine; domestic methamphetamine production is
a growing problem; remains on Financial Action Task Force
Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for continued failure
to address deficiencies in money-laundering control regime

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Pitcairn Islands

Introduction Pitcairn Islands

Background:
Pitcairn Island was discovered in 1767 by the British and settled
in 1790 by the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.
Pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become a British colony (in
1838) and today remains the last vestige of that empire in the South
Pacific. Outmigration, primarily to New Zealand, has thinned the
population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to less than 50 today.

Geography Pitcairn Islands

Location:
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between
Peru and New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
25 04 S, 130 06 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 47 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 47 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
51 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy
season (November to March)

Terrain:
rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m

Natural resources:
miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish
note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been
discovered offshore

Land use:
arable land: NA
permanent crops: NA
other: NA (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
typhoons (especially November to March)

Environment - current issues:
deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains
because of burning and clearing for settlement)

Geography - note:
Britain's most isolated dependency; only the larger island of
Pitcairn is inhabited but it has no port or natural harbor; supplies
must be transported by rowed longboat from larger ships stationed
offshore

People Pitcairn Islands

Population: 46 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate:
-0.013% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
NA births/1,000 population

Death rate:
NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio:
NA

Infant mortality rate:
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years

Total fertility rate:
NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality: noun: Pitcairn Islander(s) adjective: Pitcairn Islander

Ethnic groups:
descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives

Religions:
Seventh-Day Adventist 100%

Languages:
English (official), Pitcairnese (mixture of an 18th century English
dialect and a Tahitian dialect)

Literacy:
NA

Government Pitcairn Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands
conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Adamstown

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution:
1838; reformed 1904 with additional reforms in 1940; further
refined by the Local Government Ordinance of 1964

Legal system:
local island by-laws

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal with three years residency

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor
(nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands Richard FELL (since NA
December 2001); Commissioner (nonresident) Leslie JACQUES (since
November 2003); serves as liaison between the governor and the
Island Council
election results: Jay WARREN elected mayor and chairman of the
Island Council
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner and
commissioner appointed by the monarch; island mayor elected by
popular vote for a three-year term; election last held December 2004
(next to be held December 2007)
head of government: mayor and chairman of the Island Council Jay
WARREN (since 15 December 2004)
cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
unicameral Island Council (10 seats - 5 elected by popular vote, 1
nominated by the 5 elected members, 2 appointed by the governor
including 1 seat for the Island Secretary, the Island Mayor, and a
commissioner liaising between the governor and council; elected
members serve one-year terms)
elections: last held 24 December 2003 (next to be held 24 December
2004)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents

Judicial branch:
Island Court (island magistrate, appointed by the governor,
presides over the court)

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
UPU

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

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

Flag description:
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the outer half of the
flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green, and light blue with a
shield featuring a yellow anchor

Economy Pitcairn Islands

Economy - overview:
The inhabitants of this tiny isolated economy exist on fishing,
subsistence farming, handicrafts, and postage stamps. The fertile
soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of fruits and
vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas, yams,
and beans. Bartering is an important part of the economy. The major
sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to collectors and
the sale of handicrafts to passing ships.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - NA

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - NA

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

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA

Labor force:
12 able-bodied men (1997)

Labor force - by occupation:
no business community in the usual sense; some public works;
subsistence farming and fishing

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $729,900
expenditures: $878,100, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY94/95 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wide variety of fruits and vegetables, goats, chickens

Industries:
postage stamps, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
NA kWh; note - electric power is provided by a small diesel-powered
generator

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Exports:
NA

Exports - commodities:
fruits, vegetables, curios, stamps

Exports - partners:
NA (2000)

Imports:
NA

Imports - commodities:
fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other
foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
NA (2000)

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
from UK'S DFID

Currency:
New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:
NZD

Exchange rates:
New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003), 2.162 (2002),
2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Pitcairn Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line); (2004)

Telephone system:
general assessment: only party line telephone service is available
for this small, closely related community
domestic: party line service only
international: country code - 672; satellite earth station (Inmarsat)

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

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
0 (1997)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.pn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
NA

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Pitcairn Islands

Highways: total: 6.4 km paved: 0 km unpaved: 6.4 km

Ports and harbors:
Adamstown (on Bounty Bay)

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,313 GRT/5,651 DWT
by type: cargo 1 (2003 est.)

Airports:
none (2003 est.)

Military Pitcairn Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Pitcairn Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Poland

Introduction Poland

Background:
Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived around the middle of
the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th century.
During the following century, the strengthening of the gentry and
internal disorders weakened the nation. In a series of agreements
between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned
Poland amongst themselves. Poland regained its independence in 1918
only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II.
It became a Soviet satellite state following the war, but its
government was comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil
in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union
"Solidarity" that over time became a political force and by 1990 had
swept parliamentary elections and the presidency. A "shock therapy"
program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its
economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe, but Poland
currently suffers low GDP growth and high unemployment. Solidarity
suffered a major defeat in the 2001 parliamentary elections when it
failed to elect a single deputy to the lower house of Parliament,
and the new leaders of the Solidarity Trade Union subsequently
pledged to reduce the Trade Union's political role. Poland joined
NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.

Geography Poland

Location:
Central Europe, east of Germany

Geographic coordinates:
52 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 312,685 sq km
water: 8,220 sq km
land: 304,465 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Mexico

Land boundaries:
total: 2,788 km
border countries: Belarus 407 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456
km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia
444 km, Ukraine 526 km

Coastline:
491 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties

Climate:
temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with
frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and
thundershowers

Terrain:
mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
highest point: Rysy 2,499 m

Natural resources:
coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber,
arable land

Land use: arable land: 45.91% permanent crops: 1.12% other: 52.97% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
flooding

Environment - current issues:
situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry
and increased environmental concern by post-Communist governments;
air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide
emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the resulting acid rain
has caused forest damage; water pollution from industrial and
municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal of hazardous
wastes; pollution levels should continue to decrease as industrial
establishments bring their facilities up to European Union code, but
at substantial cost to business and the government

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Geography - note:
historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the
lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain

People Poland

Population:
38,626,349 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.1% (male 3,388,247; female 3,216,085)
15-64 years: 70% (male 13,454,820; female 13,591,814)
65 years and over: 12.9% (male 1,896,940; female 3,078,443) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 36.2 years male: 34.3 years female: 38.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.02% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
10.64 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
9.97 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.73 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 9.82 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.16 years
male: 70.04 years
female: 78.52 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.38 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% - note: no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
14,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Pole(s)
adjective: Polish

Ethnic groups:
Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other
2.7% (2002)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox,
Protestant, and other 5%

Languages:
Polish

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

Government Poland

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Poland
conventional short form: Poland
local short form: Polska
local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Warsaw

Administrative divisions:
16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie,
Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie, Malopolskie,
Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Pomorskie, Slaskie,
Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie, Wielkopolskie,
Zachodniopomorskie

Independence:
11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)

National holiday:
Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)

Constitution:
adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997; passed by national
referendum 25 May 1997; effective 17 October 1997

Legal system:
mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover
Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part
of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of
legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are
final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of
Justice in Strasbourg

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December
1995)
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2005);
prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
and confirmed by the Sejm
head of government: Prime Minister Marek BELKA (since 24 June 2004);
Deputy Prime Minister Jerzy HAUSNER (since 11 June 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and
the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and
the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers
election results: Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI reelected president;
percent of popular vote - Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 53.9%, Andrzej
OLECHOWSKI 17.3%, Marian KRZAKLEWSKI 15.6%, Lech WALESA 1%

Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consisting of an upper house, the Senate or
Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a
provincial basis to serve four-year terms), and a lower house, the
Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of
proportional representation to serve four-year terms); the
designation of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only
used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly
elections: Sejm elections last held 23 September 2001 (next to be
held by September 2005); Senate - last held 23 September 2001 (next
to be held by September 2005)
election results: Sejm - percent of vote by party - SLD-UP 41%, PO
12.7%, Samoobrona 10.2%, PiS 9.5%, PSL 9%, LPR 7.9%, AWSP 5.6% UW
3.1%, other 1%; seats by party (as of 10 December 2004) - SLD 154,
PO 56, PiS 44, PSL 40, SDPL 33, SO 30, LPR 25, UP 15, PLD 11, SKL 6,
RKN 5, Dom Ojczysty 4, PP 3, ROP 3, German minorities 2,
independents 26; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party (as of 10 December 2004)- SLD-UP 74, Block Senate 2001 10, PSL
and unaffiliated 5, UW 4, SO 2, LPR 2, independents 2, PiS 1
note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm
only

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an
indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by
the Sejm for nine-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
Catholic-National Movement or RKN [Antoni MACIEREWICZ]; Citizens
Platform or PO [Donald TUSK]; Coalition Electoral Action Solidarity
of the Right or AWSP; Conservative Peasants Party or SKL-RNP [Artur
BALAZS]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Krzysztof JANIK]; Freedom
Union or UW [Wladyslaw FRASYNIUK]; German Minority of Lower Silesia
or MNSO [Henryk KROLL]; Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI];
League of Polish Families or LPR [Marek KOTLINOWSKI]; Movement for
the Reconstruction of Poland or ROP [Jan OLSZEWSKI];
Peasant-Democratic Party or PLD [Roman JAGIELINSKI]; Polish Accord
or PP [Jan LOPUSZANSKI]; Polish Peasant Bloc or PBL [Wojciech
MOJZESOWICZ]; Polish Peasant Party or PSL [Janusz WOJCIECHOWSKI];
Polish Raison d'Etat or PRS [Piotr MUSIAL]; Samoobrona or SO
[Andrzej LEPPER]; Social Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [Marek
BOROWSKI]; Social Movement or RS [Krzysztof PIESIEWICZ]; Union of
Labor or UP [Izabela JARUAGA-NOWACKA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Maciej
MANICKI]; Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Jozef GLEMP]; Solidarity
Trade Union [Janusz SNIADEK]

International organization participation:
ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CE,
CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest),
NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI,
UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Przemyslaw GRUDZINSKI chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 FAX: [1] (202) 328-6270 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Victor ASHE embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, 5010 Warsaw Place, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch) telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000 FAX: [48] (22) 504-2688 consulate(s) general: Krakow

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the
flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white

Economy Poland

Economy - overview:
Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic liberalization
throughout the 1990s and today stands out as a success story among
transition economies. Even so, much remains to be done. The
privatization of small and medium state-owned companies and a
liberal law on establishing new firms has encouraged the development
of the private business sector, but legal and bureaucratic obstacles
alongside persistent corruption are hampering its further
development. Poland's agricultural sector remains handicapped by
structural problems, surplus labor, inefficient small farms, and
lack of investment. Restructuring and privatization of "sensitive
sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, railroads, and energy), while recently
initiated, have stalled. Reforms in health care, education, the
pension system, and state administration have resulted in larger
than expected fiscal pressures. Further progress in public finance
depends mainly on privatization of Poland's remaining state sector,
the reduction of state employment, and an overhaul of the tax code
to incorporate the growing gray economy and farmers, most of whom
pay no tax. The government's determination to enter the EU has
shaped most aspects of its economic policy and new legislation; in a
nationwide referendum in November 2003, 77% of the voters voted in
favor of Poland's EU accession, now scheduled for May 2004.
Improving Poland's export competitiveness and containing the
internal budget deficit are top priorities. Due to political
uncertainty, the zloty has recently depreciated in relation to the
euro, while currencies of the other euro-zone aspirants have been
appreciating. GDP per capita equals that of the three Baltic states.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $427.1 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $11,100 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.1% industry: 31% services: 65.9% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
18.4% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
18.4% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 24.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
31.6 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
16.92 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 27.5%, industry 22.1%, services 50.4% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
20% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $39.13 billion
expenditures: $48.64 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Public debt:
47.4% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork

Industries:
machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals,
shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
8.6% (2003)

Electricity - production:
135 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
118.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
11.04 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
4.306 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
17,180 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
424,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
53,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
413,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
116.4 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
5.471 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
13.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
41 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
8.782 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
154.4 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-4.085 billion (2003)

Exports:
$57.6 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 30.2%, intermediate manufactured
goods 25.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 20.9%, food and live
animals 8.5% (1999)

Exports - partners:
Germany 32.3%, France 6.1%, Italy 5.8%, UK 5%, Netherlands 4.5%,
Czech Republic 4.1% (2003)

Imports:
$63.65 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 38.2%, intermediate manufactured
goods 20.8%, chemicals 14.3%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 9.5%
(1999)

Imports - partners:
Germany 24.4%, Italy 8.5%, Russia 7.7%, France 7.1%, China 4.3%
(2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$33.96 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$86.82 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
EU structural adjustment funds (2000)

Currency:
zloty (PLN)

Currency code:
PLN

Exchange rates:
zlotych per US dollar - 3.8891 (2003), 4.08 (2002), 4.0939 (2001),
4.3461 (2000), 3.9671 (1999)
note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Poland

Telephones - main lines in use:
12.3 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
17.4 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: underdeveloped and outmoded system in the
process of being overhauled; partial privatization of the
state-owned telephone monopoly is underway; the long waiting list
for main line telephone service has resulted in a boom in mobile
cellular telephone use
domestic: cable, open-wire, and microwave radio relay; 3 cellular
networks; local exchanges 56.6% digital
international: country code - 48; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
regions), and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
20.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
179 (plus 256 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:
13.05 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.pl

Internet hosts:
804,915 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
19 (2000)

Internet users:
8.97 million (2003)

Transportation Poland

Railways:
total: 23,852 km
broad gauge: 629 km 1.524-m gauge
standard gauge: 23,223 km 1.435-m gauge (11,962 km electrified)
(2003)

Highways:
total: 364,656 km
paved: 249,060 km (including 358 km of expressways)
unpaved: 115,596 km (2000)

Waterways:
3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2003)

Pipelines:
gas 13,552 km; oil 1,772 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Gdansk, Gdynia, Gliwice, Kolobrzeg, Szczecin, Swinoujscie, Ustka,
Warsaw, Wroclaw

Merchant marine:
total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 154,710 GRT/228,132 DWT
by type: bulk 7, cargo 3, chemical tanker 3, roll on/roll off 1
registered in other countries: 100 (2004 est.)

Airports:
122 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 84 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 30 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 40

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 39
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 13

Heliports:
3 (2003 est.)

Military Poland

Military branches:
Land Forces, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 17 years of age for compulsory military service after January 1st of the year of 18th birthday; 17 years of age for voluntary military service; in 2005 Poland plans to shorten the length of conscript service obligation from 12 to 9 months; by 2008, plans call for at least 60% of military personnel to be volunteers; only soldiers who have completed their conscript service are allowed to volunteer for professional service; as of April 2004 women are only allowed to serve as officers and non-commissioned officers (April 2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 10,291,628 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 8,034,577 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 329,743 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$3.5 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.71% (2002)

Transnational Issues Poland

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the international
market; minor transshipment point for Asian and Latin American
illicit drugs to Western Europe

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Portugal

Introduction Portugal

Background:
Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and 16th
centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the
destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the
Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony.
A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six
decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a
left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The
following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African
colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC
(now the EU) in 1986.

Geography Portugal

Location:
Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of
Spain

Geographic coordinates:
39 30 N, 8 00 W

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 92,391 sq km
land: 91,951 sq km
note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands
water: 440 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 1,214 km border countries: Spain 1,214 km

Coastline: 1,793 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in
south

Terrain:
mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in
the Azores 2,351 m

Natural resources:
fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten,
silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land,
hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 21.75%
permanent crops: 7.81%
other: 70.44% (2001)

Irrigated land:
6,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
Azores subject to severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle
emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental
Modification

Geography - note:
Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western
sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

People Portugal

Population:
10,524,145 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.7% (male 916,106; female 840,574)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 3,454,970; female 3,535,108)
65 years and over: 16.9% (male 735,407; female 1,041,980) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 37.9 years
male: 35.8 years
female: 40 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.41% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
10.9 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
10.37 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
3.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.13 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.35 years
male: 74.06 years
female: 80.85 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.46 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
27,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Portuguese (singular and plural)
adjective: Portuguese

Ethnic groups:
homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African descent
who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than
100,000; since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal

Religions:
Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)

Languages:
Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.3%
male: 95.5%
female: 91.3% (2003 est.)

Government Portugal

Country name:
conventional long form: Portuguese Republic
conventional short form: Portugal
local long form: Republica Portuguesa
local short form: Portugal

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Lisbon

Administrative divisions:
18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2 autonomous
regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma); Aveiro,
Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra,
Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa, Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto,
Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu

Independence:
1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (independent
republic proclaimed)

National holiday:
Portugal Day, 10 June (1580); note - also called Camoes Day, the
day that revered national poet Luis de Camoes (1524-80) died

Constitution:
25 April 1976; revised 30 October 1982, 1 June 1989, 5 November
1992, 3 September 1997, 12 December 2001, and 24 July 2004

Legal system:
civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the
constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996)
note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative
body to the president
head of government: Prime Minister Pedro SANTANA LOPES (since 17
July 2004); note - Prime Minister Jose Manuel DURAO BARROSO resigned
5 July 2004 to take over the Presidency of the European Commission;
Prime Minister Pedro SANTANA LOPES and his government resigned 11
December 2004, but will stay on in a caretaker capacity until
February 2005 elections
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA January
2006); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime
minister by the president
election results: Jorge SAMPAIO reelected president; percent of vote
- Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 55.8%, Joaquim FERREIRA Do Amaral
(Social Democrat) 34.5%, Antonio ABREU (Communist) 5.1%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 March 2002 (next to be held 20 February
2005); note - President SAMPAIO called for early elections after
dissolving Parliament on 10 December 2004 because he lacked
confidence in the four-month center-right government
election results: percent of vote by party - PSD 40.1%, PS 37.8%, PP
8.7%, PCP/PEV 6.9%, The Left Bloc 2.7%; seats by party - PSD 105, PS
96, PP 14, PCP/PEV 12, The Left Bloc 3

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (judges appointed for
life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura)

Political parties and leaders:
Green Ecologist Party or PEV [Heloisa APOLONIA]; Popular Party or
PP [Paulo PORTAS]; Portuguese Communist Party or PCP [Jeronimo de
SOUSA]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Jose SOCRATES Carvalho
Pinto de Sousa]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pedro Miguel
SANTANA LOPES]; The Left Bloc or BE [Franciso Anacleto LOUCA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU,
ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO,
ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pedro Manuel Dos Reis Alves CATARINO
consulate(s): Los Angeles, New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence
(Rhode Island)
consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), and San
Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726
telephone: [1] (202) 328-8610
chancery: 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Adrienne
S. O'NEAL
embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon
mailing address: Apartado 4258, 1507 Lisboa Codex; PSC 83, APO AE
09726
telephone: [351] (21) 727-3300
FAX: [351] (21) 726-9109
consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)

Flag description:
two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red
(three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the
dividing line

Economy Portugal

Economy - overview:
Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based
economy since joining the European Community in 1986. Over the past
decade, successive governments have privatized many state-controlled
firms and liberalized key areas of the economy, including the
financial and telecommunications sectors. The country qualified for
the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and began circulating
the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU member economies.
Economic growth has been above the EU average for much of the past
decade, but fell back in 2001-03. GDP per capita stands at 70% of
that of the leading EU economies. A poor educational system, in
particular, has been an obstacle to greater productivity and growth.
Portugal has been increasingly overshadowed by lower-cost producers
in Central Europe and Asia as a target for foreign direct
investment. The coalition government faces tough choices in its
attempts to boost Portugal's economic competitiveness and to keep
the budget deficit within the 3% EU ceiling.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $181.8 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-1.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $18,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.8% industry: 30.7% services: 63.2% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
22.3% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
35.6 (1994-95)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
5.409 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 10%, industry 30%, services 60% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
6.4% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $64.81 billion
expenditures: $69.09 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
59.8% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
grain, potatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, poultry,
beef, dairy products

Industries:
textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork; metalworking;
oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; wine; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
0.4% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
44.32 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
41.48 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
3.479 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
3.743 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
339,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
28,830 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
357,300 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
2.542 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
2.553 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$-7.592 billion (2003)

Exports:
$31.13 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
clothing and footwear, machinery, chemicals, cork and paper
products, hides

Exports - partners:
Spain 22.7%, Germany 15.2%, France 12.9%, UK 10.5%, US 5.8%, Italy
4.8%, Belgium 4.6% (2003)

Imports:
$43.73 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum, textiles,
agricultural products

Imports - partners:
Spain 29.1%, Germany 14.7%, France 9.9%, Italy 6.4%, UK 4.9%,
Netherlands 4.6% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$12.81 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$250.7 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $271 million (1995)

Currency:
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Portugal

Telephones - main lines in use:
4,278,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
9,341,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: Portugal's telephone system has achieved a
state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed capabilities and
a main line telephone density of 53%
domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave
radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations
international: country code - 351; 6 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean),
NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores; note - an earth station
for Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region) is planned

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 47, FM 172 (many are repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
3.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 62 (plus 166 repeaters) note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands (1995)

Televisions:
3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.pt

Internet hosts:
346,078 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)

Internet users:
3.6 million (2002)

Transportation Portugal

Railways:
total: 2,850 km
broad gauge: 2,576 km 1.668-m gauge (623 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 274 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 68,732 km
paved: 59,110 km (including 1441 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,622 km (2000)

Waterways:
210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2003)

Pipelines:
gas 1,099 km; oil 8 km; refined products 174 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Aveiro, Funchal (Madeira Islands), Horta (Azores), Leixoes, Lisbon,
Porto, Ponta Delgada (Azores), Praia da Vitoria (Azores), Setubal,
Viana do Castelo

Merchant marine:
total: 122 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 872,557 GRT/1,236,025 DWT
registered in other countries: 24 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Australia 1, Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, Denmark 7, Germany
21, Greece 2, Guadeloupe 1, Iceland 1, Italy 16, Japan 1, Malta 1,
Norway 7, Panama 1, Spain 18, Switzerland 7, Ukraine 1, United
Kingdom 1
by type: bulk 12, cargo 49, chemical tanker 19, container 8,
liquefied gas 7, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 6,
petroleum tanker 7, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 5,
short-sea/passenger 5, vehicle carrier 2

Airports:
66 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 42 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.)

Military Portugal

Military branches:
Army, Navy (PON; including Marines), Air Force (FAP), Republican
Guard (including Fiscal Guard)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; compulsory military
service was ended in September 2004 (September 2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,628,892 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,107,502 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 72,821 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$3,497.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.3% (2003)

Transnational Issues Portugal

Disputes - international: some Portuguese groups assert dormant claims to territories ceded to Spain around the town of Olivenza

Illicit drugs:
gateway country for Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian
heroin entering the European market (especially from Brazil);
transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe;
consumer of Southwest Asian heroin

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Puerto Rico

Introduction Puerto Rico

Background:
Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was
claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Columbus' second
voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule
that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African
slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result
of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US
citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since
1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal
self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters
chose to retain commonwealth status.

Geography Puerto Rico

Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic

Geographic coordinates:
18 15 N, 66 30 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 9,104 sq km
water: 145 sq km
land: 8,959 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
501 km

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

Climate:
tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains
precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal
areas

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m

Natural resources: some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil

Land use: arable land: 3.95% permanent crops: 5.52% other: 90.53% (2001)

Irrigated land:
400 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts; hurricanes

Environment - current issues:
erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages

Geography - note:
important location along the Mona Passage - a key shipping lane to
the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural
harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and high central
mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively dry;
fertile coastal plain belt in north

People Puerto Rico

Population:
3,897,960 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 22.4% (male 446,474; female 426,585)
15-64 years: 65.4% (male 1,220,721; female 1,329,936)
65 years and over: 12.2% (male 205,933; female 268,311) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 33.8 years
male: 32.1 years
female: 35.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.49% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
14.1 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.77 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.37 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.49 years
male: 73.49 years
female: 81.68 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.91 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
7,397 (1997)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Puerto Rican

Ethnic groups:
white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%,
Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

Languages:
Spanish, English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.1%
male: 93.7%
female: 94.4% (2002)

Government Puerto Rico

Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
conventional short form: Puerto Rico

Dependency status:
commonwealth associated with the US

Government type:
commonwealth

Capital:
San Juan

Administrative divisions:
none (commonwealth associated with the US); there are no
first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
Government, but there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular -
municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas
Buenas, Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta,
Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas,
Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales, Cidra, Coamo, Comerio,
Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica, Guayama,
Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros, Humacao,
Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las Marias, Las
Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez, Moca,
Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce,
Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San
German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa
Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega Baja,
Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco

Independence:
none (commonwealth associated with the US)

National holiday:
US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day,
25 July (1952)

Constitution:
ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952;
effective 25 July 1952

Legal system:
based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system of
justice

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do
not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
January 2001)
election results: Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (PPD) elected governor;
percent of vote - 48.4%
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for four-year terms; governor elected by popular vote for a
four-year term; election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
November 2008)
head of government: Governor Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (since 2 January
2005)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the
legislature

Legislative branch:
bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (at least 27
seats - currently 29; members are directly elected by popular vote
to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51
seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2
November 2004); House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2000
(next to be held 2 November 2004)
note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner
to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US
House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor,
he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last
held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004); results -
percent of vote by party - PPD 49.3%; seats by party - PPD 1; Anibal
ACEVEDO-VILA elected resident commissioner
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PPD 20, PNP 8, PIP 1; House of Representatives - percent of
vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPD 30, PNP 20, PIP 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance composed of
two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court (justices for
all these courts appointed by the governor with the consent of the
Senate)

Political parties and leaders:
National Democratic Party [Celeste BENITEZ]; National Republican
Party of Puerto Rico [Luis FERRE]; New Progressive Party or PNP
(pro-US statehood) [Pedro ROSSELLO]; Popular Democratic Party or PPD
(pro-commonwealth) [Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA]; Puerto Rican Independence
Party or PIP (pro-independence) [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Armed Forces for National Liberation or FALN; Armed Forces of
Popular Resistance; Boricua Popular Army (also known as the
Macheteros); Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution

International organization participation:
ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WToO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Flag description:
five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating
with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears
a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; design initially
influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag, with the
colors of the bands and triangle reversed

Economy Puerto Rico

Economy - overview:
Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean
region. A diverse industrial sector has far surpassed agriculture as
the primary locus of economic activity and income. Encouraged by
duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US firms have
invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US minimum wage
laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy production and
other livestock products as the main source of income in the
agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an important
source of income, with estimated arrivals of nearly 5 million
tourists in 1999. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the
slowdown in the US economy.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $65.21 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.6% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $16,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 45%
services: 54% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
1.3 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 3%, industry 20%, services 77% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
12% (2002)

Budget:
revenues: $6.7 billion
expenditures: $9.6 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY99/00)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas, livestock products, chickens

Industries:
pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
20.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
19.44 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
190,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
630 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
630 million cu m (2001 est.)

Exports:
$46.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities:
chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage
concentrates, medical equipment

Exports - partners:
US 90.3%, UK 1.6%, Netherlands 1.4%, Dominican Republic 1.4% (2002
est.)

Imports:
$29.1 billion c.i.f. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum
products

Imports - partners:
US 55.0%, Ireland 23.7%, Japan 5.4% (2002 est.)

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
NA (2001)

Currency:
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Puerto Rico

Telephones - main lines in use:
1,329,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,211,111 (2001)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system integrated with that of the US by
high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data
capability
domestic: digital telephone system; cellular telephone service
international: country code - 1-787, 939; satellite earth station -
1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 72, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
2.7 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
6 (19 relay stations) (2004)

Televisions:
1.021 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.pr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
76 (2000)

Internet users:
600,000 (2002)

Transportation Puerto Rico

Railways: total: 96 km narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 14,400 km paved: 14,400 km unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Aguadilla, Arecibo, Fajardo, Guanica, Guayanilla, Guayama,
Mayaguez, Playa de Ponce, San Juan

Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 36,728 GRT/37,048 DWT
foreign-owned: United States 2
registered in other countries: 5 (2004 est.)
by type: container 1, roll on/roll off 1

Airports:
30 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 13 1,524 to 2, 437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Military Puerto Rico

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary National Guard,
Police Force

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Puerto Rico

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Qatar

Introduction Qatar

Background:
Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed
itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling
into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas
revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy
was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by
the amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. He was overthrown by
his son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, in a bloodless
coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border
disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas
revenues enable Qatar to have one of the highest per capita incomes
in the world.

Geography Qatar

Location:
Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
25 30 N, 51 15 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 11,437 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 11,437 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 60 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km

Coastline:
563 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or
the median line

Climate:
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Terrain:
mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish

Land use: arable land: 1.64% permanent crops: 0.27% other: 98.09% (2001)

Irrigated land:
130 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities

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

Geography - note:
strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum
deposits

People Qatar

Population:
840,290 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.2% (male 103,660; female 99,597)
15-64 years: 72.7% (male 426,559; female 184,067)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 19,306; female 7,101) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 31.4 years
male: 36.7 years
female: 22 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.74% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
15.6 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.52 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
16.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 2.32 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 2.72 male(s)/female
total population: 1.89 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 19.32 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 22.77 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.4 years
male: 70.9 years
female: 76.04 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.95 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.09% (2001 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Qatari(s)
adjective: Qatari

Ethnic groups:
Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%

Religions:
Muslim 95%

Languages:
Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.5%
male: 81.4%
female: 85% (2003 est.)

Government Qatar

Country name:
conventional long form: State of Qatar
conventional short form: Qatar
local short form: Qatar
note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls
between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar
local long form: Dawlat Qatar

Government type:
traditional monarchy

Capital:
Doha

Administrative divisions:
10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al
Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan
al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal

Independence:
3 September 1971 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 3 September (1971)

Constitution:
provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972; in July 1999 Amir
HAMAD issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent
constitution; in the 29 April 2003 referendum, 96.6% of Qatari
voters approved the new constitution; on 8 June 2004 the new
constitution came into force

Legal system:
discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil
codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and
personal matters

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 27 June 1995
when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad
Al Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince TAMIM bin Hamad bin
Khalifa Al Thani, third son of the monarch (selected Heir Apparent
by the monarch on 5 August 2003); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the
positions of Minister of Defense and Commander-in-chief of the Armed
Forces
head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa Al Thani,
brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996) Deputy Prime Minister
MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch (since 20
January 1998); First Deputy Prime Minister HAMAD bin JASIM bin JABIR
Al Thani (since 16 September 2003; also Foreign Minister since
1992); Second Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah bin Hamad al-ATTIYAH
(since 16 September 2003; also Energy Minister since NA 1992)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
note: in April 2003, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member
Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has consultative powers aimed
at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election
for the CMC was held in March 1999

Legislative branch:
unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members
appointed)
note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there
were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their
terms extended every four years since; the new constitution, which
came into force on 8 June 2004, provides for a 45-member
Consultative Council, or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect
two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the Amir would appoint the
remaining members

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal
note: under the new judiciary law issued in 2003, the former two
court systems, civil and Islamic law, have been merged under a
higher court, the Court of Cassation, to be established for appeals

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM,
IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW,
OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Badr Umar al-DAFA
consulate(s) general: Houston
FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061
telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603
chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20016

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Chase UNTERMEYER
embassy: Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha
mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha
telephone: [974] 488 4101
FAX: [974] 488 4298

Flag description:
maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the
hoist side

Economy Qatar

Economy - overview:
Oil and gas account for more than 55% of GDP, roughly 85% of export
earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have given
Qatar a per capita GDP about 80% of that of the leading West
European industrial countries. Proved oil reserves of 14.5 billion
barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23
years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 17.9 trillion
cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total and third largest in
the world. Long-term goals feature the development of offshore
natural gas reserves to offset the ultimate decline in oil
production. Since 2000, Qatar has consistently posted trade
surpluses largely because of high oil prices and increased natural
gas exports.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $17.54 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
8.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $21,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.4% industry: 70.8% services: 28.8% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
23.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (2003)

Labor force:
140,000 (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
2.7% (2001)

Budget:
revenues: $8.202 billion
expenditures: $6.981 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.2
billion (2003 est.)

Public debt:
72.7% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish

Industries:
crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals,
steel reinforcing bars, cement

Industrial production growth rate:
10% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
9.264 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
8.616 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
864,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
29,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
14.51 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
32.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
15.86 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
16.54 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
17.93 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$4.149 billion (2003)

Exports:
$12.36 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum products, fertilizers, steel

Exports - partners:
Japan 46%, South Korea 18.5%, Singapore 9.5% (2003)

Imports:
$5.711 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:
US 12.2%, Japan 10.5%, Germany 9.6%, UK 8%, Italy 7.4%, UAE 6.7%,
Saudi Arabia 5.9%, South Korea 5% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$2.952 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$17.5 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency:
Qatari rial (QAR)

Currency code:
QAR

Exchange rates:
Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2003), 3.64 (2002), 3.64 (2001),
3.64 (2000), 3.64 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Qatar

Telephones - main lines in use:
184,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
376,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system centered in Doha
domestic: NA
international: country code - 974; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;
microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to
Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
256,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus three repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
230,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.qa

Internet hosts:
221 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
126,000 (2003)

Transportation Qatar

Highways: total: 1,230 km paved: 1,107 km unpaved: 123 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines:
condensate 319 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 1,024 km; liquid
petroleum gas 87 km; oil 702 km; oil/gas/water 41 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id)

Merchant marine:
total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 525,051 GRT/772,635 DWT
foreign-owned: Cambodia 1, Kuwait 1 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 4, container 8, petroleum tanker
5, roll on/roll off 1

Airports:
4 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 1

Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)

Military Qatar

Military branches:
Land Force, Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Amiri Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 324,001 note: includes non-nationals (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 170,266 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 7,496 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$723 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
10% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Qatar

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Reunion

Introduction Reunion

Background:
The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in 1513. From the
17th to the 19th centuries, French immigration, supplemented by
influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar Indians, gave the
island its ethnic mix. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 cost
the island its importance as a stopover on the East Indies trade
route.

Geography Reunion

Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:
21 06 S, 55 36 E

Map references:
World

Area:
total: 2,517 sq km
water: 10 sq km
land: 2,507 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
207 km

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

Climate:
tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry
from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April

Terrain:
mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Piton des Neiges 3,069 m

Natural resources: fish, arable land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 13.6% permanent crops: 1.2% other: 85.2% (2001)

Irrigated land:
120 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la
Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
this mountainous, volcanic island has an active volcano, Piton de
la Fournaise; there is a tropical cyclone center at Saint-Denis,
which is the monitoring station for the whole of the Indian Ocean

People Reunion

Population:
766,153 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 30.9% (male 121,050; female 115,440)
15-64 years: 63.1% (male 238,553; female 245,236)
65 years and over: 6% (male 18,626; female 27,248) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 26.5 years
male: 25.4 years
female: 27.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.42% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
19.69 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.48 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.95 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 8.71 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.69 years
male: 70.29 years
female: 77.26 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.5 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Reunionese (singular and plural)
adjective: Reunionese

Ethnic groups:
French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian

Religions:
Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist (1995)

Languages:
French (official), Creole widely used

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.9%
male: 87%
female: 90.8% (2003 est.)

Government Reunion

Country name:
conventional long form: Department of Reunion
conventional short form: Reunion
local short form: Ile de la Reunion
local long form: none
former: Bourbon Island

Dependency status:
overseas department of France

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Saint-Denis

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas department of France); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 4 arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47 cantons

Independence:
none (overseas department of France)

National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
French law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Dominique VIAN (since 16 August 2004)
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the General and
Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
head of government: President of the General Council Jean-Luc
POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council
Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993)
cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council (49 seats; members are elected by
direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral
Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct, popular
vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held 15 and 22 March 1998 (next to
be held NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 28 March 2004 (next
to be held NA 2010)
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - various right-wing candidates 13, PCR 10, PS 10,
UDF 8, RPR 6, other left-wing candidates 2; Regional Council (second
round) - percent of vote by party - PCR 44.9%, UMP 32.8%, PS-Greens
22.3%; seats by party - PCR 27, UMP 11, PS-Greens 7
note: Reunion elects three representatives to the French Senate;
elections last held NA 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); results -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Reunion also
elects five deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last
held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, UMP 1,
PCR 1

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
Communist Party of Reunion or PCR [Paul VERGES]; Rally for the
Republic or RPR [Andre Maurice PIHOUEE]; Socialist Party or PS
[Jean-Claude FRUTEAU]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Gilbert
GERARD]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
InOC, UPU, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas department of France)

Flag description:
the flag of France is used

Economy Reunion

Economy - overview:
The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture, but
services now dominate. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more
than a century, and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports.
The government has been pushing the development of a tourist
industry to relieve high unemployment, which amounts to one-third of
the labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the
poor is extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social
tensions. The white and Indian communities are substantially better
off than other segments of the population, often approaching
European standards, whereas minority groups suffer the poverty and
unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the African continent.
The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrates the
seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of
Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from
France.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $4.348 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8%
industry: 19%
services: 73% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA

Labor force:
309,900 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 13%, industry 12%, services 75% (2000)

Unemployment rate:
36% (1999 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.26 billion
expenditures: $2.62 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(1998)

Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits, vegetables, corn

Industries:
sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items, flower oil extraction

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
1.08 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.005 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
18,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$214 million f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities:
sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%, lobster 3%,
(1993)

Exports - partners:
France 74%, Japan 6%, Comoros 4% (2000)

Imports:
$2.5 billion c.i.f. (1997)

Imports - commodities:
manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and
transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products

Imports - partners:
France 64%, Bahrain 3%, Germany 3%, Italy 3% (2000)

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA; note - substantial annual subsidies from France (2001 est.)

Currency:
euro (EUR)

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Reunion

Telephones - main lines in use:
300,000 est (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
489,800 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate system; principal center is Saint-Denis
domestic: modern open-wire and microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 262; radiotelephone communication to
Comoros, France, Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); fiber optic
submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe
and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 55, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios:
173,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
35 (plus 18 low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
127,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.re

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
150,000 (2002)

Transportation Reunion

Highways:
total: 2,724 km
paved: 1,300 km (including 73 km of four-lane road)
unpaved: 1,424 km (1994)

Ports and harbors:
Le Port, Pointe des Galets

Merchant marine: total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 28,264 GRT/44,885 DWT by type: chemical tanker 1 foreign-owned: Sweden 1 registered in other countries: 1

Airports:
2 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Reunion

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; French forces (including
Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (2004 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 202,385 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 103,073 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 7,070 (2004 est.)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Reunion

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Romania

Introduction Romania

Background:
The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries under
the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their
autonomy in 1856; they united in 1859 and a few years later adopted
the new name of Romania. The country gained full independence in
1878. It joined the Allied Powers in World War I and acquired new
territories following the conflict. In 1940, it allied with the Axis
powers and participated in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR.
Three years later, overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed an
armistice. The post-war Soviet occupation led to the formation of a
Communist "people's republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the
king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took
power in 1965, and his Securitate police state became increasingly
oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown
and executed in late 1989. Former Communists dominated the
government until 1996, when they were swept from power by a
fractious coalition of centrist parties. In 2000, the center-left
Social Democratic Party (PSD) became Romania's leading party,
governing with the support of the Democratic Union of Hungarians in
Romania (UDMR). The opposition center-right alliance formed by the
National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Party (PD) scored a
surprise victory over the ruling PSD in December 2004 presidential
elections. The PNL-PD alliance maintains a parliamentary majority
with the support of the UDMR, the Humanist Party (PUR), and various
ethnic minority groups. Although Romania completed accession talks
with the European Union (EU) in December 2004, it must continue to
address rampant corruption - while invigorating lagging economic and
democratic reforms - before it can achieve its hope of joining the
EU, tentatively set for 2007. Romania joined NATO in March of 2004.

Geography Romania

Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and
Ukraine

Geographic coordinates:
46 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 237,500 sq km
land: 230,340 sq km
water: 7,160 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:
total: 2,508 km
border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east)
169 km

Coastline:
225 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny
summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms

Terrain:
central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia
on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the
Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m

Natural resources:
petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron
ore, salt, arable land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 40.82% permanent crops: 2.25% other: 56.93% (2001)

Irrigated land:
28,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure
and climate promote landslides

Environment - current issues: soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans,
Moldova, and Ukraine

People Romania

Population:
22,355,551 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.2% (male 1,861,801; female 1,770,746)
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 7,712,612; female 7,791,900)
65 years and over: 14.4% (male 1,330,994; female 1,887,498) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 36.1 years male: 34.7 years female: 37.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.11% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
10.69 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
11.69 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 27.24 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 23.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 30.41 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.12 years
male: 67.63 years
female: 74.82 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.35 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
6,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
350 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Romanian(s)
adjective: Romanian

Ethnic groups:
Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German
0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other 0.4% (2002)

Religions:
Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 87%, Protestant
6.8%, Catholic 5.6%, other (mostly Muslim) 0.4%, unaffiliated 0.2%
(2002)

Languages:
Romanian (official), Hungarian, German

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.4%
male: 99.1%
female: 97.7% (2003 est.)

Government Romania

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Romania local short form: Romania local long form: none

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Bucharest

Administrative divisions:
41 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality*
(municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud,
Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti*, Buzau, Calarasi,
Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati,
Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Ilfov,
Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare,
Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea

Independence:
9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from Turkey; independence
recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin; kingdom proclaimed
26 March 1881); 30 December 1947 (republic proclaimed)

National holiday:
Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December (1918)

Constitution:
8 December 1991; revision came into force 29 October 2003

Legal system:
former mixture of civil law system and communist legal theory; is
now based on the constitution of France's Fifth Republic

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Traian BASESCU (since 20 December 2004)
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 28 November 2004, with runoff between the top two
candidates held 12 December 2004 (next to be held 28 November 2009
and 12 December 2009); prime minister appointed by the president
head of government: Prime Minister Calin Popescu TARICEANU (since 29
December 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
election results: percent of vote - Traian BASESCU 51.23%, Adrian
NASTASE 48.77%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat
(137 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a
proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) and the
Chamber of Deputies or Adunarea Deputatilor (332 seats; members are
elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation
basis to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 28 November 2004 (next to be held 28
November 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 28 November 2004
(next to be held 28 November 2008)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by alliance/party -
PSD-PUR 37.1%, PNL-PD 31.8%, PRM 13.6%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party -
PSD 46, PNL 28, PD 21, PRM 21, PUR 11, UMDR 10; Chamber of Deputies
- percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PUR 36.6%, PNL-PD 31.3%%,
PRM 12.9%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party - PSD 113, PNL 64, PD 48, PRM
48, UDMR 22, PUR 19, ethnic minorities 18

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the president on
the recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistrates)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party or PD [Emil BOC]; Democratic Union of Hungarians
in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; Humanist Party or PUR [Dan
VOICULESCU]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Calin Popescu
TARICEANU]; Romania Mare Party (Greater Romanian Party) or PRM
[Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Adrian
NASTASE], formerly known as the Party of Social Democracy in Romania
or PDSR

Political pressure groups and leaders:
various human rights and professional associations

International organization participation:
ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU
(applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer),
ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UN Security Council (temporary),
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sorin Dumitru DUCARU consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851 chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Jack Dyer CROUCH II embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest mailing address: American Embassy Bucharest, Department of State, 5260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch) telephone: [40] (21) 210-4042 FAX: [40] (21) 210-0395 branch office(s): Cluj-Napoca

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red;
the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow
band has been removed; now similar to the flag of Chad, also
resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova

Economy Romania

Economy - overview:
Romania began the transition from Communism in 1989 with a largely
obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the
country's needs. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing
three-year recession thanks to strong demand in EU export markets.
Despite the global slowdown in 2001-02, strong domestic activity in
construction, agriculture, and consumption have kept growth above
4%. An IMF standby agreement, signed in 2001, was accompanied by
slow but palpable gains in privatization, deficit reduction, and the
curbing of inflation. The IMF Board approved Romania's completion of
the standby agreement in October 2003, the first time Romania had
successfully concluded an IMF agreement since the 1989 revolution.
In July 2004, the Executive Board of the IMF approved a 24-month
standby arrangement for $367 million. The Romanian authorities do
not intend to draw on this arrangement, viewing it as a precaution.
Meanwhile, recent macroeconomic gains have done little to address
Romania's widespread poverty, and corruption and red tape handicap
the business environment.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $155 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.9% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.1% industry: 38.1% services: 48.8% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
22.5% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
44.5% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 25% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
31.1 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
15.3% (2003)

Labor force:
9.28 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 41.4%, industry 27.3%, services 31.3% (2000)

Unemployment rate:
7.2% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $17.06 billion
expenditures: $18.38 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
25.5% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes;
eggs, sheep

Industries:
textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly, mining,
timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food
processing, petroleum refining

Industrial production growth rate:
2.3% (2003)

Electricity - production:
50.86 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
46.1 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
1.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
400 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
127,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
215,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
1.055 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
14.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
19.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
5.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
111.1 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-3.368 billion (2003)

Exports:
$17.63 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery and
equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals, agricultural products

Exports - partners:
Italy 24.3%, Germany 15.7%, France 7.4%, UK 6.7%, Turkey 5.1% (2003)

Imports:
$22.17 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemicals, textile and
products, basic metals, agricultural products

Imports - partners:
Italy 19.6%, Germany 14.9%, Russia 8.3%, France 7.3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$10.37 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$18.34 billion (2003 est.)

Currency:
leu (ROL)

Currency code:
ROL

Exchange rates:
lei per US dollar - 33,200.1 (2003), 33,055.4 (2002), 29,060.8
(2001), 21,708.7 (2000), 15,332.8 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Romania

Telephones - main lines in use:
4.3 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.9 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: poor domestic service, but improving
domestic: 90% of telephone network is automatic; trunk network is
mostly microwave radio relay, with some fiber-optic cable; about
one-third of exchange capacity is digital; roughly 3,300 villages
have no service
international: country code - 40; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat; new digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate
in Bucharest; note - Romania is an active participant in several
international telecommunication network projects (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 40, FM 202, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
7.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
48 (plus 392 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
5.25 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.ro

Internet hosts:
50,807 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
38 (2000)

Internet users:
4 million (2003)

Transportation Romania

Railways:
total: 11,385 km (3,888 km electrified)
standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2003)
broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge

Highways:
total: 198,603 km
paved: 98,308 km (including 113 km of expressways)
unpaved: 100,295 km (2000)

Waterways:
1,731 km (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 3,508 km; oil 2,427 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Braila, Constanta, Galati, Mangalia, Sulina, Tulcea

Merchant marine:
total: 45 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 395,350 GRT/510,232 DWT
registered in other countries: 39 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Greece 1, Italy 2
by type: bulk 7, cargo 26, container 1, passenger 1, petroleum
tanker 4, rail car carrier 2, roll on/roll off 4

Airports:
62 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 25
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 36
under 914 m: 24 (2004 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 10

Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)

Military Romania

Military branches:
Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces (AMR),
Civil Defense

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 20 years of age for compulsory military service, 18 in wartime; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 5,952,834 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 5,007,375 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 163,577 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$985 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.47% (2002)

Transnational Issues Romania

Disputes - international:
has not resolved claims to Ukrainian-administered Zmyinyy (Snake)
Island and Black Sea maritime boundary despite ongoing talks based
on 1997 friendship treaty to find a solution in two years; Hungary
amended status law extending special social and cultural benefits to
ethnic Hungarians in Romania, who had objected to the law

Illicit drugs:
major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the
Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American cocaine bound for
Western Europe; although not a significant financial center, role as
a narcotics conduit leaves it vulnerable to laundering which occurs
via the banking system, currency exchange houses, and casinos

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Russia

Introduction Russia

Background:
Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was able
to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th
centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding
principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynasty
continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific.
Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic
Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th
century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia.
Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army in World War I led
to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire and
to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial household. The Communists
under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed the USSR.
The brutal rule of Josef STALIN (1928-53) strengthened Russian
dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of
lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following
decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91)
introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an
attempt to modernize Communism, but his initiatives inadvertently
released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into 15
independent republics. Since then, Russia has struggled in its
efforts to build a democratic political system and market economy to
replace the strict social, political, and economic controls of the
Communist period. While some progress has been made on the economic
front, recent years have seen a recentralization of power under
Vladimir PUTIN and an erosion in nascent democratic institutions. A
determined guerrilla conflict still plagues Russia in Chechnya.

Geography Russia

Location:
Northern Asia (that part west of the Urals is included with
Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North
Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates:
60 00 N, 100 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 17,075,200 sq km
water: 79,400 sq km
land: 16,995,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
approximately 1.8 times the size of the US

Land boundaries:
total: 20,017 km
border countries: Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China
(southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 294 km, Finland
1,340 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 19 km,
Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,485
km, Norway 196 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Ukraine 1,576
km

Coastline:
37,653 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much
of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the
polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid
in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along
Arctic coast

Terrain:
broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest
and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border
regions

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
highest point: Gora El'brus 5,633 m

Natural resources:
wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural
gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber
note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder
exploitation of natural resources

Land use: arable land: 7.33% permanent crops: 0.11% other: 92.56% (2001)

Irrigated land:
46,630 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to
development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and
earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and
summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European
Russia

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired electric
plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial, municipal,
and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and seacoasts;
deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from improper
application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of sometimes
intense radioactive contamination; groundwater contamination from
toxic waste; urban solid waste management; abandoned stocks of
obsolete pesticides

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably
located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its
size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either
too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount El'brus is Europe's
tallest peak

People Russia

Population:
143,782,338 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 15% (male 11,064,109; female 10,518,595)
15-64 years: 71.3% (male 49,534,076; female 52,958,107)
65 years and over: 13.7% (male 6,177,580; female 13,529,871) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 37.9 years male: 34.7 years female: 40.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.45% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
9.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
15.17 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
1.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.46 male(s)/female
total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 16.96 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 19.58 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.39 years
male: 59.91 years
female: 73.27 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.26 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.9% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
700,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
9,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Russian(s)
adjective: Russian

Ethnic groups:
Russian 81.5%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 3%, Chuvash 1.2%, Bashkir
0.9%, Belarusian 0.8%, Moldavian 0.7%, other 8.1% (1989)

Religions:
Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other

Languages:
Russian, other

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.5% (2003 est.)

Government Russia

Country name:
conventional long form: Russian Federation
conventional short form: Russia
local short form: Rossiya
local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya
former: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic

Government type:
federation

Capital:
Moscow

Administrative divisions:
49 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast), 21 republics (respublik,
singular - respublika), 10 autonomous okrugs (avtonomnykh okrugov,
singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 6 krays (krayev, singular - kray), 2
federal cities (singular - gorod), and 1 autonomous oblast
(avtonomnaya oblast')
: oblasts: Amur (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan',
Belgorod, Bryansk, Chelyabinsk, Chita, Irkutsk, Ivanovo,
Kaliningrad, Kaluga, Kamchatka (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy),
Kemerovo, Kirov, Kostroma, Kurgan, Kursk, Leningrad, Lipetsk,
Magadan, Moscow, Murmansk, Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk,
Omsk, Orenburg, Orel, Penza, Perm', Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan', Sakhalin
(Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samara, Saratov, Smolensk, Sverdlovsk
(Yekaterinburg), Tambov, Tomsk, Tula, Tver', Tyumen', Ul'yanovsk,
Vladimir, Volgograd, Vologda, Voronezh, Yaroslavl'
: republics: Adygeya (Maykop), Altay (Gorno-Altaysk), Bashkortostan
(Ufa), Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude), Chechnya (Groznyy), Chuvashiya
(Cheboksary), Dagestan (Makhachkala), Ingushetiya (Magas),
Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik), Kalmykiya (Elista),
Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk), Kareliya (Petrozavodsk),
Khakasiya (Abakan), Komi (Syktyvkar), Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola),
Mordoviya (Saransk), Sakha [Yakutiya] (Yakutsk), North Ossetia
(Vladikavkaz), Tatarstan (Kazan'), Tyva (Kyzyl), Udmurtiya (Izhevsk)
: federal cities: Moscow (Moskva), St. Petersburg (Sankt-Peterburg)
: autonomous oblast: Yevrey [Jewish] (Birobidzhan)
: krays: Altay (Barnaul), Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk,
Primorskiy (Vladivostok), Stavropol'
: autonomous okrugs: Aga Buryat (Aginskoye), Chukotka (Anadyr'),
Evenk (Tura), Khanty-Mansi, Komi-Permyak (Kudymkar), Koryak
(Palana), Nenets (Nar'yan-Mar), Taymyr [Dolgano-Nenets] (Dudinka),
Ust'-Orda Buryat (Ust'-Ordynskiy), Yamalo-Nenets (Salekhard)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses)

Independence:
24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
Russia Day, 12 June (1990)

Constitution:
adopted 12 December 1993

Legal system:
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN (acting
president since 31 December 1999, president since 7 May 2000)
note: there is also a Presidential Administration (PA) that provides
staff and policy support to the president, drafts presidential
decrees, and coordinates policy among government agencies; a
Security Council also reports directly to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held NA March 2008);
note - no vice president; if the president dies in office, cannot
exercise his powers because of ill health, is impeached, or resigns,
the premier succeeds him; the premier serves as acting president
until a new presidential election is held, which must be within
three months; premier appointed by the president with the approval
of the Duma
cabinet: Ministries of the Government or "Government" composed of
the premier and his deputy, ministers, and selected other
individuals; all are appointed by the president
head of government: Premier Mikhail Yefimovich FRADKOV (since 5
March 2004); Deputy Premier Aleksandr Dmitriyevich ZHUKOV (since 9
March 2004)
election results: Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN reelected president;
percent of vote - Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN 71.2%, Nikolay
KHARITONOV 13.7%, other (no candidate above 5%) 15.1%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye consists of the
Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (178 seats; as of July 2000,
members appointed by the top executive and legislative officials in
each of the 89 federal administrative units - oblasts, krays,
republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the federal cities of
Moscow and Saint Petersburg; members serve four-year terms) and the
State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats; currently 225 seats
elected by proportional representation from party lists winning at
least 5% of the vote, and 225 seats from single-member
constituencies; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: State Duma - last held 7 December 2003 (next to be held
NA December 2007)
election results: State Duma - percent of vote received by parties
clearing the 5% threshold entitling them to a proportional share of
the 225 party list seats - United Russia 37.1%, CPRF 12.7%, LDPR
11.6%, Motherland 9.1%; seats by party - United Russia 222, CPRF 53,
LDPR 38, Motherland 37, People's Party 19, Yabloko 4, Union of
Rightist Forces 2, other 7, independents 65, repeat election
required 3

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Superior Court of Arbitration;
judges for all courts are appointed for life by the Federation
Council on the recommendation of the president

Political parties and leaders:
Communist Party of the Russian Federation or CPRF [Gennadiy
Andreyevich ZYUGANOV]; Liberal Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR
[Vladimir Volfovich ZHIRINOVSKIY]; Motherland Bloc (Rodina) [Dmitriy
ROGOZIN]; People's Party [Gennadiy RAYKOV]; Union of Rightist Forces
or SPS [Anatoliy Borisovich CHUBAYS, Yegor Timurovich GAYDAR, Irina
Mutsuovna KHAKAMADA, Boris Yefimovich NEMTSOV]; United Russia [Boris
Vyacheslavovich GRYZLOV]; Yabloko Party [Grigoriy Alekseyevich
YAVLINSKIY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation: APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, BSEC, CBSS, CE, CERN (observer), CIS, EAPC, EBRD, G- 8, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer), ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Yuriy Viktorovich USHAKOV consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco, and Seattle FAX: [1] (202) 298-5735 telephone: [1] (202) 298-5700, 5701, 5704, 5708 chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander VERSHBOW embassy: Bolshoy Devyatinskiy Pereulok No. 8, 121099 Moscow mailing address: PSC-77, APO AE 09721 telephone: [7] (095) 728-5000 FAX: [7] (095) 728-5090 consulate(s) general: Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red

Economy Russia

Economy - overview:
Russia ended 2003 with its fifth straight year of growth, averaging
6.5% annually since the financial crisis of 1998. Although high oil
prices and a relatively cheap ruble are important drivers of this
economic rebound, since 2000 investment and consumer-driven demand
have played a noticeably increasing role. Real fixed capital
investments have averaged gains greater than 10% over the last four
years and real personal incomes have averaged increases over 12%.
Russia has also improved its international financial position since
the 1998 financial crisis, with its foreign debt declining from 90%
of GDP to around 28%. Strong oil export earnings have allowed Russia
to increase its foreign reserves from only $12 billion to some $80
billion. These achievements, along with a renewed government effort
to advance structural reforms, have raised business and investor
confidence in Russia's economic prospects. Nevertheless, serious
problems persist. Oil, natural gas, metals, and timber account for
more than 80% of exports, leaving the country vulnerable to swings
in world prices. Russia's manufacturing base is dilapidated and must
be replaced or modernized if the country is to achieve broad-based
economic growth. Other problems include a weak banking system, a
poor business climate that discourages both domestic and foreign
investors, corruption, local and regional government intervention in
the courts, and widespread lack of trust in institutions. In
addition, a string of investigations launched against a major
Russian oil company, culminating with the arrest of its CEO in the
fall of 2003, have raised concerns by some observers that President
PUTIN is granting more influence to forces within his government
that desire to reassert state control over the economy.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.282 trillion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $8,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.2% industry: 35.1% services: 59.8% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
18.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
25% (January 2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 5.9% highest 10%: 47% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
39.9 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
13.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
71.68 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 12.3%, industry 22.7%, services 65% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
8.5% plus considerable underemployment (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $83.99 billion
expenditures: $73.75 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Public debt:
34.1% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables, fruits; beef, milk

Industries:
complete range of mining and extractive industries producing coal,
oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building from
rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles;
shipbuilding; road and rail transportation equipment; communications
equipment; agricultural machinery, tractors, and construction
equipment; electric power generating and transmitting equipment;
medical and scientific instruments; consumer durables, textiles,
foodstuffs, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
915 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
773 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
21.16 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
7 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
7.286 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
2.595 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
51.22 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
580.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
408.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
205.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
32.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
47.86 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$35.91 billion (2003)

Exports:
$134.4 billion (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood and wood
products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian and
military manufactures

Exports - partners:
Germany 7.8%, Netherlands 6.5%, Italy 6.3%, China 6.2%, Belarus
5.7%, Ukraine 5.7%, US 4.6%, Switzerland 4.4% (2003)

Imports:
$74.8 billion (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines, meat, sugar,
semifinished metal products

Imports - partners:
Germany 14%, Belarus 8.6%, Ukraine 7.7%, China 5.8%, US 5.2%,
Kazakhstan 4.7%, Italy 4.2%, France 4.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$76.94 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$175.9 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
in FY01 from US, $979 million (including $750 million in
non-proliferation subsidies); in 2001 from EU, $200 million (2000
est.)

Currency:
Russian ruble (RUR)

Currency code:
RUR

Exchange rates:
Russian rubles per US dollar - 30.692 (2003), 31.3485 (2002),
29.1685 (2001), 28.1292 (2000), 24.6199 (1999)
note: the post-1 January 1998 ruble is equal to 1,000 of the pre-1
January 1998 rubles

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Russia

Telephones - main lines in use:
35.5 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
17,608,800 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: the telephone system underwent significant
changes in the 1990s; there are more than 1,000 companies licensed
to offer communication services; access to digital lines has
improved, particularly in urban centers; Internet and e-mail
services are improving; Russia has made progress toward building the
telecommunications infrastructure necessary for a market economy;
however, a large demand for main line service remains unsatisfied
domestic: cross-country digital trunk lines run from Saint
Petersburg to Khabarovsk, and from Moscow to Novorossiysk; the
telephone systems in 60 regional capitals have modern digital
infrastructures; cellular services, both analog and digital, are
available in many areas; in rural areas, the telephone services are
still outdated, inadequate, and low density
international: country code - 7; Russia is connected internationally
by three undersea fiber-optic cables; digital switches in several
cities provide more than 50,000 lines for international calls;
satellite earth stations provide access to Intelsat, Intersputnik,
Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Orbita systems

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 420, FM 447, shortwave 56 (1998)

Radios:
61.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
7,306 (1998)

Televisions:
60.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.ru; Russia also has responsibility for a legacy domain ".su" that
was allocated to the Soviet Union, and whose legal status and
ownership are contested by the Russian Government, ICANN, and
several Russian commercial entities

Internet hosts:
560,874 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
300 (June 2000)

Internet users:
6 million (2002)

Transportation Russia

Railways:
total: 87,157 km
broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge (40,300 km electrified)
note: an additional 30,000 km of non-common carrier lines serve
industries (2003)
narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (on Sakhalin Island)

Highways:
total: 532,393 km
paved: 358,833 km
unpaved: 173,560 km (2000)

Waterways:
96,000 km
note: 72,000 km system in European Russia links Baltic Sea, White
Sea, Caspian Sea, Sea of Azov, and Black Sea (2004)

Pipelines:
condensate 122 km; gas 150,007 km; oil 75,539 km; refined products
13,771 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinskiy, Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', De-Kastri,
Indigirskiy, Kaliningrad, Kandalaksha, Kazan', Khabarovsk, Kholmsk,
Krasnoyarsk, Lazarev, Mago, Mezen', Moscow, Murmansk, Nakhodka,
Nevel'sk, Novorossiysk, Onega, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Rostov,
Shakhtersk, Saint Petersburg, Sochi, Taganrog, Tuapse, Uglegorsk,
Vanino, Vladivostok, Volgograd, Vostochnyy, Vyborg

Merchant marine:
total: 958 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,521,472 GRT/5,505,118 DWT
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 20, cargo 562, chemical tanker 13,
combination bulk 21, combination ore/oil 36, container 28,
multi-functional large load carrier 2, passenger 35, passenger/cargo
4, petroleum tanker 179, rail car carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 27,
roll on/roll off 21, short-sea/passenger 6, specialized tanker 2
foreign-owned: Belize 2, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 9, Denmark 1, Estonia 3,
Germany 1, Greece 3, Hong Kong 1, South Korea 1, Latvia 2, Lithuania
3, Malta 2, Moldova 3, Netherlands 2, Panama 2, Switzerland 4,
Turkey 18, Turkmenistan 2, Ukraine 7, United Kingdom 3, United
States 4
registered in other countries: 350 (2004 est.)

Airports:
2,609 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 585
over 3,047 m: 56
2,438 to 3,047 m: 201
914 to 1,523 m: 100
under 914 m: 106 (2003 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 122

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2,024
under 914 m: 1,590 (2003 est.)
over 3,047 m: 19
2,438 to 3,047 m: 34
914 to 1,523 m: 261
1,524 to 2,437 m: 120

Heliports:
36 (2003 est.)

Military Russia

Military branches:
Ground Forces, Navy, Air Forces; Airborne troops, Strategic Rocket
Forces, and Military Space Forces are classified as independent
combat arms, not subordinate to any of the three branches
:

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18-27 years of age; males are registered for the draft at 17 years of age; 200,000 conscripts were inducted into the armed forces in 2003; length of compulsory military service is 2 years; plans as of August 2004 call for reduction in mandatory service to 1 year by 2008; 2003 planning calls for volunteer servicemen to compose 70% of armed forces by 2010, with the remaining servicemen consisting of conscripts (August 2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 39,127,169 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 30,600,088 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 1,262,339 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Russia

Disputes - international:
China and Russia in 2004 resolved their last border dispute over
islands in the Amur and Argun Rivers, but details on demarcation
have not yet been worked-out; the sovereignty dispute over the
islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai group known
in Japan as the "Northern Territories" and in Russia as the
"Southern Kurils," occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now
administered by Russia, and claimed by Japan, remains the primary
sticking point to signing a peace treaty formally ending World War
II hostilities; about a third of the boundary with Georgia remains
undelimited and none of it demarcated with several small, strategic
segments remaining in dispute; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas
such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Kodori Gorge
in Abkhazia; equidistant seabed treaties have been signed with
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in the Caspian Sea but no consensus on
dividing the water column among the littoral states; Russia and
Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's
fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the
Svalbard Treaty zone; Russia continues to reject signing and
ratifying the joint 1996 technical border agreement with Estonia;
the Russian Parliament refuses to consider ratification of the
boundary treaties with Estonia and Latvia, but in May 2003, ratified
land and maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, which ratified the
1997 treaty in 1999, legalizing limits of former Soviet republic
borders; a simplified transit regime was adopted in July 2003 for
residents of the Kaliningrad coastal exclave to travel through
Lithuania to Russia; delimitation of land boundary with Ukraine is
complete, but demarcation remains unresolved; Ukraine protests
Russia's construction of a causeway in the direction of
Ukrainian-administered Tuzla Island in the Kerch Strait; Kazakhstan
and Russia will complete delimitation of their interstate border in
2004 and demarcation is underway; Russian Duma has not yet ratified
1990 Maritime Boundary Agreement with the US in the Bering Sea

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 368,000 (displacement from Chechnya and North Ossetia) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
limited cultivation of illicit cannabis and opium poppy and
producer of methamphetamine, mostly for domestic consumption;
government has active illicit crop eradication program; used as
transshipment point for Asian opiates, cannabis, and Latin American
cocaine bound for growing domestic markets, to a lesser extent
Western and Central Europe, and occasionally to the US; major source
of heroin precursor chemicals; corruption and organized crime are
key concerns; heroin increasingly popular in domestic market

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Rwanda

Introduction Rwanda

Background:
In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the majority
ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over the
next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some
150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children of
these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front
(RPF), and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along with several
political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic tensions,
culminating in April 1994 in the genocide of roughly 800,000 Tutsis
and moderate Hutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the Hutu regime and
ended the killing in July 1994, but approximately 2 million Hutu
refugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to neighboring
Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and the former Zaire. Since then, most of
the refugees have returned to Rwanda, but about 10,000 that remain
in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo have formed an
extremist insurgency bent on retaking Rwanda, much as the RPF tried
in 1990. Despite substantial international assistance and political
reforms - including Rwanda's first local elections in March 1999 and
its first post-genocide presidential and legislative elections in
August and September 2003, respectively - the country continues to
struggle to boost investment and agricultural output, and ethnic
reconciliation is complicated by the real and perceived Tutsi
political dominance. Kigali's increasing centralization and
intolerance of dissent, the nagging Hutu extremist insurgency across
the border, and Rwandan involvement in two wars in recent years in
the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to hinder
Rwanda's efforts to escape its bloody legacy.

Geography Rwanda

Location:
Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:
2 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 26,338 sq km
water: 1,390 sq km
land: 24,948 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
total: 893 km
border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to
January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible

Terrain:
mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with
altitude declining from west to east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m
highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m

Natural resources:
gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane,
hydropower, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 40.54%
permanent crops: 12.16%
other: 47.3% (2001)

Irrigated land:
40 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the
northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo

Environment - current issues:
deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel;
overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the
population predominantly rural

People Rwanda

Population:
7,954,013
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.3% (male 1,690,122; female 1,674,147)
15-64 years: 55% (male 2,178,956; female 2,194,526)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 85,472; female 130,790) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.2 years
male: 18 years
female: 18.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.82% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
40.01 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
21.86 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 101.68 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 96.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 106.68 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 39.18 years
male: 38.43 years
female: 39.96 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.55 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
5.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
250,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
22,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Rwandan(s)
adjective: Rwandan

Ethnic groups:
Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4.6%,
indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)

Languages:
Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French
(official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in
commercial centers

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 64.7% (2003 est.)
male: 76.3%
total population: 70.4%

People - note:
Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa

Government Rwanda

Country name:
conventional long form: Rwandese Republic
conventional short form: Rwanda
local short form: Rwanda
former: Ruanda
local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda

Government type:
republic; presidential, multiparty system

Capital:
Kigali

Administrative divisions:
12 prefectures (in French - prefectures, singular - prefecture; in
Kinyarwanda - plural - NA, singular - prefegitura); Butare, Byumba,
Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama, Kibungo, Kibuye, Kigali
Rurale, Kigali-ville, Umutara, Ruhengeri

Independence:
1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Constitution:
a new constitution was adopted 26 May 2003

Legal system:
based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary law;
judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March
2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: last held 25 August 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)
election results: Paul KAGAME elected president in first direct
popular vote; Paul KAGAME 95.05%, Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU 3.62%,
Jean-Nepomuscene NAYINZIRA 1.33%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (53 seats;
members elected by direct vote)
elections: last held 29 September 2003 (next to be held NA)
election results: seats by party under the Arusha peace accord - RPF
40, PSD 7, PL 6

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; communal courts; appeals courts

Political parties and leaders:
Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Alfred MUKEZAMFURA]; Social
Democratic Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]; Democratic Popular Union
of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA ]; Democratic Republican Movement
or MDR (officially banned) [Celestin KABANDA]; Islamic Democratic
Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL [Prosper HIGIRO];
Party for Democratic Renewal (officially banned) [Pasteur BIZIMUNGU
and Charles NTAKARUTINKA]; Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul
KAGAME]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
IBUKA - association of genocide survivors

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Zac NSENGA
FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544
telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882
chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret K. McMILLION embassy: #337 Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali telephone: [250] 50 56 01 through 03 FAX: [250] 57 2128

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width), yellow, and
green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end of the blue
band

Economy Rwanda

Economy - overview:
Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the population
engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the most densely
populated country in Africa; landlocked with few natural resources
and minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange earners are coffee
and tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's fragile economic base,
severely impoverished the population, particularly women, and eroded
the country's ability to attract private and external investment.
However, Rwanda has made substantial progress in stabilizing and
rehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels, although poverty
levels are higher now. GDP has rebounded, and inflation has been
curbed. Export earnings, however, have been hindered by low beverage
prices, depriving the country of much needed hard currency. Attempts
to diversify into non-traditional agriculture exports such as
flowers and vegetables have been stymied by a lack of adequate
transportation infrastructure. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem,
food production often does not keep pace with population growth,
requiring food to be imported. Rwanda continues to receive
substantial aid money and was approved for IMF-World Bank Heavily
Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in late 2000.
But Kigali's high defense expenditures cause tension between the
government and international donors and lending agencies.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $10.11 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 40.7% industry: 21.5% services: 37.8% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
19.3% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
60% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.2% highest 10%: 24.2% (1985)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
28.9 (1985)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
4.6 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 90%

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $365.9 million
expenditures: $402.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums),
bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock

Industries:
cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap,
furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes

Industrial production growth rate:
7% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
96.78 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
140 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
50 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
5,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-163 million (2003)

Exports:
$73.33 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coffee, tea, hides, tin ore

Exports - partners:
Indonesia 39.2%, Germany 4.6%, China 3.9% (2003)

Imports:
$245.8 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products,
cement and construction material

Imports - partners:
Kenya 23.3%, Germany 7.5%, Belgium 6.4%, Uganda 6.4%, France 5%
(2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$215 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.3 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$372.9 million (1999)

Currency:
Rwandan franc (RWF)

Currency code:
RWF

Exchange rates:
Rwandan francs per US dollar - 537.658 (2003), 476.327 (2002),
442.801 (2001), 389.696 (2000), 333.942 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Rwanda

Telephones - main lines in use:
23,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
134,000
note: Rwanda has mobile cellular service between Kigali and several
prefecture capitals (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: telephone system primarily serves business and
government
domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the
prefectures by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular
telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF
radiotelephone
international: country code - 250; international connections employ
microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite
communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations -
1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax
service)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 3 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a system of
repeaters and the third FM program is a 24 hour BBC program),
shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios:
601,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
NA

Televisions:
NA; probably less than 1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.rw

Internet hosts:
1,495 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2002)

Internet users:
25,000 (2002)

Transportation Rwanda

Highways: total: 12,000 km paved: 996 km unpaved: 11,004 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye

Airports:
9 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Military Rwanda

Military branches:
Rwandan Defense Forces (Army, Air Forces)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,973,713 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,004,296 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$47.7 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Rwanda

Disputes - international:
Tutsi, Hutu, Hema, Lendu, and other conflicting ethnic groups,
associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government
forces continue fighting in Great Lakes region, transcending the
boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and
Uganda to gain control over populated areas and natural resources -
government heads pledge to end conflicts, but localized violence
continues despite UN peacekeeping efforts

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 37,691 (Democratic Republic of the
Congo)
IDPs: 4,158 (incursions by Hutu rebels from Democratic Republic of
the Congo, 1997-1999; most IDPs in northwest) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Saint Helena

Introduction Saint Helena

Background:
Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint
Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It
acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815
until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call
declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. Ascension
Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield; Gough
Island has a meteorological station.

Geography Saint Helena

Location:
islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South
America and Africa

Geographic coordinates:
15 56 S, 5 42 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 410 sq km
note: includes Saint Helena Island, Ascension, and the island group
of Tristan da Cunha, which consists of Tristan da Cunha Island,
Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, and the three Nightingale Islands
water: 0 sq km
land: 410 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
60 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
Saint Helena - tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds;
Tristan da Cunha - temperate; marine, mild, tempered by trade winds
(tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)

Terrain:
Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m

Natural resources:
fish

Land use:
arable land: 12.9%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 87.1% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the
world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns

People Saint Helena

Population:
7,415 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.9% (male 710; female 689)
15-64 years: 71.4% (male 2,739; female 2,559)
65 years and over: 9.7% (male 319; female 399) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 34.7 years
male: 34.9 years
female: 34.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.62% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
12.68 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 19.85 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 23.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.57 years
male: 74.67 years
female: 80.61 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.54 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Saint Helenian(s)
adjective: Saint Helenian

Ethnic groups:
African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25%

Religions:
Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic

Languages:
English

Literacy:
definition: age 20 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 98% (1987 est.)

Government Saint Helena

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Helena

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Jamestown

Administrative divisions:
1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint
Helena, Tristan da Cunha*

Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution:
1 January 1989

Legal system:
NA

Suffrage:
NA years of age

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by
the monarch
head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief David HOLLAMBY
(since 1999); Michael CLANCY (taking office in October 2004)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex officio
officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, 3
ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 June 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 15

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court; Small Debts Court; Juvenile Court

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
ICFTU, UPU

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

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

Flag description:
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag;
the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship

Economy Saint Helena

Economy - overview:
The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK,
which amounted to about $5 million in 1997 or almost one-half of
annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from
fishing, the raising of livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because
there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek
employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $18 million (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1998 est.)

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

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.2% (1997 est.)

Labor force:
3,500
note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture and fishing 6%, industry (mainly construction) 48%,
services 46% (1987 est.)

Unemployment rate:
14% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $11.2 million
expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY92/93)

Agriculture - products:
corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, crawfish (on Tristan da
Cunha)

Industries:
construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
4.65 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$17 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee,
handicrafts

Exports - partners:
US 26.7%, Tanzania 21.9%, Indonesia 9.4%, UK 8.7%, Japan 7.4%,
Netherlands 7.2%, Nigeria 6.8%, Poland 5%, Spain 4.9% (2003)

Imports:
$42 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building
materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts

Imports - partners:
UK 29.1%, South Africa 24.7%, Spain 16.4%, Italy 8.8%, Tanzania
8.2%, US 5.8% (2003)

Debt - external:
NA (1996)

Economic aid - recipient:
$12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997)

Currency:
Saint Helenian pound (SHP)

Currency code:
SHP

Exchange rates:
Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001),
0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998),

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Saint Helena

Telephones - main lines in use:
2,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
0 (1997)

Telephone system:
general assessment: can communicate worldwide
domestic: automatic network
international: country code - 290; HF radiotelephone from Saint
Helena to Ascension Island, which is a major coaxial submarine cable
relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

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

Radios:
3,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
0
note: television programs are received in Saint Helena via satellite
and distributed by cable (2002)

Televisions:
2,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.sh

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
500 (2002)

Communications - note:
Gough Island has a meteorological station

Transportation Saint Helena

Highways:
total: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da
Cunha 20 km)
paved: 168 km (Saint Helena 118km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha
10 km)
unpaved: 30 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha
10 km) (2000)

Ports and harbors:
Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Saint Helena

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Saint Helena

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Saint Kitts and Nevis

Introduction Saint Kitts and Nevis

Background:
First settled by the British in 1623, the islands became an
associated state with full internal autonomy in 1967. The island of
Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. Saint Kitts and
Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998, a vote in Nevis on a
referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the two-thirds
majority needed. Nevis is once more trying to separate from the
Saint Kitts.

Geography Saint Kitts and Nevis

Location:
Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way
from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:
17 20 N, 62 45 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km)
water: 0 sq km
land: 261 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
135 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:
tropical tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal
temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Terrain:
volcanic with mountainous interiors

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m

Natural resources: arable land

Land use: arable land: 19.44% permanent crops: 2.78% other: 77.78% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
hurricanes (July to October)

Environment - current issues:
NA

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

Geography - note:
with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat and ball, the two
volcanic islands are separated by a three-km-wide channel called The
Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball bat-shaped Saint
Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in the center of its
almost circular namesake island and its ball shape complements that
of its sister island

People Saint Kitts and Nevis

Population:
38,836 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.6% (male 5,675; female 5,422)
15-64 years: 63% (male 12,242; female 12,236)
65 years and over: 8.4% (male 1,349; female 1,912) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 27.3 years
male: 26.5 years
female: 28.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.25% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
18.26 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.65 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-7.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 14.94 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 16.72 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.86 years
male: 69.03 years
female: 74.86 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.35 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality: noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s) adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian

Ethnic groups:
predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese

Religions:
Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Languages:
English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 98% (1980 est.)

Government Saint Kitts and Nevis

Country name:
conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis
conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis
former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis

Government type:
constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament

Capital:
Basseterre

Administrative divisions:
14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point,
Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James
Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary
Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter
Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island,
Trinity Palmetto Point

Independence:
19 September 1983 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 19 September (1983)

Constitution:
19 September 1983

Legal system:
based on English common law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Cuthbert Montraville SEBASTIAN
(since 1 January 1996)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is
usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
prime minister appointed by the governor general
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation
with the prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July
1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995)

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed and 11
popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve
five-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
SKNLP 7, CCM 2, NRP 1, PAM 1
elections: last held 25 October 2004 (next to be held by 2009)

Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of
the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts and Nevis)

Political parties and leaders:
Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance AMORY]; Nevis Reformation
Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY]; People's Action Movement or PAM
[Lindsey GRANT]; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or SKNLP [Dr.
Denzil DOUGLAS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, MIGA, OAS, OECS,
OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Izben Cordinal WILLIAMS chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636 FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts and Nevis; the US
Ambassador to Barbados, Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER, is accredited to
Saint Kitts and Nevis

Flag description:
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a broad black band
bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the black band is edged in
yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower triangle is red

Economy Saint Kitts and Nevis

Economy - overview:
Sugar was the traditional mainstay of the Saint Kitts economy until
the 1970s. Although the crop still dominates the agricultural
sector, activities such as tourism, export-oriented manufacturing,
and offshore banking have assumed larger roles in the economy. As
tourism revenues are now the chief source of the islands' foreign
exchange, a decline in stopover tourist arrivals following the 11
September 2001 terrorist attacks has eroded government finances. The
opening of a 1,000+ bed Marriott hotel in February 2003 was expected
to bring in much-needed revenue.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $339 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-1.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $8,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.5%
industry: 25.8%
services: 70.7% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.7% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
18,170 (June 1995)

Labor force - by occupation:
NA

Unemployment rate:
4.5% (1997)

Budget:
revenues: $89.7 million
expenditures: $128.2 million, including capital expenditures of
$19.5 million (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish

Industries:
sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear,
beverages

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
100.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
93.26 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
710 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$70 million (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco

Exports - partners:
US 61.4%, UK 15.7%, Canada 8.6%, Germany 4.3% (2003)

Imports:
$195 million (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, manufactures, food, fuels

Imports - partners:
US 35.7%, Italy 16.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.5%, UK 6.4%, Denmark
5.2%, Canada 4.4% (2003)

Debt - external:
$171 million (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
$8 million (2001)

Currency:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
XCD

Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7
(2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Saint Kitts and Nevis

Telephones - main lines in use:
23,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
5,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: good interisland and international connections
domestic: inter-island links to Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin
(Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) are handled by VHF/UHF/SHF
radiotelephone
international: country code - 1-869; international calls are carried
by radiotelephone to Antigua and Barbuda and switched there to
submarine cable or to Intelsat; or carried to Saint Martin
(Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) by radiotelephone and switched
to Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
28,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus three repeaters) (2004)

Televisions:
10,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.kn

Internet hosts:
51 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)

Internet users:
10,000 (2002)

Transportation Saint Kitts and Nevis

Railways:
total: 50 km
narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane
plantations during harvest season (2003)

Highways:
total: 320 km
paved: 136 km
unpaved: 184 km (1999 est)

Ports and harbors:
Basseterre, Charlestown

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
2 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Saint Kitts and Nevis

Military branches:
Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (including Coast Guard), Royal
Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force (including Special Service Unit)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Saint Kitts and Nevis

Disputes - international:
joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves
Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which
permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large
portion of the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US
and Europe; some money-laundering activity

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Saint Lucia

Introduction Saint Lucia

Background:
The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries, was contested
between England and France throughout the 17th and early 18th
centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally ceded to
the UK in 1814. Self-government was granted in 1967 and independence
in 1979.

Geography Saint Lucia

Location:
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic
Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:
13 53 N, 60 68 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 616 sq km
water: 10 sq km
land: 606 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
158 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:
tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from
January to April, rainy season from May to August

Terrain:
volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m

Natural resources:
forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs,
geothermal potential

Land use: arable land: 6.56% permanent crops: 22.95% other: 70.49% (2001)

Irrigated land:
30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
hurricanes and volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking cone-shaped
peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural highlights
of the Caribbean

People Saint Lucia

Population:
164,213 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 30.7% (male 25,913; female 24,467)
15-64 years: 64.1% (male 51,750; female 53,530)
65 years and over: 5.2% (male 3,159; female 5,394) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 24.5 years
male: 23.7 years
female: 25.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.27% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
20.5 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.18 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-2.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.95 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 15.09 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.34 years
male: 69.78 years
female: 77.16 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.25 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality: noun: Saint Lucian(s) adjective: Saint Lucian

Ethnic groups:
black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white 1%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 90%, Anglican 3%, other Protestant 7%

Languages:
English (official), French patois

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 67%
male: 65%
female: 69% (1980 est.)

Government Saint Lucia

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia

Government type:
Westminster-style parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Castries

Administrative divisions:
11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery,
Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort

Independence:
22 February 1979 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Constitution:
22 February 1979

Legal system:
based on English common law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Dame Pearlette LOUISY (since
September 1997)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
prime minister appointed by the governor general
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister Kenneth Davis ANTHONY (since 24
May 1997) and Deputy Prime Minister Mario MICHEL (since 24 May 1997)

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; six members
appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice
of the leader of the opposition, and two after consultation with
religious, economic, and social groups) and the House of Assembly
(17 seats; members are elected by popular vote from single-member
constituencies to serve five-year terms)
election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - SLP
55%, UWP 37%, NA 3.5%; seats by party - SLP 14, UWP 3
elections: House of Assembly - last held 3 December 2001 (next to be
held in December 2006)

Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (jurisdiction extends to Anguilla,
Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada,
Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines)

Political parties and leaders:
National Alliance or NA [George ODLUM]; Saint Lucia Freedom Party
or SFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Kenneth
ANTHONY]; Sou Tout Apwe Fete Fini or STAFF [Christopher HUNTE];
United Workers Party or UWP [Dr. Morella JOSEPH]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sonia Merlyn JOHNNY chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6723 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US Ambassador
to Barbados, Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER, is accredited to Saint Lucia

Flag description:
blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the
upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

Economy Saint Lucia

Economy - overview:
Changes in the EU import preference regime and the increased
competition from Latin American bananas have made economic
diversification increasingly important in Saint Lucia. The island
nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment,
especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries. The
manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean
area, and the government is trying to revitalize the banana
industry. Economic fundamentals remain solid.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $866 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 7%
industry: 20%
services: 73% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

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

Labor force:
43,800 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 21.7%, industry, commerce, and manufacturing 24.7%, services 53.6% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
16.5% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $141.2 million
expenditures: $146.7 million, including capital expenditures of
$25.1 million (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa

Industries:
clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated
cardboard boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut processing

Industrial production growth rate:
-8.9% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
120.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
111.8 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$66 million (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil

Exports - partners:
UK 48%, US 24%, Antigua and Barbuda 6%, Dominica 6%, Grenada 4%
(2003)

Imports:
$267 million (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation
equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels

Imports - partners:
US 36.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 19.6%, UK 7.4%, Venezuela 6.8% (2003)

Debt - external:
$214 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
$51.8 million (1995)

Currency:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
XCD

Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7
(2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Saint Lucia

Telephones - main lines in use:
51,100 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
14,300 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: system is automatically switched
international: country code - 1-758; direct microwave radio relay
link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines;
tropospheric scatter to Barbados; international calls beyond these
countries are carried by Intelsat from Martinique

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
111,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (of which one is a commercial broadcast station and one is a community antenna television or CATV channel) (2004)

Televisions:
32,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.lc

Internet hosts:
41 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
15 (2000)

Internet users:
13,000 (2002)

Transportation Saint Lucia

Highways: total: 1,210 km paved: 63 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Castries, Vieux Fort

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
2 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Saint Lucia

Military branches:
Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (including Special Service Unit,
Coast Guard)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Saint Lucia

Disputes - international:
joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves
Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which
permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large
portion of the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:
transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and
Europe

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Introduction Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Background:
First settled by the French in the early 17th century, the islands
represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North
American possessions.

Geography Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Location:
Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south
of Newfoundland (Canada)

Geographic coordinates:
46 50 N, 56 20 W

Map references:
North America

Area:
total: 242 sq km
note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the
Miquelon groups
water: 0 sq km
land: 242 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
120 km

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

Climate:
cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy

Terrain:
mostly barren rock

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m

Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports

Land use: arable land: 13.04% permanent crops: 0% other: 86.96% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard

Environment - current issues: recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment

Geography - note: vegetation scanty

People Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Population:
6,995 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.6% (male 878; female 840)
15-64 years: 64.9% (male 2,316; female 2,227)
65 years and over: 10.5% (male 323; female 411) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 33.3 years
male: 33 years
female: 33.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.26% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
14.15 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.72 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-4.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 8.91 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.28 years
male: 75.97 years
female: 80.7 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.05 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French

Ethnic groups:
Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 99%

Languages:
French (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1982 est.)

Government Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Country name:
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre
and Miquelon
conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon
local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

Dependency status:
self-governing territorial collectivity of France

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Saint-Pierre

Administrative divisions:
none (territorial collectivity of France); note - there are no
first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon at
the second order

Independence:
none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French
control since 1763)

National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
French law with special adaptations for local conditions, such as
housing and taxation

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Albert DUPUY (since 10 January 2005)
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; election last held, first round - 21 April 2002, second round
- 5 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prefect appointed by the
French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior;
president of the General Council is elected by the members of the
council
head of government: President of the General Council Marc
PLANTAGENEST (since NA)
cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats - 15 from
Saint Pierre and 4 from Miquelon; members are elected by popular
vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: elections last held 19 and 26 March 2000 (next to be held
NA April 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PS
12, PRG 2, UDF-RPR 5
note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect 1 seat to the French Senate;
elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September
2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR
1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects 1 seat to the French
National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002,
second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UDF 1

Judicial branch:
Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
PRG [leader NA]; Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR (now UMP)
[leader NA]; Socialist Party or PS [leader NA]; Union pour la
Democratie Francaise or UDF [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
UPU, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territorial collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territorial collectivity of France)

Flag description:
a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a dark blue
background with yellow wavy lines under the ship; on the hoist side,
a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part (called
ikkurina) is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the
corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the rectangle into four
sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine
pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized
yellow lions outlined in black, one above the other; these three
heraldic arms represent settlement by colonists from the Basque
Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy; the flag of France is used
for official occasions

Economy Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Economy - overview:
The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by
fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of
Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because of
disputes with Canada over fishing quotas and a steady decline in the
number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration
panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km
to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although
it represents only 25% of what France had sought. The islands are
heavily subsidized by France to the great betterment of living
standards. The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost
economic prospects. Recent test drilling for oil may pave the way
for development of the energy sector.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $48.33 million - supplemented by annual
payments from France of about $60 million (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,900 (2001 est.)

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

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (1991-96 average)

Labor force:
3,261 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: fishing 18%, industry (mainly fish-processing) 41%, services 41% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate:
9.8% (1997)

Budget:
revenues: $70 million
expenditures: $60 million, including capital expenditures of $24
million (1996 est.)

Agriculture - products:
vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Industries:
fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
42.03 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
39.08 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$10 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and
crustaceans, fox and mink pelts

Exports - partners:
US 42.9%, Ecuador 28.6%, Canada 14.3%, France 14.3% (2003)

Imports:
$106 million f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building
materials

Imports - partners:
France 51%, Canada 31.4%, Italy 11.8% (2003)

Debt - external:
NA (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
approximately $60 million in annual grants from France

Currency:
euro (EUR)

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.0626 (2001),
1.08540 (2000), 0.93863 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Telephones - main lines in use:
4,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
0 (1994)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 508; radiotelephone communication with
most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic
satellite system

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
4,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (there are, however, two repeaters which rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997)

Televisions:
4,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.pm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Highways: total: 114 km paved: 69 km unpaved: 45 km

Ports and harbors:
Saint Pierre

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
2 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Introduction Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Background:
Disputed between France and the United Kingdom in the 18th century,
Saint Vincent was ceded to the latter in 1783. Autonomy was granted
in 1969 and independence in 1979.

Geography Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Location:
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic
Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:
13 15 N, 61 12 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km)
water: 0 sq km
land: 389 sq km

Area - comparative:
twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
84 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:
tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May
to November)

Terrain:
volcanic, mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Soufriere 1,234 m

Natural resources:
hydropower, cropland

Land use:
arable land: 17.95%
permanent crops: 17.95%
other: 64.1% (2001)

Irrigated land:
10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a
constant threat

Environment - current issues: pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is
divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays

People Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Population:
117,193 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.6% (male 16,463; female 15,872)
15-64 years: 66% (male 39,827; female 37,547)
65 years and over: 6.4% (male 3,247; female 4,237) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 25.8 years
male: 25.7 years
female: 26 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.31% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
16.77 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.04 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-7.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.24 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 16.58 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.35 years
male: 71.54 years
female: 75.21 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.9 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s)
adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

Ethnic groups:
black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian 6%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 7%

Religions:
Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman Catholic 13%, Hindu Seventh-Day
Adventist, other Protestant

Languages:
English, French patois

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 96%
male: 96%
female: 96% (1970 est.)

Government Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Government type:
parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the
Commonwealth

Capital:
Kingstown

Administrative divisions:
6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint
George, Saint Patrick

Independence:
27 October 1979 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Constitution:
27 October 1979

Legal system:
based on English common law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir Fredrick Nathaniel BALLANTYNE
(since 2 September 2002)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by
the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the
governor general on the advice of the prime minister
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister Ralph E. GONSALVES (since 29
March 2001)

Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives
and 6 appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular
vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
ULP 12, NDP 3
elections: last held 28 March 2001 (next to be held by July 2006)

Judicial branch:
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of
the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)

Political parties and leaders:
National Reform Party or NRP [Joel MIGUEL]; New Democratic Party or
NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Ken
BOYEA]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [leader NA]; United People's
Movement or UPM [Adrian SAUNDERS]; Unity Labor Party or ULP [Ralph
GONSALVES] (formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or
SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OAS,
OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ellsworth I. A. JOHN chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines; the US Ambassador to Barbados, Ambassador Mary E.
KRAMER, is accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Flag description:
three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and
green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V
pattern

Economy Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Economy - overview:
Economic growth in this lower-middle-income country hinges upon
seasonal variations in the agricultural and tourism sectors.
Tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in 1994,
1995, and 2002, and tourism in the Eastern Caribbean has suffered
low arrivals following 11 September 2001. Saint Vincent is home to a
small offshore banking sector and has moved to adopt international
regulatory standards. Saint Vincent is also a large producer of
marijuana and is being used as a transshipment point for illegal
narcotics from South America.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $342 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 10%
industry: 26%
services: 64% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
67,000 (1984 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 26%, industry 17%, services 57% (1980 est.)

Unemployment rate:
22% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $94.6 million
expenditures: $85.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products: bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices, small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, fish

Industries:
food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch

Industrial production growth rate:
-0.9% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
92.48 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
86 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1,250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$38 million (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis
racquets

Exports - partners:
France 52.7%, UK 6.9%, Greece 6.4%, Spain 6.4% (2003)

Imports:
$174 million (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers,
minerals and fuels

Imports - partners:
France 31.4%, US 10.4%, Singapore 10.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 10%,
Spain 9%, Italy 5.5% (2003)

Debt - external:
$167.2 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
$47.5 million (1995); note - EU $34.5 million (1998)

Currency:
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
XCD

Exchange rates:
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7
(2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Telephones - main lines in use:
27,300 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
10,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF
radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the
Grenadines
international: country code - 1-784; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from
Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to
Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through
Saint Lucia

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
77,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus three repeaters) (2004)

Televisions:
18,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.vc

Internet hosts:
4 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
15 (2000)

Internet users:
7,000 (2002)

Transportation Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Highways: total: 1,040 km paved: 320 km unpaved: 720 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Kingstown

Merchant marine:
total: 704 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,967,418 GRT/9,041,023 DWT
registered in other countries: 25 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 120, cargo 346, chemical tanker 19, combination bulk
10, combination ore/oil 1, container 51, liquefied gas 5, livestock
carrier 4, multi-functional large load carrier 4, passenger 8,
petroleum tanker 31, refrigerated cargo 45, roll on/roll off 42,
short-sea/passenger 9, specialized tanker 8, vehicle carrier 1
foreign-owned: Albania 1, Angola 2, Argentina 1, Australia 3,
Bangladesh 3, Barbados 2, Belgium 3, Bulgaria 16, China 114,
Colombia 1, Croatia 7, Cyprus 2, Denmark 13, Egypt 5, Estonia 13,
France 17, Germany 10, Greece 134, Guyana 8, Hong Kong 15, Iceland
7, India 5, Indonesia 1, Israel 3, Italy 21, Kenya 5, South Korea 4,
Latvia 7, Lebanon 9, Liberia 5, Lithuania 3, Malta 4, Isle of Man 1,
Marshall Islands 3, Mexico 2, Monaco 6, Netherlands 9, Nigeria 8,
Norway 32, Pakistan 6, Panama 3, Poland 3, Portugal 1, Puerto Rico
2, Romania 2, Russia 21, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Lucia 1,
Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 5, Slovenia 7, Spain 1, Sweden 9,
Switzerland 8, Syria 6, Taiwan 1, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 1,
Turkey 23, Ukraine 8, United Kingdom 11, United States

Airports:
6 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Military branches:
Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (includes
Special Service Unit), Coast Guard

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Disputes - international:
joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves
Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which
permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large
portion of the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US
and Europe; small-scale cannabis cultivation

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Samoa

Introduction Samoa

Background:
New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at
the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the
islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when
the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish
independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western"
from its name in 1997.

Geography Samoa

Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
13 35 S, 172 20 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 2,944 sq km
water: 10 sq km
land: 2,934 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
403 km

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

Climate:
tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to
October)

Terrain:
two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and
uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky,
rugged mountains in interior

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mauga Silisili (Savaii) 1,857 m

Natural resources: hardwood forests, fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 21.2% permanent crops: 24.38% other: 54.42% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
occasional typhoons; active volcanism

Environment - current issues:
soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing

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

Geography - note:
occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

People Samoa

Population:
177,714 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.3% (male 25,548; female 24,668)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 72,820; female 43,563)
65 years and over: 6.3% (male 5,096; female 6,019) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 24.2 years
male: 26.8 years
female: 20.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.25% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
15.69 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-11.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.67 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 28.72 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 23.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 33.83 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.41 years
male: 67.64 years
female: 73.33 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.11 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
12

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3

Nationality:
noun: Samoan(s)
adjective: Samoan

Ethnic groups:
Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian
blood), Europeans 0.4%

Religions:
Christian 99.7% (about one-half of population associated with the
London Missionary Society; includes Congregational, Roman Catholic,
Methodist, Latter-Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventist)

Languages:
Samoan (Polynesian), English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.6%
female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

Government Samoa

Country name:
conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
conventional short form: Samoa
former: Western Samoa

Government type:
constitutional monarchy under native chief

Capital:
Apia

Administrative divisions:
11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga,
Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga,
Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano

Independence:
1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:
Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January 1962
is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN
trusteeship, 1 June 1962 is the date that independence is celebrated

Constitution:
1 January 1962

Legal system:
based on English common law and local customs; judicial review of
legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA (cochief of state from
1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963)
head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA
(since 1996); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister from
1992 until he assumed the prime ministership in 1996, when former
Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health;
TUILA'EPA was confirmed as prime minister (November 1998) after
TOFILAU died; the post of deputy prime minister is currently vacant
cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members, appointed by the chief of
state with the prime minister's advice
elections: upon the death of Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA, a new
chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve
a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the chief of
state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected by
voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral
districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly Eurasian, voters who
cannot, (or choose not to) establish a village affiliation; only
chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono; members serve
five-year terms)
elections: election last held 3 March 2001 (next election to be held
not later than March 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
HRPP 30, SNDP 13, independents 6

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Land and Titles Court

Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Party [leader NA]; Human Rights Protection
Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA, chairman]; Samoa All
People's Party or SAPP [Matatumua MAIMOANA]; Samoan National
Development Party or SNDP [LE MAMEA Ropati, chairman] (opposition);
Samoa National Party [FETU Tiatia, party secretary]; Samoan
Progressive Conservative Party [LEOTA Ituau Ale]; Samoan United
Independents Party or SUIP [Dr. Saleimoa VAAI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi ELISAIA FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197 chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: the Ambassador to New Zealand, Ambassador Charles J. SWINDELLS, is accredited to Samoa embassy: Accident Compensation Board (ACB) Building, 5th Floor, Apia mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia telephone: [685] 21631/22696 FAX: [685] 22030

Flag description:
red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing
five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross
constellation

Economy Samoa

Economy - overview:
The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on
development aid, family remittances from overseas, and agriculture
and fishing. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms.
Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force, and furnishes 90%
of exports, featuring coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. The
manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. The
decline of fish stocks in the area is a continuing problem. Tourism
is an expanding sector, accounting for 25% of GDP; about 88,000
tourists visited the islands in 2001. The Samoan Government has
called for deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement of
investment, and continued fiscal discipline, meantime protecting the
environment. Observers point to the flexibility of the labor market
as a basic strength for future economic advances. Foreign reserves
are in a relatively healthy state, the external debt is stable, and
inflation is low.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 14%
industry: 23%
services: 63% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

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

Labor force:
90,000 (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
NA

Unemployment rate:
NA%; note - substantial underemployment

Budget:
revenues: $105 million
expenditures: $119 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2001-02)

Agriculture - products:
coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa

Industries:
food processing, building materials, auto parts

Industrial production growth rate:
2.8% (2000)

Electricity - production:
105.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
97.74 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$14 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, automotive parts,
garments, beer

Exports - partners:
Australia 63.6%, Indonesia 15.2%, US 5.1% (2003)

Imports:
$113 million f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
New Zealand 19.8%, Fiji 17.8%, Australia 15.4%, Japan 11.9%, US
4.7%, Singapore 4.3% (2003)

Debt - external:
$197 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
$42.9 million (1995)

Currency:
tala (SAT)

Currency code:
SAT (former WST code is still in wide use)

Exchange rates:
tala per US dollar - 2.9732 (2003), 3.3763 (2002), 3.478 (2001),
3.2864 (2000), 3.0132 (1999)

Fiscal year:
June 1 - May 31

Communications Samoa

Telephones - main lines in use:
11,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,700 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 685; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
174,849 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (2002)

Televisions:
8,634 (1999)

Internet country code:
.ws

Internet hosts:
8,225 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
4,000 (2002)

Transportation Samoa

Highways: total: 790 km paved: 332 km unpaved: 458 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa

Merchant marine:
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,091 GRT/8,127 DWT
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 1
foreign-owned: Germany 1

Airports:
4 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Samoa

Military branches:
no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Military - note:
Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces;
informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider
any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship

Transnational Issues Samoa

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@San Marino

Introduction San Marino

Background:
The third smallest state in Europe (after the Holy See and Monaco)
also claims to be the world's oldest republic. According to
tradition, it was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marino in
301 A.D. San Marino's foreign policy is aligned with that of Italy.
Social and political trends in the republic also track closely with
those of its larger neighbor.

Geography San Marino

Location:
Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy

Geographic coordinates:
43 46 N, 12 25 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 61.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 61.2 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 39 km border countries: Italy 39 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers

Terrain:
rugged mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m highest point: Monte Titano 755 m

Natural resources: building stone

Land use: arable land: 16.67% permanent crops: 0% other: 83.33% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution

Geography - note:
landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See
and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines

People San Marino

Population:
28,503 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.5% (male 2,425; female 2,277)
15-64 years: 66.8% (male 9,200; female 9,834)
65 years and over: 16.7% (male 2,059; female 2,708) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 40 years
male: 39.6 years
female: 40.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.33% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
10.31 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.96 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
10.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.85 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 6.28 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.53 years
male: 78.02 years
female: 85.34 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.32 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural)
adjective: Sammarinese

Ethnic groups:
Sammarinese, Italian

Religions:
Roman Catholic

Languages:
Italian

Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: 97%
female: 95% (1976 est.)

Government San Marino

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of San Marino
conventional short form: San Marino
local short form: San Marino
local long form: Repubblica di San Marino

Government type:
independent republic

Capital:
San Marino

Administrative divisions:
9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello); Acquaviva, Borgo
Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino,
Montegiardino, San Marino Citta, Serravalle

Independence:
3 September 301

National holiday:
Founding of the Republic, 3 September (301)

Constitution:
8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions
of a constitution

Legal system:
based on civil law system with Italian law influences; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: cochiefs of state Captain Regent Giuseppe ARZILLI
and Captain Regent Roberto RASCHI (for the period 1 October 2004-31
March 2005)
elections: cochiefs of state (captains regent) elected by the Great
and General Council for a six-month term; election last held NA
September 2004 (next to be held March 2005); secretary of state for
foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General
Council for a five-year term; election last held 13 December 2003
(next to be held June 2006 when general elections are scheduled)
note: the popularly elected parliament (Grand and General Council)
selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (cochiefs
of state) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the
Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State), which
has 10 other members, all selected by the Grand and General Council;
assisting the captains regent are 10 secretaries of state; the
secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has assumed some of the
prerogatives of a prime minister
election results: Giuseppe ARZILLI and Roberto RASCHI elected
captains regent; percent of legislative vote - NA%; Fabio BERARDI
elected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs;
percent of legislative vote - NA%
cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council
for a five-year term
head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political
Affairs Fabio BERARDI (15 December 2003)

Legislative branch:
unicameral Grand and General Council or Consiglio Grande e Generale
(60 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 10 June 2001 (next to be held by June 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - PDCS 41.4%, PSS 24.2%,
PD 20.8%, APDS 8.2%, RC 3.4%, AN 1.9%; seats by party - PDCS 25, PSS
15, PD 12, APDS 5, RC 2, AN 1

Judicial branch:
Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII

Political parties and leaders:
Communist Refoundation or RC [Ivan FOSHI]; Ideas in Movement or IM
[Alessandro ROSSI]; National Alliance or AN [leader NA]; Party of
Democrats or PD [Claudio FELICI]; San Marino Christian Democratic
Party or PDCS [Giovanni LONFERNINI]; San Marino Popular Alliance of
Democrats or APDS [Roberto GIORGETTI]; San Marino Socialist Party or
PSS [Alberto CECCHETTI]; Socialists for Reform or SR [Renzo GIARDI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
CE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC,
IOM (observer), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO,
WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
San Marino does not have an embassy in the US
honorary consulate(s) general: Washington, DC and New York
honorary consulate(s): Detroit and Honolulu

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the US Consul
General in Florence (Italy) is accredited to San Marino

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the
national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms
has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a
wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS
(Liberty)

Economy San Marino

Economy - overview:
The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 2000 more than 3
million tourists visited San Marino. The key industries are banking,
wearing apparel, electronics, and ceramics. Main agricultural
products are wine and cheeses. The per capita level of output and
standard of living are comparable to those of the most prosperous
regions of Italy, which supplies much of its food.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $940 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $34,600 (2001 est.)

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

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.3% (2001)

Labor force:
18,500 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 1%, industry 42%, services 57% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
2.6% (2001)

Budget:
revenues: $400 million
expenditures: $400 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products: wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef, cheese, hides

Industries:
tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics, cement, wine

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

Exports:
trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Exports - commodities: building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked goods, hides, ceramics

Imports:
trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Imports - commodities:
wide variety of consumer manufactures, food

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency:
euro (EUR)

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications San Marino

Telephones - main lines in use:
20,600 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
16,800 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate connections
domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into
Italian system
international: country code - 378; connected to Italian
international network

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
16,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from Italy) (1997)

Televisions:
9,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.sm

Internet hosts:
1,763 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
14,300 (2002)

Transportation San Marino

Highways: total: 220 km paved: 220 km unpaved: 0 km (2001)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
none (2003 est.)

Military San Marino

Military branches:
Voluntary Military Force (Corpi Militari Voluntar); note - the
Voluntary Military Force performs ceremonial duties and limited
police assistance

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$700,000 (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues San Marino

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Sao Tome and Principe

Introduction Sao Tome and Principe

Background:
Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the
islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the
19th century - all grown with plantation slave labor, a form of
which lingered into the 20th century. Although independence was
achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the
late 1980s. Though the first free elections were held in 1991, the
political environment has been one of continued instability with
frequent changes in leadership and coup attempts in 1995 and 2003.
The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea is likely to have
a significant impact on the country's economy.

Geography Sao Tome and Principe

Location:
Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the
Equator, west of Gabon

Geographic coordinates:
1 00 N, 7 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1,001 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1,001 sq km

Area - comparative:
more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
209 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)

Terrain:
volcanic, mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m

Natural resources: fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 6.25% permanent crops: 48.96% other: 44.79% (2001)

Irrigated land:
100 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion

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

Geography - note:
the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a
chain of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous

People Sao Tome and Principe

Population:
181,565 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 47.7% (male 43,810; female 42,708)
15-64 years: 48.4% (male 42,469; female 45,456)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 3,275; female 3,847) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 16.1 years
male: 15.5 years
female: 16.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
3.18% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
41.36 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.89 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-2.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 44.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 42.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 46.57 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.63 years
male: 65.11 years
female: 68.21 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.8 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria
overall degree of risk: high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Sao Tomean(s)
adjective: Sao Tomean

Ethnic groups:
mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros
(descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from
Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais
born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)

Religions:
Christian 80% (Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-Day
Adventist)

Languages:
Portuguese (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.3%
male: 85%
female: 62% (1991 est.)

Government Sao Tome and Principe

Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe
conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe
local short form: Sao Tome e Principe
local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Sao Tome

Administrative divisions: 2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995

Independence:
12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Constitution:
approved March 1990; effective 10 September 1990

Legal system:
based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Fradique DE MENEZES (since 3 September
2001)
election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president in Sao
Tome's third multiparty presidential election; percent of vote - NA%
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 29 July 2001 (next to be held NA July 2006);
prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the
president
head of government: Prime Minister Damiao Vaz DE ALMEIDA (since 17
September 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
proposal of the prime minister

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats;
members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 3 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - MLSTP 39.6%, Force for
Change Democratic Movement 39.4%, Ue-Kedadji coalition 16.2%; seats
by party - MLSTP 24, Force for Change Democratic Movement 23,
Ue-Kedadji coalition 8

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo GRACA]; Force for Change
Democratic Movement [leader NA]; Independent Democratic Action or
ADI [Carlos NEVES]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and
Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Manuel Pinto Da
COSTA]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Aldo BANDEIRA];
Ue-Kedadji coalition [leader NA]; other small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
Sao Tome and Principe does not have an embassy in the US, but does
have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by First Secretary
Domingos Augusto FERREIRA, located at 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor,
New York, NY 10022, telephone [1] (212) 317-0580

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the
Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a
nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and
green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the
center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the
hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Sao Tome and Principe

Economy - overview:
This small poor island economy has become increasingly dependent on
cocoa since independence 29 years ago. Cocoa production has
substantially declined in recent years because of drought and
mismanagement, but strengthening prices helped boost export earnings
in 2003. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods,
consumer goods, and a substantial amount of food. Over the years, it
has been unable to service its external debt and has had to depend
on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Sao Tome benefited from
$200 million in debt relief in December 2000 under the Highly
Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program. Sao Tome's success in
implementing structural reforms has been rewarded by international
donors, who pledged increased assistance in 2001. Considerable
potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the
government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The
government also has attempted to reduce price controls and
subsidies. Sao Tome is optimistic about the development of petroleum
resources in its territorial waters in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea;
production could begin as early as 2004.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $214 million (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 19.6% industry: 17.8% services: 62.6% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
51.6% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
54% NA (2004 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
NA

Labor force - by occupation:
population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing
note: shortages of skilled workers

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $38.59 million
expenditures: $42.04 million, including capital expenditures of $54
million (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products: cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish

Industries:
light construction, textiles, soap, beer; fish processing; timber

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
17 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
15.81 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-8 million (2003)

Exports:
$6.479 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil

Exports - partners:
Netherlands 41.7%, Canada 16.7%, Belgium 8.3%, Germany 8.3%,
Philippines 8.3% (2003)

Imports:
$30.03 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum
products

Imports - partners:
Portugal 51.6%, Germany 11.3%, Italy 6.5%, Belgium 4.8%,
Netherlands 4.8% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$18 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$318 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
$200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program

Currency:
dobra (STD)

Currency code:
STD

Exchange rates:
dobras per US dollar - 9,347.58 (2003), 9,088.32 (2002), 8,842.11
(2001), 7,978.17 (2000), 7,118.96 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Sao Tome and Principe

Telephones - main lines in use:
7,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
4,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate facilities
domestic: minimal system
international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios:
38,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (2002)

Televisions:
23,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.st

Internet hosts:
1,069 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
15,000 (2003)

Transportation Sao Tome and Principe

Highways: total: 320 km paved: 218 km unpaved: 102 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Santo Antonio, Sao Tome

Merchant marine:
total: 24 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 79,490 GRT/97,077 DWT
by type: bulk 2, cargo 14, chemical tanker 2, livestock carrier 1,
petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3
foreign-owned: British Virgin Islands 1, Egypt 1, Greece 1, Lebanon
1, Portugal 1, Ukraine 2 (2004 est.)

Airports:
2 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Sao Tome and Principe

Military branches:
Army, Coast Guard, Presidential Guard, National Guard

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 38,347 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 20,188 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$500,000 (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.8% (2003)

Transnational Issues Sao Tome and Principe

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Saudi Arabia

Introduction Saudi Arabia

Background:
In 1902, ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman Al Saud captured Riyadh and
set out on a 30-year campaign to unify the Arabian Peninsula. Today,
the monarchy is ruled by a son of ABD AL-AZIZ, and the country's
Basic Law stipulates that the throne shall remain in the hands of
the aging sons and grandsons of the kingdom's founder. Following
Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti
royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab
troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the
following year. The continuing presence of foreign troops on Saudi
soil after Operation Desert Storm remained a source of tension
between the royal family and the public until the US military's
near-complete withdrawal to neighboring Qatar in 2003. The first
major terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia in several years, which
occurred in May and November 2003, prompted renewed efforts on the
part of the Saudi government to counter domestic terrorism and
extremism, which also coincided with a slight upsurge in media
freedom and announcement of government plans to phase in partial
political representation. A burgeoning population, aquifer
depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and
prices are all ongoing governmental concerns.

Geography Saudi Arabia

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of
Yemen

Geographic coordinates:
25 00 N, 45 00 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 1,960,582 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1,960,582 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Land boundaries:
total: 4,431 km
border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman
676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km

Coastline:
2,640 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: not specified

Climate:
harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes

Terrain:
mostly uninhabited, sandy desert

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Land use: arable land: 1.67% permanent crops: 0.09% other: 98.24% (2001)

Irrigated land:
16,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
frequent sand and dust storms

Environment - current issues: desertification; depletion of underground water resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills

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

Geography - note:
extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great
leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and
Suez Canal

People Saudi Arabia

Population: 25,795,938 note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.3% (male 5,039,578; female 4,845,937)
15-64 years: 59.3% (male 8,810,705; female 6,494,770)
65 years and over: 2.3% (male 327,047; female 277,901) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 21.2 years
male: 22.8 years
female: 19.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.44% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
29.74 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
2.66 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-2.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.36 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.18 male(s)/female
total population: 1.22 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 15.72 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.23 years
male: 73.26 years
female: 77.3 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.11 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.01% (2001 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Saudi(s)
adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian

Ethnic groups:
Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

Religions:
Muslim 100%

Languages:
Arabic

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 78.8%
male: 84.7%
female: 70.8% (2003 est.)

Government Saudi Arabia

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
conventional short form: Saudi Arabia
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah
local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah

Government type:
monarchy

Capital:
Riyadh

Administrative divisions:
13 provinces (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud
ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar Riyad, Ash
Sharqiyah (Eastern Province), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jizan, Makkah, Najran,
Tabuk

Independence:
23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom)

National holiday:
Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)

Constitution:
governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law); the Basic Law that
articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was
introduced in 1993

Legal system:
based on Islamic law, several secular codes have been introduced;
commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
none adult male citizens age 21 or older
note: voter registration began in November 2004 for partial
municipal council elections scheduled nationwide for February
through April 2005

Executive branch:
chief of state: King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al
Saud (since 13 June 1982, but largely incapacitated since late
1995); Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd
al-Aziz Al Saud since 13 June 1982, also Saudi Arabian National
Guard Commander since 1963 and de facto ruler since early 1996; note
- the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government
elections: note - in October 2003, Council of Ministers announced
its intent to introduce elections for half of the members of local
and provincial assemblies and a third of the members of the national
Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura, incrementally over a period
of four to five years; in November 2004, the Ministry of Municipal
and Rural Affairs initiated voter registration for partial municipal
council elections scheduled nationwide for February through April
2005
head of government: King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al
Saud (since 13 June 1982, but largely incapacitated since late
1995); Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd
al-Aziz Al Saud since 13 June 1982, also Saudi Arabian National
Guard Commander since 1963 and de facto ruler since early 1996; note
- the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch and
includes many royal family members

Legislative branch:
Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (120 members and a chairman
appointed by the monarch for four-year terms)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Council of Justice

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BIS, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador BANDAR bin Sultan bin Abd al-Aziz Al
Saud
chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, and New York
telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James Curtis OBERWETTER embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh mailing address: American Embassy Riyadh, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307; International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693 telephone: [966] (1) 488-3800 FAX: [966] (1) 488-3989 consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)

Flag description:
green, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the Shahada or
Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as "There is
no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God") above a white
horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); design dates to
the early twentieth century and is closely associated with the Al
Saud family which established the kingdom in 1932

Economy Saudi Arabia

Economy - overview:
This is an oil-based economy with strong government controls over
major economic activities. Saudi Arabia has the largest reserves of
petroleum in the world (25% of the proved reserves), ranks as the
largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The
petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45% of
GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 40% of GDP comes from the
private sector. Roughly five and a half million foreign workers play
an important role in the Saudi economy, for example, in the oil and
service sectors. The government in 1999 announced plans to begin
privatizing the electricity companies, which follows the ongoing
privatization of the telecommunications company. The government is
encouraging private sector growth to lessen the kingdom's dependence
on oil and increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi
population. Priorities for government spending in the short term
include additional funds for education and for the water and sewage
systems. Economic reforms proceed cautiously because of deep-rooted
political and social conservatism.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $287.8 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $11,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.7% industry: 58.8% services: 36.5% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
18% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
6.43 million
note: more than 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is
non-national (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 12%, industry 25%, services 63% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
25% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $78.77 billion
expenditures: $66.76 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
94.6% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens,
eggs, milk

Industries:
crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals,
cement, construction, fertilizer, plastics

Industrial production growth rate:
7.7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
122.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
113.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
8.711 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1.452 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
7.92 million bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:
261.7 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
53.69 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
53.69 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
6.339 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$22.27 billion (2003)

Exports:
$86.53 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products 90%

Exports - partners:
US 20.6%, Japan 15.4%, South Korea 9.8%, China 5.5%, Taiwan 4.5%,
Singapore 4.1% (2003)

Imports:
$30.38 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
US 9.4%, Japan 7.7%, Germany 7.3%, UK 6.2%, China 4.4%, France 4.1%
(2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$22.86 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$39.16 billion (2003)

Economic aid - donor:
pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund reconstruction of Lebanon;
since 2000, Saudi Arabia has committed $307 million for assistance
to the Palestinians; pledged $240 million to development in
Afghanistan; pledged $1 billion in export guarantees and soft loans
to Iraq

Currency:
Saudi riyal (SAR)

Currency code:
SAR

Exchange rates:
Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.745 (2003), 3.745 (2002), 3.745
(2001), 3.745 (2000), 3.745 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Saudi Arabia

Telephones - main lines in use:
3,502,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
7,238,200 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and
fiber-optic cable systems
international: country code - 966; microwave radio relay to Bahrain,
Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to
Kuwait and Jordan; submarine cable to Djibouti, Egypt and Bahrain;
satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian
Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
6.25 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
117 (1997)

Televisions:
5.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.sa

Internet hosts:
15,931 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
22 (2003)

Internet users:
1.5 million (2003)

Transportation Saudi Arabia

Railways:
total: 1,392 km
standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and
sidings) (2003)

Highways:
total: 151,470 km
paved: 45,592 km
unpaved: 105,878 km (1999)

Pipelines:
condensate 212 km; gas 1,780 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,191 km; oil
5,068 km; refined products 1,162 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Duba, Jiddah, Jizan, Rabigh, Ra's al Khafji,
Mishab, Ras Tanura, Yanbu' al Bahr, Madinat Yanbu' al Sinaiyah

Merchant marine:
total: 66 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,306,706 GRT/1,963,191 DWT
registered in other countries: 54 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 11, container 4, livestock carrier
2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 4, roll
on/roll off 10, short-sea/passenger 6
foreign-owned: Egypt 3, Greece 4, Norway 2, Sudan 1, United Kingdom 3

Airports:
204 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 72
over 3,047 m: 32
2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 23

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 129
under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.)
over 3047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 39
1,524 to 2,437 m: 72

Heliports:
5 (2003 est.)

Military Saudi Arabia

Military branches:
Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National
Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 8,240,714 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 4,725,514 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 246,343 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$18 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
10% (2002)

Transnational Issues Saudi Arabia

Disputes - international:
nomadic groups on border region with Yemen resist demarcation of
boundary; Yemen protests Saudi erection of a concrete-filled pipe as
a security barrier in 2004 to stem illegal cross-border activities
in sections of the boundary; Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue
discussions on a maritime boundary with Iran; because the treaties
have not been made public, the exact alignment of the boundary with
the UAE is still unknown and labeled approximate

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 240,000 (Palestinian Territories)
(2004)

Illicit drugs:
death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption of heroin,
cocaine, and hashish; not a major money-laundering center, improving
anti-money-laundering legislation

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Senegal

Introduction Senegal

Background:
Independent from France in 1960, Senegal joined with The Gambia to
form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982. However, the
envisaged integration of the two countries was never carried out,
and the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace talks, a southern
separatist group sporadically has clashed with government forces
since 1982. Senegal has a long history of participating in
international peacekeeping.

Geography Senegal

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania

Geographic coordinates:
14 00 N, 14 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 196,190 sq km
water: 4,190 sq km
land: 192,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries:
total: 2,640 km
border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau
338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km

Coastline:
531 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong
southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot,
dry, harmattan wind

Terrain:
generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m

Natural resources: fish, phosphates, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 12.78% other: 87.01% (2001) permanent crops: 0.21%

Irrigated land:
710 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

Geography - note:
westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is almost
an enclave within Senegal

People Senegal

Population:
10,852,147 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.2% (male 2,368,011; female 2,325,298)
15-64 years: 53.7% (male 2,803,192; female 3,025,304)
65 years and over: 3% (male 158,881; female 171,461) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18 years
male: 17.4 years
female: 18.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.52% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
35.72 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
10.74 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 56.53 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 52.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 60.25 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.56 years
male: 54.94 years
female: 58.23 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.84 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
44,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,500 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, dengue fever, malaria, yellow fever, Crimean-Congo
hemorrhagic fever, Rift Valley fever, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Senegalese (singular and plural)
adjective: Senegalese

Ethnic groups:
Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%, Mandinka 3%,
Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4%

Religions:
Muslim 94%, indigenous beliefs 1%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman
Catholic)

Languages:
French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 40.2%
male: 50%
female: 30.7% (2003 est.)

Government Senegal

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Senegal
conventional short form: Senegal
local short form: Senegal
local long form: Republique du Senegal

Government type:
republic under multiparty democratic rule

Capital:
Dakar

Administrative divisions:
11 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick,
Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies,
Ziguinchor

Independence:
4 April 1960 (from France); note - complete independence was
achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960

National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

Constitution:
a new constitution was adopted 7 January 2001

Legal system:
based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative
acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State audits the
government's accounting office; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Abdoulaye WADE (since 1 April 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Macky SALL (since 21 April 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in
consultation with the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
under new constitution; election last held 27 February and 19 March
2000 (next to be held 27 February 2005); prime minister appointed by
the president
election results: Abdoulaye WADE elected president; percent of vote
in the second round of voting - Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 58.49%, Abdou
DIOUF (PS) 41.51%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats;
members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)
note: the former National Assembly, dissolved in the spring of 2001,
had 140 seats
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
SOPI Coalition 89, AFP 11, PS 10, other 10
elections: last held 29 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2006)

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Council of State; Court of Final Appeals or
Cour de Cassation; Court of Appeals; note - the judicial system was
reformed in 1992

Political parties and leaders:
African Party for Democracy and Socialism or And Jef (also known as
PADS/AJ) [Landing SAVANE, secretary general]; African Party of
Independence [Majhemout DIOP]; Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP
[Moustapha NIASSE]; Democratic and Patriotic Convention or CDP (also
known as Garab-Gi) [Dr. Iba Der THIAM]; Democratic League-Labor
Party Movement or LD-MPT [Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY]; Front for
Socialism and Democracy or FSD [Cheikh Abdoulaye DIEYE]; Gainde
Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS]; Independence and Labor Party
or PIT [Amath DANSOKHO]; National Democratic Rally or RND [Madier
DIOUF]; Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE];
Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG]; SOPI Coalition (a
coalition led by the PDS) [Abdoulaye WADE]; Union for Democratic
Renewal or URD [Djibo Leyti KA]; other small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
labor; Muslim brotherhoods; students; teachers

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC,
UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Amadou Lamine BA
chancery: 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6315
telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Alan ROTH
embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Rue Kleber, Dakar
mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar
telephone: [221] 823-4296
FAX: [221] 822-2991

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red
with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow band;
uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Senegal

Economy - overview:
In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious economic
reform program with the support of the international donor
community. This reform began with a 50% devaluation of Senegal's
currency, the CFA franc, which was linked at a fixed rate to the
French franc. Government price controls and subsidies have been
steadily dismantled. After seeing its economy contract by 2.1% in
1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to the reform
program, with real growth in GDP averaging 5% annually during
1995-2003. Annual inflation had been pushed down to the low single
digits. As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union
(WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with
a unified external tariff. Senegal also realized full Internet
connectivity in 1996, creating a miniboom in information
technology-based services. Private activity now accounts for 82% of
GDP. On the negative side, Senegal faces deep-seated urban problems
of chronic unemployment, trade union militancy, juvenile
delinquency, and drug addiction.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $17.09 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16.8% industry: 27.2% services: 56% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
21.3% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
54% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 33.5% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
41.3 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
4.62 million NA (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 70%

Unemployment rate:
48% (urban youth 40%) (2001 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.304 billion
expenditures: $1.367 billion, including capital expenditures of $357
million (2003 est.)

Public debt:
54.2% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green
vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish

Industries:
agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer
production, petroleum refining, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate:
2.9% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
1.518 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.412 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
31,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$-389 million (2003)

Exports:
$1.23 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton

Exports - partners:
India 13%, France 12.2%, Mali 9.5%, Italy 8.5%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.4%,
Spain 5% (2003)

Imports:
$1.753 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foods and beverages, capital goods, fuels

Imports - partners:
France 24.9%, Nigeria 12.2%, Thailand 6.7%, Spain 4.3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$780 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$3.009 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$362.6 million (2002 est.)

Currency:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
XOF

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 581.2
(2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699
(1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Senegal

Telephones - main lines in use:
228,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
575,900 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: good system
domestic: above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial
cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system
international: country code - 221; 4 submarine cables; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
1.24 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)

Televisions:
361,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.sn

Internet hosts:
672 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)

Internet users:
225,000 (2003)

Transportation Senegal

Railways: total: 906 km narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000-meter gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 14,576 km
paved: 4,271 km including 7 km of expressways
unpaved: 10,305 km (2000)

Waterways:
1,000 km (primarily on Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance rivers) (2003)

Pipelines:
gas 564 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Dakar, Kaolack, Matam, Podor, Richard Toll, Saint-Louis, Ziguinchor

Airports:
20 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Senegal

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police
(Surete Nationale)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,490,290 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,301,761 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 119,833 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$95.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.5% (2003)

Transnational Issues Senegal

Disputes - international:
The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau attempt to stem refugees, cross border
raids, arms smuggling, and political instability from a separatist
movement in Senegal's Casamance region

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 17,000 (clashes between government troops and separatists in
Casamance region) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin moving
to Europe and North America; illicit cultivator of cannabis

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Serbia and Montenegro

Introduction Serbia and Montenegro

Background:
The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in 1918; its
name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Occupation by Nazi Germany
in 1941 was resisted by various paramilitary bands that fought each
other as well as the invaders. The group headed by Marshal TITO took
full control upon German expulsion in 1945. Although Communist, his
new government and its successors (he died in 1980) managed to steer
their own path between the Warsaw Pact nations and the West for the
next four and a half decades. In the early 1990s, post-TITO
Yugoslavia began to unravel along ethnic lines: Slovenia, Croatia,
Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina were recognized as independent
states in 1992. The remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro
declared a new "Federal Republic of Yugoslavia" (FRY) in April 1992
and, under President Slobodan MILOSEVIC, Serbia led various military
intervention efforts to unite ethnic Serbs in neighboring republics
into a "Greater Serbia." All of these efforts were ultimately
unsuccessful and led to Yugoslavia being ousted from the UN in 1992.
In 1998-99, massive expulsions by FRY forces and Serb paramilitaries
of ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo provoked an international
response, including the NATO bombing of Serbia and the stationing of
a NATO-led force (KFOR), in Kosovo. Federal elections in the fall of
2000, brought about the ouster of MILOSEVIC and installed Vojislav
KOSTUNICA as president. The arrest of MILOSEVIC in 2001 allowed for
his subsequent transfer to the International Criminal Tribunal for
the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague to be tried for crimes against
humanity. In 2001, the country's suspension from the UN was lifted,
and it was once more accepted into UN organizations under the name
of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Kosovo has been governed by
the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) since June
1999, under the authority of UN Security Council Resolution 1244,
pending a determination by the international community of its future
status. In 2002, the Serbian and Montenegrin components of
Yugoslavia began negotiations to forge a looser relationship. These
talks became a reality in February 2003 when lawmakers restructured
the country into a loose federation of two republics called Serbia
and Montenegro. The Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro
includes a provision that allows either republic to hold a
referendum after three years that would allow for their independence
from the state union.

Geography Serbia and Montenegro

Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Albania
and Bosnia and Herzegovina

Geographic coordinates:
44 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 102,350 sq km
water: 214 sq km
land: 102,136 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Kentucky

Land boundaries:
total: 2,246 km
border countries: Albania 287 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 527 km,
Bulgaria 318 km, Croatia (north) 241 km, Croatia (south) 25 km,
Hungary 151 km, Macedonia 221 km, Romania 476 km

Coastline:
199 km

Maritime claims:
NA

Climate:
in the north, continental climate (cold winters and hot, humid
summers with well distributed rainfall); central portion,
continental and Mediterranean climate; to the south, Adriatic
climate along the coast, hot, dry summers and autumns and relatively
cold winters with heavy snowfall inland

Terrain:
extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east,
limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient mountains and
hills; to the southwest, extremely high shoreline with no islands
off the coast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Daravica 2,656 m

Natural resources:
oil, gas, coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, antimony,
chromite, nickel, gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone,
marble, salt, hydropower, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 33.35%
permanent crops: 3.2%
other: 63.45% (2001)

Irrigated land:
570 sq km

Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets, especially in
tourist-related areas such as Kotor; air pollution around Belgrade
and other industrial cities; water pollution from industrial wastes
dumped into the Sava which flows into the Danube

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine
Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to Turkey
and the Near East; strategic location along the Adriatic coast

People Serbia and Montenegro

Population:
10,825,900 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.3% (male 1,027,479; female 956,681)
15-64 years: 66.8% (male 3,602,959; female 3,627,616)
65 years and over: 14.9% (male 693,929; female 917,236) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 36.6 years
male: 35.1 years
female: 38.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.03% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
12.13 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
10.53 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.43 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 15.04 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.4 years
male: 71.9 years
female: 77.12 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.67 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
10,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Serb(s); Montenegrin(s)
adjective: Serbian; Montenegrin

Ethnic groups:
Serb 62.6%, Albanian 16.5%, Montenegrin 5%, Hungarian 3.3%, other
12.6% (1991)

Religions:
Orthodox 65%, Muslim 19%, Roman Catholic 4%, Protestant 1%, other
11%

Languages:
Serbian 95%, Albanian 5%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93%
male: 97.2%
female: 88.9% (1991)

Government Serbia and Montenegro

Country name:
conventional long form: Serbia and Montenegro
conventional short form: none
local short form: none
local long form: Srbija i Crna Gora
former: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
abbreviation: SCG

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Belgrade

Administrative divisions:
2 republics (republike, singular - republika); and 2 nominally
autonomous provinces* (autonomn pokrajine, singular - autonomna
pokrajina); Kosovo* (currently under UN administration pending
resolution of its future status), Montenegro, Serbia, Vojvodina*

Independence:
27 April 1992 (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or FRY - now Serbia
and Montenegro - formed as self-proclaimed successor to the
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or SFRY)

National holiday:
National Day, 27 April

Constitution:
4 February 2003

Legal system:
based on civil law system

Suffrage:
16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Svetozar MAROVIC (since 7 March 2003);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
election results: Svetozar MAROVIC elected president by the
Parliament; vote was Svetozar MAROVIC 65, other 47
elections: president elected by the Parliament for a four-year term;
election last held 7 March 2003 (next to be held 2007)
cabinet: Federal Ministries act as Cabinet
head of government: President Svetozar MAROVIC (since 7 March 2003);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (126 seats - 91 Serbian, 35 Montenegrin -
filled by nominees of the two state parliaments for the first two
years, after which the Constitutional Charter calls for direct
elections
elections: last held 25 February 2003 (next to be held 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
Serbian parties: SRS 30, DSS 20, DS 13, G17 Plus 12, SPO-NS 8, SPS
8; Montenegrin parties: DPS 15, SNP 9, SDP 4, DSS 3, NS 2, LSCG 2

Judicial branch:
The Court of Serbia and Montenegro; judges are elected by the
Serbia and Montenegro Parliament for six-year terms
note: since the promulgation of the 2003 Constitution, the Federal
Court has constitutional and administrative functions; it has an
equal number of judges from each republic

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party or DS [Boris TADIC]; Democratic Party of Serbia or
DSS [Vojislav KOSTUNICA]; Democratic Party of Socialists of
Montenegro or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC]; Democratic Serbian Party of
Montenegro or DSS [Bozidar BOJOVIC]; G17 Plus [Miroljub LABUS]; New
Serbia or NS [Velimir ILIC]; Liberal Party of Montenegro or LSCG
[Miodrag ZIVKOVIC]; People's Party of Montenegro or NS [Dragan SOC];
Power of Serbia Movement or PSS [Bogoljub KARIC]; Serbian Radical
Party or SRS [Tomislav NIKOLIC]; Serbian Renewal Movement or SPO
[Vuk DRASKOVIC]; Serbian Socialist Party or SPS (former Communist
Party and party of Slobodan MILOSEVIC) [Ivica DACIC, president of
Main Board]; Social Democratic Party of Montenegro or SDP [Ranko
KRIVOKAPIC]; Socialist People's Party of Montenegro or SNP [Predrag
BULATOVIC]
note: the following political parties participate in elections and
institutions only in Kosovo, which has been governed by the UN under
UNSCR 1244 since 1999: Albanian Christian Democratic Party or PSHDK
[Mark KRASNIQI]; Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush
HARADINAJ]; Citizens' Initiative of Serbia or GIS [Slavisa
PETKOVIC]; Democratic Ashkali Party of Kosovo or PDAK [Sabit
RRAHMANI]; Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Ibrahim RUGOVA];
Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Hashim THACI]; Justice Party of
PD [Sylejman CERKEZI]; Kosovo Democratic Turkish Party of KDTP
[Mahir YAGCILAR]; Liberal Party of Kosovo or PLK [Gjergj DEDAJ]; Ora
[Veton SURROI]; New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDK [Bislim
HOTI]; Party of Democratic Action or SDA [Numan BALIC]; Popular
Movement of Kosovo or LPK [Emrush XHEMAJLI]; Prizren-Dragas
Initiative or PDI [Ismajl KARADOLAMI]; Serb List for Kosovo and
Metohija or SLKM [Oliver IVANOVIC]; United Roma Party of Kosovo or
PREBK [Haxhi Zylfi MERXHA]; Vakat [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Political Council for Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac or PCPMB
[leader NA]; Group for Changes of Montenegro or GZP [Nebojsa
MEDOJEVIC]

International organization participation:
BSEC, CE, CEI, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ivan VUJACIC
consulate(s) general: Chicago
FAX: [1] (202) 332-3933
chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-0333

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael C. POLT embassy: Kneza Milosa 50, 11000 Belgrade mailing address: 5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070 telephone: [381] (11) 361-9344 FAX: [381] (11) 361-8230 consulate(s): Podgorica note: there is a branch office in Pristina at 30 Nazim Hikmet 38000 Pristina, Kosovo; telephone: [381](38)549-516; FAX: [381](38)549-890

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and red

Economy Serbia and Montenegro

Economy - overview:
MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy, an extended period of
economic sanctions, and the damage to Yugoslavia's infrastructure
and industry during the NATO airstrikes in 1999 have left the
economy only half the size it was in 1990. After the ousting of
former Federal Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC in October 2000, the
Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition government
implemented stabilization measures and embarked on an aggressive
market reform program. After renewing its membership in the IMF in
December 2000, Yugoslavia continued to reintegrate into the
international community by rejoining the World Bank (IBRD) and the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A World
Bank-European Commission sponsored Donors' Conference held in June
2001 raised $1.3 billion for economic restructuring. An agreement
rescheduling the country's $4.5 billion Paris Club government debts
was concluded in November 2001; it wrote off 66% of the debt. The
smaller republic of Montenegro severed its economy from federal
control and from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC era and continues to
maintain its own central bank, uses the euro instead of the Yugoslav
dinar as official currency, collects customs tariffs, and manages
its own budget. Kosovo, while technically still part of the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia (now Serbia and Montenegro) according to
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, is largely
autonomous under United Nations Interim Administration Mission in
Kosovo (UNMIK) and is greatly dependent on the international
community and the diaspora for financial and technical assistance.
The euro and the Yugoslav dinar are official currencies, and UNMIK
collects taxes and manages the budget. The complexity of Serbia and
Montenegro political relationships, slow progress in privatization,
legal uncertainty over property rights, and scarcity of
foreign-investment are holding back Serbia and Montenegro's economy.
Arrangements with the IMF, especially requirements for fiscal
discipline, are an important element in policy formation. Severe
unemployment remains a key political economic problem.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $23.89 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15.2% industry: 28.2% services: 56.5% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
14.3% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
30% (1999 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11.2% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
2.93 million (2003 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
34.5% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $8.668 billion
expenditures: $9.633 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
123.2% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
cereals, fruits, vegetables, tobacco, olives; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:
machine building (aircraft, trucks, and automobiles; tanks and
weapons; electrical equipment; agricultural machinery); metallurgy
(steel, aluminum, copper, lead, zinc, chromium, antimony, bismuth,
cadmium); mining (coal, bauxite, nonferrous ore, iron ore,
limestone); consumer goods (textiles, footwear, foodstuffs,
appliances); electronics, petroleum products, chemicals, and
pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate:
1.7% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
31.71 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
32.37 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
446 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
3.33 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
15,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
64,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
38.75 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
602 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
602 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
24.07 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-2.416 billion (2003)

Exports:
$2.667 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
manufactured goods, food and live animals, raw materials

Exports - partners:
Italy 31.6%, Germany 17.5%, Austria 6.2%, France 6%, Greece 5.4%,
Slovenia 4.1%, Hungary 4% (2003)

Imports:
$7.144 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, fuels and lubricants,
manufactured goods, chemicals, food and live animals, raw materials

Imports - partners:
Germany 18.8%, Italy 16.3%, Austria 8.1%, Slovenia 6.6%, Hungary
5.8%, France 4.8%, Bulgaria 4.6%, Greece 4.4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$3.7 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$14.01 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$2 billion pledged in 2001 (disbursements to follow for several
years)

Currency:
in Serbia the Serbian dinar (CSD) is legal tender, but the euro
(EUR) is the de facto currency; in Montenegro and Kosovo the euro is
legal tender. (2004)

Currency code:
CSD, EUR

Exchange rates:
new Yugoslav dinars per US dollar - official rate: 65 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Serbia and Montenegro

Telephones - main lines in use:
2,611,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
3,634,600 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 381; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 113, FM 194, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
3.15 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: more than 771 (including 86 strong stations and 685 low-power stations, plus 20 repeaters in the principal networks; also numerous local or private stations in Serbia and Vojvodina) (1997)

Televisions:
2.75 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.yu

Internet hosts:
20,207 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
9 (2000)

Internet users:
847,000 (2003)

Transportation Serbia and Montenegro

Railways: total: 4,380 km standard gauge: 4,380 km 1.435-m gauge (1,445 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 49,805 km
paved: 31,029 km (including 560 km of expressways)
unpaved: 18,776 km (2000)

Waterways:
587 km
note: Danube River traffic delayed by pontoon bridge at Novi Sad;
plan to replace by summer of 2005 (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 3,177 km; oil 393 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bar, Belgrade, Kotor, Novi Sad, Pancevo, Tivat, Zelenika

Airports:
45 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 19 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 25 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 4 (2003 est.)

Military Serbia and Montenegro

Military branches:
Army (VJ) (including ground forces with border troops, naval
forces, air and air defense forces)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
19 years of age (nine months compulsory service) (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,718,234 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,184,937 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 81,245 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$654 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Serbia and Montenegro

Disputes - international:
the future status of Kosovo remains an unresolved issue in South
Central Europe with Kosovo Albanians overwhelmingly supporting and
Serbian officials opposing Kosovo independence; the international
community has agreed to begin a process to determine final status
only after significant progress has been made in solidifying
multi-ethnic democracy in Kosovo as outlined in the policy of
"standards before status"; the Contact group (including the US, UK,
France, Germany, Italy, and Russia) will review progress on the
UNMIK standard around mid-2005; ethnic Albanians in Kosovo resist
demarcation of the F.Y.R.O.M. boundary in accordance with the 2000
delimitation treaty, which transfers on net a small amount of land
to F.Y.R.O.M.; Serbia and Montenegro have delimited about half of
the boundary with Bosnia and Herzegovina, but sections along the
Drina River remain in dispute

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 99,170 (Bosnia), 188,656 (Croatia)
IDPs: 225,000 (mostly ethnic Serbs and Roma who fled Kosovo in 1999)
(2004)

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western
Europe on the Balkan route; economy vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Seychelles

Introduction Seychelles

Background:
A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands
ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. Independence came
in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close with a new
constitution and free elections in 1993. The most recent
presidential elections were held 31 August-2 September 2001.
President RENE, who has served since 1977, was re-elected. On 14
April 2004 RENE stepped down and Vice President James MICHEL was
sworn in as president.

Geography Seychelles

Location:
Eastern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northeast of
Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:
4 35 S, 55 40 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 455 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 455 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
491 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:
tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon
(late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon
(March to May)

Terrain:
Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others
are coral, flat, elevated reefs

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m

Natural resources:
fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Land use:
arable land: 2.22%
permanent crops: 13.33%
other: 84.45% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short
droughts possible

Environment - current issues:
water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater

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

Geography - note: 40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

People Seychelles

Population:
80,832 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.9% (male 10,987; female 10,717)
15-64 years: 66.9% (male 26,380; female 27,731)
65 years and over: 6.2% (male 1,638; female 3,379) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 27.3 years
male: 26.2 years
female: 28.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.45% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
16.55 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-5.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.97 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 20.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.53 years
male: 66.1 years
female: 77.14 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.77 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Seychellois (singular and plural)
adjective: Seychellois

Ethnic groups:
mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab

Religions:
Roman Catholic 86.6%, Anglican 6.8%, other Christian 2.5%, other
4.1%

Languages:
English (official), French (official), Creole

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58%
male: 56%
female: 60% (1971 est.)

Government Seychelles

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
conventional short form: Seychelles

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Victoria

Administrative divisions:
23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse
Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau
Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on Mahe),
Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont
Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint
Louis, Takamaka

Independence:
29 June 1976 (from UK)

National holiday:
Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)

Constitution:
18 June 1993

Legal system:
based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law

Suffrage:
17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004); note
- the president is both the chief of state and head of government
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 31 August-2 September 2001 (next to be held NA
2006)
election results: France Albert RENE re-elected president; percent
of vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 54.19%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO)
44.95%, Philippe BOULLE 0.86%; note - the first time that
presidential elections have been held separately from legislative
elections; France Albert RENE stepped down 14 April 2004 and Vice
President James MICHEL was sworn in as president
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
head of government: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats - 25
elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to
parties winning at least 10% of the vote; members serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 4-6 December 2002 (next held by 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 54.3%, SNP 42.6%,
DP 3.1%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11
note: the 9 awarded seats are apportioned according to the
percentage that each party won of the total vote

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are
appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Daniel BELLE]; Mouvement
Seychellois pour la Democratie [Jacques HODOUL]; Seychelles National
Party or SNP (formerly the United Opposition or UO) [Wavel
RAMKALAWAN]; Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France
Albert RENE, James MICHEL] - the governing party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Roman Catholic Church; trade unions

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Claude Sylvestre MOREL chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017 FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786 telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to
Mauritius is accredited to the Seychelles

Flag description:
five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and
green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side

Economy Seychelles

Economy - overview:
Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean
archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the old
near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector,
which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than
70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years
the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade
hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has
moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the
development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. A
sharp drop illustrated the vulnerability of the tourist sector in
1991-92 due largely to the Gulf war, and once again following the 11
September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Other issues facing the
government are the curbing of the budget deficit, including the
containment of social welfare costs, and further privatization of
public enterprises. Growth slowed in 1998-2002, due to sluggish
tourist and tuna sectors. Also, tight controls on exchange rates and
the scarcity of foreign exchange have impaired short-term economic
prospects. The black market value of the Seychelles rupee is half
the official exchange rate; without a devaluation of the currency
the tourist sector should remain sluggish as vacationers seek
cheaper destinations such as Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $626 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $7,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.8% industry: 28.7% services: 68.9% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
39.1% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
30,900 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 10%, industry 19%, services 71% (1989)

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $338.7 million
expenditures: $323.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
129.3% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca),
bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish

Industries:
fishing; tourism; processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut
fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
160 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
148.8 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-73 million (2003)

Exports:
$250 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products
(reexports)

Exports - partners:
UK 38.8%, France 31.8%, Italy 14.5%, Germany 7.5% (2003)

Imports:
$383.7 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 15.7%, South Africa 10.9%, Spain 10.4%, France 9.7%,
Italy 9.2%, Singapore 7%, UK 6.8% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$66 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$213 million (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$16.4 million (1995)

Currency:
Seychelles rupee (SCR)

Currency code:
SCR

Exchange rates:
Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 5.4007 (2003), 5.48 (2002),
5.8575 (2001), 5.7138 (2000), 5.3426 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Seychelles

Telephones - main lines in use:
21,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
54,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: effective system
domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the
archipelago
international: country code - 248; direct radiotelephone
communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal
countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
42,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
11,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.sc

Internet hosts:
264 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
11,700 (2002)

Transportation Seychelles

Highways: total: 373 km paved: 315 km unpaved: 58 km (1997 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Victoria

Merchant marine:
total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 42,223 GRT/63,538 DWT
foreign-owned: Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 1, Nigeria 1, South Africa 2 (2004
est.)
by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 3, container 1

Airports:
15 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Military Seychelles

Military branches:
Army, Coast Guard (including Navy Wing, Air Wing), National Guard,
Presidential Protection Unit (includes Presidential Guard),
Seychelles National Police (includes Police Mobile Unit)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 23,661 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 11,712 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$11.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.8% (2003)

Transnational Issues Seychelles

Disputes - international: together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Sierra Leone

Introduction Sierra Leone

Background:
The 1991 to 2002 civil war between the government and the
Revolutionary United Front (RUF) resulted in tens of thousands of
deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (well over
one-third of the population), many of whom are now refugees in
neighboring countries. With the support of the UN peacekeeping force
and contributions from the World Bank and international community,
demobilization and disarmament of the RUF and Civil Defense Forces
(CDF) combatants has been completed. National elections were held in
May 2002 and the government continues to slowly reestablish its
authority. However, the gradual withdrawal of most UN Mission in
Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) peacekeepers in 2004 and early 2005,
deteriorating political and economic conditions in Guinea, and the
tenuous security situation in neighboring Liberia may present
challenges to the continuation of Sierra Leone's stability.

Geography Sierra Leone

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea
and Liberia

Geographic coordinates:
8 30 N, 11 30 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 71,740 sq km
land: 71,620 sq km
water: 120 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries: total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

Coastline: 402 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter
dry season (December to April)

Terrain:
coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland
plateau, mountains in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

Natural resources:
diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite

Land use: arable land: 6.98% permanent crops: 0.89% other: 92.13% (2001)

Irrigated land:
290 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to
February); sandstorms, dust storms

Environment - current issues:
rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting
of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn
agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion;
civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year,
making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa

People Sierra Leone

Population:
5,883,889 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.8% (male 1,291,621; female 1,343,827)
15-64 years: 52% (male 1,458,610; female 1,599,109)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 91,232; female 99,490) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.5 years
male: 17.2 years
female: 17.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.27% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
43.34 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
20.62 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly
returning (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 145.24 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 127.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 162.64 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 42.69 years
male: 40.23 years
female: 45.21 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
170,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
11,000 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, yellow fever, Lassa fever, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Sierra Leonean(s)
adjective: Sierra Leonean

Ethnic groups:
20 native African tribes 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%),
Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were
settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century), refugees
from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans,
Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians

Religions:
Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%

Languages:
English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende
(principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in
the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of
freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a
lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but
understood by 95%)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende,
Temne, or Arabic
total population: 31.4%
male: 45.4%
female: 18.2% (1995 est.)

Government Sierra Leone

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone
conventional short form: Sierra Leone

Government type:
constitutional democracy

Capital:
Freetown

Administrative divisions:
3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western*

Independence:
27 April 1961 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 April (1961)

Constitution:
1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times

Legal system:
based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996,
reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March
1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the
chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the
approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible
to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007); note -
president's tenure of office is limited to two five-year terms
election results: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH reelected president; percent of
vote - Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 70.6%, Ernest KOROMA (APC) 22.4%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (124 seats - 112 elected by popular vote, 12
filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; members
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - SLPP 70.06%, APC
22.35%, PLP 3%, others 4.59%; seats by party - SLPP 83, APC 27, PLP 2

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court

Political parties and leaders:
All People's Congress or APC [Ben KANU]; Peace and Liberation Party
or PLP [Darlington MORRISON, interim chairman]; Sierra Leone
People's Party or SLPP [Sama BANYA]; numerous others

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Trade Unions and Student Unions

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahim M. KAMARA
FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793
telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263
chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter Russell CHAVEAS embassy: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [232] (22) 226481 through 226485 FAX: [232] (22) 225471

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light
blue

Economy Sierra Leone

Economy - overview:
Sierra Leone is an extremely poor African nation with tremendous
inequality in income distribution. It does have substantial mineral,
agricultural, and fishery resources. However, the economic and
social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social
disorders continue to hamper economic development, following a
11-year civil war. About two-thirds of the working-age population
engages in subsistence agriculture. Manufacturing consists mainly of
the processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for the
domestic market. Plans continue to reopen bauxite and rutile mines
shut down during the conflict. The major source of hard currency
consists of the mining of diamonds. The fate of the economy depends
upon the maintenance of domestic peace and the continued receipt of
substantial aid from abroad, which is essential to offset the severe
trade imbalance and to supplement government revenues.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $3.057 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 49% industry: 31% services: 21% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line: 68% (1989 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 43.6% (1989)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
62.9 (1989)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
1.369 million (1981 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $96 million
expenditures: $351 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry,
cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Industries:
mining (diamonds); small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles,
cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
250.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
232.6 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$49 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish (1999)

Exports - partners:
Belgium 61.2%, Germany 14.2%, UK 4.5%, US 4.5% (2003)

Imports:
$264 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants,
chemicals (1995)

Imports - partners:
Germany 23.7%, UK 9.9%, Cote d'Ivoire 7.4%, France 7.4%, US 5.3%,
Netherlands 5.1%, Ukraine 4.6% (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.5 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$103 million (2001 est.)

Currency:
leone (SLL)

Currency code:
SLL

Exchange rates:
leones per US dollar - 2,347.94 (2003), 2,099.03 (2002), 1,986.15
(2001), 2,092.12 (2000), 1,804.19 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Sierra Leone

Telephones - main lines in use:
24,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
67,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: marginal telephone and telegraph service
domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects
Freetown to Bo and Kenema
international: country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (1999)

Radios:
1.12 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (1999)

Televisions:
53,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.sl

Internet hosts:
277 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2001)

Internet users:
8,000 (2002)

Transportation Sierra Leone

Highways: total: 11,330 km paved: 895 km unpaved: 10,435 km (1999)

Waterways:
800 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Bonthe, Freetown, Pepel

Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,435 GRT/8,750 DWT
by type: cargo 2 (2004 est.)

Airports:
10 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 9
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 7

Heliports:
2 (2003 est.)

Military Sierra Leone

Military branches:
Army (RSLAF)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,265,140 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 614,338 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$11.7 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.5% (2003)

Transnational Issues Sierra Leone

Disputes - international:
domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups, warlords, and youth
gangs in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have created
insurgencies, street violence, looting, arms trafficking, ethnic
conflicts, and refugees in border areas; in 2003, Guinea and Sierra
Leone established a boundary commission to resolve a dispute over
the town of Yenga

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 67,000 (Liberia) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Singapore

Introduction Singapore

Background:
Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It
joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years
later and became independent. It subsequently became one of the
world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading
links (its port is the world's busiest in terms of tonnage handled)
and with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of
Western Europe.

Geography Singapore

Location:
Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:
1 22 N, 103 48 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 692.7 sq km
water: 10 sq km
land: 682.7 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
193 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as
defined in treaties and practice

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons -
Northeastern monsoon from December to March and Southwestern monsoon
from June to September; inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early
evening thunderstorms

Terrain:
lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment
area and nature preserve

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m

Natural resources:
fish, deepwater ports

Land use:
arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 98.36% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources;
limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal
smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

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

Geography - note:
focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

People Singapore

Population:
4,353,893 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.5% (male 370,660; female 345,713)
15-64 years: 75.8% (male 1,611,502; female 1,687,048)
65 years and over: 7.8% (male 149,452; female 189,518) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 36.2 years
male: 35.9 years
female: 36.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.71% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
9.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.05 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
11.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 2.28 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 2.49 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 81.53 years
male: 78.96 years
female: 84.29 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.04 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
4,100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Singaporean(s)
adjective: Singapore

Ethnic groups:
Chinese 76.7%, Malay 14%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4%

Religions:
Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu, Sikh,
Taoist, Confucianist

Languages:
Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil
(official), English (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.5%
male: 96.6%
female: 88.6% (2002)

Government Singapore

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Singapore
conventional short form: Singapore

Government type:
parliamentary republic

Capital:
Singapore

Administrative divisions:
none

Independence:
9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 9 August (1965)

Constitution:
3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on preindependence State of
Singapore Constitution)

Legal system:
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN (since 1
September 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August
2004); Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004);
Minister Mentor LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime
Ministers Shunmugan JAYAKUMAR (since 12 August 2004) and Tony TAN
Keng Yam (since 1 August 1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, responsible to
Parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 28 August 1999 (next to be held by August 2005);
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime
minister by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the
president
election results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN elected president
unopposed

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine
nominated members; the losing opposition candidate who came closest
to winning a seat may be appointed as a "nonconstituency" member
elections: last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held not later than
25 June 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 75.3% (in contested
constituencies), other 24.7%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SPP 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president with the
advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by the
president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals

Political parties and leaders:
governing party: People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong];
opposition parties: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [LING How
Dong]; National Solidarity Party or NSP [vacant] (SDA group);
Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong] (includes SPP,
PKMS, NSP, SJP); Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan];
Singapore Justice Party or SJP [Desmond LIM] (SDA group); Singapore
National Malay Organization or PKMS [Malik ISMAIL] (SDA group);
Singapore People's Party or SPP [CHIAM See Tong] (SDA group);
Workers' Party or WP [Sylvia Lim Swee LIAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee consulate(s): New York consulate(s) general: San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876 telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100 chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Franklin L. LAVIN embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508 mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001 telephone: [65] 6476-9100 FAX: [65] 6476-9340

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist
side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed
portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white
five-pointed stars arranged in a circle

Economy Singapore

Economy - overview:
Singapore, a highly developed and successful free market economy,
enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable
prices, and a high per capita GDP. The economy depends heavily on
exports, particularly in electronics and manufacturing. It was hard
hit in 2001-03 by the global recession and the slump in the
technology sector. The government hopes to establish a new growth
path that will be less vulnerable to the external business cycle but
is unlikely to abandon efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast
Asia's financial and high-tech hub. Fiscal stimulus, low interest
rates, and global economic recovery should lead to much improved
growth in 2004.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $109.4 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $23,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: negligible industry: 32.2% services: 67.8% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
24.9% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
2.2 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation: manufacturing 18%, construction 6%, transportation and communication 11%, financial, business, and other services 49%, other 16% (2003)

Unemployment rate:
4.8% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $14.15 billion
expenditures: $15.61 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.6
billion (2003 est.)

Public debt:
106.4% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables, poultry, eggs, fish,
ornamental fish

Industries:
electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment,
petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed
food and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction,
life sciences, entrepot trade

Industrial production growth rate:
2.8% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
30.48 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
28.35 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
700,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
2.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
2.5 billion cu m
: Note: from Indonesia and Malaysia (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$26.15 billion (2003)

Exports:
$142.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods,
chemicals, mineral fuels

Exports - partners:
Malaysia 15.8%, US 14.3%, Hong Kong 10%, China 7%, Japan 6.7%,
Taiwan 4.7%, Thailand 4.3%, South Korea 4.2% (2003)

Imports:
$121.6 billion (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Malaysia 16.8%, US 14.1%, Japan 12%, China 8.7%, Taiwan 5.1%,
Thailand 4.3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$95.75 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$15.06 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency:
Singapore dollar (SGD)

Currency code:
SGD

Exchange rates:
Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002),
1.7917 (2001), 1.724 (2000), 1.695 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Singapore

Telephones - main lines in use:
1,896,100 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
3,521,800 (2004)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent service
domestic: excellent domestic facilities
international: country code - 65; submarine cables to Malaysia
(Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific
Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 17, shortwave 2 (2003)

Radios:
2.6 million (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
7 (2003)

Televisions:
1.33 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.sg

Internet hosts:
484,825 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
9 (2000)

Internet users:
2.31 million (2002)

Transportation Singapore

Highways:
total: 3,066 km
paved: 3,066 km (including 150 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Pipelines:
gas 139 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Singapore

Merchant marine:
total: 900 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 23,065,290 GRT/36,393,317 DWT
registered in other countries: 383 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Australia 6, China 15, Denmark 32, Germany 18, Greece
12, Hong Kong 31, India 3, Indonesia 33, Japan 58, South Korea 13,
Malaysia 31, Monaco 19, Norway 53, Papua New Guinea 1, Philippines
9, Russia 2, Slovenia 1, Sweden 12, Switzerland 5, Taiwan 44,
Tanzania 1, Thailand 16, United Kingdom 15, United States 1
by type: bulk 136, cargo 84, chemical tanker 96, combination bulk 4,
combination ore/oil 8, container 186, liquefied gas 41, livestock
carrier 3, multi-functional large load carrier 2, petroleum tanker
290, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 5, short-sea/passenger
1, specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 32

Airports:
9 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Singapore

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation to be reduced to 24 months from 30 months beginning December 2004 (June 2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,292,471 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 934,317 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$4.47 billion (FY01 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Singapore

Disputes - international:
disputes with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore,
Singapore's land reclamation works, bridge construction, maritime
boundaries, and Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Putih persist -
parties agree to ICJ arbitration on island dispute within three years

Illicit drugs:
as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is
vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, to be used as a
transit point for Golden Triangle heroin and as a venue for money
laundering

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Slovakia

Introduction Slovakia

Background:
In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to form
Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia
became a Communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern Europe. Soviet
influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more became
free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1
January 1993. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of
2004.

Geography Slovakia

Location:
Central Europe, south of Poland

Geographic coordinates:
48 40 N, 19 30 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 48,845 sq km
water: 45 sq km
land: 48,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
about twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries:
total: 1,524 km
border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677
km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain:
rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in
the south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m
highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m

Natural resources:
brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and
manganese ore; salt; arable land

Land use: arable land: 30.16% permanent crops: 2.62% other: 67.22% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,740 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health
risks; acid rain damaging forests

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the
Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes
and valleys

People Slovakia

Population:
5,423,567 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.5% (male 485,523; female 463,173)
15-64 years: 70.8% (male 1,908,425; female 1,929,861)
65 years and over: 11.7% (male 239,081; female 397,504) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 35.1 years
male: 33.5 years
female: 36.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.14% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
10.57 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
9.48 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.62 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 8.88 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.19 years
male: 70.21 years
female: 78.37 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.31 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Slovak(s)
adjective: Slovak

Ethnic groups:
Slovak 85.7%, Hungarian 10.6%, Roma 1.6% (the 1992 census figures
underreport the Gypsy/Romany community, which is about 500,000),
Czech, Moravian, Silesian 1.1%, Ruthenian and Ukrainian 0.6%, German
0.1%, Polish 0.1%, other 0.2% (1996)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%, Orthodox 4.1%,
other 17.5%

Languages:
Slovak (official), Hungarian

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

Government Slovakia

Country name:
conventional long form: Slovak Republic
conventional short form: Slovakia
local short form: Slovensko
local long form: Slovenska Republika

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Bratislava

Administrative divisions:
8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky,
Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky

Independence:
1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and
Slovakia)

National holiday:
Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)

Constitution:
ratified 1 September 1992, fully effective 1 January 1993; changed
in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president; amended
February 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU membership

Legal system:
civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to comply with the
obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ivan GASPAROVIC (since 15 June 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30
October 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Ivan MIKLOS (since 30 October
1998); Deputy Prime Minister Pal CSAKY (since 30 October 1998);
Deputy Prime Minister Pavol RUSKO (since May 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the prime minister
elections: president elected by direct, popular vote for a five-year
term; election last held 3 April and 17 April 2004 (next to be held
April 2009); following National Council elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually
appointed prime minister by the president
note: government coalition - SDKU, SMK, KDH, ANO
election results: Ivan GASPAROVIC elected president in runoff;
percent of vote - Ivan GASPAROVIC 59.9%, Vladimir MECIAR 40.1%;
Mikulas DZURINDA reelected prime minister October 2002

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada
Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on the basis of
proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - HZDS-LS 19.5%, SDKU
15.1%, SMER 13.5%, SMK 11.2%, KDH 8.3%, ANO 8%, KSS 6.3%; seats by
party - governing coalition 69 (SDKU 22, SMK 20, KDH 15, ANO 12),
opposition 81 (HZDS 26, Smer 25, KSS 9, Free Forum 6, People's Union
5, and independents 10)
elections: last held 20-21 September 2002 (next to be held NA
September 2006)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council);
Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of
nominees approved by the National Council)

Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Direction
(Smer) [Robert FICO]; Free Forum [Zuzana MARTINAKOVA]; Movement for
Democracy or HZD [Jozef GRAPA]; Movement for a Democratic
Slovakia-People's Party or HZDS-LS [Vladimir MECIAR]; New Citizens
Alliance or ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or
SMK [Bela BUGAR]; People's Union or LU [Gustav KRAJCI]; Slovak
Communist Party or KSS [Jozef SEVC]; Slovak Democratic and Christian
Union or SDKU [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS
[Peter SULOVSKY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Association of Employers of Slovakia; Association of Towns and
Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ; Metal
Workers Unions or KOVO and METALURG

International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rastislav KACER chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438 telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Scott N.
THAYER
embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava
mailing address: P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava
telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338
FAX: [421] (2) 5443-0096

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red
superimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield centered on the hoist
side; the cross is white centered on a background of red and blue

Economy Slovakia

Economy - overview:
Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult transition from a
centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The DZURINDA
government made excellent progress during 2001-03 in macroeconomic
stabilization and structural reform. Major privatizations are nearly
complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands,
and foreign investment has picked up. Slovakia's economy exceeded
expectations in 2001-03, despite the general European slowdown.
Unemployment, at an unacceptable 15% in 2003, remains the economy's
Achilles heel. The government faces other strong challenges in 2004,
especially cutting the budget deficit, containing inflation, and
strengthening the health care system.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $72.29 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.9% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $13,300 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.9% industry: 47.9% services: 46.2% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
25.8% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 5.1% highest 10%: 18.2% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26.3 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
2.58 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 8.9%, industry 29.3%, construction 8%, transport and communication 8.2%, services 45.6% (1994)

Unemployment rate:
15.2% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $12.03 billion
expenditures: $13.69 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Public debt:
37.6% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry;
forest products

Industries:
metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity, gas,
coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers; machinery;
paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles;
textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products

Industrial production growth rate:
7.2% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
30.29 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
24.41 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
5.141 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
1.381 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
82,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
4.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
292 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
7.932 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
7.205 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
7.504 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-277.4 million (2003)

Exports:
$21.25 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 39.4%, intermediate manufactured
goods 27.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 13%, chemicals 8%
(1999)

Exports - partners:
Germany 37.2%, Czech Republic 12%, Austria 9.8%, Italy 5.4%, Poland
4.7%, US 4.7%, Hungary 4.2% (2003)

Imports:
$21.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 37.7%, intermediate manufactured
goods 18%, fuels 13%, chemicals 11%, miscellaneous manufactured
goods 9.5% (1999)

Imports - partners:
Germany 27.5%, Czech Republic 18.3%, Russia 10.8%, Austria 6.4%,
Italy 5.6%, Poland 4.1%, Hungary 4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$11.74 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$18.31 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA $113 million (2000),; $92 million EU structural adjustment
funds (2000 est.)

Currency:
Slovak koruna (SKK)

Currency code:
SKK

Exchange rates:
koruny per US dollar - 36.7729 (2003), 45.3267 (2002), 48.3548
(2001), 46.0352 (2000), 41.3628 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Slovakia

Telephones - main lines in use:
1,294,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
3,678,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: a modernization and privatization program is
increasing accessibility to telephone service, reducing the waiting
time for new subscribers, and generally improving service quality
domestic: predominantly an analog system that is now receiving
digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable,
especially in the larger cities; mobile cellular capability has been
added
international: country code - 421; three international exchanges
(one in Bratislava and two in Banska Bystrica) are available;
Slovakia is participating in several international
telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of
external services

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
3.12 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
6 national broadcasting, 7 regional, 67 local (2004)

Televisions:
2.62 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.sk

Internet hosts:
89,592 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)

Internet users:
1,375,800 (2003)

Transportation Slovakia

Railways:
total: 3,661 km
broad gauge: 100 km 1.520-m gauge
standard gauge: 3,512 km 1.435-m gauge (1,588 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 49 km (1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge) (2003)

Highways:
total: 42,717 km
paved: 37,036 km (including 296 km of expressways)
unpaved: 5,681 km (2000)

Waterways:
172 km (on Danube River) (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 6,769 km; oil 449 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bratislava, Komarno

Merchant marine:
total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 41,891 GRT/63,185 DWT
by type: bulk 4, cargo 4
foreign-owned: Bulgaria 3, Estonia 1, Greece 1, India 1, Liberia 1,
Panama 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
34 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2003 est.)

Military Slovakia

Military branches:
Ground Forces (including Home Guard [Domobrana]), Air and Air
Defense Forces (January 2003)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age (conscripts serve nine months of basic military service; term of service will be reduced to six months effective 2004) complete transition to an all-volunteer professional force is planned for 1 January 2007; 82% of Slovak armed forces will be volunteers by December 2004; volunteers include women, with minimum age of 17 years; 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscripts serve 9 months of basic military service; service obligation reduced to 6 months effective 2004 (October 2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,477,017 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,129,935 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 43,029 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$406 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.89% (2002)

Transnational Issues Slovakia

Disputes - international:
Hungary amended its status law extending special social and
cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians in Slovakia, many of whom had
protested the law; Slovakia and Hungary have renewed discussions on
ways to resolve differences over the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros
hydroelectric dam on the Danube, with possible resort again to the
ICJ for final resolution

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western
Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Slovenia

Introduction Slovenia

Background:
The Slovene lands were part of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria
until 1918 when the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming
a new multinational state, renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. After World
War II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which
though Communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule. Dissatisfied
with the exercise of power of the majority Serbs, the Slovenes
succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991 after a short
10-day war. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and
a stable democracy have assisted in Slovenia's transformation to a
modern state. Slovenia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring
of 2004.

Geography Slovenia

Location:
Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between
Austria and Croatia

Geographic coordinates:
46 07 N, 14 49 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 20,273 sq km
water: 122 sq km
land: 20,151 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
total: 1,334 km
border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Italy 232 km,
Hungary 102 km

Coastline:
46.6 km

Maritime claims:
NA

Climate:
Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild
to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the
east

Terrain:
a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain region
adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleys with
numerous rivers to the east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Triglav 2,864 m

Natural resources:
lignite coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, silver, hydropower,
forests

Land use: arable land: 8.6% permanent crops: 1.49% other: 89.91% (2001)

Irrigated land:
20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
flooding and earthquakes

Environment - current issues: Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste; pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals; forest damage near Koper from air pollution (originating at metallurgical and chemical plants) and resulting acid rain

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some
of Europe's major transit routes

People Slovenia

Population:
2,011,473 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.3% (male 147,506; female 139,435)
15-64 years: 70.6% (male 716,057; female 704,734)
65 years and over: 15.1% (male 115,391; female 188,350) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 39.8 years
male: 38.3 years
female: 41.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.01% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
8.9 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
10.15 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
1.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 5.11 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.93 years
male: 72.18 years
female: 79.92 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.23 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
280 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Slovene(s)
adjective: Slovenian

Ethnic groups:
Slovene 92%, Croat 1%, Serb 0.5%, Hungarian 0.4%, Bosniak 0.3%,
other 5.8% (1991)

Religions:
Roman Catholic (Uniate 2%) 70.8%, Lutheran 1%, Muslim 1%, atheist
4.3%, other 22.9%

Languages:
Slovenian 92%, Serbo-Croatian 6.2%, other 1.8%

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99.7% male: 99.7% female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

Government Slovenia

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia
conventional short form: Slovenia
local short form: Slovenija
former: People's Republic of Slovenia, Socialist Republic of Slovenia
local long form: Republika Slovenija

Government type:
parliamentary democratic republic

Capital:
Ljubljana

Administrative divisions:
182 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban
municipalities* (mestne obcine , singular - mestna obcina )
Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke,
Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica,
Cankova, Celje*, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno,
Cerkvenjak, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca,
Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec,
Dobrovnik-Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale,
Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gornja
Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina,
Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos-Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina,
Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola-Isola, Jesenice,
Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje,
Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Koper-Capodistria*, Kostel, Kozje, Kranj*,
Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart,
Lendava-Lendva, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Logatec, Loska
Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk,
Maribor*, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na
Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Moravce,
Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje,
Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica,
Pesnica, Piran-Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka,
Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Ptuj*, Puconci,
Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na
Koroskem, Razkrizje, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogasovci, Rogaska
Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Salovci, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic,
Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur pri Celju,
Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*,
Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob
Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sostanj, Starse,
Store, Sveta Ana, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij,
Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic,
Trzin, Turnisce, Velenje*, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej,
Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica,
Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica,
Zuzemberk, Zrece
note: there may be 45 more municipalities

Independence:
25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday:
Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Constitution:
adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991

Legal system:
based on civil law system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Janez DRNOVSEK (since 22 December 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Janez JANSA (since 9 November
2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
elected by the National Assembly
election results: Janez DRNOVSEK elected president; percent of vote
- Janez DRNOVSEK 56.5%, Barbara BREZIGAR 43.5%; Janez JANSA elected
prime minister; National Assembly vote - 57 to 27
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 10 November and 1 December 2002 (next to be held
in the fall of 2007); following National Assembly elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
is usually nominated to become prime minister by the president and
elected by the National Assembly; election last held 9 November 2004
(next National Assembly elections to be held October 2008)

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consisting of a National Assembly or Drzavni
Zbor (90 seats; 40 are directly elected and 50 are selected on a
proportional basis; note - the numbers of directly elected and
proportionally elected seats varies with each election; members are
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the National
Council or Drzavni Svet (this is primarily an advisory body
organized on corporatist principles with limited legislative powers;
it may propose laws, ask to review any National Assembly decisions,
and call national referenda; members are indirectly elected to
five-year terms by an electoral college)
election results: percent of vote by party - SDS 29.1%, LDS 22.8%,
ZLSD 10.2%, NSi 9%, SLS 6.8%, SNS 6.3%, DeSUS 4.1%, other 11.7%;
seats by party - SDS 29, LDS 23, ZLSD 10, NSi 9, SLS 7, SNS 6, DeSUS
4, Hungarian and Italian minorities 1 each
elections: National Assembly - last held 3 October 2004 (next to be
held October 2008)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly on the
recommendation of the Judicial Council); Constitutional Court
(judges elected for nine-year terms by the National Assembly and
nominated by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party of Retired (Persons) of Slovenia or DeSUS [Anton
ROUS]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Anton ROP]; New Slovenia or
NSi [Andrej BAJUK]; Slovene Democratic Party or SDS [Janez Jansa];
Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC]; Slovene People's
Party or SLS [Janez PODOBNIK]; Slovene Youth Party or SMS [Darko
KRANJC]; United List of Social Democrats or ZLSD [Borut PAHOR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member),
FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NSG,
OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel ZBOGAR chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 consulate(s) general: New York and Cleveland FAX: [1] (202) 667-4563 telephone: [1] (202) 667-5363

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas B. ROBERTSON embassy: Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana mailing address: American Embassy Ljubljana, Department of State, 7140 Ljubljana Place, Washington, DC 20521-7140 telephone: [386] (1) 200-5500 FAX: [386] (1) 200-5555

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red, with
the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav, Slovenia's
highest peak, in white against a blue background at the center;
beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and rivers, and
above it are three six-pointed stars arranged in an inverted
triangle, which are taken from the coat of arms of the Counts of
Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th and early
15th centuries); the seal is located in the upper hoist side of the
flag centered in the white and blue bands

Economy Slovenia

Economy - overview:
Slovenia, with its historical ties to Western Europe, enjoys a GDP
per capita substantially higher than that of the other transitioning
economies of Central Europe. In March 2004, Slovenia became the
first transition country to graduate from borrower status to donor
partner at the World Bank. Privatization of the economy proceeded at
an accelerated pace in 2002-03, and the budget deficit dropped from
3.0% of GDP in 2002 to 1.6% in 2003. Despite the economic slowdown
in Europe in 2001-03, Slovenia maintained 3% growth. Structural
reforms to improve the business environment allow for greater
foreign participation in Slovenia's economy and help to lower
unemployment. Further measures to curb inflation are also needed.
Corruption and the high degree of coordination between government,
business, and central bank policy are issues of concern in the
run-up to Slovenia's scheduled 1 May 2004 accession to the European
Union.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $36.82 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 39.7% services: 57.3% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
23.3% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 23% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
28.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
875,000 (2003)

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

Unemployment rate:
11.2% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $11.46 billion
expenditures: $11.85 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
31.9% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep,
poultry

Industries:
ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc smelting,
electronics (including military electronics), trucks, electric power
equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools

Industrial production growth rate:
1.4% (2003)

Electricity - production:
13.69 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
13.83 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
4.1 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
20 bbl/day NA bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
53,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
1.04 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
1.04 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$15.1 million (2003)

Exports:
$11.98 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals,
food

Exports - partners:
Germany 23.2%, Italy 13.2%, Croatia 9%, Austria 7.3%, France 5.7%,
Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.2% (2003)

Imports:
$12.63 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals,
fuels and lubricants, food

Imports - partners:
Germany 19.3%, Italy 18.3%, France 10%, Austria 8.6% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$8.598 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$11.33 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $62 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
tolar (SIT)

Currency code:
SIT

Exchange rates:
tolars per US dollar - 207.099 (2003), 240.248 (2002), 242.749
(2001), 222.656 (2000), 181.769 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Slovenia

Telephones - main lines in use:
812,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,739,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: 100% digital (2000)
international: country code - 386

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 17, FM 160, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
805,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
48 (2001)

Televisions:
710,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.si

Internet hosts:
45,491 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
11 (2000)

Internet users:
750,000 (2002)

Transportation Slovenia

Railways: total: 1,201 km standard gauge: 1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (499 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 20,177 km
paved: 20,157 km (including 427 km of expressways)
unpaved: 20 km (2000)

Pipelines:
gas 2,526 km; oil 11 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Izola, Koper, Piran

Airports:
14 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Military Slovenia

Military branches:
Slovenian Army (includes Air and Naval Forces)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2004 (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 525,983 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 417,875 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 13,315 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$370 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.7% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Slovenia

Disputes - international:
the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which
would have ceded most of Piran Bay and maritime access to Slovenia
and several villages to Croatia, remains controversial, has not been
ratified, and has been complicated by Croatia's declaration of an
ecological-fisheries zone in the Adriatic Sea

Illicit drugs:
minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin bound
for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Solomon Islands

Introduction Solomon Islands

Background:
The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the
1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on
these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence
two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and
endemic crime have undermined stability and civil society. In June
2003, Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA sought the assistance of
Australia in reestablishing law and order; the following month, an
Australian-led multinational force arrived to restore peace and
disarm ethnic militias. The Regional Assistance Mission to the
Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has been very effective in restoring law and
order and rebuilding government institutions.

Geography Solomon Islands

Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua
New Guinea

Geographic coordinates:
8 00 S, 159 00 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 28,450 sq km
water: 910 sq km
land: 27,540 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
5,313 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather

Terrain:
mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

Natural resources: fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel

Land use: arable land: 0.64% permanent crops: 2% other: 97.36% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with
frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs
are dead or dying

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean,
the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea

People Solomon Islands

Population:
523,617 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.4% (male 113,183; female 108,816)
15-64 years: 54.4% (male 144,157; female 140,769)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 8,058; female 8,634) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.4 years
male: 18.3 years
female: 18.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.76% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
31.6 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.04 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 22.09 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 25.15 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.38 years
male: 69.9 years
female: 74.98 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.19 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Solomon Islander(s)
adjective: Solomon Islander

Ethnic groups:
Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%,
Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%

Religions:
Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian)
12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%,
indigenous beliefs 4%

Languages:
Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English
is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population
note: 120 indigenous languages

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

Government Solomon Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Solomon Islands
former: British Solomon Islands

Government type:
parliamentary democracy tending toward anarchy

Capital:
Honiara

Administrative divisions:
9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul,
Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona,
Temotu, Western

Independence:
7 July 1978 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

Constitution:
7 July 1978

Legal system:
English common law, which is widely disregarded

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Nathaniel WAENA (since 7 July 2004)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five
years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime
minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the
governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament
cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor
general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members
of Parliament
head of government: Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA (since 17
December 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Snyder RINI (since 17 December
2001)

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from
single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year
terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 40%, SIACC 40%, PPP
20%; seats by party - PAP 16, SIACC 13, PPP 2, SILP 1, independents
18
elections: last held 5 December 2001 (next to be held not later than
December 2005)

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
Association of Independents [Snyder RINI]; People's Alliance Party
or PAP [Allan KEMAKEZA]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Mannaseh
Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Alliance for Change Coalition or
SIACC [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP
[Joses TUHANUKU]
note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid
coalitions

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Collin David BECK
telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017
FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed
July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Ambassador Robert W.
FITTS, is accredited to the Solomon Islands

Flag description:
divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower
hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five
white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower
triangle is green

Government - note:
June 2003 Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA sought the intervention
of Australia to aid in restoring order; parliament approved the
request for intervention in July 2003; troops from Australia, New
Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga arrived 24 July 2003

Economy Solomon Islands

Economy - overview:
The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and
forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most manufactured
goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich
in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and
gold. However, severe ethnic violence, the closing of key business
enterprises, and an empty government treasury have led to serious
economic disarray, indeed near collapse. Tanker deliveries of
crucial fuel supplies (including those for electrical generation)
have become sporadic due to the government's inability to pay and
attacks against ships. Telecommunications are threatened by the
nonpayment of bills and by the lack of technical and maintenance
staff many of whom have left the country. The disintegration of law
and order left the economy in tatters by mid-2003, and on 24 July
2003 more than 2000 Australian soldiers entered the Solomon Islands
to restore order and to facilitate the restoration of basic services.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-10% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 42%
industry: 11%
services: 47% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
26,840 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $38 million
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA (2001)

Agriculture - products:
cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables,
fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish

Industries:
fish (tuna), mining, timber

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
32 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
29.76 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1,250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$90 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa

Exports - partners:
China 25.2%, South Korea 17.6%, Japan 13.4%, Philippines 8.4%,
Singapore 5.9%, Thailand 5.9% (2003)

Imports:
$100 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:
Australia 29.7%, Singapore 21.9%, Fiji 4.7%, New Zealand 4.7% (2003)

Debt - external:
$162.5 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$28 million annually, mainly from Australia (2001 est.)

Currency:
Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)

Currency code:
SBD

Exchange rates:
Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - NA (2003), 6.7488 (2002),
5.278 (2001), 5.0889 (2000), 4.8381 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Solomon Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
6,600 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
57,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
0 (1997)

Televisions:
3,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.sb

Internet hosts:
398 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
2,200 (2002)

Transportation Solomon Islands

Highways: total: 1,360 km paved: 34 km unpaved: 1,326 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
33 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Military Solomon Islands

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance
and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Solomon Islands

Disputes - international:
Australian defense personnel are dispatched at the invitation of
the Solomon Islands' Government to restore law and order on the
islands and reinforce regional security

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Somalia

Introduction Somalia

Background:
The SIAD BARRE regime was ousted in January 1991; turmoil,
factional fighting, and anarchy have followed in the years since. In
May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of
Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal,
Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized
by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence,
aided by the overwhelming dominance of a ruling clan and economic
infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American
military assistance programs. The regions of Bari and Nugaal and
northern Mudug comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state
of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998, but does not
aim at independence; it has also made strides towards reconstructing
a legitimate, representative government, but has suffered some civil
strife. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it also
claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a
two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to
alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995,
having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been
restored. The mandate of the Transitional National Government (TNG),
created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti, expired in August 2003.
New Somali President Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed has formed a new
Transitional Federal Government (TFG) consisting of a 275-member
parliament. It was established in October 2004 to replace the TNG
but has not yet moved to Mogadishu. Discussions regarding the
establishment of a new government in Mogadishu are ongoing in Kenya.
Numerous warlords and factions are still fighting for control of the
capital city as well as for other southern regions. Suspicion of
Somali links with global terrorism further complicates the picture.

Geography Somalia

Location:
Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean,
east of Ethiopia

Geographic coordinates:
10 00 N, 49 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 637,657 sq km
water: 10,320 sq km
land: 627,337 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries: total: 2,340 km border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km

Coastline:
3,025 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:
principally desert; December to February - northeast monsoon,
moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May to October
- southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the south,
irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between
monsoons

Terrain:
mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m

Natural resources:
uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum,
bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves

Land use: arable land: 1.67% other: 98.29% (2001) permanent crops: 0.04%

Irrigated land:
2,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in
summer; floods during rainy season

Environment - current issues:
famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health
problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

Geography - note:
strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to
Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal

People Somalia

Population:
8,304,601
note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in
1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is
complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements
in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.7% (male 1,860,451; female 1,849,484)
15-64 years: 52.7% (male 2,197,572; female 2,176,762)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 94,905; female 125,427) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.6 years
male: 17.5 years
female: 17.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
3.41% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
46.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
17.3 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
5.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 118.52 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 108.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 127.95 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 47.71 years
male: 46.02 years
female: 49.46 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
6.91 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
43,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, dengue fever, malaria, rabies, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Somali(s)
adjective: Somali

Ethnic groups:
Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs 30,000)

Religions:
Sunni Muslim

Languages:
Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37.8%
male: 49.7%
female: 25.8% (2001 est.)

Government Somalia

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Somalia former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic

Government type:
no permanent national government; transitional, parliamentary
national government

Capital:
Mogadishu

Administrative divisions:
18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool,
Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe,
Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha
Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed

Independence:
1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became
independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland,
which became independent from the Italian-administered UN
trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)

National holiday:
Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26 June
(1960) in Somaliland

Constitution:
25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
note: the Transitional National Government formed in August 2000 had
a three-year mandate to create a new constitution and hold
elections, this goal was not achieved but the process is ongoing

Legal system:
no national system; Shari'a and secular courts are in some
localities

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed (since 14 October 2004); note
- a new Transitional Federal Government consisting of a 275-member
parliament was established in October 2004 replacing the
Transitional National Government created in 2000
election results: Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed, the leader of the Puntland
region of Somalia, was elected president by the Transitional Federal
Government
head of government: Prime Minister Ali Muhammad GHEDI (since 3
November 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly
note: fledgling parliament; a 275-member Transitional Federal
Government replaced the Transitional National Government created in
2000; the new parliament consists of 61 seats assigned to each of
four large clan groups (Darod, Digil-Mirifle, Dir, and Hawiye) with
the remaining 31 seats divided between minority clans

Judicial branch:
following the breakdown of national government, most regions have
reverted to either Islamic (Shari'a) law with a provision for appeal
of all sentences, or traditional clan-based arbitration

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for power

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8
May 1991); note - the TNG and other factions have representatives in
Washington and at the United Nations

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya at Mombasa Road; mailing address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (2) 537800; FAX [254] (2) 537810

Flag description:
light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; blue
field influenced by the flag of the UN

Government - note:
although an interim government was created in 2000 other governing
bodies continue to exist and control various cities and regions of
the country, including Somaliland, Puntland, and traditional clan
and faction strongholds

Economy Somalia

Economy - overview:
Somalia's economic fortunes are being driven by its deep political
divisions. The northern area has declared its independence as
"Somaliland"; the central area, Puntland, is a self-declared
autonomous state; and the remaining southern portion is riddled with
the struggles of rival factions. Economic life continues, in part
because much activity is local and relatively easily protected.
Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock normally
accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings,
but Saudi Arabia's recent ban on Somali livestock, because of Rift
Valley Fever concerns, has severely hampered the sector. Nomads and
semi-nomads, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood,
make up a large portion of the population. Livestock, hides, fish,
charcoal, and bananas are Somalia's principal exports, while sugar,
sorghum, corn, qat, and machined goods are the principal imports.
Somalia's small industrial sector, based on the processing of
agricultural products, has largely been looted and sold as scrap
metal. Despite the seeming anarchy, Somalia's service sector has
managed to survive and grow. Telecommunication firms provide
wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest
international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a
formal banking sector, money exchange services have sprouted
throughout the country, handling between $200 million and $500
million in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main market offers a
variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. Hotels
continue to operate, and militias provide security. The ongoing
civil disturbances and clan rivalries, however, have interfered with
any broad-based economic development and international aid
arrangements. In 2002 Somalia's overdue financial obligations to the
IMF continued to grow. Statistics on Somalia's GDP, growth, per
capita income, and inflation should be viewed skeptically.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $4.361 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 65%
industry: 10%
services: 25% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
note - businesses print their own money, so inflation rates cannot
be sensibly determined (2003 est.)

Labor force:
3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism) 71%, industry and services
29%

Unemployment rate:
NA

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

Agriculture - products:
cattle, sheep, goats; bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts, rice,
sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans; fish

Industries:
a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles,
petroleum refining (mostly shut down), wireless communication

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
245.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
227.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Exports:
$79 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal

Exports - partners:
UAE 37.2%, Yemen 22.3%, Oman 10.1%, China 6%, Kuwait 4.4%, Nigeria
4% (2003)

Imports:
$344 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction
materials, qat

Imports - partners:
Djibouti 33.9%, Kenya 15.5%, Brazil 6.6%, UAE 5.1%, Thailand 4.2%
(2003)

Debt - external:
$2.6 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$60 million (1999 est.)

Currency:
Somali shilling (SOS)

Currency code:
SOS

Exchange rates:
Somali shillings per US dollar - 11,000 (November 2000), 2,620
(January 1999), 7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January 1996
est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995)
note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared independent
country not recognized by any foreign government, issues its own
currency, the Somaliland shilling

Fiscal year:
NA

Communications Somalia

Telephones - main lines in use:
100,000 est (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
35,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: the public telecommunications system was almost
completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions;
private wireless companies offer service in most major cities and
charge the lowest international rates on the continent
domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in
Mogadishu and in several other population centers
international: country code - 252; international connections are
available from Mogadishu by satellite

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 11, shortwave 1 in Mogadishu; 1 FM in Puntland, 1 FM in
Somaliland (2001)

Radios:
470,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
4
note: two in Mogadishu; two in Hargeisa (2001)

Televisions:
135,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.so

Internet hosts:
4 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (one each in Boosaaso, Hargeisa, and Mogadishu) (2000)

Internet users:
89,000 (2002)

Transportation Somalia

Highways: total: 22,100 km paved: 2,608 km unpaved: 19,492 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Boosaaso, Berbera, Chisimayu (Kismaayo), Merca, Mogadishu

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
60 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2438 to 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 54 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Somalia

Military branches:
A Somali National Army was attempted under the interim government;
numerous factions and clans maintain independent militias, and the
Somaliland and Puntland regional governments maintain their own
security and police forces

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,010,152 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,109,405 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$18.9 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Somalia

Disputes - international:
"Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities to land-locked
Ethiopia and establish commercial ties with regional states;
"Puntland" secessionists clash with "Somaliland" secessionists to
establish territorial limits and clan loyalties, each seeking
support from neighboring states; Ethiopia maintains only an
administrative line with the Oromo region of southern Somalia and
maintains alliances with local Somali clans opposed to the
unrecognized Transitional National Government in Mogadishu

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 375,000 (civil war since 1988, clan-based competition for
resources) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@South Africa

Introduction South Africa

Background:
After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many
of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own
republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred
wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native
inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments, but were
defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of South
Africa operated under a policy of apartheid - the separate
development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheid
politically and ushered in black majority rule.

Geography South Africa

Location:
Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa

Geographic coordinates:
29 00 S, 24 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1,219,912 sq km
land: 1,219,912 sq km
note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince
Edward Island)
water: 0 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
total: 4,862 km
border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491
km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km

Coastline:
2,798 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool
nights

Terrain:
vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal
plain

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m

Natural resources:
gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel,
phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium,
salt, natural gas

Land use:
arable land: 12.08%
permanent crops: 0.79%
other: 87.13% (2001)

Irrigated land:
13,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
prolonged droughts

Environment - current issues:
lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water
conservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacing
supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban
discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion;
desertification

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine
Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,
Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely
surrounds Swaziland

People South Africa

Population:
42,718,530
note: South Africa took a census October 1996 that showed a
population of 40,583,611 (after an official adjustment for a 6.8%
underenumeration based on a postenumeration survey); estimates for
this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess
mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy,
higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth
rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex
than would otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.5% (male 6,337,468; female 6,254,925)
15-64 years: 65.3% (male 13,898,269; female 14,017,559)
65 years and over: 5.2% (male 886,801; female 1,323,508) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 24.7 years
male: 24.2 years
female: 25.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.25% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
18.38 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
20.54 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 62.18 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 58.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 65.87 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 44.19 years
male: 44.39 years
female: 43.98 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.18 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
21.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5.3 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
370,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: South African(s) adjective: South African

Ethnic groups:
black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%

Religions:
Christian 68% (includes most whites and Coloreds, about 60% of
blacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60% of
Indians), indigenous beliefs and animist 28.5%

Languages:
11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi,
Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.4%
male: 87%
female: 85.7% (2003 est.)

Government South Africa

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of South Africa
conventional short form: South Africa
former: Union of South Africa
abbreviation: RSA

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center and
Bloemfontein the judicial center

Administrative divisions:
9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal,
Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Western Cape

Independence:
31 May 1910 (from UK); note - South Africa became a republic in
1961 following an October 1960 referendum

National holiday:
Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)

Constitution:
10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by the
Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then
President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3
February 1997; it is being implemented in phases

Legal system:
based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999);
Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 2 June 1999 (next to be held 24
April 2004)
head of government: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999);
Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
election results: Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of National
Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation)
note: ANC-IFP is the governing coalition

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400
seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of
proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and the
National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by each
of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special
powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of
cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note -
following the implementation of the new constitution on 3 February
1997 the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National
Council of Provinces with essentially no change in membership and
party affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilities
have been changed somewhat by the new constitution
elections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces -
last held 14 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC
69.7%, DA 12.4%, IFP 7%, UDM 2.3%, NNP 1.7%, ACDP 1.6%, other 5.3%;
seats by party - ANC 279, DA 50, IFP 28, UDM 9, NNP 7, ACDP 6, other
21; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - NA

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts;
Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders:
African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE,
president]; African National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI,
president]; Democratic Alliance or DA (formed from the merger of the
Democratic Party or DP and the Freedom Alliance or FA) [Anthony
LEON]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI,
president]; New National Party or NNP [Marthinus VAN SCHALKWYK];
Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA, president]; United
Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI,
general secretary]; South African Communist Party or SACP [Blade
NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National Civics
Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]; note
- COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS, C, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, NSG, ONUB, OPCW,
PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE,
UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Joyce Mosima MASEKELA
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607
telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400
chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Cameron H. HUME
embassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria
mailing address: P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001
telephone: [27] (12) 342-1048
FAX: [27] (12) 342-2244
consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg

Flag description:
two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by
a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of
which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces a black
isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow
yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green
band and its arms by narrow white stripes

Economy South Africa

Economy - overview:
South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with an abundant
supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal,
communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock exchange that
ranks among the 10 largest in the world; and a modern infrastructure
supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers
throughout the region. However, growth has not been strong enough to
lower South Africa's high unemployment rate; and daunting economic
problems remain from the apartheid era, especially poverty and lack
of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups. High crime
and HIV/AIDS infection rates also deter investment. South African
economic policy is fiscally conservative, but pragmatic, focusing on
targeting inflation and liberalizing trade as means to increase job
growth and household income.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $456.7 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.9% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $10,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.8% industry: 31% services: 65.2% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
16% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
50% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 45.9% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
59.3 (1993-94)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.9% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
16.35 million economically active (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
31% (includes workers no longer looking for employment) (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $37.48 billion
expenditures: $41.46 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
billion (2003)

Public debt:
38.2% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton,
wool, dairy products

Industries:
mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium),
automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and
steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs

Industrial production growth rate:
5% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
195.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
181.2 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
6.91 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
6.2 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
196,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
460,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
7.84 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
1.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
1.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
14.16 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-1.234 billion (2003)

Exports:
$36.77 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and
equipment (1998 est.)

Exports - partners:
UK 12.6%, US 12.4%, Japan 9.2%, Germany 8.1%, China 4.7%, Italy
4.4% (2003)

Imports:
$33.89 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific
instruments, foodstuffs (2000 est.)

Imports - partners:
Germany 16.6%, UK 8.5%, US 8.2%, Japan 5.9%, China 5.9%, Saudi
Arabia 5.2%, France 5% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$7.972 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$25.9 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$487.5 million (2000)

Currency:
rand (ZAR)

Currency code:
ZAR

Exchange rates:
rand per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001),
6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications South Africa

Telephones - main lines in use:
4.844 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
16.86 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: the system is the best developed and most
modern in Africa
domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial
cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable,
radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key
centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port
Elizabeth, and Pretoria
international: country code - 27; 2 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
17 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
6 million (2000)

Internet country code:
.za

Internet hosts:
288,633 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
150 (2001)

Internet users:
3.1 million (2002)

Transportation South Africa

Railways:
total: 22,298 km
narrow gauge: 21,984 km 1.065-m gauge (10,436 km electrified); 314
km 0.610-m gauge
note: includes a 2,228 km commuter rail system (2003)

Highways:
total: 362,099 km
paved: 73,506 km (including 2,032 km of expressways)
unpaved: 288,593 km (2000)

Pipelines:
condensate 100 km; gas 1,052 km; oil 847 km; refined products 1,354
km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth,
Richards Bay, Saldanha

Merchant marine:
total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 31,505 GRT/37,091 DWT
by type: container 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 2
registered in other countries: 7 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Denmark 1, Netherlands 1

Airports:
728 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 144 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 51 914 to 1,523 m: 67 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 584 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 300 under 914 m: 250 (2004 est.)

Military South Africa

Military branches:
South African National Defense Force: Army, Navy, Air Force, and
Medical Services

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (October 2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 11,924,500 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 7,247,696 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 471,221 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$2,653.4 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.7% (2003)

Military - note:
with the end of apartheid and the establishment of majority rule,
former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces
were integrated into the South African National Defense Force
(SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was considered complete

Transnational Issues South Africa

Disputes - international: managed dispute with Namibia over the location of the boundary in the Orange River

Illicit drugs:
transshipment center for heroin, hashish, marijuana, and cocaine;
cocaine consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit
methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various
east African countries; illicit cultivation of marijuana; attractive
venue for money launderers given the increasing level of organized
criminal and narcotics activity in the region

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Southern Ocean

Introduction Southern Ocean

Background:
A decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the
spring of 2000 delimited a fifth world ocean - the Southern Ocean -
from the southern portions of the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and
Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends from the coast of
Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude, which coincides with
the Antarctic Treaty Limit. The Southern Ocean is now the fourth
largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean,
Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean, but larger than the Arctic Ocean).

Geography Southern Ocean

Location:
body of water between 60 degrees south latitude and Antarctica

Geographic coordinates:
65 00 S, 0 00 E (nominally), but the Southern Ocean has the unique
distinction of being a large circumpolar body of water totally
encircling the continent of Antarctica; this ring of water lies
between 60 degrees south latitude and the coast of Antarctica and
encompasses 360 degrees of longitude

Map references:
Antarctic Region

Area:
total: 20.327 million sq km
note: includes Amundsen Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, part of the Drake
Passage, Ross Sea, a small part of the Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and
other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of the US

Coastline:
17,968 km

Climate:
sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius to -2 degrees
Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the continent and
frequently are intense because of the temperature contrast between
ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about latitude 40 south to
the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average winds found anywhere
on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward to 65 degrees south
latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees south latitude in the
Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures well below 0 degrees
Celsius; at some coastal points intense persistent drainage winds
from the interior keep the shoreline ice-free throughout the winter

Terrain:
the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 meters over most of its
extent with only limited areas of shallow water; the Antarctic
continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually deep, its edge
lying at depths of 400 to 800 meters (the global mean is 133
meters); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum of 2.6
million square kilometers in March to about 18.8 million square
kilometers in September, better than a sixfold increase in area; the
Antarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) moves
perpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean current,
transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100
times the flow of all the world's rivers

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the South Sandwich
Trench
highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:
probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields on the
continental margin, manganese nodules, possible placer deposits,
sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; squid, whales, and seals -
none exploited; krill, fishes

Natural hazards:
huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smaller
bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 meter
thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large
annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by
glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and
large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October;
most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue

Environment - current issues:
increased solar ultraviolet radiation resulting from the Antarctic
ozone hole in recent years, reducing marine primary productivity
(phytoplankton) by as much as 15% and damaging the DNA of some fish;
illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in recent years,
especially the landing of an estimated five to six times more
Patagonian toothfish than the regulated fishery, which is likely to
affect the sustainability of the stock; large amount of incidental
mortality of seabirds resulting from long-line fishing for toothfish
note: the now-protected fur seal population is making a strong
comeback after severe overexploitation in the 18th and 19th centuries

Environment - international agreements:
the Southern Ocean is subject to all international agreements
regarding the world's oceans; in addition, it is subject to these
agreements specific to the Antarctic region: International Whaling
Commission (prohibits commercial whaling south of 40 degrees south
[south of 60 degrees south between 50 degrees and 130 degrees
west]); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (limits
sealing); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living
Resources (regulates fishing)
note: many nations (including the US) prohibit mineral resource
exploration and exploitation south of the fluctuating Polar Front
(Antarctic Convergence) which is in the middle of the Antarctic
Circumpolar Current and serves as the dividing line between the very
cold polar surface waters to the south and the warmer waters to the
north

Geography - note:
the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between South America and
Antarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence) is the best
natural definition of the northern extent of the Southern Ocean; it
is a distinct region at the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar
Current that separates the very cold polar surface waters to the
south from the warmer waters to the north; the Front and the Current
extend entirely around Antarctica, reaching south of 60 degrees
south near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south in the far South
Atlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum westerly winds

Economy Southern Ocean

Economy - overview:
Fisheries in 2000-01 (1 July to 30 June) landed 112,934 metric
tons, of which 87% was krill and 11% Patagonian toothfish.
International agreements were adopted in late 1999 to reduce
illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, which in the 2000-01
season landed, by one estimate, 8,376 metric tons of Patagonian and
antarctic toothfish. In the 2000-01 antarctic summer 12,248
tourists, most of them seaborne, visited the Southern Ocean and
Antarctica, compared to 14,762 the previous year.

Transportation Southern Ocean

Ports and harbors:
McMurdo, Palmer, and offshore anchorages in Antarctica
note: few ports or harbors exist on the southern side of the
Southern Ocean; ice conditions limit use of most of them to short
periods in midsummer; even then some cannot be entered without
icebreaker escort; most antarctic ports are operated by government
research stations and, except in an emergency, are not open to
commercial or private vessels; vessels in any port south of 60
degrees south are subject to inspection by Antarctic Treaty
observers (see Article 7)

Transportation - note:
Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through the Panama Canal

Transnational Issues Southern Ocean

Disputes - international:
Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctica entry), but
Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK assert
claims (some overlapping), including the continental shelf in the
Southern Ocean; several states have expressed an interest in
extending those continental shelf claims under the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to include undersea
ridges; the US and most other states do not recognize the land or
maritime claims of other states and have made no claims themselves
(the US and Russia have reserved the right to do so); no formal
claims have been made in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150
degrees west

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Introduction South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Background:
The islands lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands
and have been under British administration since 1908, except for a
brief period in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on
South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station.
Famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to
his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some
20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a
successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the
Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and
is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from
the British Antarctic Survey. The islands have large bird and seal
populations, and, recognizing the importance of preserving the
marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the
exclusive fishing zone from 12 nm to 200 nm around each island.

Geography South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Location:
Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east
of the tip of South America

Geographic coordinates:
54 30 S, 37 00 W

Map references:
Antarctic Region

Area:
total: 3,903 sq km
note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia
Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist
of some nine islands
water: 0 sq km
land: 3,903 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
NA km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year
interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as
snow

Terrain:
most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and
mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep,
glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of
volcanic origin with some active volcanoes

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m

Natural resources:
fish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some
sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that
generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also
subject to active volcanism

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which
provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 20th
century, live on South Georgia

People South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March
2001, to be replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the
British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on
Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited (July 2004
est.)

Government South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
conventional short form: none

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina;
administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is
concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing Queen
ELIZABETH II; Grytviken, formerly a whaling station on South
Georgia, is a scientific base

National holiday:
Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)

Constitution:
adopted 3 October 1985

Legal system:
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate
from the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Flag description:
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands coat of arms
centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a
shield with a golden lion centered; the shield is supported by a fur
seal on the left and a penguin on the right; a reindeer appears
above the shield, and below it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM
PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land)

Economy South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Economy - overview:
Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. Fees from fishing
licenses and related activities traditionally account for around 90%
of South Georgia's revenue (about $5.6 million in 2004). There is a
potential source of income from harvesting finfish and krill. The
islands receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale
of fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist
vessels. Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing
rapidly. Annual tourist volume hovers around 3,000 arrivals.

Communications South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken

Radio broadcast stations:
0 (2003)

Television broadcast stations:
0 (2003)

Internet country code:
.gs

Transportation South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Ports and harbors:
Grytviken

Airports:
none (2003 est.)

Military South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Disputes - international:
briefly occupied by military force in 1982 - claimed by Argentina
in constitution but declares it will no longer seek settlement by
force

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Spain

Introduction Spain

Background:
Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries
ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent
failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused
the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic
and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II,
but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). In the
second half of the 20th century, Spain has played a catch-up role in
the western international community; it joined the EU in 1986.
Continuing challenges include Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA)
terrorism and further reductions in unemployment.

Geography Spain

Location:
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean
Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of
France

Geographic coordinates:
40 00 N, 4 00 W

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 504,782 sq km
water: 5,240 sq km
note: there are 19 autonomous communities including Balearic Islands
and Canary Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the
coast of Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon
de Velez de la Gomera
land: 499,542 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

Land boundaries:
total: 1,917.8 km
border countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km,
Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km

Coastline:
4,964 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)

Climate:
temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy
along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and
cool along coast

Terrain:
large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills;
Pyrenees in north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m

Natural resources:
coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, tungsten,
mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite, kaolin,
potash, hydropower, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 26.07%
permanent crops: 9.87%
other: 64.06% (2001)

Irrigated land:
36,400 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents
from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and
quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

People Spain

Population:
40,280,780 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.4% (male 2,989,053; female 2,811,350)
15-64 years: 68% (male 13,748,998; female 13,652,852)
65 years and over: 17.6% (male 2,958,387; female 4,120,140) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 39.1 years male: 37.8 years female: 40.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.16% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
10.11 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
9.55 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.48 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 4.88 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.37 years
male: 76.03 years
female: 82.94 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.27 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
130,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Spaniard(s) adjective: Spanish

Ethnic groups:
composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Religions:
Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Languages:
Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%
note: Castilian is the official language nationwide; the other
languages are official regionally

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.9%
male: 98.7%
female: 97.2% (2003 est.)

Government Spain

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain
conventional short form: Spain
local short form: Espana

Government type:
parliamentary monarchy

Capital:
Madrid

Administrative divisions:
17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular -
comunidad autonoma)and 2 autonomous cities* (ciudades autonomas,
singular - ciudad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares
(Balearic Islands), Ceuta*, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria,
Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Comunidad Valenciana,
Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla*, Murcia, Navarra,
Pais Vasco (Basque Country)
note: three small Spanish possessions of Islas Chafarinas, Penon de
Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, administered directly by
the Spanish central government, are all located off the coast of
Morocco and are collectively referred to as Places of Sovereignty
(Plazas de Soberania)

Independence:
the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent
kingdoms prior to the Moslem occupation that began in the early 8th
century A. D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian
redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately,
culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completed
the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally considered
the forging of present-day Spain

National holiday:
National Day, 12 October

Constitution:
6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978

Legal system:
civil law system, with regional applications; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975); Heir
Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968
head of government: President of the Government Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ
ZAPATERO (since 17 April 2004); First Vice President (and Minister
of the Presidency) Maria Teresa FERNANDEZ DE LA VEGA(since 18 April
2004) and Second Vice President (and Minister of Economy and
Finance) Pedro SOLBES (since 18 April 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president
note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme
consultative organ of the government, but its recommendations are
non-binding
election results: Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO (PSOE) elected
president; percent of National Assembly vote - 52.29%
elections: the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition is usually proposed president by the monarch and
elected by the National Assembly; election last held 14 March 2004
(next to be held NA March 2008); vice presidents appointed by the
monarch on the proposal of the president

Legislative branch:
bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes
Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 members
directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the
regional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of
Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members are
elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional
representation to serve four-year terms)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PP 49%, PSOE
38.9%, Entesa Catalona de Progress 5.7%, CiU 1.99%, PNV 2.8%, CC
1.4%; seats by party - PP 102, PSOE 81, Entesa Catalona de Progress
12, CiU 4, PNV 6, CC 3; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by
party - PSOE 43.3%, PP 37.8%, CiU 3.2%, ERC 2.5%, PNV 1.6%, IU 3.2%,
CC 0.9%; seats by party - PSOE 164, PP 148, CiU 10, ERC 8, PNV 7, IU
2, CC 3, other 8
elections: Senate - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March
2008); Congress of Deputies - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be
held March 2008)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo

Political parties and leaders:
Basque Nationalist Party or PNV [Josu Jon IMAZ]; Canarian Coalition
or CC (a coalition of five parties) [Paulino RIVERO Baute];
Convergence and Union or CiU [Artur MAS i Gavarro] (a coalition of
the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or CDC [Artur MAS i Gavarro]
and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC [Josep Antoni DURAN y
LLEIDA]); Entesa Catalonia de Progress (a Senate coalition grouping
four Catalan parties - PSC, ERC, ICV, EUA) [leader NA]; Galician
Nationalist Bloc or BNG [Anxo Manuel QUINTANA]; Party of
Independents from Lanzarote or PIL [Dimas MARTIN Martin]; Popular
Party or PP [Mariano RAJOY]; Republican Left of Catalonia or ERC
[Josep-Lluis CAROD-ROVIRA]; Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE
[Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO]; United Left or IU (a coalition of
parties including the PCE and other small parties) [Gaspar
LLAMAZARES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; free labor
unions (authorized in April 1977); Socialist General Union of
Workers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union or
USO; university students; Workers Confederation or CC.OO; Nunca Mas
(Galician for "Never Again"; formed in response to the oil tanker
Prestige oil spill)

International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU,
ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NATO,
NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos WESTENDORP
chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670
telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires J. Robert
MANZANARES
embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid
mailing address: PSC 61, APO AE 09642
telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200
FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303
consulate(s) general: Barcelona

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red
with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band;
the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the Pillars of
Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on
either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar

Economy Spain

Economy - overview:
Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per
capita basis is 80% that of the four leading West European
economies. The center-right government of former President AZNAR
successfully worked to gain admission to the first group of
countries launching the European single currency (the euro) on 1
January 1999. The AZNAR administration continued to advocate
liberalization, privatization, and deregulation of the economy and
introduced some tax reforms to that end. Unemployment fell steadily
under the AZNAR administration but remains high at 11.7%. Growth of
2.4% in 2003 was satisfactory given the background of a faltering
European economy. Incoming President RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO, whose party
won the election three days after the Madrid train bombings in
March, plans to reduce government intervention in business, combat
tax fraud, and support innovation, research and development, but
also intends to reintroduce labor market regulations that had been
scrapped by the AZNAR government. Adjusting to the monetary and
other economic policies of an integrated Europe - and reducing
unemployment - will pose challenges to Spain over the next few years.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $885.5 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.4% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $22,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.6% industry: 28.6% services: 67.8% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
25.6% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.2% (1990)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32.5 (1990)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
18.82 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 7%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 29%, services 64% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
11.3% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $330.7 billion
expenditures: $335.3 billion, including capital expenditures of
$12.8 billion (2003 est.)

Public debt:
62.7% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus; beef,
pork, poultry, dairy products; fish

Industries:
textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages,
metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles,
machine tools, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
1.6% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
222.5 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
210.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
4.138 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
7.588 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
7,099 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1.497 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
135,100 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
1.582 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
10.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
516 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
17.96 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
17.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
254.9 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-23.77 billion (2003)

Exports:
$159.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, other consumer goods

Exports - partners:
France 19.2%, Germany 11.9%, Italy 9.7%, UK 9.4%, Portugal 9.3%, US
4.2% (2003)

Imports:
$197.1 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods;
foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
France 16.8%, Germany 16.6%, Italy 8.8%, UK 6.5%, Netherlands 4.9%
(2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$26.81 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$718.4 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $1.33 billion (1999)

Currency:
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions
of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions with the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Spain

Telephones - main lines in use:
17,567,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
37,506,700 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: generally adequate, modern facilities;
teledensity is 44 main lines for each 100 persons
domestic: NA
international: country code - 34; 22 coaxial submarine cables;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian
Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
13.1 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 224 (plus 2,105 repeaters) note: these figures include 11 television broadcast stations and 88 repeaters in the Canary Islands (1995)

Televisions:
16.2 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.es

Internet hosts:
1,056,950 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
56 (2000)

Internet users:
9.789 million (2003)

Transportation Spain

Railways:
total: 14,268 km (7,718 km electrified)
broad gauge: 11,804 km 1.668-m gauge (6,409 km electrified)
standard gauge: 526 km 1.435-m gauge (526 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,910 km 1.000-m gauge (755 km electrified); 28 km
0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 663,795 km
paved: 657,157 km (including 10,317 km of expressways)
unpaved: 6,638 km (1999)

Waterways:
1,045 km (2003)

Pipelines:
gas 7,306 km; oil 730 km; refined products 3,512 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Aviles, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cadiz, Cartagena, Castellon de la Plana,
Ceuta, Huelva, A Coruna, Las Palmas (Canary Islands), Malaga,
Melilla, Pasajes, Gijon, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands),
Santander, Tarragona, Valencia, Vigo

Merchant marine:
total: 149 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,740,974 GRT/2,157,551 DWT
by type: bulk 9, cargo 29, chemical tanker 13, container 17,
liquefied gas 6, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker
21, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 32, short-sea/passenger
7, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 7
registered in other countries: 115 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Chile 1, Cuba 1, Denmark 1, Germany 9, Italy 2,
Netherlands 1, Norway 6, Sweden 1, Uruguay 1

Airports:
156 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 95 over 3,047 m: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 28 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 61 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 44 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 8 (2003 est.)

Military Spain

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force (Ejercito del Aire, EdA), Marines

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
20 years of age (2004 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 10,482,753 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 8,336,273 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 245,007 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$9,906.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Spain

Disputes - international:
since Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum in
2003 against a "total shared sovereignty" arrangement, talks between
the UK and Spain over the fate of the 300-year old UK colony have
stalled; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater
autonomy; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves
of Ceuta, Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera,
Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters;
Morocco serves as the primary launching area of illegal migration
into Spain from North Africa; Morocco rejected Spain's unilateral
designation of a median line from the Canary Islands in 2002 to set
limits to undersea resource exploration and refugee interdiction,
but agreed in 2003 to discuss a comprehensive maritime delimitation;
some Portuguese groups assert dormant claims to territories ceded to
Spain around the town of Olivenza

Illicit drugs:
key European gateway country and consumer for Latin American
cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market;
destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian
heroin; money laundering site for European earnings of Colombian
narcotics trafficking organizations

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Spratly Islands

Introduction Spratly Islands

Background:
The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or
reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially
by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by
China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia
and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively
small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing
zone that overlaps a southern reef, but has not made any formal
claim.

Geography Spratly Islands

Location:
Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China
Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the
southern Philippines

Geographic coordinates:
8 38 N, 111 55 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: less than 5 sq km
note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts
scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South
China Sea
water: 0 sq km
land: less than 5 sq km

Area - comparative:
NA

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
926 km

Maritime claims:
NA

Climate:
tropical

Terrain:
flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m

Natural resources: fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and
shoals

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the
central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls,
shoals, and coral reefs

People Spratly Islands

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several
claimant states (July 2004 est.)

Government Spratly Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands

Economy Spratly Islands

Economy - overview:
Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity
to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the
potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely
unexplored; there are no reliable estimates of potential reserves;
commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.

Transportation Spratly Islands

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
3 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
less than 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Spratly Islands

Military - note:
Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs, of
which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam

Transnational Issues Spratly Islands

Disputes - international:
all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and
Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines;
in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that
encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not
publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the
"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,"
which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code
of conduct"

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Sri Lanka

Introduction Sri Lanka

Background:
The Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C.,
probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced beginning in
about the mid-third century B.C., and a great civilization developed
at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from circa 200 B.C. to circa
A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). In the 14th
century, a south Indian dynasty seized power in the north and
established a Tamil kingdom. Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th
century and by the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded
to the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and was
united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independent
in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972. Tensions between
the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted into war in
1983. Tens of thousands have died in an ethnic conflict that
continues to fester. After two decades of fighting, the government
and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam formalized a cease-fire in
February 2002, with Norway brokering peace negotiations.

Geography Sri Lanka

Location:
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Geographic coordinates:
7 00 N, 81 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 65,610 sq km
water: 870 sq km
land: 64,740 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
1,340 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest
monsoon (June to October)

Terrain:
mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central
interior

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Natural resources:
limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay,
hydropower

Land use: arable land: 13.86% permanent crops: 15.7% other: 70.44% (2001)

Irrigated land:
6,510 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by
poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining
activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being
polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air
pollution in Colombo

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

People Sri Lanka

Population:
19,905,165
note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and
armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand
Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of yearend 2000,
approximately 65,000 were housed in 131 refugee camps in south
India, another 40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than
200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.8% (male 2,526,143; female 2,414,876)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 6,589,438; female 6,976,487)
65 years and over: 7% (male 655,636; female 742,585) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 29.1 years
male: 28 years
female: 30.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.81% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
15.88 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 14.78 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 16.01 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.89 years
male: 70.34 years
female: 75.57 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.88 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
4,800 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Sri Lankan(s)
adjective: Sri Lankan

Ethnic groups:
Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and Vedda 1%

Religions:
Buddhist 70%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 7% (1999)

Languages:
Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national
language) 18%, other 8%
note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken
competently by about 10% of the population

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.3%
male: 94.8%
female: 90% (2003 est.)

Government Sri Lanka

Country name:
conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
conventional short form: Sri Lanka
former: Serendib, Ceylon

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital

Administrative divisions:
8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western,
Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western; note - North Eastern province
may have been divided in two - Northern and Eastern

Independence:
4 February 1948 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 February (1948)

Constitution:
adopted 16 August 1978

Legal system:
a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch,
Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since
12 November 1994); note - Mahinda RAJAPAKSE (since 6 April 2004)i s
the prime minister; the president is considered both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA
(since 12 November 1994); note - Mahinda RAJAPAKSE (since 6 April
2004) is the prime minister; the president is considered both the
chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the
prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 21 December 1999 (next to be held NA December
2005)
election results: Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA reelected
president; percent of vote - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA 51%,
Ranil WICKREMASINGHE 42%, other 7%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote
on the basis of a modified proportional representation system by
district to serve six-year terms)
elections: last held 2 April 2004 (next to be held by 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance -
SLFP and JVP 45.6%, UNP 37.83%, TNA 6.84%, JHU 5.97%, SLMC 2.02%,
UPF 0.54%, EPDP 0.27%, others 0.93%; seats by party or electoral
alliance - SLFP and JVP 105, UNP 82, TNA 22, JHU 9, SLMC 5, UPF 1,
EPDP 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are
appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:
All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [KUMARGURUPARAM]; Ceylon Workers
Congress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP [D.
GUNASEKERA]; Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF
[Shrimani ATULATHMUDALI]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP
[Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Perumuna or JVP
[Tilvan SILVA]; National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF];
National Heritage Party or JHU [Tilak KARUNARATNE]; People's
Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [leader NA]; Sihala
Urumaya or SU [leader NA]; Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP
[Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or
SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM]; Sri Lanka Progressive Front or SLPF [P. Nelson
PERERA]; Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO [SABARATNAM];
Tamil National Alliance or TNA [R.SAMPANTHAN]; Tamil United
Liberation Front or TULF [V. ANANDASANGAREE]; United National Party
or UNP [Ranil WICKREMASINGHE]; Up-country People's Front or UPF [P.
CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties,
represented in either Parliament or provincial councils

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or
LTTE [Velupillai PRABHAKARAN](insurgent group fighting for a
separate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the
National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups

International organization participation:
AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB,
OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Devinda R. SUBASINGHE consulate(s): New York consulate(s) general: Los Angeles FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028) chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey J. LUNSTEAD
embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3
mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo
telephone: [94] (11) 244-8007
FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345

Flag description:
yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal
vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is
a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and
there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears
as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels

Economy Sri Lanka

Economy - overview:
In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its import
substitution trade policy for market-oriented policies and
export-oriented trade. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are food
processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages,
telecommunications, and insurance and banking. In 2003, plantation
crops made up only 15% of exports (compared with 93% in 1970), while
textiles and garments accounted for 63%. GDP grew at an average
annual rate of 5.5% in the early 1990s until a drought and a
deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The
economy rebounded in 1997-2000 with average growth of 5.3%, but 2001
saw the first contraction in the country's history, -1.4%, due to a
combination of power shortages, severe budgetary problems, the
global slowdown, and continuing civil strife. Growth recovered to
4.0% in 2002 and 5.2% in 2003. About 800,000 Sri Lankans work
abroad, 90% in the Middle East. They send home about $1 billion a
year. The struggle by the Tamil Tigers of the north and east for a
largely independent homeland continues to cast a shadow over the
economy.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $73.7 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 19.9% industry: 26.3% services: 53.8% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
22.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
22% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.5% highest 10%: 28% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
34.4 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
7.17 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 38%, industry 17%, services 45% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
8.4% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $3.229 billion
expenditures: $4.526 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
105.1% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber,
coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef

Industries:
rubber processing, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural
commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
5.8% (2003)

Electricity - production:
6.36 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
5.915 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
75,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-278 million (2003)

Exports:
$5.269 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
textiles and apparel, tea, diamonds, coconut products, petroleum
products

Exports - partners:
US 34.6%, UK 12.5%, India 4.8%, Germany 4.5% (2003)

Imports:
$6.626 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
textiles, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and
equipment

Imports - partners:
India 16.1%, Hong Kong 8.4%, Singapore 7.8%, Japan 6.7%, China
4.9%, South Korea 4.2%, Taiwan 4.2%, UK 4.1%, Malaysia 4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$2.273 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$10.52 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
$577 million (1998)

Currency:
Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)

Currency code:
LKR

Exchange rates:
Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 96.521 (2003), 95.6621 (2002),
89.383 (2001), 77.0051 (2000), 70.6354 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Sri Lanka

Telephones - main lines in use:
881,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
931,600 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: very inadequate domestic service, particularly
in rural areas; likely improvement with privatization of national
telephone company and encouragement to private investment; good
international service (1999)
domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital
microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area
and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition
is strong in mobile cellular systems; telephone density remains low
at 2.6 main lines per 100 persons (1999)
international: country code - 94; submarine cables to Indonesia and
Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
3.85 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
21 (1997)

Televisions:
1.53 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.lk

Internet hosts:
1,882 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2000)

Internet users:
200,000 (2002)

Transportation Sri Lanka

Railways: total: 1,449 km broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 96,695 km paved: 91,860 km unpaved: 4,835 km (1999)

Waterways:
160 km (primarily on rivers in southwest) (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee

Merchant marine:
total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 120,924 GRT/173,604 DWT
by type: cargo 14, container 2, petroleum tanker 2
registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Germany 8, Singapore 1

Airports:
14 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 13 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Sri Lanka

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 5,418,496 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 4,195,736 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 179,869 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$518 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Sri Lanka

Disputes - international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 362,000 (both Tamils and non-Tamils displaced due to Tamil conflict) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Sudan

Introduction Sudan

Background:
Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have
dominated national politics since independence from the UK in 1956.
Sudan has been embroiled in a civil war for all but 10 years of this
period (1972-82). The wars are rooted in northern economic,
political, and social domination of non-Muslim, non-Arab southern
Sudanese. Since 1983, the war and war- and famine-related effects
have led to more than 2 million deaths and over 4 million people
displaced. The ruling regime is a mixture of military elite and an
Islamist party that came to power in a 1989 coup. Some northern
opposition parties have made common cause with the southern rebels
and entered the war as a part of an anti-government alliance. Peace
talks gained momentum in 2002-03 with the signing of several
accords, including a cease-fire agreement.

Geography Sudan

Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea

Geographic coordinates:
15 00 N, 30 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 2,505,810 sq km
water: 129,810 sq km
land: 2.376 million sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US

Land boundaries:
total: 7,687 km
border countries: Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km,
Democratic Republic of the Congo 628 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605
km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km

Coastline:
853 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 18 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies by
region (April to November)

Terrain:
generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south,
northeast and west; desert dominates the north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Red Sea 0 m
highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m

Natural resources:
petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc,
tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 6.83% permanent crops: 0.18% other: 92.99% (2001)

Irrigated land:
19,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
dust storms and periodic persistent droughts

Environment - current issues:
inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations
threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification;
periodic drought

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

Geography - note:
largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries

People Sudan

Population:
39,148,162 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.7% (male 8,730,609; female 8,358,569)
15-64 years: 54.1% (male 10,588,634; female 10,571,199)
65 years and over: 2.3% (male 490,869; female 408,282) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.9 years
male: 17.7 years
female: 18.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.64% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
35.79 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
9.37 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.2 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 64.05 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 63.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 64.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 58.13 years
male: 56.96 years
female: 59.36 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.97 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
2.6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
450,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
23,000 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, dengue fever, trypanosomiasis,
schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Sudanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Sudanese

Ethnic groups:
black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%

Religions:
Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian 5%
(mostly in south and Khartoum)

Languages:
Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic,
Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English
note: program of "Arabization" in process

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 61.1%
male: 71.8%
female: 50.5% (2003 est.)

Government Sudan

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan
conventional short form: Sudan
local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan
former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
local short form: As-Sudan

Government type:
authoritarian regime - ruling military junta took power in 1989;
government is run by an alliance of the military and the National
Congress Party (NCP), formerly the National Islamic Front (NIF),
which espouses an Islamist platform

Capital:
Khartoum

Administrative divisions:
26 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); A'ali an Nil, Al Bahr al
Ahmar, Al Buhayrat, Al Jazirah, Al Khartum, Al Qadarif, Al Wahdah,
An Nil al Abyad, An Nil al Azraq, Ash Shamaliyah, Bahr al Jabal,
Gharb al Istiwa'iyah, Gharb Bahr al Ghazal, Gharb Darfur, Gharb
Kurdufan, Janub Darfur, Janub Kurdufan, Junqali, Kassala, Nahr an
Nil, Shamal Bahr al Ghazal, Shamal Darfur, Shamal Kurdufan, Sharq al
Istiwa'iyah, Sinnar, Warab

Independence:
1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 January (1956)

Constitution:
12 April 1973, suspended following coup of 6 April 1985; interim
constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of 30 June
1989; new constitution implemented on 30 June 1998 partially
suspended 12 December 1999 by President BASHIR

Legal system:
based on English common law and Islamic law; as of 20 January 1991,
the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Islamic law in
the northern states; Islamic law applies to all residents of the
northern states regardless of their religion; some separate
religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations

Suffrage:
17 years of age; universal, but noncompulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Field Marshall Umar Hassan Ahmad
al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Ali Uthman
Muhammad TAHA (since 17 February 1998), Second Vice President Moses
MACHAR (since 12 February 2001); note - the president is both the
chief of state and head of government
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 13-23 December 2000 (next to be held NA)
head of government: President Field Marshall Umar Hasan Ahmad
al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Ali Uthman
Muhammad TAHA (since 17 February 1998), Second Vice President Moses
MACHAR (since 12 February 2001); note - the president is both the
chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - the
National Congress Party or NCP (formerly the National Islamic Front
or NIF) dominates al-BASHIR's cabinet
election results: Field Marshall Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR
reelected president; percent of vote - Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR
86.5%, Ja'afar Muhammed NUMAYRI 9.6%, three other candidates
received a combined vote of 3.9%; election widely viewed as rigged;
all popular opposition parties boycotted elections because of a lack
of guarantees for a free and fair election
note: BASHIR assumed supreme executive power in 1989 and retained it
through several transitional governments in the early and mid-1990s
before being popularly elected for the first time in March 1996

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (360 seats; 270 popularly elected, 90
elected by supra assembly of interest groups known as National
Congress; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 13-22 December 2000 (next to be held NA
December 2004)
election results: NCP 355, others 5

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Special Revolutionary Courts

Political parties and leaders:
the government allows political "associations" under a 1998 law
revised in 2000; to obtain government approval parties must accept
the constitution and refrain from advocating or using violence
against the regime; approved parties include the National Congress
Party or NCP [Ibrahim Ahmed UMAR], Popular National Congress or PNC
[Hassan al-TURABI], and over 20 minor, pro-government parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Democratic Unionist Party [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI]; National
Congress Party [Ibrahim Ahmed UMAR]; National Democratic Alliance
[Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI, chairman]; Sudan People's Liberation
Movement/Army [Dr. John GARANG]; Umma Party [Sadiq al-MAHDI]

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires, Ad
Interim Khidir Haroun AHMED (since April 2001)
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406
telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565
chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Gerard M.
GALLUCCI
embassy: Sharia Abdul Latif Avenue, Khartoum
mailing address: P. O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829
telephone: [249] (11) 774611 or 774700
FAX: [249] (11) 774137
note: US Consul in Cairo is providing backup service for Khartoum
(see http://usembassy.egnet.net/sudan.htm)

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a
green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

Economy Sudan

Economy - overview:
Sudan has turned around a struggling economy with sound economic
policies and infrastructure investments, yet it still faces
formidable economic problems, starting from its low level of per
capita output and extending to its devastating civil stife. From
1997 to date, Sudan has been implementing IMF macroeconomic reforms.
In 1999, Sudan began exporting crude oil and in the last quarter of
1999 recorded its first trade surplus, which, along with monetary
policy, has stabilized the exchange rate. Increased oil production,
revived light industry, and expanded export processing zones helped
sustain GDP growth at 6.1% in 2003 and 7% in 2004. Agriculture
production remains Sudan's most important sector, employing 80% of
the work force and contributing 39% of GDP, but most farms remain
rain-fed and susceptible to drought. Chronic instability - including
the long-standing civil war between the Muslim north and the
Christian/pagan south, the ethnic purges in Darfur, adverse weather,
and weak world agricultural prices - ensure that much of the
population will remain at or below the poverty line for years.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $70.95 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.9% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 38.7% industry: 20.3% services: 41% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
14.8% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA (2004 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.8% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
11 million (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and commerce 7%, government 13% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
18.7% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.402 billion
expenditures: $2.546 billion, including capital expenditures of $304
million (2003 est.)

Public debt:
87% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic,
sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet
potatoes, sesame; sheep, livestock

Industries:
oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap
distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments,
automobile/light truck assembly

Industrial production growth rate:
8.5% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
2.389 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
2.222 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
209,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
50,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
631.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
99.11 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-718 million (2003)

Exports:
$2.45 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame, livestock, groundnuts,
gum arabic, sugar

Exports - partners:
China 40.9%, Saudi Arabia 17.2%, UAE 5.4% (2003)

Imports:
$2.383 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport equipment,
medicines and chemicals, textiles, wheat

Imports - partners:
Saudi Arabia 16.3%, China 14.2%, UK 5%, Germany 4.9%, India 4.8%,
France 4.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$847.2 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$16.09 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$172 million (2001)

Currency:
Sudanese dinar (SDD)

Currency code:
SDD

Exchange rates:
Sudanese dinars per US dollar - 260.983 (2003), 263.306 (2002),
258.702 (2001), 257.122 (2000), 252.55 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Sudan

Telephones - main lines in use:
900,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
650,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: large, well-equipped system by regional
standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in
1996 and have expanded substantially
domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone
communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite
system with 14 earth stations
international: country code - 249; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
7.55 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
3 (1997)

Televisions:
2.38 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.sd

Internet hosts:
NA

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2002)

Internet users:
300,000 (2003)

Transportation Sudan

Railways:
total: 5,978 km
narrow gauge: 4,595 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km .600-m gauge for
cotton plantations (2003)

Highways:
total: 11,900 km
paved: 4,320 km
unpaved: 7,580 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
4,068 km (1,723 km open year round on White and Blue Nile rivers)
(2004)

Pipelines:
gas 156 km; oil 2,365 km; refined products 810 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Juba, Khartoum, Kusti, Malakal, Nimule, Port Sudan, Sawakin

Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,466 GRT/26,973 DWT
by type: livestock carrier 1, roll on/roll off 2
registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports:
63 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 63 914 to 1,523 m: 33 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

Heliports: 2 (2003 est.)

Military Sudan

Military branches:
Sudanese People's Armed Forces (SPAF), Navy, Air Force, Popular
Defense Forces

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - 3 years (August 2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 9,339,775 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 5,743,783 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 442,242 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$581 million (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.5% (1999)

Transnational Issues Sudan

Disputes - international:
the north-south civil war has affected Sudan's neighbors by drawing
them into the fighting and by forcing them to provide shelter to
refugees, to contend with infiltration by rebel groups, and to serve
as mediators; Sudan has provided shelter to Ugandan refugees and
cover to Lord's Resistance Army soldiers; Sudan accuses Eritrea of
supporting Sudanese rebel groups; efforts to demarcate the porous
boundary with Ethiopia have been delayed by fighting in Sudan;
Kenya's administrative boundary still extends into the Sudan,
creating the "Ilemi Triangle"; Egypt and Sudan retain claims to
administer the triangular areas that extend north and south of the
1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel, but have withdrawn
their military presence; Egypt is economically developing and
currently effectively administers the "Hala'ib Triangle" north of
the Treaty Line; Sudan has pledged to work with the Central African
Republic to stem violent skirmishes over water and grazing among
related pastoral populations along the border

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 108,251 (Eritrea), 5,023 (Chad),
7,983 (Uganda)
IDPs: 4.367 million (internal conflict since 1980s; ongoing
genocide) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Suriname

Introduction Suriname

Background:
Independence from the Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five years
later the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that
soon declared a socialist republic. It continued to rule through a
succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when
international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In
1989, the military overthrew the civilian government, but a
democratically-elected government returned to power in 1991.

Geography Suriname

Location:
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
French Guiana and Guyana

Geographic coordinates:
4 00 N, 56 00 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 163,270 sq km
water: 1,800 sq km
land: 161,470 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries: total: 1,707 km border countries: Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

Coastline: 386 km

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

Climate:
tropical; moderated by trade winds

Terrain:
mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m

Natural resources:
timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small
amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 0.37% permanent crops: 0.06% other: 99.57% (2001)

Irrigated land:
490 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues: deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of inland waterways by small-scale mining activities

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
smallest independent country on South American continent; mostly
tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna that, for
the most part, is increasingly threatened by new development;
relatively small population, mostly along the coast

People Suriname

Population:
436,935 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 30.2% (male 67,588; female 64,223)
15-64 years: 63.7% (male 142,656; female 135,819)
65 years and over: 6.1% (male 11,914; female 14,735) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 25.8 years
male: 25.4 years
female: 26.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.31% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
18.87 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.99 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-8.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 24.15 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 28.24 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.1 years
male: 66.77 years
female: 71.55 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.37 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,700 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Surinamer(s)
adjective: Surinamese

Ethnic groups:
Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors
emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th
century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%,
"Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in
the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior)
10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%

Religions:
Hindu 27.4%, Muslim 19.6%, Roman Catholic 22.8%, Protestant 25.2%
(predominantly Moravian), indigenous beliefs 5%

Languages:
Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo
(Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of
Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca
among others), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93%
male: 95%
female: 91% (1995 est.)

Government Suriname

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Suriname
conventional short form: Suriname
local short form: Suriname
former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana
local long form: Republiek Suriname

Government type:
constitutional democracy

Capital:
Paramaribo

Administrative divisions:
10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo,
Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo,
Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica

Independence:
25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Constitution:
ratified 30 September 1987

Legal system:
based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August
2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12 August
2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12
August 2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12
August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president from among
the members of the National Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate
receives a constitutional majority in the National Assembly after
two votes, by the larger People's Assembly (869 representatives from
the national, local, and regional councils), for five-year terms;
election last held 6 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2005)
election results: Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN elected president by the
National Assembly; percent of legislative vote - Runaldo Ronald
VENETIAAN 72.5%; Rashied DOEKHIE (NDP) 19.6%; total votes cast -
Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (New Front) 37 votes, Rashied DOEKHIE (NDP)
10 votes
note: widespread demonstrations during the summer of 1999 led to the
call for elections a year early

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NF
33, MC 10, DNP 2000 3, DA '91 2, PVF 2, PALU 1
note: widespread demonstrations during the summer of 1999 led to the
call for elections a year early
elections: last held 5 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2005)

Judicial branch:
Court of Justice (justices are nominated for life)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Alternative '91 or DA '91 (a coalition of the
Alternative Forum or AF and Party for Brotherhood and Unity in
Politics or BEP, formed in January 1991) [Winston JESSURUN];
Democratic National Platform 2000 or DNP 2000 (coalition of two
parties, Democratic Party and Democrats of the 21st Century) [Jules
WIJDENBOSCH]; Independent Progressive Democratic Alternative or OPDA
[Joginder RAMKHILAWAN]; Millennium Combination or MC (a coalition of
three parties, Democratic Alternative, Party for National Unity and
Solidarity, and National Democratic Party) [leader NA]; National
Democratic Party or NDP [Desire BOUTERSE]; Naya Kadam or NK [leader
NA]; Party for Renewal and Democracy or BVD [Tjan GOBARDHAN]; Party
of National Unity and Solidarity or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA]; Pertjaja
Luhur [Paul SOMOHARDJO]; Progressive Workers' and Farm Laborers'
Union or PALU [Ir Iwan KROLIS]; The New Front or NF (a coalition of
four parties Suriname National Party or NPS, Progressive Reform
Party or VHP, Suriname Labor Party or SPA, and Pertjaja Luhur)
[Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN]; The Progressive Development Alliance (a
combination of three parties, Renewed Progressive Party or HPP,
Party of the Federation of Land Workers or PVF, and Suriname
Progressive People's Party or PSV) [Harry KISOENSINGH]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
General Liberation and Development Party or ABOP [Ronnie
BRUNSWIJK]; Mandela Bushnegro Liberation Movement [Leendert ADAMS];
Tucayana Amazonica [Alex JUBITANA, Thomas SABAJO]; Union for
Liberation and Democracy [Kofi AFONGPONG]

International organization participation:
ACP, Caricom, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDB, IFAD,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS,
OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Henry Lothar ILLES FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878 consulate(s) general: Miami telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488 chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marsha E. BARNES embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo mailing address: Department of State, 3390 Paramaribo Place, Washington, DC, 20521-3390 telephone: [597] 472900 FAX: [597] 420800

Flag description:
five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red
(quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a
large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band

Economy Suriname

Economy - overview:
The economy is dominated by the bauxite industry, which accounts
for more than 15% of GDP and 70% of export earnings. Suriname's
economic prospects for the medium term will depend on renewed
commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and to the
introduction of structural reforms to liberalize markets and promote
competition. The government of Ronald VENETIAAN has begun an
austerity program, raised taxes, and attempted to control spending.
However, in 2002, President VENETIAAN agreed to a large pay raise
for civil servants, which threatens his earlier gains in stabilizing
the economy. The Dutch Government has agreed to restart the aid
flow, which will allow Suriname to access international development
financing. The short-term economic outlook depends on the
government's ability to control inflation and on the development of
projects in the bauxite and gold mining sectors.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.752 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13% industry: 22% services: 65% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
70% (2002 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
17% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
100,000

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

Unemployment rate:
17% (2000)

Budget:
revenues: $393 million
expenditures: $403 million, including capital expenditures of $34
million (1997 est.)

Agriculture - products:
paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts;
beef, chickens; forest products; shrimp

Industries:
bauxite and gold mining, alumina production, oil, lumbering, food
processing, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
6.5% (1994 est.)

Electricity - production:
1.959 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.822 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
10,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
10,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
37 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2002)

Exports:
$495 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
alumina, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas

Exports - partners:
US 23.3%, Norway 18.4%, Belgium 12.5%, France 10.1%, Trinidad and
Tobago 7.1%, Iceland 4.7%, Italy 4.3%, Netherlands 4.2% (2003)

Imports:
$604 million f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
US 31.5%, Netherlands 18.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.5%, China 6.8%,
Japan 6.4% (2003)

Debt - external:
$321 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
Netherlands provided $37 million for project and program
assistance, European Development Fund $4 million, Belgium $2 million
(1998)

Currency:
Surinamese guilder (SRG)

Currency code:
SRG

Exchange rates:
Surinamese guilders per US dollar - NA (2003), 2,346.75 (2002),
2,178.5 (2001), 1,322.47 (2000), 859.437 (1999)
note: during 1998, the exchange rate splintered into four distinct
rates; in January 1999 the government floated the guilder, but
subsequently fixed it when the black-market rate plunged; the
government currently allows trading within a band of SRG 500 around
the official rate

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Suriname

Telephones - main lines in use:
79,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
168,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: international facilities are good
domestic: microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 597; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
300,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
3 (plus seven repeaters) (2000)

Televisions:
63,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.sr

Internet hosts:
18 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
20,000 (2002)

Transportation Suriname

Highways: total: 4,492 km paved: 1,168 km unpaved: 3,324 km (2000)

Waterways:
1,200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m) (2003)

Pipelines:
oil 51 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Albina, Moengo, New Nickerie, Paramaribo, Paranam, Wageningen

Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,421 GRT/2,990 DWT
by type: cargo 1, container 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
46 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 41 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)

Military Suriname

Military branches:
National Army (includes small Navy and Air Force elements)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 124,260 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 72,576 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$7.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.7% (2003)

Transnational Issues Suriname

Disputes - international:
area claimed by French Guiana between Riviere Litani and Riviere
Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); Suriname claims a triangle
of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari Rivers in a historic
dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks UNCLOS
arbitration to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over
the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich
waters

Illicit drugs:
growing transshipment point for South American drugs destined for
Europe and Brazil; transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Svalbard

Introduction Svalbard

Background:
First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the islands
served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th
centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five years
later it officially took over the territory.

Geography Svalbard

Location:
Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea,
Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway

Geographic coordinates:
78 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:
Arctic Region

Area:
total: 62,049 sq km
note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)
water: 0 sq km
land: 62,049 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
3,587 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 4 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but
not recognized by Russia

Climate:
arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold
winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of
Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year

Terrain:
wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast
clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north
coasts

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m

Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and
cloudberry) (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for
coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the
northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main
islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area

People Svalbard

Population: 2,756 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate:
-0.02% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
NA births/1,000 population

Death rate:
NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio:
NA

Infant mortality rate:
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years

Total fertility rate:
NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0% (2001)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
0 (2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
0 (2001)

Ethnic groups:
Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3% (1998)

Languages:
Norwegian, Russian

Literacy:
NA

Government Svalbard

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as
Spitzbergen)

Dependency status:
territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the
Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in
Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty
was awarded to Norway

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Longyearbyen

Independence:
none (territory of Norway)

National holiday:
NA

Legal system:
NA

Executive branch:
chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991)
head of government: Governor Odd Olsen INGERO (since 8 June 2001)
and Assistant Governor Rune Baard HANSEN (since NA)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant
governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of
Justice

International organization participation:
none

Flag description:
the flag of Norway is used

Economy Svalbard

Economy - overview:
Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The treaty
of 9 February 1920 gives the 41 signatories equal rights to exploit
mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK,
Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only
companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The settlements on
Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned
coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the
island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the
local infrastructure. There is also some hunting of seal, reindeer,
and fox.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - NA

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - NA

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA

Labor force:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $11.5 million
expenditures: $11.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1998 est.)

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Exports:
NA

Imports:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$8.2 million from Norway (1998)

Currency:
Norwegian krone (NOK)

Currency code:
NOK

Exchange rates:
Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 7.0802 (2003), 7.9838 (2002),
8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000), 7.7992 (1999)

Communications Svalbard

Telephones - main lines in use:
NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: probably adequate
domestic: local telephone service
international: country code - 47-790; satellite earth station - 1 of
unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
NA

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.sj

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
13 (Svalbard and Jan Mayen) (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Svalbard

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors:
Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
4 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Svalbard

Military - note: demilitarized by treaty (9 February 1920)

Transnational Issues Svalbard

Disputes - international: despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Swaziland

Introduction Swaziland

Background:
Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the
British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968.
Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured the monarchy
(one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow political
reform and greater democracy. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana
as the country with the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS
infection

Geography Swaziland

Location:
Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Geographic coordinates:
26 30 S, 31 30 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 17,363 sq km
water: 160 sq km
land: 17,203 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 535 km border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
varies from tropical to near temperate

Terrain:
mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m
highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

Natural resources:
asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold
and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Land use: arable land: 10.35% permanent crops: 0.7% other: 88.95% (2001)

Irrigated land:
690 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
drought

Environment - current issues:
limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being
depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil
degradation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

People Swaziland

Population:
1,169,241
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 41% (male 242,090; female 237,395)
15-64 years: 55.3% (male 323,004; female 324,029)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 18,685; female 24,038) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.6 years
male: 18.4 years
female: 18.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.55% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
28.55 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
23.06 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 68.35 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 64.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 71.64 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 37.54 years
male: 39.1 years
female: 35.94 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.81 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
38.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
220,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
17,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Swazi(s)
adjective: Swazi

Ethnic groups:
African 97%, European 3%

Religions:
Zionist (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship)
40%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai, Methodist,
Mormon, Jewish and other 30%

Languages:
English (official, government business conducted in English),
siSwati (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 81.6%
male: 82.6%
female: 80.8% (2003 est.)

Government Swaziland

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland
conventional short form: Swaziland

Government type:
monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

Capital:
Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital

Administrative divisions:
4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Independence:
6 September 1968 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 September (1968)

Constitution:
a constitution was adopted 14 November 2003

Legal system:
based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and
Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age

Executive branch:
chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)
head of government: Prime Minister Absolom Themba DLAMINI (since 14
November 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by
the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
by the monarch

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the
Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20
appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year terms) and the
House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the monarch and 55
elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Assembly - last held 18 October 2003 (next to be
held NA October 2008)
election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a
nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local
council of each constituency and for each constituency the three
candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are
narrowed to a single winner by a second round

Judicial branch:
High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed
by the monarch

Political parties and leaders:
political parties are banned by the constitution - the following
are considered political associations; Imbokodvo National Movement
or INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC
[Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or
PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]; Swaziland National Front or
SWANAFRO [Elmond SHONGWE, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA,
NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA
FAX: [1] (202) 244-8059
telephone: [1] (202) 362-6683
chancery: 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James D. McGEE embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404-6445 FAX: [268] 404-5959

Flag description:
three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue;
the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large
black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated
with feather tassels, all placed horizontally

Economy Swaziland

Economy - overview:
In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies
more than 80% of the population. The manufacturing sector has
diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain
important foreign exchange earners. Mining has declined in
importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines
remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short
border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South
Africa from which it receives about nine-tenths of its imports and
to which it sends nearly three-quarters of its exports. Customs
duties from the Southern African Customs Union and worker
remittances from South Africa substantially supplement domestically
earned income. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere
for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and
sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. More than
one-fourth of the population needed emergency food aid in 2002
because of drought, and more than one-third of the adult population
was infected by HIV/AIDS.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $5.702 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16.2% industry: 43.2% services: 40.5% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
21.1% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
40% (1995)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1%
highest 10%: 50.2% (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
383,200 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
NA

Unemployment rate:
34% (2000 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $462.4 million
expenditures: $563.4 million, including capital expenditures of $147
million (2003)

Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples,
sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep

Industries:
mining (coal), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textile
and apparel

Industrial production growth rate:
3.7% (FY95/96)

Electricity - production:
348.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
962.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
639 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
3,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-72.69 million (2003)

Exports:
$905.6 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn,
refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit

Exports - partners:
South Africa 72%, EU 14.2%, Mozambique 3.7%, US 3.5% (1999)

Imports:
$1.088 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs,
petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners:
South Africa 88.8%, EU 5.6%, Japan 0.6%, Singapore 0.4% (1999)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$277.5 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$320 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$104 million (2001)

Currency:
lilangeni (SZL)

Currency code:
SZL

Exchange rates:
emalangeni per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092
(2001), 6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Swaziland

Telephones - main lines in use:
46,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
88,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system
domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and
low-capacity, microwave radio relay
international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3 (2001)

Radios:
170,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
5 plus 7 relay stations (2001)

Televisions:
23,000 (2000)

Internet country code:
.sz

Internet hosts:
1,401 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2002)

Internet users:
27,000 (2003)

Transportation Swaziland

Railways: total: 301 km narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 3,247 km paved: NA unpaved: NA (1998)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
18 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Military Swaziland

Military branches:
Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army, including Air Wing)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 289,985 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 168,257 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$29 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.8% (2003)

Transnational Issues Swaziland

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Sweden

Introduction Sweden

Background:
A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not
participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality
was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic
formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare
elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in
2000-02 by the global economic downturn, but fiscal discipline over
the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic
vagaries. Indecision over the country's role in the political and
economic integration of Europe delayed Sweden's entry into the EU
until 1995, and waived the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Geography Sweden

Location:
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia,
Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

Geographic coordinates:
62 00 N, 15 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 449,964 sq km
water: 39,030 sq km
land: 410,934 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 2,233 km border countries: Finland 614 km, Norway 1,619 km

Coastline:
3,218 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion of
straits to high seas)
exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly
cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Terrain:
mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad
-2.41 m
highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m

Natural resources:
iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium,
arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 6.54% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 93.45% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of
Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic

Environment - current issues:
acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and
the Baltic Sea

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North
Seas

People Sweden

Population:
8,986,400 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.5% (male 807,193; female 762,882)
15-64 years: 65.2% (male 2,974,107; female 2,886,840)
65 years and over: 17.3% (male 668,719; female 886,659) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 40.3 years
male: 39.2 years
female: 41.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.18% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
10.46 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
10.38 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
1.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 2.77 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 2.93 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.3 years
male: 78.12 years
female: 82.62 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.66 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,300 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Swede(s)
adjective: Swedish

Ethnic groups:
indigenous population: Swedes and Finnish and Sami minorities;
foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns, Yugoslavs,
Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks

Religions:
Lutheran 87%, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish,
Buddhist

Languages:
Swedish
note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1979 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

Government Sweden

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden
conventional short form: Sweden
local short form: Sverige
local long form: Konungariket Sverige

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Stockholm

Administrative divisions:
21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarnas,
Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hallands, Jamtlands, Jonkopings, Kalmar,
Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro, Ostergotlands, Skane,
Sodermanlands, Stockholms, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens,
Vasternorrlands, Vastmanlands, Vastra Gotalands

Independence:
6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)

National holiday:
Flag Day, 6 June

Constitution:
1 January 1975

Legal system:
civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973);
Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of
the monarch (born 14 July 1977)
head of government: Prime Minister Goran PERSSON (since 21 March
1996)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the prime minister is elected by the Parliament; election
last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006)
election results: Goran PERSSON reelected prime minister with 131
out of 349 votes

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are elected by
popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 39.8%,
Moderates 15.2%, Liberal Party 13.3%, Christian Democrats 9.1%, Left
Party 8.3%, Center Party 6.1%, Greens 4.6%; seats by party - Social
Democrats 144, Moderates 55, Liberal Party 48, Christian Democrats
33, Left Party 30, Center Party 22, Greens 17

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed by the
prime minister and the cabinet)

Political parties and leaders:
Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian Democratic Party [Goran
HAGGLUND]; Green Party [no formal leader but party spokespersons are
Maria WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left Party or V (formerly
Communist) [Lars OHLY]; Liberal People's Party [Lars LEIJONBORG];
Moderate Party (conservative) [Fredrik REINFELDT]; Social Democratic
Party [Goran PERSSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,
ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA,
NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP,
UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK,
UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer),
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jan ELIASSON consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699 telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600 chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1702

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador M. Teel BIVINS embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds VAG 31, SE-11589 Stockholm mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, Department of State, 5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750 (pouch) telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00 FAX: [46] (08) 661 19 64

Flag description:
blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the flag;
the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the
style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Sweden

Economy - overview:
Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole 20th century, Sweden
has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of
high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It has a modern
distribution system, excellent internal and external communications,
and a skilled labor force. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore
constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented toward
foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of
industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50%
of output and exports. Agriculture accounts for only 2% of GDP and
2% of the jobs. The government's commitment to fiscal discipline
resulted in a substantial budgetary surplus in 2001, which was cut
by more than half in 2002, due to the global economic slowdown,
declining revenue, and increased spending. The Swedish central bank
(the Riksbank) is focusing on price stability with its inflation
target of 2%. Growth remained sluggish in 2003. On September 14,
2003, Swedish voters turned down entry into the euro system,
concerned about the impact on democracy and sovereignty.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $238.3 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $26,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 29% services: 69% (2001)

Investment (gross fixed):
15.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 20.1% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
25 (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.9% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
4.449 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 2%, industry 24%, services 74% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
4.9% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $177.7 billion
expenditures: $176.9 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
51.8% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk

Industries:
iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone
parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods,
motor vehicles

Industrial production growth rate:
1.9% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
152.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
134.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
18.45 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
11.14 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
328,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
203,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
553,100 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
949 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
968 million cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$19.56 billion (2003)

Exports:
$102.8 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron
and steel products, chemicals

Exports - partners:
US 11.5%, Germany 10%, Norway 8.4%, UK 7.8%, Denmark 6.4%, Finland
5.7%, Netherlands 4.9%, France 4.9%, Belgium 4.5% (2003)

Imports:
$83.27 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor
vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners:
Germany 18.7%, Denmark 9%, UK 8%, Norway 8%, Netherlands 6.8%,
Finland 5.6%, France 5.5%, Belgium 4.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$19.99 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$66.5 billion (1994)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $1.7 billion (1997)

Currency:
Swedish krona (SEK)

Currency code:
SEK

Exchange rates:
Swedish kronor per US dollar - 8.0853 (2003), 9.7371 (2002),
10.3291 (2001), 9.1622 (2000), 8.2624 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Sweden

Telephones - main lines in use:
6,579,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
7.949 million (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international
facilities; automatic system
domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice
traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some
additional telephone channels
international: country code - 46; 5 submarine coaxial cables;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat,
and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden
shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries
(Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 265, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
8.25 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
169 (plus 1,299 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
4.6 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.se

Internet hosts:
945,221 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
29 (2000)

Internet users:
5.125 million (2002)

Transportation Sweden

Railways: total: 11,481 km standard gauge: 11,481 km 1.435-m gauge (7,527 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 212,402 km
paved: 166,523 km (including 1,499 km of expressways)
unpaved: 45,879 km (2000)

Pipelines:
gas 798 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Hudiksvall, Kalmar,
Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Solvesborg, Stockholm, Sundsvall

Merchant marine:
total: 178 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,702,763 GRT/1,884,570 DWT
by type: bulk 7, cargo 36, chemical tanker 31, combination bulk 1,
combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 39,
short-sea/passenger 8, specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 23
registered in other countries: 154 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Denmark 12, Finland 10, Germany 3, Italy 7, Japan 2,
Netherlands 1, Norway 12, Russia 1

Airports:
255 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 154 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 82

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 100 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 90 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2003 est.)

Military Sweden

Military branches:
Army, Royal Navy, Air Force (Flygvapnet)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 7 to 17 months depending on conscript role; after completing initial service soldiers have a reserve commitment until the age of 47 (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,082,776 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,821,394 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 56,859 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$4.395 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.1% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Sweden

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Switzerland

Introduction Switzerland

Background:
Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by
the major European powers, and Switzerland was not involved in
either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration
of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role
in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened
Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not
officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active
in many UN and international organizations, but retains a strong
commitment to neutrality.

Geography Switzerland

Location:
Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Geographic coordinates:
47 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 41,290 sq km
water: 1,520 sq km
land: 39,770 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries:
total: 1,852 km
border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km,
Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy
winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers

Terrain:
mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central
plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m
highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Natural resources:
hydropower potential, timber, salt

Land use: arable land: 10.42% permanent crops: 0.61% other: 88.97% (2001)

Irrigated land:
250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
avalanches, landslides, flash floods

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid
rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural
fertilizers; loss of biodiversity

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with
southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has
the highest elevations in the Alps

People Switzerland

Population:
7,450,867 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.8% (male 647,362; female 602,333)
15-64 years: 67.9% (male 2,555,089; female 2,503,331)
65 years and over: 15.3% (male 466,615; female 676,137) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 39.5 years
male: 38.5 years
female: 40.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.54% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
9.83 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.44 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
4.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.43 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 4.94 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.31 years
male: 77.51 years
female: 83.27 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.42 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
19,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Swiss (singular and plural)
adjective: Swiss

Ethnic groups:
German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9% (1990)

Languages:
German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian
(official) 7.6%, Romansch (official) 0.6%, other 8.9%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1980 est.)
male:
female:

Government Switzerland

Country name:
conventional long form: Swiss Confederation
conventional short form: Switzerland
local short form: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera
(Italian)
local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German),
Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)

Government type:
federal republic

Capital:
Bern

Administrative divisions:
26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular
- cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau,
Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft,
Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura,
Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen,
Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich

Independence:
1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)

National holiday:
Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)

Constitution:
revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal Parliament
18 December 1998; adopted by referendum 18 April 1999; officially
entered into force 1 January 2000

Legal system:
civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of
legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general
obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Samuel SCHMID (since 1 January 2005);
Vice President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2005); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Samuel SCHMID (since 1 January 2005);
Vice President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2005); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal
(in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal
Assembly usually from among its own members for a four-year term
elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal
Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year
terms that run concurrently; election last held 8 December 2004
(next to be held December 2005)
election results: Samuel SCHMID elected president; percent of
Federal Assembly vote - 70.7%; Moritz LEUENBERGER elected vice
president; percent of legislative vote - 64.8%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German),
Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian)
consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil
des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats
- members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or
Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio
Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular
vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year
terms)
elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons 19 October
2003 (each canton determines when the next election will be held);
National Council - last held 19 October 2003 (next to be held NA
October 2007)
election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 14, SVP 8, SPS 6, other 3; National
Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 26.6%, SPS 23.3%, FDP
17.3%, CVP 14.4%, Greens 7.4%, other small parties all under 5%;
seats by party - SVP 55, SPS 54, FDP 36, CVP 28, Green Party 13,
other small parties 14

Judicial branch:
Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the
Federal Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste
Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida
Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER]; Christian Democratic
People's Party (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or
CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito
Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida
Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Doris LEUTHARD,
president]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische
Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD,
Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Marianne
KLEINER-SCHLAEPFER, president]; Social Democratic Party
(Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist
Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida
Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Hans-Juerg FEHR, president];
Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union
Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC,
Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, president]; and
other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA,
ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Christian BLICKENSTORFER
consulate(s): Boston
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New
York, and San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564
telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900
chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela P. WILLEFORD embassy: Jubilaumsstrasse 93, CH-3005 Bern mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11 FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44

Flag description:
red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that
does not extend to the edges of the flag

Economy Switzerland

Economy - overview:
Switzerland is a prosperous and stable modern market economy with
low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP
larger than that of the big Western European economies. The Swiss in
recent years have brought their economic practices largely into
conformity with the EU's to enhance their international
competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safe haven for investors,
because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up
the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the anemic economic
conditions of Europe, GDP growth dropped in 2001 to about 0.8%, to
0.2% in 2002, and to -0.3% in 2003.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $239.3 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-0.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $32,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.5% industry: 34% services: 64.5% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
20.1% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 25.2% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
33.1 (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.6% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
3.72 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 4.6%, industry 26.3%, services 69.1% (1998)

Unemployment rate:
3.7% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $123.2 billion
expenditures: $128 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
57.1% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Industries:
machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments

Industrial production growth rate:
0.4% (2003)

Electricity - production:
68.68 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
53.43 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
34.54 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
24.1 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
290,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
10,420 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
289,500 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
3.093 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
3.093 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$36 billion (2003)

Exports:
$110 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products

Exports - partners:
Germany 20.8%, US 11.3%, France 8.7%, Italy 8.3%, UK 4.9%, Japan 4%
(2003)

Imports:
$102.2 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products,
textiles

Imports - partners:
Germany 32.3%, France 10.8%, Italy 10.7%, US 5.5%, Netherlands 5%,
Austria 4.2%, UK 4.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$69.58 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
NA (2000)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)

Currency:
Swiss franc (CHF)

Currency code:
CHF

Exchange rates:
Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876
(2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Switzerland

Telephones - main lines in use:
5.419 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.172 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international services
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks
international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
7.1 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.ch

Internet hosts:
667,275 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000)

Internet users:
2.556 million (2002)

Transportation Switzerland

Railways:
total: 4,533 km
standard gauge: 3,483 km 1.435-m gauge (3,472 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,004 km 1.000-m gauge (974 km electrified); 46 km
0.800-m gauge (46 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 71,011 km
paved: 71,011 km (including 1,638 of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
65 km
note: Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and
Schaffhausen-Bodensee, some canals, and 12 navigable lakes (2003)

Pipelines:
gas 1,831 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Basel

Merchant marine:
total: 30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 604,843 GRT/1,050,914 DWT
registered in other countries: 182 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 15, cargo 6, chemical tanker 3, container 3, petroleum
tanker 2, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: Belgium 1, Netherlands 1, United Kingdom 6, United
States 1

Airports:
65 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 42 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2003 est.)

Military Switzerland

Military branches:
Land Forces, Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 19 years of age for compulsory military service; 17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscripts receive 15 weeks of compulsory training, followed by 10 intermittent recalls for training over the next 22 years (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,890,091 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,606,391 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 45,654 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$2.548 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Switzerland

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
a major international financial center vulnerable to the layering
and integration stages of money laundering; despite significant
legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules persist and
nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through offshore
entities and various intermediaries; transit country for and
consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Syria

Introduction Syria

Background:
Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I,
Syria was administered by the French until independence in 1946. In
the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel.
Since 1976, Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon, ostensibly
in a peacekeeping capacity. Over the past decade, Syria and Israel
have held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan
Heights.

Geography Syria

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and
Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
35 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 185,180 sq km
note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory
water: 1,130 sq km
land: 184,050 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than North Dakota

Land boundaries:
total: 2,253 km
border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon
375 km, Turkey 822 km

Coastline:
193 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 41 nm

Climate:
mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild,
rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with
snow or sleet periodically in Damascus

Terrain:
primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain;
mountains in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m
highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron
ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 25.22% permanent crops: 4.43% other: 70.35% (2001)

Irrigated land:
12,130 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water
pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate
potable water

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the
Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (February 2002 est.)

People Syria

Population:
18,016,874
note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied
Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and
about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 38% (male 3,524,406; female 3,319,323)
15-64 years: 58.7% (male 5,421,133; female 5,163,669)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 281,795; female 306,548) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 20 years
male: 19.9 years
female: 20.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.4% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
28.93 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.96 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 30.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 30.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 30.82 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.71 years
male: 68.47 years
female: 71.02 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.61 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Syrian(s)
adjective: Syrian

Ethnic groups:
Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%

Religions:
Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%,
Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus,
Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Languages:
Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely
understood; French, English somewhat understood

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.9%
male: 89.7%
female: 64% (2003 est.)

Government Syria

Country name:
conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic
conventional short form: Syria
local short form: Suriyah
former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah

Government type:
republic under military regime since March 1963

Capital:
Damascus

Administrative divisions:
14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al
Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az
Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus

Independence:
17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French
administration)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 17 April (1946)

Constitution:
13 March 1973

Legal system:
based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious
courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice
Presidents Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984) and
Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984)
head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10
September 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
referendum/election last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of
President Hafiz al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held
2007); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister
and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June 2000, the Ba'th
Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name
to the People's Council on 25 June 2000
election results: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote
- Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%

Legislative branch:
unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-shaab (250 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, independents
33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the
constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF
alliance) receives one-half of the seats
elections: last held 2-3 March 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Constitutional Court (justices are appointed for four-year
terms by the president); High Judicial Council; Court of Cassation;
State Security Courts

Political parties and leaders:
National Progressive Front or NPF (includes Arab Socialist
Renaissance (Ba'th) Party; the governing party) [President Bashar
al-ASAD, secretary general]; Socialist Unionist Democratic Party
[Fadlallal Nasr Al-DIN]; Syrian Communist Party (two branches)
[Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yuusuf Rashid FAYSAL]; Unionist Socialist
Party [Fayez ISMAIL]; Arab Socialist Unionist Movement [Ahmed
al-AHMED]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan QUDSI]);
Syrian Social National Party [Jubran URAYJI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
conservative religious leaders; Kurdish Democratic Alliance [leader
NA]; Kurdish Democratic Front [lader NA]; Muslim Brotherhood
(operates in exile in London) [Ali Badr Eddine al-BAYANOUNI];
National Democratic Front [Hassan Abd al-AZIM]

International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Imad MUSTAFA
chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548
telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret SCOBEY embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus telephone: [963] (11) 333-1342 FAX: [963] (11) 331-9678

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, colors
associated with the Arab Liberation flag; two small green
five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band;
former flag of the United Arab Republic where the two stars
represented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; similar to
the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which has
three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line
centered in the white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold
Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; the current design
dates to 1980

Economy Syria

Economy - overview:
Syria's predominantly statist economy lately has been growing more
slowly than its 2.4% annual population growth rate. Recent
legislation allows private banks to operate in Syria, although a
private banking sector will take years and further government
cooperation to develop. Factors, including the war between the
US-led coalition and Iraq, probably drove real annual GDP growth
levels back below 1% in 2003 following growth of 3.5% in 2001 and
4.5% in 2002. A long-run economic constraint is the pressure on
water supplies caused by rapid population growth, industrial
expansion, and increased water pollution.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $58.01 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0.9% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,300 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28.5% industry: 29.4% services: 42.1% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
13.6% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
20% (2003 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
4.97 million (2003 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
20% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $6.106 billion
expenditures: $7.397 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.6
billion (2003 est.)

Public debt:
89% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets;
beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk

Industries:
petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate
rock mining

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
23.26 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
21.63 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
522,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
265,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
2.4 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
5.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
5.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
240.7 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-72 million (2003)

Exports:
$5.143 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
crude oil, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber,
clothing, meat and live animals, wheat

Exports - partners:
Germany 20.9%, Italy 12.6%, UAE 7.6%, Lebanon 6.2%, Turkey 6%,
France 5.4%, Croatia 4.8%, US 4.1% (2003)

Imports:
$4.845 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery, food
and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical
products, plastics, yarn, paper

Imports - partners:
Germany 7.2%, Italy 7.1%, China 6.3%, France 5.9%, Turkey 5.4%
(2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$3.329 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$21.55 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$199 million (1997 est.)

Currency:
Syrian pound (SYP)

Currency code:
SYP

Exchange rates:
Syrian pounds per US dollar - (Official rate): 11.225 (2003),
11.225 (2002), 11.225 (2001), 11.225 (2000), 11.225 (1999), (Free
market rate): 49.65 (2001), 49.4 (2000), 51.7 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Syria

Telephones - main lines in use:
2,099,300 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
400,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fair system currently undergoing significant
improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology
domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 963; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region);
1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq,
Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
4.15 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
1.05 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.sy

Internet hosts:
11 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
220,000 (2002)

Transportation Syria

Railways:
total: 2,711 km
standard gauge: 2,460 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 43,381 km
paved: 10,021 km (including 877 km of expressways)
unpaved: 33,360 km (1999)

Waterways:
900 km (not economically significant) (2002)

Pipelines:
gas 2,300 km; oil 2,183 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus

Merchant marine:
total: 122 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 446,981 GRT/636,620 DWT
foreign-owned: Egypt 1, Germany 1, Greece 1, Italy 1, Lebanon 10,
Romania 1
registered in other countries: 83 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 12, cargo 101, container 2, livestock carrier 4,
petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1

Airports:
93 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 26 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 3

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 66 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 54 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 7 (2003 est.)

Military Syria

Military branches:
Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force
(including Air Defense Command), Police and Security Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service
obligation - 30 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 4,876,040 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,716,054 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 216,077 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $858 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual spending

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.9% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Syria

Disputes - international:
Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied; Lebanon claims Shaba'a farms in
Golan Heights; Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon since
October 1976; Syria protests Turkish hydrological projects
regulating upper Euphrates waters; settled border dispute with
Jordan in 2004

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 413,827 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA))
IDPs: 170,000 (most displaced from Golan Heights during 1967
Arab-Israeli War) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and
Western markets; weak anti-money-laundering controls, bank
privatization may leave it vulnerable to money-laundering

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Taiwan

Introduction Taiwan

Background:
In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan.
Taiwan reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the
Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists
fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1946
constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five decades,
the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the
native population within the governing structure. In 2000, Taiwan
underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist
to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the
island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers."
The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship
between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of eventual
unification - as well as domestic political and economic reform.

Geography Taiwan

Location:
Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea,
South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off
the southeastern coast of China

Geographic coordinates:
23 30 N, 121 00 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 35,980 sq km
note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy
water: 3,720 sq km
land: 32,260 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
1,566.3 km

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

Climate:
tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to
August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year

Terrain:
eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling
plains in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m

Natural resources:
small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos

Land use:
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 1%
other: 75% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
earthquakes and typhoons

Environment - current issues:
air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw
sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in
endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal

Environment - international agreements:
party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's
international status
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements because of
Taiwan's international status

Geography - note:
strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon
Strait

People Taiwan

Population:
22,749,838 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.9% (male 2,359,467; female 2,167,438)
15-64 years: 70.7% (male 8,149,231; female 7,924,774)
65 years and over: 9.4% (male 1,091,473; female 1,057,455) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 33.7 years male: 33.3 years female: 34.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.64% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
12.7 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.52 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 7.21 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.06 years
male: 74.31 years
female: 80.08 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.57 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Chinese/Taiwanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Chinese/Taiwanese

Ethnic groups:
Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%

Religions:
mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%,
other 2.5%

Languages:
Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.1% (2003)

Government Taiwan

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Taiwan local short form: T'ai-wan local long form: none former: Formosa

Government type:
multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly-elected president
and unicameral legislature

Capital:
Taipei

Administrative divisions:
includes central island of Taiwan plus numerous smaller islands
near central island and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan
is divided into 18 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5
municipalities (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special
municipalities (chuan-shih, singular and plural)
: counties: Chang-hua, Chia-i, Hsin-chu, Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung
county, Kin-men, Lien-chiang, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou, P'eng-hu,
P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-nan, T'ai-pei county, T'ai-tung,
T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin
: municipalities: Chia-i, Chi-lung, Hsin-chu, T'ai-chung, T'ai-nan
note: Taiwan generally uses Wade-Giles system for romanization;
special municipality of Taipei adopted standard pinyin romanization
for street and place names within city boundaries, other local
authorities have selected a variety of romanization systems
: special municipalities: Kao-hsiung city, T'ai-pei city

National holiday:
Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October
(1911)

Constitution:
25 December 1946, amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, and 2000

Legal system:
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations

Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000) and
Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000)
head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) Frank
HSIEH (since 1 February 2005) and Vice Premier (Vice President of
the Executive Yuan) YEH Chu-lan (since 20 May 2004)
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 20 March
2004 (next to be held in March 2008); premier appointed by the
president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the premier
election results: CHEN Shui-bian re-elected president; percent of
vote - CHEN Shui-bian (DPP) 50.1%, LIEN Chan (KMT) 49.9%
cabinet: Executive Yuan appointed by the president

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168 elected by popular
vote, 41 elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received
by participating political parties, 8 elected from overseas Chinese
constituencies on basis of proportion of island-wide votes received
by participating political parties, 8 elected by popular vote among
aboriginal populations; members serve three-year terms) and
unicameral National Assembly (300 seat nonstanding body; delegates
nominated by parties and elected by proportional representation six
to nine months after Legislative Yuan calls to amend Constitution,
impeach president, or change national borders)
election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - DPP
38%, KMT 35%, PFP 15%, TSU 8%, other parties and independents 4%;
seats by party - DPP 89, KMT 79, PFP 34, TSU 12, other parties 7,
independents 4
elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 11 December 2004 (next to be
held in December 2007) according to proposed constitutional amendment
note: the number of seats in the legislature may be reduced from 225
to 113 beginning with the election in 2007 if a proposed
constitutional amendment is approved

Judicial branch:
Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of
the Legislative Yuan)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [SU Tseng-chang, chairman];
Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [LIEN Chan, chairman]; People
First Party or PFP [James SOONG (SOONG Chu-yu), chairman]; Taiwan
Solidarity Union or TSU [SU Chin-chiang, chairman]; other minor
parties including the Chinese New Party or CNP

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Taiwan independence movement, various business and environmental
groups
note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the
mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization
and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's
legislature have opened public debate on the island's national
identity; a broad popular consensus has developed that Taiwan
currently enjoys de facto independence and - whatever the ultimate
outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's
people must have the deciding voice; advocates of Taiwan
independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify
with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement
include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the
UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the
World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for
Taiwan Nation Building

International organization participation:
APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, ICFTU, IOC, WCL, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the US with headquarters in Taipei and field offices in Washington and 12 other US cities

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality - the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - which has offices in the US and Taiwan; US office at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2162-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2162-2251; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kao-hsiung, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 238-7744, FAX: [886] (7) 238-5237; and the American Trade Center, Room 3208 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei, Taiwan 10548, telephone: [886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX: [886] (2) 2757-7162

Flag description:
red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

Economy Taiwan

Economy - overview:
Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing
guidance of investment and foreign trade by government authorities.
In keeping with this trend, some large government-owned banks and
industrial firms are being privatized. Exports have provided the
primary impetus for industrialization. The trade surplus is
substantial, and foreign reserves are the world's third largest.
Agriculture contributes 2% to GDP, down from 32% in 1952. While
Taiwan is a major investor throughout Southeast Asia, China has
become the largest destination for investment and has overtaken the
US to become Taiwan's largest export market. Because of its
conservative financial approach and its entrepreneurial strengths,
Taiwan suffered little compared with many of its neighbors from the
Asian financial crisis in 1998. The global economic downturn,
combined with problems in policy coordination by the administration
and bad debts in the banking system, pushed Taiwan into recession in
2001, the first year of negative growth ever recorded. Unemployment
also reached record levels. Output recovered moderately in 2002 in
the face of continued global slowdown, fragile consumer confidence,
and bad bank loans. Growing economic ties with China are a dominant
long-term factor. Exports to China - mainly parts and equipment for
the assembly of goods for export to developed countries - drove
Taiwan's economic recovery in 2002. Although the SARS epidemic,
Typhoon Maemi, corporate scandals, and a drop in consumer spending
caused GDP growth to contract to 3.2% in 2003, increasingly strong
export performance kept Taiwan's economy on track, and the
government expects Taiwan's economy to grow 4.1% in 2004.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $528.6 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $23,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.8% industry: 30.3% services: 67.9% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
17.5% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
1% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 6.7% highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
10.08 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 7.5%, industry 35%, services 57% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
5% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $56.58 billion
expenditures: $69.21 billion, including capital expenditures of
$14.4 billion (2003 est.)

Public debt:
30.5% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk, fish

Industries:
electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron and
steel, machinery, cement, food processing

Industrial production growth rate:
8.4% (2003)

Electricity - production:
151.1 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
140.5 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
1,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
988,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
2 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
750 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
6.64 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
410 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
6.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
38.23 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$28.57 billion (2003)

Exports:
$143 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
computer products and electrical equipment, metals, textiles,
plastics and rubber products, chemicals (2002)

Exports - partners:
China 25.3%, US 20.5%, Japan 9.2% (2002)

Imports:
$119.6 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision
instruments (2002)

Imports - partners:
Japan 24.2%, US 16.1%, China 7.1%, South Korea 6.9% (2002)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$207.1 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$53.44 billion (2003)

Currency:
new Taiwan dollar (TWD)

Currency code:
TWD

Exchange rates:
new Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 34.418 (2003), 34.575 (2002),
33.8 (2001), 33.09 (2000), 31.6 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June (up to FY98/99); 1 July 1999 - 31 December 2000
for FY00; calendar year (after FY00)

Communications Taiwan

Telephones - main lines in use:
13.355 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
25,089,600 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: provides telecommunications service for every
business and private need
domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized
international: country code - 886; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to
Japan (Okinawa), Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia,
Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)

Radios:
16 million (1994)

Television broadcast stations:
29 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
8.8 million (1998)

Internet country code:
.tw

Internet hosts:
2,777,085 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
8 (2000)

Internet users:
8.83 million (2003)

Transportation Taiwan

Railways:
total: 2,544 km
narrow gauge: 1,108 km 1.067-m gauge (519 km electrified)
note: 1,400 km .762-m gauge (belonging to the Taiwan Sugar
Corporation and to the Taiwan Forestry Bureau used to haul products
and limited numbers of passengers (2003)

Highways:
total: 35,931 km
paved: 31,583 km (including 608 km of expressways)
unpaved: 4,348 km (2000)

Pipelines:
condensate 25 km; gas 435 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung

Merchant marine:
total: 130 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,417,768 GRT/5,617,318 DWT
by type: bulk 36, cargo 23, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 3,
container 37, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 10, roll
on/roll off 2
registered in other countries: 457 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Cuba 1, Hong Kong 4

Airports:
40 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 37 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
3 (2003 est.)

Military Taiwan

Military branches:
Army, Navy (including Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard
Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service
Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
19-40 years of age for military service (being lowered to 35 years
of age in July 2005); service obligation 22 months (being shortened
to 18 months in July 2005 and 12 months in 2008) (January 2005)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 6,556,484 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 4,992,737 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 182,677 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$7,611.7 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.7% (2003)

Transnational Issues Taiwan

Disputes - international:
involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Philippines,
Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002
"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has
eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of
conduct" desired by several of the disputants; Paracel Islands are
occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; in 2003, China
and Taiwan asserted claims to the Japanese-administered Senkaku
Islands (Diaoyu Tai) with increased media coverage and protest
actions

Illicit drugs:
regional transit point for heroin and methamphetamine; major
problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin;
renewal of domestic methamphetamine production is a problem

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Tajikistan

Introduction Tajikistan

Background:
Tajikistan has completed its transition from the civil war that
plagued the country from 1992 to 1997. There have been no major
security incidents in more than two years, although the country
remains the poorest in the region. Attention by the international
community in the wake of the war in Afghanistan has brought
increased economic development assistance, which could create jobs
and increase stability in the long term. Tajikistan is in the early
stages of seeking World Trade Organization membership and has joined
NATO's Partnership for Peace.

Geography Tajikistan

Location:
Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates:
39 00 N, 71 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 143,100 sq km
water: 400 sq km
land: 142,700 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Land boundaries:
total: 3,651 km
border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870
km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to
polar in Pamir Mountains

Terrain:
Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley
in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m
highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m

Natural resources:
hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead,
zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold

Land use: arable land: 6.61% permanent crops: 0.92% other: 92.47% (2001)

Irrigated land:
7,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
earthquakes and floods

Environment - current issues: inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides

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

Geography - note:
landlocked; mountainous region dominated by the Trans-Alay Range in
the north and the Pamirs in the southeast; highest point, Qullai
Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was the tallest mountain
in the former USSR

People Tajikistan

Population:
7,011,556 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 39.2% (male 1,384,035; female 1,361,137)
15-64 years: 56.1% (male 1,957,712; female 1,976,488)
65 years and over: 4.7% (male 145,717; female 186,467) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 19.5 years
male: 19.2 years
female: 19.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.14% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
32.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.42 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-2.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 112.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 99.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 124.47 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.47 years
male: 61.53 years
female: 67.55 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.11 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Tajikistani(s)
adjective: Tajikistani

Ethnic groups:
Tajik 64.9%, Uzbek 25%, Russian 3.5% (declining because of
emigration), other 6.6%

Religions:
Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi'a Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)

Languages:
Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.4%
male: 99.6%
female: 99.1% (2003 est.)

Government Tajikistan

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan
conventional short form: Tajikistan
local short form: Tojikiston
former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic
local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Dushanbe

Administrative divisions: 2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and 1 autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor); Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon* [Gorno-Badakhshan] (Khorugh), Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa), Viloyati Sughd (Khujand) note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Independence:
9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)

Constitution:
6 November 1994

Legal system:
based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6 November 1994;
head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19 November 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January
1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved
by the Supreme Assembly
election results: Emomali RAHMONOV elected president; percent of
vote - Emomali RAHMONOV 97%, Davlat USMON 2%
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 6 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2006); prime
minister appointed by the president; Tajikistan held a
constitutional referendum on 22 June 2003 that, among other things,
set a term limit of two seven-year terms for the president

Legislative branch:
bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the Assembly
of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
and the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy (33
seats; members are indirectly elected, 25 selected by local
deputies, 8 appointed by the president; all serve five-year terms)
election results: Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - PDPT 65%, Communist Party 20%, Islamic Revival Party 7.5%,
other 7.5%; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote
by party - NA; seats by party - NA
elections: last held 27 February and 12 March 2000 for the Assembly
of Representatives (next to be held NA 2005) and 23 March 2000 for
the National Assembly (next to be held NA 2005)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV]; Islamic Revival
Party [Said Abdullo NURI]; People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan
or PDPT [Emomali RAHMONOV]; Social Democratic Party or SDPT
[Rahmatullo ZOIROV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Mirhuseyn NAZRIYEV];
Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
there are three unregistered political parties: Agrarian Party or
APT [Hikmatullo Nasriddinov]; Progressive Party [Sulton QUVVATOV];
Unity Party [Hikmatullo SAIDOV]

International organization participation:
AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, MIGA, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hamrohon ZARIPOV
chancery: 1725 K Street NW, Suite 409, Washington, DC 20006
FAX: [1] (202) 223-6091
telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard E. HOAGLAND embassy: 10 Pavlova Street, Dushanbe, Tajikistan 734003; note - the embassy in Dushanbe is not yet fully operational; most business is still handled in Almaty at: 531 Sayfullin Street, Almaty, Kazakhstan, telephone 7-3272-58-79-61, FAX 7-3272-58-79-68 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [992] (372) 21-03-48, 21-03-52, 24-15-60 FAX: [992] (372) 21-03-62, 51-00-28

Flag description:
three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and
green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold, five-pointed stars is
located in the center of the white stripe

Economy Tajikistan

Economy - overview:
Tajikistan has the lowest per capita GDP among the 15 former Soviet
republics. Only 5% to 6% of the land area is arable. Cotton is the
most important crop. Mineral resources, varied but limited in
amount, include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten. Industry
consists only of a large aluminum plant, hydropower facilities, and
small obsolete factories mostly in light industry and food
processing. The civil war (1992-97) severely damaged the already
weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in
industrial and agricultural production. Even though 60% of its
people continue to live in abject poverty, Tajikistan has
experienced steady economic growth since 1997. Continued
privatization of medium and large state-owned enterprises will
further increase productivity. Tajikistan's economic situation,
however, remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural
reforms, weak governance, widespread unemployment, and the external
debt burden. A debt restructuring agreement was reached with Russia
in December 2002, including an interest rate of 4%, a 3-year grace
period, and a US $49.8 million credit to the Central Bank of
Tajikistan.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $6.812 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30.8% industry: 29.1% services: 40.1% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
7.5% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
60% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 25.2% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
34.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
16.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
3.187 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 67.2%, industry 7.5%, services 25.3% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
40% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $253.5 million
expenditures: $238.5 million, including capital expenditures of $86
million (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:
aluminum, zinc, lead, chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable
oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers

Industrial production growth rate:
10.3% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
14.18 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
14.52 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
3.909 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
5.242 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
1.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$-50 million (2003)

Exports:
$750 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
aluminum, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles

Exports - partners:
Netherlands 25.4%, Turkey 24.4%, Latvia 9.9%, Switzerland 9.7%,
Uzbekistan 8.5%, Russia 6.6%, Iran 6.4% (2003)

Imports:
$890 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide, machinery and
equipment, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Russia 20.2%, Uzbekistan 15.1%, Kazakhstan 10.9%, Azerbaijan 7%,
Ukraine 7%, Romania 4.4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$117.6 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$1 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$60.7 million from US (2001)

Currency:
somoni

Currency code:
TJS

Exchange rates:
Tajikistani somoni per US dollar - 3.0614 (2003), 2.7641 (2002),
2.3722 (2001), 2.0763 (2000), 1.2378 (1999)
note: the new unit of exchange was introduced on 30 October 2000,
with one somoni equal to 1,000 of the old Tajikistani rubles

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Tajikistan

Telephones - main lines in use:
242,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
47,600 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: poorly developed and not well maintained; many
towns are not reached by the national network
domestic: cable and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 992; linked by cable and microwave
radio relay to other CIS republics and by leased connections to the
Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to
international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth
stations - 1 Orbita and 2 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2002)

Radios:
1.291 million (1991)

Television broadcast stations:
13 (2001)

Televisions:
820,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.tj

Internet hosts:
69 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
4 (2002)

Internet users:
4,100 (2003)

Transportation Tajikistan

Railways: total: 482 km broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 27,767 km paved: NA unpaved: NA (2000)

Waterways:
200 km (along Vakhsh River) (2003)

Pipelines:
gas 541 km; oil 38 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
66 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 51 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 40 (2003 est.)

Military Tajikistan

Military branches:
Army, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Presidential National Guard

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,762,730 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,444,325 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 86,761 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$35.4 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Tajikistan

Disputes - international:
prolonged regional drought created water-sharing difficulties for
Amu Darya river states; boundary agreements signed in 2002 cede
1,000 sq km of Pamir Mountain range to China in return for China
relinquishing claims to 28,000 sq km of Tajikistani lands but
demarcation has not yet commenced; talks continue with Uzbekistan to
delimit border and remove minefields; disputes in Isfara Valley
delay delimitation with Kyrgyzstan

Illicit drugs:
major transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and,
to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit
cultivation of opium poppy for domestic consumption; Tajikistan
seizes roughly 80 percent of all drugs captured in Central Asia and
stands third world-wide in seizures of opiates (heroin and raw opium)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Tanzania

Introduction Tanzania

Background:
Shortly after independence, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form
the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an end in
1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country since
the 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular opposition
have led to two contentious elections since 1995, which the ruling
party won despite international observers' claims of voting
irregularities.

Geography Tanzania

Location:
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and
Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
6 00 S, 35 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 945,087 sq km
note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar
water: 59,050 sq km
land: 886,037 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:
total: 3,861 km
border countries: Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217
km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km

Coastline:
1,424 km

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

Climate:
varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Terrain:
plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m

Natural resources:
hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones,
gold, natural gas, nickel

Land use: arable land: 4.52% permanent crops: 1.08% other: 94.4% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,550 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought

Environment - current issues:
soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of
coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected
marginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and
trade, especially for ivory

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

Geography - note:
Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by three of the
largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's
second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the
world's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest

People Tanzania

Population:
36,588,225
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.2% (male 8,102,692; female 8,055,370)
15-64 years: 53.2% (male 9,646,342; female 9,834,925)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 410,477; female 538,419) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.6 years
male: 17.3 years
female: 17.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.95% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
39 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
17.45 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-2.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 102.13 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 92.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 111.62 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 44.39 years
male: 43.2 years
female: 45.61 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.15 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
8.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.6 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
160,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, Rift Valley fever, plague, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Tanzanian(s)
adjective: Tanzanian

Ethnic groups:
mainland - native African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of
more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and
Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, native African, mixed Arab and native African

Religions:
mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%;
Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim

Languages:
Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguju (name for Swahili in
Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce,
administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in
Zanzibar), many local languages
note: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people
living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili
is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety
of sources, including Arabic and English, and it has become the
lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of
most people is one of the local languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili),
English, or Arabic
total population: 78.2%
male: 85.9%
female: 70.7% (2003 est.)

Government Tanzania

Country name:
conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania
conventional short form: Tanzania
former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Dar es Salaam; note - legislative offices have been transferred to
Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital; the National
Assembly now meets there on regular basis

Administrative divisions:
26 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera, Kigoma,
Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Manyara, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza,
Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida,
Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, Zanzibar
Urban/West

Independence:
26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961 (from
UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent 19
December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April
1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed
United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964

National holiday:
Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)

Constitution:
25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984

Legal system:
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts
limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23 November
1995); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001);
note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23
November 1995); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July
2001); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
government
note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for
matters internal to Zanzibar; Amani Abeid KARUME was elected to that
office on 29 October 2000
cabinet: Cabinet ministers, including the prime minister, are
appointed by the president from among the members of the National
Assembly
election results: Benjamin William MKAPA reelected president;
percent of vote - Benjamin William MKAPA 71.7%, Ibrahim Haruna
LIPUMBA 16.3%, Augustine Lyatonga MREME 7.8%, John Momose CHEYO 4.2%
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 29 October
2000 (next to be held NA October 2005); prime minister appointed by
the president

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats - 232 elected by
popular vote, 37 allocated to women nominated by the president, five
to members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives; members serve
five-year terms); note - in addition to enacting laws that apply to
the entire United Republic of Tanzania, the Assembly enacts laws
that apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar has its own House of
Representatives to make laws especially for Zanzibar (the Zanzibar
House of Representatives has 50 seats, directly elected by universal
suffrage to serve five-year terms)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - CCM 244, CUF 16, CHADEMA 4, TLP 3, UDP 2, Zanzibar
representatives 5; Zanzibar House of Representatives - percent of
vote by party - NA; seats by party - CCM 34, CUF 16
elections: last held 29 October 2000 (next to be held NA October
2005)

Judicial branch:
Permanent Commission of Enquiry (official ombudsman); Court of
Appeal (consists of a chief justice and four judges); High Court
(consists of a Jaji Kiongozi and 29 judges appointed by the
president; holds regular sessions in all regions); District Courts;
Primary Courts (limited jurisdiction and appeals can be made to the
higher courts)

Political parties and leaders:
Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Party of Democracy and
Development) or CHADEMA [Bob MAKANI]; Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM
(Revolutionary Party) [Benjamin William MKAPA]; Civic United Front
or CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA]; Democratic Party (unregistered)
[Christopher MTIKLA]; Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Augustine
Lyatonga MREMA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EADB, FAO, G- 6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UN Security Council
(temporary), UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Andrew Mhando DARAJA chancery: 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert V. ROYALL embassy: 140 Msese Road, Kinondoni District, Dar es Salaam mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam telephone: [255] (22) 2666-010 through 2666-015 FAX: [255] (22) 2666-701, 2668-501

Flag description:
divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the lower
hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the
lower triangle is blue

Economy Tanzania

Economy - overview:
Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy
depends heavily on agriculture, which accounts for about half of
GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 80% of the work force.
Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated crops
to only 4% of the land area. Industry traditionally featured the
processing of agricultural products and light consumer goods. The
World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and bilateral donors
have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's out-of-date economic
infrastructure and to alleviate poverty. Growth in 1991-2002
featured a pickup in industrial production and a substantial
increase in output of minerals, led by gold. Oil and gas exploration
and development played an important role in this growth. Recent
banking reforms have helped increase private sector growth and
investment. Continued donor assistance and solid macroeconomic
policies supported real GDP growth of more than 5.2% in 2004.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $21.58 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 43.6% industry: 16.5% services: 40% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
17.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
36% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 30.1% (1993)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
38.2 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.4% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
18.56 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $1.879 billion
expenditures: $1.873 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
6.1% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from
chrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat, cassava
(tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:
agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine),
diamond and gold mining, oil refining, shoes, cement, textiles, wood
products, fertilizer, salt

Industrial production growth rate:
8.4% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
2.906 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
2.752 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
50 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
17,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
11.33 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-617 million (2003)

Exports:
$978 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton

Exports - partners:
Japan 9.5%, India 8.6%, Netherlands 8.2%, Germany 5.3%, UK 5.3%,
Kenya 4.8% (2003)

Imports:
$1.674 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, industrial
raw materials, crude oil

Imports - partners:
South Africa 10.1%, China 9.3%, Zambia 6.4%, India 5.8%, UAE 5.4%,
Kenya 5.1%, UK 4.5%, Germany 4% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$2.064 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$6.549 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$1.2 billion (2001)

Currency:
Tanzanian shilling (TZS)

Currency code:
TZS

Exchange rates:
Tanzanian shillings per US dollar - NA (2003), 966.583 (2002),
876.412 (2001), 800.409 (2000), 744.759 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Tanzania

Telephones - main lines in use:
149,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
891,200 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fair system operating below capacity and being
modernized for better service; VSAT (very small aperture terminal)
system under construction
domestic: trunk service provided by open-wire, microwave radio
relay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable; some links being
made digital
international: country code - 255; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 12, FM 11, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
8.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
3 (1999)

Televisions:
103,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.tz

Internet hosts:
5,534 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)

Internet users:
250,000 (2003)

Transportation Tanzania

Railways: total: 3,690 km narrow gauge: 969 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,721 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 88,200 km paved: 3,704 km unpaved: 84,496 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa principal avenues of
commerce with neighboring countries; rivers not navigable (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 29 km; oil 866 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bukoba, Dar es Salaam, Kigoma, Kilwa Masoko, Lindi, Mtwara, Mwanza,
Pangani, Tanga, Wete, Zanzibar

Merchant marine:
total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 25,481 GRT/31,011 DWT
registered in other countries: 5 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 3, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, roll
on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 1

Airports:
123 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 112 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 60 under 914 m: 33 (2004 est.)

Military Tanzania

Military branches:
Tanzanian People's Defense Force: Army, Naval Wing, and Air Defense
Command; National Service

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 15 years of age for voluntary military service; 18 years of age for compulsory military service upon graduation from secondary school; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 8,687,477 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 5,031,621 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$20.3 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Tanzania

Disputes - international:
disputes with Malawi over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi)
and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 447,877 (Burundi), 153,155
(Democratic Republic of the Congo), 3,036 (Somalia) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
growing role in transshipment of Southwest and Southeast Asian
heroin and South American cocaine destined for South African,
European, and US markets and of South Asian methaqualone bound for
Southern Africa; money laundering remains a problem

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Thailand

Introduction Thailand

Background:
A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century.
Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian
country never to have been taken over by a European power. A
bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In
alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally
following the conflict. Thailand is currently facing armed violence
in its three Muslim-majority southernmost provinces.

Geography Thailand

Location:
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of
Thailand, southeast of Burma

Geographic coordinates:
15 00 N, 100 00 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 514,000 sq km
water: 2,230 sq km
land: 511,770 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming

Land boundaries:
total: 4,863 km
border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km,
Malaysia 506 km

Coastline:
3,219 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to
September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March);
southern isthmus always hot and humid

Terrain:
central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m

Natural resources:
tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish,
gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

Land use: arable land: 29.36% permanent crops: 6.46% other: 64.18% (2001)

Irrigated land:
47,490 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the
water table; droughts

Environment - current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore

People Thailand

Population:
64,865,523
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.1% (male 7,985,724; female 7,631,337)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 21,998,552; female 22,538,765)
65 years and over: 7.3% (male 2,167,421; female 2,543,724) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 30.5 years male: 29.7 years female: 31.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.91% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
16.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.94 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 21.14 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 22.49 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.41 years
male: 69.23 years
female: 73.71 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.89 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
570,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
58,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Thai (singular and plural)
adjective: Thai

Ethnic groups:
Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%

Religions:
Buddhism 95%, Muslim 3.8%, Christianity 0.5%, Hinduism 0.1%, other
0.6% (1991)

Languages:
Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and
regional dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.6%
male: 94.9%
female: 90.5% (2002)

Government Thailand

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand
conventional short form: Thailand
former: Siam

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Bangkok

Administrative divisions:
76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural); Amnat Charoen, Ang
Thong, Buriram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chanthaburi,
Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin, Kamphaeng
Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep Mahanakhon
(Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, Maha
Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom,
Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan,
Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani,
Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi,
Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket,
Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi
Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut
Songkhram, Sara Buri, Satun, Sing Buri, Sisaket, Songkhla,
Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon
Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon

Independence:
1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)

National holiday:
Birthday of King PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927)

Constitution:
new constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997

Legal system:
based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946)
note: there is also a Privy Council
head of government: Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat (since 9
February 2001) and Deputy Prime Ministers CHATURON Chaisaeng, Gen.
CHAWALIT Yongchaiyut (Ret.), PURACHAI Piamsombun, VISHANU Krua-ngam
(since 8 November 2003); LIPTAPANLOP Suwat (since 1 July 2004);
SOMSAK Thepsuthin, PHINIT Charusombat (since 6 October 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister is
designated from among the members of the House of Representatives;
following national elections for the House of Representatives, the
leader of the party that can organize a majority coalition usually
is appointed prime minister by the king

Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consists of the Senate or
Wuthisapha (200 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen
Ratsadon (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 4 March, 29 April, 4 June, 9 July, and
22 July 2000 (next to be held by March 2006); House of
Representatives - last held 6 January 2001 (next to be held 6
February 2005)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - TRT 248, DP 128, TNP 41, NDP 29, other 54

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
Democrat Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [BANYAT Bantadtan];
People's Party or PP (Mahachon Party) [ANEK Laothamatas]; Thai
Nation Party or TNP (Chat Thai Party) [BARNHARN SILPA-ARCHA]; Thai
Rak Thai Party or TRT [THAKSIN Chinnawat]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC
(observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: KASIT Piromya
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611
telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600
chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC
20007-3681

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph L. BOYCE
embassy: 120/22 Wireless Road, Bangkok
mailing address: APO AP 96546
telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000
FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131
consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai

Flag description:
five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width),
white, and red

Economy Thailand

Economy - overview:
Thailand has a free-enterprise economy and welcomes foreign
investment. Exports feature textiles and footwear, fishery products,
rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical
appliances. Thailand has recovered from the 1997-98 Asian Financial
Crisis and was one of East Asia's best performers in 2002. Increased
consumption and investment spending and strong export growth pushed
GDP growth up to 6.3% in 2003 despite a sluggish global economy. The
highly popular government has pushed an expansionist policy,
including major support of village economic development.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $477.5 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $7,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9.8% industry: 44% services: 46.3% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
25.5% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
10.4% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
41.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.8% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
34.9 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 49%, industry 14%, services 37% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
2.2% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $24.41 billion
expenditures: $24.01 billion, including capital expenditures of $5
billion (2003 est.)

Public debt:
46.6% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans

Industries:
tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages,
tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry, electric
appliances and components, computers and parts, integrated circuits,
furniture, plastics, world's second-largest tungsten producer, and
third-largest tin producer

Industrial production growth rate:
12.3% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
97.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
90.91 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
200 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
350 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
173,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
785,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
600 million bbl (1 January 2003)

Natural gas - production:
18.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
23.93 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
5.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
368.2 billion cu m (1 January 2003)

Current account balance:
$9.44 billion (2003)

Exports:
$75.99 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
computers, office machine parts, transistors, rubber, vehicles
(cars and trucks), plastic, seafood (2002)

Exports - partners:
US 17%, Japan 14.2%, Singapore 7.3%, China 7.1%, Hong Kong 5.4%,
Malaysia 4.8% (2003)

Imports:
$65.3 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer
goods, fuels (2000)

Imports - partners:
Japan 24.1%, US 9.5%, China 8%, Malaysia 6%, Singapore 4.3%, Taiwan
4.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$42.15 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$53.75 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$131.5 million (1998 est.)

Currency:
baht (THB)

Currency code:
THB

Exchange rates:
baht per US dollar - 41.4846 (2003), 42.9601 (2002), 44.4319
(2001), 40.1118 (2000), 37.8137 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications Thailand

Telephones - main lines in use:
6.6 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
16.117 million (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: service to general public adequate, but
investment in technological upgrades reduced by recession; bulk of
service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and
microwave radio relay network
domestic: microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic
satellite system being developed
international: country code - 66; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999)

Radios:
13.96 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
5 (all in Bangkok; plus 131 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
15.19 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.th

Internet hosts:
103,700 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
15 (2000)

Internet users:
6,031,300 (2003)

Transportation Thailand

Railways: total: 4,071 km narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 64,600 km paved: 62,985 km unpaved: 1,615 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 4,000 km note: 3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m (2003)

Pipelines:
gas 3,112 km; refined products 265 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Pattani, Phuket, Sattahip, Si Racha, Songkhla

Merchant marine:
total: 339 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,038,597 GRT/3,104,712 DWT
foreign-owned: Egypt 1, Germany 3, Indonesia 1, Japan 4, Norway 38,
Panama 2, Singapore 3
registered in other countries: 43 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 40, cargo 135, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 2,
combination ore/oil 1, container 19, liquefied gas 22,
multi-functional large load carrier 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker
79, refrigerated cargo 22, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea/passenger
2, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier 1

Airports:
109 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 65 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 44 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 28 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 3 (2003 est.)

Military Thailand

Military branches:
Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy (including Royal Thai Marine
Corps), Royal Thai Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 21 years of age for compulsory military service; males are registered at 18 years of age; conscript service obligation - 2 years; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 17,944,151 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 10,735,354 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 531,511 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.775 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.8% (2003)

Transnational Issues Thailand

Disputes - international:
a 1 kilometer segment at the mouth of the Golok River remains in
dispute with Malaysia; demarcation with Laos complete except for
certain Mekong River islets and complaints of Thai squatters;
despite continuing border committee talks, significant differences
remain with Burma over boundary alignment and the handling of ethnic
rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities; Cambodia
accuses Thailand of moving boundary markers and obstructing access
to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in
1962; 2003 anti-Thai riots in Phnom Penh resulted in the destruction
of the Thai Embassy and damage to 17 Thai-owned businesses and
disputes over payments of full compensation persist; groups in Burma
and Thailand express concern over China's construction of 13
hydroelectric dams on the Salween River in Yunnan Province

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 118,407 (Burma) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; illicit transit
point for heroin en route to the international drug market from
Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of
cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring
countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication
efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in
amphetamine production for regional consumption; increasing
indigenous abuse of methamphetamine

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Togo

Introduction Togo

Background:
French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA,
installed as military ruler in 1967, is Africa's longest-serving
head of state. Despite the facade of multiparty elections instituted
in the early 1990s, the government continues to be dominated by
President EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party
has maintained power almost continually since 1967. In addition,
Togo has come under fire from international organizations for human
rights abuses and is plagued by political unrest. While most
bilateral and multilateral aid to Togo remains frozen, the European
Union initiated a partial resumption of cooperation and development
aid to Togo in late 2004.

Geography Togo

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and
Ghana

Geographic coordinates:
8 00 N, 1 10 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 56,785 sq km
water: 2,400 sq km
land: 54,385 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 1,647 km border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km

Coastline: 56 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 30 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain:
gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau;
low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Agou 986 m

Natural resources:
phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

Land use: arable land: 46.15% permanent crops: 2.21% other: 51.64% (2001)

Irrigated land:
70 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during
winter; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and the use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban areas

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct
geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna

People Togo

Population:
5,556,812
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.9% (male 1,222,622; female 1,214,443)
15-64 years: 53.6% (male 1,455,373; female 1,522,456)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 59,165; female 82,753) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.6 years
male: 17.2 years
female: 17.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.27% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
34.36 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
11.64 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 67.66 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 59.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 75.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.05 years
male: 51.07 years
female: 55.09 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
4.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
110,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
10,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, yellow fever, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Togolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Togolese

Ethnic groups:
native African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe,
Mina, and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1%

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 29%, Muslim 20%

Languages:
French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the
two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled
Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 60.9%
male: 75.4%
female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

Government Togo

Country name:
conventional long form: Togolese Republic
conventional short form: Togo
local short form: none
former: French Togoland
local long form: Republique Togolaise

Government type:
republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule

Capital:
Lome

Administrative divisions:
5 regions (regions, singular - region); Kara, Plateaux, Savanes,
Centrale, Maritime

Independence:
27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 April (1960)

Constitution:
multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of the
Republic 1 July 1992; adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992

Legal system:
French-based court system

Suffrage:
NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 6 February 2005);
note - Gnassingbe EYADEMA died on 5 February 2005 and was succeeded
by his son, Faure GNASSINGBE, who will be allowed to complete his
father's term
head of government: Prime Minister Koffi SAMA (since 29 June 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the
prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 1 June 2003 (next to be held NA June 2008); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: Gnassingbe EYADEMA reelected president; percent of
vote - Gnassingbe EYADEMA 57.2%, Emmanuel Akitani BOB 34.1%, Yawovi
AGBOYIBO 5.2%, Maurice Dahuku PERE 2.3%, Edem KODJO 1.0%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 27 October 2002 (next NA 2007)
note: two opposition parties boycotted the election, the Union of
the Forces for Change, and the Action Committee for Renewal
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
RPT 72, RSDD 3, UDPS 2, Juvento 2, MOCEP 1, independents 1

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders: Juvento [Monsilia DJATO]; Movement of the Believers of Peace and Equality or MOCEP [leader NA]; Rally for the Support for Development and Democracy or RSDD [Harryy OLYMPIO]; Rally of the Togolese People or RPT [President Gnassingbe EYADEMA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Gagou KOKOU] note: Rally of the Togolese People or RPT, led by President EYADEMA, was the only party until the formation of multiple parties was legalized 12 April 1991

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Akoussoulelou BODJONA FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212 chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gregory ENGLE embassy: Angle Rue Kouenou and Rue 15 Beniglato, Lome mailing address: B. P. 852, Lome telephone: [228] 221 29 91 through 221 29 94 FAX: [228] 221 79 52

Flag description:
five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating
with yellow; there is a white five-pointed star on a red square in
the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African colors of
Ethiopia

Economy Togo

Economy - overview:
This small sub-Saharan economy is heavily dependent on both
commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment
for 65% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be
imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate about 40% of export
earnings, with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo is
the world's fourth-largest producer of phosphate, but production
fell an estimated 22% in 2002 due to power shortages and the cost of
developing new deposits. The government's decade-long effort,
supported by the World Bank and the IMF, to implement economic
reform measures, encourage foreign investment, and bring revenues in
line with expenditures has moved slowly. Progress depends on
following through on privatization, increased openness in government
financial operations, progress toward legislative elections, and
continued support from foreign donors.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $8.257 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 39.5% industry: 20.4% services: 40.1% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
18.4% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
32% (1989 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-1% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
1.74 million (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 65%, industry 5%, services 30% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $214.5 million
expenditures: $296.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans, rice,
millet, sorghum; livestock; fish

Industries:
phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement; handicrafts,
textiles, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
101.6 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
614.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
520 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by Ghana (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
10,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-140 million (2003)

Exports:
$398.1 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa

Exports - partners:
Burkina Faso 16.6%, Ghana 15.4%, Netherlands 13%, Benin 9.6%, Mali
7.7% (2003)

Imports:
$501.3 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
France 21.1%, Netherlands 12.1%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.9%, Germany 4.6%,
Italy 4.4%, South Africa 4.3%, China 4.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$257 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.4 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA $80 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
XOF

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 581.2
(2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699
(1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Togo

Telephones - main lines in use:
60,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
220,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwave
radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobile
cellular system
domestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional
system; cellular system has capacity of 10,000 telephones
international: country code - 228; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Symphonie

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
940,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
3 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
73,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.tg

Internet hosts:
82 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2001)

Internet users:
210,000 (2003)

Transportation Togo

Railways: total: 568 km narrow gauge: 568 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 7,520 km paved: 2,376 km unpaved: 5,144 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
50 km (seasonally on Mono River depending on rainfall) (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Kpeme, Lome

Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,918 GRT/3,852 DWT
by type: cargo 1, specialized tanker 1
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
9 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Togo

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,316,455 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 690,331 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$32.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Togo

Disputes - international:
in 2001 Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - joint
commission continues to resurvey the boundary

Illicit drugs:
transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; money
laundering not a significant problem

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Tokelau

Introduction Tokelau

Background:
Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island
groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in
1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925.

Geography Tokelau

Location:
Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about
one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
9 00 S, 172 00 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 10 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 10 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
101 km

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

Climate:
tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)

Terrain:
low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources:
NEGL

Land use:
arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
lies in Pacific typhoon belt

Environment - current issues:
very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to
emigration to New Zealand

Geography - note:
consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded by a number
of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over three
meters above sea level

People Tokelau

Population: 1,405 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% 15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.01% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
NA births/1,000 population

Death rate:
NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio:
NA

Infant mortality rate:
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA years
male: 68 years
female: 70 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Tokelauan(s)
adjective: Tokelauan

Ethnic groups:
Polynesian

Religions:
Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2%
note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on
Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with
the Congregational Christian Church predominant

Languages:
Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English

Literacy:
NA

Government Tokelau

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

Dependency status:
self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelauans are
drafting a constitution and developing institutions and patterns of
self-government as Tokelau moves toward free association with New
Zealand

Government type:
NA

Capital:
none; each atoll has its own administrative center

Administrative divisions:
none (territory of New Zealand)

Independence:
none (territory of New Zealand)

National holiday:
Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty
over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution:
administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as amended in
1970

Legal system:
New Zealand and local statutes

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK
and New Zealand are represented by Administrator Neil WALTER (since
NA 2002)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the
head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves
a one-year term
head of government: Aliki Faipule Kuresa NASAU (since 2004) note -
position rotates annually among members of the cabinet
cabinet: the Council of Faipule, consisting of three elected leaders
- one from each atoll - functions as a cabinet

Legislative branch:
unicameral General Fono (48 seats; 15 members from each of the
three islands elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms and
the 3 island village mayors [pulenuku]); note - the Tokelau
Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the
General Fono

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal
jurisdiction in Tokelau

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
UNESCO (associate), UPU

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

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

Flag description:
the flag of New Zealand is used

Economy Tokelau

Economy - overview:
Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of
resources greatly restrain economic development and confine
agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid
from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public
services, with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The
principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage
stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to
families from relatives in New Zealand.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.5 million (1993 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1993 est.)

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

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA

Labor force:
NA

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $430,800
expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of
$37,300 (1987 est.)

Agriculture - products:
coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats

Industries:
small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited
craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Exports:
$98,000 f.o.b. (1983)

Exports - commodities:
stamps, copra, handicrafts

Exports - partners:
New Zealand (2000)

Imports:
$323,000 c.i.f. (1983)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, building materials, fuel

Imports - partners:
New Zealand (2000)

Debt - external:
$0

Economic aid - recipient:
from New Zealand about $4 million annually

Currency:
New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:
NZD

Exchange rates:
New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003), 2.154 (2002),
2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

Communications Tokelau

Telephones - main lines in use:
300 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
0 (2001)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate
domestic: radiotelephone service between islands
international: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa;
government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite
earth stations, established in 1997

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA note: each atoll has a radio broadcast station of unknown type that broadcasts shipping and weather reports (1998)

Radios:
1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.tk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Tokelau

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
none; lagoon landings are possible by amphibious aircraft (2003
est.)

Military Tokelau

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Transnational Issues Tokelau

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Tonga

Introduction Tonga

Background:
The archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into a
Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in
1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired its
independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of
Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.

Geography Tonga

Location:
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds
of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
20 00 S, 175 00 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 748 sq km
water: 30 sq km
land: 718 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
419 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May),
cool season (May to December)

Terrain:
most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral
formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m

Natural resources:
fish, fertile soil

Land use:
arable land: 23.61%
permanent crops: 43.06%
other: 33.33% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on
Fonuafo'ou

Environment - current issues:
deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for
agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish
and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens
native sea turtle populations

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

Geography - note:
archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)

People Tonga

Population:
110,237 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.1% (male 20,873; female 20,050)
15-64 years: 58.7% (male 32,018; female 32,707)
65 years and over: 4.2% (male 2,005; female 2,584) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 20.1 years
male: 19.7 years
female: 20.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.94% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
24.87 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.45 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 12.99 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 14.36 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.2 years
male: 66.74 years
female: 71.79 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Tongan(s)
adjective: Tongan

Ethnic groups:
Polynesian, Europeans about 300

Religions:
Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)

Languages:
Tongan, English

Literacy:
definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English
total population: 98.5%
male: 98.4%
female: 98.7% (1996 est.)

Government Tonga

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga
conventional short form: Tonga
former: Friendly Islands

Government type:
hereditary constitutional monarchy

Capital:
Nuku'alofa

Administrative divisions:
3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u

Independence:
4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 June (1970)

Constitution:
4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967

Legal system:
based on English law

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965)
note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch,
the Cabinet, and two governors
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and
deputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarch
cabinet: Cabinet, appointed by the monarch, consists of 12 members
head of government: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA
(since NA February 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister James C. COCKER
(since NA January 2001)

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats - 12
reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles
selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular
vote; members serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 7 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2005)
election results: percent of vote - HRDMT 70%; seats - HRDMT 7,
traditionalist 2

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of
Appeal (consists of the Privy Council with the addition of the chief
justice of the Supreme Court)

Political parties and leaders:
there are no political parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev. Simote
VEA, chair]

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sonatane T. T. TUPOU chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025 consulate(s) general: San Francisco FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is
accredited to Tonga

Flag description:
red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper
hoist-side corner

Economy Tonga

Economy - overview:
Tonga, a small, open, South Pacific island economy, has a narrow
export base in agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and
vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up
two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high
proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. Tourism is the
second-largest source of hard currency earnings following
remittances. The country remains dependent on external aid and
remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade
deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the
private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is
committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a
reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social
services. High unemployment among the young and the continuing
upturn in inflation are major issues facing the government.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $236 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 26%
industry: 12%
services: 62% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
33,910 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 65% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
13.3% (1996 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $39.9 million
expenditures: $52.4 million, including capital expenditures of $1.9
million (FY99/00 est.)

Agriculture - products: squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish

Industries:
tourism, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
8.6% (FY98/99)

Electricity - production:
27.27 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
25.36 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$27 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops

Exports - partners:
US 50%, Japan 35.7%, Italy 3.6% (2003)

Imports:
$86 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:
New Zealand 43.4%, Fiji 22.2%, Australia 11.1%, US 6.1% (2003)

Debt - external:
$63.4 million (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million (FY01/02)

Currency:
pa'anga (TOP)

Currency code:
TOP

Exchange rates:
pa'anga per US dollar - NA (2003), 2.1952 (2002), 2.1236 (2001),
1.7585 (2000), 1.5991 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Tonga

Telephones - main lines in use:
11,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
3,400 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (1996)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
61,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (2001)

Televisions:
2,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.to

Internet hosts:
18,906 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
2,900 (2002)

Transportation Tonga

Highways: total: 680 km paved: 184 km unpaved: 496 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai

Merchant marine:
total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 136,977 GRT/200,751 DWT
foreign-owned: Albania 1, Australia 4, Brazil 1, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1,
Greece 1, Lebanon 1, Liberia 1, Marshall Islands 1, Norway 1, Panama
2, Romania 1, Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 1, Switzerland 3, Syria 1,
United (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 3, cargo 21, chemical tanker 2, container 1, liquefied
gas 4, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1,
specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1

Airports:
6 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Tonga

Military branches:
Tonga Defense Services: Ground Forces (Royal Marines, Royal Guard),
Maritime Force (including Air Wing)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Tonga

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Trinidad and Tobago

Introduction Trinidad and Tobago

Background:
The islands came under British control in the 19th century;
independence was granted in 1962. The country is one of the most
prosperous in the Caribbean thanks largely to petroleum and natural
gas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in Tobago, is
targeted for expansion and is growing.

Geography Trinidad and Tobago

Location:
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Geographic coordinates:
11 00 N, 61 00 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 5,128 sq km
land: 5,128 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
362 km

Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental
margin
contiguous zone: 24 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Terrain:
mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Land use: arable land: 14.62% permanent crops: 9.16% other: 76.22% (2001)

Irrigated land:
30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms

Environment - current issues: water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world's
largest natural reservoir of asphalt

People Trinidad and Tobago

Population:
1,096,585 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.4% (male 120,153; female 114,205)
15-64 years: 70.6% (male 403,202; female 370,498)
65 years and over: 8.1% (male 39,762; female 48,765) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 30.4 years
male: 30 years
female: 30.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.71% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
12.75 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
9.02 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-10.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 24.64 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 22.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 26.58 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.28 years
male: 66.86 years
female: 71.82 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.77 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
29,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,900 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)
adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian

Ethnic groups:
East Indian (a local term - primarily immigrants from northern
India) 40.3%, black 39.5%, mixed 18.4%, white 0.6%, Chinese and
other 1.2%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 29.4%, Hindu 23.8%, Anglican 10.9%, Muslim 5.8%,
Presbyterian 3.4%, other 26.7%

Languages:
English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish, Chinese

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.6%
male: 99.1%
female: 98% (2003 est.)

Government Trinidad and Tobago

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Port-of-Spain

Administrative divisions:
9 regional corporations, 2 city corporations, 3 borough
corporations, and 1 ward
: regional corporations: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Diego Martin,
Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San
Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarco
: city corporations: Port of Spain, San Fernando;
: ward: Tobago
: borough corporations: Arima, Point Fortin, Chaguanas

Independence:
31 August 1962 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 31 August (1962)

Constitution:
1 August 1976

Legal system:
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in
the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President George Maxwell RICHARDS (since 17 March
2003)
elections: president elected by an electoral college, which consists
of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a
five-year term; election last held 14 February 2003 (next to be held
in 2008); the president usually appoints as prime minister the
leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives
election results: George Maxwell RICHARDS elected president; percent
of electoral college vote - 43%
cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament
head of government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24
December 2001)

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31 seats; 16 members
appointed by the ruling party, 9 by the President, 6 by the
opposition party for a maximum term of five years) and the House of
Representatives (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 October 2002 (next
to be held by October 2007)
note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly with 12 members
serving four-year terms
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM
55.5%, UNC 44.5%; seats by party - PNM 20, UNC 16

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the High Court of Justice
and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is appointed by the
president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader
of the opposition; other justices are appointed by the president on
the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission); High Court
of Justice; Court of Appeals; the highest court of appeal is the
Privy Council in London

Political parties and leaders:
National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR [Lennox SANKERSINGH];
People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; Team Unity or
TU [Ramesh MAHARAJ]; United National Congress or UNC [Basdeo
PANDAY]; Democratic Action Committee or DAC [Hochoy CHARLES], note -
only active in Tobago

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Jamaat-al Muslimeen [Yasin BAKR]

International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marina Annette VALERE
chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490
FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN
embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain
mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain
telephone: [1] (868) 622-6372 through 6376, 622-6176
FAX: [1] (868) 628-5462

Flag description:
red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist
side to the lower fly side

Economy Trinidad and Tobago

Economy - overview:
Trinidad and Tobago, the leading Caribbean producer of oil and gas,
has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site for
international businesses. Tourism is a growing sector, although not
proportionately as important as in many other Caribbean islands. The
economy benefits from low inflation and a growing trade surplus.
Prospects for growth in 2004 are good as prices for oil,
petrochemicals, and liquified natural gas are expected to remain
high, and foreign direct investment continues to grow to support
expanded capacity in the energy sector. The government is coping
with a rise in violent crime.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $10.52 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $9,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.6% industry: 49% services: 48.4% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
14.8% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
21% (1992 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.8% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
590,000 (2003)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 9.5%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 14%, construction and utilities 12.4%, services 64.1% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
10.4% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $2.663 billion
expenditures: $2.51 billion, including capital expenditures of
$117.3 million (2003)

Public debt:
55.9% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
cocoa, sugarcane, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry

Industries:
petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement, beverage,
cotton textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
5.7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
5.315 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
4.943 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
136,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
990 million bbl (1 January 2004)

Natural gas - production:
25 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
13.76 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
11.79 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
589 billion cu m (1 January 2004)

Current account balance:
$954 million (2003)

Exports:
$4.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products,
fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers

Exports - partners:
US 63.5%, Jamaica 5.6%, France 3.2% (2003)

Imports:
$3.917 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live
animals

Imports - partners:
US 31.7%, Venezuela 13.6%, Brazil 7.3%, Germany 6.6%, UK 5.1%,
Japan 4.3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$2.477 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$2.608 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$24 million (1999 est.)

Currency:
Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)

Currency code:
TTD

Exchange rates:
Trinidad and Tobago dollars per US dollar - 6.2929 (2003), 6.2487
(2002), 6.2332 (2001), 6.2998 (2000), 6.2989 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications Trinidad and Tobago

Telephones - main lines in use:
325,100 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
361,900 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent international service; good local
service
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-868; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and
Guyana

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 18, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
680,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
4 (2004)

Televisions:
425,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.tt

Internet hosts:
8,003 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
17 (2000)

Internet users:
138,000 (2002)

Transportation Trinidad and Tobago

Highways: total: 8,320 km paved: 4,252 km unpaved: 4,068 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines:
condensate 253 km; gas 1,117 km; oil 478 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Pointe-a-Pierre, Point Fortin, Point Lisas, Port-of-Spain,
Scarborough, Tembladora

Merchant marine:
total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,178 GRT/3,633 DWT
registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: United States 1
by type: cargo 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker
1, short-sea/passenger 1

Airports:
6 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Trinidad and Tobago

Military branches:
Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force: Ground Force, Coast Guard, and
Air Wing

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 326,447 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 232,234 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$66.7 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.6% (2003)

Transnational Issues Trinidad and Tobago

Disputes - international:
Barbados will assert its claim before UNCLOS that the northern
limit of Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela
extends into its waters; Guyana has also expressed its intention to
challenge this boundary as it may extend into its waters as well

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US
and Europe; producer of cannabis

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Tromelin Island

Introduction Tromelin Island

Background:
First explored by the French in 1776, the island came under the
jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it serves as a sea
turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important meteorological
station.

Geography Tromelin Island

Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:
15 52 S, 54 25 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 1 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
3.7 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
tropical

Terrain:
low, flat, and sandy; likely volcanic

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 7 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (grasses; scattered bushes) (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones;
wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)

People Tromelin Island

Population: uninhabited, except for visits by scientists (July 2004 est.)

Government Tromelin Island

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tromelin Island
local short form: Ile Tromelin
local long form: none

Dependency status:
possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the
Republic, resident in Reunion

Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of France is used

Economy Tromelin Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications Tromelin Island

Communications - note: important meteorological station

Transportation Tromelin Island

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Tromelin Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Tromelin Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Mauritius

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@Tunisia

Introduction Tunisia

Background:
Following independence from France in 1956, President Habib
BOURGUIBA established a strict one-party state. He dominated the
country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and
establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In
recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in
its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising
pressure for a more open political society.

Geography Tunisia

Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria
and Libya

Geographic coordinates:
34 00 N, 9 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 163,610 sq km
water: 8,250 sq km
land: 155,360 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries: total: 1,424 km border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km

Coastline: 1,148 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:
temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers;
desert in south

Terrain:
mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges
into the Sahara

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt

Land use:
arable land: 17.86%
permanent crops: 13.74%
other: 68.4% (2001)

Irrigated land:
3,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues: toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

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

Geography - note:
strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are
discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf
between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

People Tunisia

Population:
9,974,722 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 26% (male 1,337,546; female 1,253,814)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 3,373,199; female 3,360,402)
65 years and over: 6.5% (male 315,151; female 334,610) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 26.8 years
male: 26.3 years
female: 27.3 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.01% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
15.74 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.05 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 25.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 22.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 28.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.66 years
male: 73 years
female: 76.44 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Tunisian(s)
adjective: Tunisian

Ethnic groups:
Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Religions:
Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Languages:
Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French
(commerce)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.2%
male: 84%
female: 64.4% (2003 est.)

Government Tunisia

Country name:
conventional long form: Tunisian Republic
conventional short form: Tunisia
local short form: Tunis
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Tunis

Administrative divisions:
24 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous (Bin
'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah), Jendouba
(Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn), Kebili
(Qibili), Kef (Al Kaf), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba (Manubah),
Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax
(Safaqis), Sidi Bou Zid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana (Silyanah), Sousse
(Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar), Tunis, Zaghouan
(Zaghwan)

Independence:
20 March 1956 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 20 March (1956)

Constitution:
1 June 1959; amended 12 July 1988

Legal system:
based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial
review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session

Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November
1987)
head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17
November 1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 24 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a
fourth term; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI 94.5%,
Mohamed BOUCHIHA 3.8%, Mohamed Ali HALOUANI 1%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (189 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 24 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
RCD 152, MDS 14, PUP 11, UDU 7, Al-Tajdid 3, PSL 2

Judicial branch:
Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation

Political parties and leaders:
Al-Tajdid Movement [Ali HALOUANI]; Constitutional Democratic Rally
Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD [President
Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (official ruling party)]; Liberal Social
Party or PSL [Mounir BEJI]; Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS
[Ismail BOULAHYA]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed BOUCHIHA];
Progressive Democratic Party [Nejib CHEBBI]; Unionist Democratic
Union or UDU [Abderrahmane TLILI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
the Islamic fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is
outlawed

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), FAO, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM,
OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d' Affaires Tarek
Azouz
FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858
telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850
chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William J. HUDSON
embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis, 2045 La
Goulette, Tunisia
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [216] 71 107-000
FAX: [216] 71 962-115

Flag description:
red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly
encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are
traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Tunisia

Economy - overview:
Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining,
energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental control of
economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened over the
past decade with increasing privatization, simplification of the tax
structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Real growth, averaging 5%
for the latter half of the last decade, slowed to a 15-year low of
1.9% in 2002 because of agricultural drought, slow investment, and
lackluster tourism. Better rains in 2003, however, pushed GDP growth
up to an estimated 6 percent, and tourism also recovered after the
end of combat operations in Iraq. GDP growth remained at 6% in 2004.
Tunisia has agreed to gradually remove barriers to trade with the
European Union over the next decade. Broader privatization, further
liberalization of the investment code to increase foreign
investment, improvements in government efficiency, and reduction of
the trade deficit are among the challenges for the future.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $68.23 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.9% industry: 32.2% services: 53.9% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
24.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
7.6% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 31.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
41.7 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 3.461 million note: shortage of skilled labor (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate:
14.3% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $6.101 billion
expenditures: $6.855 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6
billion (2003 est.)

Public debt:
59.5% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
olives, olive oil, grain, dairy products, tomatoes, citrus fruit,
beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds

Industries:
petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism,
textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:
-0.1% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
10.48 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
9.748 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
1 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
72,580 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
87,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
417 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
2.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
3.83 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
1.58 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
77.16 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-738.6 million (2003)

Exports:
$8.035 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
textiles, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, agricultural
products, hydrocarbons

Exports - partners:
France 32.6%, Italy 21.9%, Germany 10.7%, Spain 4.7%, Libya 4.4%
(2003)

Imports:
$10.3 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, food

Imports - partners:
France 26.1%, Italy 19.8%, Germany 8.9%, Spain 5.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$2.949 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$14.39 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$378 million (2001)

Currency:
Tunisian dinar (TND)

Currency code:
TND

Exchange rates:
Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.2885 (2003), 1.4217 (2002),
1.4387 (2001), 1.3707 (2000), 1.1862 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Tunisia

Telephones - main lines in use:
1,163,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,899,900 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: above the African average and continuing to be
upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis; Internet
access available
domestic: trunk facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial
cable, and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 216; 5 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial
cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in
Medarabtel; two international gateway digital switches

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
2.06 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
920,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.tn

Internet hosts:
281 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
630,000 (2003)

Transportation Tunisia

Railways:
total: 2,152 km
standard gauge: 468 km 1.435-m gauge
dual gauge: 10 km 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2003)
narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified)

Highways:
total: 18,997 km
paved: 12,310 km (including 142 km of expressways)
unpaved: 6,687 km (2000)

Pipelines:
gas 3,059 km; oil 1,203 km; refined products 345 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Sfax, Sousse, Tunis, Zarzis

Merchant marine:
total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 124,733 GRT/122,664 DWT
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 2, cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, liquefied gas 1,
short-sea/passenger 3

Airports:
30 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Military Tunisia

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 20 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,918,524 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,655,910 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 106,565 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$356 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.5% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Tunisia

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@Turkey

Introduction Turkey

Background:
Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants of
the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was
later honored with the title Ataturk, or "Father of the Turks."
Under his authoritarian leadership, the country adopted wide-ranging
social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party
rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950
election victory of the opposition Democratic Party and the peaceful
transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have
multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of
instability and intermittent military coups (1960, 1971, 1980),
which in each case eventually resulted in a return of political
power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the
ouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the then
Islamic-oriented government. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus
in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since
acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,"
which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984
by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - now known as the People's
Congress of Kurdistan or Kongra-Gel (KGK) - has dominated the
Turkish military's attention and claimed more than 30,000 lives, but
after the capture of the group's leader in 1999, the insurgents
largely withdrew from Turkey, mainly to northern Iraq. In 2004, KGK
announced an end to its ceasefire and attacks attributed to the KGK
increased. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a
member of NATO. In 1964, Turkey became an associate member of the
European Community; over the past decade, it has undertaken many
reforms to strengthen its democracy and economy, enabling it to
begin accession membership talks with the European Union.

Geography Turkey

Location:
southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkey
west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe), bordering
the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the
Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria

Geographic coordinates:
39 00 N, 35 00 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 780,580 sq km
water: 9,820 sq km
land: 770,760 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 2,648 km
border countries: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km,
Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km

Coastline:
7,200 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea; 12 nm in Black Sea and in
Mediterranean Sea
exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundary
agreed upon with the former USSR

Climate:
temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in
interior

Terrain:
high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several
mountain ranges

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m

Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite,
borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone,
magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable
land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 30.93% permanent crops: 3.31% other: 65.76% (2001)

Irrigated land:
42,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an
arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van

Environment - current issues: water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea
of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount
Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's Ark, is in the far
eastern portion of the country

People Turkey

Population:
68,893,918 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.6% (male 9,328,108; female 8,990,742)
15-64 years: 66.8% (male 23,394,465; female 22,650,532)
65 years and over: 6.6% (male 2,078,881; female 2,451,190) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 27.3 years male: 27.1 years female: 27.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.13% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
17.22 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.95 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 42.62 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 38.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 46.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.08 years
male: 69.68 years
female: 74.61 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.98 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% - note: no country specific models provided (2001
est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Turk(s)
adjective: Turkish

Ethnic groups:
Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20% (estimated)

Religions:
Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)

Languages:
Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic, Armenian, Greek

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.5%
male: 94.3%
female: 78.7% (2003 est.)

Government Turkey

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Turkey
conventional short form: Turkey
local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti
local short form: Turkiye

Government type:
republican parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Ankara

Administrative divisions:
81 provinces (iller, singular - il); Adana, Adiyaman,
Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan,
Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol,
Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli,
Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir,
Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Igdir, Isparta,
Istanbul, Izmir, Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu,
Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya,
Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir,
Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt,
Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon, Tunceli, Usak, Van,
Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak

Independence:
29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:
Republic Day, 29 October (1923)

Constitution:
7 November 1982

Legal system:
civil law system derived from various European continental legal
systems; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations;
note - member of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), although
Turkey claims limited derogations on the ratified European
Convention on Human Rights

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ahmet Necdet SEZER (since 16 May 2000)
election results: Ahmed Necdet SEZER elected president on the third
ballot; percent of National Assembly vote - 60%
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
seven-year term; election last held 5 May 2000 (next to be held NA
May 2007); prime minister appointed by the president from among
members of parliament
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
nomination of the prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (14 March
2003)
note: president must have a two-thirds majority of the National
Assembly on the first two ballots and a simple majority on the third
ballot

Legislative branch:
unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk
Millet Meclisi (550 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 3 November 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); note
- a special rerun of the General Election in the province of Siirt
on 9 March 2003 resulted in the election of Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN to
a seat in parliament, a prerequisite for becoming prime minister on
14 March 2003
election results: percent of vote by party - AKP 34.3%, CHP 19.4%,
DYP 9.6%, MHP 8.3%, ANAP 5.1%, DSP 1.1%, and others; seats by party
- AKP 363, CHP 178, independents 9; note - parties surpassing the
10% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats; seats by party as
of 1 December 2004 - AKP 368, CHP 171, DYP 4, LDP 1, independents 5,
vacant 1

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; High Court of Appeals (Yargitay); Council of
State (Danistay); Court of Accounts (Sayistay); Military High Court
of Appeals; Military High Administrative Court

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Left Party or DSP [Mehmet Zeki SEZER]; Democratic
People's Party or DEHAP [Tuncer BAKIRHAN]; Justice and Development
Party or AKP [Recep Tayip ERDOGAN]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP
[Emin SIRIN]; Motherland Party or ANAP [leader NA]; Nationalist
Action Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI]; Republican People's Party or
CHP (includes the New Turkey Party) [Deniz BAYKAL]; Felicity Party
(sometimes translated as Contentment Party) or SP [Necmettin
ERBEKAN]; Social Democratic People's Party or SHP [Murat
KARAYALCIN]; True Path Party (sometimes translated as Correct Way
Party) or DYP [Mehmet AGAR]
note: the parties listed above are some of the more significant of
the 49 parties that Turkey had on 1 December 2004

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation of Public Sector Unions or KESK [Sami EVREN];
Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions or DISK [Suleyman
CELEBI]; Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association
or MUSIAD [Omer BOLAT]; Moral Rights Workers Union or Hak-Is [Salim
USLU]; Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association or
TUSIAD [Omer SABANCI]; Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions or
TISK [Refik BAYDUR]; Turkish Confederation of Labor or Turk-Is
[Salih KILIC]; Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and Craftsmen or
TESK [Dervis GUNDAY]; Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce and
Commodity Exchanges or TOBB [M. Rifat HISARCIKLIOGLU]

International organization participation:
AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN (observer), EAPC, EBRD,
ECO, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNRWA,
UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Osman Faruk LOGOGLU chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Eric S. EDELMAN embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823 telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555 FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019 consulate(s) general: Istanbul consulate(s): Adana; note - there is a Consular Agent in Izmir

Flag description:
red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is toward
the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside
the crescent opening

Economy Turkey

Economy - overview:
Turkey's dynamic economy is a complex mix of modern industry and
commerce along with a traditional agriculture sector that in 2001
still accounted for 40% of employment. It has a strong and rapidly
growing private sector, yet the state still plays a major role in
basic industry, banking, transport, and communication. The largest
industrial sector is textiles and clothing, which accounts for
one-third of industrial employment; it faces stiff competition in
international markets with the end of the global quota system.
However, other sectors, notably the automotive and electonics
industries, are rising in importance within Turkey's export mix. In
recent years the economic situation has been marked by erratic
economic growth and serious imbalances. Real GNP growth has exceeded
6% in many years, but this strong expansion has been interrupted by
sharp declines in output in 1994, 1999, and 2001. Meanwhile, the
public sector fiscal deficit has regularly exceeded 10% of GDP - due
in large part to the huge burden of interest payments, which
accounted for more than 40% of central government spending in 2003.
Inflation, in recent years in the high double-digit range, fell to
11.3% in 2004. Perhaps because of these problems, foreign direct
investment in Turkey remains low - less than $1 billion annually.
Results in 2002-04 improved, because of strong financial support
from the IMF and tighter fiscal policy. A major political and
economic issue over the next decade is whether or not Turkey will
become a member of the EU.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $458.2 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.8% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.7% industry: 29.8% services: 58.5% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
15.5% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
18% (2001)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 32.3% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
44 (2002)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
25.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
23.79 million
note: about 1.2 million Turks work abroad (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 39.7%, industry 22.4%, services 37.9% (3rd quarter,
2001)

Unemployment rate:
10.5% (plus underemployment of 6.1%) (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $66.79 billion
expenditures: $93.31 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Public debt:
78.7% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulse, citrus;
livestock

Industries:
textiles, food processing, autos, mining (coal, chromite, copper,
boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper

Industrial production growth rate:
8.5% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
116.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
112.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
433 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
4.579 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
48,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
619,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
46,110 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
616,500 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
288.4 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
312 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
15.94 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
15.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
8.685 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-6.806 billion (2003)

Exports:
$49.12 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport
equipment

Exports - partners:
Germany 15.8%, US 8%, UK 7.8%, Italy 6.8%, France 6% (2003)

Imports:
$62.43 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport
equipment

Imports - partners:
Germany 13.6%, Italy 7.9%, Russia 7.8%, France 6%, UK 5%, US 5%,
Switzerland 4.3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$35.55 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$147.3 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $300 million (2000)

Currency:
Turkish lira (TRL)

Currency code:
TRL

Exchange rates:
Turkish liras per US dollar - NA (2003), 1,507,230 (2002),
1,225,590 (2001), 625,218 (2000), 418,783 (1999), 151,865 (1997)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Turkey

Telephones - main lines in use:
18,916,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
27,887,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: undergoing rapid modernization and expansion,
especially with cellular telephones
domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid
increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of
technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both
fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay is facilitating
communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a
domestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to mobile
cellular telephone service is growing rapidly
international: country code - 90; international service is provided
by three submarine fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and Black
Seas, linking Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania,
and Russia; also by 12 Intelsat earth stations, and by 328 mobile
satellite terminals in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 16, FM 107, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios:
11.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
635 (plus 2,934 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
20.9 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.tr

Internet hosts:
355,215 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
50 (2001)

Internet users:
5.5 million (2003)

Transportation Turkey

Railways: total: 8,671 km standard gauge: 8,671 km 1.435-m gauge (2,122 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 385,960 km
paved: 131,226 km (including 1,749 km of expressways)
unpaved: 254,734 km (1999)

Waterways:
1,200 km (2003)

Pipelines:
gas 3,177 km; oil 3,562 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Gemlik, Hopa, Iskenderun, Istanbul, Izmir, Kocaeli (Izmit), Icel
(Mersin), Samsun, Trabzon

Merchant marine:
total: 508 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,666,895 GRT/7,311,504 DWT
by type: bulk 111, cargo 229, chemical tanker 46, combination bulk
1, combination ore/oil 2, container 34, liquefied gas 6, passenger
1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 36, refrigerated cargo 4,
roll on/roll off 26, short-sea/passenger 8, specialized tanker 3
foreign-owned: Belize 1, Cambodia 1, China 1, Cyprus 4, Greece 1,
Italy 3, Liberia 1, Monaco 1, Switzerland 1, Thailand 1, United
Kingdom 9
registered in other countries: 243 (2004 est.)

Airports:
120 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 87
over 3,047 m: 16
2,438 to 3,047 m: 30
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 20

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 32
under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

Heliports:
14 (2003 est.)

Military Turkey

Military branches:
Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Land Forces, Naval Forces Command
(includes Naval Air and Naval Infantry), Air Force, Coast Guard
Command, Gendarmerie (Jandarma)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
20 years of age (2004 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 19,828,702 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 11,965,262 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 680,673 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$12.155 billion (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
5.3% (2003)

Transnational Issues Turkey

Disputes - international:
complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece in the
Aegean Sea; Cyprus question remains with Greece; Syria and Iraq
protest Turkish hydrological projects to control upper Euphrates
waters; Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in
Iraq; border with Armenia remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 350,000-1,000,000 (fighting from 1984-1999 between Kurdish
PKK and Turkish military; most IDPs in southeastern provinces) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
key transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe and
- to a far lesser extent the US - via air, land, and sea routes;
major Turkish, Iranian, and other international trafficking
organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert
imported morphine base into heroin are in remote regions of Turkey
as well as near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over
areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw
concentrate

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Turkmenistan

Introduction Turkmenistan

Background:
Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a
Soviet republic in 1924. It achieved its independence upon the
dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President NIYAZOV retains absolute
control over the country and opposition is not tolerated. Extensive
hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to this
underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects were to
be expanded. The Turkmenistan Government is actively seeking to
develop alternative petroleum transportation routes in order to
break Russia's pipeline monopoly.

Geography Turkmenistan

Location:
Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan

Geographic coordinates:
40 00 N, 60 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 488,100 sq km
water: negl.
land: 488,100 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
total: 3,736 km
border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379
km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km

Coastline:
0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km)

Climate:
subtropical desert

Terrain:
flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the
south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in
west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note - Sarygamysh Koli is a
lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water level that fluctuates
above and below the elevation of Vpadina Akchanaya (the lake has
dropped as low as -110 m)
highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt

Land use: arable land: 3.72% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 96.14% (2001)

Irrigated land:
17,500 sq km (2003 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural chemicals,
pesticides; salination, water-logging of soil due to poor irrigation
methods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large share of the
flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to that river's
inability to replenish the Aral Sea; desertification

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

Geography - note:
landlocked; the western and central low-lying, desolate portions of
the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert, which
occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau

People Turkmenistan

Population:
4,863,169 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 36.2% (male 904,627; female 857,601)
15-64 years: 59.7% (male 1,423,836; female 1,477,224)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 76,670; female 123,211) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 21.3 years
male: 20.4 years
female: 22.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.81% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
27.82 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.82 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 73.13 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 69.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 76.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 61.29 years
male: 57.87 years
female: 64.88 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.45 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2004 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Turkmen(s)
adjective: Turkmen

Ethnic groups:
Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003)

Religions:
Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%

Languages:
Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 97% (1989 est.)

Government Turkmenistan

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turkmenistan
local long form: none
former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic
local short form: Turkmenistan

Government type:
republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power
outside the executive branch

Capital:
Ashgabat

Administrative divisions:
5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat): Ahal Welayaty
(Ashgabat), Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dashoguz Welayaty, Lebap
Welayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary Welayaty
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses)

Independence:
27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 October (1991)

Constitution:
adopted 18 May 1992

Legal system:
based on civil law system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers
Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the first direct
presidential election occurred); note - the president is both the
chief of state and head of government
head of government: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of
Ministers Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the first
direct presidential election occurred); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 21 June 1992 (next to be held in 2008 when
NIYAZOV turns 70 and is constitutionally ineligible to run); note -
President NIYAZOV was unanimously approved as president for life by
the People's Council on 28 December 1999; deputy chairmen of the
cabinet of ministers are appointed by the president
election results: Saparmurat NIYAZOV elected president without
opposition; percent of vote - Saparmurat NIYAZOV 99.5%
note: NIYAZOV's term in office was extended indefinitely on 28
December 1999 during a session of the People's Council (Halk
Maslahaty)

Legislative branch:
under the 1992 constitution, there are two parliamentary bodies, a
unicameral People's Council or Halk Maslahaty (supreme legislative
body of up to 2,500 delegates, some of which are elected by popular
vote and some of which are appointed; meets at least yearly) and a
unicameral Parliament or Mejlis (50 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
election results: Mejlis - DPT 100%; seats by party - DPT 50; note -
all 50 elected officials are members of the Democratic Party of
Turkmenistan and are preapproved by President NIYAZOV
note: in late 2003, a new law was adopted, reducing the powers of
the Mejlis and making the Halk Maslahaty the supreme legislative
organ; the Halk Maslahaty can now legally dissolve the Mejlis, and
the president is now able to participate in the Mejlis as its
supreme leader; the Mejlis can no longer adopt or amend the
constitution, or announce referendums or its elections; since the
president is both the "Chairman for Life" of the Halk Maslahaty and
the supreme leader of the Mejlis, the 2003 law has the effect of
making him the sole authority of both the executive and legislative
branches of government
elections: People's Council - last held in April 2003; Mejlis - last
held 19 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Saparmurat NIYAZOV]
note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small
opposition movements exist underground or in foreign countries; the
two most prominent opposition groups-in-exile have been Gundogar and
Erkin; Gundogar was led by former Foreign Minister Boris
SHIKHMURADOV until his arrest and imprisonment in the wake of the 25
November 2002 assassination attempt on President NIYAZOV; Erkin is
led by former Foreign Minister Abdy KULIEV and is based out of
Moscow; the Union of Democratic Forces, a coalition of
opposition-in-exile groups, is based in Europe

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU,
MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mered Bairamovich ORAZOV
FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697
telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500
chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tracey A. JACOBSON
embassy: 9 Pushkin (1984) Street, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 774000
mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-7070
telephone: [9] (9312) 35-00-45
FAX: [9] (9312) 39-26-14

Flag description:
green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side,
containing five carpet guls (designs used in producing rugs) stacked
above two crossed olive branches similar to the olive branches on
the UN flag; a white crescent moon and five white stars appear in
the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the red stripe

Economy Turkmenistan

Economy - overview:
Turkmenistan is largely desert country with intensive agriculture
in irrigated oases and large gas and oil resources. One-half of its
irrigated land is planted in cotton, making it at one time the
world's tenth-largest producer. Poor harvests in recent years have
led to a nearly 46% decline in cotton exports. With an authoritarian
ex-Communist regime in power and a tribally based social structure,
Turkmenistan has taken a cautious approach to economic reform,
hoping to use gas and cotton sales to sustain its inefficient
economy. Privatization goals remain limited. In 1998-2003,
Turkmenistan suffered from the continued lack of adequate export
routes for natural gas and from obligations on extensive short-term
external debt. At the same time, however, total exports rose by 38%
in 2003, largely because of higher international oil and gas prices.
Overall prospects in the near future are discouraging because of
widespread internal poverty, the burden of foreign debt, and the
unwillingness of the government to adopt market-oriented reforms.
However, Turkmenistan's cooperation with the international community
in transporting humanitarian aid to Afghanistan may foreshadow a
change in the atmosphere for foreign investment, aid, and
technological support. Turkmenistan's economic statistics are state
secrets, and GDP and other figures are subject to wide margins of
error. In particular, the 20% rate of GDP growth is a guess.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $27.88 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
23.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 24.8% industry: 46.2% services: 28.9% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
19.5% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
34.4% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40.8 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
2.34 million (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 48%, industry 15%, services 37% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $3.477 billion
expenditures: $3.908 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
cotton, grain; livestock

Industries:
natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing

Industrial production growth rate:
14% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
10.18 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
8.509 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
980 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
20 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
162,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
63,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
273 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
48.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
9.6 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
38.6 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.43 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$957 million (2003)

Exports:
$3.355 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
gas 57%, oil 26%, cotton fiber 3%, textiles 2% (2001)

Exports - partners:
Ukraine 39.2%, Italy 18.1%, Iran 14.7%, Turkey 6.5% (2003)

Imports:
$2.472 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 60%, foodstuffs 15% (1999)

Imports - partners:
Russia 21.5%, Ukraine 15.3%, Turkey 9.4%, UAE 7.6%, Germany 4.2%,
China 4.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$2.696 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$2.4 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$16 million from the US (2001)

Currency:
Turkmen manat (TMM)

Currency code:
TMM

Exchange rates:
Turkmen manats per US dollar - 5,200 (2003), 5,200 (2002), 5,200
(2001), 5,200 (2000), 5,200 (1999);note - the official exchange rate
has not varied for the last six years; the unofficial rate has
fluctuated slightly, hovering around 21,000 manats to the dollar

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Turkmenistan

Telephones - main lines in use:
374,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
52,000 (2004)

Telephone system:
general assessment: poorly developed
domestic: NA
international: country code - 993; linked by cable and microwave
radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leased
connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; a new
telephone link from Ashgabat to Iran has been established; a new
exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey
via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
1.225 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
4 (government owned and programmed) (2004)

Televisions:
820,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.tm

Internet hosts:
524 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1

Internet users:
8,000 (2002)

Transportation Turkmenistan

Railways: total: 2,440 km broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 24,000 km paved: 19,488 km unpaved: 4,512 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal important inland waterways)
(2003)

Pipelines:
gas 6,549 km; oil 1,395 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Turkmenbasy

Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,873 GRT/8,345 DWT
by type: combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 1
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports:
69 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 45
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 36 (2003 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 7

Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)

Military Turkmenistan

Military branches:
Ministry of Defense (Army, Air and Air Defense, Navy, Border
Troops, and Internal Troops), National Guard

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service
obligation - 2 years (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,272,436 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,031,806 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 55,866 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$90 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.4% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Turkmenistan

Disputes - international:
prolonged regional drought created water-sharing difficulties for
Amu Darya river states; Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan reached an
agreement on improving water usage along the Amu Darya in 2004;
delimitation of Caspian seabed remains unresolved

Illicit drugs:
transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and Western
European markets; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound
for Afghanistan

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Turks and Caicos Islands

Introduction Turks and Caicos Islands

Background:
The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when
they assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica's
independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965
to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate
governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982,
the policy was reversed and the islands remain a British overseas
territory.

Geography Turks and Caicos Islands

Location:
Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast
of The Bahamas, north of Haiti

Geographic coordinates:
21 45 N, 71 35 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 430 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 430 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
389 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry

Terrain:
low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Hills 49 m

Natural resources: spiny lobster, conch

Land use: arable land: 2.33% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
frequent hurricanes

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater

Geography - note: about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

People Turks and Caicos Islands

Population:
19,956 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 32.5% (male 3,301; female 3,184)
15-64 years: 63.8% (male 6,696; female 6,036)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 327; female 412) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 27.2 years
male: 27.9 years
female: 26.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
3.03% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
22.85 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.26 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
11.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 16.27 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 18.79 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.25 years
male: 72.05 years
female: 76.57 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.11 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality: noun: none adjective: none

Ethnic groups:
black 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10%

Religions:
Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other
14% (1990)

Languages:
English (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
female: 98% (1970 est.)
male: 99%
total population: 98%

People - note:
destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound
for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US

Government Turks and Caicos Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands

Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Constitution:
introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised
5 March 1988

Legal system:
based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica
and The Bahamas

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953),
represented by Governor Jim POSTON (since 16 December 2002)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party is appointed chief minister by the governor
head of government: Chief Minister Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15
August 2003)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and
five appointed by the governor from among the members of the
Legislative Council

Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats of which 13 are popularly
elected; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held in 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%;
seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August
2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM now
has 5

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive
National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK]; United Democratic
Party or UDP [Wendal SWANN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU

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

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

Flag description:
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the
shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus

Economy Turks and Caicos Islands

Economy - overview:
The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, fishing, and
offshore financial services. Most capital goods and food for
domestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source of
tourists, accounting for more than half of the 93,000 visitors in
the late 1990s. Major sources of government revenue include fees
from offshore financial activities and customs receipts. Tourism
fell by 6% in 2002.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $231 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.9% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $9,600 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4% (1995)

Labor force:
4,848 (1990 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services

Unemployment rate:
10% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1997-98 est.)

Agriculture - products:
corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish

Industries:
tourism, offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
4.65 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day NA (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
0 bbl/day NA bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$169.2 million (2000)

Exports - commodities:
lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells

Exports - partners:
US, UK

Imports:
$175.6 million (2000)

Imports - commodities:
food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction
materials

Imports - partners:
US, UK

Debt - external:
NA (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$4.1 million (1997)

Currency:
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Turks and Caicos Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
5,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,700 (1999)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fair cable and radiotelephone services
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-649; 2 submarine cables; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
8,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; 2 cable television
networks) (2004)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.tc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
14 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Turks and Caicos Islands

Highways: total: 121 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
Grand Turk, Providenciales

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
8 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Turks and Caicos Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Turks and Caicos Islands

Disputes - international:
have received Haitians fleeing economic collapse and civil unrest

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the
US and Europe

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Tuvalu

Introduction Tuvalu

Background:
In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the
Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice
Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert
Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate
British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000,
Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv"
for $50 million in royalties over the next dozen years.

Geography Tuvalu

Location:
Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South
Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates:
8 00 S, 178 00 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 26 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 26 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
24 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:
tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November);
westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)

Terrain:
very low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there were
three cyclones; low level of islands make them very sensitive to
changes in sea level

Environment - current issues:
since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not
potable, most water needs must be met by catchment systems with
storage facilities (the Japanese Government has built one
desalination plant and plans to build one other); beachhead erosion
because of the use of sand for building materials; excessive
clearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coral
reefs from the spread of the Crown of Thorns starfish; Tuvalu is
very concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissions
and their effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country's
underground water table; in 2000, the government appealed to
Australia and New Zealand to take in Tuvaluans if rising sea levels
should make evacuation necessary

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

Geography - note:
one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six of the
coral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti, and
Nukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutao
have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon

People Tuvalu

Population:
11,468 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 31.3% (male 1,828; female 1,761)
15-64 years: 63.7% (male 3,530; female 3,770)
65 years and over: 5% (male 227; female 352) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 24.2 years
male: 23.1 years
female: 25.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.44% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
21.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.24 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 20.69 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 23.63 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.66 years
male: 65.47 years
female: 69.96 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.02 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Tuvaluan(s)
adjective: Tuvaluan

Ethnic groups:
Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4%

Religions:
Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist
1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%

Languages:
Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)

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

Government Tuvalu

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tuvalu
note: "Tuvalu" means "group of eight," referring to the country's
eight traditionally inhabited islands
former: Ellice Islands

Government type:
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy; began
debating republic status in 1992

Capital:
Funafuti; note - administrative offices are located in Vaiaku
Village on Fongafale Islet

Administrative divisions:
none

Independence:
1 October 1978 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

Constitution:
1 October 1978

Legal system:
NA

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Faimalaga LUKA (since 9 September
2003)
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime
minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members
of Parliament; election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be held
following parliamentary elections in 2006)
election results: Saufatu SOPOANGA resigned parliamentary seat on 27
August 2004 following no-confidence vote on 25 August 2004;
succeeded by Deputy Prime Minister Maatia TOAFA in an acting
capacity on 27 August 2004; Maatia TOAFA confirmed Prime Minister in
a Parliamentary election (8-7 vote) on 11 Ocotober 2004
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the
recommendation of the prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister Maatia TOAFA (since 11 October
2004)

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of Assembly
(15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 July 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 15

Judicial branch:
High Court (a chief justice visits twice a year to preside over its
sessions; its rulings can be appealed to the Court of Appeal in
Fiji); eight Island Courts (with limited jurisdiction)

Political parties and leaders: there are no political parties but members of Parliament usually align themselves in informal groupings

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IFRCS (observer), IMO, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US - the country's only diplomatic post is in Fiji - Tuvalu does, however, have a UN office located at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, New York 10017, telephone: [1] (212) 490-0534

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador to
Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu

Flag description:
light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country
with nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands

Economy Tuvalu

Economy - overview:
Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of nine
coral atolls with poor soil. The country has no known mineral
resources and few exports. Subsistence farming and fishing are the
primary economic activities. Fewer than 1,000 tourists, on average,
visit Tuvalu annually. Government revenues largely come from the
sale of stamps and coins and worker remittances. About 1,000
Tuvaluans work in Nauru in the phosphate mining industry. Nauru has
begun repatriating Tuvaluans, however, as phosphate resources
decline. Substantial income is received annually from an
international trust fund established in 1987 by Australia, NZ, and
the UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea. Thanks to wise
investments and conservative withdrawals, this Fund has grown from
an initial $17 million to over $35 million in 1999. The US
government is also a major revenue source for Tuvalu, because of
payments from a 1988 treaty on fisheries. In an effort to reduce its
dependence on foreign aid, the government is pursuing public sector
reforms, including privatization of some government functions and
personnel cuts of up to 7%. In 1998, Tuvalu began deriving revenue
from use of its area code for "900" lines and in 2000, from the
lease of its ".tv" Internet domain name. Royalties from these new
technology sources could increase substantially over the next
decade. With merchandise exports only a fraction of merchandise
imports, continued reliance must be placed on fishing and
telecommunications license fees, remittances from overseas workers,
official transfers, and investment income from overseas assets.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $12.2 million NA (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2000 est.)

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

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
7,000 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
people make a living mainly through exploitation of the sea, reefs,
and atolls and from wages sent home by those abroad (mostly workers
in the phosphate industry and sailors)

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $22.5 million
expenditures: $11.2 million, including capital expenditures of $4.2
million (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
coconuts; fish

Industries:
fishing, tourism, copra

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Exports:
$1 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
copra, fish

Exports - partners:
UK 37.5%, Poland 19.1%, Philippines 9.2%, Australia 9.1%, Fiji 6.2%
(2003)

Imports:
$79 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods

Imports - partners:
Fiji 47.3%, Australia 13.9%, Poland 10.8%, Germany 10.2%, Japan 8%,
New Zealand 6.2% (2003)

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$13 million ; note - major donors are Australia, Japan, and the US
(1999 est.)

Currency:
Australian dollar (AUD); note - there is also a Tuvaluan dollar

Currency code:
AUD

Exchange rates:
Tuvaluan dollars or Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419,
(2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Tuvalu

Telephones - main lines in use:
700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
0 (1994)

Telephone system:
general assessment: serves particular needs for internal
communications
domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands
international: country code - 688

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1999)

Radios:
4,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
0 (1997)

Televisions:
800

Internet country code:
.tv

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
1,300 (2002)

Transportation Tuvalu

Highways: total: 8 km paved: 0 km unpaved: 8 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Funafuti, Nukufetau

Merchant marine:
total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 54,993 GRT/86,048 DWT
by type: cargo 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, specialized
tanker 1
foreign-owned: Germany 4, Singapore 1, Thailand 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Tuvalu

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Police Force (includes Maritime
Surveillance Unit for search and rescue missions and surveillance
operations)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Tuvalu

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Uganda

Introduction Uganda

Background:
Uganda achieved independence from the UK in 1962. The dictatorial
regime of Idi AMIN (1971-79) was responsible for the deaths of some
300,000 opponents; guerrilla war and human rights abuses under
Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed at least another 100,000 lives.
During the 1990s, the government promulgated non-party presidential
and legislative elections.

Geography Uganda

Location:
Eastern Africa, west of Kenya

Geographic coordinates:
1 00 N, 32 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 236,040 sq km
water: 36,330 sq km
land: 199,710 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:
total: 2,698 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933
km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to
February, June to August); semiarid in northeast

Terrain:
mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m

Natural resources:
copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 25.88%
permanent crops: 10.65%
other: 63.47% (2001)

Irrigated land:
90 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation;
overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake
Victoria; poaching is widespread

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers

People Uganda

Population:
26,404,543
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 50.6% (male 6,696,193; female 6,653,764)
15-64 years: 47.1% (male 6,199,732; female 6,233,678)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male 269,990; female 351,186) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 14.8 years
female: 14.9 years (2004 est.)
male: 14.7 years

Population growth rate:
2.97% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
46.31 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
16.61 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: according to the UNHCR, by the end of 2001, Uganda was host to
178,815 refugees from a number of neighboring countries, including:
Sudan 155,996, Rwanda 14,375, and Democratic Republic of the Congo
7,459 (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 86.15 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 78.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 93.58 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 45.28 years
male: 43.76 years
female: 46.83 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
6.64 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
4.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
600,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
84,000 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, trypanosomiasis, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Ugandan(s)
adjective: Ugandan

Ethnic groups:
Baganda 17%, Ankole 8%, Basoga 8%, Iteso 8%, Bakiga 7%, Langi 6%,
Rwanda 6%, Bagisu 5%, Acholi 4%, Lugbara 4%, Batoro 3%, Bunyoro 3%,
Alur 2%, Bagwere 2%, Bakonjo 2%, Jopodhola 2%, Karamojong 2%, Rundi
2%, non-African (European, Asian, Arab) 1%, other 8%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs
18%

Languages:
English (official national language, taught in grade schools, used
in courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio broadcasts),
Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger-Congo languages,
preferred for native language publications in the capital and may be
taught in school), other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan
languages, Swahili, Arabic

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 69.9%
male: 79.5%
female: 60.4% (2003 est.)

Government Uganda

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Uganda
conventional short form: Uganda

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Kampala

Administrative divisions:
56 districts; Adjumani, Apac, Arua, Bugiri, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi,
Busia, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole, Kaberamaido,
Kalangala, Kampala, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu, Kapchorwa, Kasese,
Katakwi, Kayunga, Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum, Kotido, Kumi,
Kyenjojo, Lira, Luwero, Masaka, Masindi, Mayuge, Mbale, Mbarara,
Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakapiripirit, Nakasongola,
Nebbi, Ntungamo, Pader, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri, Sembabule,
Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Wakiso, Yumbe

Independence:
9 October 1962 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 9 October (1962)

Constitution:
8 October 1995; adopted by the interim, 284-member Constituent
Assembly, charged with debating the draft constitution that had been
proposed in May 1993; the Constituent Assembly was dissolved upon
the promulgation of the constitution in October 1995

Legal system:
in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one based on
English common law and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since
seizing power 26 January 1986); note - the president is both chief
of state and head of government
head of government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since
seizing power 29 January 1986); Prime Minister Apollo NSIBAMBI
(since 5 April 1999); note - the president is both chief of state
and head of government; the prime minister assists the president in
the supervision of the cabinet
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected
legislators
elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 12 March 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); note -
first popular election for president since independence in 1962 was
held in 1996; prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president;
percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 69.3%, Kizza
BESIGYE 27.8%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (303 members - 214 directly elected by
popular vote, 81 nominated by legally established special interest
groups [women 56, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5], 8 ex
officio members; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 26 June 2001 (next to be held May or June 2006);
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NA; note - election campaigning by party was not permitted

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and approved
by the legislature); High Court (judges are appointed by the
president)

Political parties and leaders:
only one political organization, the Movement (formerly the
NRM)[President MUSEVENI, chairman] is allowed to operate unfettered;
note - the president maintains that the Movement is not a political
party, but a mass organization, which claims the loyalty of all
Ugandans
note: the constitution requires the suspension of political parties
while the Movement organization is in governance; of the political
parties that exist but are prohibited from sponsoring candidates,
the most important are the Ugandan People's Congress or UPC [Milton
OBOTE]; Democratic Party or DP [Paul SSEMOGERERE]; Conservative
Party or CP [Ken LUKYAMUZI]; Justice Forum [Muhammad Kibirige
MAYANJA]; and National Democrats Forum [Chapaa KARUHANGA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Popular Resistance Against a Life President or PRALP

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Edith Grace SSEMPALA chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727 telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jimmy KOLKER embassy: 1577 Ggaba Rd., Kampala mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala telephone: [256] (41) 234-142 FAX: [256] (41) 258-451

Flag description:
six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red, black,
yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center and
depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the hoist
side

Economy Uganda

Economy - overview:
Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils,
regular rainfall, and sizable mineral deposits of copper and cobalt.
Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, employing
over 80% of the work force. Coffee accounts for the bulk of export
revenues. Since 1986, the government - with the support of foreign
countries and international agencies - has acted to rehabilitate and
stabilize the economy by undertaking currency reform, raising
producer prices on export crops, increasing prices of petroleum
products, and improving civil service wages. The policy changes are
especially aimed at dampening inflation and boosting production and
export earnings. During 1990-2001, the economy turned in a solid
performance based on continued investment in the rehabilitation of
infrastructure, improved incentives for production and exports,
reduced inflation, gradually improved domestic security, and the
return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs. Corruption within the
government and slippage in the government's determination to press
reforms raise doubts about the continuation of strong growth. In
2000, Uganda qualified for enhanced Highly Indebted Poor Countries
(HIPC) debt relief worth $1.3 billion and Paris Club debt relief
worth $145 million. These amounts combined with the original HIPC
debt relief added up to about $2 billion. Growth for 2001-02 was
solid despite continued decline in the price of coffee, Uganda's
principal export. Solid growth in 2003 reflected an upturn in
Uganda's export markets.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $36.1 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.4% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 36.1% industry: 21.2% services: 42.8% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
20.3% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
35% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 21% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37.4 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.9% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
12.09 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 82%, industry 5%, services 13% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.123 billion
expenditures: $1.433 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY98/99 est.) (2003)

Public debt:
62.2% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products: coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry, cut flowers

Industries:
sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles, cement

Industrial production growth rate:
5% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
1.928 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.62 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
174 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
1 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
8,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-237 million (2003)

Exports:
$495 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
coffee, fish and fish products, tea; gold, cotton, flowers,
horticultural products

Exports - partners:
Kenya 14.7%, Switzerland 13.7%, Netherlands 9.2%, UK 6.4%, South
Africa 5.6% (2003)

Imports:
$1.179 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies; cereals

Imports - partners:
Kenya 26%, India 7.4%, South Africa 7.2%, Japan 6.6%, UK 6.3%, UAE
5.8%, US 5.7%, China 5.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$1.08 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$3.818 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$1.4 billion (2000)

Currency:
Ugandan shilling (UGX)

Currency code:
UGX

Exchange rates:
Ugandan shillings per US dollar - 1,963.72 (2003), 1,797.55 (2002),
1,755.66 (2001), 1,644.48 (2000), 1,454.83 (1999)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Uganda

Telephones - main lines in use:
61,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
776,200 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: seriously inadequate; two cellular systems have
been introduced, but a sharp increase in the number of main lines is
essential; e-mail and Internet services are available
domestic: intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and
radiotelephone communication stations, fixed and mobile cellular
systems for short-range traffic
international: country code - 256; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat; analog links to Kenya and
Tanzania

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 7, FM 33, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios:
5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
8 (plus one low-power repeater) (2001)

Televisions:
500,000 (2001)

Internet country code:
.ug

Internet hosts:
2,692 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
125,000 (2003)

Transportation Uganda

Railways: total: 1,241 km narrow gauge: 1,241 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Highways: total: 27,000 km paved: 1,809 km unpaved: 25,191 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
300 km (on Lake Victoria, 200 km on Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, and
parts of Albert Nile) (2004 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell

Merchant marine:
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,091 GRT/5,943 DWT
by type: roll on/roll off 3 (2003 est.)

Airports:
27 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 25 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Military Uganda

Military branches:
Ugandan Peoples' Defense Force (UPDF): Army, Marine Unit, Air Wing

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military duty; the government has stated that recruitment below that age could occur with proper consent and that "no person under the apparent age of 13 years shall be enrolled in the armed forces"

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 5,678,649 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,085,053 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$128.2 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.1% (2003)

Transnational Issues Uganda

Disputes - international:
Tutsi, Hutu, Lendu, Hema, and other ethnic groups, associated
political rebels, armed gangs, militias, and various government
forces continue fighting in the Great Lakes region, transcending the
boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and
Uganda to gain control over populated areas and natural resources;
government heads pledge to end conflict, but localized violence
continues despite UN peacekeeping efforts; civil conflict in Sudan
has extended Sudanese rebel forces and refugees into Uganda and
given shelter to Ugandan Lord's Resistance Army soldiers in Sudan;
Kenya and Uganda are working together to stem cattle rustling and
violence by Lord's Resistance Army along the border

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 184,731 (Sudan), 18,000 (Rwanda) IDPs: 1.4 million (ongoing LRA rebellion, mainly in the north; LRA frequently attacks IDP camps) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Ukraine

Introduction Ukraine

Background:
Ukraine was the center of the first Slavic state, Kievan Rus, which
during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and most powerful
state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels and Mongol
invasions, Kievan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of
Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
The cultural and religious legacy of Kievan Rus laid the foundation
for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. A new
Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during the
mid-17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despite
continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remain
autonomous for well over 100 years. During the latter part of the
18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic territory was absorbed by
the Russian Empire. Following the collapse of czarist Russia in
1917, Ukraine was able to bring about a short-lived period of
independence (1917-1920), but was reconquered and forced to endure a
brutal Soviet rule that engineered two artificial famines (1921-22
and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died. In World War II, German
and Soviet armies were responsible for some 7 to 8 million more
deaths. Although final independence for Ukraine was achieved in 1991
with the dissolution of the USSR, democracy remained elusive as the
legacy of state control and endemic corruption stalled efforts at
economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties. A peaceful mass
protest "Orange Revolution" in the closing months of 2004 forced the
authorites to overturn a rigged presidential election and to allow a
new internationally monitored vote that swept into power a reformist
slate under Viktor YUSHCHENKO. The new government presents its
citizens with hope that the country may at last attain true freedom
and prosperity.

Geography Ukraine

Location:
Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland, Romania,
and Moldova in the west and Russia in the east

Geographic coordinates:
49 00 N, 32 00 E

Map references:
Asia, Europe

Area:
total: 603,700 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 603,700 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 4,663 km
border countries: Belarus 891 km, Hungary 103 km, Moldova 939 km,
Poland 526 km, Romania (south) 169 km, Romania (west) 362 km, Russia
1,576 km, Slovakia 97 km

Coastline:
2,782 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern Crimean
coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest in west
and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from cool
along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; summers are warm across
the greater part of the country, hot in the south

Terrain:
most of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) and plateaus,
mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians), and in the
Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m

Natural resources:
iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur,
graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber,
arable land

Land use:
arable land: 56.21%
permanent crops: 1.61%
other: 42.18% (2001)

Irrigated land:
24,540 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
inadequate supplies of potable water; air and water pollution;
deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast from 1986
accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
Compounds

Geography - note:
strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and Asia;
second-largest country in Europe

People Ukraine

Population:
47,732,079 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.9% (male 3,883,485; female 3,715,668)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 15,692,388; female 17,096,611)
65 years and over: 15.4% (male 2,472,023; female 4,871,904) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 38.1 years male: 34.8 years female: 41.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.66% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
10.21 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
16.41 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female
total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 20.61 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 21.87 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.68 years
male: 61.35 years
female: 72.27 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.37 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
250,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
11,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Ukrainian(s)
adjective: Ukrainian

Ethnic groups:
Ukrainian 77.8%, Russian 17.3%, Belarusian 0.6%, Moldovan 0.5%,
Crimean Tatar 0.5%, Bulgarian 0.4%, Hungarian 0.3%, Romanian 0.3%,
Polish 0.3%, Jewish 0.2%, other 1.8% (2001)

Religions:
Ukrainian Orthodox - Kiev Patriarchate 19%, Ukrainian Orthodox -
Moscow Patriarchate 9%, Ukrainian Greek Catholic 6%, Ukrainian
Autocephalous Orthodox 1.7%, Protestant, Jewish, none 38% (2004 est.)

Languages:
Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian, Polish, Hungarian

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 99.6% (2003 est.)
male: 99.8%
total population: 99.7%

People - note:
the sex trafficking of Ukrainian women is a serious problem that
has only recently been addressed

Government Ukraine

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Ukraine
local long form: none
former: Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, Ukrainian
Soviet Socialist Republic
local short form: Ukrayina

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Kiev (Kyyiv)

Administrative divisions:
24 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast'), 1 autonomous republic*
(avtonomna respublika), and 2 municipalities (mista, singular -
misto) with oblast status**; Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Chernivtsi, Crimea
or Avtonomna Respublika Krym* (Simferopol'), Dnipropetrovs'k,
Donets'k, Ivano-Frankivs'k, Kharkiv, Kherson, Khmel'nyts'kyy,
Kirovohrad, Kiev (Kyyiv)**, Kyyiv, Luhans'k, L'viv, Mykolayiv,
Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Sevastopol'**, Sumy, Ternopil', Vinnytsya,
Volyn' (Luts'k), Zakarpattya (Uzhhorod), Zaporizhzhya, Zhytomyr
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses)

Independence:
24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 24 August (1991); the date of 22 January (1918),
the day Ukraine first declared its independence (from Soviet
Russia), is now celebrated as Unity Day

Constitution:
adopted 28 June 1996

Legal system:
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Viktor A. YUSHCHENKO (since 23 January
2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Yuliya TYMOSHENKO (since 4
February 2005); First Deputy Prime Minister - Anatoliy KINAKH (since
4 February 2005)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president and
approved by the Supreme Council
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
note - a special repeat runoff presidential election between Viktor
YUSHCHENKO and Viktor YANUKOVYCH took place on 26 December 2004
after the earlier 21 November 2004 contest - won by Mr. YANUKOVYCH -
was invalidated by the Ukrainian Supreme Court because of widespread
and significant violations; prime minister and deputy prime
ministers appointed by the president and approved by the Supreme
Council
election results: Viktor YUSHCHENKO elected president; percent of
vote - Viktor YUSHCHENKO 51.99%, Viktor YANUKOVYCH 44.2%
note: there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC
originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council, but
significantly revamped and strengthened under former-President
KUCHMA; the NSDC staff is tasked with developing national security
policy on domestic and international matters and advising the
president; a Presidential Administration that helps draft
presidential edicts and provides policy support to the president;
and a Council of Regions that serves as an advisory body

Legislative branch:
unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats; under
recent amendments to Ukraine's election law, the Rada's seats are
allocated on a proportional basis to those parties that gain 3% or
more of the national electoral vote; members serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party/bloc - Our Ukraine 24%,
CPU 20%, United Ukraine 12%, SPU 7%, Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 7%,
United Social Democratic Party 6%, other 24%; seats by party/bloc -
Our Ukraine 101, Regions of Ukraine 61, CPU 59, Working Ukraine 14,
United Social Democratic Party 33, Agrarian Party 22, SPU 20, Yuliya
Tymoshenko Bloc 19, United Ukraine 19, People's Democratic
Party-Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs 16, Center Group 15,
Democratic Initiatives 14, unaffiliated 57 (December 2004)
note: following the election, United Ukraine splintered into the
Agrarian Party, European Choice, People's Choice, People's
Democratic Party, Regions of Ukraine, and Working
Ukraine-Industrialists and Entrepreneurs; these factions have since
undergone a number of changes
elections: last held 31 March 2002 (next to be held March 2006)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders:
Agrarian Party [Volodymyr LYTVYN]; Communist Party of Ukraine or
CPU [Petro SYMONENKO]; Democratic Initiatives [Stepan HAVRYSH];
Industrialists and Entrepreneurs [Anatoliy KINAKH]; Our Ukraine bloc
(comprised of several parties the most prominent of which are Rukh,
the Ukrainian People's Party, Reforms and Order, and Solidarity)
[Viktor YUSHCHENKO]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Valeriy
PUSTOVOYTENKO]; Regions of Ukraine [Viktor YANUKOVYCH]; Socialist
Party of Ukraine or SPU [Oleksandr MOROZ, chairman]; United Social
Democratic Party [Viktor MEDVEDCHUK]; Working Ukraine [Serhiy
TYHYPKO]; Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc [Yuliya TYMOSHENKO]
note: as well as numerous smaller parties; United Ukraine and Center
Group are not actual political parties, but rather deputy groups
(factions not based on a party)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS
(observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer), ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mykhailo B. REZNIK
FAX: [1] (202) 333-0817
consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York
telephone: [1] (202) 349-2920
chancery: 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John E. HERBST
embassy: 10 Yuriia Kotsiubynskoho Street, 04053 Kiev
mailing address: 5850 Kiev Place, Washington, DC 20521-5850
telephone: [380] (44) 490-4000
FAX: [380] (44) 490-4085

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellow
represent grainfields under a blue sky

Economy Ukraine

Economy - overview:
After Russia, the Ukrainian republic was far and away the most
important economic component of the former Soviet Union, producing
about four times the output of the next-ranking republic. Its
fertile black soil generated more than one-fourth of Soviet
agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities
of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise,
its diversified heavy industry supplied the unique equipment (for
example, large diameter pipes) and raw materials to industrial and
mining sites (vertical drilling apparatus) in other regions of the
former USSR. Ukraine depends on imports of energy, especially
natural gas, to meet some 85% of its annual energy requirements.
Shortly after independence in December 1991, the Ukrainian
Government liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework for
privatization, but widespread resistance to reform within the
government and the legislature soon stalled reform efforts and led
to some backtracking. Output by 1999 had fallen to less than 40% of
the 1991 level. Loose monetary policies pushed inflation to
hyperinflationary levels in late 1993. Ukraine's dependence on
Russia for energy supplies and the lack of significant structural
reform have made the Ukrainian economy vulnerable to external
shocks. President KUCHMA had pledged to reduce the number of
government agencies, streamline the regulatory process, create a
legal environment to encourage entrepreneurs, and enact a
comprehensive tax overhaul. Reforms in the more politically
sensitive areas of structural reform and land privatization are
still lagging. Outside institutions - particularly the IMF - have
encouraged Ukraine to quicken the pace and scope of reforms. GDP in
2000 showed strong export-based growth of 6% - the first growth
since independence - and industrial production grew 12.9%. The
economy continued to expand in 2001 as real GDP rose 9% and
industrial output grew by over 14%. Growth of 4.6% in 2002 was more
moderate, in part a reflection of faltering growth in the developed
world. In general, growth has been undergirded by strong domestic
demand, low inflation, and solid consumer and investor confidence.
Growth was a sturdy 9.3% in 2003 and a remarkable 12% in 2004,
despite a loss of momentum in needed economic reforms.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $260.4 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
9.4% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18.8% industry: 44.8% services: 36.4% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
21% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
29% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 23.2% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
29 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.2% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
21.29 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 24%, industry 32%, services 44% (1996)

Unemployment rate:
3.7% officially registered; large number of unregistered or
underemployed workers (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $14.1 billion
expenditures: $14.19 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
28.7% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, vegetables; beef, milk

Industries:
coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery and
transport equipment, chemicals, food processing (especially sugar)

Industrial production growth rate:
15.8% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
164.7 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
152.4 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
800 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
86,490 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
290,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
197.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
18.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
74.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
55.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
560.7 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$2.891 billion (2003)

Exports:
$23.63 billion (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
ferrous and nonferrous metals, fuel and petroleum products,
chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, food products

Exports - partners:
Russia 17.8%, Germany 5.9%, Italy 5.3%, China 4.1% (2003)

Imports:
$23.58 billion (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
energy, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners:
Russia 35.9%, Germany 9.4%, Turkmenistan 7.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$6.937 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$16.13 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient: $637.7 million (1995); IMF Extended Funds Facility $2.2 billion (1998)

Currency:
hryvnia (UAH)

Currency code:
UAH

Exchange rates:
hryvnia per US dollar - 5.3327 (2003), 5.3266 (2002), 5.3722
(2001), 5.4402 (2000), 4.1304 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Ukraine

Telephones - main lines in use:
10,833,300 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.2 million (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: Ukraine's telecommunication development plan,
running through 2005, emphasizes improving domestic trunk lines,
international connections, and the mobile cellular system
domestic: at independence in December 1991, Ukraine inherited a
telephone system that was antiquated, inefficient, and in disrepair;
more than 3.5 million applications for telephones could not be
satisfied; telephone density is now rising slowly and the domestic
trunk system is being improved; the mobile cellular telephone system
is expanding at a high rate
international: country code - 380; two new domestic trunk lines are
a part of the fiber-optic Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) system and three
Ukrainian links have been installed in the fiber-optic
Trans-European Lines (TEL) project that connects 18 countries;
additional international service is provided by the
Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia (ITUR) fiber-optic submarine cable and
by earth stations in the Intelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik
satellite systems

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 134, FM 289, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
45.05 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: at least 33 (plus 21 repeaters that relay broadcasts from Russia) (1997)

Televisions:
18.05 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.ua

Internet hosts:
94,345 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
260 (2001)

Internet users:
900,000 (2002)

Transportation Ukraine

Railways: total: 22,473 km broad gauge: 22,473 km 1.524-m gauge (9,250 km electrified) (2003)

Highways: total: 169,491 km paved: 163,898 km unpaved: 5,593 km (2000)

Waterways:
1,672 km (most on Dnieper River) (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 20,069 km; oil 4,540 km; refined products 4,169 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Berdyans'k, Feodosiya, Illichivs'k, Izmayil, Kerch, Kherson, Kiev
(Kyyiv), Kiliya, Mariupol', Mykolayiv, Odesa, Reni, Sevastopol',
Yalta, Yuzhnyy

Merchant marine:
total: 140 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 675,904 GRT/709,802 DWT
by type: bulk 7, cargo 92, container 7, liquefied gas 2, passenger
11, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 10, rail car carrier 2,
refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 3, short-sea/passenger 1
foreign-owned: Belize 2, Canada 1, Cyprus 1, Hungary 2, Italy 1,
Russia 4, Turkey 3
registered in other countries: 87 (2004 est.)

Airports:
702 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 174
over 3,047 m: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 57
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 70 (2003 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 30

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 528
under 914 m: 469 (2003 est.)
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 35
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17

Heliports:
8 (2003 est.)

Military Ukraine

Military branches:
Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Ministry
of Internal Affairs (MVS) Troops, Border Troops

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18-27 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months for Army and Air Force, 24 months for Navy (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 12,196,319 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 9,565,088 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 386,945 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$617.9 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Ukraine

Disputes - international:
1997 boundary treaty with Belarus remains unratified due to
unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and reducing
border security; delimitation of land boundary with Russia is
complete but boundary through the Sea of Azov and Kerch Strait
remains unresolved despite a December 2003 framework agreement and
on-going expert-level discussions; Ukraine protests Russia's
construction of a causeway in the direction of
Ukrainian-administered Tuzla Island in the Kerch Strait;
difficulties with Moldova's Transnistria region complicate
controlling border crossing and customs regimes despite concordance
on the 2003 delimitation and customs protocols and OSCE assistance;
has not resolved Romanian claims to Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy
(Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary despite ongoing talks
based on 1997 friendship treaty to find a solution in two years;
ongoing dispute between Ukraine and Romania over the Danube River
delta

Illicit drugs:
limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS
consumption; some synthetic drug production for export to the West;
limited government eradication program; used as transshipment point
for opiates and other illicit drugs from Africa, Latin America, and
Turkey to Europe and Russia; Ukraine has improved
anti-money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the
Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and
Territories List in February 2004; Ukraine's anti-money-laundering
regime continues to be monitored by FATF

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@United Arab Emirates

Introduction United Arab Emirates

Background:
The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control
of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In
1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash
Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the United
Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah.
The UAE's per capita GDP is on par with those of leading West
European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate
foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role in
the affairs of the region.

Geography United Arab Emirates

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf,
between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
24 00 N, 54 00 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 82,880 sq km
land: 82,880 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries: total: 867 km border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km

Coastline:
1,318 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
desert; cooler in eastern mountains

Terrain:
flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast
desert wasteland; mountains in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 0.6% permanent crops: 2.25% other: 97.15% (2001)

Irrigated land:
720 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
frequent sand and dust storms

Environment - current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a
vital transit point for world crude oil

People United Arab Emirates

Population:
2,523,915
note: includes an estimated 1,606,079 non-nationals; the 17 December
1995 census presents a total population figure of 2,377,453, and
there are estimates of 3.44 million for 2002 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.9% (male 333,661; female 320,368)
15-64 years: 70.9% (male 1,103,385; female 685,281)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 58,862; female 22,358) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 27.7 years
male: 35.7 years
female: 22.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.57% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
18.65 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.14 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.61 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 2.63 male(s)/female
total population: 1.46 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.06 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 17.71 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.99 years
male: 72.51 years
female: 77.6 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.02 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.18% (2001 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Emirati(s)
adjective: Emirati

Ethnic groups:
Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, other
expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982)
note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)

Religions:
Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%

Languages:
Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 77.9%
male: 76.1%
female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

Government United Arab Emirates

Country name:
conventional long form: United Arab Emirates
conventional short form: none
local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah
abbreviation: UAE
former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States
local short form: none

Government type:
federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal
government and other powers reserved to member emirates

Capital:
Abu Dhabi

Administrative divisions:
7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi),
'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al
Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn

Independence:
2 December 1971 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 2 December (1971)

Constitution:
2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)

Legal system:
federal court system introduced in 1971; applies to all emirates
except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah, which are not fully
integrated into the federal system; all emirates have secular courts
to adjudicate criminal, civil, and commercial matters and Islamic
courts to review family and religious disputes

Suffrage:
none

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Sheikh KHALIFA bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan
(since 3 November 2004), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 4
November 2004) and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since
8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)
note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the
seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional
authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions
federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi)
and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power
head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum
(since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy Prime
Minister SULTAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990);
Deputy Prime Minister HAMDAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 October
2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC (composed
of rulers of the seven emirates) for five-year terms; election last
held 3 November 2004 upon the death of the UAE's Founding Father and
first President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (next to be held 2009);
prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president
election results: KHALIFA bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan elected president
by a unanimous vote of the FSC; MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum
unanimously reaffirmed vice president

Legislative branch:
unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or Majlis al-Ittihad
al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of the
constituent states to serve two-year terms)
elections: none
note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto

Judicial branch:
Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Asri Said Ahmad al-DHAHIRI note: also a consulate or representative office in New York, NY FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432 telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400 chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michele SISON
embassy: Embassies District, Plot 38 Sector W59-02, Street No. 4,
Abu Dhabi
mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi
telephone: [971] (2) 414-2200
FAX: [971] (2) 414-2469
consulate(s) general: Dubai

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with
a wider vertical red band on the hoist side

Economy United Arab Emirates

Economy - overview:
The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a
sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and gas
output (about 33% of GDP), and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate
with the prices of those commodities. Since 1973, the UAE has
undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of
small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard
of living. At present levels of production, oil and gas reserves
should last for more than 100 years. The government has increased
spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening
up its utilities to greater private sector involvement.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $57.7 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $23,200 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 58.5% services: 37.5% (2002 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
22% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.2% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
2.16 million
note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
(2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 7%, industry 15%, services 78% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
2.4% (2001)

Budget:
revenues: $17.35 billion
expenditures: $23.85 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.4
billion (2003 est.)

Public debt:
18.1% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish

Industries:
petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some
boat building, handicrafts, pearling

Industrial production growth rate:
4% (2000)

Electricity - production:
37.74 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
35.1 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
2.566 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
310,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
80.31 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
44.94 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
37.86 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
7.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
5.892 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$12.47 billion (2003)

Exports:
$56.73 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates

Exports - partners:
Japan 26.2%, South Korea 10.5%, Iran 3.8% (2003)

Imports:
$37.16 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food

Imports - partners:
China 10%, Japan 7.2%, Germany 7.2%, US 7%, France 6.9%, UK 5.9%,
Italy 4.4%, South Korea 4.4%, India 4.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$15.79 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$20.71 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
NA

Currency:
Emirati dirham (AED)

Currency code:
AED

Exchange rates:
Emirati dirhams per US dollar - 3.67 (2003), 3.6725 (2002), 3.6725
(2001), 3.6725 (2000), 3.6725 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications United Arab Emirates

Telephones - main lines in use:
1,135,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,972,300 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital
network with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones; key
centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai
domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber optic and coaxial cable
international: country code - 971; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat;
submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan;
tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi
Arabia

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 13, FM 8, shortwave 2 (2004)

Radios:
820,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
15 (2004)

Televisions:
310,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ae

Internet hosts:
56,283 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
1,110,200 (2003)

Transportation United Arab Emirates

Highways:
total: 1,088 km
paved: 1,088 km (including 253 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines:
condensate 469 km; gas 2,655 km; liquid petroleum gas 300 km; oil
2,936 km; oil/gas/water 5 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali,
Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn

Merchant marine:
total: 59 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 578,477 GRT/739,823 DWT
by type: cargo 12, chemical tanker 5, container 7, liquefied gas 1,
petroleum tanker 21, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea/passenger 4,
specialized tanker 1 (2004 est.)

Airports:
35 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 22
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 13
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

Heliports:
2 (2003 est.)

Military United Arab Emirates

Military branches:
Army, Navy (including Marines and Coast Guard), Air and Air Defense
Force, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police Force)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 764,413 note: includes non-nationals (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 412,490 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 29,183 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.6 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.1% (FY00)

Transnational Issues United Arab Emirates

Disputes - international:
because the treaties have not been made public, the exact alignment
of the boundary with Saudi Arabia is still unknown and labeled
approximate; boundary agreement signed and ratified with Oman in
2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al
Madhah enclaves; UAE engage in direct talks and solicit Arab League
support to resolve disputes over Iran's occupation of Lesser and
Greater Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island

Illicit drugs:
the UAE is a drug transshipment point for traffickers given its
proximity to southwest Asian drug producing countries; the UAE's
position as a major financial center makes it vulnerable to money
laundering; anti-money-laundering controls improving

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@United Kingdom

Introduction United Kingdom

Background:
Great Britain, the dominant industrial and maritime power of the
19th century, played a leading role in developing parliamentary
democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith,
the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface.
The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously
depleted in two World Wars. The second half witnessed the
dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern
and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of
the UN Security Council, a founding member of NATO, and of the
Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy; it
currently is weighing the degree of its integration with continental
Europe. A member of the EU, it chose to remain outside the European
Monetary Union for the time being. Constitutional reform is also a
significant issue in the UK. The Scottish Parliament, the National
Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were
established in 1999, but the latter is suspended due to bickering
over the peace process.

Geography United Kingdom

Location:
Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the
island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North
Sea, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates:
54 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 244,820 sq km
water: 3,230 sq km
note: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands
land: 241,590 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Ireland 360 km

Coastline:
12,429 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in
accordance with agreed upon boundaries

Climate:
temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North
Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast

Terrain:
mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in
east and southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: The Fens -4 m
highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m

Natural resources:
coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin,
limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate,
arable land

Land use:
arable land: 23.46%
permanent crops: 0.21%
other: 76.33% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,080 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
winter windstorms; floods

Environment - current issues:
continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (has met Kyoto
Protocol target of a 12.5% reduction from 1990 levels and intends to
meet the legally binding target and move towards a domestic goal of
a 20% cut in emissions by 2010); by 2005 the government aims to
reduce the amount of industrial and commercial waste disposed of in
landfill sites to 85% of 1998 levels and to recycle or compost at
least 25% of household waste, increasing to 33% by 2015; between
1998-99 and 1999-2000, household recycling increased from 8.8% to
10.3%

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France
and now linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because of
heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from
tidal waters

People United Kingdom

Population:
60,270,708 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 5,560,489; female 5,293,871)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 20,193,876; female 19,736,516)
65 years and over: 15.7% (male 4,027,721; female 5,458,235) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 38.7 years male: 37.6 years female: 39.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.29% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
10.88 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
10.19 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
2.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 5.22 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 5.83 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.27 years
male: 75.84 years
female: 80.83 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.66 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
34,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural)
adjective: British

Ethnic groups:
English 81.5%, Scottish 9.6%, Irish 2.4%, Welsh 1.9%, Ulster 1.8%,
West Indian, Indian, Pakistani, and other 2.8%

Religions:
Anglican and Roman Catholic 40 million, Muslim 1.5 million,
Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 500,000, Hindu
500,000, Jewish 350,000

Languages:
English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales), Scottish
form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of
schooling
total population: 99% (2000 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

Government United Kingdom

Country name:
conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland; note - Great Britain includes the countries of
England, Scotland, and Wales
conventional short form: United Kingdom
abbreviation: UK

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
London

Administrative divisions:
England - 47 boroughs, 36 counties, 29 London boroughs, 12 cities
and boroughs, 10 districts, 12 cities, 3 royal boroughs
: boroughs: Barnsley, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Bolton,
Bournemouth, Bracknell Forest, Brighton and Hove, Bury, Calderdale,
Darlington, Doncaster, Dudley, Gateshead, Halton, Hartlepool,
Kirklees, Knowsley, Luton, Medway, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes,
North Tyneside, Oldham, Poole, Reading, Redcar and Cleveland,
Rochdale, Rotherham, Sandwell, Sefton, Slough, Solihull,
Southend-on-Sea, South Tyneside, St. Helens, Stockport,
Stockton-on-Tees, Swindon, Tameside, Thurrock, Torbay, Trafford,
Walsall, Warrington, Wigan, Wirral, Wolverhampton
: counties: Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire,
Cornwall, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, Durham, East Sussex,
Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire,
Isle of Wight, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire,
Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Northumberland, North Yorkshire,
Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire, Somerset, Staffordshire,
Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Sussex, Wiltshire, Worcestershire
: districts: Bath and North East Somerset, East Riding of Yorkshire,
North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, North Somerset,
Rutland, South Gloucestershire, Telford and Wrekin, West Berkshire,
Wokingham
: cities: City of Bristol, Derby, City of Kingston upon Hull,
Leicester, City of London, Nottingham, Peterborough, Plymouth,
Portsmouth, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent, York
: cities and boroughs: Birmingham, Bradford, Coventry, Leeds,
Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Salford, Sheffield,
Sunderland, Wakefield, Westminster
: London boroughs: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent,
Bromley, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney,
Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon,
Hounslow, Islington, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Newham, Redbridge,
Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham
Forest, Wandsworth
: royal boroughs: Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames,
Windsor and Maidenhead
: districts: Antrim, Ards, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge,
Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Coleraine, Cookstown, Craigavon, Down,
Dungannon, Fermanagh, Larne, Limavady, Lisburn, Magherafelt, Moyle,
Newry and Mourne, Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, Strabane
: cities and counties: Cardiff, Swansea
: counties: Isle of Anglesey, Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire,
Denbighshire, Flintshire, Monmouthshire, Pembrokeshire, Powys, The
Vale of Glamorgan
: county boroughs: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Conwy,
Gwynedd, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Rhondda Cynon
Taff, Torfaen, Wrexham
: Wales - 11 county boroughs, 9 counties, 2 cities and counties
: Scotland - 32 council areas: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus,
Argyll and Bute, The Scottish Borders, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries
and Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East
Lothian, East Renfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife,
Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North
Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross,
Renfrewshire, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire,
Stirling, West Dunbartonshire, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), West
Lothian;
: counties: County Antrim, County Armagh, County Down, County
Fermanagh, County Londonderry, County Tyrone
: cities: Belfast, Derry
: Northern Ireland - 24 districts, 2 cities, 6 counties

Dependent areas:
Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin
Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey,
Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena and
Ascension, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and
Caicos Islands

Independence:
England has existed as a unified entity since the 10th century; the
union between England and Wales, begun in 1284 with the Statute of
Rhuddlan, was not formalized until 1536 with an Act of Union; in
another Act of Union in 1707, England and Scotland agreed to
permanently join as Great Britain; the legislative union of Great
Britain and Ireland was implemented in 1801, with the adoption of
the name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; the
Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921 formalized a partition of Ireland; six
northern Irish counties remained part of the United Kingdom as
Northern Ireland and the current name of the country, the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was adopted in 1927

National holiday:
the UK does not celebrate one particular national holiday

Constitution:
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system:
common law tradition with early Roman and modern continental
influences; has judicial review of Acts of Parliament under the
Human Rights Act of 1998; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Heir
Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14 November 1948)
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition is usually the prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister Anthony (Tony) BLAIR (since 2 May
1997)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament comprised of House of Lords (consists of
approximately 500 life peers, 92 hereditary peers and 26 clergy) and
House of Commons (659 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms unless the House is dissolved earlier)
note: in 1998 elections were held for a Northern Ireland Assembly
(because of unresolved disputes among existing parties, the transfer
of power from London to Northern Ireland came only at the end of
1999 and has been suspended four times the latest occurring in
October 2002); in 1999 there were elections for a new Scottish
Parliament and a new Welsh Assembly
elections: House of Lords - no elections (note - in 1999, as
provided by the House of Lords Act, elections were held in the House
of Lords to determine the 92 hereditary peers who would remain
there; pending further reforms, elections are held only as vacancies
in the hereditary peerage arise); House of Commons - last held 7
June 2001 (next to be held by NA May 2006)
election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -
Labor 42.1%, Conservative and Unionist 32.7%, Liberal Democrats
18.8%, other 6.4%; seats by party - Labor 412, Conservative and
Unionist 166, Liberal Democrat 52, other 29; note - seating as of 12
October 2004: Labor 407, Conservative 163, Liberal Democrats 55,
other 34

Judicial branch:
House of Lords (highest court of appeal; several Lords of Appeal in
Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life); Supreme Courts of
England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (comprising the Courts of
Appeal, the High Courts of Justice, and the Crown Courts);
Scotland's Court of Session and Court of the Justiciary

Political parties and leaders:
Conservative and Unionist Party [Michael HOWARD]; Democratic
Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [Rev. Ian PAISLEY]; Labor Party
[Anthony (Tony) BLAIR]; Liberal Democrats [Charles KENNEDY]; Party
of Wales (Plaid Cymru) [Dafydd IWAN]; Scottish National Party or SNP
[Alex SALMOND]; Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland) [Gerry ADAMS]; Social
Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland) [Mark DURKAN];
Ulster Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [David TRIMBLE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; Confederation of British
Industry; National Farmers' Union; Trades Union Congress

International organization participation:
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO,
NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN
Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNITAR, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WEU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David G. MANNING
chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870
telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
Angeles, New York, and San Francisco
consulate(s): Dallas, Denver, Miami, Puerto Rico, and Seattle

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David T.
JOHNSON
embassy: 24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 1AE
mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040
telephone: [44] (0) 20 7499-9000
FAX: [44] (0) 20 7629-9124
consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh

Flag description:
blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of
England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of
Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is superimposed on
the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland);
properly known as the Union Flag, but commonly called the Union
Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been
the basis for a number of other flags including other Commonwealth
countries and their constituent states or provinces, as well as
British overseas territories

Economy United Kingdom

Economy - overview:
The UK, a leading trading power and financial center, is one of the
quartet of trillion dollar economies of Western Europe. Over the
past two decades the government has greatly reduced public ownership
and contained the growth of social welfare programs. Agriculture is
intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards,
producing about 60% of food needs with only 1% of the labor force.
The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves; primary energy
production accounts for 10% of GDP, one of the highest shares of any
industrial nation. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and
business services, account by far for the largest proportion of GDP
while industry continues to decline in importance. GDP growth
slipped in 2001-03 as the global downturn, the high value of the
pound, and the bursting of the "new economy" bubble hurt
manufacturing and exports. Still, the economy is one of the
strongest in Europe; inflation, interest rates, and unemployment
remain low. The relatively good economic performance has complicated
the BLAIR government's efforts to make a case for Britain to join
the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Critics point out,
however, that the economy is doing well outside of EMU, and they
point to public opinion polls that continue to show a majority of
Britons opposed to the euro. Meantime, the government has been
speeding up the improvement of education, transport, and health
services, at a cost in higher taxes. The war in March-April 2003
between a US-led coalition and Iraq, together with the subsequent
problems of restoring the economy and the polity, involve a heavy
commitment of British military forces.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.666 trillion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $27,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.9% industry: 26.5% services: 72.6% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
16.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
17% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 27.7% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36.8 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.4% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
29.6 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 1%, industry 25%, services 74% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
5% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $688.9 billion
expenditures: $746.1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Public debt:
51% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, poultry; fish

Industries:
machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment,
railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and
parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals,
coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing,
textiles, clothing, and other consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate:
-0.7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
360.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
346.1 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
264 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
10.66 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
2.541 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1.71 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
2.205 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
1.418 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
4.741 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
105.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
92.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
15.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
2.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
714.9 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-7.556 billion (2003)

Exports:
$304.5 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco

Exports - partners:
US 15.7%, Germany 10.5%, France 9.5%, Netherlands 6.9%, Ireland
6.5%, Belgium 5.6%, Spain 4.4%, Italy 4.4% (2003)

Imports:
$363.6 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
manufactured goods, machinery, fuels; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Germany 13.5%, US 10.2%, France 8.1%, Netherlands 6.3%, Belgium
4.9%, Italy 4.7% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$46.05 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
NA (2002 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $4.5 billion (2000)

Currency:
British pound (GBP)

Currency code:
GBP

Exchange rates:
British pounds per US dollar - 0.55 (2004), 0.61 (2003), 0.67
(2002), 0.69 (2001), 0.66 (2000), 0.62 (1999)

Fiscal year:
6 April - 5 April

Communications United Kingdom

Telephones - main lines in use:
34.898 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
49.677 million (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: technologically advanced domestic and
international system
domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and
fiber-optic systems
international: country code - 44; 40 coaxial submarine cables;
satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3
Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat;
at least 8 large international switching centers

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 219, FM 431, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
84.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
228 (plus 3,523 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
30.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.uk

Internet hosts:
3,398,708 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
more than 400 (2000)

Internet users:
25 million (2002)

Transportation United Kingdom

Railways:
total: 17,186 km
standard gauge: 16,726 km 1.435-m gauge (5,243 km electrified)
broad gauge: 460 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland) (2003)

Highways:
total: 371,913 km
paved: 371,913 km (including 3,358 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Waterways:
3,200 km (620 km used for commerce) (2004)

Pipelines:
condensate 370 km; gas 21,446 km; liquid petroleum gas 59 km; oil
6,420 km; oil/gas/water 63 km; refined products 4,474 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Dover, Falmouth, Felixstowe,
Glasgow, Grangemouth, Hull, Leith, Liverpool, London, Manchester,
Peterhead, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Ramsgate, Scapa Flow, Southampton,
Sullom Voe, Teesport, Tyne

Merchant marine:
total: 384 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 9,181,284 GRT/9,566,275 DWT
by type: bulk 20, cargo 50, chemical tanker 28, combination ore/oil
1, container 130, liquefied gas 23, livestock carrier 1,
multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 20, petroleum
tanker 45, refrigerated cargo 18, roll on/roll off 34,
short-sea/passenger 11, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1
foreign-owned: Australia 2, Croatia 4, Cyprus 1, Denmark 42, Finland
1, Germany 52, Greece 36, Hong Kong 16, Italy 3, Japan 1, Monaco 13,
Nigeria 1, Norway 32, South Africa 2, Sweden 13, Taiwan 7, United
registered in other countries: 522 (2004 est.)

Airports:
471 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 334 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 33 914 to 1,523 m: 86 under 914 m: 57 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 150

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 137 2438 to 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 112 (2004 est.) 914 to 1,523 m: 23

Heliports: 11 (2003 est.)

Military United Kingdom

Military branches:
Army, Royal Navy (including Royal Marines), Royal Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service (January 2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 14,943,016 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 12,393,785 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$42,836.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.4% (2003)

Transnational Issues United Kingdom

Disputes - international:
since Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum in
2003 against a "total shared sovereignty" arrangement, talks between
the UK and Spain over the fate of the 300-year old UK colony have
stalled; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater
autonomy; Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago
(British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants since
their eviction in 1965; most reside chiefly in Mauritius, and in
2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; UK
continues to reject sovereignty talks requested by Argentina, which
still claims the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia
and the South Sandwich Islands; Rockall continental shelf dispute
involving Denmark and Iceland remains dormant; territorial claim in
Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory) overlaps Argentine claim
and partially overlaps Chilean claim; disputes with Iceland,
Denmark, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf
boundary outside 200 nm

Illicit drugs:
producer of limited amounts of synthetic drugs and synthetic
precursor chemicals; major consumer of Southwest Asian heroin, Latin
American cocaine, and synthetic drugs; money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@United States

Introduction United States

Background:
Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776
and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of
America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and
20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the
nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a
number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences
in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and the Great
Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II
and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most
powerful nation state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low
unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.

Geography United States

Location:
North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the
North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico

Geographic coordinates:
38 00 N, 97 00 W

Map references:
North America

Area:
total: 9,631,418 sq km
land: 9,161,923 sq km
water: 469,495 sq km
note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia

Area - comparative:
about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of
Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger
than Brazil); slightly larger than China; about two and a half times
the size of Western Europe

Land boundaries:
total: 12,034 km
border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska),
Mexico 3,141 km
note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and
is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 29 km

Coastline:
19,924 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: not specified

Climate:
mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in
Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River,
and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter
temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in
January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes
of the Rocky Mountains

Terrain:
vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in
east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged,
volcanic topography in Hawaii

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Death Valley -86 m
highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m

Natural resources:
coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold,
iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum,
natural gas, timber

Land use:
arable land: 19.13%
other: 80.65% (2001)
permanent crops: 0.22%

Irrigated land:
214,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin;
hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes
in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires
in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major
impediment to development

Environment - current issues:
air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the
US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning
of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and
fertilizers; limited natural fresh water resources in much of the
western part of the country require careful management;
desertification

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes

Geography - note:
world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and
by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley is highest point
in North America and Death Valley the lowest point on the continent

People United States

Population:
293,027,571 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.8% (male 31,122,974; female 29,713,748)
15-64 years: 66.9% (male 97,756,380; female 98,183,309)
65 years and over: 12.4% (male 15,078,204; female 21,172,956) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 36 years male: 34.7 years female: 37.4 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.92% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
14.13 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.34 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
3.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.63 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 7.31 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.43 years
male: 74.63 years
female: 80.36 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.07 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
950,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
14,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: American(s)
adjective: American

Ethnic groups:
white 77.1%, black 12.9%, Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and Alaska native
1.5%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.3%, other 4%
(2000)
note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US
Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean a person of Latin American
descent (including persons of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican
origin) living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group
(white, black, Asian, etc.)

Religions:
Protestant 52%, Roman Catholic 24%, Mormon 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim
1%, other 10%, none 10% (2002 est.)

Languages:
English, Spanish (spoken by a sizable minority)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 97% (1999 est.)

Government United States

Country name:
conventional long form: United States of America
conventional short form: United States
abbreviation: US or USA

Government type:
Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition

Capital:
Washington, DC

Administrative divisions:
50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas,
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*,
Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North
Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South
Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia,
Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Dependent areas:
American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island,
Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island,
Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin
Islands, Wake Island
note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered
the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. It entered into a
political relationship with all four political units: the Northern
Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US
(effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free
Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994); the Federated
States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the
US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands
signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21
October 1986)

Independence:
4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Constitution:
17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789

Legal system:
federal court system based on English common law; each state has
its own unique legal system, of which all but one (Louisiana's) is
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001)
; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each
state; president and vice president serve four-year terms; election
last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)
election results: George W. BUSH reelected president; percent of
popular vote - George W. BUSH (Republican Party) 50.9%, John KERRY
(Democratic Party) 48.1%, other 1.0%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats, one-third are
renewed every two years; two members are elected from each state by
popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular
vote to serve two-year terms)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - Republican Party 55, Democratic Party 44, independent 1;
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - Republican Party 231, Democratic Party 200, undecided 4
elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
November 2006); House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004
(next to be held November 2006)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for life on
condition of good behavior by the president with confirmation by the
Senate); United States Courts of Appeal; United States District
Courts; State and County Courts

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [Terence McAULIFFE]; Green Party [leader NA];
Libertarian Party [Steve DASBACH]; Republican Party [Edward
GILLESPIE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
AfDB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia
Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EAPC, EBRD, FAO,
G-5, G-7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory),
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM (guest), NATO,
NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN Security
Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL,
UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Flag description:
13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating
with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset
horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows
of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes
represent the 13 original colonies; known as Old Glory; the design
and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags,
including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico

Economy United States

Economy - overview: The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $37,800. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy considerably greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to entry in their rivals' home markets than the barriers to entry of foreign firms in US markets. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment; their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. The years 1994-2000 witnessed solid increases in real output, low inflation rates, and a drop in unemployment to below 5%. The year 2001 saw the end of boom psychology and performance, with output increasing only 0.3% and unemployment and business failures rising substantially. The response to the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 showed the remarkable resilience of the economy. Moderate recovery took place in 2002 with the GDP growth rate rising to 2.4%. A major short-term problem in first half 2002 was a sharp decline in the stock market, fueled in part by the exposure of dubious accounting practices in some major corporations. The war in March/April 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq shifted resources to the military. In 2003, growth in output and productivity and the recovery of the stock market to above 10,000 for the Dow Jones Industrial Average were promising signs. Unemployment stayed at the 6% level, however, and began to decline only at the end of the year. Long-term problems include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, sizable trade and budget deficits, and stagnation of family income in the lower economic groups.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $10.99 trillion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $37,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.4% industry: 26.2% services: 72.5% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
15.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
12% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 30.5% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
45 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (2003)

Labor force:
147.4 million (includes unemployed) (2003)

Labor force - by occupation: managerial, professional, and technical 34.9%, sales and office 25.5%, manufacturing, extraction, transportation, and crafts 22.7%, other services 16.3%, farming, forestry, and fishing 0.7% note: figures exclude the unemployed (2004)

Unemployment rate:
6% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $1.782 trillion
expenditures: $2.156 trillion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Public debt:
62.4% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork,
poultry, dairy products; forest products; fish

Industries:
leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and
technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles,
aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food
processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining

Industrial production growth rate:
0.3% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
3.719 trillion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
3.602 trillion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
18.17 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
38.48 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
8.054 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
19.65 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
22.45 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
548.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
640.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
11.16 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
114.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
5.195 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-541.8 billion (2003)

Exports:
$714.5 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and raw materials,
consumer goods, agricultural products

Exports - partners:
Canada 23.4%, Mexico 13.5%, Japan 7.2%, UK 4.7%, Germany 4% (2003)

Imports:
$1.26 trillion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
crude oil and refined petroleum products, machinery, automobiles,
consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food and beverages

Imports - partners:
Canada 17.4%, China 12.5%, Mexico 10.7%, Japan 9.3%, Germany 5.3%
(2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$85.94 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.4 trillion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $6.9 billion (1997)

Currency:
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
British pounds per US dollar - 0.6139 (2003), 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944
(2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), Canadian dollars per US dollar
- 1.4045 (2003), 1.5693 (2002), 1.5488 (2001), 1.4851 (2000), 1.4857
(1999), Japanese yen per US dollar - 116.08 (2003), 125.39 (2002),
121.53 (2001), 107.77 (2000), 113.91 (1999), euros per US dollar -
0.8866 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.08540 (2000), 0.93863
(1999)

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications United States

Telephones - main lines in use:
181,599,900 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
158.722 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: a large, technologically advanced, multipurpose
communications system
domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio
relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of
telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile
telephone traffic throughout the country
international: country code - 1; 24 ocean cable systems in use;
satellite earth stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16
Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4
Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4,762, FM 5,542, shortwave 18 (1998)

Radios:
575 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: more than 1,500 (including nearly 1,000 stations affiliated with the five major networks - NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, and PBS; in addition, there are about 9,000 cable TV systems) (1997)

Televisions:
219 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.us

Internet hosts:
115,311,958 (2002)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
7,000 (2002 est.)

Internet users:
159 million (2002)

Transportation United States

Railways: total: 228,464 km standard gauge: 228,464 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 6,406,296 km
paved: 4,148,395 km (including 74,898 km of expressways)
unpaved: 2,257,902 km (2002)

Waterways:
41,009 km (19,312 km used for commerce)
note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint
Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with Canada (2004)

Pipelines:
petroleum products 244,620 km; natural gas 548,665 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Anchorage, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Duluth, Hampton
Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, New Orleans,
New York, Philadelphia, Port Canaveral, Portland (Oregon), Prudhoe
Bay, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Tampa, Toledo

Merchant marine:
total: 466 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 12,436,658 GRT/14,630,116 DWT
by type: barge carrier 8, bulk 69, cargo 75, chemical tanker 12,
combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 1, container 100,
multi-functional large load carrier 3, passenger 12, passenger/cargo
2, petroleum tanker 81, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 83,
short-sea/passenger 3, vehicle carrier 12
foreign-owned: Australia 2, Canada 7, Denmark 17, Malaysia 1,
Netherlands 1, Norway 6, Singapore 3, United Kingdom 5
registered in other countries: 670 (2004 est.)

Airports:
14,807 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5,128
over 3,047 m: 188
2,438 to 3,047 m: 221
914 to 1,523 m: 2,383
under 914 m: 961 (2004 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,375

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 9,729
under 914 m: 7,843 (2004 est.)
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 1,718
1,524 to 2,437 m: 160

Heliports:
155 (2003 est.)

Military United States

Military branches:
Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard (Coast
Guard administered in peacetime by the Department of Homeland
Security, but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (2004 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 73,597,731 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
NA (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 2,124,164 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$370.7 billion (FY04 est.) (March 2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.3% (FY03 est.) (February 2004)

Transnational Issues United States

Disputes - international:
Prolonged drought, population growth, and outmoded practices and
infrastructure in the border region has strained water-sharing
arrangements with Mexico; undocumented nationals from Mexico and
Central America continue to enter the United States illegally; 1990
Maritime Boundary Agreement in the Bering Sea still awaits Russian
Duma ratification; managed maritime boundary disputes with Canada at
Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the
disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; The Bahamas have not
been able to agree on a maritime boundary; US Naval Base at
Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US
abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims
US-administered Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in
Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not
recognize the claims of any other state; Marshall Islands claims
Wake Island

Illicit drugs:
consumer of cocaine shipped from Colombia through Mexico and the
Caribbean; consumer of heroin, marijuana, and increasingly
methamphetamine from Mexico; consumer of high-quality Southeast
Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana, depressants,
stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine; money-laundering
center

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Uruguay

Introduction Uruguay

Background:
A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement, the Tupamaros, launched
in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to agree to military
control of his administration in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had
been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold
throughout the government. Civilian rule was not restored until
1985. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest
on the continent.

Geography Uruguay

Location:
Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
Argentina and Brazil

Geographic coordinates:
33 00 S, 56 00 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 176,220 sq km
land: 173,620 sq km
water: 2,600 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than the state of Washington

Land boundaries: total: 1,564 km border countries: Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km

Coastline: 660 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Terrain:
mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m

Natural resources: arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries

Land use: arable land: 7.43% permanent crops: 0.23% other: 92.34% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional
violent wind which blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts,
floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather
barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes
from weather fronts

Environment - current issues: water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
second-smallest South American country (after Suriname); most of
the low-lying landscape (three-quarters of the country) is
grassland, ideal for cattle and sheep raising

People Uruguay

Population:
3,399,237 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.5% (male 406,500; female 392,497)
15-64 years: 63.4% (male 1,066,464; female 1,087,100)
65 years and over: 13.1% (male 182,654; female 264,022) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 32.2 years
male: 30.7 years
female: 33.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.51% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
14.44 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
9.07 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 12.31 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 13.67 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.92 years
male: 72.71 years
female: 79.24 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.96 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
6,300 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Uruguayan(s) adjective: Uruguayan

Ethnic groups:
white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian, practically nonexistent

Religions:
Roman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult population attends
church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessing or other
31%

Languages:
Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the
Brazilian frontier)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 97.6%
female: 98.4% (2003 est.)

Government Uruguay

Country name:
conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
conventional short form: Uruguay
local short form: Uruguay
former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province
local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay

Government type:
constitutional republic

Capital:
Montevideo

Administrative divisions:
19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Artigas,
Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida,
Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera,
Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres

Independence:
25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 August (1825)

Constitution:
27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27 June 1973,
new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; two
constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989 and 7
January 1997

Legal system:
based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (since 1 March 2000)
and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (since 1 March
2000) and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with
parliamentary approval
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 31 October
2004 (next to be held October 2009)
election results: Tabare VAZQUEZ elected president; percent of vote
- Tabare VAZQUEZ 50.7%, Jorge LARRANAGA 34.1%, Guillermo STIRLING
10.3%; note - VAZQUEZ will take office on 1 March 2005

Legislative branch:
bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of Chamber
of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of
Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 31 October 2004 (next to
be held October 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31
October 2004 (next to be held October 2009)
election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - Encuentro Progresista 12, Colorado Party 10,
Blanco 7, New Sector/Space Coalition 1; Chamber of Representatives -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Encuentro
Progresista 40, Colorado Party 33, Blanco 22, New Sector/Space
Coalition 4

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and elected
for 10-year terms by the General Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
Colorado Party [Jorge BATLLE Ibanez]; National Party or Blanco
[Luis Alberto LACALLE Herrera]; New Sector/Space Coalition or Nuevo
Espacio [Rafael MICHELINI]; Progressive Encounter/Broad Front
Coalition or Encuentro Progresista/Frente Amplio [Tabare VAZQUEZ]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Agrupacion UTE (powerful state worker's union), Rural Association
of Uruguay (rancher's association), Uruguayan Construction League,
Chamber of Uruguayan Industries (manufacturer's association),
Chemist and Pharmaceutical Association (professional organization),
Architect's Society of Uruguay (professional organization), the
Catholic Church, students

International organization participation:
FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA,
Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, ONUB,
OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO,
UNMEE, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo FERNANDEZ-FAINGOLD
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York
FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142
telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316
chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Martin J. SILVERSTEIN
embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200
mailing address: APO AA 34035
telephone: [598] (2) 418-7777
FAX: [598] (2) 418-8611

Flag description:
nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating
with blue; there is a white square in the upper hoist-side corner
with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May and
16 rays alternately triangular and wavy

Economy Uruguay

Economy - overview:
Uruguay's well-to-do economy is characterized by an export-oriented
agricultural sector, a well-educated workforce, and high levels of
social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually during
1996-98, in 1999-2002 the economy suffered a major downturn,
stemming largely from the spillover effects of the economic problems
of its large neighbors, Argentina and Brazil. For instance, in
2001-02 massive withdrawals by Argentina of dollars deposited in
Uruguayan banks led to a plunge in the Uruguyan peso and a massive
rise in unemployment. Total GDP in these four years dropped by
nearly 20%, with 2002 the worst year due to the serious banking
crisis. Unemployment rose to nearly 20% in 2002, inflation surged,
and the burden of external debt doubled. Cooperation with the IMF
and the US has limited the damage. The debt swap with private
creditors carried out in 2003, which extended the maturity dates on
nearly half of Uruguay's $11.3 billion in public debt, substantially
alleviated the country's amortization burden in the coming years and
restored public confidence. The economy is expected to resume growth
in 2004 (perhaps 4% or more) as a result of high commodity prices
for Uruguayan exports, the weakness of the dollar against the euro,
growth in the region, low international interest rates, and greater
export competitiveness. On the negative side, in December 2003 the
electorate voted to repeal the law permitting a cautious
liberalization of the energy industry.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $43.67 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $12,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.4% industry: 26.6% services: 66% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
9.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
23.7% (2002)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 25.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
44.8 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
19.4% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
1.56 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 14%, industry 16%, services 70%

Unemployment rate:
16% (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $2.934 billion
expenditures: $3.425 billion, including capital expenditures of $193
million (2003)

Agriculture - products:
rice, wheat, corn, barley; livestock; fish

Industries:
food processing, electrical machinery, transportation equipment,
petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:
0.7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
7.963 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
6.152 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
1.377 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
123 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
41,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
40 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
40 million cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
$76 million (2003)

Exports:
$2.164 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
meat, rice, leather products, wool, fish, dairy products

Exports - partners:
Brazil 21.4%, US 11.4%, Argentina 7.1%, Germany 6.6%, China 4.3%,
Mexico 4.1%, Italy 4.1%, Canada 4% (2003)

Imports:
$1.989 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, chemicals, road vehicles, crude petroleum

Imports - partners:
Argentina 26.1%, Brazil 21%, Russia 11.7%, US 7.6% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$2.087 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$10.73 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency:
Uruguayan peso (UYU)

Currency code:
UYU

Exchange rates:
Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 28.2091 (2003), 21.257 (2002),
13.3191 (2001), 12.0996 (2000), 11.3393 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Uruguay

Telephones - main lines in use:
946,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
652,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: fully digitalized
domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new
nationwide microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 598; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 91, FM 149, shortwave 7 (2001)

Radios:
1.97 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
23 (2002)

Televisions:
782,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.uy

Internet hosts:
87,630 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
14 (2001)

Internet users:
400,000 (2002)

Transportation Uruguay

Railways:
total: 2,073 km
standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge
note: 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in
partial use (2003)

Highways: total: 8,983 km paved: 8,081 km unpaved: 902 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
1,600 km (2002)

Pipelines:
gas 192 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Colonia, Fray Bentos, Juan La Caze, La Paloma, Montevideo, Nueva
Palmira, Paysandu, Punta del Este, Piriapolis

Merchant marine:
total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 10,918 GRT/10,342 DWT
registered in other countries: 6 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Argentina 4, Greece 1
by type: chemical tanker 1, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll
on/roll off 1

Airports:
64 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 50 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 31 (2004 est.)

Military Uruguay

Military branches:
Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm, Marines, Maritime Prefecture in
wartime), Air Force

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 838,195 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 677,315 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$217.9 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Uruguay

Disputes - international:
uncontested dispute with Brazil over certain islands in the
Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada streams and the resulting tripoint with
Argentina

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Uzbekistan

Introduction Uzbekistan

Background:
Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff
resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually
suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the
Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain
led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies,
which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain
rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to
gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its
mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include terrorism
by Islamic militants, economic stagnation, and the curtailment of
human rights and democratization.

Geography Uzbekistan

Location:
Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

Geographic coordinates:
41 00 N, 64 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 447,400 sq km
water: 22,000 sq km
land: 425,400 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
total: 6,221 km
border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km,
Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km

Coastline:
0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the southern
portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline

Maritime claims:
none (doubly landlocked)

Climate:
mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters;
semiarid grassland in east

Terrain:
mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat
intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr
Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded
by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m
highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m

Natural resources:
natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead
and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum

Land use: arable land: 10.83% permanent crops: 0.83% other: 88.34% (2001)

Irrigated land:
42,810 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of
chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then
blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to
desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes and the
heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human
health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination
from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals, including
DDT

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

Geography - note:
along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked
countries in the world

People Uzbekistan

Population:
26,410,416 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 34.1% (male 4,583,228; female 4,418,003)
15-64 years: 61.1% (male 7,990,233; female 8,157,136)
65 years and over: 4.8% (male 513,434; female 748,382) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 22.1 years
male: 21.4 years
female: 22.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.65% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
26.12 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
7.95 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-1.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 71.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 67.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 75.03 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.09 years
male: 60.67 years
female: 67.69 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.97 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
11,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Uzbekistani
adjective: Uzbekistani

Ethnic groups:
Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%,
Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.)

Religions:
Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%

Languages:
Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.3%
male: 99.6%
female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Uzbekistan

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan
conventional short form: Uzbekistan
local short form: Ozbekiston
former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic
local long form: Ozbekiston Respublikasi

Government type:
republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power
outside the executive branch

Capital:
Tashkent (Toshkent)

Administrative divisions:
12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous
republic* (respublika), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati,
Buxoro Viloyati, Farg'ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan
Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi),
Qaraqalpog'iston Respublikasi* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati, Sirdaryo
Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent
Shahri**, Toshkent Viloyati, Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses)

Independence:
1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

Constitution:
new constitution adopted 8 December 1992

Legal system:
evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial
system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when
he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet)
head of government: Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYAYEV (since 11
December 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with
approval of the Supreme Assembly
election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote
- Islom KARIMOV 91.9%, Abdulkhafiz JALALOV 4.2%
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
(previously was a five-year term, extended by constitutional
amendment in 2002); election last held 9 January 2000 (next to be
held NA December 2007); prime minister and deputy ministers
appointed by the president

Legislative branch:
bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an Upper
House or Senate (100 seats; 84 members are elected by regional
governing councils to serve five-year terms and 16 are appointed by
the president) and a Lower House or Legislative Chamber (120 seats;
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - NA; Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - LDPU 41, NDP 32, Fidokorlar 17, MTP 11, Adolat 9,
unaffiliated 10
note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President KARIMOV
elections: last held 26 December 2004 and 9 January 2005 (next to be
held December 2009)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and confirmed
by the Supreme Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Dilorom TOSHMUHAMMADOVA,
chairman]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly Tiklanish) or
MTP [Xurshid DOSTMUHAMMADOV, chief]; Liberal Democratic Party of
Uzbekistan or LDPU [Adham SHODMONOV, chairman]; People's Democratic
Party or NDP (formerly Communist Party) [Asliddin RUSTAMOV, first
secretary]; Self-Sacrificers Party or Fidokorlar National Democratic
Party [Ahtam TURSUNOV, chief]; note - Fatherland Progress Party
merged with Self-Sacrificers Party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Agrarian and Entrepreneurs' Party [Marat ZAHIDOV]; Birlik (Unity)
Movement [Abdurakhim POLAT, chairman]; Erk (Freedom) Democratic
Party [Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December 1992; Ezgulik
Human Rights Society [Vasilia INOYATOVA]; Free Farmers' Party or
Ozod Dehqonlar [Nigara KHIDOYATOVA]; Human Rights Society of
Uzbekistan [Tolib YAKUBOV, chairman]; Independent Human Rights
Society of Uzbekistan [Mikhail ARDZINOV, chairman]; Mazlum [leader
NA]

International organization participation:
AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulaziz KAMILOV
FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804
consulate(s) general: New York
telephone: [1] (202) 293-6803
chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jon PURNELL
embassy: 82 Chilanzarskaya, Tashkent 700115
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450
FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green
separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and 12
white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant

Economy Uzbekistan

Economy - overview:
Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 11% consists of
intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than 60% of its
population lives in densely populated rural communities. Uzbekistan
is now the world's second-largest cotton exporter, a large producer
of gold and oil, and a regionally significant producer of chemicals
and machinery. Following independence in December 1991, the
government sought to prop up its Soviet-style command economy with
subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. Uzbekistan
responded to the negative external conditions generated by the Asian
and Russian financial crises by emphasizing import substitute
industrialization and by tightening export and currency controls
within its already largely closed economy. The government, while
aware of the need to improve the investment climate, sponsors
measures that often increase, not decrease, the government's control
over business decisions. A sharp increase in the inequality of
income distribution has hurt the lower ranks of society since
independence. In 2003, the government accepted the obligations of
Article VIII under the International Monetary Fund (IMF), providing
for full currency convertibility. However, strict currency controls
and tightening of borders have lessened the effects of
convertibility and have also lead to some shortages which have
further stifled economic activity.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $43.99 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 38%
industry: 26.3%
services: 35.7% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 32.8% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
44.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
13.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
14.2 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 44%, industry 20%, services 36% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
0.5% plus another 20% underemployed (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $2.176 billion
expenditures: $2.207 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
42.3% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

Industries:
textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, natural
gas, chemicals

Industrial production growth rate:
6.2% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
44.49 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
47.07 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
3.998 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
9.7 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
142,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
142,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
297 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
63.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
45.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
17.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
937.3 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$462 million (2003)

Exports:
$2.83 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
cotton 41.5%, gold 9.6%, energy products 9.6%, mineral fertilizers,
ferrous metals, textiles, food products, automobiles (1998 est.)

Exports - partners:
Russia 22.4%, China 9.3%, Ukraine 7.5%, Tajikistan 6.2%, Bangladesh
4.7%, Turkey 4.6%, Japan 4.3%, Kazakhstan 4.2%, US 4.1% (2003)

Imports:
$2.31 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment 49.8%, foodstuffs 16.4%, chemicals, metals
(1998 est.)

Imports - partners:
Russia 22.3%, US 11.4%, South Korea 11%, Germany 9.5%, China 6.5%,
Kazakhstan 6.1%, Turkey 6.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$1.286 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$4.384 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$87.4 million from the US (2003)

Currency:
Uzbekistani sum (UZS)

Currency code:
UZS

Exchange rates:
Uzbekistani sums per US dollar - 115.9 (2003), 125.3 (2002), NA
(2001), 236.608 (2000), 124.625 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Uzbekistan

Telephones - main lines in use:
1,717,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
320,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious need of
modernization
domestic: the domestic telephone system is being expanded and
technologically improved, particularly in Tashkent (Toshkent) and
Samarqand, under contracts with prominent companies in
industrialized countries; moreover, by 1998, six cellular networks
had been placed in operation - four of the GSM type (Global System
for Mobile Communication), one D-AMPS type (Digital Advanced Mobile
Phone System), and one AMPS type (Advanced Mobile Phone System)
international: country code - 998; linked by landline or microwave
radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased
connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; after the
completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE)
fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian
facilities for international communications; Inmarsat also provides
an international connection, albeit an expensive one; satellite
earth stations - NA (1998)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 20, FM 7, shortwave 10 (1998)

Radios:
10.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 4 (plus two repeaters that relay Russian programs), 1 cable rebroadcaster in Tashkent; approximately 20 stations in regional capitals (2003)

Televisions:
6.4 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.uz

Internet hosts:
1,040 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
42 (2000)

Internet users:
492,000 (2003)

Transportation Uzbekistan

Railways: total: 3,950 km broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2003)

Highways: total: 81,600 km paved: 71,237 km unpaved: 10,363 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
1,100 km (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 9,149 km; oil 869 km; refined products 33 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Termiz (Amu Darya)

Airports:
247 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 33 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 14 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 4 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 214 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 200 (2003 est.)

Military Uzbekistan

Military branches:
Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 7,126,325 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 5,783,740 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 321,886 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$200 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2% (FY97)

Transnational Issues Uzbekistan

Disputes - international:
prolonged drought and cotton monoculture creates water-sharing
difficulties for Amu Darya river states; delimitation with
Kazakhstan complete with demarcation underway; delimitation is
underway with Kyrgyzstan but serious disputes around enclaves and
elsewhere continue to mar progress for some 130 km of border; talks
continue with Tajikistan to determine and delimit border

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 3,000 (forced population transfers by government from
villages near Tajikistan border) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a
lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation
of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for domestic
consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by government crop
eradication program; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals
bound for Afghanistan

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Vanuatu

Introduction Vanuatu

Background:
The British and French, who settled the New Hebrides in the 19th
century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which
administered the islands until independence in 1980.

Geography Vanuatu

Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates:
16 00 S, 167 00 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 12,200 sq km
land: 12,200 sq km
note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
2,528 km

Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
contiguous zone: 24 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October;
moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by
cyclones from December to April

Terrain:
mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m

Natural resources: manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Land use: arable land: 2.46% permanent crops: 7.38% other: 90.16% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes
minor earthquakes; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:
a majority of the population does not have access to a potable and
reliable supply of water; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands;
several of the islands have active volcanoes

People Vanuatu

Population:
202,609 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 34.1% (male 35,281; female 33,785)
15-64 years: 62.4% (male 64,669; female 61,829)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 3,740; female 3,305) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 22.3 years
male: 22.3 years
female: 22.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.57% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
23.67 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.02 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 56.63 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 53.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 59.25 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.1 years
male: 60.64 years
female: 63.63 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.87 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)
adjective: Ni-Vanuatu

Ethnic groups:
indigenous Melanesian 98%, French, Vietnamese, Chinese, other
Pacific Islanders

Religions:
Presbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Roman Catholic 15%, indigenous
beliefs 7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of Christ 3.8%,
other 15.7% (including Jon Frum Cargo cult)

Languages:
three official languages: English, French, pidgin (known as Bislama
or Bichelama), plus more than 100 local languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 53%
male: 57%
female: 48% (1979 est.)

Government Vanuatu

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu
conventional short form: Vanuatu
former: New Hebrides

Government type:
parliamentary republic

Capital:
Port-Vila (Efate)

Administrative divisions:
6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba

Independence:
30 July 1980 (from France and UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

Constitution:
30 July 1980

Legal system:
unified system being created from former dual French and British
systems

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Kalkot Matas KELEKELE (since 16 August
2004)
elections: president elected for a five-year term by an electoral
college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional
councils; election for president last held 16 August 2004 (next to
be held in 2009); following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime
minister by Parliament from among its members; election for prime
minister last held 29 July 2004 (next to be held following general
elections in 2008)
election results: Kalkot Matas KELEKELE elected president, with 49
votes out of 56, after several ballots on 16 August 2004
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
responsible to Parliament
head of government: Prime Minister Ham LINI (since 11 December
2004); Deputy Prime Minister Sato KILMAN (since 11 December 2004);
Prime Minister Serge VOHOR ousted in no-confidence vote on 11
December 2004

Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 6 July 2004 (next to be held 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
UMP 8, VP 8, NUP 10, VRP 4, MPP 3, VGP 3, other and independent 16;
note - political party associations are fluid
note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture
and language

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president after
consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the
opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on
the advice of the Judicial Service Commission)

Political parties and leaders:
Jon Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive Party or
MPP [Barak SOPE]; National United Party or NUP [NA]; Union of
Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land
Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP
[Maxime Carlot KORMAN]; Greens (Vanuatu) [Moana CARCASSES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, PIF, Sparteca, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US; it does, however, have
a Permanent Mission to the UN

Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua
New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu

Flag description:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black
isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a
black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two
points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle);
centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed
namele leaves, all in yellow

Economy Vanuatu

Economy - overview:
This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on small-scale
agriculture, which provides a living for 65% of the population.
Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with about 50,000
visitors in 1997, are other mainstays of the economy. Mineral
deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum
deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the local market.
Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Economic development is
hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports,
vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main
markets and between constituent islands. A severe earthquake in
November 1999 followed by a tsunami, caused extensive damage to the
northern island of Pentecote and left thousands homeless. Another
powerful earthquake in January 2002 caused extensive damage in the
capital, Port-Vila, and surrounding areas, and also was followed by
a tsunami. GDP growth rose less than 3% on average in the 1990s. In
response to foreign concerns, the government has promised to tighten
regulation of its offshore financial center. In mid-2002 the
government stepped up efforts to boost tourism. Agriculture,
especially livestock farming, is a second target for growth.
Australia and New Zealand are the main suppliers of tourists and
foreign aid. Growth expanded moderately in 2003.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $563 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-0.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 26%
industry: 12%
services: 62% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
NA

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 65%, industry 5%, services 30% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $94.4 million
expenditures: $99.8 million, including capital expenditures of $30.4
million (1996 est.)

Agriculture - products: copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables; fish, beef

Industries:
food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning

Industrial production growth rate:
1% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
43.46 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
40.42 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
$79 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee

Exports - partners:
India 32.8%, Thailand 25.5%, Indonesia 9.6%, Japan 7.6%, Australia
4%, Poland 4% (2003)

Imports:
$138 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels

Imports - partners:
Australia 15.3%, Japan 10.6%, Singapore 7.4%, New Zealand 6%, Fiji
5.1% (2003)

Debt - external:
$65.8 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$45.8 million (1995)

Currency:
vatu (VUV)

Currency code:
VUV

Exchange rates:
vatu per US dollar - 122.189 (2003), 139.198 (2002), 145.312
(2001), 137.643 (2000), 129.075 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Vanuatu

Telephones - main lines in use:
6,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
7,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 678; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios:
67,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2002)

Televisions:
2,300 (1999)

Internet country code:
.vu

Internet hosts:
512 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
7,500 (2003)

Transportation Vanuatu

Highways: total: 1,070 km paved: 256 km unpaved: 814 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)

Merchant marine:
total: 51 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,192,474 GRT/1,560,828 DWT
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Australia 2, Canada 1, Estonia 1, Germany 1, Japan
25, Monaco 4, New Zealand 2, Panama 1, Poland 7, Switzerland 3,
United Kingdom 5, United States 2
by type: bulk 28, cargo 2, combination bulk 3, container 2,
liquefied gas 2, multi-functional large load carrier 1, refrigerated
cargo 6, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 5

Airports:
30 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1524 to 2437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 27 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)

Military Vanuatu

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF; including
the paramilitary Mobile Force or VMF)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Vanuatu

Disputes - international: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu and France

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Venezuela

Introduction Venezuela

Background:
Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse
of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Ecuador).
For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled
by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted the oil
industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically elected
governments have held sway since 1959. Current concerns include: a
polarized political environment, a divided military, drug-related
conflicts along the Colombian border, increasing internal drug
consumption, overdependence on the petroleum industry with its price
fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations that are
endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples.

Geography Venezuela

Location:
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana

Geographic coordinates:
8 00 N, 66 00 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 912,050 sq km
water: 30,000 sq km
land: 882,050 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of California

Land boundaries: total: 4,993 km border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km

Coastline: 2,800 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 15 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Terrain:
Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains
(llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals,
hydropower, diamonds

Land use: arable land: 2.95% other: 96.13% (2001) permanent crops: 0.92%

Irrigated land:
540 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of
Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and
industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast; threat
to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining operations

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

Geography - note:
on major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel
Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest waterfall

People Venezuela

Population:
25,017,387 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 30.5% (male 3,930,413; female 3,687,744)
15-64 years: 64.5% (male 8,107,382; female 8,034,905)
65 years and over: 5% (male 571,289; female 685,654) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 25.2 years
male: 24.6 years
female: 25.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.44% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
19.34 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 22.99 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 26.18 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.06 years
male: 71.02 years
female: 77.32 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.31 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% - note: no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
62,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
2,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Venezuelan(s)
adjective: Venezuelan

Ethnic groups:
Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous
people

Religions:
nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%

Languages:
Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.4%
male: 93.8%
female: 93.1% (2003 est.)

Government Venezuela

Country name:
conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
conventional short form: Venezuela
local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela
local short form: Venezuela

Government type:
federal republic

Capital:
Caracas

Administrative divisions:
23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 federal district*
(distrito federal), and 1 federal dependency** (dependencia
federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar,
Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales**, Distrito
Federal*, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva
Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Vargas, Yaracuy, Zulia
note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled
island groups with a total of 72 individual islands

Independence:
5 July 1811 (from Spain)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

Constitution:
30 December 1999

Legal system:
based on organic laws as of July 1999; open, adversarial court
system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February
1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL (since 28 April 2002);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February
1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL (since 28 April 2002);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of
vote - 60%
note: a special presidential recall vote on 15 August 2004 resulted
in a victory for CHAVEZ; percent of vote - 58% in favor of CHAVEZ
fulfilling the remaining two years of his term, 42% in favor of
terminating his presidency immediately
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2006)

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (165 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; three
seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
pro-government 108 (MVR 92, MAS 6, indigenous 3, other 7),
opposition 57 (AD 33, COPEI 6, Justice First 5, other 13)
elections: last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held July 2005)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia
(magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single
12-year term)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Action or AD [Henry RAMOS Allup]; Fifth Republic
Movement or MVR [Hugo CHAVEZ]; Homeland for All or PPT [Jose
ALBORNOZ]; Justice First [Julio BORGES]; Movement Toward Socialism
or MAS [Hector MUJICA]; National Convergence or Convergencia [Juan
Jose CALDERA]; Radical Cause or La Causa R [Andres VELASQUEZ];
Social Christian Party or COPEI [Eduardo FERNANDEZ]; Venezuela
Project or PV [Henrique SALAS Romer]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; VECINOS groups;
Venezuelan Confederation of Workers or CTV (labor organization
dominated by the Democratic Action)

International organization participation:
CAN, CDB, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM,
OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ
chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans,
New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820
telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD
embassy: Calle F con Calle Suapure, Urbanizacion Colinas de Valle
Arriba, Caracas 1080
mailing address: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037
telephone: [58] (212) 975-9234, 975-6411
FAX: [58] (212) 975-8991

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red with
the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and an arc of
seven white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band

Economy Venezuela

Economy - overview:
Venezuela continues to be highly dependent on the petroleum sector,
which accounts for roughly one-third of GDP, around 80% of export
earnings, and more than half of government operating revenues.
Despite higher oil prices at the end of 2002 and into 2003, domestic
political instability, culminating in a disastrous two-month
national oil strike from December 2002 to February 2003, temporarily
halted economic activity. The economy remained in depression in
2003, declining by 9.2% after an 8.9% fall in 2002. In late 2003,
President CHAVEZ committed himself to $1 billion in new social
programs, money the government does not have.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $117.9 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-9.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 50% services: 45% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
12.6% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
47% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 36.5% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
49.5 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
31.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
11.38 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 13%, industry 23%, services 64% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
18% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $19.33 billion
expenditures: $24.34 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.6
billion (2003)

Public debt:
38.8% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef,
pork, milk, eggs; fish

Industries:
petroleum, iron ore mining, construction materials, food
processing, textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly

Industrial production growth rate:
-15.4% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
87.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
81.47 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
3.08 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
505,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
63.95 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
31.71 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
31.71 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
4.202 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$9.659 billion (2003)

Exports:
$25.86 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural
products, basic manufactures

Exports - partners:
US 52.9%, Netherlands Antilles 5%, Dominican Republic 3% (2003)

Imports:
$10.71 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment,
construction materials

Imports - partners:
US 28.8%, Colombia 7%, Brazil 6.6%, Mexico 4.3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$20.67 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$32.51 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
$74 million (2000)

Currency:
bolivar (VEB)

Currency code:
VEB

Exchange rates:
bolivares per US dollar - 1,607.79 (2003), 1,160.95 (2002), 723.666
(2001), 679.96 (2000), 605.717 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Venezuela

Telephones - main lines in use:
2,841,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
6,463,600 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern and expanding
domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent
substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas;
substantial increase in digitalization of exchanges and trunk lines;
installation of a national interurban fiber-optic network capable of
digital multimedia services
international: country code - 58; 3 submarine coaxial cables;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1
PanAmSat; participating with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia in
the construction of an international fiber-optic network

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998)

Radios:
10.75 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
4.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.ve

Internet hosts:
35,301 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)

Internet users:
1,274,400 (2002)

Transportation Venezuela

Railways: total: 682 km standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 96,155 km
paved: 32,308 km
unpaved: 63,847 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
7,100 km
note: Orinoco River and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing
vessels, Orinoco for 400 km (2004)

Pipelines:
extra heavy crude 992 km; gas 5,262 km; oil 7,360 km; refined
products 1,681 km; unknown (oil/water) 141 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Amuay, Bajo Grande, El Tablazo, La Guaira, La Salina, Maracaibo,
Matanzas, Palua, Puerto Cabello, Puerto la Cruz, Puerto Ordaz,
Puerto Sucre, Punta Cardon

Merchant marine:
total: 48 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 740,919 GRT/1,191,483 DWT
registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)
foreign-owned: Belgium 1, Denmark 2, Greece 2, Spain 1, United
States 2
by type: bulk 6, cargo 7, container 2, liquefied gas 5,
multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo
1, petroleum tanker 16, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea/passenger 1

Airports:
368 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 127 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 31 914 to 1,523 m: 61 under 914 m: 19 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 242 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 88 under 914 m: 144 (2004 est.)

Military Venezuela

Military branches:
National Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales or FAN) includes
Ground Forces or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito), Naval Forces
(Fuerzas Navales or Armada - including marines and Coast Guard), Air
Force (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces of Cooperation or
National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or Guardia Nacional)

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 30 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 6,886,775 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 4,953,803 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 250,730 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1,125.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.3% (2003)

Transnational Issues Venezuela

Disputes - international:
claims all of the area west of the Essequibo River, preventing any
discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its
intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before UNCLOS that
the Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends
into their waters; maritime boundary dispute with Colombia in the
Gulf of Venezuela and the Caribbean Sea; US, France and the
Netherlands recognize Venezuela's claim to give full effect to Aves
Island, which creates a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf extending
over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines protest
Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation and
other states' recognition of it

Illicit drugs:
small-scale illicit producer of opium and coca for the processing
of opiates and coca derivatives; however, large quantities of
cocaine, heroin, and marijuana transit the country from Colombia
bound for US and Europe; significant narcotics-related
money-laundering activity, especially along the border with Colombia
and on Margarita Island; active eradication program primarily
targeting opium; increasing signs of drug-related activities by
Colombian insurgents on border

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Vietnam

Introduction Vietnam

Background:
The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was completed
by 1884. It became part of French Indochina in 1887. Independence
was declared after World War II, but the French continued to rule
until 1954 when they were defeated by Communist forces under Ho Chi
Minh, who took control of the North. US economic and military aid to
South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the
government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a
cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, North Vietnamese
forces overran the South. Despite the return of peace, for over two
decades the country experienced little economic growth because of
conservative leadership policies. Since 2001, Vietnamese authorities
have committed to economic liberalization and enacted structural
reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more
competitive, export-driven industries. The country continues to
experience protests from the Montagnard ethnic minority population
of the Central Highlands over loss of land to Vietnamese settlers
and religious persecution.

Geography Vietnam

Location:
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin,
and South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia

Geographic coordinates:
16 00 N, 106 00 E

Map references:
Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 329,560 sq km
land: 325,360 sq km
water: 4,200 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 4,639 km border countries: Cambodia 1,228 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 2,130 km

Coastline:
3,444 km (excludes islands)

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
contiguous zone: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season
(mid-May to mid-September) and warm, dry season (mid-October to
mid-March)

Terrain:
low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly,
mountainous in far north and northwest

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Fan Si Pan 3,144 m

Natural resources:
phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and
gas deposits, forests, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 19.97% permanent crops: 5.95% other: 74.08% (2001)

Irrigated land:
30,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding,
especially in the Mekong River delta

Environment - current issues:
logging and slash-and-burn agricultural practices contribute to
deforestation and soil degradation; water pollution and overfishing
threaten marine life populations; groundwater contamination limits
potable water supply; growing urban industrialization and population
migration are rapidly degrading environment in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh
City

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
extending 1,650 km north to south, the country is only 50 km across
at its narrowest point

People Vietnam

Population:
82,689,518 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.4% (male 12,524,098; female 11,807,763)
15-64 years: 65% (male 26,475,156; female 27,239,543)
65 years and over: 5.6% (male 1,928,568; female 2,714,390) (2004
est.)

Median age: total: 24.9 years male: 24 years female: 25.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.3% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
19.58 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.14 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 29.88 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 25.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 33.71 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.35 years
male: 67.86 years
female: 73.02 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.22 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
220,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
9,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural)
adjective: Vietnamese

Ethnic groups:
Vietnamese 85%-90%, Chinese, Hmong, Thai, Khmer, Cham, mountain
groups

Religions:
Buddhist, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, Christian (predominantly Roman
Catholic, some Protestant), indigenous beliefs, Muslim

Languages:
Vietnamese (official), English (increasingly favored as a second
language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer; mountain area languages
(Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.3%
male: 93.9%
female: 86.9% (2002)

Government Vietnam

Country name:
conventional long form: Socialist Republic of Vietnam
conventional short form: Vietnam
local long form: Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam
abbreviation: SRV
local short form: Viet Nam

Government type:
Communist state

Capital:
Hanoi

Administrative divisions:
59 provinces (tinh, singular and plural) and 5 municipalities (thu
do, singular and plural)
: provinces: An Giang, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Ba
Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Binh
Thuan, Ca Mau, Cao Bang, Dac Lak, Dac Nong, Dien Bien, Dong Nai,
Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Hai Duong, Ha Nam, Ha Tay, Ha Tinh,
Hau Giang, Hoa Binh, Hung Yen, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai
Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Ninh
Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Tho, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang
Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh,
Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen
Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phuc, Yen Bai
: municipalities: Can Tho, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh

Independence:
2 September 1945 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

Constitution:
15 April 1992

Legal system:
based on communist legal theory and French civil law system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Tran Duc Luong (since 24 September 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Phan Van Khai (since 25 September
1997); First Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (since 29
September 1997); Deputy Prime Ministers Vu Khoan (8 August 2002) and
Pham Gia Khiem (since 29 September 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the proposal of the
prime minister and ratification of the National Assembly
election results: Tran Duc Luong elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote - NA
elections: president elected by the National Assembly from among its
members for a five-year term; election last held 25 July 2002 (next
to be held when National Assembly meets following legislative
elections in 2007); prime minister appointed by the president from
among the members of the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers
appointed by the prime minister

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Quoc-Hoi (498 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - CPV 90%, other 10% (the
10% are not CPV members but are approved by the CPV to stand for
election); seats by party - CPV 447, CPV-approved 51
elections: last held 19 May 2002 (next to be held 2007)

Judicial branch:
Supreme People's Court (chief justice is elected for a five-year
term by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president)

Political parties and leaders:
only party - Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Nong Duc Manh,
general secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
ACCT (observer), APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nguyen Tam Chien chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036 consulate(s) general: San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 861-0917 telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael W. MARINE embassy: 7 Lang Ha Road, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi mailing address: PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [84] (4) 772-1500 FAX: [84] (4) 772-1510 consulate(s) general: Ho Chi Minh City

Flag description: red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center

Economy Vietnam

Economy - overview:
Vietnam is a poor, densely-populated country that has had to
recover from the ravages of war, the loss of financial support from
the old Soviet Bloc, and the rigidities of a centrally-planned
economy. Substantial progress was achieved from 1986 to 1996 in
moving forward from an extremely low starting point - growth
averaged around 9% per year from 1993 to 1997. The 1997 Asian
financial crisis highlighted the problems in the Vietnamese economy,
but rather than prompting reform, reaffirmed the government's belief
that shifting to a market-oriented economy would lead to disaster.
GDP growth of 8.5% in 1997 fell to 6% in 1998 and 5% in 1999. Growth
then rose to 6% to 7% in 2000-02 even against the background of
global recession. These numbers mask some major difficulties in
economic performance. Many domestic industries, including coal,
cement, steel, and paper, have reported large stockpiles of
inventory and tough competition from more efficient foreign
producers. Since the Party elected new leadership in 2001,
Vietnamese authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to economic
liberalization and have moved to implement the structural reforms
needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive,
export-driven industries. The US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement
entered into force near the end of 2001 and is expected to
significantly increase Vietnam's exports to the US. The US is
assisting Vietnam with implementing the legal and structural reforms
called for in the agreement.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $203.7 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 21.8% industry: 39.7% services: 38.5% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
33% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
37% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 29.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36.1 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
45.74 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 63%, industry and services 37% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
6.1% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $8.689 billion
expenditures: $9.718 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.8
billion (2003 est.)

Public debt:
64.3% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
paddy rice, corn, potatoes, rubber, soybeans, coffee, tea, bananas,
sugar; poultry, pigs, fish

Industries:
food processing, garments, shoes, machine-building, mining, cement,
chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, coal, steel, paper

Industrial production growth rate:
16% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
29.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
27.71 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
356,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
185,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
1.4 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
192.6 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-1.781 billion (2003)

Exports:
$19.88 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
crude oil, marine products, rice, coffee, rubber, tea, garments,
shoes

Exports - partners:
US 21.9%, Japan 13.8%, Australia 6.8%, China 6.5%, Germany 5.8%,
Singapore 4.6%, UK 4.4% (2003)

Imports:
$22.5 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer, steel
products, raw cotton, grain, cement, motorcycles

Imports - partners:
China 13.7%, Taiwan 11.4%, Japan 11.3%, South Korea 11%, Singapore
10.4%, US 5.7%, Thailand 5.4%, Hong Kong 4.2% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$6.357 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$14.69 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient: $2.8 billion in credits and grants pledged by international donors for 2000 (2004)

Currency:
dong (VND)

Currency code:
VND

Exchange rates:
dong per US dollar - 15,279.5 (2003), 15,279.5 (2002), 14,725.2
(2001), 14,167.7 (2000), 13,943.2 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Vietnam

Telephones - main lines in use:
4.402 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.742 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: Vietnam is putting considerable effort into
modernization and expansion of its telecommunication system, but its
performance continues to lag behind that of its more modern neighbors
domestic: all provincial exchanges are digitalized and connected to
Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City by fiber-optic cable or
microwave radio relay networks; main lines have been substantially
increased, and the use of mobile telephones is growing rapidly
international: country code - 84; satellite earth stations - 2
Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 65, FM 7, shortwave 29 (1999)

Radios:
8.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
at least 7 (plus 13 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:
3.57 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.vn

Internet hosts:
340 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2000)

Internet users:
3.5 million (2003)

Transportation Vietnam

Railways:
total: 2,600 km
standard gauge: 178 km 1.435-m gauge
dual gauge: 253 km three-rail track combining 1.435-m and 1.000-m
gauges (2003)
narrow gauge: 2,169 km 1.000-m gauge

Highways: total: 93,300 km paved: 23,418 km unpaved: 69,882 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
17,702 km (5,000 km navigable by vessels up to 1.8 m draft) (2004)

Pipelines:
condensate/gas 432 km; gas 210 km; oil 3 km; refined products 206
km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Cam Ranh, Da Nang, Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Long, Quy Nhon,
Nha Trang, Vinh, Vung Tau

Merchant marine:
total: 194 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,170,621 GRT/1,798,376 DWT
registered in other countries: 11 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 16, cargo 135, chemical tanker 1, container 8,
liquefied gas 4, petroleum tanker 25, refrigerated cargo 3, roll
on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: Cambodia 1, Germany 1, Japan 2, South Korea 1, United
Kingdom 3

Airports:
19 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 16
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 (2003 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.)

Military Vietnam

Military branches:
People's Army of Vietnam: Ground Forces, People's Navy Command
(including Naval Infantry), Air and Air Defense Force, Coast Guard

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service
obligation - 2 years (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 23,438,858 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 14,694,574 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 853,197 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$650 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.5% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Vietnam

Disputes - international:
demarcation of the land boundary with China continues, but maritime
boundary and joint fishing zone agreement remains unimplemented;
Cambodia and Laos protest Vietnamese squatters and armed
encroachments along border; China occupies Paracel Islands also
claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; involved in complex dispute with
China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and possibly Brunei over the
Spratly Islands; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in
the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally
binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants

Illicit drugs:
minor producer of opium poppy; probable minor transit point for
Southeast Asian heroin; domestic opium/heroin/methamphetamine
addiction problems

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Virgin Islands

Introduction Virgin Islands

Background: During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.

Geography Virgin Islands

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

Geographic coordinates:
18 20 N, 64 50 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 352 sq km
water: 3 sq km
land: 349 sq km

Area - comparative:
twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
188 km

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

Climate:
subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low
humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to
November

Terrain:
mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m

Natural resources: sun, sand, sea, surf

Land use: arable land: 11.76% permanent crops: 2.94% other: 85.29% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts
and floods; occasional earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
lack of natural freshwater resources

Geography - note:
important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane
for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural
deepwater harbors in the Caribbean

People Virgin Islands

Population:
108,775 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.8% (male 13,116; female 12,770)
15-64 years: 66% (male 33,944; female 37,870)
65 years and over: 10.2% (male 4,855; female 6,220) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 35.9 years
male: 35.1 years
female: 36.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.05% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
14.49 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-8.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.21 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 9.31 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.75 years
male: 74.91 years
female: 82.82 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.21 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: Virgin Islander

Ethnic groups:
black 78%, white 10%, other 12%
note: West Indian 81% (49% born in the Virgin Islands and 32% born
elsewhere in the West Indies), US mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 4%,
other 2%

Religions:
Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%

Languages:
English (official), Spanish, Creole

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

Government Virgin Islands

Country name:
conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
conventional short form: Virgin Islands
former: Danish West Indies

Dependency status:
organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations
between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the
Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Charlotte Amalie

Administrative divisions:
none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative
divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three
islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas

National holiday:
Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)

Constitution:
Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Legal system:
based on US laws

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; note - island residents are US citizens
but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
January 2001)
election results: Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL reelected governor;
percent of vote - Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (Democrat) 50.5%, John
de JONGH 24.4%
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2006)
head of government: Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5
January 1999)
cabinet: NA

Legislative branch:
unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November
2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
Democratic Party 10, ICM 2, independent 3
note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the
US House of Representatives; election last held 6 November 2002
(next to be held 2 November 2004); results - Donna M.
CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) reelected

Judicial branch:
US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit
jurisdiction); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the governor
for 10-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens'
Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU

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

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

Flag description:
white, with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the
large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle
holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other
with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a
blue panel

Economy Virgin Islands

Economy - overview:
Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for 80% of GDP
and employment. The islands normally host 2 million visitors a year.
The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, textiles,
electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. The agricultural
sector is small, with most food being imported. International
business and financial services are a small but growing component of
the economy. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at
Saint Croix. The islands are subject to substantial damage from
storms. The government is working to improve fiscal discipline, to
support construction projects in the private sector, to expand
tourist facilities, to reduce crime, and to protect the environment.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 19%
services: 80% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.2% (2003)

Labor force:
48,900 (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 1%, industry 19%, services 80% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
9.3% (2003 est.)

Budget: revenues: $560 expenditures: NA (2003)

Agriculture - products:
fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle

Industries:
tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling,
construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
1.03 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
957.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
66,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
NA

Exports - commodities:
refined petroleum products

Exports - partners:
US, Puerto Rico

Imports:
NA

Imports - commodities:
crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials

Imports - partners:
US, Puerto Rico

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency:
US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
USD

Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Communications Virgin Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
69,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
41,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern system with total digital switching, uses
fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 1-340; submarine cable and satellite
communications; satellite earth stations - NA

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios:
107,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
2 (2002)

Televisions:
68,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.vi

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
50 (2000)

Internet users:
30,000 (2002)

Transportation Virgin Islands

Highways:
total: 856 km
paved: NA km
note: the only US possession where driving on the left side of the
road is practiced (2000)
unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors:
Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
2 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Virgin Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Virgin Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Wake Island

Introduction Wake Island

Background:
The US annexed Wake Island in 1899 for a cable station. An
important air and naval base was constructed in 1940-41. In December
1941, the island was captured by the Japanese and held until the end
of World War II. In subsequent years, Wake was developed as a
stopover and refueling site for military and commercial aircraft
transiting the Pacific. Since 1974, the island's airstrip has been
used by the US military and some commercial cargo planes, as well as
for emergency landings. There are over 700 landings a year on the
island.

Geography Wake Island

Location:
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the
way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands

Geographic coordinates:
19 17 N, 166 36 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 6.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 6.5 sq km

Area - comparative:
about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
19.3 km

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

Climate:
tropical

Terrain:
atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater volcano;
central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 6 m

Natural resources:
none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
occasional typhoons

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landing
location for transpacific flights

People Wake Island

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: US military personnel have left the island, but contractor
personnel remain; as of October 2001, 200 contractor personnel were
present (July 2004 est.)

Government Wake Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Wake Island

Dependency status:
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,
DC, by the Department of the Interior; activities on the island are
conducted by the US Army under a caretaker permit from the US Air
Force

Legal system:
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of the US is used

Economy Wake Island

Economy - overview:
Economic activity is limited to providing services to contractors
located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be
imported.

Electricity - production:
NA

Communications Wake Island

Telephone system:
general assessment: satellite communications; 1 DSN circuit off the
Overseas Telephone System (OTS)
domestic: NA
international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM NA, shortwave NA note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio service provided by satellite (1998)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)

Transportation Wake Island

Ports and harbors:
none; two offshore anchorages for large ships

Airports:
1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Transportation - note:
formerly an important commercial aviation base, now used by US
military, some commercial cargo planes, and for emergency landings

Military Wake Island

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US; launch support facility is
part of the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site (RTS)
administered by US Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC)

Transnational Issues Wake Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Marshall Islands

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Wallis and Futuna

Introduction Wallis and Futuna

Background:
Although discovered by the Dutch and the British in the 17th and
18th centuries, it was the French who declared a protectorate over
the islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of the islands voted
to become a French overseas territory.

Geography Wallis and Futuna

Location:
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of
the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
13 18 S, 176 12 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 274 sq km
note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island),
Ile Alofi, and 20 islets
water: 0 sq km
land: 274 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
129 km

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

Climate:
tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season
(May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year (80% humidity);
average temperature 26.6 degrees C

Terrain:
volcanic origin; low hills

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m

Natural resources:
NEGL

Land use:
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 25%
other: 70% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
deforestation (only small portions of the original forests remain)
largely as a result of the continued use of wood as the main fuel
source; as a consequence of cutting down the forests, the
mountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to erosion;
there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because of the lack of
natural fresh water resources

Geography - note:
both island groups have fringing reefs

People Wallis and Futuna

Population: 15,880 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate:
NA

Birth rate:
NA births/1,000 population

Death rate:
NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New
Caledonia (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years

Total fertility rate:
NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders
adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander

Ethnic groups:
Polynesian

Religions:
Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

Languages:
French, Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 50%
male: 50%
female: 50% (1969 est.)

Government Wallis and Futuna

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands
conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna
local short form: Wallis et Futuna
local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna

Dependency status:
overseas territory of France

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are three kingdoms at the second order named Alo, Sigave, Wallis

Independence:
none (overseas territory of France)

National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
French legal system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by High Administrator Xavier DE FURST (since 18
January 2005)
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; high administrator appointed by the French president on the
advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the
Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly are elected by
the members of the assembly
note: there are three traditional kings with limited powers
head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione
KANIMOA (since NA January 2001)
cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of three kings and three
members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the
Territorial Assembly

Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 11 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2007)
note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and
one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate -
elections last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held by NA
September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats -
RPR (now UMP) 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 16
June 2002 (next to be held by NA 2007); results - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats - RPR (UMP) 1
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and affiliates 7

Judicial branch:
none; justice generally administered under French law by the high
administrator, but the three traditional kings administer customary
law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu

Political parties and leaders:
Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians) [leader NA]; Mouvement des Radicaux de
Gauche or MRG [leader NA]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Clovis
LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]; Union Populaire
Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or
UDF [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
FZ, UPU

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

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

Flag description:
a large white modified Maltese cross - shifted a little off center
toward the fly and slightly downward - on a red background; the flag
of France outlined in white on two sides is in the upper hoist
quadrant; the flag of France is used for official occasions

Economy Wallis and Futuna

Economy - overview:
The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with
about 80% labor force earnings from agriculture (coconuts and
vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing. About 4% of the
population is employed in government. Revenues come from French
Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to Japan and South
Korea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate workers in New
Caledonia.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $57.59 million (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2001 est.)

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

Population below poverty line:
NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA

Labor force:
NA

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: $20 million
expenditures: $17 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1998 est.)

Agriculture - products:
breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats

Industries:
copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

Exports:
$250,000 f.o.b. (1999)

Exports - commodities:
copra, chemicals, construction materials

Exports - partners:
Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13%

Imports:
$300,000 f.o.b. (1999)

Imports - commodities:
chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
France 97%, Australia 2%, New Zealand 1%

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
assistance from France

Currency:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code:
XPF

Exchange rates:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 105.73
(2003), 126.72 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000), 111.93 (1999),
107.25 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Wallis and Futuna

Telephones - main lines in use:
1,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
0 (1994)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 681

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
2 (2000)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.wf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
900 (2002)

Transportation Wallis and Futuna

Highways:
total: 120 km (Ile Uvea 100 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)
paved: 16 km (all on Ile Uvea)
unpaved: 104 km (Ile Uvea 84 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)

Ports and harbors:
Leava, Mata-Utu

Merchant marine:
total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 134,037 GRT/14,271 DWT
by type: passenger 6
foreign-owned: France 3, Greece 1, Monaco 1, United States 1 (2004
est.)

Airports:
2 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Wallis and Futuna

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Wallis and Futuna

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@West Bank

Introduction West Bank

Background:
The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government
Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993,
provided for a transitional period not exceeding five years of
Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West
Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain powers and
responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which includes the
Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January 1996, as part of
the interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza
Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip
and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo
Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in additional
areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995
Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol
Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998
Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh
Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility
during the transitional period for external and internal security
and for public order of settlements and Israeli citizens. Direct
negotiations to determine the permanent status of Gaza and West Bank
that began in September 1999 after a three-year hiatus, were
derailed by a second intifadah that broke out in September 2000. The
resulting widespread violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,
Israel's military response, and instability within the Palestinian
Authority continue to undermine progress toward a permanent
agreement. Following the death of longtime Palestinian leader Yasir
ARAFAT in November 2004, the election of his successor Mahmud ABBAS
in January 2005 could bring a turning point in the conflict.

Geography West Bank

Location:
Middle East, west of Jordan

Geographic coordinates:
32 00 N, 35 15 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 5,860 sq km
note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter
of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and
Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of
depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967
water: 220 sq km
land: 5,640 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries: total: 404 km border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm
to hot summers, cool to mild winters

Terrain:
mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren
in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m

Natural resources:
arable land

Land use:
arable land: 16.9%
permanent crops: 18.97%
other: 64.13% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
droughts

Environment - current issues:
adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment

Geography - note:
landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal
aquifers; there are 244 West Bank settlements and 29 East Jerusalem
settlements in addition to at least 20 occupied outposts(August 2003
est.)

People West Bank

Population:
2,311,204
note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the
West Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.8% (male 518,470; female 493,531)
15-64 years: 52.8% (male 623,785; female 595,376)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 34,226; female 45,816) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 18 years
male: 17.8 years
female: 18.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
3.21% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
33.21 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.07 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
2.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 20.16 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 22.28 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.88 years
male: 71.14 years
female: 74.72 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.52 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: NA
adjective: NA

Ethnic groups:
Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17%

Religions:
Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%

Languages:
Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians),
English (widely understood)

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

Government West Bank

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: West Bank

Economy West Bank

Economy - overview:
Real per capita GDP for the West Bank and Gaza Strip (WBGS)
declined by about one-third between 1992 and 1996 due to the
combined effect of falling aggregate incomes and rapid population
growth. The downturn in economic activity was largely the result of
Israeli closure policies - the imposition of border closures in
response to security incidents in Israel - which disrupted labor and
commodity market relationships between Israel and the WBGS. The most
serious social effect of this downturn was rising unemployment,
which in the WBGS during the 1980s was generally under 5%; by 1995
it had risen to over 20%. Israel's use of comprehensive closures
during the next three years decreased and, in 1998, Israel
implemented new policies to reduce the impact of closures and other
security procedures on the movement of Palestinian goods and labor.
These changes fueled an almost three-year-long economic recovery in
the West Bank and Gaza Strip; real GDP grew by 5% in 1998 and 6% in
1999. Recovery was upended in the last quarter of 2000 with the
outbreak of violence, which triggered tight Israeli closures of
Palestinian self-rule areas and severely disrupted trade and labor
movements. In 2001, and even more severely in 2002, Israeli military
measures in Palestinian Authority areas resulted in the destruction
of much capital plant and administrative structure, widespread
business closures, and a sharp drop in GDP. Including Gaza Strip,
the UN estimates that more than 100,000 Palestinians out of the
125,000 who used to work in Israel, in Israeli settlements, or in
joint industrial zones have lost their jobs. In addition, about
80,000 Palestinian workers inside the Territories are losing their
jobs. International aid of $2 billion in 2001-02 to the West Bank
and Gaza Strip prevented the complete collapse of the economy. In
2004, on-going border issues and the death of Yasser ARAFAT
continued to complicate the economic situation.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.7 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-22% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 28% services: 63% note: includes Gaza Strip (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:
60% (2003 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.2% (includes Gaza Strip) (2001 est.)

Labor force:
NA

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 13%, industry 21%, services 66% (1996)

Unemployment rate:
50% (includes Gaza Strip) (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $676.6 million
expenditures: $1.155 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(includes Gaza Strip) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Industries:
generally small family businesses that produce cement, textiles,
soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the
Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in the
settlements and industrial centers

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
NA kWh; note - most electricity imported from Israel; East
Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to
Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank;
the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most
Jewish residents and military facilities; some Palestinian
municipalities, such as Nablus and Janin, generate their own
electricity from small power plants

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Electricity - imports:
NA kWh

Exports:
$603 million f.o.b., includes Gaza Strip

Exports - commodities:
olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone

Exports - partners:
Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2000)

Imports:
$1.9 billion c.i.f., includes Gaza Strip

Imports - commodities:
food, consumer goods, construction materials

Imports - partners:
Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2000)

Debt - external:
$108 million (includes Gaza Strip) (1997 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$2 billion (includes Gaza Strip) (2001-02 est.)

Currency:
new Israeli shekel (ILS); Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Currency code:
ILS; JOD

Exchange rates:
new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.5541 (2003), 4.7378 (2002),
4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000), 4.1397 (1999); Jordanian dinars per US
dollar - fixed rate of 0.7090 (from 1996)

Fiscal year:
calendar year (since 1 January 1992)

Communications West Bank

Telephones - main lines in use: 301,600 (total for West Bank and Gaza Strip) (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 480,000 (cellular subscribers in both West Bank and Gaza Strip) (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: NA
note: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are
responsible for communication services in the West Bank

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
note: the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts from an AM
station in Ramallah on 675 kHz; numerous local, private stations are
reported to be in operation (2000)

Radios:
NA; note - most Palestinian households have radios (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
NA

Televisions:
NA; note - many Palestinian households have televisions (1999)

Internet country code:
.ps

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
8 (1999)

Internet users:
145,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2003)

Transportation West Bank

Highways:
total: 4,500 km
paved: 2,700 km
unpaved: 1,800 km
note: Israelis have developed many highways to service Jewish
settlements (1997 est.)

Ports and harbors:
none

Airports:
3 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military West Bank

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues West Bank

Disputes - international:
West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status
subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent
status to be determined through further negotiation

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 665,246 (Palestinian Refugees
(UNRWA)) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Western Sahara

Introduction Western Sahara

Background:
Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara
(formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in
1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the
Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991
UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status
has been repeatedly postponed.

Geography Western Sahara

Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Mauritania and Morocco

Geographic coordinates:
24 30 N, 13 00 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 266,000 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 266,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
about the size of Colorado

Land boundaries: total: 2,046 km border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km

Coastline:
1,110 km

Maritime claims:
contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue

Climate:
hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce
fog and heavy dew

Terrain:
mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces
rising to small mountains in south and northeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
highest point: unnamed location 463 m

Natural resources:
phosphates, iron ore

Land use:
arable land: 0.02%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.98% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and
spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely
restricting visibility

Environment - current issues:
sparse water and lack of arable land

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

Geography - note: the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas

People Western Sahara

Population: 267,405 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate:
NA

Birth rate:
NA births/1,000 population

Death rate:
NA deaths/1,000 population

Sex ratio:
NA

Infant mortality rate:
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years

Total fertility rate:
NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
adjective: Sahrawi,Sahrawian, Sahraouian

Ethnic groups:
Arab, Berber

Religions:
Muslim

Languages:
Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA

Government Western Sahara

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Western Sahara
former: Spanish Sahara

Government type:
legal status of territory and issue of sovereignty unresolved;
territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front (Popular Front
for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in
February 1976 formally proclaimed a government-in-exile of the
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR),led by President Mohamed
ABDELAZIZ; territory partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in
April 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania,
under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims to
its portion in August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that sector
shortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control;
the Polisario's government-in-exile was seated as an OAU member in
1984; guerrilla activities continued sporadically, until a
UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6 September 1991

Capital:
none

Administrative divisions:
none (under de facto control of Morocco)

Suffrage:
none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed

Executive branch:
none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
none

International organization participation:
none

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none

Economy Western Sahara

Economy - overview:
Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate
mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The
territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural
production, and most of the food for the urban population must be
imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by
the Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed
contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which
has angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of living in
Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - NA

GDP - real growth rate:
NA

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - NA

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: 40% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA

Labor force:
12,000

Labor force - by occupation:
animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%

Unemployment rate:
NA

Budget:
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Agriculture - products:
fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep,
goats (kept by nomads)

Industries:
phosphate mining, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
90 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
83.7 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Exports:
NA

Exports - commodities:
phosphates 62%

Exports - partners:
Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners
are included in overall Moroccan accounts

Imports:
NA

Imports - commodities:
fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners
are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2000)

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency:
Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Currency code:
MAD

Exchange rates:
Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 9.574 (2003), 11.584 (2002),
11.303 (2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Western Sahara

Telephones - main lines in use:
about 2,000 (1999 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
0 (1999)

Telephone system:
general assessment: sparse and limited system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by
microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to
Rabat, Morocco

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
56,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
NA

Televisions:
6,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.eh

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
NA

Transportation Western Sahara

Highways: total: 6,200 km paved: 1,350 km unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est)

Ports and harbors:
Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)

Airports:
11 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Military Western Sahara

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Transnational Issues Western Sahara

Disputes - international:
Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty
remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in
effect since September 1991 but attempts to hold a referendum have
failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@World

Introduction World

Background:
Globally, the 20th century was marked by: (a) two devastating world
wars; (b) the Great Depression of the 1930s; (c) the end of vast
colonial empires; (d) rapid advances in science and technology, from
the first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (US) to the
landing on the moon; (e) the Cold War between the Western alliance
and the Warsaw Pact nations; (f) a sharp rise in living standards in
North America, Europe, and Japan; (g) increased concerns about the
environment, including loss of forests, shortages of energy and
water, the decline in biological diversity, and air pollution; (h)
the onset of the AIDS epidemic; and (i) the ultimate emergence of
the US as the only world superpower. The planet's population
continues to explode: from 1 billion in 1820, to 2 billion in 1930,
3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in 1988, and 6
billion in 2000. For the 21st century, the continued exponential
growth in science and technology raises both hopes (e.g., advances
in medicine) and fears (e.g., development of even more lethal
weapons of war).

Geography World

Map references:
Physical Map of the World, Political Map of the World, Standard
Time Zones of the World

Area:
total: 510.072 million sq km
water: 361.132 million sq km
land: 148.94 million sq km
note: 70.8% of the world's surface is water, 29.2% is land

Area - comparative:
land area about 16 times the size of the US

Land boundaries:
the land boundaries in the world total 250,472 km (not counting
shared boundaries twice); two nations, China and Russia, each border
14 other countries
note: 43 nations and other areas are landlocked, these include:
Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic,
Chad, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay, Rwanda, San
Marino, Slovakia, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tajikistan, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan,
West Bank, Zambia, Zimbabwe; two of these, Liechtenstein and
Uzbekistan, are doubly landlocked

Coastline:
356,000 km
note: 98 nations and other entities are islands that border no other
countries, they include: American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and
Barbuda, Aruba, Ashmore and Cartier Islands, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Baker Island, Barbados, Bassas da India, Bermuda, Bouvet Island,
British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cape Verde,
Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Clipperton Island, Cocos (Keeling)
Islands, Comoros, Cook Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Cuba, Cyprus,
Dominica, Europa Island, Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), Faroe
Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic
Lands, Glorioso Islands, Greenland, Grenada, Guam, Guernsey, Heard
Island and McDonald Islands, Howland Island, Iceland, Jamaica, Jan
Mayen, Japan, Jarvis Island, Jersey, Johnston Atoll, Juan de Nova
Island, Kingman Reef, Kiribati, Madagascar, Maldives, Malta, Isle of
Man, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Federated
States of Micronesia, Midway Islands, Montserrat, Nauru, Navassa
Island, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern
Mariana Islands, Palau, Palmyra Atoll, Paracel Islands, Philippines,
Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts
and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Singapore,
Solomon Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands,
Spratly Islands, Sri Lanka, Svalbard, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tromelin Island, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu,
Virgin Islands, Wake Island, Wallis and Futuna, Taiwan

Maritime claims:
a variety of situations exist, but in general, most countries make
the following claims measured from the mean low-tide baseline as
described in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea:
territorial sea - 12 nm, contiguous zone - 24 nm, and exclusive
economic zone - 200 nm; additional zones provide for exploitation of
continental shelf resources and an exclusive fishing zone; boundary
situations with neighboring states prevent many countries from
extending their fishing or economic zones to a full 200 nm

Climate:
two large areas of polar climates separated by two rather narrow
temperate zones form a wide equatorial band of tropical to
subtropical climates

Terrain:
the greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m in the
Pacific Ocean

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,540 m
note: in the oceanic realm, Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is
the lowest point, lying -10,924 m below the surface of the Pacific
Ocean
highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999 est.)

Natural resources:
the rapid depletion of nonrenewable mineral resources, the
depletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal and
plant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality
(especially in Eastern Europe, the former USSR, and China) pose
serious long-term problems that governments and peoples are only
beginning to address

Land use: arable land: 10.73% permanent crops: 1% other: 88.27% (2001)

Irrigated land:
2,714,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones), natural
disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions)

Environment - current issues: large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters, pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of wildlife, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion

Geography - note:
the world is now thought to be about 4.55 billion years old, just
about one-third of the 13-billion-year age estimated for the universe

People World

Population:
6,379,157,361 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.2% (male 925,276,767; female 875,567,830)
15-64 years: 64.5% (male 2,083,789,165; female 2,033,226,759)
65 years and over: 7.2% (male 203,286,504; female 257,705,851)
note: some countries do not maintain age structure information, thus
a slight discrepancy exists between the total world population and
the total for world age structure (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.14% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
20.24 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.86 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 50.31 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 52.17 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 48.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.05 years
male: 62.48 years
female: 65.7 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.62 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Religions:
Christians 32.71% (of which Roman Catholics 17.28%, Protestants
5.61%, Orthodox 3.49%, Anglicans 1.31%), Muslims 19.67%, Hindus
13.28%, Buddhists 5.84%, Sikhs 0.38%, Jews 0.23%, other religions
13.05%, non-religious 12.43%, atheists 2.41% (2002 est.)

Languages:
Chinese, Mandarin 14.37%, Hindi 6.02%, English 5.61%, Spanish
5.59%, Bengali 3.4%, Portuguese 2.63%, Russian 2.75%, Japanese
2.06%, German, Standard 1.64%, Korean 1.28%, French 1.27% (2000 est.)
note: percents are for "first language" speakers only

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 77%
male: 83%
female: 71% (1995 est.)

Government World

Administrative divisions:
271 nations, dependent areas, and other entities

Legal system:
all members of the UN are parties to the statute that established
the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or World Court

Economy World

Economy - overview: Global output rose by 3.7% in 2003, led by China (9.1%), India (7.6%), and Russia (7.3%). The other 14 successor nations of the USSR and the other old Warsaw Pact nations again experienced widely divergent growth rates; the three Baltic nations continued as strong performers, in the 5%-7% range of growth. Growth results posted by the major industrial countries varied from a loss by Germany (-0.1%) to a strong gain by the United States (3.1%). The developing nations also varied in their growth results, with many countries facing population increases that erode gains in output. Externally, the nation-state, as a bedrock economic-political institution, is steadily losing control over international flows of people, goods, funds, and technology. Internally, the central government often finds its control over resources slipping as separatist regional movements - typically based on ethnicity - gain momentum, e.g., in many of the successor states of the former Soviet Union, in the former Yugoslavia, in India, in Iraq, in Indonesia, and in Canada. Externally, the central government is losing decision-making powers to international bodies. In Western Europe, governments face the difficult political problem of channeling resources away from welfare programs in order to increase investment and strengthen incentives to seek employment. The addition of 80 million people each year to an already overcrowded globe is exacerbating the problems of pollution, desertification, underemployment, epidemics, and famine. Because of their own internal problems and priorities, the industrialized countries devote insufficient resources to deal effectively with the poorer areas of the world, which, at least from the economic point of view, are becoming further marginalized. The introduction of the euro as the common currency of much of Western Europe in January 1999, while paving the way for an integrated economic powerhouse, poses economic risks because of varying levels of income and cultural and political differences among the participating nations. The terrorist attacks on the US on 11 September 2001 accentuate a further growing risk to global prosperity, illustrated, for example, by the reallocation of resources away from investment to anti-terrorist programs. The opening of war in March 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq added new uncertainties to global economic prospects. After the coalition victory, the complex political difficulties and the high economic cost of establishing domestic order in Iraq became major global problems that continue into 2004.

GDP:
GWP (gross world product) - purchasing power parity - $51.48
trillion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3.8% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $8,200 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 32%
services: 64% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
developed countries 1% to 4% typically; developing countries 5% to
60% typically; national inflation rates vary widely in individual
cases, from declining prices in Japan to hyperinflation in several
Third World countries (2003 est.)

Labor force:
NA

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Unemployment rate:
30% combined unemployment and underemployment in many
non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 4%-12%
unemployment

Industries:
dominated by the onrush of technology, especially in computers,
robotics, telecommunications, and medicines and medical equipment;
most of these advances take place in OECD nations; only a small
portion of non-OECD countries have succeeded in rapidly adjusting to
these technological forces; the accelerated development of new
industrial (and agricultural) technology is complicating already
grim environmental problems

Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
14.93 trillion kWh (2001 est.)

Electricity - consumption:
13.94 trillion kWh (2001 est.)

Oil - production:
75.34 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
75.81 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:
1.025 trillion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
2.578 trillion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
2.555 trillion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
712 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
697.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
161.2 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Exports:
$6.421 trillion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services

Exports - partners:
US 16.4%, Germany 7.9%, UK 5.2%, France 5.1%, China 5%, Japan 4.6%
(2003)

Imports:
$6.531 trillion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services

Imports - partners:
US 9.9%, Germany 9.4%, China 7.9%, Japan 6.7%, France 4.7% (2003)

Debt - external:
$2 trillion for less developed countries (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
official development assistance (ODA) $50 billion

Communications World

Telephones - main lines in use:
843,923,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:
AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
NA

Televisions:
NA

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
10,350 (2000 est.)

Internet users:
604,111,719 (2002 est.)

Transportation World

Railways:
total: 1,115,205 km
broad gauge: 257,481 km
narrow gauge: 186,311 km (2003)
standard gauge: 671,413 km

Highways:
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors:
Chiba, Houston, Kawasaki, Kobe, Marseille, Mina' al Ahmadi
(Kuwait), New Orleans, New York, Rotterdam, Yokohama

Military World

Military expenditures - dollar figure: aggregate real expenditure on arms worldwide in 1999 remained at approximately the 1998 level, about three-quarters of a trillion dollars (1999 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: roughly 2% of gross world product (1999 est.)

Transnational Issues World

Disputes - international:
stretching over 250,000 km, the world's 325 international land
boundaries separate the 192 independent states and 72 dependencies,
areas of special sovereignty, and other miscellaneous entities;
ethnicity, culture, race, religion, and language have divided states
into separate political entities as much as history, physical
terrain, political fiat, or conquest, resulting in sometimes
arbitrary and imposed boundaries; maritime states have claimed
limits and have so far established over 130 maritime boundaries and
joint development zones to allocate ocean resources and to provide
for national security at sea; boundary, borderland/resource, and
territorial disputes vary in intensity from managed or dormant to
violent or militarized; most disputes over the alignment of
political boundaries are confined to short segments and are today
less common and less hostile than borderland, resource, and
territorial disputes; undemarcated, indefinite, porous, and
unmanaged boundaries, however, encourage illegal cross-border
activities, uncontrolled migration, and confrontation; territorial
disputes may evolve from historical and/or cultural claims, or they
may be brought on by resource competition; ethnic clashes continue
to be responsible for much of the territorial fragmentation around
the world; disputes over islands at sea or in rivers frequently form
the source of territorial and boundary conflict; other sources of
contention include access to water and mineral (especially
petroleum) resources, fisheries, and arable land; nonetheless, most
nations cooperate to clarify their international boundaries and to
resolve territorial and resource disputes peacefully; regional
discord directly affects the sustenance and welfare of local
populations, often leaving the world community to cope with
resultant refugees, hunger, disease, impoverishment, deforestation,
and desertification

Illicit drugs:
cocaine: worldwide, coca is grown on an estimated 173,450
hectares-almost exclusively in South America with 70% in Colombia;
potential cocaine production during 2003 is estimated at 728 metric
tons (or 835 metric tons of export quality cocaine); coca
eradication programs continue in Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru; 376
metric tons of export quality cocaine are documented to have been
seized in 2003, and 26 metric tons disrupted (jettisoned or
destroyed); consumption of export quality cocaine is estimated to
have been 800 metric tons
opiates: cultivation of opium poppy occurred on an estimated 137,944
hectares in 2003-mostly in Southwest and Southeast Asia-with 44% in
Afghanistan, potentially produced 3,775 metric tons of opium - which
conceivably could be converted to the equivalent of 429 metric tons
of pure heroin; opium eradication programs have been undertaken in
Afghanistan, Burma, Colombia, Mexico, Pakistan, Thailand, and Vietnam

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Yemen

Introduction Yemen

Background:
North Yemen became independent of the Ottoman Empire in 1918. The
British, who had set up a protectorate area around the southern port
of Aden in the 19th century, withdrew in 1967 from what became South
Yemen. Three years later, the southern government adopted a Marxist
orientation. The massive exodus of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis
from the south to the north contributed to two decades of hostility
between the states. The two countries were formally unified as the
Republic of Yemen in 1990. A southern secessionist movement in 1994
was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and Yemen agreed to a
delimitation of their border.

Geography Yemen

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea,
between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
15 00 N, 48 00 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 527,970 sq km
land: 527,970 sq km
note: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen Arab Republic (YAR
or North Yemen), and the former People's Democratic Republic of
Yemen (PDRY or South Yemen)
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming

Land boundaries: total: 1,746 km border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km

Coastline:
1,906 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in western
mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry,
harsh desert in east

Terrain:
narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged
mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the
desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble, small deposits of coal, gold,
lead, nickel, and copper, fertile soil in west

Land use: arable land: 2.78% permanent crops: 0.24% other: 96.98% (2001)

Irrigated land:
4,900 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
sandstorms and dust storms in summer

Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the Red Sea
and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping lanes

People Yemen

Population:
20,024,867 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 46.6% (male 4,751,776; female 4,582,277)
15-64 years: 50.6% (male 5,166,437; female 4,973,543)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 273,199; female 277,635) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 16.5 years
male: 16.5 years
female: 16.5 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
3.44% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
43.16 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
8.78 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 63.26 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 58.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 68.12 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 61.36 years
male: 59.53 years
female: 63.29 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
6.75 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,900 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality: noun: Yemeni(s) adjective: Yemeni

Ethnic groups:
predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asians, Europeans

Religions:
Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a), small numbers of
Jewish, Christian, and Hindu

Languages:
Arabic

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 50.2%
male: 70.5%
female: 30% (2003 est.)

Government Yemen

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Yemen
conventional short form: Yemen
local short form: Al Yaman
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Sanaa

Administrative divisions:
19 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Abyan, 'Adan, Ad
Dali', Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit,
'Amran, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Sa'dah,
San'a', Shabwah, Ta'izz
note: for electoral and administrative purposes, the capital city of
Sanaa is treated as an additional governorate

Independence:
22 May 1990 (Republic of Yemen established with the merger of the
Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and the
Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen
(Aden) or South Yemen]); note - previously North Yemen had become
independent in November of 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South
Yemen had become independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)

National holiday:
Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

Constitution:
16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001

Legal system:
based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and local
tribal customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ali Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May 1990,
the former president of North Yemen, assumed office upon the merger
of North and South Yemen); Vice President Maj. Gen. Abd al-Rab
Mansur al-HADI (since 3 October 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Abd al-Qadir BA JAMAL (since 4
April 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
advice of the prime minister
election results: Ali Abdallah SALIH elected president; percent of
vote - Ali Abdallah SALIH 96.3%, Najib Qahtan AL-SHAABI 3.7%
elections: president elected by direct, popular vote for a
seven-year term (recently extended from a five-year term by
constitutional amendment); election last held 23 September 1999
(next to be held NA 2006); vice president appointed by the
president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by
the president

Legislative branch:
a new constitutional amendment ratified on 20 February 2001 created
a bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111 seats;
members appointed by the president) and a House of Representatives
(301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
GPC 228, Islah 47, YSP 7, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab
Socialist Ba'th Party 2, independents 14
elections: last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held NA April 2009)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
there are more than 12 political parties active in Yemen, some of
the more prominent are: General People's Congress or GPC [President
Ali Abdallah SALIH]; Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah [Shaykh
Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR]; National Arab Socialist Ba'th Party
[Dr. Qassim SALAAM]; Nasserite Unionist Party [Abdel Malik
al-MAKHLAFI]; Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Ali Salih MUQBIL]
note: President SALIH's General People's Congress or GPC won a
landslide victory in the April 1997 legislative election and no
longer governs in coalition with Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn
al-AHMAR's Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah - the two parties had
been in coalition since the end of the civil war in 1994; the YSP, a
loyal opposition party, represents the remnants of the former South
Yemeni leadership; leaders of the 1994 secessionist movement have
been pardoned by President SALIH and some are now returning to Yemen
from exile

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer),
OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abd al-Wahhab Abdallah al-HAJRI FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017 telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760 chancery: Suite 705, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. KRAJESKI
embassy: Saawan Street, Sanaa
mailing address: P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa
telephone: [967] (1) 303-151 through 159
FAX: [967] (1) 303-160/161/162/164/165

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black;
similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars and of Iraq
which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a
horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag
of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band

Economy Yemen

Economy - overview:
Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, reported
strong growth in the mid-1990s with the onset of oil production. It
has been harmed by periodic declines in oil prices, but now benefits
from current high prices. Yemen has embarked on an IMF-supported
structural adjustment program designed to modernize and streamline
the economy, which has led to substantial foreign debt relief and
restructuring. International donors, meeting in Paris in October
2002, agreed on a further $2.3 billion economic support package.
Yemen has worked to maintain tight control over spending and to
implement additional components of the IMF program. A markedly high
population growth rate and internal political dissension complicate
the government's task. Plans include a diversification of the
economy, encouragement of tourism, and more efficient use of scarce
water resources.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $15.09 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.8% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15.2% industry: 45% services: 39.7% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
29.1% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
15.7% (2001)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 25.9% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
33.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.8% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
5.79 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: most people are employed in agriculture and herding; services, construction, industry, and commerce account for less than one-fourth of the labor force

Unemployment rate:
35% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $3.729 billion
expenditures: $4.107 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
39.5% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
grain, fruits, vegetables, pulses, qat (mildly narcotic shrub),
coffee, cotton; dairy products, livestock (sheep, goats, cattle,
camels), poultry; fish

Industries:
crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale production
of cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing; handicrafts;
small aluminum products factory; cement

Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
3.01 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
2.8 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
438,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
74,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
3.2 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
480 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$157 million (2003)

Exports:
$3.92 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish

Exports - partners:
China 31.7%, Thailand 20.3%, India 15.6%, South Korea 4.9%,
Malaysia 4.3% (2003)

Imports:
$3.042 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners:
UAE 12.9%, Saudi Arabia 10.2%, China 8.9%, US 4.9%, Kuwait 4.4%,
France 4.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$5.009 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$6.044 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
$2.3 billion (2003-07 disbursements)

Currency:
Yemeni rial (YER)

Currency code:
YER

Exchange rates:
Yemeni rials per US dollar - NA (2003), 175.625 (2002), 168.672
(2001), 161.718 (2000), 155.718 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Yemen

Telephones - main lines in use:
542,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
411,100 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: since unification in 1990, efforts have been
made to create a national telecommunications network
domestic: the national network consists of microwave radio relay,
cable, tropospheric scatter, and GSM cellular mobile telephone
systems
international: country code - 967; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (2 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region), and 2 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to
Saudi Arabia and Djibouti

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
1.05 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
7 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
470,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ye

Internet hosts:
138 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
100,000 (2002)

Transportation Yemen

Highways: total: 67,000 km paved: 7,705 km unpaved: 59,295 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines:
gas 88 km; oil 1,174 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Mukalla, As Salif, Ras Issa, Mocha, Nishtun

Merchant marine:
total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 19,766 GRT/24,794 DWT
by type: cargo 1, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll
on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: Hong Kong 2, Lebanon 1
registered in other countries: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports:
44 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 16
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 28
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Military Yemen

Military branches:
Army (including Special Forces), Naval Forces and Coastal Defenses
(including Marines), Air Force (including Air Defense Forces),
Republican Guard

Military manpower - military age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 4,617,064 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,590,720 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 255,426 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$885.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
7.9% (2003)

Military - note:
establishment of a Coast Guard, scheduled for May 2001, has been
delayed

Transnational Issues Yemen

Disputes - international:
Yemen protests Eritrea fishing around the Hanish Islands awarded to
Yemen by the ICJ in 1999; nomadic groups in border region with Saudi
Arabia resist demarcation of boundary in accordance wih 2000 Jeddah
Treaty; Yemen protests Saudi erection of a concrete-filled pipe as a
security barrier in 2004 to stem illegal cross-border activities in
sections of the boundary

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 60,901 (Somalia) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Zambia

Introduction Zambia

Background:
The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the South
Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923.
During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development
and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in
1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices and a
prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end
to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant
harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001 was marked by
administrative problems with three parties filing a legal petition
challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA.
The new president launched a far-reaching anti-corruption campaign
in 2002, which resulted in the prosecution of former President
Frederick CHILUBA and many of his supporters in late 2003.
Opposition parties currently hold a majority of seats in the
National Assembly.

Geography Zambia

Location:
Southern Africa, east of Angola

Geographic coordinates:
15 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 752,614 sq km
water: 11,890 sq km
land: 740,724 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 5,664 km
border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania
338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April)

Terrain:
mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m
highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m

Natural resources:
copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium,
hydropower

Land use: arable land: 7.08% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 92.9% (2001)

Irrigated land:
460 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
periodic drought, tropical storms (November to April)

Environment - current issues:
air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and
refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; poaching seriously
threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and large cat populations;
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water
treatment presents human health risks

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with
Zimbabwe

People Zambia

Population:
10,462,436
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 46.1% (male 2,419,361; female 2,401,538)
15-64 years: 51.1% (male 2,684,001; female 2,667,528)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 132,166; female 157,842) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 16.6 years
male: 16.5 years
female: 16.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.47% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
38.99 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
24.35 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 98.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 90.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 105.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 35.18 years
male: 35.19 years
female: 35.17 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.14 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
16.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.8 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
170,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria
overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Zambian(s)
adjective: Zambian

Ethnic groups:
African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2%

Religions:
Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Languages:
English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda,
Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
total population: 80.6%
male: 86.8%
female: 74.8% (2003 est.)

Government Zambia

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Zambia
conventional short form: Zambia
former: Northern Rhodesia

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Lusaka

Administrative divisions:
9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka,
Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western

Independence:
24 October 1964 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

Constitution:
24 August 1991

Legal system:
based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of
legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002);
Vice President Lupando MWAPE (since 4 October 2004); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002);
Vice President Lupando MWAPE (since 4 October 2004); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
of the National Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held NA December
2006); vice president appointed by the president
election results: Levy MWANAWASA elected president; percent of vote
- Levy MWANAWASA 29%, Anderson MAZOKA 27%, Christon TEMBO 13%,
Tilyenji KAUNDA 10%, Godfrey MIYANDA 8%, Benjamin MWILA 5%, Michael
SATA 3%, other 5%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held NA December
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - MMD 45.9%, UPND 32.4%,
UNIP 8.8%, FDD 8.1%, HP 2.7%, PF 0.7%, ZRP 0.7%, independents 0.7%;
seats by party - MMD 68, UPND 48, UNIP 13, FDD 12, HP 4, PF 1, ZRP
1, independents 1; seats not determined 2

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are appointed by
the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction to hear civil
and criminal cases)

Political parties and leaders:
Agenda for Zambia or AZ [Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA]; Forum for
Democracy and Development or FDD [Christon TEMBO]; Heritage Party or
HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF [Roger
CHONGWE, president]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Levy
MWANAWASA, acting president]; National Leadership for Development or
NLD [Yobert SHAMAPANDE]; National Party or NP [Dr. Sam CHIPUNGU];
Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; Zambian Republican Party or
ZRP [Benjamin MWILA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Gwendoline
KONIE]; United National Independence Party or UNIP [Francis NKHOMA,
president]; United Party for National Development or UPND [Anderson
MAZOKA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN,
UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719 chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Martin George BRENNAN embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka telephone: [260] (1) 250-955 FAX: [260] (1) 252-225

Flag description:
green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side),
black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of
the flag

Economy Zambia

Economy - overview:
Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia's
economic growth remains below the 5% to 7% necessary to reduce
poverty significantly. Privatization of government-owned copper
mines relieved the government from covering mammoth losses generated
by the industry and greatly improved the chances for copper mining
to return to profitability and spur economic growth. Copper output
increased in 2003 and is expected to increase again in 2004, due to
higher copper prices. The maize harvest doubled in 2003, helping
boost GDP by 4.0%. Cooperation continues with international bodies
on programs to reduce poverty, including a new lending arrangement
with the IMF expected in the second quarter, 2004. A tighter
monetary policy will help cut inflation, but Zambia still has a
serious problem with fiscal discipline.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $8.596 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15.3% industry: 27.9% services: 56.9% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
45.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
86% (1993)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 41% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
52.6 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
21.4% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
4.59 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 85%, industry 6%, services 9%

Unemployment rate:
50% (2000 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $896.7 million
expenditures: $1.142 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Public debt:
133.6% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables, flowers,
tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle, goats, pigs,
poultry, milk, eggs, hides; coffee

Industries:
copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages,
chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture

Industrial production growth rate:
4% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
7.751 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
5.458 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
1.75 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-340 million (2003)

Exports:
$1.039 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
copper 55%, cobalt, electricity, tobacco, flowers, cotton

Exports - partners:
UK 26.7%, South Africa 21.6%, Tanzania 13.9%, Switzerland 8.1%
(2003)

Imports:
$1.128 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products,
electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners:
South Africa 48.3%, Zimbabwe 12.8%, UK 5.9%, UAE 4.3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$247.7 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$5.281 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
$651 million (2000 est.)

Currency:
Zambian kwacha (ZMK)

Currency code:
ZMK

Exchange rates:
Zambian kwacha per US dollar - 4,733.77 (2003), 4,398.59 (2002),
3,610.93 (2001), 3,110.84 (2000), 2,388.02 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Zambia

Telephones - main lines in use:
88,400 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
241,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: facilities are aging but still among the best
in Sub-Saharan Africa
domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger
towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation;
Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal
(VSAT) networks are operated by private firms
international: country code - 260; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
1.2 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
9 (2002)

Televisions:
277,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.zm

Internet hosts:
1,880 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2001)

Internet users:
68,200 (2003)

Transportation Zambia

Railways:
total: 2,173 km
narrow gauge: 2,173 km 1.067-m gauge
note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority
(TAZARA) (2003)

Highways:
total: 66,781 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
2,250 km
note: includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers
(2003)

Pipelines:
oil 771 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Mpulungu

Airports:
109 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 99
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 62
under 914 m: 32 (2004 est.)

Military Zambia

Military branches:
Zambian National Defense Force (ZNDF): Army, Air Force, Police,
National Service

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,477,494 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,310,814 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$42.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Zambia

Disputes - international:
the Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe boundary convergence is
not clearly defined or delimited

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 158,894 (Angola), 58,405 (Democratic
Republic of the Congo), 5,767 (Rwanda) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone, small
amounts of heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and
possibly Europe; a poorly developed financial infrastructure coupled
with a government commitment to combating money laundering make it
an unattractive venue for money launderers

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Zimbabwe

Introduction Zimbabwe

Background:
The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa Company in
1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored whites in
power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its
independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more
complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country
(then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising
finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe)
in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been
the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated
the country's political system since independence. His chaotic land
redistribution campaign begun in 2000 caused an exodus of white
farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread shortages
of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation, MUGABE
rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure his reelection.
Opposition and labor groups launched general strikes in 2003 to
pressure MUGABE to retire early; security forces continued their
brutal repression of regime opponents.

Geography Zimbabwe

Location:
Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

Geographic coordinates:
20 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 390,580 sq km
water: 3,910 sq km
land: 386,670 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Montana

Land boundaries:
total: 3,066 km
border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa
225 km, Zambia 797 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)

Terrain:
mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld);
mountains in east

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m
highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m

Natural resources:
coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore,
vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

Land use: arable land: 8.32% permanent crops: 0.34% other: 91.34% (2001)

Irrigated land:
1,170 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste and heavy metal pollution

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with
Zambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria Falls on
the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water

People Zimbabwe

Population:
12,671,860
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 39.4% (male 2,520,082; female 2,472,641)
15-64 years: 57% (male 3,649,400; female 3,571,631)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 230,272; female 227,834) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 19.1 years
female: 19.1 years (2004 est.)
male: 19.1 years

Population growth rate:
0.68% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
30.05 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
23.3 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
negligible migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa
and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 67.08 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 64.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 69.74 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 37.82 years
male: 38.63 years
female: 36.99 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.6 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
33.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2.3 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
200,000 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
typhoid fever, malaria, schistosomiasis
overall degree of risk: high (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Zimbabwean(s)
adjective: Zimbabwean

Ethnic groups:
African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and Asian 1%,
white less than 1%

Religions:
syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian
25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%

Languages:
English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele,
sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
total population: 90.7%
male: 94.2%
female: 87.2% (2003 est.)

Government Zimbabwe

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe
conventional short form: Zimbabwe
former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
Harare

Administrative divisions:
8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*,
Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East,
Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South,
Midlands

Independence:
18 April 1980 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

Constitution:
21 December 1979

Legal system:
mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31
December 1987); Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004;
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since
31 December 1987); Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December
2004; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the
House of Assembly
elections: presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper
signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each
province) and elected by popular vote; election last held 9-11 March
2002 (next to be held NA March 2008); co-vice presidents appointed
by the president
election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent
of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 56.2%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 41.9%

Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by popular
vote for five-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10 occupied
by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied by
provincial governors appointed by the president)
elections: last held 24-25 June 2000 (next to be held NA 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 48.6%, MDC
47.0%, other 4.4%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 62, MDC 57, ZANU-Ndonga 1

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; High Court

Political parties and leaders:
Movement for Democratic Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI]; National
Alliance for Good Governance or NAGG [Shakespeare MAYA]; United
Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga or
ZANU-Ndonga [Wilson KUMBULA]; Zimbabwe African National
Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE]; Zimbabwe
African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Agrippa MADLELA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
National Constitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU]; Crisis
in Zimbabwe Coalition [Brian KAGORO]; Zimbabwe Congress of Trade
Unions or ZCTU [Lovemore MATOMBO]

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Simbi Veke MUBAKO
FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326
telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100
chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph G. SULLIVAN embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 and 250-594 FAX: [263] (4) 796488

Flag description:
seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red,
yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in black
with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird representing
the long history of the country is superimposed on a red
five-pointed star in the center of the triangle, which symbolizes
peace; green symbolizes agriculture, yellow - mineral wealth, red -
blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands for the native
people

Economy Zimbabwe

Economy - overview:
The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult
economic problems as it struggles with an unsustainable fiscal
deficit, an overvalued exchange rate, soaring inflation, and bare
shelves. Its 1998-2002 involvement in the war in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, for example, drained hundreds of millions of
dollars from the economy. Badly needed support from the IMF has been
suspended because of the country's failure to meet budgetary goals.
Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to 383% in 2003,
and is expected to reach 700% in 2004. The government's land reform
program, characterized by chaos and violence, has badly damaged the
commercial farming sector, the traditional source of exports and
foreign exchange and the provider of 400,000 jobs.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $24.03 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
-13.6% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.3% industry: 24.5% services: 58.3% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
8.9% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
70% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.97% highest 10%: 40.42% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
50.1 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
384.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
4.17 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 66%, industry 10%, services 24% (1996)

Unemployment rate:
70% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.568 billion
expenditures: $2.004 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Public debt:
41.3% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products:
corn, cotton, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; sheep, goats, pigs

Industries:
mining (coal, gold, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous metallic
and nonmetallic ores), steel, wood products, cement, chemicals,
fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:
-14.7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
6.735 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
9.813 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
3.55 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Current account balance:
$-346 million (2003)

Exports:
$1.261 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing

Exports - partners:
Zambia 6.3%, South Africa 6.1%, China 5.3%, Germany 4.6%, Japan
4.4% (2003)

Imports:
$1.691 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures, chemicals,
fuels

Imports - partners:
South Africa 51.3%, Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6.1%, Germany
2.8% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$78 million (2003)

Debt - external:
$3.404 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$178 million; note - the EU and the US provide food aid on
humanitarian grounds (2000 est.)

Currency:
Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD)

Currency code:
ZWD

Exchange rates:
Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - NA (2003), 55.0358 (2002),
55.0521 (2001), 44.4179 (2000), 38.3012 (1999); note - these are
official exchange rates, non-official rates vary significantly

Fiscal year:
1 January - 31 December

Communications Zimbabwe

Telephones - main lines in use:
300,900 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
379,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: system was once one of the best in Africa, but
now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000 outstanding
requests for connection despite an equally large number of installed
but unused main lines
domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines,
radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop
installations, and a substantial mobile cellular network; Internet
connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns
and for some of the smaller ones
international: country code - 263; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat; two international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and
Gweru)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
1.14 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
16 (1997)

Televisions:
370,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.zw

Internet hosts:
4,501 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)

Internet users:
500,000 (2002)

Transportation Zimbabwe

Railways: total: 3,077 km narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2003)

Highways: total: 18,338 km paved: 8,692 km unpaved: 9,646 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
on Lake Kariba, length small (2003)

Pipelines:
refined products 261 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Binga, Kariba

Airports:
404 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 387 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 186 under 914 m: 196 (2004 est.)

Military Zimbabwe

Military branches:
Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Republic
Police (includes Police Support Unit, Paramilitary Police)

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 3,285,007 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,033,978 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$105 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.7% (2003)

Transnational Issues Zimbabwe

Disputes - international:
the Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe boundary convergence is
not clearly defined or delimited

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 100,000-150,000 (Mugabe-led political violence, human rights
violations, land reform, and economic collapse) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
transit point for African cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax,
and methamphetamines destined for the South African and European
markets

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

## @2001 GDP

Afghanistan
purchasing power parity - $20 billion (2003 est.)

Albania
purchasing power parity - $16.13 billion (2003 est.)

Algeria
purchasing power parity - $196 billion (2003 est.)

American Samoa
purchasing power parity - $500 million (2000 est.)

Andorra
purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2000 est.)

Angola
purchasing power parity - $20.42 billion (2003 est.)

Anguilla
purchasing power parity - $104 million (2001 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda purchasing power parity - $750 million (2002 est.)

Argentina
purchasing power parity - $435.5 billion (2003 est.)

Armenia
purchasing power parity - $11.79 billion (2003 est.)

Aruba
purchasing power parity - $1.94 billion (2002 est.)

Australia
purchasing power parity - $571.4 billion (2003 est.)

Austria
purchasing power parity - $245.3 billion (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
purchasing power parity - $26.65 billion (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
purchasing power parity - $5.049 billion (2003 est.)

Bahrain
purchasing power parity - $11.29 billion (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
purchasing power parity - $258.8 billion (2003 est.)

Barbados
purchasing power parity - $4.355 billion (2003 est.)

Belarus
purchasing power parity - $62.56 billion (2003 est.)

Belgium
purchasing power parity - $299.1 billion (2003 est.)

Belize
purchasing power parity - $1.28 billion (2002 est.)

Benin
purchasing power parity - $7.742 billion (2003 est.)

Bermuda
purchasing power parity - $2.33 billion (2003 est.)

Bhutan
purchasing power parity - $2.7 billion (2002 est.)

Bolivia
purchasing power parity - $21.01 billion (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina purchasing power parity - $24.31 billion (2003 est.)

Botswana
purchasing power parity - $14.2 billion (2003 est.)

Brazil
purchasing power parity - $1.375 trillion (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands purchasing power parity - $320 million (2002 est.)

Brunei
purchasing power parity - $6.5 billion (2002 est.)

Bulgaria
purchasing power parity - $57.13 billion (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
purchasing power parity - $14.55 billion (2003 est.)

Burma
purchasing power parity - $74.53 billion (2003 est.)

Burundi
purchasing power parity - $3.78 billion (2003 est.)

Cambodia
purchasing power parity - $25.02 billion (2003 est.)

Cameroon
purchasing power parity - $27.75 billion (2003 est.)

Canada
purchasing power parity - $958.7 billion (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
purchasing power parity - $600 million (2002 est.)

Cayman Islands
purchasing power parity - $1.27 billion (2002 est.)

Central African Republic purchasing power parity - $4.183 billion (2003 est.)

Chad
purchasing power parity - $10.67 billion (2003 est.)

Chile
purchasing power parity - $154.7 billion (2003 est.)

China
purchasing power parity - $6.449 trillion (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
purchasing power parity - NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
purchasing power parity - NA

Colombia
purchasing power parity - $263.2 billion (2003 est.)

Comoros
purchasing power parity - $441 million (2002 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
purchasing power parity - $40.05
billion (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
purchasing power parity - $2.148 billion
(2003 est.)

Cook Islands
purchasing power parity - $105 million (2001 est.)

Costa Rica
purchasing power parity - $35.34 billion (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
purchasing power parity - $24.51 billion (2003 est.)

Croatia
purchasing power parity - $47.05 billion (2003 est.)

Cuba
purchasing power parity - $32.13 billion (2003 est.)

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $14.82 billion
(2003 est.); north Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $1.217 billion
(2003 est.)

Czech Republic
purchasing power parity - $161.1 billion (2003 est.)

Denmark
purchasing power parity - $167.2 billion (2003 est.)

Djibouti
purchasing power parity - $619 million (2002 est.)

Dominica
purchasing power parity - $380 million (2002 est.)

Dominican Republic purchasing power parity - $52.71 billion (2003 est.)

East Timor
purchasing power parity - $440 million (2001 est.)

Ecuador
purchasing power parity - $45.65 billion (2003 est.)

Egypt
purchasing power parity - $295.2 billion (2003 est.)

El Salvador
purchasing power parity - $30.99 billion (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
purchasing power parity - $1.27 billion (2002 est.)

Eritrea
purchasing power parity - $3.3 billion (2002 est.)

Estonia
purchasing power parity - $17.35 billion (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
purchasing power parity - $46.81 billion (2003 est.)

European Union
purchasing power parity - $11.05 trillion (2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) purchasing power parity - $75 million (2002 est.)

Faroe Islands
purchasing power parity - $1 billion (2001 est.)

Fiji
purchasing power parity - $5.012 billion (2003 est.)

Finland
purchasing power parity - $142.2 billion (2003 est.)

France
purchasing power parity - $1.661 trillion (2003 est.)

French Guiana
purchasing power parity - $1.551 billion (2003 est.)

French Polynesia
purchasing power parity - $4.58 billion (2003 est.)

Gabon
purchasing power parity - $7.301 billion (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
purchasing power parity - $2.56 billion (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
purchasing power parity - $768 million (2003 est.)

Georgia
purchasing power parity - $12.18 billion (2003 est.)

Germany
purchasing power parity - $2.271 trillion (2003 est.)

Ghana
purchasing power parity - $44.44 billion (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
purchasing power parity - $500 million (1997 est.)

Greece
purchasing power parity - $213.6 billion (2003 est.)

Greenland
purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion (2001 est.)

Grenada
purchasing power parity - $440 million (2002 est.)

Guadeloupe
purchasing power parity - $3.513 billion (2003 est.)

Guam
purchasing power parity - $3.2 billion (2000 est.)

Guatemala
purchasing power parity - $56.5 billion (2003 est.)

Guernsey
purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (1999 est.)

Guinea
purchasing power parity - $19.02 billion (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
purchasing power parity - $1.063 billion (2003 est.)

Guyana
purchasing power parity - $2.797 billion (2003 est.)

Haiti
purchasing power parity - $12.3 billion (2003 est.)

Honduras
purchasing power parity - $17.55 billion (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
purchasing power parity - $213 billion (2003 est.)

Hungary
purchasing power parity - $139.8 billion (2003 est.)

Iceland
purchasing power parity - $8.678 billion (2003 est.)

India
purchasing power parity - $3.033 trillion (2003 est.)

Indonesia
purchasing power parity - $758.8 billion (2003 est.)

Iran
purchasing power parity - $478.2 billion (2003 est.)

Iraq
purchasing power parity - $37.92 billion (2003 est.)

Ireland
purchasing power parity - $116.2 billion (2003 est.)

Israel
purchasing power parity - $120.9 billion (2003 est.)

Italy
purchasing power parity - $1.55 trillion (2003 est.)

Jamaica
purchasing power parity - $10.61 billion (2003 est.)

Japan
purchasing power parity - $3.582 trillion (2003 est.)

Jersey
purchasing power parity - $2.2 billion (1999 est.)

Jordan
purchasing power parity - $23.64 billion (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
purchasing power parity - $105.5 billion (2003 est.)

Kenya
purchasing power parity - $33.03 billion (2003 est.)

Kiribati
purchasing power parity - $79 million - supplemented by a
nearly equal amount from external sources (2001 est.)

Korea, North
purchasing power parity - $29.58 billion (2003 est.)

Korea, South
purchasing power parity - $857.8 billion (2003 est.)

Kuwait
purchasing power parity - $41.46 billion (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
purchasing power parity - $7.808 billion (2003 est.)

Laos
purchasing power parity - $10.32 billion (2003 est.)

Latvia
purchasing power parity - $23.9 billion (2003 est.)

Lebanon
purchasing power parity - $17.82 billion (2003 est.)

Lesotho
purchasing power parity - $5.583 billion (2003 est.)

Liberia
purchasing power parity - $3.261 billion (2003 est.)

Libya
purchasing power parity - $35 billion (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
purchasing power parity - $825 million (1999 est.)

Lithuania
purchasing power parity - $40.88 billion (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
purchasing power parity - $25.01 billion (2003 est.)

Macau
purchasing power parity - $9.1 billion (2003 est.)

Macedonia
purchasing power parity - $13.81 billion (2003 est.)

Madagascar
purchasing power parity - $13.02 billion (2003 est.)

Malawi
purchasing power parity - $6.845 billion (2003 est.)

Malaysia
purchasing power parity - $207.8 billion (2003 est.)

Maldives
purchasing power parity - $1.25 billion (2002 est.)

Mali
purchasing power parity - $10.53 billion (2003 est.)

Malta
purchasing power parity - $7.082 billion (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
purchasing power parity - $1.6 billion (2001 est.)

Marshall Islands
purchasing power parity - $115 million (2001 est.)

Martinique
purchasing power parity - $6.117 billion (2003 est.)

Mauritania
purchasing power parity - $5.195 billion (2003 est.)

Mauritius
purchasing power parity - $13.85 billion (2003 est.)

Mayotte
purchasing power parity - $466.8 million (2003 est.)

Mexico
purchasing power parity - $941.2 billion (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
purchasing power parity - $277
million
note: GDP is supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100
million annually (2002 est.)

Moldova
purchasing power parity - $7.792 billion (2003 est.)

Monaco
purchasing power parity - $870 million (1999 est.)

Mongolia
purchasing power parity - $4.882 billion (2003 est.)

Montserrat
purchasing power parity - $29 million (2002 est.)

Morocco
purchasing power parity - $128.3 billion (2003 est.)

Mozambique
purchasing power parity - $21.23 billion (2003 est.)

Namibia
purchasing power parity - $13.85 billion (2003 est.)

Nauru
purchasing power parity - $60 million (2001 est.)

Nepal
purchasing power parity - $38.29 billion (2003 est.)

Netherlands
purchasing power parity - $461.4 billion (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles purchasing power parity - $2.45 billion (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
purchasing power parity - $3.158 billion (2003 est.)

New Zealand
purchasing power parity - $85.34 billion (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
purchasing power parity - $11.6 billion (2003 est.)

Niger
purchasing power parity - $9.062 billion (2003 est.)

Nigeria
purchasing power parity - $114.8 billion (2003 est.)

Niue
purchasing power parity - $7.6 million (2000 est.)

Norfolk Island
purchasing power parity - NA

Northern Mariana Islands purchasing power parity - $900 million note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2000 est.)

Norway
purchasing power parity - $171.7 billion (2003 est.)

Oman
purchasing power parity - $36.7 billion (2003 est.)

Pakistan
purchasing power parity - $318 billion (2003 est.)

Palau
purchasing power parity - $174 million
note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2001 est.)

Panama
purchasing power parity - $18.78 billion (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
purchasing power parity - $11.48 billion (2003 est.)

Paraguay
purchasing power parity - $28.17 billion (2003 est.)

Peru
purchasing power parity - $146 billion (2003 est.)

Philippines
purchasing power parity - $390.7 billion (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
purchasing power parity - NA

Poland
purchasing power parity - $427.1 billion (2003 est.)

Portugal
purchasing power parity - $181.8 billion (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
purchasing power parity - $65.21 billion (2003 est.)

Qatar
purchasing power parity - $17.54 billion (2003 est.)

Reunion
purchasing power parity - $4.348 billion (2003 est.)

Romania
purchasing power parity - $155 billion (2003 est.)

Russia
purchasing power parity - $1.282 trillion (2003 est.)

Rwanda
purchasing power parity - $10.11 billion (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
purchasing power parity - $18 million (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis purchasing power parity - $339 million (2002 est.)

Saint Lucia purchasing power parity - $866 million (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon purchasing power parity - $48.33 million - supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60 million (2003 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines purchasing power parity - $342 million (2002 est.)

Samoa
purchasing power parity - $1 billion (2002 est.)

San Marino
purchasing power parity - $940 million (2001 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe purchasing power parity - $214 million (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
purchasing power parity - $287.8 billion (2003 est.)

Senegal
purchasing power parity - $17.09 billion (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro purchasing power parity - $23.89 billion (2003 est.)

Seychelles
purchasing power parity - $626 million (2002 est.)

Sierra Leone
purchasing power parity - $3.057 billion (2003 est.)

Singapore
purchasing power parity - $109.4 billion (2003 est.)

Slovakia
purchasing power parity - $72.29 billion (2003 est.)

Slovenia
purchasing power parity - $36.82 billion (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.)

Somalia
purchasing power parity - $4.361 billion (2003 est.)

South Africa
purchasing power parity - $456.7 billion (2003 est.)

Spain
purchasing power parity - $885.5 billion (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
purchasing power parity - $73.7 billion (2003 est.)

Sudan
purchasing power parity - $70.95 billion (2003 est.)

Suriname
purchasing power parity - $1.752 billion (2003 est.)

Svalbard
purchasing power parity - NA

Swaziland
purchasing power parity - $5.702 billion (2003 est.)

Sweden
purchasing power parity - $238.3 billion (2003 est.)

Switzerland
purchasing power parity - $239.3 billion (2003 est.)

Syria
purchasing power parity - $58.01 billion (2003 est.)

Taiwan
purchasing power parity - $528.6 billion (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
purchasing power parity - $6.812 billion (2003 est.)

Tanzania
purchasing power parity - $21.58 billion (2003 est.)

Thailand
purchasing power parity - $477.5 billion (2003 est.)

Togo
purchasing power parity - $8.257 billion (2003 est.)

Tokelau
purchasing power parity - $1.5 million (1993 est.)

Tonga
purchasing power parity - $236 million (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago purchasing power parity - $10.52 billion (2003 est.)

Tunisia
purchasing power parity - $68.23 billion (2003 est.)

Turkey
purchasing power parity - $458.2 billion (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
purchasing power parity - $27.88 billion (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands purchasing power parity - $231 million (2000 est.)

Tuvalu
purchasing power parity - $12.2 million NA (2000 est.)

Uganda
purchasing power parity - $36.1 billion (2003 est.)

Ukraine
purchasing power parity - $260.4 billion (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates purchasing power parity - $57.7 billion (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
purchasing power parity - $1.666 trillion (2003 est.)

United States
purchasing power parity - $10.99 trillion (2003 est.)

Uruguay
purchasing power parity - $43.67 billion (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
purchasing power parity - $43.99 billion (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
purchasing power parity - $563 million (2002 est.)

Venezuela
purchasing power parity - $117.9 billion (2003 est.)

Vietnam
purchasing power parity - $203.7 billion (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (2002 est.)

Wallis and Futuna purchasing power parity - $57.59 million (2003 est.)

West Bank
purchasing power parity - $1.7 billion (2002 est.)

Western Sahara
purchasing power parity - NA

World
GWP (gross world product) - purchasing power parity - $51.48
trillion (2003 est.)

Yemen
purchasing power parity - $15.09 billion (2003 est.)

Zambia
purchasing power parity - $8.596 billion (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
purchasing power parity - $24.03 billion (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2002 Population growth rate (%)

Afghanistan
4.92%
note: this rate does not take into consideration the recent war and
its continuing impact (2004 est.)

Albania
0.51% (2004 est.)

Algeria
1.28% (2004 est.)

American Samoa
0.04% (2004 est.)

Andorra
1% (2004 est.)

Angola
1.93% (2004 est.)

Anguilla
1.98% (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
0.6% (2004 est.)

Argentina
1.02% (2004 est.)

Armenia
-0.32% (2004 est.)

Aruba
0.51% (2004 est.)

Australia
0.9% (2004 est.)

Austria
0.14% (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
0.52% (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
0.72% (2004 est.)

Bahrain
1.56% (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
2.08% (2004 est.)

Barbados
0.36% (2004 est.)

Belarus
-0.11% (2004 est.)

Belgium
0.16% (2004 est.)

Belize
2.39% (2004 est.)

Benin
2.89% (2004 est.)

Bermuda
0.68% (2004 est.)

Bhutan
2.12% (2004 est.)

Bolivia
1.56% (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
0.45% (2004 est.)

Botswana
-0.89% (2004 est.)

Brazil
1.11% (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
2.06% (2004 est.)

Brunei
1.95% (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
-0.92% (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
2.57% (2004 est.)

Burma
0.47% (2004 est.)

Burundi
2.2% (2004 est.)

Cambodia
1.8% (2004 est.)

Cameroon
1.97% (2004 est.)

Canada
0.92% (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
0.73% (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands
2.71% (2004 est.)

Central African Republic
1.56% (2004 est.)

Chad
3% (2004 est.)

Chile
1.01% (2004 est.)

China
0.57% (2004 est.)

Christmas Island
-9% (2004 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
0.002% (2004 est.)

Colombia
1.53% (2004 est.)

Comoros
2.94% (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
2.99% (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
1.42% (2004 est.)

Cook Islands
NA (2004 est.)

Costa Rica
1.52% (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
2.11% (2004 est.)

Croatia
-0.02% (2004 est.)

Cuba
0.34% (2004 est.)

Cyprus
0.55% (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
-0.05% (2004 est.)

Denmark
0.35% (2004 est.)

Djibouti
2.1% (2004 est.)

Dominica
-0.45% (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
1.33% (2004 est.)

East Timor
2.11% (2004 est.)

Ecuador
1.03% (2004 est.)

Egypt
1.83% (2004 est.)

El Salvador
1.78% (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
2.43% (2004 est.)

Eritrea
2.57% (2004 est.)

Estonia
-0.66% (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
1.89% (2004 est.)

European Union
0.17% (July 2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
2.44% (2004 est.)

Faroe Islands
0.66% (2004 est.)

Fiji
1.41% (2004 est.)

Finland
0.18% (2004 est.)

France
0.39% (2004 est.)

French Guiana
2.25% (2004 est.)

French Polynesia
1.57% (2004 est.)

Gabon
2.5% (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
2.98% (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
3.83% (2004 est.)

Georgia
-0.36% (2004 est.)

Germany
0.02% (2004 est.)

Ghana
1.36% (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
0.19% (2004 est.)

Greece
0.2% (2004 est.)

Greenland
-0.01% (2004 est.)

Grenada
0.14% (2004 est.)

Guadeloupe
0.96% (2004 est.)

Guam
1.5% (2004 est.)

Guatemala
2.61% (2004 est.)

Guernsey
0.31% (2004 est.)

Guinea
2.37% (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
1.99% (2004 est.)

Guyana
0.61% (2004 est.)

Haiti
1.71% (2004 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
0.01% (2004 est.)

Honduras
2.24% (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
0.65% (2004 est.)

Hungary
-0.25% (2004 est.)

Iceland
0.97% (2004 est.)

India
1.44% (2004 est.)

Indonesia
1.49% (2004 est.)

Iran
1.07% (2004 est.)

Iraq
2.74% (2004 est.)

Ireland
1.16% (2004 est.)

Israel
1.29% (2004 est.)

Italy
0.09% (2004 est.)

Jamaica
0.66% (2004 est.)

Japan
0.08% (2004 est.)

Jersey
0.36% (2004 est.)

Jordan
2.67% (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
0.26% (2004 est.)

Kenya
1.14% (2004 est.)

Kiribati
2.25% (2004 est.)

Korea, North
0.98% (2004 est.)

Korea, South
0.62% (2004 est.)

Kuwait
3.36%
note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of
expatriates (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
1.25% (2004 est.)

Laos
2.44% (2004 est.)

Latvia
-0.71% (2004 est.)

Lebanon
1.3% (2004 est.)

Lesotho
0.14% (2004 est.)

Liberia
2.7% (2004 est.)

Libya
2.37% (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
0.86% (2004 est.)

Lithuania
-0.33% (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
1.28% (2004 est.)

Macau
0.87% (2004 est.)

Macedonia
0.39% (2004 est.)

Madagascar
3.03% (2004 est.)

Malawi
2.14% (2004 est.)

Malaysia
1.83% (2004 est.)

Maldives
2.86% (2004 est.)

Mali
2.78% (2004 est.)

Malta
0.42% (2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
0.53% (2004 est.)

Marshall Islands
2.29% (2004 est.)

Martinique
0.81% (2004 est.)

Mauritania
2.91% (2004 est.)

Mauritius
0.81% (2004 est.)

Mayotte
4.09% (2004 est.)

Mexico
1.18% (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
-0.02% (2004 est.)

Moldova
0.18% (2004 est.)

Monaco
0.44% (2004 est.)

Mongolia
1.43% (2004 est.)

Montserrat
1.03% (2004 est.)

Morocco
1.61% (2004 est.)

Mozambique
1.22% (2004 est.)

Namibia
1.25% (2004 est.)

Nauru
1.87% (2004 est.)

Nepal
2.23% (2004 est.)

Netherlands
0.57% (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
0.86% (2004 est.)

New Caledonia
1.33% (2004 est.)

New Zealand
1.05% (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
1.97% (2004 est.)

Niger
2.67% (2004 est.)

Nigeria
2.45% (2004 est.)

Niue
0.01% (2004 est.)

Norfolk Island
-0.01% (2004 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
2.71% (2004 est.)

Norway
0.41% (2004 est.)

Oman
3.35% (2004 est.)

Pakistan
1.98% (2004 est.)

Palau
1.46% (2004 est.)

Panama
1.31% (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
2.3% (2004 est.)

Paraguay
2.51% (2004 est.)

Peru
1.39% (2004 est.)

Philippines
1.88% (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
-0.013% (2004 est.)

Poland
0.02% (2004 est.)

Portugal
0.41% (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
0.49% (2004 est.)

Qatar
2.74% (2004 est.)

Reunion
1.42% (2004 est.)

Romania
-0.11% (2004 est.)

Russia
-0.45% (2004 est.)

Rwanda
1.82% (2004 est.)

Saint Helena
0.62% (2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
0.25% (2004 est.)

Saint Lucia
1.27% (2004 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
0.26% (2004 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
0.31% (2004 est.)

Samoa
-0.25% (2004 est.)

San Marino
1.33% (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
3.18% (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
2.44% (2004 est.)

Senegal
2.52% (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
0.03% (2004 est.)

Seychelles
0.45% (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
2.27% (2004 est.)

Singapore
1.71% (2004 est.)

Slovakia
0.14% (2004 est.)

Slovenia
-0.01% (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
2.76% (2004 est.)

Somalia
3.41% (2004 est.)

South Africa
-0.25% (2004 est.)

Spain
0.16% (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
0.81% (2004 est.)

Sudan
2.64% (2004 est.)

Suriname
0.31% (2004 est.)

Svalbard
-0.02% (2004 est.)

Swaziland
0.55% (2004 est.)

Sweden
0.18% (2004 est.)

Switzerland
0.54% (2004 est.)

Syria
2.4% (2004 est.)

Taiwan
0.64% (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
2.14% (2004 est.)

Tanzania
1.95% (2004 est.)

Thailand
0.91% (2004 est.)

Togo
2.27% (2004 est.)

Tokelau
-0.01% (2004 est.)

Tonga
1.94% (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
-0.71% (2004 est.)

Tunisia
1.01% (2004 est.)

Turkey
1.13% (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
1.81% (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
3.03% (2004 est.)

Tuvalu
1.44% (2004 est.)

Uganda
2.97% (2004 est.)

Ukraine
-0.66% (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
1.57% (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
0.29% (2004 est.)

United States
0.92% (2004 est.)

Uruguay
0.51% (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
1.65% (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
1.57% (2004 est.)

Venezuela
1.44% (2004 est.)

Vietnam
1.3% (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
-0.05% (2004 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
NA

West Bank
3.21% (2004 est.)

Western Sahara
NA

World
1.14% (2004 est.)

Yemen
3.44% (2004 est.)

Zambia
1.47% (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
0.68% (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2003 GDP - real growth rate (%)

Afghanistan
29% (2003 est.)
note: this high growth rate reflects the extremely low levels of
activity between 1999 and 2002, as well as the end of a four-year
drought and the impact of donor assistance

Albania
7% (2003 est.)

Algeria
7.4% (2003 est.)

American Samoa
NA

Andorra
3.8% (2000 est.)

Angola
1.5% (2003 est.)

Anguilla
2.8% (2001 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
3% (2002 est.)

Argentina
8.7% (2003 est.)

Armenia
9.9% (2003 est.)

Aruba
-1.5% (2002 est.)

Australia
3% (2003 est.)

Austria
0.7% (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
11.2% (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
0% (2003 est.)

Bahrain
4.9% (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
5.3% (2003 est.)

Barbados
2.2% (2003 est.)

Belarus
6.8% (2003 est.)

Belgium
1.1% (2003 est.)

Belize
3.7% (2002 est.)

Benin
5.5% (2003 est.)

Bermuda
2% (2003 est.)

Bhutan
7.7% (2002 est.)

Bolivia
2.5% (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
3.5% (2003 est.)

Botswana
7.2% (2003 est.)

Brazil
-0.2% (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
1% (2002 est.)

Brunei
3% (2002 est.)

Bulgaria
4.3% (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
5.2% (2003 est.)

Burma
-0.5% (2003 est.)

Burundi
-1.3% (2003 est.)

Cambodia
5% (2003 est.)

Cameroon
4.2% (2003 est.)

Canada
1.7% (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
4% (2002 est.)

Cayman Islands
1.7% (2002 est.)

Central African Republic
-7% (2003 est.)

Chad
15% (2003 est.)

Chile
3.3% (2003 est.)

China
9.1% (official data) (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA

Colombia
3.7% (2003 est.)

Comoros
2% (2002 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
6.5% (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
1.3% (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
7.1% (2001 est.)

Costa Rica
5.6% (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
-1.9% (2003 est.)

Croatia
4.3% (2003 est.)

Cuba
2.6% (2003 est.)

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: 1.9% (2003 est.); north Cyprus: 2.6%
(2003 est.)

Czech Republic
2.9% (2003 est.)

Denmark
0% (2003 est.)

Djibouti
3.5% (2002 est.)

Dominica
-1% (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
-0.7% (2003 est.)

East Timor
-3% (2003 est.)

Ecuador
2.5% (2003 est.)

Egypt
3.1% (2003 est.)

El Salvador
1.4% (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
20% (2002 est.)

Eritrea
2% (2002 est.)

Estonia
4.7% (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
-3.8% (2003 est.)

European Union
1% (2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA

Faroe Islands
10% (2001 est.)

Fiji
4.8% (2003 est.)

Finland
1.9% (2003 est.)

France
0.5% (2003 est.)

French Guiana
NA

French Polynesia
4% (2001 est.)

Gabon
1.2% (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
3% (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
4.5% (2003 est.)

Georgia
5.5% (2003 est.)

Germany
-0.1% (2003 est.)

Ghana
4.7% (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
NA

Greece
4.7% (2003 est.)

Greenland
1.8% (2001 est.)

Grenada
2.5% (2002 est.)

Guadeloupe
NA

Guam
NA

Guatemala
2.1% (2003 est.)

Guernsey
5.7% (1999 est.)

Guinea
3% (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
-7% (2003 est.)

Guyana
0.5% (2003 est.)

Haiti
0% (2003 est.)

Honduras
3% (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
3.3% (2003 est.)

Hungary
2.9% (2003 est.)

Iceland
2.6% (2003 est.)

India
8.3% (2003 est.)

Indonesia
4.1% (2003 est.)

Iran
6.1% (2003 est.)

Iraq
-21.8% (2003 est.)

Ireland
1.4% (2003 est.)

Israel
1.3% (2003 est.)

Italy
0.4% (2003 est.)

Jamaica
1.9% (2003 est.)

Japan
2.7% (2003 est.)

Jersey
NA

Jordan
3.1% (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
9.2% (2003 est.)

Kenya
1.5% (2003 est.)

Kiribati
1.5% (2001 est.)

Korea, North
1% (2003 est.)

Korea, South
3.1% (2003 est.)

Kuwait
4.6% (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
6.7% (2003 est.)

Laos
5.5% (2003 est.)

Latvia
7.4% (2003 est.)

Lebanon
3% (2003 est.)

Lesotho
4% (2003 est.)

Liberia
3% (2003 est.)

Libya
3.2% (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
11% (1999 est.)

Lithuania
9% (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
1.2% (2003 est.)

Macau
4% (2003 est.)

Macedonia
2.8% (2003 est.)

Madagascar
6% (2003 est.)

Malawi
1.7% (2003 est.)

Malaysia
5.2% (2003 est.)

Maldives
2.3% (2002 est.)

Mali
0.5% (2003 est.)

Malta
0.8% (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
13.5%

Marshall Islands
1% (2001 est.)

Martinique
NA

Mauritania
4.5% (2003 est.)

Mauritius
4.1% (2003 est.)

Mayotte
NA

Mexico
1.3% (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
1% (2002 est.)

Moldova
6.3% (2003 est.)

Monaco
NA (2000 est.)

Mongolia
5% (2003 est.)

Montserrat
-1% (2002 est.)

Morocco
6% (2003 est.)

Mozambique
7% (2003 est.)

Namibia
3.3% (2003 est.)

Nauru
NA

Nepal
3% (2003 est.)

Netherlands
-0.7% (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
0.5% (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
NA

New Zealand
3.5% (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
2.3% (2003 est.)

Niger
3.8% (2003 est.)

Nigeria
7.1% (2003 est.)

Niue
-0.3% (2000 est.)

Norfolk Island
NA

Northern Mariana Islands
NA

Norway
0.6% (2003 est.)

Oman
1.1% (2003 est.)

Pakistan
5.5% (2003 est.)

Palau
1% (2001 est.)

Panama
4.1% (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
1.4% (2003 est.)

Paraguay
1.8% (2003 est.)

Peru
4% (2003 est.)

Philippines
4.5% (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
NA

Poland
3.7% (2003 est.)

Portugal
-1.3% (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
1.6% (2003 est.)

Qatar
8.5% (2003 est.)

Reunion
2.5% (2003 est.)

Romania
4.9% (2003 est.)

Russia
7.3% (2003 est.)

Rwanda
3.5% (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
-1.9% (2002 est.)

Saint Lucia
3.3% (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
0.7% (2002 est.)

Samoa
5% (2002 est.)

San Marino
7.5% (2001 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
5% (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
5.3% (2003 est.)

Senegal
5.5% (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
1.5% (2003 est.)

Seychelles
1.5% (2002 est.)

Sierra Leone
6.5% (2003 est.)

Singapore
1.1% (2003 est.)

Slovakia
3.9% (2003 est.)

Slovenia
2.3% (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
-10% (2001 est.)

Somalia
2.1% (2003 est.)

South Africa
1.9% (2003 est.)

Spain
2.4% (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
5.5% (2003 est.)

Sudan
5.9% (2003 est.)

Suriname
5% (2003 est.)

Svalbard
NA

Swaziland
2.2% (2003 est.)

Sweden
1.7% (2003 est.)

Switzerland
-0.5% (2003 est.)

Syria
0.9% (2003 est.)

Taiwan
3.2% (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
7% (2003 est.)

Tanzania
5.2% (2003 est.)

Thailand
6.7% (2003 est.)

Togo
3.3% (2003 est.)

Tokelau
NA

Tonga
3% (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
3.7% (2003 est.)

Tunisia
5.1% (2003 est.)

Turkey
5.8% (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
23.1% (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
4.9% (2000 est.)

Tuvalu
3% (2000 est.)

Uganda
4.4% (2003 est.)

Ukraine
9.4% (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
5.2% (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
2.2% (2003 est.)

United States
3.1% (2003 est.)

Uruguay
2.5% (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
3.1% (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
-0.3% (2002 est.)

Venezuela
-9.2% (2003 est.)

Vietnam
7.2% (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
2% (2002 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
NA

West Bank
-22% (2002 est.)

Western Sahara
NA

World
3.8% (2003 est.)

Yemen
2.8% (2003 est.)

Zambia
4% (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
-13.6% (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2004 GDP - per capita

Afghanistan
purchasing power parity - $700 (2003 est.)

Albania
purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2003 est.)

Algeria
purchasing power parity - $6,000 (2003 est.)

American Samoa
purchasing power parity - $8,000 (2000 est.)

Andorra
purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2000 est.)

Angola
purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2003 est.)

Anguilla
purchasing power parity - $8,600 (2001 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
purchasing power parity - $11,000 (2002 est.)

Argentina
purchasing power parity - $11,200 (2003 est.)

Armenia
purchasing power parity - $3,500 (2003 est.)

Aruba
purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2002 est.)

Australia
purchasing power parity - $29,000 (2003 est.)

Austria
purchasing power parity - $30,000 (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
purchasing power parity - $16,700 (2003 est.)

Bahrain
purchasing power parity - $16,900 (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2003 est.)

Barbados
purchasing power parity - $15,700 (2003 est.)

Belarus
purchasing power parity - $6,100 (2003 est.)

Belgium
purchasing power parity - $29,100 (2003 est.)

Belize
purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2002 est.)

Benin
purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2003 est.)

Bermuda
purchasing power parity - $36,000 (2003 est.)

Bhutan
purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.)

Bolivia
purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
purchasing power parity - $6,100 (2003 est.)

Botswana
purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2003 est.)

Brazil
purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2002 est.)

Brunei
purchasing power parity - $18,600 (2002 est.)

Bulgaria
purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2003 est.)

Burma
purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2003 est.)

Burundi
purchasing power parity - $600 (2003 est.)

Cambodia
purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2003 est.)

Cameroon
purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2003 est.)

Canada
purchasing power parity - $29,800 (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

Cayman Islands
purchasing power parity - $35,000 (2002 est.)

Central African Republic
purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2003 est.)

Chad
purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2003 est.)

Chile
purchasing power parity - $9,900 (2003 est.)

China
purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
purchasing power parity - NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
purchasing power parity - NA

Colombia
purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2003 est.)

Comoros
purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the purchasing power parity - $700 (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
purchasing power parity - $700 (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

Costa Rica
purchasing power parity - $9,100 (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2003 est.)

Croatia
purchasing power parity - $10,600 (2003 est.)

Cuba
purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2003 est.)

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $19,200 (2003
est.); north Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
purchasing power parity - $15,700 (2003 est.)

Denmark
purchasing power parity - $31,100 (2003 est.)

Djibouti
purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.)

Dominica
purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.)

Dominican Republic
purchasing power parity - $6,000 (2003 est.)

East Timor
purchasing power parity - $500 (2001 est.)

Ecuador
purchasing power parity - $3,300 (2003 est.)

Egypt
purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2003 est.)

El Salvador
purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2002 est.)

Eritrea
purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)

Estonia
purchasing power parity - $12,300 (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
purchasing power parity - $700 (2003 est.)

European Union
purchasing power parity - $25,700 (2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) purchasing power parity - $25,000 (2002 est.)

Faroe Islands
purchasing power parity - $22,000 (2001 est.)

Fiji
purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2003 est.)

Finland
purchasing power parity - $27,400 (2003 est.)

France
purchasing power parity - $27,600 (2003 est.)

French Guiana
purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2001 est.)

French Polynesia
purchasing power parity - $17,500 (2001 est.)

Gabon
purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
purchasing power parity - $600 (2003 est.)

Georgia
purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2003 est.)

Germany
purchasing power parity - $27,600 (2003 est.)

Ghana
purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
purchasing power parity - $17,500 (1997 est.)

Greece
purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2003 est.)

Greenland
purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2001 est.)

Grenada
purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2002 est.)

Guadeloupe
purchasing power parity - $8,000 (2001 est.)

Guam
purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2000 est.)

Guatemala
purchasing power parity - $4,100 (2003 est.)

Guernsey
purchasing power parity - $20,000 (1999 est.)

Guinea
purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.)

Guyana
purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2003 est.)

Haiti
purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2003 est.)

Honduras
purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
purchasing power parity - $28,800 (2003 est.)

Hungary
purchasing power parity - $13,900 (2003 est.)

Iceland
purchasing power parity - $30,900 (2003 est.)

India
purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2003 est.)

Indonesia
purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2003 est.)

Iran
purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2003 est.)

Iraq
purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2003 est.)

Ireland
purchasing power parity - $29,600 (2003 est.)

Israel
purchasing power parity - $19,800 (2003 est.)

Italy
purchasing power parity - $26,700 (2003 est.)

Jamaica
purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2003 est.)

Japan
purchasing power parity - $28,200 (2003 est.)

Jersey
purchasing power parity - $24,800 (1999 est.)

Jordan
purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2003 est.)

Kenya
purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2003 est.)

Kiribati
purchasing power parity - $800 (2001 est.)

Korea, North
purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2003 est.)

Korea, South
purchasing power parity - $17,800 (2003 est.)

Kuwait
purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2003 est.)

Laos
purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2003 est.)

Latvia
purchasing power parity - $10,200 (2003 est.)

Lebanon
purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2003 est.)

Lesotho
purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2003 est.)

Liberia
purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2003 est.)

Libya
purchasing power parity - $6,400 (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
purchasing power parity - $25,000 (1999 est.)

Lithuania
purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
purchasing power parity - $55,100 (2003 est.)

Macau
purchasing power parity - $19,400 (2003 est.)

Macedonia
purchasing power parity - $6,700 (2003 est.)

Madagascar
purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.)

Malawi
purchasing power parity - $600 (2003 est.)

Malaysia
purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2003 est.)

Maldives
purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)

Mali
purchasing power parity - $900 (2003 est.)

Malta
purchasing power parity - $17,700 (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2001 est.)

Marshall Islands
purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2001 est.)

Martinique
purchasing power parity - $14,400 (2001 est.)

Mauritania
purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2003 est.)

Mauritius
purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2003 est.)

Mayotte
purchasing power parity - $2,600 (1998 est.)

Mexico
purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2002 est.)

Moldova
purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2003 est.)

Monaco
purchasing power parity - $27,000 (1999 est.)

Mongolia
purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2003 est.)

Montserrat
purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.)

Morocco
purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2003 est.)

Mozambique
purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2003 est.)

Namibia
purchasing power parity - $7,200 (2003 est.)

Nauru
purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

Nepal
purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2003 est.)

Netherlands
purchasing power parity - $28,600 (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2001 est.)

New Zealand
purchasing power parity - $21,600 (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2003 est.)

Niger
purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.)

Nigeria
purchasing power parity - $900 (2003 est.)

Niue
purchasing power parity - $3,600 (2000 est.)

Norfolk Island
purchasing power parity - NA

Northern Mariana Islands purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2000 est.)

Norway
purchasing power parity - $37,800 (2003 est.)

Oman
purchasing power parity - $13,100 (2003 est.)

Pakistan
purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2003 est.)

Palau
purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2001 est.)

Panama
purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2003 est.)

Paraguay
purchasing power parity - $4,700 (2003 est.)

Peru
purchasing power parity - $5,100 (2003 est.)

Philippines
purchasing power parity - $4,600 (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
purchasing power parity - NA

Poland
purchasing power parity - $11,100 (2003 est.)

Portugal
purchasing power parity - $18,000 (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
purchasing power parity - $16,800 (2003 est.)

Qatar
purchasing power parity - $21,500 (2003 est.)

Reunion
purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2001 est.)

Romania
purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2003 est.)

Russia
purchasing power parity - $8,900 (2003 est.)

Rwanda
purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
purchasing power parity - $8,800 (2002 est.)

Saint Lucia
purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
purchasing power parity - $6,900 (2001
est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
purchasing power parity - $2,900
(2002 est.)

Samoa
purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2002 est.)

San Marino
purchasing power parity - $34,600 (2001 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
purchasing power parity - $11,800 (2003 est.)

Senegal
purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2003 est.)

Seychelles
purchasing power parity - $7,800 (2002 est.)

Sierra Leone
purchasing power parity - $500 (2003 est.)

Singapore
purchasing power parity - $23,700 (2003 est.)

Slovakia
purchasing power parity - $13,300 (2003 est.)

Slovenia
purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.)

Somalia
purchasing power parity - $500 (2003 est.)

South Africa
purchasing power parity - $10,700 (2003 est.)

Spain
purchasing power parity - $22,000 (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2003 est.)

Sudan
purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2003 est.)

Suriname
purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2003 est.)

Svalbard
purchasing power parity - NA

Swaziland
purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2003 est.)

Sweden
purchasing power parity - $26,800 (2003 est.)

Switzerland
purchasing power parity - $32,700 (2003 est.)

Syria
purchasing power parity - $3,300 (2003 est.)

Taiwan
purchasing power parity - $23,400 (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2003 est.)

Tanzania
purchasing power parity - $600 (2003 est.)

Thailand
purchasing power parity - $7,400 (2003 est.)

Togo
purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2003 est.)

Tokelau
purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1993 est.)

Tonga
purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
purchasing power parity - $9,500 (2003 est.)

Tunisia
purchasing power parity - $6,900 (2003 est.)

Turkey
purchasing power parity - $6,700 (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
purchasing power parity - $9,600 (2000 est.)

Tuvalu
purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2000 est.)

Uganda
purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2003 est.)

Ukraine
purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
purchasing power parity - $23,200 (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
purchasing power parity - $27,700 (2003 est.)

United States
purchasing power parity - $37,800 (2003 est.)

Uruguay
purchasing power parity - $12,800 (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2002 est.)

Venezuela
purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2003 est.)

Vietnam
purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2002 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2001 est.)

West Bank
purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.)

Western Sahara
purchasing power parity - NA

World
purchasing power parity - $8,200 (2003 est.)

Yemen
purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.)

Zambia
purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2006 Dependency status

Akrotiri
overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator
who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

American Samoa
unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US;
administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the
Interior

Anguilla
overseas territory of the UK

Aruba
part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in
internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the
Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and
foreign affairs

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
territory of Australia; administered by
the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services

Baker Island
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US
Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge
system

Bassas da India
possession of France; administered by a high
commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

Bermuda
overseas territory of the UK

Bouvet Island
territory of Norway; administered by the Polar
Department of the Ministry of Justice and Police from Oslo

British Indian Ocean Territory overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London

British Virgin Islands overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing

Cayman Islands overseas territory of the UK

Christmas Island
territory of Australia; administered by the
Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services

Clipperton Island
possession of France; administered by France from
French Polynesia by a high commissioner of the Republic

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
territory of Australia; administered from
Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional
Services

Cook Islands
self-governing in free association with New Zealand;
Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand
retains responsibility for external affairs and defense, in
consultation with the Cook Islands

Coral Sea Islands
territory of Australia; administered from Canberra
by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories

Dhekelia
overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator
who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

Europa Island
possession of France; administered by a high
commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
overseas territory of the UK; also
claimed by Argentina

Faroe Islands
part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing
overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948

French Guiana
overseas department of France

French Polynesia
overseas territory of France since 1946

French Southern and Antarctic Lands overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by Administrateur Superieur Michel CHAMPON (since 20 December 2004), assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA)

Gibraltar overseas territory of the UK

Glorioso Islands
possession of France; administered by a high
commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

Greenland
part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
administrative division of Denmark since 1979

Guadeloupe
overseas department of France

Guam
organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy
relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the
Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Guernsey
British crown dependency

Heard Island and McDonald Islands territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment and Heritage

Hong Kong
special administrative region of China

Howland Island
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US
Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge
system

Jan Mayen
territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from
Oslo through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however,
authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian
Defense Communication Service

Jarvis Island
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US
Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge
system

Jersey
British crown dependency

Johnston Atoll
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
Honolulu, HI, by Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, and the
Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as
part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Juan de Nova Island
possession of France; administered by a high
commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

Kingman Reef
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
Washington, DC, by the US Fish and Wildlife Service of the
Department of the Interior
note: on 1 September 2000, the Department of the Interior accepted
restoration of its administrative jurisdiction over Kingman Reef
from the Department of the Navy; Executive Order 3223 signed 18
January 2001 established Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge to be
administered by the Director, US Fish and Wildlife Service; this
refuge is managed to protect the terrestrial and aquatic wildlife of
Kingman Reef out to the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea limit

Macau
special administrative region of China

Man, Isle of
British crown dependency

Martinique
overseas department of France

Mayotte
territorial collectivity of France

Midway Islands
unincorporated territory of the US; formerly
administered from Washington, DC, by the US Navy, under Naval
Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific Division; this facility has
been operationally closed since 10 September 1993; on 31 October
1996, through a presidential executive order, the jurisdiction and
control of the atoll was transferred to the Fish and Wildlife
Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National
Wildlife Refuge system

Montserrat
overseas territory of the UK

Navassa Island
unincorporated territory of the US; administered by
the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior, from
the Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Boqueron, Puerto
Rico; in September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and
maintenance of Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse on
the southern side of the island; there has also been a private claim
advanced against the island

Netherlands Antilles
part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full
autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Government
responsible for defense and foreign affairs

New Caledonia
overseas territory of France since 1956

Niue
self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974;
Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains
responsibility for external affairs and defense; however, these
responsibilities confer no rights of control and are only exercised
at the request of the Government of Niue

Norfolk Island
territory of Australia; Canberra administers
Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the
Department of Environment, Sport, and Territories

Northern Mariana Islands
commonwealth in political union with the
US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US
Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs

Palmyra Atoll
incorporated territory of the US; privately owned, but
administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service
of the US Department of the Interior; the Office of Insular Affairs
of the US Department of the Interior continues to administer nine
excluded areas comprising certain tidal and submerged lands within
the 12 nm territorial sea or within the lagoon

Pitcairn Islands
overseas territory of the UK

Puerto Rico
commonwealth associated with the US

Reunion
overseas department of France

Saint Helena
overseas territory of the UK

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
self-governing territorial collectivity of
France

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
overseas territory of
the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland
Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the
Falkland Islands, representing Queen ELIZABETH II; Grytviken,
formerly a whaling station on South Georgia, is a scientific base

Svalbard
territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department
of the Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing
in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920)
sovereignty was awarded to Norway

Tokelau
self-administering territory of New Zealand; note -
Tokelauans are drafting a constitution and developing institutions
and patterns of self-government as Tokelau moves toward free
association with New Zealand

Tromelin Island
possession of France; administered by a high
commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

Turks and Caicos Islands
overseas territory of the UK

Virgin Islands
organized, unincorporated territory of the US with
policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the
jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the
Interior

Wake Island
unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
Washington, DC, by the Department of the Interior; activities on the
island are conducted by the US Army under a caretaker permit from
the US Air Force

Wallis and Futuna
overseas territory of France

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2007 Diplomatic representation from the US

Afghanistan
chief of mission: Ambassador Zalmay KHALILZAD
embassy: The Great Masood Road, Kabul
mailing address: 6180 Kabul Place, Dulles, VA 20189-6180
telephone: [00] (2) 230-0436
FAX: [0093] (2) 230-1364

Akrotiri
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Albania
chief of mission: Ambassador Marcie B. RIES
embassy: Rruga Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana
mailing address: U. S. Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place,
Dulles, VA 20189-9510
telephone: [355] (4) 247285
FAX: [355] (4) 374957 and [355] (4) 232222

Algeria
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard W. ERDMAN
embassy: 4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers
mailing address: B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers
telephone: [213] (21) 691-425/255/186
FAX: [213] (21) 69-39-79

American Samoa
none (territory of the US)

Andorra
the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; the US
Ambassador to Spain is accredited to Andorra; US interests in
Andorra are represented by the Consulate General's office in
Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda, 23, 08034
Barcelona, Spain; telephone: [34] (93) 280-2227; FAX: [34] (93)
280-6175

Angola
chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher William DELL
embassy: number 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne (in the Miramar area of
Luanda), Luanda
mailing address: international mail: Caixa Postal 6468, Luanda;
pouch: American Embassy Luanda, Department of State, Washington, DC
20521-2550
telephone: [244] (2) 445-481, 447-028, 446-224
FAX: [244] (2) 446-924

Anguilla
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Antigua and Barbuda
the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and
Barbuda (embassy closed 30 June 1994); the US Ambassador to
Barbados, Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER, is accredited to Antigua and
Barbuda

Argentina
chief of mission: Ambassador Lino GUTIERREZ
embassy: Avenida Colombia 4300, C1425GMN Buenos Aires
mailing address: international mail: use street address; APO
address: Unit 4334, APO AA 34034
telephone: [54] (11) 5777-4533
FAX: [54] (11) 5777-4240

Armenia
chief of mission: Ambassador John M. EVANS
embassy: 18 Baghramyan Ave., Yerevan 375019
mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, Department of State, 7020
Yerevan Place, Washington, DC 20521-7020
telephone: [374](1) 521-611, 520-791, 542-117, 542-132, 524-661,
527-001, 524-840
FAX: [374](1) 520-800

Aruba
the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General
to Netherlands Antilles, Robert E. SORENSON, is accredited to Aruba

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
none (territory of Australia)

Australia
chief of mission: Ambassador J. Thomas SCHIEFFER
embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital
Territory 2600
mailing address: APO AP 96549
telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600
FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970
consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Austria
chief of mission: Ambassador William Lee LYONS BROWN, Jr.
embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0, 31375, 31335
FAX: [43] (1) 3100682

Azerbaijan
chief of mission: Ambassador Reno L. HARNISH III
embassy: 83 Azadlyg Prospecti, Baku AZ1007
mailing address: American Embassy Baku, Department of State, 7050
Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050
telephone: [9] (9412) 98-03-35, 36, 37
FAX: [9] (9412) 656-671

Bahamas, The
chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ROOD
embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau
mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197,
Nassau; Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC
20521-3370
telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours)
FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222

Bahrain
chief of mission: Ambassador William T. MONROE
embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club),
Block 331, Zinj District, Manama
mailing address: American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE
09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama
telephone: [973] 1724-2700
FAX: [973] 1725-6242 (consular)

Bangladesh
chief of mission: Ambassador Harry K. THOMAS, Jr.
embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212
mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000
telephone: [880] (2) 885-5500
FAX: [880] (2) 882-3744

Barbados
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER
embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street,
Bridgetown; (courier) ALICO Building-Cheapside, Bridgetown
mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055
telephone: [1] (246) 436-4950
FAX: [1] (246) 429-5246, 429-3379

Belarus
chief of mission: Ambassador George A. KROL
embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya St., Minsk 220002
mailing address: PSC 78, Box B Minsk, APO 09723
telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83, 217-7347, 217-7348
FAX: [375] (17) 234-7853

Belgium
chief of mission: Ambassador Tom C. KOROLOGOS
embassy: Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels
mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710
telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111
FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725

Belize
chief of mission: Ambassador Russell F. FREEMAN
embassy: 29 Gabourel Lane, Belize City
mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Belize City
telephone: [501] 227-7161 through 7163
FAX: [501] 2-30802

Benin
chief of mission: Ambassador Wayne NEILL
embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou
mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou
telephone: [229] 30-06-50
FAX: [229] 30-06-70

Bermuda
chief of mission: Deputy Chief of Mission Antoinette BOECKER
consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3
mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate
General Hamilton, Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place,
Washington, DC 20520-5300
telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342
FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233

Bhutan
the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations,
although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US
Embassy in New Delhi (India)

Bolivia
chief of mission: Ambassador David N. GREENLEE
embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, San Jorge, La Paz
mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032
telephone: [591] (2) 2430120, 2430251
FAX: [591] (2) 2433900

Bosnia and Herzegovina
chief of mission: Ambassador Douglas L.
McELHANEY
embassy: Alipasina 43, 71000 Sarajevo
mailing address: use street address
telephone: [387] (33) 445-700
FAX: [387] (33) 659-722
branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar

Botswana
chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph HUGGINS
embassy: address NA, Gaborone
mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone
telephone: [267] 353982
FAX: [267] 312782

Brazil
chief of mission: Ambassador John DANILOVICH
embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal
Cep 70403-900, Brasilia
mailing address: Unit 3500, APO AA 34030
telephone: [55] (61) 312-7000
FAX: [55] (61) 225-9136
consulate(s) general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo
consulate(s): Recife

British Indian Ocean Territory
none (overseas territory of the UK)

British Virgin Islands
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Brunei
chief of mission: Ambassador Gene B. CHRISTY
embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri
Begawan
mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507
telephone: [673] (2) 229670
FAX: [673] (2) 225293

Bulgaria
chief of mission: Ambassador James William PARDEW
embassy: 16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1407
mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, Department of State, 5740
Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740
telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100
FAX: [359] (2) 937-5230

Burkina Faso
chief of mission: Ambassador Anthony HOLMES
embassy: 602 Avenue Raoul Follereau, Koulouba, Secteur 4
mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou 01; pouch mail - U. S.
Department of State, 2440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC
20521-2440
telephone: [226] 306723
FAX: [226] 303890

Burma
chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Carmen M. MARTINEZ
embassy: 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521)
mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546
telephone: [95] (1) 379 880, 379 881
FAX: [95] (1) 256 018

Burundi
chief of mission: Ambassador James Howard YELLIN
embassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura
mailing address: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura
telephone: [257] 223454
FAX: [257] 222926

Cambodia
chief of mission: Ambassador Charles Aaron RAY
embassy: 27 EO Street 240, Phnom Penh
mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96546
telephone: [855] (23) 216-436/438
FAX: [855] (23) 216-437/811

Cameroon
chief of mission: Ambassador George McDade STAPLES
embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde
mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy,
Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520
telephone: [237] 223-05-12, 222-25-89, 222-17-94, 223-40-14
FAX: [237] 223-07-53
branch office(s): Douala

Canada
chief of mission: Ambassador Paul CELLUCCI
embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8
mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburgh, NY 13669-0430
telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470
FAX: [1] (613) 688-3082
consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto,
Vancouver, Winnipeg

Cape Verde
chief of mission: Ambassador Donald C. JOHNSON
embassy: Rua Abilio m. Macedo 81, Praia
mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia
telephone: [238] 61 56 16, 61 56 17
FAX: [238] 61 13 55

Cayman Islands
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Central African Republic chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui telephone: [236] 61 02 00 FAX: [236] 61 44 94 note: The embassy is currently operating with a minimal staff

Chad
chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher E. GOLDTHWAIT
embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena
mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena
telephone: [235] (51) 70-09
FAX: [235] (51) 56-54

Chile
chief of mission: Ambassador Craig A. KELLY
embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago
mailing address: APO AA 34033
telephone: [56] (2) 232-2600
FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710

China
chief of mission: Ambassador Clark T. RANDT, Jr.
embassy: Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, 100600 Beijing
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002
telephone: [86] (10) 6532-3831
FAX: [86] (10) 6532-6929
consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai,
Shenyang

Christmas Island
none (territory of Australia)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
none (territory of Australia)

Colombia
chief of mission: Ambassador William B. WOOD
embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, numbers 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831
mailing address: Carrera 45 #22D-45, Bogota, D.C., APO AA 34038
telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811
FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197

Comoros
the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador
to Mauritius is accredited to Comoros

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
chief of mission: Ambassador
Aubrey HOOKS
embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa
mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828
telephone: [243] (88) 43608
FAX: [243] (88) 43467

Congo, Republic of the
chief of mission: Ambassador Robin R. SANDERS
embassy: NA
mailing address: NA
telephone: [243] (88) 43608
note: the embassy is temporarily collocated with the US Embassy in
the Democratic Republic of the Congo (US Embassy Kinshasa, 310
Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa)

Cook Islands
none (self-governing in free association with New
Zealand)

Coral Sea Islands
none (territory of Australia)

Costa Rica
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
Douglas M. BARNES
embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose
mailing address: APO AA 34020
telephone: [506] 220-3939
FAX: [506] 519-2305

Cote d'Ivoire
chief of mission: Ambassador Arlene RENDER
embassy: 5 Rue Jesse Owens, Abidjan
mailing address: B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01
telephone: [225] 20 21 09 79
FAX: [225] 20 22 32 59

Croatia
chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph FRANK
embassy: 2 Thomas Jefferson, 10010 Zagreb
mailing address: use street address
telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200
FAX: [385] (1) 661-2373

Cuba
none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss
Embassy, headed by Principal Officer James C. CASON; address: USINT,
Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana;
telephone: [53] (7) 833-3551 through 3559 (operator assistance
required); FAX: [53] (7) 833-3700; protecting power in Cuba is
Switzerland

Cyprus
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael KLOSSON
embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, Engomi, 2407
Nicosia
mailing address: P. O. Box 24536, 1385 Nikosia
telephone: [357] (22) 393939
FAX: [357] (22) 780944

Czech Republic
chief of mission: Ambassador William J. CABANISS
embassy: Trziste 15, 11801 Prague 1
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [420] (2) 5753-0663
FAX: [420] (2) 5753-0583

Denmark
chief of mission: Ambassador Stuart A. BERNSTEIN; note -
will leave 15 January 2005
embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen
mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716
telephone: [45] 35 55 31 44
FAX: [45] 35 43 02 23

Dhekelia
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Djibouti
chief of mission: Ambassador Marguerita RAGSDALE
embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti
mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti
telephone: [253] 35 39 95
FAX: [253] 35 39 40

Dominica
the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US
Ambassador to Barbados, Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER, is accredited to
Dominica

Dominican Republic
chief of mission: Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL
embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo
Navarro, Santo Domingo
mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500
telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171
FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437

East Timor
chief of mission: Ambassador Grover Joseph REES
embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Conqueiros, Dili
mailing address: Department of State, 8250 Dili Place, Washington,
DC 20521-8250
telephone: (670) 332-4684
FAX: (670) 331-3206

Ecuador
chief of mission: Ambassador Kristie Anne KENNEY
embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito
mailing address: APO AA 34039
telephone: [593] (2) 256-2890
FAX: [593] (2) 250-2052
consulate(s) general: Guayaquil

Egypt
chief of mission: Ambassador C. David WELCH
embassy: 8 Kamal El Din Salah St., Garden City, Cairo
mailing address: Unit 64900, Box 15, APO AE 09839-4900
telephone: [20] (2) 797-3300
FAX: [20] (2) 797-3200

El Salvador
chief of mission: Ambassador H. Douglas BARCLAY
embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La
Libertad, San Salvador
mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023
telephone: [503] 278-4444
FAX: [503] 278-5522

Equatorial Guinea
the US does not have an embassy in Equatorial
Guinea (embassy closed September 1995); the US ambassador to
Cameroon is accredited to Equatorial Guinea; the US State Department
is considering opening a Consulate Agency in Malabo

Eritrea
chief of mission: Ambassador Scott H. DELISI
embassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt Street, Asmara
mailing address: P. O. Box 211, Asmara
telephone: [291] (1) 120004
FAX: [291] (1) 127584

Estonia
chief of mission: Ambassador Aldona Zofia WOS
embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [372] 668-8100
FAX: [372] 668-8134

Ethiopia
chief of mission: Ambassador Aurelia A. BRAZEAL
embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa
mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa
telephone: [251] (1) 550666
FAX: [251] (1) 551328

European Union
chief of mission: Ambassador Rockwell SCHNABEL
embassy: 13 Zinnerstraat (Rue Zinner), B-1000 Brussels
mailing address: same as above
telephone: [32] (2) 508-2222
FAX: [32] (2) 512-5720

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
none (overseas territory of the
UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands
none (self-governing overseas administrative division
of Denmark)

Fiji
chief of mission: Ambassador David L. LYON
embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva
mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva
telephone: [679] 331-4466
FAX: [679] 330-0081

Finland
chief of mission: Ambassador Earle I. MACK
embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, FIN-00140, Helsinki
mailing address: APO AE 09723
telephone: [358] (9) 616250
FAX: [358] (9) 6162 5800

France
chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. LEACH
embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75008 Paris Cedex 08
mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777
telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22
FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83
consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg

French Guiana
none (overseas department of France)

French Polynesia
none (overseas territory of France)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
none (overseas territory of
France)

Gabon
chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth P. MOOREFIELD
embassy: Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville
mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville
telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, after hours - 74 34 92
FAX: [241] 74 55 07

Gambia, The
chief of mission: Ambassador Jackson McDONALD
embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul
mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul
telephone: [220] 392856, 392858, 391971
FAX: [220] 392475

Georgia
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard M. MILES
embassy: #25 Atoneli Street, T'bilisi 0105
mailing address: 7060 Tbilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060
telephone: [995] (32) 989-967/68
FAX: [995] (32) 933-759

Germany
chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel R. COATS
embassy: Neustaedtische Kirchstrasse 4-5, 10117 Berlin; note - a new
embassy will be built near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin; ground
was broken in October 2004 and completion is scheduled for 2008
mailing address: PSC 120, Box 1000, APO AE 09265
telephone: [49] (030) 8305-0
FAX: [49] (030) 8305-1215
consulate(s) general: Duesseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg,
Leipzig, Munich

Ghana
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Carlin YATES
embassy: 6th and 10th Lanes, 798/1 Osu, Accra
mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra
telephone: [233] (21) 775-347, 775-348
FAX: [233] (21) 701-813

Gibraltar
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Glorioso Islands
none (possession of France)

Greece
chief of mission: Ambassador Charles RIES
embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens
mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108
telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951
FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282
consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki

Greenland
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of
Denmark)

Grenada
chief of mission: the US Ambassador to Barbados, Ambassador
Mary E. KRAMER, is accredited to Grenada
embassy: Lance-aux-Epines Stretch, Saint George's
mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's, Grenada, West Indies
telephone: [1] (473) 444-1173 through 1176
FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820

Guadeloupe
none (overseas department of France)

Guam
none (territory of the US)

Guatemala
chief of mission: Ambassador John R. HAMILTON
embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City
mailing address: APO AA 34024
telephone: [502] 2331-1541/55
FAX: [502] 2334-8477

Guernsey
none (British crown dependency)

Guinea
chief of mission: Ambassador Barrie R. WALKLEY
embassy: Rue Ka 038, Conakry
mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry
telephone: [224] 41 15 20, 41 15 21, 41 15 23
FAX: [224] 41 15 22

Guinea-Bissau
the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in
the midst of violent conflict between forces loyal to then President
VIEIRA and military-led junta; US embassy Dakar is responsible for
covering Guinea-Bissau: telephone - [221] 823-4296; FAX - [221]
822-5903

Guyana
chief of mission: Ambassador Roland BULLEN
embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown
mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown
telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909
FAX: [592] 225-8497

Haiti
chief of mission: Ambassador James B. FOLEY
embassy: 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince
mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince
telephone: [509] 222-0354, 222-0269, 222-0200, 222-0327
FAX: [509] 223-1641 or 222-0200 ext 460

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
none (territory of Australia)

Holy See (Vatican City)
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome
mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624
telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428
FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346

Honduras
chief of mission: Ambassador Larry Leon PALMER
embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa
mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa
telephone: [504] 238-5114, 236-9320
FAX: [504] 236-9037

Hong Kong
chief of mission: Consul General James KEITH
consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006
telephone: [852] 2523-9011
FAX: [852] 2524-0860

Hungary
chief of mission: Ambassador George Herbert WALKER
embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest
mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest
Place, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270
telephone: [36] (1) 475-4400
FAX: [36] (1) 475-4764

Iceland
chief of mission: Ambassador James I. GADSDEN
embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik
mailing address: US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, FPO AE 09728-0340
telephone: [354] 562-9100
FAX: [354] 562-9118

India
chief of mission: Ambassador David C. MULFORD
embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [91] (11) 2419-8000
FAX: [91] (11) 2419-0017
consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai
(Bombay)

Indonesia
chief of mission: Ambassador B. Lynn PASCOE
embassy: Jalan 1 Medan Merdeka Selatan 3-5, Jakarta 10110
mailing address: Unit 8129, Box 1, FPO AP 96520
telephone: [62] (21) 3435-9000
FAX: [62] (21) 385-7189
consulate(s) general: Surabaya

Iran
none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland

Iraq
chief of mission: Ambassador John D. NEGROPONTE
embassy: Baghdad
mailing address: APO AE 09316
telephone: 00-1-240-553-0584 ext. 4354; note - Consular Section
FAX: NA

Ireland
chief of mission: Ambassador James C. KENNY
embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777
FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946

Israel
chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel C. KURTZER
embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv 63903
mailing address: PSC 98, Box 29, APO AE 09830
telephone: [972] (3) 519-7369/7453/7454/7457/7458/7551/7575
FAX: [972] (3) 516-4390
consulate(s) general: Jerusalem; note - an independent US mission,
established in 1928, whose members are not accredited to a foreign
government

Italy
chief of mission: Ambassador Melvin F. SEMBLER
embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 119/A, 00187-Rome
mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624
telephone: [39] (06) 46741
FAX: [39] (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356
consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples

Jamaica
chief of mission: Ambassador Sue McCourt COBB
embassy: Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor,
Kingston 5
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859
FAX: [1] (876) 935-6001

Japan
chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. BAKER, Jr.
embassy: 10-5 Akasaka 1-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420
mailing address: Unit 45004, Box 258, APO AP 96337-5004
telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000
FAX: [81] (03) 3505-1862
consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo
consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya

Jersey
none (British crown dependency)

Jordan
chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
David M. HALE
embassy: Abdoun, Amman
mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box
5, APO AE 09892-0200
telephone: [962] (6) 592-0101
FAX: [962] (6) 592-4102

Juan de Nova Island
none (possession of France)

Kazakhstan
chief of mission: Ambassador John M. ORDWAY
embassy: 99/97A Fumanova, Samal-2, Almaty, 480099
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [7] (3272) 50-48-02
FAX: [7] (3272) 50-48-84

Kenya
chief of mission: Ambassador William M. BELLAMY
embassy: US Embassy, United Nations Ave., Gigiti; P. O. Box 606
Village Market Nairobi
mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831
telephone: [254] (2) 537-800
FAX: [254] (2) 537-810

Kiribati
the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador
to Fiji is accredited to Kiribati

Korea, North
none (Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the US as
consular protecting power)

Korea, South
chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher R. HILL
embassy: 82 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710
mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-5550
telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114
FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845

Kuwait
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard LEBARON
embassy: Bayan, Area 14, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the Bayan
palace), Kuwait City
mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE
09880-9000
telephone: [965] 539-5307, 5308
FAX: [965] 538-0282

Kyrgyzstan
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen M. YOUNG
embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [996] (312) 551-241, (517) 777-217
FAX: [996] (312) 551-264

Laos
chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia M. HASLACH
embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, B. P. 114, Vientiane
mailing address: American Embassy, Box V, APO AP 96546
telephone: [856] (21) 212581, 212582, 212585
FAX: [856] (21) 212584

Latvia
chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine Todd-Bailey
embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510
mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE
09723
telephone: [371] 703-6200
FAX: [371] 782-0047

Lebanon
chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey D. FELTMAN
embassy: Awkar, Lebanon
mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; PSC 815, Box
2, FPO AE 09836-0002
telephone: [961] (4) 542600, 543600
FAX: [961] (4) 544136

Lesotho
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert G. LOFTIS
embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)
mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho
telephone: [266] 312666
FAX: [266] 310116

Liberia
chief of mission: Ambassador John William BLANEY III
embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point,
1000 Monrovia, 10 Liberia
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [231] 226-370 through 226-380
FAX: [231] 226-148

Libya
the US suspended all embassy activities in Tripoli in May
1980, resumed embassy activities in February 2004 under the
protective power of the US interests section of the Belgian Embassy
in Tripoli, then opened a Liaison Office in Tripoli in June 2004

Liechtenstein
the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but
the US Ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited to Liechtenstein

Lithuania
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen D. MULL
embassy: 2600 Akmenu 6, Vilnius
mailing address: American Embassy, Vilnius, PSC 78, Box V, APO AE
09723
telephone: [370] (5) 266 5500
FAX: [370] (5) 266 5510

Luxembourg
chief of mission: Ambassador Peter TERPELUK, Jr.
embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City
mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE
09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box
9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail)
telephone: [352] 46 01 23
FAX: [352] 46 14 01

Macau
the US has no offices in Macau; US interests are monitored by
the US Consulate General in Hong Kong

Macedonia
chief of mission: Ambassador Lawrence Edward BUTLER
embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 1000 Skopje
mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, Department of State, 7120
Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch)
telephone: [389] 2 311-6180
FAX: [389] 2 311-7103

Madagascar
chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT
embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101
mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56
FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39

Malawi
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen BROWNING
embassy: Area 40, Plot 24, Kenyatta Road
mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
telephone: [265] (1) 773 166
FAX: [265] (1) 770 471

Malaysia
chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher J. LAFLEUR
embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
mailing address: P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur; American
Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152
telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000
FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207

Maldives
the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US
Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic
visits there

Mali
chief of mission: Ambassador Vicki HUDDLESTONE
embassy: Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako
mailing address: B. P. 34, Bamako
telephone: [223] (2) 223-833
FAX: [223] (2) 223-712

Malta
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
William GRANT
embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana,
Malta VLT 01
mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, Malta, CMR01
telephone: [356] 2561 4000
FAX: [356] 21 243229

Man, Isle of
none (British crown dependency)

Marshall Islands
chief of mission: Ambassador Greta N. MORRIS
embassy: Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro
mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall
Islands 96960-1379
telephone: [692] 247-4011
FAX: [692] 247-4012

Martinique
none (overseas department of France)

Mauritania
chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph E. LEBARON
embassy: 288 Rue Abdallaye (between Presidency building and Spanish
Embassy), Nouakchott
mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott
telephone: [222] 525-2660/525-2663
FAX: [222] 25-25-92

Mauritius
chief of mission: Ambassador John PRICE
embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis
mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US
mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, Department of State, Washington,
DC 20521-2450
telephone: [230] 202-4400
FAX: [230] 208-9534

Mayotte
none (territorial collectivity of France)

Mexico
chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio O. GARZA
embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico,
Distrito Federal
mailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-0900
telephone: [52] (55) 5080-2000
FAX: [52] (55) 5525-5040
consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana
consulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nogales, Nuevo, Laredo

Micronesia, Federated States of
chief of mission: Ambassador Suzanne
K. HALE
embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia
mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States
of Micronesia 96941
telephone: [691] 320-2187
FAX: [691] 320-2186

Moldova
chief of mission: Ambassador Heather M. HODGES
embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [373] (22) 408-300
FAX: [373] (22) 23-30-44

Monaco
the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Consul
General in Marseille (France) is accredited to Monaco

Mongolia
chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela J. SLUTZ
embassy: Micro Region 11, Big Ring Road, C.P.O. 1021, Ulaanbaatar 13
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002
telephone: [976] (11) 329095
FAX: [976] (11) 320776

Montserrat
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Morocco
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas T. RILEY
embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat
mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 09718
telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65
FAX: [212] (37) 76 56 61
consulate(s) general: Casablanca

Mozambique
chief of mission: Ambassador Sharon P. WILKINSON
embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo
mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo
telephone: [258] (1) 492797
FAX: [258] (1) 490448

Namibia
chief of mission: Ambassador Kevin J. McGUIRE
embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek
mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek
telephone: [264] (61) 221601
FAX: [264] (61) 229792

Nauru
the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to
Fiji is accredited to Nauru

Nepal
chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MORIARTY
embassy: Panipokhari, Kathmandu
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [977] (1) 411179
FAX: [977] (1) 419963

Netherlands
chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford M. SOBEL
embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague
mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715
telephone: [31] (70) 310-9209
FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688
consulate(s) general: Amsterdam

Netherlands Antilles
chief of mission: Consul General Robert E.
SORENSON
consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad AN, Curacao
mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao
telephone: [599] (9) 4613066
FAX: [599] (9) 4616489

New Caledonia
none (overseas territory of France)

New Zealand
chief of mission: Ambassador Charles J. SWINDELLS
embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington
mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP
96531-1034
telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000
FAX: [64] (4) 499-0490
consulate(s) general: Auckland

Nicaragua
chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Calandra MOORE
embassy: Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua
mailing address: APO AA 34021
telephone: [505] 266-6010
FAX: [505] 266-9074

Niger
chief of mission: Ambassador Gail Dennise Thomas MATHIEU
embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey
mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey
telephone: [227] 72 26 61 through 72 26 64
FAX: [227] 73 31 67, 72-31-46

Nigeria
chief of mission: Ambassador Howard Franklin JETER
embassy: 7 Mambilla Drive, Abuja
mailing address: P. O. Box 554, Lagos
telephone: [234] (9) 523-0916/0906/5857/2235/2205
FAX: [234] (9) 523-0353

Niue
none (self-governing territory in free association with New
Zealand)

Norfolk Island
none (territory of Australia)

Norway
chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ONG
embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo
mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707
telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50
FAX: [47] (22) 44 33 63

Oman
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Lewis BALTIMORE III
embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat
mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Al-Sultan Qaboos,
Muscat
telephone: [968] 24-698989
FAX: [968] 24-699771

Pakistan
chief of mission: Ambassador Ryan CROCKER
embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad
mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200
telephone: [92] (51) 2080-0000
FAX: [92] (51) 2276427
consulate(s): Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar

Palau
chief of mission: Ambassador Francis J. RICCIARDONE, US
ambassador to the Philippines is accredited to Palau
embassy: Koror (no street address)
mailing address: P. O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940
telephone: [680] 488-2920, 2990
FAX: [680] 488-2911

Panama
chief of mission: Ambassador Linda Ellen WATT
embassy: Avenida Balboa and Calle 37, Apartado Postal 0816-02561,
Zona 5, Panama City 5
mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002
telephone: [507] 207-7000
FAX: [507] 227-1964

Papua New Guinea
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert W. FITTS
embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby
mailing address: 4240 Port Moresby PI, US Department of State,
Washington DC 20521-4240
telephone: [675] 321-1455
FAX: [675] 321-3423

Paraguay
chief of mission: Ambassador John F. KEANE
embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion
mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001
telephone: [595] (21) 213-715
FAX: [595] (21) 213-728

Peru
chief of mission: Ambassador J. Curtis STRUBLE
embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17s/n, Surco, Lima 33
mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima),
APO AA 34031-5000
telephone: [51] (1) 434-3000
FAX: [51] (1) 434-3037

Philippines
chief of mission: Ambassador Francis J. RICCIARDONE
embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila
mailing address: PSC 500, FPO AP 96515-1000
telephone: [63] (2) 523-6300
FAX: [63] (2) 522-4361

Pitcairn Islands
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Poland
chief of mission: Ambassador Victor ASHE
embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw
mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State,
5010 Warsaw Place, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch)
telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000
FAX: [48] (22) 504-2688
consulate(s) general: Krakow

Portugal
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
Adrienne S. O'NEAL
embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon
mailing address: Apartado 4258, 1507 Lisboa Codex; PSC 83, APO AE
09726
telephone: [351] (21) 727-3300
FAX: [351] (21) 726-9109
consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)

Puerto Rico
none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Qatar
chief of mission: Ambassador Chase UNTERMEYER
embassy: Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha
mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha
telephone: [974] 488 4101
FAX: [974] 488 4298

Reunion
none (overseas department of France)

Romania
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Jack Dyer CROUCH II
embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest
mailing address: American Embassy Bucharest, Department of State,
5260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch)
telephone: [40] (21) 210-4042
FAX: [40] (21) 210-0395
branch office(s): Cluj-Napoca

Russia
chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander VERSHBOW
embassy: Bolshoy Devyatinskiy Pereulok No. 8, 121099 Moscow
mailing address: PSC-77, APO AE 09721
telephone: [7] (095) 728-5000
FAX: [7] (095) 728-5090
consulate(s) general: Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg

Rwanda
chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret K. McMILLION
embassy: #337 Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali
mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali
telephone: [250] 50 56 01 through 03
FAX: [250] 57 2128

Saint Helena
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts
and Nevis; the US Ambassador to Barbados, Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER,
is accredited to Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia
the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US
Ambassador to Barbados, Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER, is accredited to
Saint Lucia

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
none (territorial collectivity of France)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
the US does not have an embassy in
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador to Barbados,
Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER, is accredited to Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines

Samoa
chief of mission: the Ambassador to New Zealand, Ambassador
Charles J. SWINDELLS, is accredited to Samoa
embassy: Accident Compensation Board (ACB) Building, 5th Floor, Apia
mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia
telephone: [685] 21631/22696
FAX: [685] 22030

San Marino
the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the US
Consul General in Florence (Italy) is accredited to San Marino

Sao Tome and Principe
the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome
and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and
Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the
islands

Saudi Arabia
chief of mission: Ambassador James Curtis OBERWETTER
embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh
mailing address: American Embassy Riyadh, Unit 61307, APO AE
09803-1307; International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693
telephone: [966] (1) 488-3800
FAX: [966] (1) 488-3989
consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)

Senegal
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Alan ROTH
embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Rue Kleber, Dakar
mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar
telephone: [221] 823-4296
FAX: [221] 822-2991

Serbia and Montenegro chief of mission: Ambassador Michael C. POLT embassy: Kneza Milosa 50, 11000 Belgrade mailing address: 5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070 telephone: [381] (11) 361-9344 FAX: [381] (11) 361-8230 consulate(s): Podgorica note: there is a branch office in Pristina at 30 Nazim Hikmet 38000 Pristina, Kosovo; telephone: [381](38)549-516; FAX: [381](38)549-890

Seychelles
the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the
ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to the Seychelles

Sierra Leone
chief of mission: Ambassador Peter Russell CHAVEAS
embassy: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [232] (22) 226481 through 226485
FAX: [232] (22) 225471

Singapore
chief of mission: Ambassador Franklin L. LAVIN
embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508
mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001
telephone: [65] 6476-9100
FAX: [65] 6476-9340

Slovakia
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
Scott N. THAYER
embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava
mailing address: P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava
telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338
FAX: [421] (2) 5443-0096

Slovenia
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas B. ROBERTSON
embassy: Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana
mailing address: American Embassy Ljubljana, Department of State,
7140 Ljubljana Place, Washington, DC 20521-7140
telephone: [386] (1) 200-5500
FAX: [386] (1) 200-5555

Solomon Islands
the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands
(embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea,
Ambassador Robert W. FITTS, is accredited to the Solomon Islands

Somalia
the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are
represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya at Mombasa Road;
mailing address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831;
telephone: [254] (2) 537800; FAX [254] (2) 537810

South Africa
chief of mission: Ambassador Cameron H. HUME
embassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria
mailing address: P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001
telephone: [27] (12) 342-1048
FAX: [27] (12) 342-2244
consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
none (overseas
territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Spain
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires J.
Robert MANZANARES
embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid
mailing address: PSC 61, APO AE 09642
telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200
FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303
consulate(s) general: Barcelona

Sri Lanka
chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey J. LUNSTEAD
embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3
mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo
telephone: [94] (11) 244-8007
FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345

Sudan
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
Gerard M. GALLUCCI
embassy: Sharia Abdul Latif Avenue, Khartoum
mailing address: P. O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829
telephone: [249] (11) 774611 or 774700
FAX: [249] (11) 774137
note: US Consul in Cairo is providing backup service for Khartoum
(see http://usembassy.egnet.net/sudan.htm)

Suriname
chief of mission: Ambassador Marsha E. BARNES
embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo
mailing address: Department of State, 3390 Paramaribo Place,
Washington, DC, 20521-3390
telephone: [597] 472900
FAX: [597] 420800

Swaziland
chief of mission: Ambassador James D. McGEE
embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane
mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane
telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404-6445
FAX: [268] 404-5959

Sweden
chief of mission: Ambassador M. Teel BIVINS
embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds VAG 31, SE-11589 Stockholm
mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, Department of State,
5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750 (pouch)
telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00
FAX: [46] (08) 661 19 64

Switzerland
chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela P. WILLEFORD
embassy: Jubilaumsstrasse 93, CH-3005 Bern
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11
FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44

Syria
chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret SCOBEY
embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus
mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus
telephone: [963] (11) 333-1342
FAX: [963] (11) 331-9678

Taiwan
none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the
people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial
instrumentality - the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - which has
offices in the US and Taiwan; US office at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite
1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX:
[1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road,
Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2162-2000, FAX:
[886] (2) 2162-2251; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kao-hsiung,
Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 238-7744, FAX: [886] (7) 238-5237; and
the American Trade Center, Room 3208 International Trade Building,
Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei,
Taiwan 10548, telephone: [886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX: [886] (2)
2757-7162

Tajikistan
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard E. HOAGLAND
embassy: 10 Pavlova Street, Dushanbe, Tajikistan 734003; note - the
embassy in Dushanbe is not yet fully operational; most business is
still handled in Almaty at: 531 Sayfullin Street, Almaty,
Kazakhstan, telephone 7-3272-58-79-61, FAX 7-3272-58-79-68
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [992] (372) 21-03-48, 21-03-52, 24-15-60
FAX: [992] (372) 21-03-62, 51-00-28

Tanzania
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert V. ROYALL
embassy: 140 Msese Road, Kinondoni District, Dar es Salaam
mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam
telephone: [255] (22) 2666-010 through 2666-015
FAX: [255] (22) 2666-701, 2668-501

Thailand
chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph L. BOYCE
embassy: 120/22 Wireless Road, Bangkok
mailing address: APO AP 96546
telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000
FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131
consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai

Togo
chief of mission: Ambassador Gregory ENGLE
embassy: Angle Rue Kouenou and Rue 15 Beniglato, Lome
mailing address: B. P. 852, Lome
telephone: [228] 221 29 91 through 221 29 94
FAX: [228] 221 79 52

Tokelau
none (territory of New Zealand)

Tonga
the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to
Fiji is accredited to Tonga

Trinidad and Tobago
chief of mission: Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN
embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain
mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain
telephone: [1] (868) 622-6372 through 6376, 622-6176
FAX: [1] (868) 628-5462

Tunisia
chief of mission: Ambassador William J. HUDSON
embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis, 2045 La
Goulette, Tunisia
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [216] 71 107-000
FAX: [216] 71 962-115

Turkey
chief of mission: Ambassador Eric S. EDELMAN
embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara
mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823
telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555
FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019
consulate(s) general: Istanbul
consulate(s): Adana; note - there is a Consular Agent in Izmir

Turkmenistan
chief of mission: Ambassador Tracey A. JACOBSON
embassy: 9 Pushkin (1984) Street, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 774000
mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-7070
telephone: [9] (9312) 35-00-45
FAX: [9] (9312) 39-26-14

Turks and Caicos Islands
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Tuvalu
the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador
to Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu

Uganda
chief of mission: Ambassador Jimmy KOLKER
embassy: 1577 Ggaba Rd., Kampala
mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala
telephone: [256] (41) 234-142
FAX: [256] (41) 258-451

Ukraine
chief of mission: Ambassador John E. HERBST
embassy: 10 Yuriia Kotsiubynskoho Street, 04053 Kiev
mailing address: 5850 Kiev Place, Washington, DC 20521-5850
telephone: [380] (44) 490-4000
FAX: [380] (44) 490-4085

United Arab Emirates
chief of mission: Ambassador Michele SISON
embassy: Embassies District, Plot 38 Sector W59-02, Street No. 4,
Abu Dhabi
mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi
telephone: [971] (2) 414-2200
FAX: [971] (2) 414-2469
consulate(s) general: Dubai

United Kingdom
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge
d'Affaires David T. JOHNSON
embassy: 24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 1AE
mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040
telephone: [44] (0) 20 7499-9000
FAX: [44] (0) 20 7629-9124
consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh

Uruguay
chief of mission: Ambassador Martin J. SILVERSTEIN
embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200
mailing address: APO AA 34035
telephone: [598] (2) 418-7777
FAX: [598] (2) 418-8611

Uzbekistan
chief of mission: Ambassador Jon PURNELL
embassy: 82 Chilanzarskaya, Tashkent 700115
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450
FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335

Vanuatu
the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador
to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu

Venezuela
chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD
embassy: Calle F con Calle Suapure, Urbanizacion Colinas de Valle
Arriba, Caracas 1080
mailing address: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037
telephone: [58] (212) 975-9234, 975-6411
FAX: [58] (212) 975-8991

Vietnam
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael W. MARINE
embassy: 7 Lang Ha Road, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002
telephone: [84] (4) 772-1500
FAX: [84] (4) 772-1510
consulate(s) general: Ho Chi Minh City

Virgin Islands
none (territory of the US)

Wallis and Futuna
none (overseas territory of France)

Western Sahara
none

Yemen
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. KRAJESKI
embassy: Saawan Street, Sanaa
mailing address: P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa
telephone: [967] (1) 303-151 through 159
FAX: [967] (1) 303-160/161/162/164/165

Zambia
chief of mission: Ambassador Martin George BRENNAN
embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues
mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka
telephone: [260] (1) 250-955
FAX: [260] (1) 252-225

Zimbabwe
chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph G. SULLIVAN
embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare
mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare
telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 and 250-594
FAX: [263] (4) 796488

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2008 Transportation - note

Arctic Ocean
sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes;
the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route
(Eurasia) are important seasonal waterways

Atlantic Ocean
Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two
important waterways; significant domestic commercial and
recreational use of Intracoastal Waterway on central and south
Atlantic seaboard and Gulf of Mexico coast of US

Baker Island
there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

Georgia
transportation network is in poor condition resulting from
ethnic conflict, criminal activities, and fuel shortages; network
lacks maintenance and repair

Howland Island
Earhart Light is a day beacon near the middle of the
west coast that was partially destroyed during World War II, but has
since been rebuilt; named in memory of famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART

Jarvis Island
there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

Midway Islands
airfield serves as an emergency landing site for
commercial aircraft crossing the Pacific Ocean

Pacific Ocean
Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast
Alaska to Puget Sound (Washington state)

Southern Ocean
Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through
the Panama Canal

Wake Island
formerly an important commercial aviation base, now used
by US military, some commercial cargo planes, and for emergency
landings

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2010 Age structure (%)

Afghanistan
0-14 years: 44.7% (male 6,525,929; female 6,222,497)
15-64 years: 52.9% (male 7,733,707; female 7,346,226)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male 334,427; female 350,891) (2004 est.)

Albania
0-14 years: 26.4% (male 489,363; female 446,586)
15-64 years: 65.3% (male 1,184,670; female 1,130,065)
65 years and over: 8.3% (male 135,177; female 158,947) (2004 est.)

Algeria
0-14 years: 29.9% (male 4,893,971; female 4,705,933)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 10,593,840; female 10,443,300)
65 years and over: 4.6% (male 703,420; female 788,860) (2004 est.)

American Samoa
0-14 years: 36.6% (male 10,983; female 10,208)
15-64 years: 60.3% (male 18,010; female 16,933)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 699; female 1,069) (2004 est.)

Andorra
0-14 years: 15% (male 5,478; female 4,988)
15-64 years: 71.6% (male 26,268; female 23,766)
65 years and over: 13.4% (male 4,659; female 4,706) (2004 est.)

Angola
0-14 years: 43.5% (male 2,410,326; female 2,363,368)
15-64 years: 53.7% (male 2,998,892; female 2,897,837)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 137,340; female 170,789) (2004 est.)

Anguilla
0-14 years: 23.8% (male 1,569; female 1,523)
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 4,641; female 4,385)
65 years and over: 6.8% (male 396; female 494) (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
0-14 years: 28.1% (male 9,761; female 9,429)
15-64 years: 67.6% (male 23,179; female 23,023)
65 years and over: 4.3% (male 1,151; female 1,777) (2004 est.)

Argentina
0-14 years: 25.9% (male 5,179,236; female 4,947,234)
15-64 years: 63.6% (male 12,452,566; female 12,457,451)
65 years and over: 10.5% (male 1,685,371; female 2,422,895) (2004
est.)

Armenia
0-14 years: 22.7% (male 357,094; female 323,396)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 929,719; female 1,065,505)
65 years and over: 10.6% (male 128,027; female 187,619) (2004 est.)

Aruba
0-14 years: 20.3% (male 7,429; female 7,051)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 23,587; female 25,007)
65 years and over: 11.4% (male 3,347; female 4,797) (2004 est.)

Australia
0-14 years: 20.1% (male 2,044,449; female 1,948,574)
15-64 years: 67.2% (male 6,747,687; female 6,623,995)
65 years and over: 12.8% (male 1,121,522; female 1,426,917) (2004
est.)

Austria
0-14 years: 15.9% (male 665,680; female 633,560)
15-64 years: 68.1% (male 2,799,411; female 2,764,426)
65 years and over: 16% (male 518,748; female 792,937) (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
0-14 years: 27% (male 1,081,579; female 1,046,270)
15-64 years: 65.2% (male 2,499,618; female 2,630,386)
65 years and over: 7.8% (male 242,253; female 368,279) (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
0-14 years: 28.3% (male 42,474; female 42,423)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 96,825; female 99,985)
65 years and over: 6% (male 7,351; female 10,639) (2004 est.)

Bahrain
0-14 years: 28.4% (male 97,179; female 95,043)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 271,015; female 192,342)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 11,426; female 10,881) (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
0-14 years: 33.5% (male 24,359,149; female 23,013,811)
15-64 years: 63.1% (male 45,557,963; female 43,626,950)
65 years and over: 3.4% (male 2,575,519; female 2,207,084) (2004
est.)

Barbados
0-14 years: 21% (male 29,294; female 29,020)
15-64 years: 70.3% (male 95,675; female 99,864)
65 years and over: 8.8% (male 9,370; female 15,066) (2004 est.)

Belarus
0-14 years: 16.3% (male 859,219; female 823,839)
15-64 years: 69.2% (male 3,469,926; female 3,662,203)
65 years and over: 14.5% (male 496,204; female 999,129) (2004 est.)

Belgium
0-14 years: 17.1% (male 901,486; female 863,092)
15-64 years: 65.6% (male 3,424,438; female 3,364,057)
65 years and over: 17.3% (male 739,479; female 1,055,724) (2004 est.)

Belize
0-14 years: 40.6% (male 56,530; female 54,322)
15-64 years: 55.8% (male 77,118; female 75,309)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,674; female 4,992) (2004 est.)

Benin
0-14 years: 46.8% (male 1,711,075; female 1,679,439)
15-64 years: 51% (male 1,802,990; female 1,890,915)
65 years and over: 2.3% (male 68,890; female 96,724) (2004 est.)

Bermuda
0-14 years: 19.1% (male 6,192; female 6,186)
15-64 years: 69.3% (male 22,268; female 22,703)
65 years and over: 11.7% (male 3,295; female 4,291) (2004 est.)

Bhutan
0-14 years: 39.3% (male 445,548; female 414,338)
15-64 years: 56.6% (male 637,637; female 600,253)
65 years and over: 4% (male 44,298; female 43,495) (2004 est.)

Bolivia
0-14 years: 36.4% (male 1,619,950; female 1,557,883)
15-64 years: 59.1% (male 2,522,086; female 2,631,944)
65 years and over: 4.5% (male 175,193; female 217,100) (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
0-14 years: 18.9% (male 389,062; female
368,721)
15-64 years: 70.6% (male 1,447,725; female 1,379,729)
65 years and over: 10.5% (male 180,801; female 241,570) (2004 est.)

Botswana
0-14 years: 39.2% (male 310,282; female 302,452)
15-64 years: 56.2% (male 424,613; female 452,801)
65 years and over: 4.6% (male 30,896; female 40,929) (2004 est.)

Brazil
0-14 years: 26.6% (male 24,915,902; female 23,966,713)
15-64 years: 67.6% (male 61,739,012; female 62,770,480)
65 years and over: 5.8% (male 4,389,659; female 6,319,343) (2004
est.)

British Virgin Islands
0-14 years: 21.5% (male 2,402; female 2,361)
15-64 years: 73.5% (male 8,395; female 7,911)
65 years and over: 5% (male 594; female 524) (2004 est.)

Brunei
0-14 years: 29.1% (male 54,243; female 52,013)
15-64 years: 68% (male 131,682; female 116,631)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 5,035; female 5,647) (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
0-14 years: 14.4% (male 553,801; female 526,856)
15-64 years: 68.5% (male 2,533,784; female 2,615,968)
65 years and over: 17.1% (male 535,954; female 751,610) (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
0-14 years: 46% (male 3,135,098; female 3,114,354)
15-64 years: 51.1% (male 3,391,848; female 3,545,115)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 163,137; female 225,268) (2004 est.)

Burma
0-14 years: 27.6% (male 6,023,874; female 5,774,055)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 14,317,308; female 14,504,500)
65 years and over: 4.9% (male 927,570; female 1,172,889) (2004 est.)

Burundi
0-14 years: 46.4% (male 1,459,251; female 1,430,332)
15-64 years: 50.9% (male 1,566,274; female 1,607,705)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 66,306; female 101,353) (2004 est.)

Cambodia
0-14 years: 38.3% (male 2,583,606; female 2,534,460)
15-64 years: 58.6% (male 3,742,178; female 4,095,303)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 149,466; female 258,408) (2004 est.)

Cameroon
0-14 years: 42% (male 3,416,086; female 3,334,904)
15-64 years: 54.8% (male 4,425,246; female 4,370,329)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 233,506; female 283,607) (2004 est.)

Canada
0-14 years: 18.2% (male 3,038,800; female 2,890,579)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 11,225,686; female 11,111,941)
65 years and over: 13% (male 1,807,472; female 2,433,396) (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
0-14 years: 40% (male 83,835; female 82,318)
15-64 years: 53.3% (male 106,846; female 114,312)
65 years and over: 6.7% (male 10,580; female 17,403) (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands
0-14 years: 21.4% (male 4,608; female 4,616)
15-64 years: 70.6% (male 14,858; female 15,593)
65 years and over: 8% (male 1,607; female 1,821) (2004 est.)

Central African Republic
0-14 years: 42.8% (male 806,506; female
795,639)
15-64 years: 53.8% (male 990,522; female 1,021,491)
65 years and over: 3.4% (male 53,860; female 74,464) (2004 est.)

Chad
0-14 years: 47.9% (male 2,297,490; female 2,269,801)
15-64 years: 49.3% (male 2,245,586; female 2,459,796)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 107,594; female 158,277) (2004 est.)

Chile
0-14 years: 25.8% (male 2,090,165; female 1,996,972)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 5,235,061; female 5,261,820)
65 years and over: 7.8% (male 515,698; female 724,241) (2004 est.)

China
0-14 years: 22.3% (male 153,401,051; female 135,812,993)
15-64 years: 70.3% (male 469,328,664; female 443,248,860)
65 years and over: 7.5% (male 46,308,923; female 50,747,133) (2004
est.)

Christmas Island
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA (2004 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA (2004 est.)

Colombia
0-14 years: 31% (male 6,644,080; female 6,489,677)
15-64 years: 63.9% (male 13,171,416; female 13,879,115)
65 years and over: 5% (male 940,762; female 1,185,725) (2004 est.)

Comoros
0-14 years: 42.8% (male 140,083; female 139,245)
15-64 years: 54.2% (male 174,216; female 179,050)
65 years and over: 3% (male 9,136; female 10,171) (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
0-14 years: 48.2% (male
14,122,237; female 14,008,654)
15-64 years: 49.3% (male 14,097,301; female 14,646,285)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 590,262; female 853,191) (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
0-14 years: 37.9% (male 571,224; female
563,723)
15-64 years: 58.5% (male 865,596; female 888,125)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 45,093; female 64,279) (2004 est.)

Cook Islands
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA (2004 est.)

Costa Rica
0-14 years: 29.5% (male 597,332; female 570,008)
15-64 years: 65% (male 1,300,206; female 1,271,010)
65 years and over: 5.5% (male 101,270; female 116,681) (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
0-14 years: 45.1% (male 3,856,130; female 3,965,930)
15-64 years: 52.6% (male 4,651,921; female 4,468,085)
65 years and over: 2.2% (male 182,995; female 202,663) (2004 est.)

Croatia
0-14 years: 16.6% (male 383,729; female 364,287)
15-64 years: 67% (male 1,497,525; female 1,515,956)
65 years and over: 16.4% (male 277,616; female 457,756) (2004 est.)

Cuba
0-14 years: 20% (male 1,163,741; female 1,102,391)
15-64 years: 69.8% (male 3,949,197; female 3,948,196)
65 years and over: 10.1% (male 528,162; female 617,077) (2004 est.)

Cyprus
0-14 years: 21.4% (male 84,850; female 81,235)
15-64 years: 67.4% (male 264,441; female 258,150)
65 years and over: 11.2% (male 38,058; female 49,193) (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
0-14 years: 15% (male 789,987; female 748,476)
15-64 years: 70.9% (male 3,643,574; female 3,622,276)
65 years and over: 14.1% (male 557,496; female 884,369) (2004 est.)

Denmark
0-14 years: 18.9% (male 523,888; female 497,420)
15-64 years: 66.2% (male 1,808,376; female 1,774,388)
65 years and over: 15% (male 344,113; female 465,207) (2004 est.)

Djibouti
0-14 years: 43.2% (male 101,168; female 100,545)
15-64 years: 53.7% (male 131,320; female 119,387)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 7,327; female 7,153) (2004 est.)

Dominica
0-14 years: 27.3% (male 9,563; female 9,349)
15-64 years: 64.8% (male 23,097; female 21,804)
65 years and over: 7.9% (male 2,209; female 3,256) (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
0-14 years: 33.3% (male 1,502,062; female
1,435,135)
15-64 years: 61.4% (male 2,767,880; female 2,658,861)
65 years and over: 5.3% (male 219,230; female 250,466) (2004 est.)

East Timor
0-14 years: 37.8% (male 196,007; female 189,584)
15-64 years: 59.2% (male 308,254; female 295,584)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 14,663; female 15,160) (2004 est.)

Ecuador
0-14 years: 33.9% (male 2,285,775; female 2,199,356)
15-64 years: 61.2% (male 4,020,873; female 4,062,672)
65 years and over: 4.9% (male 302,129; female 341,937) (2004 est.)

Egypt
0-14 years: 33.4% (male 13,038,369; female 12,418,254)
15-64 years: 62.2% (male 23,953,949; female 23,419,418)
65 years and over: 4.3% (male 1,407,248; female 1,880,183) (2004
est.)

El Salvador
0-14 years: 36.8% (male 1,237,262; female 1,185,750)
15-64 years: 58.1% (male 1,819,035; female 2,009,032)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 150,221; female 186,241) (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
0-14 years: 42% (male 110,268; female 109,222)
15-64 years: 54.3% (male 136,370; female 147,431)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 8,745; female 11,015) (2004 est.)

Eritrea
0-14 years: 44.8% (male 998,404; female 993,349)
15-64 years: 51.9% (male 1,140,892; female 1,166,481)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 72,776; female 75,405) (2004 est.)

Estonia
0-14 years: 16% (male 110,452; female 104,363)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 431,493; female 474,255)
65 years and over: 16.5% (male 72,819; female 148,282) (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
0-14 years: 44.7% (male 15,189,921; female 15,109,870)
15-64 years: 52.5% (male 17,857,758; female 17,767,411)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 855,103; female 1,071,218) (2004 est.)

European Union
0-14 years: 16.3%
15-64 years: 67.2%
65 years and over: 16.6% (July 2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA (2004 est.)

Faroe Islands
0-14 years: 21.6% (male 5,056; female 5,041)
15-64 years: 64.6% (male 15,975; female 14,187)
65 years and over: 13.7% (male 2,877; female 3,526) (2004 est.)

Fiji
0-14 years: 31.7% (male 142,412; female 136,754)
15-64 years: 64.3% (male 283,690; female 283,027)
65 years and over: 4% (male 16,047; female 18,944) (2004 est.)

Finland
0-14 years: 17.5% (male 466,036; female 448,339)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 1,760,472; female 1,719,917)
65 years and over: 15.7% (male 323,082; female 496,666) (2004 est.)

France
0-14 years: 18.5% (male 5,724,185; female 5,446,716)
15-64 years: 65.1% (male 19,698,497; female 19,663,776)
65 years and over: 16.4% (male 4,049,970; female 5,841,069) (2004
est.)

French Guiana
0-14 years: 29.6% (male 28,959; female 27,657)
15-64 years: 64.5% (male 66,388; female 57,020)
65 years and over: 5.9% (male 5,736; female 5,549) (2004 est.)

French Polynesia
0-14 years: 27.5% (male 37,372; female 35,818)
15-64 years: 66.9% (male 92,594; female 85,455)
65 years and over: 5.7% (male 7,616; female 7,484) (2004 est.)

Gabon
0-14 years: 42.2% (male 286,819; female 285,184)
15-64 years: 53.7% (male 362,311; female 365,132)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 23,157; female 32,643) (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
0-14 years: 44.7% (male 347,349; female 344,264)
15-64 years: 52.6% (male 403,297; female 410,382)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 21,459; female 20,097) (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
0-14 years: 49% (male 332,582; female 316,606)
15-64 years: 48.3% (male 326,450; female 314,098)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 14,847; female 20,408) (2004 est.)

Georgia
0-14 years: 18.7% (male 461,967; female 416,898)
15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,480,217; female 1,607,509)
65 years and over: 15.5% (male 290,534; female 436,767) (2004 est.)

Germany
0-14 years: 14.7% (male 6,197,490; female 5,879,052)
15-64 years: 67% (male 28,119,536; female 27,132,713)
65 years and over: 18.3% (male 6,096,106; female 8,999,712) (2004
est.)

Ghana
0-14 years: 38% (male 3,988,800; female 3,904,989)
15-64 years: 58.3% (male 6,030,151; female 6,071,725)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 359,042; female 402,325) (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
0-14 years: 18% (male 2,554; female 2,452)
15-64 years: 66.2% (male 9,460; female 8,965)
65 years and over: 15.8% (male 1,939; female 2,463) (2004 est.)

Greece
0-14 years: 14.5% (male 792,938; female 746,119)
15-64 years: 67% (male 3,563,703; female 3,566,549)
65 years and over: 18.6% (male 873,540; female 1,104,680) (2004 est.)

Greenland
0-14 years: 25.5% (male 7,344; female 7,029)
15-64 years: 68.5% (male 20,894; female 17,715)
65 years and over: 6% (male 1,585; female 1,817) (2004 est.)

Grenada
0-14 years: 34.5% (male 15,580; female 15,212)
15-64 years: 62% (male 29,321; female 26,104)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 1,467; female 1,673) (2004 est.)

Guadeloupe
0-14 years: 24.4% (male 55,386; female 52,977)
15-64 years: 66.6% (male 146,772; female 149,314)
65 years and over: 9% (male 16,730; female 23,336) (2004 est.)

Guam
0-14 years: 29.8% (male 25,577; female 23,850)
15-64 years: 64% (male 54,220; female 52,026)
65 years and over: 6.3% (male 4,912; female 5,505) (2004 est.)

Guatemala
0-14 years: 42.6% (male 3,118,396; female 2,970,729)
15-64 years: 54% (male 3,898,939; female 3,817,435)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 221,154; female 253,943) (2004 est.)

Guernsey
0-14 years: 15.6% (male 5,161; female 5,013)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 21,497; female 21,897)
65 years and over: 17.6% (male 4,812; female 6,651) (2004 est.)

Guinea
0-14 years: 44.4% (male 2,075,652; female 2,032,936)
15-64 years: 52.4% (male 2,417,440; female 2,428,085)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 127,654; female 164,695) (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
0-14 years: 41.7% (male 288,760; female 289,975)
15-64 years: 55.4% (male 367,728; female 400,996)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 17,570; female 23,334) (2004 est.)

Guyana
0-14 years: 26.5% (male 95,431; female 91,806)
15-64 years: 68.3% (male 243,224; female 239,047)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 16,000; female 20,295) (2004 est.)

Haiti
0-14 years: 42.2% (male 1,646,216; female 1,583,294)
15-64 years: 54.1% (male 2,018,914; female 2,124,287)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 133,241; female 150,214) (2004 est.)

Honduras
0-14 years: 41.2% (male 1,434,555; female 1,376,216)
15-64 years: 55.1% (male 1,866,219; female 1,896,027)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 118,404; female 132,147) (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
0-14 years: 14.2% (male 510,702; female 465,145)
15-64 years: 73.3% (male 2,461,914; female 2,560,382)
65 years and over: 12.5% (male 394,697; female 462,285) (2004 est.)

Hungary
0-14 years: 16% (male 826,032; female 782,687)
15-64 years: 69% (male 3,407,931; female 3,517,450)
65 years and over: 15% (male 545,488; female 952,787) (2004 est.)

Iceland
0-14 years: 22.5% (male 33,522; female 32,489)
15-64 years: 65.8% (male 98,091; female 95,450)
65 years and over: 11.7% (male 15,552; female 18,862) (2004 est.)

India
0-14 years: 31.7% (male 173,869,856; female 164,003,915)
15-64 years: 63.5% (male 349,785,804; female 326,289,402)
65 years and over: 4.8% (male 25,885,725; female 25,235,905) (2004
est.)

Indonesia
0-14 years: 29.4% (male 35,635,790; female 34,416,854)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 78,097,767; female 78,147,909)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 5,308,986; female 6,845,646) (2004
est.)

Iran
0-14 years: 28% (male 9,935,527; female 9,411,647)
15-64 years: 67.2% (male 23,608,621; female 22,744,128)
65 years and over: 4.8% (male 1,645,246; female 1,673,755) (2004
est.)

Iraq
0-14 years: 40.3% (male 5,198,966; female 5,039,173)
15-64 years: 56.7% (male 7,280,167; female 7,094,688)
65 years and over: 3% (male 357,651; female 404,046) (2004 est.)

Ireland
0-14 years: 21% (male 430,905; female 404,218)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 1,342,233; female 1,337,580)
65 years and over: 11.5% (male 199,379; female 255,243) (2004 est.)

Israel
0-14 years: 26.7% (male 847,591; female 808,399)
15-64 years: 63.4% (male 1,976,539; female 1,954,782)
65 years and over: 9.9% (male 262,781; female 348,916) (2004 est.)

Italy
0-14 years: 14% (male 4,181,946; female 3,935,565)
15-64 years: 66.9% (male 19,590,497; female 19,256,747)
65 years and over: 19.1% (male 4,608,479; female 6,484,243) (2004
est.)

Jamaica
0-14 years: 28.2% (male 390,966; female 372,961)
15-64 years: 65% (male 883,053; female 880,296)
65 years and over: 6.9% (male 82,788; female 103,066) (2004 est.)

Japan
0-14 years: 14.3% (male 9,337,867; female 8,876,996)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 42,697,264; female 42,196,835)
65 years and over: 19% (male 10,169,190; female 14,054,850) (2004
est.)

Jersey
0-14 years: 17.7% (male 8,268; female 7,716)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 30,237; female 30,490)
65 years and over: 15.2% (male 6,016; female 7,775) (2004 est.)

Jordan
0-14 years: 35.2% (male 1,009,604; female 967,645)
15-64 years: 61.1% (male 1,829,984; female 1,598,141)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 100,896; female 104,932) (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
0-14 years: 24.4% (male 1,884,369; female 1,807,585)
15-64 years: 68% (male 5,028,455; female 5,268,726)
65 years and over: 7.6% (male 404,940; female 749,629) (2004 est.)

Kenya
0-14 years: 40.6% (male 6,575,409; female 6,430,218)
15-64 years: 56.5% (male 9,126,847; female 8,962,905)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 399,050; female 527,427) (2004 est.)

Kiribati
0-14 years: 39.3% (male 20,087; female 19,566)
15-64 years: 57.3% (male 28,523; female 29,280)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 1,434; female 1,908) (2004 est.)

Korea, North
0-14 years: 24.6% (male 2,836,991; female 2,755,127)
15-64 years: 67.8% (male 7,575,590; female 7,812,878)
65 years and over: 7.6% (male 583,463; female 1,133,504) (2004 est.)

Korea, South
0-14 years: 20.4% (male 5,223,344; female 4,681,594)
15-64 years: 71.4% (male 17,625,302; female 17,072,029)
65 years and over: 8.2% (male 1,597,085; female 2,398,821) (2004
est.)

Kuwait
0-14 years: 27.5% (male 316,237; female 304,671)
15-64 years: 69.8% (male 1,007,298; female 569,128)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 38,408; female 21,807) (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
0-14 years: 32.3% (male 835,599; female 804,384)
15-64 years: 61.6% (male 1,535,447; female 1,594,972)
65 years and over: 6.1% (male 120,555; female 190,472) (2004 est.)

Laos
0-14 years: 41.9% (male 1,277,152; female 1,265,761)
15-64 years: 54.9% (male 1,642,895; female 1,688,175)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 87,995; female 106,139) (2004 est.)

Latvia
0-14 years: 15% (male 177,223; female 169,241)
15-64 years: 69.2% (male 772,496; female 823,410)
65 years and over: 15.8% (male 118,035; female 245,901) (2004 est.)

Lebanon
0-14 years: 26.9% (male 517,356; female 496,888)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 1,197,430; female 1,305,339)
65 years and over: 6.9% (male 117,930; female 142,275) (2004 est.)

Lesotho
0-14 years: 37.3% (male 350,288; female 345,815)
15-64 years: 57.2% (male 521,434; female 545,183)
65 years and over: 5.5% (male 41,903; female 60,417) (2004 est.)

Liberia
0-14 years: 43.4% (male 742,508; female 730,677)
15-64 years: 52.9% (male 875,951; female 918,570)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 61,867; female 61,062) (2004 est.)

Libya
0-14 years: 34.2% (male 983,050; female 941,603)
15-64 years: 61.7% (male 1,794,396; female 1,679,828)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 113,391; female 119,317) (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
0-14 years: 17.8% (male 2,950; female 3,014)
15-64 years: 70.5% (male 11,745; female 11,837)
65 years and over: 11.6% (male 1,598; female 2,292) (2004 est.)

Lithuania
0-14 years: 16.7% (male 309,736; female 294,129)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 1,202,603; female 1,262,784)
65 years and over: 14.9% (male 184,145; female 354,502) (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
0-14 years: 19% (male 45,422; female 42,638)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 155,519; female 151,891)
65 years and over: 14.5% (male 26,981; female 40,239) (2004 est.)

Macau
0-14 years: 18% (male 41,460; female 38,595)
15-64 years: 74.2% (male 157,629; female 172,810)
65 years and over: 7.8% (male 14,380; female 20,412) (2004 est.)

Macedonia
0-14 years: 21.5% (male 231,078; female 213,906)
15-64 years: 67.8% (male 707,298; female 696,830)
65 years and over: 10.7% (male 97,437; female 124,661) (2004 est.)

Madagascar
0-14 years: 44.9% (male 3,935,523; female 3,922,077)
15-64 years: 52% (male 4,509,877; female 4,596,662)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 245,168; female 292,564) (2004 est.)

Malawi
0-14 years: 46.8% (male 2,811,751; female 2,759,515)
15-64 years: 50.5% (male 2,978,406; female 3,029,735)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 130,600; female 196,848) (2004 est.)

Malaysia
0-14 years: 33.3% (male 4,033,037; female 3,806,451)
15-64 years: 62.1% (male 7,326,068; female 7,289,783)
65 years and over: 4.5% (male 469,499; female 597,644) (2004 est.)

Maldives
0-14 years: 44.4% (male 77,424; female 73,191)
15-64 years: 52.6% (male 91,045; female 87,331)
65 years and over: 3% (male 5,207; female 5,132) (2004 est.)

Mali
0-14 years: 47.1% (male 2,835,378; female 2,801,578)
15-64 years: 49.9% (male 2,862,075; female 3,101,009)
65 years and over: 3% (male 163,927; female 192,821) (2004 est.)

Malta
0-14 years: 18.1% (male 36,891; female 34,912)
15-64 years: 68.5% (male 137,259; female 134,611)
65 years and over: 13.4% (male 22,691; female 30,487) (2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
0-14 years: 17.4% (male 6,669; female 6,357)
15-64 years: 65.4% (male 24,527; female 24,302)
65 years and over: 17.1% (male 5,128; female 7,672) (2004 est.)

Marshall Islands
0-14 years: 38.6% (male 11,347; female 10,934)
15-64 years: 58.7% (male 17,380; female 16,520)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 748; female 809) (2004 est.)

Martinique
0-14 years: 22.6% (male 49,245; female 47,845)
15-64 years: 67% (male 143,893; female 143,963)
65 years and over: 10.4% (male 20,043; female 24,521) (2004 est.)

Mauritania
0-14 years: 45.9% (male 689,371; female 686,486)
15-64 years: 51.9% (male 767,551; female 788,520)
65 years and over: 2.2% (male 27,106; female 39,529) (2004 est.)

Mauritius
0-14 years: 24.8% (male 152,424; female 149,908)
15-64 years: 68.8% (male 418,836; female 420,411)
65 years and over: 6.5% (male 31,104; female 47,798) (2004 est.)

Mayotte
0-14 years: 46.4% (male 43,301; female 42,934)
15-64 years: 51.9% (male 52,534; female 44,100)
65 years and over: 1.7% (male 1,579; female 1,578) (2004 est.)

Mexico
0-14 years: 31.6% (male 16,913,290; female 16,228,552)
15-64 years: 62.9% (male 31,975,391; female 34,090,440)
65 years and over: 5.5% (male 2,618,713; female 3,133,208) (2004
est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
0-14 years: 37.7% (male 20,830;
female 19,993)
15-64 years: 59.2% (male 32,055; female 31,927)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 1,505; female 1,845) (2004 est.)

Moldova
0-14 years: 20.6% (male 466,485; female 449,645)
15-64 years: 69.1% (male 1,478,220; female 1,595,695)
65 years and over: 10.3% (male 169,026; female 287,384) (2004 est.)

Monaco
0-14 years: 15.5% (male 2,554; female 2,453)
15-64 years: 62.1% (male 9,860; female 10,165)
65 years and over: 22.4% (male 2,959; female 4,279) (2004 est.)

Mongolia
0-14 years: 29.7% (male 415,735; female 400,560)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 916,445; female 918,235)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 43,205; female 57,134) (2004 est.)

Montserrat
0-14 years: 23.3% (male 1,092; female 1,062)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 2,889; female 3,162)
65 years and over: 11.2% (male 543; female 497) (2004 est.)

Morocco
0-14 years: 32.6% (male 5,355,388; female 5,156,762)
15-64 years: 62.5% (male 10,013,466; female 10,112,060)
65 years and over: 4.9% (male 692,465; female 878,960) (2004 est.)

Mozambique
0-14 years: 43.6% (male 4,126,178; female 4,074,759)
15-64 years: 53.6% (male 4,944,416; female 5,145,167)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 215,418; female 305,793) (2004 est.)

Namibia
0-14 years: 42.4% (male 419,700; female 409,156)
15-64 years: 54% (male 527,553; female 528,386)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 30,427; female 38,811) (2004 est.)

Nauru
0-14 years: 38.2% (male 2,516; female 2,372)
15-64 years: 60% (male 3,782; female 3,898)
65 years and over: 1.9% (male 128; female 113) (2004 est.)

Nepal
0-14 years: 39.4% (male 5,500,698; female 5,151,705)
15-64 years: 57% (male 7,912,553; female 7,518,430)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 483,998; female 503,282) (2004 est.)

Netherlands
0-14 years: 18.3% (male 1,527,316; female 1,457,192)
15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,598,706; female 5,459,936)
65 years and over: 13.9% (male 953,370; female 1,321,679) (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
0-14 years: 24.5% (male 27,387; female 26,094)
15-64 years: 67.2% (male 70,024; female 76,552)
65 years and over: 8.3% (male 7,443; female 10,626) (2004 est.)

New Caledonia
0-14 years: 29.4% (male 32,076; female 30,772)
15-64 years: 64.3% (male 69,150; female 68,310)
65 years and over: 6.3% (male 6,259; female 7,112) (2004 est.)

New Zealand
0-14 years: 21.7% (male 443,211; female 422,507)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 1,337,383; female 1,325,683)
65 years and over: 11.6% (male 203,084; female 261,949) (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
0-14 years: 38.1% (male 1,038,887; female 1,001,518)
15-64 years: 58.9% (male 1,570,494; female 1,586,706)
65 years and over: 3% (male 71,125; female 91,029) (2004 est.)

Niger
0-14 years: 47.5% (male 2,749,039; female 2,643,479)
15-64 years: 50.4% (male 2,799,125; female 2,925,133)
65 years and over: 2.1% (male 128,101; female 115,661) (2004 est.)

Nigeria
0-14 years: 43.4% (male 29,985,427; female 29,637,684)
15-64 years: 53.7% (male 37,502,756; female 36,205,442)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 1,944,260; female 1,977,564) (2004
est.)

Niue
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA (2004 est.)

Norfolk Island
0-14 years: 20.2%
15-64 years: 63.9%
65 years and over: 15.9% (2004 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
0-14 years: 20.3% (male 8,286; female 7,625)
15-64 years: 78.1% (male 25,579; female 35,534)
65 years and over: 1.6% (male 603; female 625) (2004 est.)

Norway
0-14 years: 19.8% (male 462,899; female 440,725)
15-64 years: 65.4% (male 1,520,481; female 1,473,101)
65 years and over: 14.8% (male 284,170; female 393,184) (2004 est.)

Oman
0-14 years: 42.4% (male 628,078; female 603,829)
15-64 years: 55.1% (male 955,765; female 643,687)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 38,761; female 33,045) (2004 est.)

Pakistan
0-14 years: 40.2% (male 32,919,441; female 31,058,929)
15-64 years: 55.8% (male 45,381,469; female 43,377,613)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 3,123,594; female 3,335,290) (2004
est.)

Palau
0-14 years: 26.6% (male 2,746; female 2,578)
15-64 years: 68.8% (male 7,456; female 6,319)
65 years and over: 4.6% (male 437; female 480) (2004 est.)

Panama
0-14 years: 30.2% (male 461,427; female 443,932)
15-64 years: 63.6% (male 967,490; female 940,344)
65 years and over: 6.2% (male 88,611; female 98,659) (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
0-14 years: 38.3% (male 1,053,940; female 1,019,492)
15-64 years: 58% (male 1,622,124; female 1,519,104)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 96,638; female 108,982) (2004 est.)

Paraguay
0-14 years: 38.2% (male 1,201,459; female 1,162,954)
15-64 years: 57% (male 1,773,151; female 1,758,323)
65 years and over: 4.8% (male 136,376; female 159,105) (2004 est.)

Peru
0-14 years: 32.1% (male 4,496,146; female 4,340,580)
15-64 years: 62.8% (male 8,709,098; female 8,594,351)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 660,734; female 743,396) (2004 est.)

Philippines
0-14 years: 35.8% (male 15,758,255; female 15,152,291)
15-64 years: 60.2% (male 25,847,345; female 26,096,211)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 1,473,873; female 1,913,722) (2004
est.)

Pitcairn Islands
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Poland
0-14 years: 17.1% (male 3,388,247; female 3,216,085)
15-64 years: 70% (male 13,454,820; female 13,591,814)
65 years and over: 12.9% (male 1,896,940; female 3,078,443) (2004
est.)

Portugal
0-14 years: 16.7% (male 916,106; female 840,574)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 3,454,970; female 3,535,108)
65 years and over: 16.9% (male 735,407; female 1,041,980) (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
0-14 years: 22.4% (male 446,474; female 426,585)
15-64 years: 65.4% (male 1,220,721; female 1,329,936)
65 years and over: 12.2% (male 205,933; female 268,311) (2004 est.)

Qatar
0-14 years: 24.2% (male 103,660; female 99,597)
15-64 years: 72.7% (male 426,559; female 184,067)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 19,306; female 7,101) (2004 est.)

Reunion
0-14 years: 30.9% (male 121,050; female 115,440)
15-64 years: 63.1% (male 238,553; female 245,236)
65 years and over: 6% (male 18,626; female 27,248) (2004 est.)

Romania
0-14 years: 16.2% (male 1,861,801; female 1,770,746)
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 7,712,612; female 7,791,900)
65 years and over: 14.4% (male 1,330,994; female 1,887,498) (2004
est.)

Russia
0-14 years: 15% (male 11,064,109; female 10,518,595)
15-64 years: 71.3% (male 49,534,076; female 52,958,107)
65 years and over: 13.7% (male 6,177,580; female 13,529,871) (2004
est.)

Rwanda
0-14 years: 42.3% (male 1,690,122; female 1,674,147)
15-64 years: 55% (male 2,178,956; female 2,194,526)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 85,472; female 130,790) (2004 est.)

Saint Helena
0-14 years: 18.9% (male 710; female 689)
15-64 years: 71.4% (male 2,739; female 2,559)
65 years and over: 9.7% (male 319; female 399) (2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
0-14 years: 28.6% (male 5,675; female 5,422)
15-64 years: 63% (male 12,242; female 12,236)
65 years and over: 8.4% (male 1,349; female 1,912) (2004 est.)

Saint Lucia
0-14 years: 30.7% (male 25,913; female 24,467)
15-64 years: 64.1% (male 51,750; female 53,530)
65 years and over: 5.2% (male 3,159; female 5,394) (2004 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
0-14 years: 24.6% (male 878; female 840)
15-64 years: 64.9% (male 2,316; female 2,227)
65 years and over: 10.5% (male 323; female 411) (2004 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0-14 years: 27.6% (male 16,463; female 15,872) 15-64 years: 66% (male 39,827; female 37,547) 65 years and over: 6.4% (male 3,247; female 4,237) (2004 est.)

Samoa
0-14 years: 28.3% (male 25,548; female 24,668)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 72,820; female 43,563)
65 years and over: 6.3% (male 5,096; female 6,019) (2004 est.)

San Marino
0-14 years: 16.5% (male 2,425; female 2,277)
15-64 years: 66.8% (male 9,200; female 9,834)
65 years and over: 16.7% (male 2,059; female 2,708) (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
0-14 years: 47.7% (male 43,810; female 42,708)
15-64 years: 48.4% (male 42,469; female 45,456)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 3,275; female 3,847) (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
0-14 years: 38.3% (male 5,039,578; female 4,845,937)
15-64 years: 59.3% (male 8,810,705; female 6,494,770)
65 years and over: 2.3% (male 327,047; female 277,901) (2004 est.)

Senegal
0-14 years: 43.2% (male 2,368,011; female 2,325,298)
15-64 years: 53.7% (male 2,803,192; female 3,025,304)
65 years and over: 3% (male 158,881; female 171,461) (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
0-14 years: 18.3% (male 1,027,479; female
956,681)
15-64 years: 66.8% (male 3,602,959; female 3,627,616)
65 years and over: 14.9% (male 693,929; female 917,236) (2004 est.)

Seychelles
0-14 years: 26.9% (male 10,987; female 10,717)
15-64 years: 66.9% (male 26,380; female 27,731)
65 years and over: 6.2% (male 1,638; female 3,379) (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
0-14 years: 44.8% (male 1,291,621; female 1,343,827)
15-64 years: 52% (male 1,458,610; female 1,599,109)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 91,232; female 99,490) (2004 est.)

Singapore
0-14 years: 16.5% (male 370,660; female 345,713)
15-64 years: 75.8% (male 1,611,502; female 1,687,048)
65 years and over: 7.8% (male 149,452; female 189,518) (2004 est.)

Slovakia
0-14 years: 17.5% (male 485,523; female 463,173)
15-64 years: 70.8% (male 1,908,425; female 1,929,861)
65 years and over: 11.7% (male 239,081; female 397,504) (2004 est.)

Slovenia
0-14 years: 14.3% (male 147,506; female 139,435)
15-64 years: 70.6% (male 716,057; female 704,734)
65 years and over: 15.1% (male 115,391; female 188,350) (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
0-14 years: 42.4% (male 113,183; female 108,816)
15-64 years: 54.4% (male 144,157; female 140,769)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 8,058; female 8,634) (2004 est.)

Somalia
0-14 years: 44.7% (male 1,860,451; female 1,849,484)
15-64 years: 52.7% (male 2,197,572; female 2,176,762)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 94,905; female 125,427) (2004 est.)

South Africa
0-14 years: 29.5% (male 6,337,468; female 6,254,925)
15-64 years: 65.3% (male 13,898,269; female 14,017,559)
65 years and over: 5.2% (male 886,801; female 1,323,508) (2004 est.)

Spain
0-14 years: 14.4% (male 2,989,053; female 2,811,350)
15-64 years: 68% (male 13,748,998; female 13,652,852)
65 years and over: 17.6% (male 2,958,387; female 4,120,140) (2004
est.)

Sri Lanka
0-14 years: 24.8% (male 2,526,143; female 2,414,876)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 6,589,438; female 6,976,487)
65 years and over: 7% (male 655,636; female 742,585) (2004 est.)

Sudan
0-14 years: 43.7% (male 8,730,609; female 8,358,569)
15-64 years: 54.1% (male 10,588,634; female 10,571,199)
65 years and over: 2.3% (male 490,869; female 408,282) (2004 est.)

Suriname
0-14 years: 30.2% (male 67,588; female 64,223)
15-64 years: 63.7% (male 142,656; female 135,819)
65 years and over: 6.1% (male 11,914; female 14,735) (2004 est.)

Svalbard
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Swaziland
0-14 years: 41% (male 242,090; female 237,395)
15-64 years: 55.3% (male 323,004; female 324,029)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 18,685; female 24,038) (2004 est.)

Sweden
0-14 years: 17.5% (male 807,193; female 762,882)
15-64 years: 65.2% (male 2,974,107; female 2,886,840)
65 years and over: 17.3% (male 668,719; female 886,659) (2004 est.)

Switzerland
0-14 years: 16.8% (male 647,362; female 602,333)
15-64 years: 67.9% (male 2,555,089; female 2,503,331)
65 years and over: 15.3% (male 466,615; female 676,137) (2004 est.)

Syria
0-14 years: 38% (male 3,524,406; female 3,319,323)
15-64 years: 58.7% (male 5,421,133; female 5,163,669)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 281,795; female 306,548) (2004 est.)

Taiwan
0-14 years: 19.9% (male 2,359,467; female 2,167,438)
15-64 years: 70.7% (male 8,149,231; female 7,924,774)
65 years and over: 9.4% (male 1,091,473; female 1,057,455) (2004
est.)

Tajikistan
0-14 years: 39.2% (male 1,384,035; female 1,361,137)
15-64 years: 56.1% (male 1,957,712; female 1,976,488)
65 years and over: 4.7% (male 145,717; female 186,467) (2004 est.)

Tanzania
0-14 years: 44.2% (male 8,102,692; female 8,055,370)
15-64 years: 53.2% (male 9,646,342; female 9,834,925)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 410,477; female 538,419) (2004 est.)

Thailand
0-14 years: 24.1% (male 7,985,724; female 7,631,337)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 21,998,552; female 22,538,765)
65 years and over: 7.3% (male 2,167,421; female 2,543,724) (2004
est.)

Togo
0-14 years: 43.9% (male 1,222,622; female 1,214,443)
15-64 years: 53.6% (male 1,455,373; female 1,522,456)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 59,165; female 82,753) (2004 est.)

Tokelau
0-14 years: 42%
15-64 years: 53%
65 years and over: 5% (2004 est.)

Tonga
0-14 years: 37.1% (male 20,873; female 20,050)
15-64 years: 58.7% (male 32,018; female 32,707)
65 years and over: 4.2% (male 2,005; female 2,584) (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
0-14 years: 21.4% (male 120,153; female 114,205)
15-64 years: 70.6% (male 403,202; female 370,498)
65 years and over: 8.1% (male 39,762; female 48,765) (2004 est.)

Tunisia
0-14 years: 26% (male 1,337,546; female 1,253,814)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 3,373,199; female 3,360,402)
65 years and over: 6.5% (male 315,151; female 334,610) (2004 est.)

Turkey
0-14 years: 26.6% (male 9,328,108; female 8,990,742)
15-64 years: 66.8% (male 23,394,465; female 22,650,532)
65 years and over: 6.6% (male 2,078,881; female 2,451,190) (2004
est.)

Turkmenistan
0-14 years: 36.2% (male 904,627; female 857,601)
15-64 years: 59.7% (male 1,423,836; female 1,477,224)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 76,670; female 123,211) (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
0-14 years: 32.5% (male 3,301; female 3,184)
15-64 years: 63.8% (male 6,696; female 6,036)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 327; female 412) (2004 est.)

Tuvalu
0-14 years: 31.3% (male 1,828; female 1,761)
15-64 years: 63.7% (male 3,530; female 3,770)
65 years and over: 5% (male 227; female 352) (2004 est.)

Uganda
0-14 years: 50.6% (male 6,696,193; female 6,653,764)
15-64 years: 47.1% (male 6,199,732; female 6,233,678)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male 269,990; female 351,186) (2004 est.)

Ukraine
0-14 years: 15.9% (male 3,883,485; female 3,715,668)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 15,692,388; female 17,096,611)
65 years and over: 15.4% (male 2,472,023; female 4,871,904) (2004
est.)

United Arab Emirates
0-14 years: 25.9% (male 333,661; female 320,368)
15-64 years: 70.9% (male 1,103,385; female 685,281)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 58,862; female 22,358) (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
0-14 years: 18% (male 5,560,489; female 5,293,871)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 20,193,876; female 19,736,516)
65 years and over: 15.7% (male 4,027,721; female 5,458,235) (2004
est.)

United States
0-14 years: 20.8% (male 31,122,974; female 29,713,748)
15-64 years: 66.9% (male 97,756,380; female 98,183,309)
65 years and over: 12.4% (male 15,078,204; female 21,172,956) (2004
est.)

Uruguay
0-14 years: 23.5% (male 406,500; female 392,497)
15-64 years: 63.4% (male 1,066,464; female 1,087,100)
65 years and over: 13.1% (male 182,654; female 264,022) (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
0-14 years: 34.1% (male 4,583,228; female 4,418,003)
15-64 years: 61.1% (male 7,990,233; female 8,157,136)
65 years and over: 4.8% (male 513,434; female 748,382) (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
0-14 years: 34.1% (male 35,281; female 33,785)
15-64 years: 62.4% (male 64,669; female 61,829)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 3,740; female 3,305) (2004 est.)

Venezuela
0-14 years: 30.5% (male 3,930,413; female 3,687,744)
15-64 years: 64.5% (male 8,107,382; female 8,034,905)
65 years and over: 5% (male 571,289; female 685,654) (2004 est.)

Vietnam
0-14 years: 29.4% (male 12,524,098; female 11,807,763)
15-64 years: 65% (male 26,475,156; female 27,239,543)
65 years and over: 5.6% (male 1,928,568; female 2,714,390) (2004
est.)

Virgin Islands
0-14 years: 23.8% (male 13,116; female 12,770)
15-64 years: 66% (male 33,944; female 37,870)
65 years and over: 10.2% (male 4,855; female 6,220) (2004 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

West Bank
0-14 years: 43.8% (male 518,470; female 493,531)
15-64 years: 52.8% (male 623,785; female 595,376)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 34,226; female 45,816) (2004 est.)

Western Sahara
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

World
0-14 years: 28.2% (male 925,276,767; female 875,567,830)
15-64 years: 64.5% (male 2,083,789,165; female 2,033,226,759)
65 years and over: 7.2% (male 203,286,504; female 257,705,851)
note: some countries do not maintain age structure information, thus
a slight discrepancy exists between the total world population and
the total for world age structure (2004 est.)

Yemen
0-14 years: 46.6% (male 4,751,776; female 4,582,277)
15-64 years: 50.6% (male 5,166,437; female 4,973,543)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 273,199; female 277,635) (2004 est.)

Zambia
0-14 years: 46.1% (male 2,419,361; female 2,401,538)
15-64 years: 51.1% (male 2,684,001; female 2,667,528)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 132,166; female 157,842) (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
0-14 years: 39.4% (male 2,520,082; female 2,472,641)
15-64 years: 57% (male 3,649,400; female 3,571,631)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 230,272; female 227,834) (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2011 Geographic coordinates

Afghanistan
33 00 N, 65 00 E

Akrotiri
34 37 N, 32 58 E

Albania
41 00 N, 20 00 E

Algeria
28 00 N, 3 00 E

American Samoa
14 20 S, 170 00 W

Andorra
42 30 N, 1 30 E

Angola
12 30 S, 18 30 E

Anguilla
18 15 N, 63 10 W

Antarctica
90 00 S, 0 00 E

Antigua and Barbuda
17 03 N, 61 48 W

Arctic Ocean
90 00 N, 0 00 E

Argentina
34 00 S, 64 00 W

Armenia
40 00 N, 45 00 E

Aruba
12 30 N, 69 58 W

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
12 14 S, 123 05 E

Atlantic Ocean
0 00 N, 25 00 W

Australia
27 00 S, 133 00 E

Austria
47 20 N, 13 20 E

Azerbaijan
40 30 N, 47 30 E

Bahamas, The
24 15 N, 76 00 W

Bahrain
26 00 N, 50 33 E

Baker Island
0 13 N, 176 31 W

Bangladesh
24 00 N, 90 00 E

Barbados
13 10 N, 59 32 W

Bassas da India
21 30 S, 39 50 E

Belarus
53 00 N, 28 00 E

Belgium
50 50 N, 4 00 E

Belize
17 15 N, 88 45 W

Benin
9 30 N, 2 15 E

Bermuda
32 20 N, 64 45 W

Bhutan
27 30 N, 90 30 E

Bolivia
17 00 S, 65 00 W

Bosnia and Herzegovina
44 00 N, 18 00 E

Botswana
22 00 S, 24 00 E

Bouvet Island
54 26 S, 3 24 E

Brazil
10 00 S, 55 00 W

British Indian Ocean Territory
6 00 S, 71 30 E

British Virgin Islands
18 30 N, 64 30 W

Brunei
4 30 N, 114 40 E

Bulgaria
43 00 N, 25 00 E

Burkina Faso
13 00 N, 2 00 W

Burma
22 00 N, 98 00 E

Burundi
3 30 S, 30 00 E

Cambodia
13 00 N, 105 00 E

Cameroon
6 00 N, 12 00 E

Canada
60 00 N, 95 00 W

Cape Verde
16 00 N, 24 00 W

Cayman Islands
19 30 N, 80 30 W

Central African Republic
7 00 N, 21 00 E

Chad
15 00 N, 19 00 E

Chile
30 00 S, 71 00 W

China
35 00 N, 105 00 E

Christmas Island
10 30 S, 105 40 E

Clipperton Island
10 17 N, 109 13 W

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
12 30 S, 96 50 E

Colombia
4 00 N, 72 00 W

Comoros
12 10 S, 44 15 E

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
0 00 N, 25 00 E

Congo, Republic of the
1 00 S, 15 00 E

Cook Islands
21 14 S, 159 46 W

Coral Sea Islands
18 00 S, 152 00 E

Costa Rica
10 00 N, 84 00 W

Cote d'Ivoire
8 00 N, 5 00 W

Croatia
45 10 N, 15 30 E

Cuba
21 30 N, 80 00 W

Cyprus
35 00 N, 33 00 E

Czech Republic
49 45 N, 15 30 E

Denmark
56 00 N, 10 00 E

Dhekelia
34 59 N, 33 45 E

Djibouti
11 30 N, 43 00 E

Dominica
15 25 N, 61 20 W

Dominican Republic
19 00 N, 70 40 W

East Timor
8 50 S, 125 55 E

Ecuador
2 00 S, 77 30 W

Egypt
27 00 N, 30 00 E

El Salvador
13 50 N, 88 55 W

Equatorial Guinea
2 00 N, 10 00 E

Eritrea
15 00 N, 39 00 E

Estonia
59 00 N, 26 00 E

Ethiopia
8 00 N, 38 00 E

Europa Island
22 20 S, 40 22 E

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
51 45 S, 59 00 W

Faroe Islands
62 00 N, 7 00 W

Fiji
18 00 S, 175 00 E

Finland
64 00 N, 26 00 E

France
46 00 N, 2 00 E

French Guiana
4 00 N, 53 00 W

French Polynesia
15 00 S, 140 00 W

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
43 00 S, 67 00 E

Gabon
1 00 S, 11 45 E

Gambia, The
13 28 N, 16 34 W

Gaza Strip
31 25 N, 34 20 E

Georgia
42 00 N, 43 30 E

Germany
51 00 N, 9 00 E

Ghana
8 00 N, 2 00 W

Gibraltar
36 8 N, 5 21 W

Glorioso Islands
11 30 S, 47 20 E

Greece
39 00 N, 22 00 E

Greenland
72 00 N, 40 00 W

Grenada
12 07 N, 61 40 W

Guadeloupe
16 15 N, 61 35 W

Guam
13 28 N, 144 47 E

Guatemala
15 30 N, 90 15 W

Guernsey
49 28 N, 2 35 W

Guinea
11 00 N, 10 00 W

Guinea-Bissau
12 00 N, 15 00 W

Guyana
5 00 N, 59 00 W

Haiti
19 00 N, 72 25 W

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
53 06 S, 72 31 E

Holy See (Vatican City)
41 54 N, 12 27 E

Honduras
15 00 N, 86 30 W

Hong Kong
22 15 N, 114 10 E

Howland Island
0 48 N, 176 38 W

Hungary
47 00 N, 20 00 E

Iceland
65 00 N, 18 00 W

India
20 00 N, 77 00 E

Indian Ocean
20 00 S, 80 00 E

Indonesia
5 00 S, 120 00 E

Iran
32 00 N, 53 00 E

Iraq
33 00 N, 44 00 E

Ireland
53 00 N, 8 00 W

Israel
31 30 N, 34 45 E

Italy
42 50 N, 12 50 E

Jamaica
18 15 N, 77 30 W

Jan Mayen
71 00 N, 8 00 W

Japan
36 00 N, 138 00 E

Jarvis Island
0 22 S, 160 03 W

Jersey
49 15 N, 2 10 W

Johnston Atoll
16 45 N, 169 31 W

Jordan
31 00 N, 36 00 E

Juan de Nova Island
17 03 S, 42 45 E

Kazakhstan
48 00 N, 68 00 E

Kenya
1 00 N, 38 00 E

Kingman Reef
6 24 N, 162 24 W

Kiribati
1 25 N, 173 00 E

Korea, North
40 00 N, 127 00 E

Korea, South
37 00 N, 127 30 E

Kuwait
29 30 N, 45 45 E

Kyrgyzstan
41 00 N, 75 00 E

Laos
18 00 N, 105 00 E

Latvia
57 00 N, 25 00 E

Lebanon
33 50 N, 35 50 E

Lesotho
29 30 S, 28 30 E

Liberia
6 30 N, 9 30 W

Libya
25 00 N, 17 00 E

Liechtenstein
47 16 N, 9 32 E

Lithuania
56 00 N, 24 00 E

Luxembourg
49 45 N, 6 10 E

Macau
22 10 N, 113 33 E

Macedonia
41 50 N, 22 00 E

Madagascar
20 00 S, 47 00 E

Malawi
13 30 S, 34 00 E

Malaysia
2 30 N, 112 30 E

Maldives
3 15 N, 73 00 E

Mali
17 00 N, 4 00 W

Malta
35 50 N, 14 35 E

Man, Isle of
54 15 N, 4 30 W

Marshall Islands
9 00 N, 168 00 E

Martinique
14 40 N, 61 00 W

Mauritania
20 00 N, 12 00 W

Mauritius
20 17 S, 57 33 E

Mayotte
12 50 S, 45 10 E

Mexico
23 00 N, 102 00 W

Micronesia, Federated States of
6 55 N, 158 15 E

Midway Islands
28 13 N, 177 22 W

Moldova
47 00 N, 29 00 E

Monaco
43 44 N, 7 24 E

Mongolia
46 00 N, 105 00 E

Montserrat
16 45 N, 62 12 W

Morocco
32 00 N, 5 00 W

Mozambique
18 15 S, 35 00 E

Namibia
22 00 S, 17 00 E

Nauru
0 32 S, 166 55 E

Navassa Island
18 25 N, 75 02 W

Nepal
28 00 N, 84 00 E

Netherlands
52 30 N, 5 45 E

Netherlands Antilles
12 15 N, 68 45 W

New Caledonia
21 30 S, 165 30 E

New Zealand
41 00 S, 174 00 E

Nicaragua
13 00 N, 85 00 W

Niger
16 00 N, 8 00 E

Nigeria
10 00 N, 8 00 E

Niue
19 02 S, 169 52 W

Norfolk Island
29 02 S, 167 57 E

Northern Mariana Islands
15 12 N, 145 45 E

Norway
62 00 N, 10 00 E

Oman
21 00 N, 57 00 E

Pacific Ocean
0 00 N, 160 00 W

Pakistan
30 00 N, 70 00 E

Palau
7 30 N, 134 30 E

Palmyra Atoll
5 52 N, 162 06 W

Panama
9 00 N, 80 00 W

Papua New Guinea
6 00 S, 147 00 E

Paracel Islands
16 30 N, 112 00 E

Paraguay
23 00 S, 58 00 W

Peru
10 00 S, 76 00 W

Philippines
13 00 N, 122 00 E

Pitcairn Islands
25 04 S, 130 06 W

Poland
52 00 N, 20 00 E

Portugal
39 30 N, 8 00 W

Puerto Rico
18 15 N, 66 30 W

Qatar
25 30 N, 51 15 E

Reunion
21 06 S, 55 36 E

Romania
46 00 N, 25 00 E

Russia
60 00 N, 100 00 E

Rwanda
2 00 S, 30 00 E

Saint Helena
15 56 S, 5 42 W

Saint Kitts and Nevis
17 20 N, 62 45 W

Saint Lucia
13 53 N, 60 68 W

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
46 50 N, 56 20 W

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
13 15 N, 61 12 W

Samoa
13 35 S, 172 20 W

San Marino
43 46 N, 12 25 E

Sao Tome and Principe
1 00 N, 7 00 E

Saudi Arabia
25 00 N, 45 00 E

Senegal
14 00 N, 14 00 W

Serbia and Montenegro
44 00 N, 21 00 E

Seychelles
4 35 S, 55 40 E

Sierra Leone
8 30 N, 11 30 W

Singapore
1 22 N, 103 48 E

Slovakia
48 40 N, 19 30 E

Slovenia
46 07 N, 14 49 E

Solomon Islands
8 00 S, 159 00 E

Somalia
10 00 N, 49 00 E

South Africa
29 00 S, 24 00 E

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
54 30 S, 37 00 W

Southern Ocean
65 00 S, 0 00 E (nominally), but the Southern Ocean
has the unique distinction of being a large circumpolar body of
water totally encircling the continent of Antarctica; this ring of
water lies between 60 degrees south latitude and the coast of
Antarctica and encompasses 360 degrees of longitude

Spain
40 00 N, 4 00 W

Spratly Islands
8 38 N, 111 55 E

Sri Lanka
7 00 N, 81 00 E

Sudan
15 00 N, 30 00 E

Suriname
4 00 N, 56 00 W

Svalbard
78 00 N, 20 00 E

Swaziland
26 30 S, 31 30 E

Sweden
62 00 N, 15 00 E

Switzerland
47 00 N, 8 00 E

Syria
35 00 N, 38 00 E

Taiwan
23 30 N, 121 00 E

Tajikistan
39 00 N, 71 00 E

Tanzania
6 00 S, 35 00 E

Thailand
15 00 N, 100 00 E

Togo
8 00 N, 1 10 E

Tokelau
9 00 S, 172 00 W

Tonga
20 00 S, 175 00 W

Trinidad and Tobago
11 00 N, 61 00 W

Tromelin Island
15 52 S, 54 25 E

Tunisia
34 00 N, 9 00 E

Turkey
39 00 N, 35 00 E

Turkmenistan
40 00 N, 60 00 E

Turks and Caicos Islands
21 45 N, 71 35 W

Tuvalu
8 00 S, 178 00 E

Uganda
1 00 N, 32 00 E

Ukraine
49 00 N, 32 00 E

United Arab Emirates
24 00 N, 54 00 E

United Kingdom
54 00 N, 2 00 W

United States
38 00 N, 97 00 W

Uruguay
33 00 S, 56 00 W

Uzbekistan
41 00 N, 64 00 E

Vanuatu
16 00 S, 167 00 E

Venezuela
8 00 N, 66 00 W

Vietnam
16 00 N, 106 00 E

Virgin Islands
18 20 N, 64 50 W

Wake Island
19 17 N, 166 36 E

Wallis and Futuna
13 18 S, 176 12 W

West Bank
32 00 N, 35 15 E

Western Sahara
24 30 N, 13 00 W

Yemen
15 00 N, 48 00 E

Zambia
15 00 S, 30 00 E

Zimbabwe
20 00 S, 30 00 E

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2012 GDP - composition by sector (%)

Afghanistan
agriculture: 60%
industry: 20%
services: 20% (1990 est.)

Albania
agriculture: 47.5%
industry: 24.6%
services: 27.8% (2003 est.)

Algeria
agriculture: 10.2%
industry: 56.5%
services: 33.4% (2003)

American Samoa
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA

Andorra
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA

Angola
agriculture: 8%
industry: 67%
services: 25% (2001 est.)

Anguilla
agriculture: 4%
industry: 18%
services: 78% (1997 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
agriculture: 3.9%
industry: 19.2%
services: 76.8% (2002)

Argentina
agriculture: 11.1%
industry: 34.8%
services: 54.1% (2003 est.)

Armenia
agriculture: 23.4%
industry: 35.1%
services: 41.5% (2003 est.)

Aruba
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA

Australia
agriculture: 3.5%
industry: 26.3%
services: 70.2% (2003 est.)

Austria
agriculture: 3.5%
industry: 25.7%
services: 70.9% (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
agriculture: 14.1%
industry: 45.7%
services: 40.2% (2002 est.)

Bahamas, The
agriculture: 3%
industry: 7%
services: 90% (2001 est.)

Bahrain
agriculture: 0.7%
industry: 42.1%
services: 57.2% (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
agriculture: 21.7%
industry: 26.6%
services: 51.7% (2003 est.)

Barbados
agriculture: 6%
industry: 16%
services: 78% (2000 est.)

Belarus
agriculture: 11.1%
industry: 36.4%
services: 52.5% (2003 est.)

Belgium
agriculture: 1.9%
industry: 26.3%
services: 71.8% (2003)

Belize
agriculture: 22.7%
industry: 24.5%
services: 52.8% (2003 est.)

Benin
agriculture: 36.4%
industry: 14.5%
services: 49.1% (2003 est.)

Bermuda
agriculture: 1%
industry: 10%
services: 89% (2002 est.)

Bhutan
agriculture: 45%
industry: 10%
services: 45% (2002 est.)

Bolivia
agriculture: 15%
industry: 33.2%
services: 51.9% (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
agriculture: 13%
industry: 40.9%
services: 46.1% (2001 est.)

Botswana
agriculture: 4%
industry: 48.7% (including 36% mining)
services: 52% (2003 est.)

Brazil
agriculture: 10.2%
industry: 38.7%
services: 51.2% (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
agriculture: 1.8%
industry: 6.2%
services: 92% (1996 est.)

Brunei
agriculture: 5%
industry: 45%
services: 50% (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
agriculture: 11.4%
industry: 30%
services: 58.6% (2003)

Burkina Faso
agriculture: 39.8%
industry: 19.6%
services: 40.5% (2003)

Burma
agriculture: 57.2%
industry: 9.6%
services: 33.1% (2003 est.)

Burundi
agriculture: 47.4%
industry: 19.3%
services: 33.3% (2003 est.)

Cambodia
agriculture: 35%
industry: 30%
services: 35% (2003 est.)

Cameroon
agriculture: 42.6%
industry: 19.8%
services: 37.6% (2003 est.)

Canada
agriculture: 2.2%
industry: 29.2%
services: 68.6% (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
agriculture: 10%
industry: 16.5%
services: 62.8% (2003)

Cayman Islands
agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 3.2%
services: 95.4% (1994 est.)

Central African Republic
agriculture: 55%
industry: 20%
services: 25% (2001 est.)

Chad
agriculture: 32.4%
industry: 18.8%
services: 48.8% (2003 est.)

Chile
agriculture: 6.4%
industry: 38.6%
services: 55.1% (2003 est.)

China
agriculture: 14.8%
industry and construction: 52.9%
services: 32.3% (2003)

Christmas Island
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA (2001 est.)

Colombia
agriculture: 13.7%
industry: 32.1%
services: 54.2% (2003 est.)

Comoros
agriculture: 40%
industry: 4%
services: 56% (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
agriculture: 55%
industry: 11%
services: 34% (2000 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
agriculture: 6.9%
industry: 53.9%
services: 39.2% (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
agriculture: 17%
industry: 7.8%
services: 75.2% (2000 est.)

Costa Rica
agriculture: 8.5%
industry: 29.4%
services: 62.1% (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
agriculture: 36.6%
industry: 19.9%
services: 43.5% (2003 est.)

Croatia
agriculture: 7.9%
industry: 30%
services: 62.1% (2003 est.)

Cuba
agriculture: 5.5%
industry: 26.9%
services: 67.6% (2003 est.)

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: agriculture 4.1%; industry 20.3%;
services 75.6%
north Cyprus: agriculture 10.6%; industry 20.5%; services 68.9%
(2003)

Czech Republic
agriculture: 3.1%
industry: 35.5%
services: 61.4% (2003)

Denmark
agriculture: 2%
industry: 22.1%
services: 75.9% (2003 est.)

Djibouti
agriculture: 3.5%
industry: 15.8%
services: 80.7% (2001 est.)

Dominica
agriculture: 18%
industry: 24%
services: 58% (2002 est.)

Dominican Republic
agriculture: 10.7%
industry: 31.5%
services: 57.8% (2003)

East Timor
agriculture: 25.4%
industry: 17.2%
services: 57.4% (2001)

Ecuador
agriculture: 8.7%
industry: 29.7%
services: 61.6% (2003 est.)

Egypt
agriculture: 17%
industry: 33%
services: 50% (2003)

El Salvador
agriculture: 9.4%
industry: 31.2%
services: 59.3% (2003)

Equatorial Guinea
agriculture: 20%
industry: 60%
services: 2.4% (2003 est.)

Eritrea
agriculture: 12.4%
industry: 25.3%
services: 62.4% (2003 est.)

Estonia
agriculture: 4.9%
industry: 30.3%
services: 64.8% (2003)

Ethiopia
agriculture: 46%
industry: 12.6%
services: 41.4% (2003 est.)

European Union
agriculture: 2.3%
industry: 28.3%
services: 69.4% (2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA

Faroe Islands
agriculture: 27%
industry: 11%
services: 62% (1999)

Fiji
agriculture: 16.6%
industry: 22.4%
services: 61% (2001 est.)

Finland
agriculture: 4.3%
industry: 32.7%
services: 62.9% (2003 est.)

France
agriculture: 2.7%
industry: 24.4%
services: 72.9% (2003 est.)

French Guiana
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA (2001 est.)

French Polynesia
agriculture: 6%
industry: 18%
services: 76% (1997)

Gabon
agriculture: 8.1%
industry: 48.8%
services: 43.1% (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
agriculture: 46.8%
industry: 9.3%
services: 43.8% (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
agriculture: 9%
industry: 28%
services: 63% (includes West Bank) (2002 est.)

Georgia
agriculture: 20.5%
industry: 22.6%
services: 56.9% (2003 est.)

Germany
agriculture: 1%
industry: 31%
services: 68% (2002 est.)

Ghana
agriculture: 35.4%
industry: 25.4%
services: 39.2% (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA (2002 est.)

Greece
agriculture: 6.7%
industry: 22%
services: 71.2% (2003 est.)

Greenland
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA

Grenada
agriculture: 7.7%
industry: 23.9%
services: 68.4% (2000)

Guadeloupe
agriculture: 15%
industry: 17%
services: 68% (1997 est.)

Guam
agriculture: 7%
industry: 15%
services: 78% (2002 est.)

Guatemala
agriculture: 22.5%
industry: 18.9%
services: 58.5% (2003 est.)

Guernsey
agriculture: 3%
industry: 10%
services: 87% (2000)

Guinea
agriculture: 24.9%
industry: 38.2%
services: 36.9% (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
agriculture: 62%
industry: 12%
services: 26% (1999 est.)

Guyana
agriculture: 37.2%
industry: 22.7%
services: 40.1% (2003 est.)

Haiti
agriculture: 30%
industry: 20%
services: 50% (2001 est.)

Honduras
agriculture: 12.8%
industry: 31.9%
services: 55.3% (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 12.1%
services: 87.9% (2003 est.)

Hungary
agriculture: 3.3%
industry: 32.5%
services: 64.2% (2003 est.)

Iceland
agriculture: 9.2% (includes fishing 12%)
industry: 26.7%
services: 64.2% (2003 est.)

India
agriculture: 23.6%
industry: 28.4%
services: 48% (2002 est.)

Indonesia
agriculture: 16.6%
industry: 43.6%
services: 39.9% (2003 est.)

Iran
agriculture: 12.5%
industry: 41.2%
services: 46.2% (2003 est.)

Iraq
agriculture: 6%
industry: 13%
services: 81% (1993 est.)

Ireland
agriculture: 5%
industry: 46%
services: 49% (2002 est.)

Israel
agriculture: 2.8%
industry: 37.7%
services: 59.5% (2003 est.)

Italy
agriculture: 2.2%
industry: 28.9%
services: 68.9% (2003 est.)

Jamaica
agriculture: 6.7%
industry: 37.2%
services: 56.2% (2003 est.)

Japan
agriculture: 1.3%
industry: 25.4%
services: 73.3% (2003 est.)

Jersey
agriculture: 5%
industry: 2%
services: 93% (1996)

Jordan
agriculture: 3.6%
industry: 29%
services: 67.4% (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
agriculture: 7.7%
industry: 37.7%
services: 54.6% (2003 est.)

Kenya
agriculture: 19.7%
industry: 18.6%
services: 61.8% (2003 est.)

Kiribati
agriculture: 30%
industry: 7%
services: 63% (1998 est.)

Korea, North
agriculture: 30.2%
industry: 33.8%
services: 36% (2002 est.)

Korea, South
agriculture: 3.6%
industry: 36.4%
services: 60% (2003 est.)

Kuwait
agriculture: 0.4%
industry: 59.5%
services: 40% (2003)

Kyrgyzstan
agriculture: 38.7%
industry: 22.9%
services: 38.4% (2003 est.)

Laos
agriculture: 49.4%
industry: 24.5%
services: 26.1% (2003 est.)

Latvia
agriculture: 4.5%
industry: 24.5%
services: 70.9% (2003)

Lebanon
agriculture: 12%
industry: 21%
services: 67% (2000)

Lesotho
agriculture: 15.3%
industry: 43.3%
services: 41.4% (2003)

Liberia
agriculture: 76.9%
industry: 5.4%
services: 17.7% (2002 est.)

Libya
agriculture: 8.6%
industry: 46.1%
services: 45.3% (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
agriculture: NA
industry: 40%
services: NA (1999)

Lithuania
agriculture: 6.1%
industry: 31.3%
services: 62.6% (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
agriculture: 0.5%
industry: 16.6%
services: 82.9% (2002 est.)

Macau
agriculture: 1%
industry: 12%
services: 87% (2002 est.)

Macedonia
agriculture: 11.3%
industry: 32.1%
services: 56.6% (2003 est.)

Madagascar
agriculture: 34.5%
industry: 7.8%
services: 57.7% (2003 est.)

Malawi
agriculture: 51%
industry: 21.8%
services: 27.2% (2003 est.)

Malaysia
agriculture: 7.3%
industry: 33.5%
services: 59.1% (2003 est.)

Maldives
agriculture: 20%
industry: 18%
services: 62% (2000 est.)

Mali
agriculture: 45%
industry: 17%
services: 38% (2001 est.)

Malta
agriculture: 3%
industry: 23%
services: 74% (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
agriculture: 1%
industry: 13%
services: 86% (2000 est.)

Marshall Islands
agriculture: 14%
industry: 16%
services: 70% (2000 est.)

Martinique
agriculture: 6%
industry: 11%
services: 83% (1997 est.)

Mauritania
agriculture: 25%
industry: 29%
services: 46% (2001 est.)

Mauritius
agriculture: 6.1%
industry: 30.3%
services: 63.6% (2003 est.)

Mayotte
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA (2001 est.)

Mexico
agriculture: 4%
industry: 26.4%
services: 69.6% (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
agriculture: 50%
industry: 4%
services: 46% (2000 est.)

Moldova
agriculture: 21%
industry: 27%
services: 52% (2003)

Monaco
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA (2001 est.)

Mongolia
agriculture: 20.6%
industry: 21.4%
services: 58% (2002 est.)

Montserrat
agriculture: 5.4%
industry: 13.6%
services: 81% (1996 est.)

Morocco
agriculture: 22.9%
industry: 35.5%
services: 41.5% (2003 est.)

Mozambique
agriculture: 20.1%
industry: 27.3%
services: 52.7% (2003 est.)

Namibia
agriculture: 11.5%
industry: 29.8%
services: 58.7% (2003 est.)

Nauru
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA

Nepal
agriculture: 40%
industry: 20%
services: 40% (2002 est.)

Netherlands
agriculture: 2.5%
industry: 24.4%
services: 73.1% (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
agriculture: 1%
industry: 15%
services: 84% (2000 est.)

New Caledonia
agriculture: 5%
industry: 30%
services: 65% (1997 est.)

New Zealand
agriculture: 4.8%
industry: 27.4%
services: 67.8% (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
agriculture: 28.9%
industry: 25.4%
services: 45.7% (2003 est.)

Niger
agriculture: 39%
industry: 17%
services: 44% (2001)

Nigeria
agriculture: 30.8%
industry: 43.8%
services: 25.4% (2003 est.)

Niue
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: 55%

Norfolk Island
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA

Northern Mariana Islands
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA

Norway
agriculture: 2.5%
industry: 36.2%
services: 61.2% (2003)

Oman
agriculture: 3.1%
industry: 42.1%
services: 54.8% (2003 est.)

Pakistan
agriculture: 23.3%
industry: 23.5%
services: 53.2% (2003 est.)

Palau
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA

Panama
agriculture: 8.3%
industry: 14.7%
services: 77.1% (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
agriculture: 34%
industry: 37.7%
services: 28.3% (2003 est.)

Paraguay
agriculture: 24.8%
industry: 23.7%
services: 51.4% (2003 est.)

Peru
agriculture: 8%
industry: 27%
services: 65% (2003 est.)

Philippines
agriculture: 14.5%
industry: 32.3%
services: 53.2% (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA

Poland
agriculture: 3.1%
industry: 31%
services: 65.9% (2003 est.)

Portugal
agriculture: 5.8%
industry: 30.7%
services: 63.2% (2003)

Puerto Rico
agriculture: 1%
industry: 45%
services: 54% (2002 est.)

Qatar
agriculture: 0.4%
industry: 70.8%
services: 28.8% (2003 est.)

Reunion
agriculture: 8%
industry: 19%
services: 73% (2000 est.)

Romania
agriculture: 13.1%
industry: 38.1%
services: 48.8% (2003)

Russia
agriculture: 5.2%
industry: 35.1%
services: 59.8% (2003 est.)

Rwanda
agriculture: 40.7%
industry: 21.5%
services: 37.8% (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
agriculture: 3.5%
industry: 25.8%
services: 70.7% (2001)

Saint Lucia
agriculture: 7%
industry: 20%
services: 73% (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
agriculture: 10%
industry: 26%
services: 64% (2001 est.)

Samoa
agriculture: 14%
industry: 23%
services: 63% (2001 est.)

San Marino
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA

Sao Tome and Principe
agriculture: 19.6%
industry: 17.8%
services: 62.6% (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
agriculture: 4.7%
industry: 58.8%
services: 36.5% (2003 est.)

Senegal
agriculture: 16.8%
industry: 27.2%
services: 56% (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
agriculture: 15.2%
industry: 28.2%
services: 56.5% (2003 est.)

Seychelles
agriculture: 2.8%
industry: 28.7%
services: 68.9% (2003)

Sierra Leone
agriculture: 49%
industry: 31%
services: 21% (2001 est.)

Singapore
agriculture: negligible
industry: 32.2%
services: 67.8% (2003 est.)

Slovakia
agriculture: 5.9%
industry: 47.9%
services: 46.2% (2003)

Slovenia
agriculture: 3%
industry: 39.7%
services: 57.3% (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
agriculture: 42%
industry: 11%
services: 47% (2000 est.)

Somalia
agriculture: 65%
industry: 10%
services: 25% (2000 est.)

South Africa
agriculture: 3.8%
industry: 31%
services: 65.2% (2003)

Spain
agriculture: 3.6%
industry: 28.6%
services: 67.8% (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
agriculture: 19.9%
industry: 26.3%
services: 53.8% (2003)

Sudan
agriculture: 38.7%
industry: 20.3%
services: 41% (2003 est.)

Suriname
agriculture: 13%
industry: 22%
services: 65% (2001 est.)

Swaziland
agriculture: 16.2%
industry: 43.2%
services: 40.5% (2003 est.)

Sweden
agriculture: 2%
industry: 29%
services: 69% (2001)

Switzerland
agriculture: 1.5%
industry: 34%
services: 64.5% (2003 est.)

Syria
agriculture: 28.5%
industry: 29.4%
services: 42.1% (2003 est.)

Taiwan
agriculture: 1.8%
industry: 30.3%
services: 67.9% (2003)

Tajikistan
agriculture: 30.8%
industry: 29.1%
services: 40.1% (2003 est.)

Tanzania
agriculture: 43.6%
industry: 16.5%
services: 40% (2003 est.)

Thailand
agriculture: 9.8%
industry: 44%
services: 46.3% (2003)

Togo
agriculture: 39.5%
industry: 20.4%
services: 40.1% (2003 est.)

Tokelau
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA

Tonga
agriculture: 26%
industry: 12%
services: 62% (2002 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
agriculture: 2.6%
industry: 49%
services: 48.4% (2003 est.)

Tunisia
agriculture: 13.9%
industry: 32.2%
services: 53.9% (2003 est.)

Turkey
agriculture: 11.7%
industry: 29.8%
services: 58.5% (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
agriculture: 24.8%
industry: 46.2%
services: 28.9% (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA (2001 est.)

Tuvalu
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA

Uganda
agriculture: 36.1%
industry: 21.2%
services: 42.8% (2003 est.)

Ukraine
agriculture: 18.8%
industry: 44.8%
services: 36.4% (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
agriculture: 4%
industry: 58.5%
services: 37.5% (2002 est.)

United Kingdom
agriculture: 0.9%
industry: 26.5%
services: 72.6% (2003)

United States
agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 26.2%
services: 72.5% (2003 est.)

Uruguay
agriculture: 7.4%
industry: 26.6%
services: 66% (2003)

Uzbekistan
agriculture: 38%
industry: 26.3%
services: 35.7% (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
agriculture: 26%
industry: 12%
services: 62% (2000 est.)

Venezuela
agriculture: 5%
industry: 50%
services: 45% (2004 est.)

Vietnam
agriculture: 21.8%
industry: 39.7%
services: 38.5% (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
agriculture: 1%
industry: 19%
services: 80% (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA

West Bank agriculture: 9% industry: 28% services: 63% note: includes Gaza Strip (1999 est.)

Western Sahara
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: 40% (1996 est.)

World
agriculture: 4%
industry: 32%
services: 64% (2004 est.)

Yemen
agriculture: 15.2%
industry: 45%
services: 39.7% (2003)

Zambia
agriculture: 15.3%
industry: 27.9%
services: 56.9% (2003)

Zimbabwe
agriculture: 17.3%
industry: 24.5%
services: 58.3% (2003)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2013 Radio broadcast stations

Afghanistan
AM 21, FM 23, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashtu, Afghan
Persian (Dari), Urdu, and English) (2003)

Albania
AM 13, FM 4, shortwave 2 (2001)

Algeria
AM 25, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1999)

American Samoa
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Andorra
AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998)

Angola
AM 21, FM 6, shortwave 7 (2000)

Anguilla
AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)

Antarctica
AM NA, FM 2, shortwave 1
note: information for US bases only (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda
AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Argentina
AM 260 (including 10 inactive stations), FM NA (probably
more than 1,000, mostly unlicensed), shortwave 6 (1998)

Armenia
AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)

Aruba
AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998)

Australia
AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998)

Austria
AM 2, FM 65 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1
(2001)

Azerbaijan
AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 1 (1998)

Bahamas, The
AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)

Bahrain
AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Bangladesh
AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (1999)

Barbados
AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Belarus
AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)

Belgium
FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998)

Belize
AM 1, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Benin
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)

Bermuda
AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Bhutan
AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Bolivia
AM 171, FM 73, shortwave 77 (1999)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
AM 8, FM 16, shortwave 1 (1998)

Botswana
AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001)

Brazil
AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated
with AM stations) (1999)

British Indian Ocean Territory
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

British Virgin Islands
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Brunei
AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)

Bulgaria
AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)

Burkina Faso
AM 3, FM 17, shortwave 3 (2002)

Burma
AM 1, FM 1 (2004)

Burundi
AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Cambodia
AM 2, FM 17, (2003)

Cameroon
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2002)

Canada
AM 535, FM 53, shortwave 6 (1998)

Cape Verde
AM 0, FM 15 (and 17 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2002)

Cayman Islands
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Central African Republic
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)

Chad
AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2002)

Chile
AM 180 (eight inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17 (one inactive)
(1998)

China
AM 369, FM 259, shortwave 45 (1998)

Christmas Island
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004)

Colombia
AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)

Comoros
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2001)

Cook Islands
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Costa Rica
AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (1998)

Croatia
AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999)

Cuba
AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998)

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: AM 7, FM 60, shortwave 1 (1998); north
Cyprus: AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Czech Republic
AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000)

Denmark
AM 2, FM 355, shortwave 0 (1998)

Djibouti
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Dominica
AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)

Dominican Republic
AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)

East Timor
AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Ecuador
AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)

Egypt
AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999)

El Salvador
AM 61 (plus 24 repeaters), FM 30, shortwave 0 (1998)

Equatorial Guinea
AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2002)

Eritrea
AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000)

Estonia
AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (2001)

Ethiopia
AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 1 (2001)

European Union
AM 866, FM 13,396, shortwave 73 (1998); note - sum of
individual country radio broadcast stations; there is also a
European-wide station (Euroradio)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998)

Faroe Islands
AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Fiji
AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)

Finland
AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998)

France
AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and
includes many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

French Guiana
AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6
(including 5 repeaters) (1998)

French Polynesia
AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Gabon
AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)

Gambia, The
AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Gaza Strip
AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Georgia
AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998)

Germany
AM 51, FM 787, shortwave 4 (1998)

Ghana
AM 0, FM 49, shortwave 3 (2001)

Gibraltar
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Greece
AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998)

Greenland
AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Grenada
AM 2, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Guadeloupe
AM 1, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)

Guam
AM 4, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2003)

Guatemala
AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000)

Guernsey
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Guinea
AM 4 (one station is inactive), FM 1 (plus 7 repeaters),
shortwave 3 (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0
(2002)

Guyana
AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Haiti
AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)

Holy See (Vatican City)
AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998)

Honduras
AM 241, FM 53, shortwave 12 (1998)

Hong Kong
AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2004)

Hungary
AM 17, FM 57, shortwave 3 (1998)

Iceland
AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

India
AM 153, FM 91, shortwave 68 (1998)

Indonesia
AM 678, FM 43, shortwave 82 (1998)

Iran
AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998)

Iraq
after 17 months of unregulated media growth, there are
approximately 80 radio stations on the air inside Iraq (2004)

Ireland
AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998)

Israel
AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998)

Italy
AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)

Jamaica
AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Jan Mayen
AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: there is one radio and meteorological station (1998)

Japan
AM 215 plus 370 repeaters, FM 89 plus 485 repeaters, shortwave
21 (2001)

Jersey
AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Jordan
AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)

Kazakhstan
AM 60, FM 17, shortwave 9 (1998)

Kenya
AM 24, FM 18, shortwave 6 (2001)

Kiribati
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1
note: the shortwave station may be inactive (2002)

Korea, North
AM 16, FM 14, shortwave 12 (1999)

Korea, South
AM 58, FM 150, shortwave 2 (2004)

Kuwait
AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Kyrgyzstan
AM 12 (plus 10 repeater stations), FM 14, shortwave 2
(1998)

Laos
AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998)

Latvia
AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)

Lebanon
AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998)

Lesotho
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Liberia
AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001)

Libya
AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2002)

Liechtenstein
AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Lithuania
AM 29, FM 142, shortwave 1 (2001)

Luxembourg
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Macau
AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Macedonia
AM 29, FM 20, shortwave 0 (1998)

Madagascar
AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9,
shortwave 6 (2001)

Malawi
AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus a
third station held in standby status) (2001)

Malaysia
AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001)

Maldives
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Mali
AM 1, FM 28, shortwave 1
note: the shortwave station in Bamako has seven frequencies and five
transmitters and relays broadcasts for China Radio International
(2001)

Malta
AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999)

Man, Isle of
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Marshall Islands
AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0
note: additionally, the US Armed Forces Radio and Television
Services (Central Pacific Network) operate one FM and one AM station
on Kwajalein (2002)

Martinique
AM 0, FM 14, shortwave 0 (1998)

Mauritania
AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)

Mauritius
AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2002)

Mayotte
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)

Mexico
AM 850, FM 545, shortwave 15 (2003)

Micronesia, Federated States of
AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Moldova
AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998)

Monaco
AM 1, FM NA, shortwave 8 (1998)

Mongolia
AM 7, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2001)

Montserrat
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Morocco
AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998)

Mozambique
AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001)

Namibia
AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)

Nauru
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Nepal
AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (January 2000)

Netherlands
AM 4, FM 246, shortwave 3 (2004)

Netherlands Antilles
AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2004)

New Caledonia
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

New Zealand
AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998)

Nicaragua
AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)

Niger
AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001)

Nigeria
AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001)

Niue
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Norfolk Island
AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Northern Mariana Islands
AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Norway
AM 5, FM at least 650, shortwave 1 (1998)

Oman
AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Pakistan
AM 27, FM 1, shortwave 21 (1998)

Palau
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2002)

Panama
AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998)

Papua New Guinea
AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)

Paraguay
AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive) (1998)

Peru
AM 472, FM 198, shortwave 189 (1999)

Philippines
AM 369, FM 583, shortwave 5
note: each shortwave station operates on multiple frequencies in the
language of the target audience (2004)

Pitcairn Islands
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Poland
AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998)

Portugal
AM 47, FM 172 (many are repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

Puerto Rico
AM 72, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)

Qatar
AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998)

Reunion
AM 2, FM 55, shortwave 0 (2001)

Romania
AM 40, FM 202, shortwave 3 (1998)

Russia
AM 420, FM 447, shortwave 56 (1998)

Rwanda
AM 0, FM 3 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a
system of repeaters and the third FM program is a 24 hour BBC
program), shortwave 1 (2002)

Saint Helena
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2004)

Saint Lucia
AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)

Samoa
AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

San Marino
AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Sao Tome and Principe
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)

Saudi Arabia
AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)

Senegal
AM 8, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2001)

Serbia and Montenegro
AM 113, FM 194, shortwave 2 (1998)

Seychelles
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Sierra Leone
AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (1999)

Singapore
AM 0, FM 17, shortwave 2 (2003)

Slovakia
AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998)

Slovenia
AM 17, FM 160, shortwave 0 (1998)

Solomon Islands
AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Somalia
AM 0, FM 11, shortwave 1 in Mogadishu; 1 FM in Puntland, 1
FM in Somaliland (2001)

South Africa
AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
0 (2003)

Spain
AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998)

Sri Lanka
AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998)

Sudan
AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Suriname
AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998)

Svalbard
AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)

Swaziland
AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3 (2001)

Sweden
AM 1, FM 265, shortwave 1 (1998)

Switzerland
AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2
(1998)

Syria
AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Taiwan
AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)

Tajikistan
AM 8, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2002)

Tanzania
AM 12, FM 11, shortwave 2 (1998)

Thailand
AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999)

Togo
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998)

Tokelau
AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: each atoll has a radio broadcast station of unknown type that
broadcasts shipping and weather reports (1998)

Tonga
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
AM 4, FM 18, shortwave 0 (2004)

Tunisia
AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998)

Turkey
AM 16, FM 107, shortwave 6 (2001)

Turkmenistan
AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)

Turks and Caicos Islands
AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Tuvalu
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1999)

Uganda
AM 7, FM 33, shortwave 2 (2001)

Ukraine
AM 134, FM 289, shortwave 4 (1998)

United Arab Emirates
AM 13, FM 8, shortwave 2 (2004)

United Kingdom
AM 219, FM 431, shortwave 3 (1998)

United States
AM 4,762, FM 5,542, shortwave 18 (1998)

Uruguay
AM 91, FM 149, shortwave 7 (2001)

Uzbekistan
AM 20, FM 7, shortwave 10 (1998)

Vanuatu
AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2002)

Venezuela
AM 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998)

Vietnam
AM 65, FM 7, shortwave 29 (1999)

Virgin Islands
AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (2002)

Wake Island
AM 0, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio service
provided by satellite (1998)

Wallis and Futuna
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)

West Bank
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
note: the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts from an AM
station in Ramallah on 675 kHz; numerous local, private stations are
reported to be in operation (2000)

Western Sahara
AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

World
AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Yemen
AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Zambia
AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (2001)

Zimbabwe
AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2015 Television broadcast stations

Afghanistan
at least 10 (one government-run central television
station in Kabul and regional stations in nine of the 32 provinces;
the regional stations operate on a reduced schedule; also, in 1997,
there was a station in Mazar-e Sharif reaching four northern
Afghanistan provinces) (1998)

Albania
3 (plus 58 repeaters) (2001)

Algeria
46 (plus 216 repeaters) (1995)

American Samoa
1 (2004)

Andorra
0 (1997)

Angola
6 (2000)

Anguilla
1 (1997)

Antarctica
1 (cable system with six channels; American Forces
Antarctic Network-McMurdo)
note: information for US bases only (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda
2 (1997)

Argentina
42 (plus 444 repeaters) (1997)

Armenia
3 (plus an unknown number of repeaters); (1998)

Aruba
1 (1997)

Australia
104 (1997)

Austria
10 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001)

Azerbaijan
2 (1997)

Bahamas, The
2 (2004)

Bahrain
4 (1997)

Bangladesh
15 (1999)

Barbados
1 (plus two cable channels) (1997)

Belarus
47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)

Belgium
25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)

Belize
2 (1997)

Benin
1 (2001)

Bermuda
4 (2003)

Bhutan
0 (1997)

Bolivia
48 (1997)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
33 (plus 277 repeaters) (September 1995)

Botswana
1 (2001)

Brazil
138 (1997)

British Indian Ocean Territory
1 (1997)

British Virgin Islands
1 (plus one cable company) (1997)

Brunei
2 (1997)

Bulgaria
39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)

Burkina Faso
1 (2002)

Burma
2 (2004)

Burundi
1 (2001)

Cambodia
7 (2003)

Cameroon
1 (2002)

Canada
80 (plus many repeaters) (1997)

Cape Verde
1 (and 7 repeaters) (2002)

Cayman Islands
1 with cable system

Central African Republic
1 (2001)

Chad
1 (2002)

Chile
63 (plus 121 repeaters) (1997)

China
3,240 (of which 209 are operated by China Central Television,
31 are provincial TV stations and nearly 3,000 are local city
stations) (1997)

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA

Colombia
60 (includes seven low-power stations) (1997)

Comoros
NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
4 (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
1 (2002)

Cook Islands
1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004)

Costa Rica
20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
14 (1999)

Croatia
36 (plus 321 repeaters) (September 1995)

Cuba
58 (1997)

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: 4 (plus 225 low-power repeaters)
(September 1995);; north Cyprus: 4 (plus 5 repeaters) (September
1995)

Czech Republic
150 (plus 1,434 repeaters) (2000)

Denmark
26 (plus 51 repeaters) (1998)

Djibouti
1 (2002)

Dominica
1 (2004)

Dominican Republic
25 (2003)

East Timor
NA

Ecuador
7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001)

Egypt
98 (September 1995)

El Salvador
5 (1997)

Equatorial Guinea
1 (2002)

Eritrea
1 (2000)

Estonia
3 (2001)

Ethiopia
1 plus 24 repeaters (2002)

European Union
2,791 (1995); note - does not include repeaters; sum
of indiviual country television broadcast stations; there is also a
European-wide station (Eurovision)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
2 (operated by the British Forces
Broadcasting Service)
note: cable television is available in Stanley (2002)

Faroe Islands
3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995)

Fiji
NA

Finland
120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999)

France
584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)

French Guiana
3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)

French Polynesia
7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Gabon
4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Gambia, The
1 (government-owned) (1997)

Gaza Strip
2 (operated by the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation)
(1997)

Georgia
12 (plus repeaters) (1998)

Germany
373 (plus 8,042 repeaters) (1995)

Ghana
10 (2001)

Gibraltar
1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997)

Greece
36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the
US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)

Greenland
1 publicly-owned station, some local low-power stations,
and three AFRTS (US Air Force) stations (1997)

Grenada
2 (1997)

Guadeloupe
5 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)

Guam
5 (1997)

Guatemala
26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)

Guernsey
1 (1997)

Guinea
6 low-power stations (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
NA (1997)

Guyana
3 (one public station; two private stations which relay US
satellite services) (1997)

Haiti
2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)

Holy See (Vatican City)
1 (1996)

Honduras
11 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)

Hong Kong
4 (2004)

Hungary
35 (plus 161 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Iceland
14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997)

India
562 (of which 82 stations have 1 kW or greater power and 480
stations have less than 1 kW of power) (1997)

Indonesia
41 (1999)

Iran
28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Iraq
21 (2004)

Ireland
4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001)

Israel
17 (plus 36 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Italy
358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)

Jamaica
7 (1997)

Japan
211 plus 7,341 repeaters
note: in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV
cable services (1999)

Jersey
2 (1997)

Jordan
20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)

Kazakhstan
12 (plus nine repeaters) (1998)

Kenya
8 (2002)

Kiribati
1 (not reported to be active) (2002)

Korea, North
38 (1999)

Korea, South
64 (additionally 119 Cable Operators; 239 Relay Cable
Operators) (2004)

Kuwait
13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)

Kyrgyzstan
NA (repeater stations throughout the country relay
programs from Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey) (1997)

Laos
4 (1999)

Latvia
44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)

Lebanon
15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)

Lesotho
1 (2000)

Liberia
1 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Libya
12 (plus one low-power repeater) (1999)

Liechtenstein
NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)

Lithuania
27
note: Lithuania has approximately 27 broadcasting stations, but may
have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations (2001)

Luxembourg
5 (1999)

Macau
1 (2003)

Macedonia
31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995)

Madagascar
1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)

Malawi
1 (2001)

Malaysia
1 (plus 15 high-power repeaters) (2001)

Maldives
1 (1997)

Mali
1 (plus repeaters) (2001)

Malta
6 (2000)

Man, Isle of
0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999)

Marshall Islands
2 (both are US military stations) (2002)

Martinique
11 (plus nine repeaters) (1997)

Mauritania
1 (2002)

Mauritius
2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)

Mayotte
3 (2001)

Mexico
236 (plus repeaters) (1997)

Micronesia, Federated States of 3; note - cable TV also available (2004)

Moldova
1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)

Monaco
5 (1998)

Mongolia
9 (plus 18 provincial repeaters and many low power
repeaters) (2004)

Montserrat
1 (1997)

Morocco
35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995)

Mozambique
1 (2001)

Namibia
8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Nauru
1 (1997)

Nepal
1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)

Netherlands
21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)

Netherlands Antilles
3 (there is also a cable service, which
supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and
two Venezuelan channels) (2004)

New Caledonia
6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)

New Zealand
41 (plus 52 medium-power repeaters and over 650
low-power repeaters) (1997)

Nicaragua
3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Niger
3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (2002)

Nigeria
3 (the government controls 2 of the broadcasting stations
and 15 repeater stations) (2002)

Niue
1 (1997)

Norfolk Island
1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that
bring in Australian programs by satellite) (1998)

Northern Mariana Islands 1 (on Saipan and one station planned for Rota; in addition, two cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (1997)

Norway
360 (plus 2,729 repeaters) (1995)

Oman
13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999)

Pakistan
22 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Palau
1 (cable) (2005)

Panama
38 (including repeaters) (1998)

Papua New Guinea
3 (all in the Port Moresby area)
note: additional stations at Mt. Hagen, Goroka, Lae, and Rabaul are
planned (2004)

Paraguay
5 (2003)

Peru
13 (plus 112 repeaters) (1997)

Philippines
225; note - 1373 CATV networks (2004)

Pitcairn Islands
0 (1997)

Poland
179 (plus 256 repeaters) (September 1995)

Portugal
62 (plus 166 repeaters)
note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands (1995)

Puerto Rico
6 (19 relay stations) (2004)

Qatar
1 (plus three repeaters) (2001)

Reunion
35 (plus 18 low-power repeaters) (2001)

Romania
48 (plus 392 repeaters) (1995)

Russia
7,306 (1998)

Rwanda
NA

Saint Helena
0
note: television programs are received in Saint Helena via satellite
and distributed by cable (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
1 (plus three repeaters) (2004)

Saint Lucia
2 (of which one is a commercial broadcast station and
one is a community antenna television or CATV channel) (2004)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
0 (there are, however, two repeaters which
rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
1 (plus three repeaters) (2004)

Samoa
2 (2002)

San Marino
1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from
Italy) (1997)

Sao Tome and Principe
2 (2002)

Saudi Arabia
117 (1997)

Senegal
1 (1997)

Serbia and Montenegro
more than 771 (including 86 strong stations
and 685 low-power stations, plus 20 repeaters in the principal
networks; also numerous local or private stations in Serbia and
Vojvodina) (1997)

Seychelles
2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)

Sierra Leone
2 (1999)

Singapore
7 (2003)

Slovakia
6 national broadcasting, 7 regional, 67 local (2004)

Slovenia
48 (2001)

Solomon Islands
0 (1997)

Somalia 4 note: two in Mogadishu; two in Hargeisa (2001)

South Africa
556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
0 (2003)

Spain
224 (plus 2,105 repeaters)
note: these figures include 11 television broadcast stations and 88
repeaters in the Canary Islands (1995)

Sri Lanka
21 (1997)

Sudan
3 (1997)

Suriname
3 (plus seven repeaters) (2000)

Svalbard
NA

Swaziland
5 plus 7 relay stations (2001)

Sweden
169 (plus 1,299 repeaters) (1995)

Switzerland
115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)

Syria
44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)

Taiwan
29 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Tajikistan
13 (2001)

Tanzania
3 (1999)

Thailand
5 (all in Bangkok; plus 131 repeaters) (1997)

Togo
3 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Tonga
2 (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
4 (2004)

Tunisia
26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)

Turkey
635 (plus 2,934 repeaters) (1995)

Turkmenistan
4 (government owned and programmed) (2004)

Turks and Caicos Islands 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; 2 cable television networks) (2004)

Tuvalu
0 (1997)

Uganda
8 (plus one low-power repeater) (2001)

Ukraine
at least 33 (plus 21 repeaters that relay broadcasts from
Russia) (1997)

United Arab Emirates
15 (2004)

United Kingdom
228 (plus 3,523 repeaters) (1995)

United States
more than 1,500 (including nearly 1,000 stations
affiliated with the five major networks - NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, and
PBS; in addition, there are about 9,000 cable TV systems) (1997)

Uruguay
23 (2002)

Uzbekistan
4 (plus two repeaters that relay Russian programs), 1
cable rebroadcaster in Tashkent; approximately 20 stations in
regional capitals (2003)

Vanuatu
1 (2002)

Venezuela
66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)

Vietnam
at least 7 (plus 13 repeaters) (1998)

Virgin Islands
2 (2002)

Wake Island
0 (1997)

Wallis and Futuna
2 (2000)

West Bank
NA

Western Sahara
NA

World
NA

Yemen
7 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)

Zambia
9 (2002)

Zimbabwe
16 (1997)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2018 Sex ratio (male(s)/female)

Afghanistan
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Albania
at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Algeria
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

American Samoa
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Andorra
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female
total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Angola
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Anguilla
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Argentina
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Armenia
at birth: 1.18 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Aruba
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Australia
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Austria
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Bahrain
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.41 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female
total population: 1.27 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Barbados
at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Belarus
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female
total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Belgium
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Belize
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Benin
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Bermuda
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Bhutan
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Bolivia
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Botswana
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Brazil
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Brunei
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Burma
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Burundi
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Cambodia
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Cameroon
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Canada
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Central African Republic
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Chad
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Chile
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

China
at birth: 1.12 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Christmas Island
NA (2004 est.)

Colombia
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Comoros
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Cook Islands
NA (2004 est.)

Costa Rica
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Croatia
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Cuba
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Cyprus
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Denmark
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Djibouti
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Dominica
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

East Timor
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Ecuador
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Egypt
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

El Salvador
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Eritrea
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Estonia
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female
total population: 0.85 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

European Union
at birth: NA
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and older: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (July 2004 est.)

Faroe Islands
at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Fiji
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Finland
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

France
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

French Guiana
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

French Polynesia
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Gabon
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Georgia
at birth: 1.16 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Germany
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Ghana
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Greece
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Greenland
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Grenada
at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Guadeloupe
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Guam
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Guatemala
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Guernsey
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Guinea
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Guyana
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Haiti
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Honduras
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Hungary
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Iceland
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

India
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Indonesia
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Iran
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Iraq
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Ireland
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Israel
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Italy
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Jamaica
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Japan
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Jersey
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Jordan
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.54 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Kenya
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Kiribati
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Korea, North
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Korea, South
at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Kuwait
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.77 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.76 male(s)/female
total population: 1.52 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Laos
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Latvia
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female
total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Lebanon
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Lesotho
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Liberia
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Libya
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Lithuania
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female
total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Macau
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Macedonia
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Madagascar
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Malawi
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Malaysia
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Maldives
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Mali
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Malta
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Marshall Islands
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Martinique
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Mauritania
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Mauritius
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Mayotte
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Mexico
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Moldova
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Monaco
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Mongolia
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Montserrat
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.09 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Morocco
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Mozambique
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Namibia
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Nauru
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Nepal
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Netherlands
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

New Caledonia
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

New Zealand
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Niger
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Nigeria
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Niue
NA (2004 est.)

Norfolk Island
NA

Northern Mariana Islands
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.72 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 0.79 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Norway
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Oman
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.49 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female
total population: 1.27 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Pakistan
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Palau
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.14 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Panama
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Paraguay
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Peru
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Philippines
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
NA

Poland
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Portugal
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Qatar
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 2.32 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 2.72 male(s)/female
total population: 1.89 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Reunion
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Romania
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Russia
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.46 male(s)/female
total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Rwanda
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Saint Helena
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Saint Lucia
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Samoa
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.67 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

San Marino
at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.36 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.18 male(s)/female
total population: 1.22 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Senegal
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Seychelles
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Singapore
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Slovakia
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Slovenia
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Somalia
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

South Africa
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Spain
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Sudan
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.2 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Suriname
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Svalbard
NA

Swaziland
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Sweden
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Switzerland
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Syria
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Taiwan
at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Tanzania
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Thailand
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Togo
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Tokelau
NA

Tonga
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Tunisia
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Turkey
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Tuvalu
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Uganda
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Ukraine
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female
total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.61 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 2.63 male(s)/female
total population: 1.46 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

United States
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Uruguay
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Venezuela
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Vietnam
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

West Bank
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Western Sahara
NA

World
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Yemen
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Zambia
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2019 Heliports

Afghanistan
5 (2003 est.)

Albania
1 (2003 est.)

Algeria
1 (2003 est.)

Antarctica
27 stations have restricted helicopter landing facilities
(helipads) (2003 est.)

Austria
1 (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
2 (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
1 (2003 est.)

Bahrain
1 (2003 est.)

Belarus
1 (2003 est.)

Belgium
1 (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
5 (2003 est.)

Brazil
417 (2003 est.)

Brunei
3 (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
1 (2003 est.)

Burma
1 (2003 est.)

Cambodia
2 (2003 est.)

Canada
12 (2003 est.)

China
15 (2003 est.)

Colombia
1 (2003 est.)

Croatia
1 (2003 est.)

Cyprus
10 (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
2 (2003 est.)

East Timor
1 (2003 est.)

Ecuador
1 (2003 est.)

Egypt
2 (2003 est.)

El Salvador
1 (2003 est.)

European Union
94 (2003)

France
3 (2003 est.)

French Polynesia
1 (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
1 (2003 est.)

Georgia
2 (2003 est.)

Germany
34 (2003 est.)

Greece
7 (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
2 (2003 est.)

Hungary
5 (2003 est.)

India
20 (2003 est.)

Indonesia
22 (2003 est.)

Iran
13 (2003 est.)

Iraq
6 (2003 est.)

Israel
3 (2003 est.)

Italy
4 (2003 est.)

Japan
15 (2003 est.)

Jordan
1 (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
1 (2003 est.)

Korea, North
19 (2003 est.)

Korea, South
206 (2003 est.)

Kuwait
3 (2003 est.)

Libya
1 (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
1 (2003 est.)

Malaysia
1 (2003 est.)

Mexico
2 (2003 est.)

Monaco
1 (shuttle service between the international airport at Nice,
France, and Monaco's heliport at Fontvieille) (2003 est.)

Mongolia
2 (2003 est.)

Morocco
1 (2003 est.)

Netherlands
1 (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
6 (2003 est.)

Nigeria
1 (2003 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
1 (2003 est.)

Norway
1 (2003 est.)

Oman
1 (2003 est.)

Pakistan
15 (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
2 (2003 est.)

Peru
1 (2003 est.)

Philippines
2 (2003 est.)

Poland
3 (2003 est.)

Qatar
1 (2003 est.)

Romania
1 (2003 est.)

Russia
36 (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
5 (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
4 (2003 est.)

Sierra Leone
2 (2003 est.)

Slovakia
1 (2003 est.)

Spain
8 (2003 est.)

Sudan
2 (2003 est.)

Sweden
2 (2003 est.)

Switzerland
2 (2003 est.)

Syria
7 (2003 est.)

Taiwan
3 (2003 est.)

Thailand
3 (2003 est.)

Turkey
14 (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
1 (2003 est.)

Ukraine
8 (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
2 (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
11 (2003 est.)

United States
155 (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2020 Elevation extremes (m)

Afghanistan
lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m
highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m

Albania
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m

Algeria
lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m
highest point: Tahat 3,003 m

American Samoa
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Lata 966 m

Andorra
lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m
highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m

Angola
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m

Anguilla
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m

Antarctica
lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,555 m
highest point: Vinson Massif 4,897 m
note: the lowest known land point in Antarctica is hidden in the
Bentley Subglacial Trench; at its surface is the deepest ice yet
discovered and the world's lowest elevation not under seawater

Antigua and Barbuda
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m

Arctic Ocean
lowest point: Fram Basin -4,665 m
highest point: sea level 0 m

Argentina
lowest point: Laguna del Carbon -105 m (located between
Puerto San Julian and Comandante Luis Piedra Buena in the province
of Santa Cruz)
highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m (located in the northwestern
corner of the province of Mendoza)

Armenia
lowest point: Debed River 400 m
highest point: Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m

Aruba
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Atlantic Ocean
lowest point: Milwaukee Deep in the Puerto Rico
Trench -8,605 m
highest point: sea level 0 m

Australia
lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m
highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m

Austria
lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m
highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m

Azerbaijan
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m

Bahamas, The
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m

Bahrain
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m

Baker Island
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 8 m

Bangladesh
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m

Barbados
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m

Bassas da India
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 2.4 m

Belarus
lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m
highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m

Belgium
lowest point: North Sea 0 m
highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m

Belize
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m

Benin
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m

Bermuda
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Town Hill 76 m

Bhutan
lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m
highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m

Bolivia
lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m
highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m

Bosnia and Herzegovina
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Maglic 2,386 m

Botswana
lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513
m
highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m

Bouvet Island
lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Olav Peak 935 m

Brazil
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m

British Indian Ocean Territory
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m

British Virgin Islands
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Sage 521 m

Brunei
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

Bulgaria
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Musala 2,925 m

Burkina Faso
lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m
highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m

Burma
lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m
highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m

Burundi
lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m
highest point: Mount Heha 2,670 m

Cambodia
lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m

Cameroon
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Fako (on Mount Cameroon) 4,095 m

Canada
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m

Cape Verde
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)

Cayman Islands
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: The Bluff 43 m

Central African Republic
lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m
highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m

Chad
lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m
highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m

Chile
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m

China
lowest point: Turpan Pendi -154 m
highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Christmas Island
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m

Clipperton Island
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Rocher Clipperton 29 m

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Colombia
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m
note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation

Comoros
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m

Congo, Democratic Republic of the lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m

Congo, Republic of the
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m

Cook Islands
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Te Manga 652 m

Coral Sea Islands
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m

Costa Rica
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m

Cote d'Ivoire
lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m
highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Croatia
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Dinara 1,830 m

Cuba
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m

Cyprus
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Olympus 1,951 m

Czech Republic
lowest point: Elbe River 115 m
highest point: Snezka 1,602 m

Denmark
lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m
highest point: Yding Skovhoej 173 m

Djibouti
lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m
highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m

Dominica
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m

Dominican Republic
lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m
highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m

East Timor
lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m
highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m

Ecuador
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m

Egypt
lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m
highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m

El Salvador
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

Equatorial Guinea
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m

Eritrea
lowest point: near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m
highest point: Soira 3,018 m

Estonia
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m

Ethiopia
lowest point: Denakil Depression -125 m
highest point: Ras Dejen 4,620 m

Europa Island
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 24 m

European Union
lowest point: Lammefjord, Denmark -7 m;
Zuidplaspolder, Netherlands -7 m
highest point: Mount Blanc, France/Italy 4,807 m

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m

Faroe Islands
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m

Fiji
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m

Finland
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Halti 1,328 m

France
lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m
highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m

French Guiana
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m

French Polynesia
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m

Gabon
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

Gambia, The
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 53 m

Gaza Strip
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m

Georgia
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m

Germany
lowest point: Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.54 m
highest point: Zugspitze 2,963 m

Ghana
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m

Gibraltar
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m

Glorioso Islands
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 12 m

Greece
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Greenland
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m

Grenada
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m

Guadeloupe
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Soufriere 1,484 m

Guam
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m

Guatemala
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

Guernsey
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m

Guinea
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Guinea-Bissau
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the
country 300 m

Guyana
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m

Haiti
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mawson Peak, on Big Ben 2,745 m

Holy See (Vatican City)
lowest point: unnamed location 19 m
highest point: unnamed location 75 m

Honduras
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

Hong Kong
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m

Howland Island
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Hungary
lowest point: Tisza River 78 m
highest point: Kekes 1,014 m

Iceland
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)

India
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m

Indian Ocean
lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m
highest point: sea level 0 m

Indonesia
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m

Iran
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m

Iraq
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: unamed peak 3,611 m; note - this peak is not Gundah
Zhur 3,607 m or Kuh-e Hajji-Ebrahim 3,595 m

Ireland
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m

Israel
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m

Italy
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a
secondary peak of Mont Blanc)

Jamaica
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m

Jan Mayen
lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 m

Japan
lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m
highest point: Mount Fuji 3,776 m

Jarvis Island
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 7 m

Jersey
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 143 m

Johnston Atoll
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Summit Peak 5 m

Jordan
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m

Juan de Nova Island
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 10 m

Kazakhstan
lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m
highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m

Kenya
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m

Kingman Reef
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 1 m

Kiribati
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m

Korea, North
lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m

Korea, South
lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m

Kuwait
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 306 m

Kyrgyzstan
lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m
highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m

Laos
lowest point: Mekong River 70 m
highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m

Latvia
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m

Lebanon
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m

Lesotho
lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers
1,400 m
highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

Liberia
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m

Libya
lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m
highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

Liechtenstein
lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m

Lithuania
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Juozapines/Kalnas 292 m

Luxembourg
lowest point: Moselle River 133 m
highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m

Macau
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m

Macedonia
lowest point: Vardar River 50 m
highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m

Madagascar
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m

Malawi
lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international
boundary with Mozambique 37 m
highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m

Malaysia
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m

Maldives
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu
Atoll 2.4 m

Mali
lowest point: Senegal River 23 m
highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

Malta
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)

Man, Isle of
lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m
highest point: Snaefell 621 m

Marshall Islands
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m

Martinique
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Montagne Pelee 1,397 m

Mauritania
lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m
highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m

Mauritius
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Piton 828 m

Mayotte
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Benara 660 m

Mexico
lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m
highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m

Micronesia, Federated States of
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m

Midway Islands
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 13 m

Moldova
lowest point: Dniester River 2 m
highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Monaco
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mont Agel 140 m

Mongolia
lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m
highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m

Montserrat
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic
complex) 914 m

Morocco
lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m
highest point: Jbel Toubkal 4,165 m

Mozambique
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m

Namibia
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m

Nauru
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m

Navassa Island
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m

Nepal
lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m
highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999)

Netherlands
lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m
highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m

Netherlands Antilles
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m

New Caledonia
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

New Zealand
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m

Nicaragua
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m

Niger
lowest point: Niger River 200 m
highest point: Mont Bagzane 2,022 m

Nigeria
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m

Niue
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m

Norfolk Island
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Bates 319 m

Northern Mariana Islands
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m

Norway
lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m

Oman
lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m

Pacific Ocean
lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench
-10,924 m
highest point: sea level 0 m

Pakistan
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

Palau
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m

Palmyra Atoll
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 2 m

Panama
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m

Papua New Guinea
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m

Paracel Islands
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m

Paraguay
lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m
highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m

Peru
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m

Philippines
lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m

Pitcairn Islands
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m

Poland
lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
highest point: Rysy 2,499 m

Portugal
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in
the Azores 2,351 m

Puerto Rico
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m

Qatar
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m

Reunion
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Piton des Neiges 3,069 m

Romania
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m

Russia
lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
highest point: Gora El'brus 5,633 m

Rwanda
lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m
highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m

Saint Helena
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m

Saint Kitts and Nevis
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m

Saint Lucia
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Soufriere 1,234 m

Samoa
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mauga Silisili (Savaii) 1,857 m

San Marino
lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m
highest point: Monte Titano 755 m

Sao Tome and Principe
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m

Saudi Arabia
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m

Senegal
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m

Serbia and Montenegro
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Daravica 2,656 m

Seychelles
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m

Sierra Leone
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

Singapore
lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m

Slovakia
lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m
highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m

Slovenia
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Triglav 2,864 m

Solomon Islands
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

Somalia
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m

South Africa
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
lowest point: Atlantic
Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m

Southern Ocean
lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the
South Sandwich Trench
highest point: sea level 0 m

Spain
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m

Spratly Islands
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m

Sri Lanka
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Sudan
lowest point: Red Sea 0 m
highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m

Suriname
lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m

Svalbard
lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m

Swaziland
lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m
highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

Sweden
lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near
Kristianstad -2.41 m
highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m

Switzerland
lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m
highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Syria
lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m
highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m

Taiwan
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m

Tajikistan
lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m
highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m

Tanzania
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m

Thailand
lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m

Togo
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Agou 986 m

Tokelau
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Tonga
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m

Trinidad and Tobago
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m

Tromelin Island
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 7 m

Tunisia
lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m

Turkey
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m

Turkmenistan
lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note -
Sarygamysh Koli is a lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water
level that fluctuates above and below the elevation of Vpadina
Akchanaya (the lake has dropped as low as -110 m)
highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m

Turks and Caicos Islands
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Blue Hills 49 m

Tuvalu
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Uganda
lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m
highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m

Ukraine
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m

United Arab Emirates
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m

United Kingdom
lowest point: The Fens -4 m
highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m

United States
lowest point: Death Valley -86 m
highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m

Uruguay
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m

Uzbekistan
lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m
highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m

Vanuatu
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m

Venezuela
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m

Vietnam
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Fan Si Pan 3,144 m

Virgin Islands
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m

Wake Island
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 6 m

Wallis and Futuna
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m

West Bank
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m

Western Sahara
lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
highest point: unnamed location 463 m

World
lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,540 m
note: in the oceanic realm, Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is
the lowest point, lying -10,924 m below the surface of the Pacific
Ocean
highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999 est.)

Yemen
lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m

Zambia
lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m
highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m

Zimbabwe
lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m
highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2021 Natural hazards

Afghanistan
damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains;
flooding; droughts

Albania
destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern
coast; floods; drought

Algeria
mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides
and floods in rainy season

American Samoa
typhoons common from December to March

Andorra
avalanches

Angola
locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau

Anguilla
frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to
October)

Antarctica
katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the
high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau;
cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the
coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West
Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may
calve from ice shelf

Antigua and Barbuda
hurricanes and tropical storms (July to
October); periodic droughts

Arctic Ocean
ice islands occasionally break away from northern
Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland
and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually
ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure
icing from October to May

Argentina
San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes
subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can
strike the pampas and northeast; heavy flooding

Armenia
occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

Aruba
lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
surrounded by shoals and reefs that can
pose maritime hazards

Atlantic Ocean
icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and
the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have
been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships
subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from
October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to
September; hurricanes (May to December)

Australia
cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires

Austria
landslides; avalanches; earthquakes

Azerbaijan
droughts

Bahamas, The
hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive
flood and wind damage

Bahrain
periodic droughts; dust storms

Baker Island
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be
a maritime hazard

Bangladesh
droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely
inundated during the summer monsoon season

Barbados
infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides

Bassas da India
maritime hazard since it is usually under water
during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic
cyclones

Belarus
NA

Belgium
flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed
coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes

Belize
frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and
coastal flooding (especially in south)

Benin
hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December
to March

Bermuda
hurricanes (June to November)

Bhutan
violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the
country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon;
frequent landslides during the rainy season

Bolivia
flooding in the northeast (March-April)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
destructive earthquakes

Botswana
periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the
west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure
visibility

Bouvet Island
NA

Brazil
recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost
in south

British Indian Ocean Territory
NA

British Virgin Islands
hurricanes and tropical storms (July to
October)

Brunei
typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare

Bulgaria
earthquakes, landslides

Burkina Faso
recurring droughts

Burma
destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides
common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts

Burundi
flooding, landslides, drought

Cambodia
monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional
droughts

Cameroon
volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases
from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes

Canada
continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to
development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a
result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and
North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and
snow east of the mountains

Cape Verde
prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces
obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active

Cayman Islands
hurricanes (July to November)

Central African Republic
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect
northern areas; floods are common

Chad
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic
droughts; locust plagues

Chile
severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis

China
frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and
eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts;
land subsidence

Christmas Island
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can
be a maritime hazard

Clipperton Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
cyclone season is October to April

Colombia
highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional
earthquakes; periodic droughts

Comoros
cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April);
Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano

Congo, Democratic Republic of the periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes

Congo, Republic of the
seasonal flooding

Cook Islands
typhoons (November to March)

Coral Sea Islands
occasional tropical cyclones

Costa Rica
occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast;
frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and
landslides; active volcanoes

Cote d'Ivoire
coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during
the rainy season torrential flooding is possible

Croatia
destructive earthquakes

Cuba
the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November
(in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other
year); droughts are common

Cyprus
moderate earthquake activity; droughts

Czech Republic
flooding

Denmark
flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g.,
parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland)
that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes

Djibouti
earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances
from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods

Dominica
flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes
can be expected during the late summer months

Dominican Republic
lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and
subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding;
periodic droughts

East Timor
floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis,
tropical cyclones

Ecuador
frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods;
periodic droughts

Egypt
periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods,
landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring;
dust storms, sandstorms

El Salvador
known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes
very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely
susceptible to hurricanes

Equatorial Guinea
violent windstorms, flash floods

Eritrea
frequent droughts; locust swarms

Estonia
sometimes flooding occurs in the spring

Ethiopia
geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to
earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts

Europa Island
NA

European Union
flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous
area; earthquakes in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy;
periodic droughts in Spain; ice floes in the Baltic

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
strong winds persist throughout
the year

Faroe Islands
NA

Fiji
cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Finland
NA

France
flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest
fires in south near the Mediterranean

French Guiana
high frequency of heavy showers and severe
thunderstorms; flooding

French Polynesia
occasional cyclonic storms in January

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul
are extinct volcanoes

Gabon
NA

Gambia, The
drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30
years)

Gaza Strip
droughts

Georgia
earthquakes

Germany
flooding

Ghana
dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to
March; droughts

Gibraltar
NA

Glorioso Islands
periodic cyclones

Greece
severe earthquakes

Greenland
continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the
island

Grenada
lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from
June to November

Guadeloupe
hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is
an active volcano

Guam
frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but
potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December)

Guatemala
numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent
earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and
other tropical storms

Guernsey
NA

Guinea
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during
dry season

Guinea-Bissau
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility
during dry season; brush fires

Guyana
flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons

Haiti
lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe
storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes;
periodic droughts

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is
on Heard Island

Holy See (Vatican City)
NA

Honduras
frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely
susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean
coast

Hong Kong
occasional typhoons

Howland Island
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can
be a maritime hazard

Iceland
earthquakes and volcanic activity

India
droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive
flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes

Indian Ocean
occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in
southern reaches

Indonesia
occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes,
volcanoes, forest fires

Iran
periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes

Iraq
dust storms, sandstorms, floods

Ireland
NA

Israel
sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts;
periodic earthquakes

Italy
regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches,
earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice

Jamaica
hurricanes (especially July to November)

Jan Mayen
dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg;
volcanic activity resumed in 1970

Japan
many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic
occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons

Jarvis Island
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island poses
a maritime hazard

Jersey
NA

Johnston Atoll
NA

Jordan
droughts; periodic earthquakes

Juan de Nova Island
periodic cyclones

Kazakhstan
earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty

Kenya
recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons

Kingman Reef
wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of
about 1 meter makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard

Kiribati
typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March;
occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them
very sensitive to changes in sea level

Korea, North
late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding;
occasional typhoons during the early fall

Korea, South
occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods;
low-level seismic activity common in southwest

Kuwait
sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring
heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust
storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March
and August

Kyrgyzstan
NA

Laos
floods, droughts

Latvia
NA

Lebanon
dust storms, sandstorms

Lesotho
periodic droughts

Liberia
dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to
March)

Libya
hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to
four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms

Liechtenstein
NA

Lithuania
NA

Luxembourg
NA

Macau
typhoons

Macedonia
high seismic risks

Madagascar
periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation

Malawi
NA

Malaysia
flooding, landslides, forest fires

Maldives
low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level
rise

Mali
hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons;
recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding

Malta
NA

Man, Isle of
NA

Marshall Islands
infrequent typhoons

Martinique
hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average
of one major natural disaster every five years)

Mauritania
hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in
March and April; periodic droughts

Mauritius
cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded
by reefs that may pose maritime hazards

Mayotte
cyclones during rainy season

Mexico
tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive
earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific,
Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts

Micronesia, Federated States of
typhoons (June to December)

Midway Islands
NA

Moldova
landslides (57 cases in 1998)

Monaco
NA

Mongolia
dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and
"zud," which is harsh winter conditions

Montserrat
severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions
(Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995)

Morocco
northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to
earthquakes; periodic droughts

Mozambique
severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods occur in
central and southern provinces

Namibia
prolonged periods of drought

Nauru
periodic droughts

Navassa Island
NA

Nepal
severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and
famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the
summer monsoons

Netherlands
flooding

Netherlands Antilles
Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean
hurricane belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and
Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October

New Caledonia
cyclones, most frequent from November to March

New Zealand
earthquakes are common, though usually not severe;
volcanic activity

Nicaragua
destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely
susceptible to hurricanes

Niger
recurring droughts

Nigeria
periodic droughts; flooding

Niue
typhoons

Norfolk Island
typhoons (especially May to July)

Northern Mariana Islands active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)

Norway
rockslides, avalanches

Oman
summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in
interior; periodic droughts

Pacific Ocean
surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and
earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of
Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east
Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October);
tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike
Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in
August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in
the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western
Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure
icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the
northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December

Pakistan
frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in
north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and
August)

Palau
typhoons (June to December)

Palmyra Atoll
NA

Panama
occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area

Papua New Guinea
active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring
of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe
earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis

Paracel Islands
typhoons

Paraguay
local flooding in southeast (early September to June);
poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)

Peru
earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic
activity

Philippines
astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck
by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active
volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis

Pitcairn Islands
typhoons (especially November to March)

Poland
flooding

Portugal
Azores subject to severe earthquakes

Puerto Rico
periodic droughts; hurricanes

Qatar
haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

Reunion
periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de
la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano

Romania
earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic
structure and climate promote landslides

Russia
permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to
development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and
earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and
summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European
Russia

Rwanda
periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the
northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo

Saint Helena
active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha

Saint Kitts and Nevis
hurricanes (July to October)

Saint Lucia
hurricanes and volcanic activity

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
persistent fog throughout the year can be
a maritime hazard

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on
the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat

Samoa
occasional typhoons; active volcanism

San Marino
NA

Sao Tome and Principe
NA

Saudi Arabia
frequent sand and dust storms

Senegal
lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts

Serbia and Montenegro
destructive earthquakes

Seychelles
lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare;
short droughts possible

Sierra Leone
dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara
(December to February); sandstorms, dust storms

Singapore
NA

Slovakia
NA

Slovenia
flooding and earthquakes

Solomon Islands
typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically
active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity

Somalia
recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains
in summer; floods during rainy season

South Africa
prolonged droughts

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
the South Sandwich
Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them
difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active
volcanism

Southern Ocean
huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred
meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5
to 1 meter thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and
with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf
floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances;
high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially
May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and
rescue

Spain
periodic droughts

Spratly Islands
typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of
numerous reefs and shoals

Sri Lanka
occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Sudan
dust storms and periodic persistent droughts

Suriname
NA

Svalbard
ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit
point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts
of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic

Swaziland
drought

Sweden
ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf
of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic

Switzerland
avalanches, landslides, flash floods

Syria
dust storms, sandstorms

Taiwan
earthquakes and typhoons

Tajikistan
earthquakes and floods

Tanzania
flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season;
drought

Thailand
land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the
depletion of the water table; droughts

Togo
hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during
winter; periodic droughts

Tokelau
lies in Pacific typhoon belt

Tonga
cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity
on Fonuafo'ou

Trinidad and Tobago
outside usual path of hurricanes and other
tropical storms

Tromelin Island
NA

Tunisia
NA

Turkey
very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along
an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van

Turkmenistan
NA

Turks and Caicos Islands
frequent hurricanes

Tuvalu
severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there
were three cyclones; low level of islands make them very sensitive
to changes in sea level

Uganda
NA

Ukraine
NA

United Arab Emirates
frequent sand and dust storms

United Kingdom
winter windstorms; floods

United States
tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around
Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico
coasts; tornadoes in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in
California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in
northern Alaska, a major impediment to development

Uruguay
seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and
occasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine
pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains,
which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly
vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts

Uzbekistan
NA

Vanuatu
tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism
causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis

Venezuela
subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts

Vietnam
occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive
flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta

Virgin Islands
several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and
severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes

Wake Island
occasional typhoons

Wallis and Futuna
NA

West Bank
droughts

Western Sahara
hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur
during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of
time, often severely restricting visibility

World
large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones),
natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic
eruptions)

Yemen
sandstorms and dust storms in summer

Zambia
periodic drought, tropical storms (November to April)

Zimbabwe
recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2022 People - note

Afghanistan
of the estimated 4 million refugees in October 2001, 2.3
million have returned

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
the landing of illegal immigrants from
Indonesia's Rote Island has become an ongoing problem

Christmas Island
The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports a
population of 1508 as of the 2001 Census

Cuba
illicit migration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to
depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien
smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas; some 2,500 Cubans
took to the Straits of Florida in 2002; the US Coast Guard
interdicted about 60% of these migrants; Cubans also use
non-maritime routes to enter the US; some 1,500 Cubans arrived
overland via the southwest border and direct flights to Miami in 2002

Ghana
there are 9,500 Liberians, 2,000 Sierra Leoneans, and 1,000
Togolese refugees residing in Ghana (2002)

Greece
women, men, and children are trafficked to and within Greece
for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor

Rwanda
Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa

Turks and Caicos Islands
destination and transit point for illegal
Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas,
and US

Ukraine
the sex trafficking of Ukrainian women is a serious problem
that has only recently been addressed

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2023 Area - comparative

Afghanistan
slightly smaller than Texas

Akrotiri
about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Albania
slightly smaller than Maryland

Algeria
slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas

American Samoa
slightly larger than Washington, DC

Andorra
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Angola
slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Anguilla
about half the size of Washington, DC

Antarctica
slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Antigua and Barbuda
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Arctic Ocean
slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Argentina
slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US

Armenia
slightly smaller than Maryland

Aruba
slightly larger than Washington, DC

Ashmore and Cartier Islands about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Atlantic Ocean
slightly less than 6.5 times the size of the US

Australia
slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states

Austria
slightly smaller than Maine

Azerbaijan
slightly smaller than Maine

Bahamas, The
slightly smaller than Connecticut

Bahrain
3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Baker Island
about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Bangladesh
slightly smaller than Iowa

Barbados
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Bassas da India
about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Belarus
slightly smaller than Kansas

Belgium
about the size of Maryland

Belize
slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Benin
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Bermuda
about one-third the size of Washington, DC

Bhutan
about half the size of Indiana

Bolivia
slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Bosnia and Herzegovina
slightly smaller than West Virginia

Botswana
slightly smaller than Texas

Bouvet Island
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Brazil
slightly smaller than the US

British Indian Ocean Territory
about 0.3 times the size of
Washington, DC

British Virgin Islands
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Brunei
slightly smaller than Delaware

Bulgaria
slightly larger than Tennessee

Burkina Faso
slightly larger than Colorado

Burma
slightly smaller than Texas

Burundi
slightly smaller than Maryland

Cambodia
slightly smaller than Oklahoma

Cameroon
slightly larger than California

Canada
somewhat larger than the US

Cape Verde
slightly larger than Rhode Island

Cayman Islands
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Central African Republic
slightly smaller than Texas

Chad
slightly more than three times the size of California

Chile
slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

China
slightly smaller than the US

Christmas Island
about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Clipperton Island
about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
about 24 times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Colombia
slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Comoros
slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC

Congo, Democratic Republic of the slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Congo, Republic of the
slightly smaller than Montana

Cook Islands
1.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Coral Sea Islands
NA

Costa Rica
slightly smaller than West Virginia

Cote d'Ivoire
slightly larger than New Mexico

Croatia
slightly smaller than West Virginia

Cuba
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Cyprus
about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut

Czech Republic
slightly smaller than South Carolina

Denmark
slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts

Dhekelia
about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Djibouti
slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Dominica
slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC

Dominican Republic
slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire

East Timor
slightly larger than Connecticut

Ecuador
slightly smaller than Nevada

Egypt
slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico

El Salvador
slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Equatorial Guinea
slightly smaller than Maryland

Eritrea
slightly larger than Pennsylvania

Estonia
slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined

Ethiopia
slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Europa Island
about 0.16 times the size of Washington, DC

European Union
less than one-half the size of the US

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
slightly smaller than Connecticut

Faroe Islands
eight times the size of Washington, DC

Fiji
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Finland
slightly smaller than Montana

France
slightly less than twice the size of Colorado

French Guiana
slightly smaller than Indiana

French Polynesia
slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

French Southern and Antarctic Lands slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware

Gabon
slightly smaller than Colorado

Gambia, The
slightly less than twice the size of Delaware

Gaza Strip
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Georgia
slightly smaller than South Carolina

Germany
slightly smaller than Montana

Ghana
slightly smaller than Oregon

Gibraltar
about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Glorioso Islands
about eight times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Greece
slightly smaller than Alabama

Greenland
slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Grenada
twice the size of Washington, DC

Guadeloupe
10 times the size of Washington, DC

Guam
three times the size of Washington, DC

Guatemala
slightly smaller than Tennessee

Guernsey
about one-half the size of Washington, DC

Guinea
slightly smaller than Oregon

Guinea-Bissau
slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

Guyana
slightly smaller than Idaho

Haiti
slightly smaller than Maryland

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
slightly more than two times the
size of Washington, DC

Holy See (Vatican City)
about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Honduras
slightly larger than Tennessee

Hong Kong
six times the size of Washington, DC

Howland Island
about three times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Hungary
slightly smaller than Indiana

Iceland
slightly smaller than Kentucky

India
slightly more than one-third the size of the US

Indian Ocean
about 5.5 times the size of the US

Indonesia
slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Iran
slightly larger than Alaska

Iraq
slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

Ireland
slightly larger than West Virginia

Israel
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Italy
slightly larger than Arizona

Jamaica
slightly smaller than Connecticut

Jan Mayen
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Japan
slightly smaller than California

Jarvis Island
about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Jersey
about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC

Johnston Atoll
about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Jordan
slightly smaller than Indiana

Juan de Nova Island
about seven times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Kazakhstan
slightly less than four times the size of Texas

Kenya
slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Kingman Reef
about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Kiribati
four times the size of Washington, DC

Korea, North
slightly smaller than Mississippi

Korea, South
slightly larger than Indiana

Kuwait
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Kyrgyzstan
slightly smaller than South Dakota

Laos
slightly larger than Utah

Latvia
slightly larger than West Virginia

Lebanon
about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut

Lesotho
slightly smaller than Maryland

Liberia
slightly larger than Tennessee

Libya
slightly larger than Alaska

Liechtenstein
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Lithuania
slightly larger than West Virginia

Luxembourg
slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Macau
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Macedonia
slightly larger than Vermont

Madagascar
slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Malawi
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Malaysia
slightly larger than New Mexico

Maldives
about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Mali
slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Malta
slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Man, Isle of
slightly more than three times the size of Washington,
DC

Marshall Islands
about the size of Washington, DC

Martinique
slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC

Mauritania
slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Mauritius
almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

Mayotte
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Mexico
slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Micronesia, Federated States of
four times the size of Washington,
DC (land area only)

Midway Islands
about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Moldova
slightly larger than Maryland

Monaco
about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Mongolia
slightly smaller than Alaska

Montserrat
about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC

Morocco
slightly larger than California

Mozambique
slightly less than twice the size of California

Namibia
slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Nauru
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Navassa Island
about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Nepal
slightly larger than Arkansas

Netherlands
slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Netherlands Antilles
more than five times the size of Washington, DC

New Caledonia
slightly smaller than New Jersey

New Zealand
about the size of Colorado

Nicaragua
slightly smaller than the state of New York

Niger
slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Nigeria
slightly more than twice the size of California

Niue
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Norfolk Island
about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC

Northern Mariana Islands
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Norway
slightly larger than New Mexico

Oman
slightly smaller than Kansas

Pacific Ocean
about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of
the global surface; larger than the total land area of the world

Pakistan
slightly less than twice the size of California

Palau
slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Palmyra Atoll
about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Panama
slightly smaller than South Carolina

Papua New Guinea
slightly larger than California

Paracel Islands
NA

Paraguay
slightly smaller than California

Peru
slightly smaller than Alaska

Philippines
slightly larger than Arizona

Pitcairn Islands
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Poland
slightly smaller than New Mexico

Portugal
slightly smaller than Indiana

Puerto Rico
slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Qatar
slightly smaller than Connecticut

Reunion
slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Romania
slightly smaller than Oregon

Russia
approximately 1.8 times the size of the US

Rwanda
slightly smaller than Maryland

Saint Helena
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Saint Kitts and Nevis
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Saint Lucia
3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
twice the size of Washington, DC

Samoa
slightly smaller than Rhode Island

San Marino
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Sao Tome and Principe
more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Saudi Arabia
slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Senegal
slightly smaller than South Dakota

Serbia and Montenegro
slightly smaller than Kentucky

Seychelles
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Sierra Leone
slightly smaller than South Carolina

Singapore
slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Slovakia
about twice the size of New Hampshire

Slovenia
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Solomon Islands
slightly smaller than Maryland

Somalia
slightly smaller than Texas

South Africa
slightly less than twice the size of Texas

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
slightly larger than
Rhode Island

Southern Ocean
slightly more than twice the size of the US

Spain
slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

Spratly Islands
NA

Sri Lanka
slightly larger than West Virginia

Sudan
slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US

Suriname
slightly larger than Georgia

Svalbard
slightly smaller than West Virginia

Swaziland
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Sweden
slightly larger than California

Switzerland
slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Syria
slightly larger than North Dakota

Taiwan
slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined

Tajikistan
slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Tanzania
slightly larger than twice the size of California

Thailand
slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming

Togo
slightly smaller than West Virginia

Tokelau
about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Tonga
four times the size of Washington, DC

Trinidad and Tobago
slightly smaller than Delaware

Tromelin Island
about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC

Tunisia
slightly larger than Georgia

Turkey
slightly larger than Texas

Turkmenistan
slightly larger than California

Turks and Caicos Islands
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Tuvalu
0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Uganda
slightly smaller than Oregon

Ukraine
slightly smaller than Texas

United Arab Emirates
slightly smaller than Maine

United Kingdom
slightly smaller than Oregon

United States
about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the
size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly
larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; about two and a
half times the size of Western Europe

Uruguay
slightly smaller than the state of Washington

Uzbekistan
slightly larger than California

Vanuatu
slightly larger than Connecticut

Venezuela
slightly more than twice the size of California

Vietnam
slightly larger than New Mexico

Virgin Islands
twice the size of Washington, DC

Wake Island
about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Wallis and Futuna
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

West Bank
slightly smaller than Delaware

Western Sahara
about the size of Colorado

World
land area about 16 times the size of the US

Yemen
slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming

Zambia
slightly larger than Texas

Zimbabwe
slightly larger than Montana

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2024 Military manpower - military age and obligation (years of age)

Afghanistan
22 years of age (2004 est.)

Albania
19 years of age (2004 est.)

Algeria
19-30 years of age for compulsory military service;
conscript service obligation - 18 months (October 2003)

Angola
17 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - 2 years plus time for training (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Argentina
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2001)

Armenia
18-27 years of age for compulsory military service,
conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for
voluntary military service (May 2004)

Australia
16 years of age for voluntary service (2001)

Austria
18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of
age for voluntary service; from 2007, at the earliest, compulsory
military service obligation will be reduced from 8 months to 6 (June
2004)

Azerbaijan
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; law passed December 2001 raises maximum conscription age
from 28 to 35 (December 2001)

Bahamas, The
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Bahrain
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Bangladesh
16 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2001)

Barbados
18 years of age for voluntary military service; volunteers
at earlier age with parental consent; no conscription (2001)

Belarus
18-27 years of age for compulsory military service;
conscript service obligation - 18 months (May 2004)

Belgium
16 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Belize
18 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow
for conscription only if volunteers are insufficient; conscription
has never been implemented; volunteers typically outnumber available
positions by 3:1 (2001)

Benin
21 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
in practice, volunteers may be taken at the age of 18; both sexes
are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18
months (2004)

Bhutan
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2001)

Bolivia
18 years of age for voluntary military service; when annual
number of volunteers falls short of goal, compulsory recruitment is
effected, including conscription of boys as young as 14; one
estimate holds that 40% of the armed forces are under the age of 18,
with 50% of those under the age of 16; conscript tour of duty - 12
months (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
18 years of age for compulsory military
service in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina; 16 years of age
in times of war; 18 years of age for Republika Srpska; 17 years of
age for voluntary military service in the Federation and in the
Republika Srpska; by law, military obligations cover all healthy men
between the ages of 18 and 60, and all women between the ages of 18
and 55; service obligation is 4 months (July 2004)

Botswana
18 is the apparent age of voluntary military service; the
official qualifications for determining minimum age are unknown
(2001)

Brazil
19 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript
service obligation - 12 months; 17 years of age for voluntary
service (2001)

Brunei
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Bulgaria
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; conscript service obligation - 9 months (2004)

Burkina Faso
18 years of age for compulsory military service; 20
years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Burma
18 years of age for voluntary military service for both sexes
(May 2002)

Burundi
16 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service (2001)

Cambodia
18-30 years of age for compulsory military service for all
males; conscription law passed September 2004; service obligation is
18 months (September 2004)

Cameroon
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (1999)

Canada
16 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Central African Republic
18 years of age for voluntary and
compulsory military service (2001)

Chad
20 years of age for conscripts, with 3-year service obligation;
18 years of age for volunteers; no minimum age restriction for
volunteers with consent from a guardian (2004)

Chile
18 years of age for compulsory military service; all citizens
18-45 are obligated to perform military service; conscript service
obligation - 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy and Air Force
(2004)

China
18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 24-month
service obligation; no minimum age for voluntary service; 17 years
of age for women who meet requirements for specific military jobs
(2004)

Colombia
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; conscript service obligation - 24 months (2004)

Congo, Republic of the
18 years of age for voluntary military
service (2001)

Costa Rica
18 years of age (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Croatia
18 years of age for compulsory military service, with
6-month service obligation; 16 years of age with consent for
voluntary service (2004)

Cuba
17 years of age; both sexes are eligible for military service
(2004 est.)

Cyprus
18 years of age (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
18-50 years of age for compulsory and voluntary
military service; service obligation - 12 months; conscription due
to end by 2005 (January 2004)

Denmark
18 years of age for compulsory and volunteer military
service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies
from 4 to 12 months according to specialization; reservists are
assigned to mobilization units following completion of their
conscript service (2004)

Djibouti
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Dominican Republic 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

East Timor
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Ecuador
20 years of age for conscript military service; 12-month
service obligation (2004)

Egypt
18 years of age for conscript military service; 3-year service
obligation (2001)

El Salvador
18 years of age for compulsory military service, with
12-month service obligation; 16 years of age for volunteers (2002)

Equatorial Guinea
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Eritrea
18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military
service; conscript service obligation - 16 months (2004)

Estonia
18 years of age for compulsory military service, with
11-month service obligation; Estonia has committed to retaining
conscription for men and women up to 2010; 17 years of age for
volunteers (2004)

Ethiopia
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service (2001)

Fiji
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Finland
18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military
service (October 2004)

France
17 years of age with consent for voluntary military service
(2001)

Gabon
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service
(2001)

Gambia, The
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2001)

Georgia
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Germany
18 years of age (conscripts serve a nine-month tour of
compulsory military service) (2004 est.)

Ghana
18 years of age for compulsory and volunteer military service
(2001)

Greece
18 years of age for compulsory military service; during
wartime the law allows for recruitment after reaching January of the
year of inductee's 18th birthday, thus including 17 year olds; 17
years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation - 12
months for the Army, 14 months for the Air Force, 15 months for the
Navy (April 2003)

Guatemala
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; conscript service obligation - 30 months (2004)

Guinea
18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Guinea-Bissau
18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

Haiti
18 years of age for voluntary recruitment into the police
force (2001)

Honduras
18 years of age for voluntary 2-3 year military service
(2004)

Hong Kong
18 years of age (2004 est.)

Hungary
18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription
abolished in June 2004 (June 2004)

India
16 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Indonesia
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2002)

Iran
18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of
age for volunteers; soldiers as young as 9 were recruited
extensively during the Iran-Iraq war; conscript service obligation -
18 months (2004)

Iraq
18 years of age; the Iraqi Interim Government is creating a new
professional Iraqi military force of men aged 18 to 40 to defend
Iraqi territory from external threats (September 2004)

Ireland
17 years of age for voluntary military service; enlistees
under the age of 17 can be recruited for specialist positions (2001)

Israel
17 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes) and voluntary
(Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes are
eligible for military service; conscript service obligation - 36
months for men, 21 months for women (2004)

Italy
18 years of age (2004 est.)

Jamaica
18 years of age for voluntary military service; younger
recruits may be conscripted with parental consent (2001)

Japan
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Jordan
17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription
at age 18 was suspended in 1999, although all males under age 37 are
required to register (2004)

Kazakhstan
18 years of age for compulsory military service;
conscript service obligation - 2 years; minimum age for volunteers
NA (2004 est.)

Kenya
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Korea, North
17 years of age (2004 est.)

Korea, South
20-30 years of age for compulsory military service;
conscript service obligation - 24-28 months, depending on the
military branch involved; 18 years of age for voluntary military
service (2004)

Kuwait
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service
(2001)

Kyrgyzstan
18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

Laos
15 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - minimum 18 months (2004)

Latvia
19 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript
service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers;
Latvia plans to phase out conscription, tentatively moving to an
all-professional force by 2007 (August 2004)

Lebanon
18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Lesotho
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Liberia
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2001)

Libya
17 years of age (2004 est.)

Lithuania
19-45 years of age for compulsory military service,
conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for
volunteers (2004)

Luxembourg
17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers
under 18 are not deployed into combat or with peacekeeping missions
(2001)

Macedonia
18 years of age for voluntary military service, tour of
conscript duty is 6 months; 17 years of age for voluntary service
(2004)

Madagascar
18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - 18
months (2004)

Malawi
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2001)

Malaysia
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Maldives
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Mali
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Malta
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2001)

Mauritania
18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - 2
years (2004)

Mexico
18 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript
service obligation - 12 months; 16 years of age with consent for
voluntary enlistment (2004)

Moldova
18 years of age for compulsory military service; national
service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Mongolia
18-25 years of age for compulsory military service;
conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Morocco
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Namibia
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Nepal
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Netherlands
20 years of age for an all volunteer force (May 2004)

Netherlands Antilles
16 years of age for military recruitment; no
conscription (July 2002)

New Zealand
17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers
cannot be deployed until the age of 18 (2001)

Nicaragua
17 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Niger
18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Nigeria
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Norway
18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of
age in wartime; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18 years of age
for women; 16 years of age for volunteers to the Home Guard;
conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Oman
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Pakistan
16 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers
cannot be deployed for combat until age of 18 (2001)

Papua New Guinea
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Paraguay
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; conscript service obligation - 12 months for Army, 24
months for Navy (2004)

Peru
18 years of age for compulsory military service (1999)

Philippines
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service (2001)

Poland
17 years of age for compulsory military service after January
1st of the year of 18th birthday; 17 years of age for voluntary
military service; in 2005 Poland plans to shorten the length of
conscript service obligation from 12 to 9 months; by 2008, plans
call for at least 60% of military personnel to be volunteers; only
soldiers who have completed their conscript service are allowed to
volunteer for professional service; as of April 2004 women are only
allowed to serve as officers and non-commissioned officers (April
2004)

Portugal
18 years of age for voluntary military service; compulsory
military service was ended in September 2004 (September 2004)

Qatar
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Reunion
18 years of age (2004 est.)

Romania
20 years of age for compulsory military service, 18 in
wartime; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age
for voluntary military service (2004)

Russia
18-27 years of age; males are registered for the draft at 17
years of age; 200,000 conscripts were inducted into the armed forces
in 2003; length of compulsory military service is 2 years; plans as
of August 2004 call for reduction in mandatory service to 1 year by
2008; 2003 planning calls for volunteer servicemen to compose 70% of
armed forces by 2010, with the remaining servicemen consisting of
conscripts (August 2004)

Rwanda
16 years of age for voluntary military service; no
conscription (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Sao Tome and Principe
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Saudi Arabia
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2004)

Senegal
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Serbia and Montenegro
19 years of age (nine months compulsory
service) (2004)

Seychelles
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Sierra Leone
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Singapore
18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years
of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation to be reduced to
24 months from 30 months beginning December 2004 (June 2004)

Slovakia
18 years of age (conscripts serve nine months of basic
military service; term of service will be reduced to six months
effective 2004) complete transition to an all-volunteer professional
force is planned for 1 January 2007; 82% of Slovak armed forces will
be volunteers by December 2004; volunteers include women, with
minimum age of 17 years; 18 years of age for compulsory military
service; conscripts serve 9 months of basic military service;
service obligation reduced to 6 months effective 2004 (October 2004)

Slovenia
17 years of age for voluntary military service;
conscription abolished in 2004 (2004)

Somalia
18 years of age (est.) (2001)

South Africa
18 years of age for voluntary military service (October
2004)

Spain
20 years of age (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Sudan
18-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - 3 years (August 2004)

Suriname
18 years of age (est.); no conscription

Swaziland
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Sweden
19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - 7 to 17 months depending on conscript role;
after completing initial service soldiers have a reserve commitment
until the age of 47 (2004)

Switzerland
19 years of age for compulsory military service; 17
years of age for voluntary military service; conscripts receive 15
weeks of compulsory training, followed by 10 intermittent recalls
for training over the next 22 years (2004)

Syria
18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - 30 months (2004)

Taiwan
19-40 years of age for military service (being lowered to 35
years of age in July 2005); service obligation 22 months (being
shortened to 18 months in July 2005 and 12 months in 2008) (January
2005)

Tajikistan
18 years of age for compulsory military service;
conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Tanzania
15 years of age for voluntary military service; 18 years of
age for compulsory military service upon graduation from secondary
school; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Thailand
21 years of age for compulsory military service; males are
registered at 18 years of age; conscript service obligation - 2
years; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)

Togo
18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service
(2001)

Tonga
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago
18 years of age for voluntary military service;
no conscription (2001)

Tunisia
20 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary
military service (2004)

Turkey
20 years of age (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
18 years of age for compulsory military service;
conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Uganda
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military duty;
the government has stated that recruitment below that age could
occur with proper consent and that "no person under the apparent age
of 13 years shall be enrolled in the armed forces"

Ukraine
18-27 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; conscript service obligation - 18 months for Army and Air
Force, 24 months for Navy (2004)

United Arab Emirates
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

United Kingdom
16 years of age for voluntary military service
(January 2004)

United States
18 years of age (2004 est.)

Uruguay
18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military
service (2001)

Uzbekistan
18 years of age for compulsory military service;
conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Venezuela
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; conscript service obligation - 30 months (2004)

Vietnam
18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Yemen
18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Zambia
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Zimbabwe
18 years of age (est.) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2025 Military manpower - fit for military service

Afghanistan
males age 15-49: 3,642,659 (2004 est.)

Albania
males age 15-49: 775,422 (2004 est.)

Algeria
males age 15-49: 5,675,739 (2004 est.)

Angola
males age 15-49: 1,317,328 (2004 est.)

Argentina
males age 15-49: 8,042,304 (2004 est.)

Armenia
males age 15-49: 649,568 (2004 est.)

Australia
males age 15-49: 4,356,671 (2004 est.)

Austria
males age 15-49: 1,699,384 (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
males age 15-49: 1,748,567 (2004 est.)

Bahrain
males age 15-49: 121,484 (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
males age 15-49: 23,441,482 (2004 est.)

Barbados
males age 15-49: 53,127 (2004 est.)

Belarus
males age 15-49: 2,164,923 (2004 est.)

Belgium
males age 15-49: 2,068,221 (2004 est.)

Belize
males age 15-49: 40,619 (2004 est.)

Benin
males age 15-49: 835,561
females age 15-49: 835,633 (2004 est.)

Bhutan
males age 15-49: 290,843 (2004 est.)

Bolivia
males age 15-49: 1,417,804 (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
males age 15-49: 898,451 (2004 est.)

Botswana
males age 15-49: 202,176 (2004 est.)

Brazil
males age 15-49: 34,799,098 (2004 est.)

Brunei
males age 15-49: approx. 60,000 (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
males age 15-49: 1,530,657 (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
males age 15-49: 1,552,212 (2004 est.)

Burma
males age 15-49: 6,609,995
females age 15-49: 6,595,611 (2004 est.)

Burundi
males age 15-49: 747,400 (2004 est.)

Cambodia
males age 15-49: 1,899,710 (2004 est.)

Cameroon
males age 15-49: 1,979,151 (2004 est.)

Canada
males age 15-49: 7,176,642 (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
males age 15-49: 55,477 (2004 est.)

Central African Republic
males age 15-49: 460,469 (2004 est.)

Chad
males age 15-49: 1,051,802 (2004 est.)

Chile
males age 15-49: 3,107,454 (2004 est.)

China
males age 15-49: 208,143,352 (2004 est.)

Colombia
males age 15-49: 7,495,462 (2004 est.)

Comoros
males age 15-49: 91,825 (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the males age 15-49: 6,480,645 (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
males age 15-49: 390,884 (2004 est.)

Costa Rica
males age 15-49: 736,007 (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
males age 15-49: 2,164,014 (2004 est.)

Croatia
males age 15-49: 873,994 (2004 est.)

Cuba
males age 15-49: 1,929,370
females age 15-49: 1,888,498 (2004 est.)

Cyprus
males age 15-49: 139,255 (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
males age 15-49: 2,003,748 (2004 est.)

Denmark
males age 15-49: 1,088,751 (2004 est.)

Djibouti
males age 15-49: 64,540 (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
males age 15-49: 1,474,978 (2004 est.)

East Timor
NA (2004 est.)

Ecuador
males age 15-49: 2,315,808 (2004 est.)

Egypt
males age 15-49: 13,148,944 (2004 est.)

El Salvador
males age 15-49: 995,672 (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
males age 15-49: 61,084 (2004 est.)

Eritrea
NA (2004)

Estonia
males age 15-49: 257,386 (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
males age 15-49: 8,234,442 (2004 est.)

Fiji
males age 15-49: 131,349 (2004 est.)

Finland
males age 15-49: 1,013,961 (2004 est.)

France
males age 15-49: 12,044,827 (2004 est.)

French Guiana
males age 15-49: 33,914 (2004 est.)

Gabon
males age 15-49: 162,847 (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
males age 15-49: 176,733 (2004 est.)

Georgia
males age 15-49: 906,400 (2004 est.)

Germany
males age 15-49: 17,338,435 (2004 est.)

Ghana
males age 15-49: 2,994,600 (2004 est.)

Greece
males age 15-49: 2,004,343 (2004 est.)

Guatemala
males age 15-49: 2,233,562 (2004 est.)

Guinea
males age 15-49: 1,064,965 (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
males age 15-49: 185,801 (2004 est.)

Guyana
males age 15-49: 157,264 (2004 est.)

Haiti
males age 15-49: 975,341 (2004 est.)

Honduras
males age 15-49: 977,130 (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
males age 15-49: 1,404,705 (2004 est.)

Hungary
males age 15-49: 2,011,750 (2004 est.)

Iceland
males age 15-49: 66,503 (2004 est.)

India
males age 15-49: 172,153,371 (2004 est.)

Indonesia
males age 15-49: 38,728,029 (2004 est.)

Iran
males age 15-49: 12,434,810 (2004 est.)

Iraq
males age 15-49: 3,654,947 (2004 est.)

Ireland
males age 15-49: 827,811 (2004 est.)

Israel
males age 15-49: 1,294,742
females age 15-49: 1,250,969 (2004 est.)

Italy
males age 15-49: 12,279,516 (2004 est.)

Jamaica
males age 15-49: 533,768 (2004 est.)

Japan
males age 15-49: 25,189,438 (2004 est.)

Jordan
males age 15-49: 1,153,385 (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
males age 15-49: 3,381,606 (2004 est.)

Kenya
males age 15-49: 5,150,405 (2004 est.)

Korea, North
males age 15-49: 3,694,855 (2004 est.)

Korea, South
males age 15-49: 8,966,241 (2004 est.)

Kuwait
males age 15-49: 531,556 (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
males age 15-49: 1,091,548 (2004 est.)

Laos
males age 15-49: 783,800 (2004 est.)

Latvia
males age 15-49: 466,659 (2004 est.)

Lebanon
males age 15-49: 643,050 (2004 est.)

Lesotho
males age 15-49: 253,974 (2004 est.)

Liberia
males age 15-49: 406,293 (2004 est.)

Libya
males age 15-49: 938,196 (2004 est.)

Lithuania
males age 15-49: 738,602 (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
males age 15-49: 95,107 (2004 est.)

Macau
males age 15-49: 68,913 (2004 est.)

Macedonia
males age 15-49: 448,095 (2004 est.)

Madagascar
males age 15-49: 2,373,342 (2004 est.)

Malawi
males age 15-49: 1,381,607 (2004 est.)

Malaysia
males age 15-49: 3,746,960 (2004 est.)

Maldives
males age 15-49: 45,142 (2004 est.)

Mali
males age 15-49: 1,450,795 (2004 est.)

Malta
males age 15-49: 79,128 (2004 est.)

Mauritania
males age 15-49: 332,633 (2004 est.)

Mauritius
males age 15-49: 172,157 (2004 est.)

Mexico
males age 15-49: 19,755,614 (2004 est.)

Moldova
males age 15-49: 942,071 (2004 est.)

Mongolia
males age 15-49: 530,594 (2004 est.)

Morocco
males age 15-49: 5,529,267 (2004 est.)

Mozambique
males age 15-49: 2,485,197 (2004 est.)

Namibia
males age 15-49: 279,755 (2004 est.)

Nauru
males age 15-49: 1,810 (2004 est.)

Nepal
males age 15-49: 3,566,576 (2004 est.)

Netherlands
males age 15-49: 3,534,392 (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
males age 15-49: 31,025 (2004 est.)

New Zealand
males age 15-49: 868,984 (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
males age 15-49: 858,022 (2004 est.)

Niger
males age 15-49: 1,333,027 (2004 est.)

Nigeria
males age 15-49: 18,763,229 (2004 est.)

Norway
males age 15-49: 916,155 (2004 est.)

Oman
males age 15-49: 443,006 (2004 est.)

Pakistan
males age 15-49: 24,355,985 (2004 est.)

Panama
males age 15-49: 553,422 (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
males age 15-49: 775,064 (2004 est.)

Paraguay
males age 15-49: 1,084,087 (2004 est.)

Peru
males age 15-49: 4,938,512 (2004 est.)

Philippines
males age 15-49: 15,780,602 (2004 est.)

Poland
males age 15-49: 8,034,577 (2004 est.)

Portugal
males age 15-49: 2,107,502 (2004 est.)

Qatar
males age 15-49: 170,266 (2004 est.)

Reunion
males age 15-49: 103,073 (2004 est.)

Romania
males age 15-49: 5,007,375 (2004 est.)

Russia
males age 15-49: 30,600,088 (2004 est.)

Rwanda
males age 15-49: 1,004,296 (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
males age 15-49: 20,188 (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
males age 15-49: 4,725,514 (2004 est.)

Senegal
males age 15-49: 1,301,761 (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
males age 15-49: 2,184,937 (2004 est.)

Seychelles
males age 15-49: 11,712 (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
males age 15-49: 614,338 (2004 est.)

Singapore
males age 15-49: 934,317 (2004 est.)

Slovakia
males age 15-49: 1,129,935 (2004 est.)

Slovenia
males age 15-49: 417,875 (2004 est.)

Somalia
males age 15-49: 1,109,405 (2004 est.)

South Africa
males age 15-49: 7,247,696 (2004 est.)

Spain
males age 15-49: 8,336,273 (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
males age 15-49: 4,195,736 (2004 est.)

Sudan
males age 15-49: 5,743,783 (2004 est.)

Suriname
males age 15-49: 72,576 (2004 est.)

Swaziland
males age 15-49: 168,257 (2004 est.)

Sweden
males age 15-49: 1,821,394 (2004 est.)

Switzerland
males age 15-49: 1,606,391 (2004 est.)

Syria
males age 15-49: 2,716,054 (2004 est.)

Taiwan
males age 15-49: 4,992,737 (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
males age 15-49: 1,444,325 (2004 est.)

Tanzania
males age 15-49: 5,031,621 (2004 est.)

Thailand
males age 15-49: 10,735,354 (2004 est.)

Togo
males age 15-49: 690,331 (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
males age 15-49: 232,234 (2004 est.)

Tunisia
males age 15-49: 1,655,910 (2004 est.)

Turkey
males age 15-49: 11,965,262 (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
males age 15-49: 1,031,806 (2004 est.)

Uganda
males age 15-49: 3,085,053 (2004 est.)

Ukraine
males age 15-49: 9,565,088 (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
males age 15-49: 412,490 (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
males age 15-49: 12,393,785 (2004 est.)

United States
NA (2004 est.)

Uruguay
males age 15-49: 677,315 (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
males age 15-49: 5,783,740 (2004 est.)

Venezuela
males age 15-49: 4,953,803 (2004 est.)

Vietnam
males age 15-49: 14,694,574 (2004 est.)

Yemen
males age 15-49: 2,590,720 (2004 est.)

Zambia
males age 15-49: 1,310,814 (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
males age 15-49: 2,033,978 (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2026 Military manpower - reaching military age annually

Afghanistan
males: 263,406 (2004 est.)

Albania
males: 36,584 (2004 est.)

Algeria
males: 373,235 (2004 est.)

Angola
males: 113,103 (2004 est.)

Argentina
males: 327,738 (2004 est.)

Armenia
males: 31,926 (2004 est.)

Australia
males: 140,182 (2004 est.)

Austria
males: 48,981 (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
males: 83,131 (2004 est.)

Bahrain
males: 6,396 (2004 est.)

Belarus
males: 86,716 (2004 est.)

Belgium
males: 61,270 (2004 est.)

Belize
males: 3,122 (2004 est.)

Benin males: 77,552 females: 81,841 (2004 est.)

Bhutan
males: 23,379 (2004 est.)

Bolivia
males: 98,155 (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
males: 30,130 (2004 est.)

Botswana
males: 20,651 (2004 est.)

Brazil
males: 1,788,495 (2004 est.)

Brunei
males: 3,425 (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
males: 52,811 (2004 est.)

Burma
males: 441,333
females: 440,914 (2004 est.)

Burundi
males: 81,862 (2004 est.)

Cambodia
males: 170,072 (2004 est.)

Cameroon
males: 184,054 (2004 est.)

Canada
males: 214,623 (2004 est.)

Chad
males: 91,231 (2004 est.)

Chile
males: 131,283 (2004 est.)

China
males: 12,494,201 (2004 est.)

Colombia
males: 392,656 (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
males: 31,964 (2004 est.)

Costa Rica
males: 41,709 (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
males: 204,434 (2004 est.)

Croatia
males: 30,639 (2004 est.)

Cuba
males: 83,992
females: 91,901 (2004 est.)

Cyprus
males: 6,614 (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
males: 67,195 (2004 est.)

Denmark
males: 30,333 (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
males: 90,434 (2004 est.)

East Timor
NA (2004 est.)

Ecuador
males: 132,476 (2004 est.)

Egypt
males: 756,233 (2004 est.)

El Salvador
males: 69,993 (2004 est.)

Estonia
males: 10,884 (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
males: 760,868 (2004 est.)

Fiji
males: 9,302 (2004 est.)

Finland
males: 32,058 (2004 est.)

France
males: 394,413 (2004 est.)

Gabon
males: 13,462 (2004 est.)

Georgia
males: 39,570 (2004 est.)

Germany
males: 484,837 (2004 est.)

Ghana
males: 244,809 (2004 est.)

Greece
males: 63,496 (2004 est.)

Guatemala
males: 156,865 (2004 est.)

Haiti
males: 97,429 (2004 est.)

Honduras
males: 76,143 (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
males: 41,821 (2004 est.)

Hungary
males: 64,426 (2004 est.)

India
males: 11,174,415 (2004 est.)

Indonesia
males: 2,196,424 (2004 est.)

Iran
males: 912,569 (2004 est.)

Iraq
males: 304,527 (2004 est.)

Ireland
males: 30,083 (2004 est.)

Israel males: 51,054 females: 53,515 (2004 est.)

Italy
males: 285,601 (2004 est.)

Jamaica
males: 27,126 (2004 est.)

Japan
males: 700,931 (2004 est.)

Jordan
males: 59,471 (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
males: 169,004 (2004 est.)

Korea, North
males: 189,014 (2004 est.)

Korea, South
males: 341,697 (2004 est.)

Kuwait
males: 18,849 (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
males: 59,759 (2004 est.)

Laos
males: 68,563 (2004 est.)

Latvia
males: 19,209 (2004 est.)

Libya
males: 61,828 (2004 est.)

Lithuania
males: 28,300 (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
males: 2,601 (2004 est.)

Macedonia
males: 17,595 (2004 est.)

Madagascar
males: 169,186 (2004 est.)

Malaysia
males: 223,466 (2004 est.)

Mexico
males: 1,055,368 (2004 est.)

Moldova
males: 44,466 (2004 est.)

Mongolia
males: 33,718 (2004 est.)

Morocco
males: 352,711 (2004 est.)

Nepal
males: 308,776 (2004 est.)

Netherlands
males: 97,624 (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
males: 1,660 (2004 est.)

New Zealand
males: 27,157 (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
males: 61,869 (2004 est.)

Niger
males: 122,363 (2004 est.)

Nigeria
males: 1,452,231 (2004 est.)

Norway
males: 27,252 (2004 est.)

Oman
males: 31,274 (2004 est.)

Pakistan
males: 1,891,101 (2004 est.)

Paraguay
males: 63,386 (2004 est.)

Peru
males: 277,931 (2004 est.)

Philippines
males: 851,009 (2004 est.)

Poland
males: 329,743 (2004 est.)

Portugal
males: 72,821 (2004 est.)

Qatar
males: 7,496 (2004 est.)

Reunion
males: 7,070 (2004 est.)

Romania
males: 163,577 (2004 est.)

Russia
males: 1,262,339 (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
males: 246,343 (2004 est.)

Senegal
males: 119,833 (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
males: 81,245 (2004 est.)

Slovakia
males: 43,029 (2004 est.)

Slovenia
males: 13,315 (2004 est.)

South Africa
males: 471,221 (2004 est.)

Spain
males: 245,007 (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
males: 179,869 (2004 est.)

Sudan
males: 442,242 (2004 est.)

Sweden
males: 56,859 (2004 est.)

Switzerland
males: 45,654 (2004 est.)

Syria
males: 216,077 (2004 est.)

Taiwan
males: 182,677 (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
males: 86,761 (2004 est.)

Thailand
males: 531,511 (2004 est.)

Tunisia
males: 106,565 (2004 est.)

Turkey
males: 680,673 (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
males: 55,866 (2004 est.)

Ukraine
males: 386,945 (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
males: 29,183 (2004 est.)

United States
males: 2,124,164 (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
males: 321,886 (2004 est.)

Venezuela
males: 250,730 (2004 est.)

Vietnam
males: 853,197 (2004 est.)

Yemen
males: 255,426 (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@2028 Background

Afghanistan
Afghanistan's recent history is a story of war and civil
unrest. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979, but was forced to withdraw
10 years later by anti-Communist mujahidin forces. The Communist
regime in Kabul collapsed in 1992. Fighting that subsequently
erupted among the various mujahidin factions eventually helped to
spawn the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that
fought to end the warlordism and civil war which gripped the
country. The Taliban seized Kabul in 1996 and were able to capture
most of the country outside of Northern Alliance srongholds
primarily in the northeast. Following the 11 September 2001
terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and Northern Alliance military
action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Osama BIN LADIN. In late
2001, a conference in Bonn, Germany, established a process for
political reconstruction that ultimately resulted in the adoption of
a new constitution and presidential election in 2004. On 9 October
2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president
of Afghanistan. The new Afghan government's next task is to hold
National Assembly elections, tentatively scheduled for April 2005.

Akrotiri
By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created
the independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovreignty
and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers in
total: Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The southernmost and smallest of these
is the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as
the Western Sovereign Base Area.

Albania
Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic
Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The
transition has proven difficult as successive governments have tried
to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated
infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks with links to high
government officials, and disruptive political opponents.
International observers judged parliamentary elections in 2001 and
local elections in 2003 to be acceptable and a step toward
democratic development, but identified serious deficiencies. Many of
these deficiencies have been addressed through bi-partisan changes
to the electoral code in 2003 and 2005, but implementation of these
changes will not be demonstrated until parliamentary elections in
July 2005.

Algeria
After more than a century of rule by France, Algerians
fought through much of the 1950s to achieve independence in 1962.
Algeria's primary political party, the National Liberation Front
(FLN), has dominated politics ever since. Many Algerians in the
subsequent generation were not satisfied, however, and moved to
counter the FLN's centrality in Algerian politics. The surprising
first round success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the
December 1991 balloting spurred the Algerian army to intervene and
postpone the second round of elections to prevent what the secular
elite feared would be an extremist-led government from assuming
power. The army began a crack down on the FIS that spurred FIS
supporters to begin attacking government targets. The government
later allowed elections featuring pro-government and moderate
religious-based parties, but did not appease the activists who
progressively widened their attacks. The fighting escalated into an
insurgency, which saw intense fighting between 1992-1998 and which
resulted in over 100,000 deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate
massacres of villagers by extremists. The government gained the
upper hand by the late-1990s and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic
Salvation Army, disbanded in January 2000. However, small numbers of
armed militants persist in confronting government forces and
conducting ambushes and occasional attacks on villages. The army
placed Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA in the presidency in 1999 in a
fraudulent election but claimed neutrality in his 2004 landslide
reelection victory. A number of longstanding problems continue to
face BOUTEFLIKA in his second term, including the ethnic minority
Berbers' ongoing autonomy campaign, large-scale unemployment, a
shortage of housing, unreliable electrical and water supplies,
government inefficiencies and corruption, and the continuing -
although significantly degraded - activities of extremist militants.
Algeria must also diversify its petroleum-based economy, which has
yielded a large cash reserve but which has not been used to redress
Algeria's many social and infrastructure problems. Algeria assumed a
two-year seat on the UN Security Council in January 2004.

American Samoa
Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was "discovered"
by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries
in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899
treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago.
The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern
islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year.

Andorra
For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a
unique co-principality, ruled by French and Spanish leaders (from
1607 onward, the French chief of state and the Spanish bishop of
Urgel). In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the titular
heads of state retained, but the government transformed into a
parliamentary democracy. Long isolated and impoverished, mountainous
Andorra achieved considerable prosperity since World War II through
its tourist industry. Many immigrants (legal and illegal) are
attracted to the thriving economy with its lack of income taxes.

Angola
Angola has begun to enjoy the fruits of peace since the end
of a 27-year civil war in 2002. Fighting between the Popular
Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose Eduardo
DOS SANTOS, and the National Union for the Total Independence of
Angola (UNITA), led by Jonas SAVIMBI, followed independence from
Portugal in 1975. Peace seemed imminent in 1992 when Angola held
national elections, but UNITA renewed fighting after being beaten by
the MPLA at the polls. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost -
and 4 million people displaced - in the quarter century of fighting.
SAVIMBI's death in 2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and strengthened
the MPLA's hold on power. DOS SANTOS has pledged to hold national
elections in 2006.

Anguilla
Colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts in 1650,
Anguilla was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th
century, when the island - against the wishes of the inhabitants -
was incorporated into a single British dependency, along with Saint
Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two
years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this
arrangement was formally recognized in 1980, with Anguilla becoming
a separate British dependency.

Antarctica
Speculation over the existence of a "southern land" was
not confirmed until the early 1820s when British and American
commercial operators and British and Russian national expeditions
began exploring the Antarctic Peninsula region and other areas south
of the Antarctic Circle. Not until 1840 was it established that
Antarctica was indeed a continent and not just a group of islands.
Several exploration "firsts" were achieved in the early 20th
century. Following World War II, there was an upsurge in scientific
research on the continent. A number of countries have set up
year-round research stations on Antarctica. Seven have made
territorial claims, but not all countries recognize these claims. In
order to form a legal framework for the activities of nations on the
continent, an Antarctic Treaty was negotiated that neither denies
nor gives recognition to existing territorial claims; signed in
1959, it entered into force in 1961.

Antigua and Barbuda
The Siboney were the first to inhabit the
islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak and Carib
Indians populated the islands when Columbus landed on his second
voyage in 1493. Early settlements by the Spanish and French were
succeeded by the English who formed a colony in 1667. Slavery,
established to run the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished
in 1834. The islands became an independent state within the British
Commonwealth of Nations in 1981.

Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five
oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and
the recently delimited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US
and Canada) and Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two
important seasonal waterways. A sparse network of air, ocean, river,
and land routes circumscribes the Arctic Ocean.

Argentina
Following independence from Spain in 1816, Argentina
experienced periods of internal political conflict between
conservatives and liberals and between civilian and military
factions. After World War II, a long period of Peronist
authoritarian rule and interference in subsequent governments was
followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy
returned in 1983, and numerous elections since then have underscored
Argentina's progress in democratic consolidation.

Armenia
Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally
adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy,
over the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires
including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. It was
incorporated into Russia in 1828 and the USSR in 1920. Armenian
leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Muslim
Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated
region, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow.
Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the area in 1988; the
struggle escalated after both countries attained independence from
the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold,
Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a
significant portion of Azerbaijan proper. The economies of both
sides have been hurt by their inability to make substantial progress
toward a peaceful resolution. Turkey imposed an economic blockade on
Armenia and closed the common border because of the Armenian
occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas.

Aruba
Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired
by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by
three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by
prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The
last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry.
Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a
separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in
1990.

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
These uninhabited islands came under
Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years
later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine
habitat; in 1983, it became a National Nature Reserve. Cartier
Island, a former bombing range, is now a marine reserve.

Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the
world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than the
Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). The Kiel Canal
(Germany), Oresund (Denmark-Sweden), Bosporus (Turkey), Strait of
Gibraltar (Morocco-Spain), and the Saint Lawrence Seaway (Canada-US)
are important strategic access waterways. The decision by the
International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to
delimit a fifth world ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion
of the Atlantic Ocean south of 60 degrees south.

Australia
Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from
Southeast Asia about 40,000 years before the first Europeans began
exploration in the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were
made until 1770, when Capt. James COOK took possession in the name
of Great Britain. Six colonies were created in the late 18th and
19th centuries; they federated and became the Commonwealth of
Australia in 1901. The new country took advantage of its natural
resources to rapidly develop its agricultural and manufacturing
industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in
World Wars I and II. In recent decades, Australia has transformed
itself into an internationally competitive, advanced market economy.
Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of the
ozone layer, and management and conservation of coastal areas,
especially the Great Barrier Reef. A referendum to change
Australia's status, from a commonwealth headed by the British
monarch to a republic, was defeated in 1999.

Austria
Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian
Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in
World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and
subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's
status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955
ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade
unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year
declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for
Soviet military withdrawal. Following the Soviet Union's collapse in
1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995, some
Austrian's have called into question this neutrality. A prosperous,
democratic country, Austria entered the European Monetary Union in
1999.

Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan - a nation with a Turkic and majority-Muslim
population - regained its independence after the collapse of the
Soviet Union in 1991. Despite a 1994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet
to resolve its conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani
Nagorno-Karabakh enclave (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan
has lost 16% of its territory and must support some 800,000 refugees
and internally displaced persons as a result of the conflict.
Corruption is ubiquitous and the promise of widespread wealth from
Azerbaijan's undeveloped petroleum resources remains largely
unfulfilled.

Bahamas, The
Arawak Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher
Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492.
British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became
a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973,
The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking
and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is
a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly
shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal
migrants into the US.

Bahrain
Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf
countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign
affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining oil reserves,
Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has
transformed itself into an international banking center. The new
amir, installed in 1999, has pushed economic and political reforms
and has worked to improve relations with the Shi'a community. In
February 2001, Bahraini voters approved a referendum on the National
Action Charter - the centerpiece of the amir's political
liberalization program. In February 2002, Amir HAMAD bin Isa Al
Khalifa proclaimed himself king. In October 2002, Bahrainis elected
members of the lower house of Bahrain's reconstituted bicameral
legislature, the National Assembly.

Baker Island
The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its
guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the
second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at
colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland
Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned.
Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US
Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle
of the west coast.

Bangladesh
Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East
Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan. About a third of
this extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy
season, hampering economic development.

Barbados
The island was uninhabited when first settled by the
British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on
the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy
remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production
through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social
and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete
independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and
manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance.

Bassas da India
This atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs
and is awash at high tide. A French possession since 1897, it was
placed under the administration of a commissioner residing in
Reunion in 1968.

Belarus
After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR,
Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer
political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former
Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state
union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic
integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the
accord, serious implementation has yet to take place.

Belgium
Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830 and
was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. It has prospered
in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced
European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the
Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking
Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional
amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.

Belize
Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the
independence of Belize (formerly British Honduras) until 1981.
Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992. Tourism
has become the mainstay of the economy. The country remains plagued
by high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug
trade, and increased urban crime.

Benin
Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West
African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became
a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960,
as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended
in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the
establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles.
A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later,
free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as
president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa
from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by
elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were
alleged.

Bermuda
Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English
colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North
American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism
continues to be important to the island's economy, although
international business has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has
developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. A
referendum on independence was soundly defeated in 1995.

Bhutan
In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu,
under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for
ceding some border land. Under British influence, a monarchy was set
up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the
British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and
Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was
assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal
Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the
British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and
defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. A
refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved;
90% of the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps.

Bolivia
Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR,
broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history
has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and counter-coups.
Comparatively democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but
leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social
unrest, and drug production. Current goals include attracting
foreign investment, strengthening the educational system, resolving
disputes with coca growers over Bolivia's counterdrug efforts, and
waging an anticorruption campaign.

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of
sovereignty in October 1991, was followed by a declaration of
independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a
referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported
by neighboring Serbia and Montenegro - responded with armed
resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and
joining Serb-held areas to form a "Greater Serbia." In March 1994,
Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from
three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak/Croat
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in
Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement that
brought to a halt three years of interethnic civil strife (the final
agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton
Agreement retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries
and created a joint multi-ethnic and democratic government. This
national government was charged with conducting foreign, diplomatic,
and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a second tier of government
comprised of two entities roughly equal in size: the Bosniak/Croat
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led
Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments were
charged with overseeing most government functions. The Office of the
High Representative (OHR) was established to oversee the
implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement. In 1995-96,
a NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops
served in Bosnia to implement and monitor the military aspects of
the agreement. IFOR was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led
Stabilization Force (SFOR) whose mission was to deter renewed
hostilities. European Union peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced
SFOR in December 2004; their mission was to maintain peace and
stability throughout the country.

Botswana
Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana
adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of
uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and
significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic
economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining,
dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due
to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature
preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of
HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and
comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.

Bouvet Island
This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely
covered by glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered
in 1739 by a French naval officer after whom the island was named.
No claim was made until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In
1928, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied
the island the previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the
adjacent territorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since
1977, Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the
island.

Brazil
Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil
became an independent nation in 1822. By far the largest and most
populous country in South America, Brazil overcame more than half a
century of military intervention in the governance of the country
when in 1985 the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian
rulers. Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural
growth and development of its interior. Exploiting vast natural
resources and a large labor pool, it is today South America's
leading economic power and a regional leader. Highly unequal income
distribution remains a pressing problem.

British Indian Ocean Territory
Established as a territory of the UK
in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT)
islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained
independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the
six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The
largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a
joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are
uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the
islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the
Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court
ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded
them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of
Diego Garcia.

British Virgin Islands
First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the
islands were annexed in 1672 by the English. The economy is closely
tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west;
the US dollar is the legal currency.

Brunei
The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th
and 17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of
northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently
entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal
succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In
1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was
achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six
centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas
fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the
developing world.

Bulgaria
The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the
local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first
Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with
the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the
end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman
Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of
Bulgaria became independent in 1908. Having fought on the losing
side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of
influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist
domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty
election since World War II and began the contentious process of
moving toward political democracy and a market economy while
combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. Today,
reforms and democratization keep Bulgaria on a path toward eventual
integration into the EU. The country joined NATO in 2004.

Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved
independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the
1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early
1990s. Burkina Faso's high population density and limited natural
resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its
citizens. Recent unrest in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has
hindered the ability of several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe
farm workers to find employment in neighboring countries.

Burma
Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886)
and incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered
as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate,
self-governing colony; independence from the Commonwealth was
attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to
1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and
later as political kingpin. Despite multiparty legislative elections
in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party - the National
League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory, the ruling
junta refused to hand over power. NLD leader and Nobel Peace Prize
recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who was under house arrest from 1989 to
1995 and 2000 to 2002, was imprisoned in May 2003 and is currently
under house arrest. In December 2004, the junta announced it was
extending her detention for at least an additional year. Her
supporters, as well as all those who promote democracy and improved
human rights, are routinely harassed or jailed.

Burundi
Burundi's first democratically elected president was
assassinated in October 1993 after only one hundred days in office.
Since then, some 200,000 Burundians have perished in widespread,
often intense ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions.
Hundreds of thousands have been internally displaced or have become
refugees in neighboring countries. Burundi troops, seeking to secure
their borders, briefly intervened in the conflict in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo in 1998. A new transitional government,
inaugurated on 1 November 2001, signed a power-sharing agreement
with the largest rebel faction in December 2003 and set in place a
provisional constitution in October 2004. Implementation of the
agreement has been problematic, however, as one remaining rebel
group refuses to sign on and elections have been repeatedly delayed,
clouding prospects for a sustainable peace.

Cambodia
Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, whose
Angkor Empire extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its
zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Subsequently, attacks by
the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire
ushering in a long period of decline. In 1863, the king of Cambodia
placed the country under French protection; it became part of French
Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II,
Cambodia became independent within the French Union in 1949 and
fully independent in 1953. After a five-year struggle, Communist
Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh in April 1975 and ordered the
evacuation of all cities and towns; at least 1.5 million Cambodians
died from execution, enforced hardships, or starvation during the
Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnamese
invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, led to a
10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years of
civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic
elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected by the
Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some
semblance of normalcy and the final elements of the Khmer Rouge
surrendered in early 1999. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the
first coalition government, but a second round of national elections
in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and
renewed political stability. The July 2003 elections were relatively
peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending
political parties before a coalition government was formed.
Nation-wide local elections are scheduled for 2007 and national
elections for 2008.

Cameroon
The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon
merged in 1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally
enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of
agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry.
Despite movement toward democratic reform, political power remains
firmly in the hands of an ethnic oligarchy.

Canada
A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada
became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the
British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has
developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across
an unfortified border. Canada's paramount political problem is
meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and
education services after a decade of budget cuts. The issue of
reconciling Quebec's francophone heritage with the majority
anglophone Canadian population has moved to the back burner in
recent years; support for separatism abated after the Quebec
government's referendum on independence failed to pass in October of
1995.

Cape Verde
The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by
the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde subsequently became a
trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and
resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following
independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with
Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained
until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues
to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments.
Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused
significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result,
Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one.
Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.

Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the
British during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered by Jamaica
since 1863, they remained a British dependency after 1962 when the
former became independent.

Central African Republic
The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari
became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After
three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments
- civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade.
President Ange-Felix PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by
unrest, and in March 2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by
General Francois BOZIZE, who has since established a transitional
government. Though the government has the tacit support of civil
society groups and the main parties, a wide field of affiliated and
independent candidates will contest the municipal, legislative, and
presidential elections scheduled for February 2005. The government
still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of
lawlessness persist.

Chad
Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured
three decades of ethnic warfare as well as invasions by Libya before
a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government
eventually suppressed or came to terms with most political-military
groups, settled a territorial dispute with Libya on terms favorable
to Chad, drafted a democratic constitution, and held multiparty
presidential elections in 1996 and 1997. In 1998, a new rebellion
broke out in northern Chad, which sporadically flares up despite two
peace agreements signed in 2002 and 2003 between the government and
the rebels. Despite movement toward democratic reform, power remains
in the hands of a northern ethnic oligarchy.

Chile
A three-year-old Marxist government was overthrown in 1973 by
a dictatorial military regime led by Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled
until a freely elected president was installed in 1990. Sound
economic policies, maintained consistently since the 1980s, have
contributed to steady growth and have helped secure the country's
commitment to democratic and representative government. Chile has
increasingly assumed regional and international leadership roles
befitting its status as a stable, democratic nation.

China
For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing
the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and
early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major
famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War
II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic
socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed
strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of
millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and
other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by
2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living
standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal
choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.

Christmas Island
Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the
island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888.
Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty
to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been
declared a national park.

Clipperton Island
This isolated island was named for John
CLIPPERTON, a pirate who made it his hideout early in the 18th
century. Annexed by France in 1855, it was seized by Mexico in 1897.
Arbitration eventually awarded the island to France, which took
possession in 1935.

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
There are 27 coral islands in the group.
Captain William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but they
remained uninhabited until the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in
1857, they were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955.
The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split
between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on
Home Island.

Colombia
Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from
the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and
Venezuela). A 40-year insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian
Government escalated during the 1990s, undergirded in part by funds
from the drug trade. Although the violence is deadly and large
swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence, the
movement lacks the military strength or popular support necessary to
overthrow the government. An anti-insurgent army of paramilitaries
has grown to be several thousand strong in recent years, challenging
the insurgents for control of territory and the drug trade, and also
the government's ability to exert its dominion over rural areas.
While Bogota steps up efforts to reassert government control
throughout the country, neighboring countries worry about the
violence spilling over their borders.

Comoros
Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups
since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands
of Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. In
1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He pledged to resolve
the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the
2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new
constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of
2002. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a
new union president was sworn in on 26 May 2002.

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Since 1997, the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DROC; formerly called Zaire) has been rent by
ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow in 1994
of refugees from the fighting in Rwanda and Burundi. The government
of former president MOBUTU Sese Seko was toppled by a rebellion led
by Laurent KABILA in May 1997; his regime was subsequently
challenged by a Rwanda- and Uganda-backed rebellion in August 1998.
Troops from Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan intervened to
support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed on 10 July 1999
by the DROC, Zimbabwe, Angola, Uganda, Namibia, Rwanda, and
Congolese armed rebel groups, but sporadic fighting continued.
KABILA was assassinated on 16 January 2001 and his son Joseph KABILA
was named head of state ten days later. In October 2002, the new
president was successful in getting occupying Rwandan forces to
withdraw from eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord
was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and
set up a government of national unity. A transitional government was
set up in July 2003; Joseph KABILA remains as president and is
joined by four vice presidents from the former government, former
rebel camps, and the political opposition.

Congo, Republic of the
Upon independence in 1960, the former French
region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter
century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a
democratically elected government installed in 1992. A brief civil
war in 1997 restored former Marxist President SASSOU-NGUESSO, but
ushered in a period of ethnic unrest. Southern-based rebel groups
agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003. The Republic of Congo
is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers with significant
potential for offshore development.

Cook Islands
Named after Captain Cook, who sighted them in 1770, the
islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900,
administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965
residents chose self-government in free association with New
Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and
government deficits are continuing problems.

Coral Sea Islands
Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of
ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia
in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological
staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and
a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs.

Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a Central American success story: since the
late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred
its democratic development. Although still a largely agricultural
country, it has expanded its economy to include strong technology
and tourism sectors. The standard of living is relatively high. Land
ownership is widespread.

Cote d'Ivoire
Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the
development of cocoa production for export, and foreign investment
made Cote d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical
African states, but did not protect it from political turmoil. On 25
December 1999, a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's
history - overthrew the government led by President Henri Konan
BEDIE. Junta leader Robert GUEI held elections in late 2000, but
excluded prominent opposition leader Alassane OUATTARA, blatantly
rigged the polling results, and declared himself winner. Popular
protest forced GUEI to step aside and brought runner-up Laurent
GBAGBO into power. Ivorian dissidents and disaffected members of the
military launched a failed coup attempt in September 2002. Rebel
forces claimed the northern half of the country and in January 2003
were granted ministerial positions in a unity government under the
auspices of the Linas-Marcoussis Peace Accord. President GBAGBO and
rebel forces resumed implementation of the peace accord in December
2003 after a three-month stalemate, but issues that sparked the
civil war, such as land reform and grounds for nationality remain
unresolved. The central government has yet to exert control over the
northern regions and tensions remain high between GBAGBO and rebel
leaders. Several thousand French and West African troops remain in
Cote d'Ivoire to maintain peace and facilitate the disarmament,
demobilization, and rehabilitation process.

Croatia
The lands that today comprise Croatia were part of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire until the close of World War I. In 1918, the
Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as
Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became a federal
independent Communist state under the strong hand of Marshal TITO.
Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991,
it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting before
occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared from Croatian lands. Under
UN supervision, the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was
returned to Croatia in 1998.

Cuba
The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after
the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492
and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next
several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to
work the coffee and sugar plantations and Havana became the
launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from
Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule was severe and exploitative and
occasional rebellions were harshly suppressed. It was US
intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 that finally
overthrew Spanish rule. The subsequent Treaty of Paris established
Cuban independence, which was granted in 1902 after a three-year
transition period. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959;
his iron rule has held the regime together since then. Cuba's
Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout
Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The
country is now slowly recovering from a severe economic recession in
1990, following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4
billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as
the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration
to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or
via the southwest border - is a continuing problem. Some 2,500
Cubans attempted the crossing of the Straits of Florida in 2003; the
US Coast Guard apprehended about 60% of the individuals.

Cyprus
A former British colony, Cyprus received independence in 1960
following years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the
Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head
in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia.
Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic
intercommunal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into
enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek-sponsored attempt
to seize the government was met by military intervention from
Turkey, which soon controlled more than a third of the island. In
1983, the Turkish-held area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus," but it is recognized only by Turkey. The latest
two-year round of UN-brokered direct talks - between the leaders of
the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to reach an
agreement to reunite the divided island - ended when the Greek
Cypriots rejected the UN settlement plan in an April 2004
referendum. Although only the internationally recognized Greek
Cypriot-controlled Republic of Cyprus joined the EU on 1 May 2004,
every Cypriot carrying a Cyprus passport will have the status of a
European citizen. EU laws, however, will not apply to north Cyprus.
Nicosia continues to oppose EU efforts to establish direct trade and
economic links to north Cyprus as a way of encouraging the Turkish
Cypriot community to continue to support reunification.

Czech Republic
Following the First World War, the closely related
Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to
form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's
leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of
other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the
Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II,
a truncated Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of
influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the
efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule
and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations
the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the
collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its
freedom through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993,
the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national
components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic
joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.

Denmark
Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north
European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation
that is participating in the general political and economic
integration of Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the
EU) in 1973. However, the country has opted out of certain elements
of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the European
Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), European defense cooperation, and
issues concerning certain justice and home affairs.

Dhekelia
By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created
the independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovreignty
and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers in
total: Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The larger of these of these is the
Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the
Eastern Sovereign Base Area.

Djibouti
The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became
Djibouti in 1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian
one-party state and proceeded to serve three consecutive six-year
terms as president. Unrest among the Afars minority during the 1990s
led to multi-party elections resulting in President Ismail Omar
GUELLEH attaining office in May 1999. A peace accord in 2001 ended
the final phases of a ten-year uprising by Afar rebels. Djibouti
occupies a very strategic geographic location at the mouth of the
Red Sea and serves as an important transshipment location for goods
entering and leaving the east African highlands. GUELLEH favors
close ties to France, which maintains a significant military
presence in the country.

Dominica
Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be
colonized by Europeans, due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the
native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763,
which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after
independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and
tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia
CHARLES, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who
remained in office for 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still
living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining
in the eastern Caribbean.

Dominican Republic
Explored and claimed by Columbus on his first
voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became a springboard for
Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In
1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the
island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by
then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in
1821, but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it
finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. In
1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but
two years later they launched a war that restored independence in
1865. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative, rule for
much of its subsequent history was brought to an end in 1966 when
Joaquin BALAGUER became president. He maintained a tight grip on
power for most of the next 30 years when international reaction to
flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then,
regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition
candidates have won the presidency. The Dominican economy has had
one of the fastest growth rates in the hemisphere over the past
decade.

East Timor
The Portuguese began to trade with the island of Timor in
the early 16th century and colonized it in mid-century. Skirmishing
with the Dutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty
in which Portugal ceded the western portion of the island. Imperial
Japan occupied East Timor during 1942-1945, but Portugal resumed
colonial authority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. East
Timor declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975
and was invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later.
It was incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of
East Timor. An unsuccessful campaign of pacification followed over
the next two decades, during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000
individuals lost their lives. On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervised
popular referendum, an overwhelming majority of the people of East
Timor voted for independence from Indonesia. Between the referendum
and the arrival of a multinational peacekeeping force in late
September 1999, anti-independence Timorese militias - organized and
supported by the Indonesian military - commenced a large-scale,
scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killed
approximately 1,300 Timorese and forcibly pushed 300,000 people into
West Timor as refugees. The majority of the country's
infrastructure, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply
systems, and schools, and nearly 100% of the country's electrical
grid were destroyed. On 20 September 1999 the Australian-led
peacekeeping troops of the International Force for East Timor
(INTERFET) deployed to the country and brought the violence to an
end. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as an
independent state.

Ecuador
The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries
that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others
being Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost
territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border
war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although
Ecuador marked 25 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period
has been marred by political instability. Nine presidents have
governed Ecuador since 1996.

Egypt
The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood,
coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and
west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great
civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C. and a series
of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last
native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were
replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who
introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who
ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the
Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the
conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the
completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important
world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt.
Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of
Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman
Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in
1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. The
completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake
Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the
agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the
largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on
the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The
government has struggled to ready the economy for the new millennium
through economic reform and massive investment in communications and
physical infrastructure.

El Salvador
El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and
from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war,
which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when
the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for
military and political reforms.

Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968
after 190 years of Spanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a
mainland portion plus five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest
on the African continent. President OBIANG NGUEM MBASOGO has ruled
the country for over two decades since seizing power from his uncle,
then President MACIAS, in a 1979 coup. Although nominally a
constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002 presidential
elections - as well as the 1999 legislative elections - were widely
seen as being flawed. The president controls most opposition parties
through the judicious use of patronage. Despite the country's
economic windfall from oil production resulting in a massive
increase in government revenue in recent years, there have been few
improvements in the country's living standards.

Eritrea
Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a
federation. Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years
later sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991
with Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was
overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two-and-a-half-year
border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN
auspices on 12 December 2000. Eritrea currently hosts a UN
peacekeeping operation that is monitoring a 25 km-wide Temporary
Security Zone on the border with Ethiopia. An international
commission, organized to resolve the border dispute, posted its
findings in 2002 but final demarcation is on hold due to Ethiopian
objections.

Estonia
After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian
rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated
into the USSR in 1940, it regained its freedom in 1991, with the
collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in
1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties
with Western Europe. It joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of
2004.

Ethiopia
Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian
monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule, one exception
being the Italian occupation of 1936-41. In 1974 a military junta,
the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930)
and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings,
wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was
finally toppled by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian
People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), in 1991. A
constitution was adopted in 1994 and Ethiopia's first multiparty
elections were held in 1995. A two and a half year border war with
Eritrea ended with a peace treaty on 12 December 2000. Final
demarcation of the boundary is currently on hold due to Ethiopian
objections to an international commission's finding requiring it to
surrender sensitive territory.

Europa Island
A French possession since 1897, the island is heavily
wooded; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a
weather station.

European Union

Following the two devastating World Wars of the first half of the 20th century, a number of European leaders in the late 1940s became convinced that the only way to establish a lasting peace was to unite the two chief belligerent nations - France and Germany - both economically and politically. In 1950, the French Foreign Minister Robert SCHUMAN proposed an eventual union of all of Europe, the first step of which would be the integration of the coal and steel industries of Western Europe. The following year the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six members, Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, signed the Treaty of Paris.

The ECSC was so successful that within a few years the decision was made to integrate other parts of the countries' economies. In 1957, the Treaties of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM), and the six member states undertook to eliminate trade barriers among themselves by forming a common market. In 1967, the institutions of all three communities were formally merged into the European Community (EC), creating a single Commission, a single Council of Ministers, and the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament were initially selected by national parliaments, but in 1979 the first direct elections were undertaken and they have been held every five years since.

In 1973, the first enlargement of the EC took place with the addition of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The 1980s saw further membership expansion with Greece joining in 1981 and Spain and Portugal in 1986. The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht laid the basis for further forms of cooperation in foreign and defense policy, in judicial and internal affairs, and in the creation of an economic and monetary union - including a common currency. This further integration created the European Union (EU). In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined to the EU, raising the membership total to 15.

A new currency, the euro, was launched in world money markets on 1 January 1999; it became the unit of exchange for all of the EU states except Great Britain, Sweden, and Denmark. In 2002, citizens of the 12 euro-area countries began using euro banknotes and coins. Ten new countries joined the EU in 2004 - Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia - bringing the current membership to 25. In order to ensure that the EU can continue to function efficiently with an expanded membership, the 2003 Treaty of Nice set forth rules streamlining the size and procedures of EU institutions. An EU Constitutional Treaty, signed in Rome on 29 October 2004, gives member states two years to ratify the document before it is scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006.

Despite the expansion of membership and functions, "Eurosceptics" in various countries have raised questions about the erosion of national cultures and the imposition of a flood of regulations from the EU capital in Brussels. Failure by member states to ratify the constitution or the inability of newcomer countries to meet euro currency standards might force a loosening of some EU agreements and perhaps lead to several levels of EU participation. These "tiers" might eventually range from an "inner" core of politically integrated countries to a looser "outer" economic association of members.

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Although first sighted by an
English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur
until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement
(French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over
to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject
of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then
between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the
islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina
invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an
expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce
fighting forced Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982.

Faroe Islands
The population of the Faroe Islands is largely
descended from Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The
islands have been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th
century. A high degree of self-government was attained in 1948.

Fiji
Fiji became independent in 1970, after nearly a century as a
British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military
coups in 1987, caused by concern over a government perceived as
dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers
brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). A 1990
constitution favored native Melanesian control of Fiji, but led to
heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic
difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority.
Amendments enacted in 1997 made the constitution more equitable.
Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by
an Indo-Fijian, but a coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period
of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001
provided Fiji with a democratically elected government and gave a
mandate to the government of Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE.

Finland
Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden
from the 12th to the 19th centuries and an autonomous grand duchy of
Russia after 1809. It won its complete independence in 1917. During
World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and
resist invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of
territory. In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a
remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a
diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now on
par with Western Europe. As a member of the European Union, Finland
was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation
in January 1999.

France
Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France
suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank
as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the
most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European
nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy
resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary
democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation
with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of
Europe, including the introduction of a common exchange currency,
the euro, in January 1999. At present, France is at the forefront of
efforts to develop the EU's military capabilities to supplement
progress toward an EU foreign policy.

French Guiana
First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was
the site of notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European
Space Agency launches its communication satellites from Kourou.

French Polynesia
The French annexed various Polynesian island groups
during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up
widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll
after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January
1996.

French Southern and Antarctic Lands The Southern Lands consist of two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna. The Antarctic portion consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840.

Gabon
Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since
independence from France in 1960. Gabon's current President, El Hadj
Omar BONGO - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world
- has dominated Gabon's political scene for almost four decades.
President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new
constitution in the early 1990s. However, the low turnout and
allegations of electoral fraud during the most recent local
elections in 2002-03 have exposed the weaknesses of formal political
structures in Gabon. In addition, recent strikes have underscored
the popular disenchantment with the political system. Presidential
elections scheduled for 2005 are unlikely to bring change since the
opposition remains weak, divided, and financially dependent on the
current regime. Despite political conditions, a small population,
abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have
helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous and stable African
countries.

Gambia, The
The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965;
it formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia with Senegal
between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship
and cooperation treaty. A military coup in 1994 overthrew the
president and banned political activity, but a 1996 constitution and
presidential elections, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997,
completed a nominal return to civilian rule. The country undertook
another round of presidential and legislative elections in late 2001
and early 2002. Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH, the leader of the coup, has
been elected president in all subsequent elections.

Gaza Strip
The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim
Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13
September 1993, provided for a transitional period not exceeding
five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip
and the West Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain
powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which
includes the Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January
1996, as part of the interim self-governing arrangements in the West
Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for
the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4
May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and
in additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28
September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997
Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23
October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm
el-Sheikh Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain
responsibility during the transitional period for external and
internal security and for public order of settlements and Israeli
citizens. Direct negotiations to determine the permanent status of
Gaza and West Bank that began in September 1999 after a three-year
hiatus, were derailed by a second intifadah that broke out in
September 2000. The resulting widespread violence in the West Bank
and Gaza Strip, Israel's military response, and instability within
the Palestinian Authority continue to undermine progress toward a
permanent agreement. Following the death of longtime Palestinian
leader Yasir ARAFAT in November 2004, the election of his successor
Mahmud ABBAS in January 2005 could bring a turning point in the
conflict.

Georgia
The region of present-day Georgia contained the ancient
kingdoms of Colchis and Kartli-Iberia. The area came under Roman
influence in the first centuries AD and Christianity became the
state religion in the 330s. Domination by Persians, Arabs, and Turks
was followed by a Georgian golden age (11th to the 13th centuries)
that was cut short by the Mongol invasion of 1236. Subsequently, the
Ottoman and Persian empires competed for influence in the region.
Georgia was absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th century.
Independent for three years (1918-1921) following the Russian
revolution, it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR until the
Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Despite myriad problems, some
progress on market reforms and democratization has been made since
then. An attempt by the government to manipulate legislative
elections in November 2003 touched off widespread protests that led
to the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, president since 1995. New
elections in early 2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI into power along
with his National Movement Party.

Germany
As Europe's largest economy and most populous nation,
Germany remains a key member of the continent's economic, political,
and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany
in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century
and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the
US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the
Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal
Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic
(GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic
and security organizations, the EC, which became the EU, and NATO,
while the Communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led
Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War
allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then, Germany has
expended considerable funds to bring Eastern productivity and wages
up to Western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU
countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro.

Ghana
Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast
and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first
sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A
long series of coups resulted in the suspension of the constitution
in 1981 and the banning of political parties. A new constitution,
restoring multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry
RAWLINGS, head of state since 1981, won presidential elections in
1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a
third term in 2000. He was succeeded by John KUFUOR, who defeated
former Vice President Atta MILLS in a free and fair election.

Gibraltar
Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great
Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison
was formally declared a colony in 1830. In referendums held in 1967
and 2002, Gibraltarians ignored Spanish pressure and voted
overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency.

Glorioso Islands
A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso
Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile
Glorieuse and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison
operates a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse.

Greece
Greece achieved its independence from the Ottoman Empire in
1829. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half
of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and
territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II,
Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied
by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war
between royalist supporters of the king and communist rebels.
Following the latter's defeat in 1949, Greece was able to join NATO
in 1952. A military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many
political liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted
seven years. The 1974 democratic elections and a referendum created
a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy. Greece joined
the European Community or EC in 1981 (which became the EU in 1992);
it became the 12th member of the euro zone in 2001.

Greenland
The world's largest island, Greenland is about 81%
ice-capped. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from
Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century and Greenland
was made an integral part of Denmark in 1953. It joined the European
Community (now the European Union) with Denmark in 1973 but withdrew
in 1985 over a dispute over stringent fishing quotas. Greenland was
granted self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament. The law
went into effect the following year. Denmark continues to exercise
control of Greenland's foreign affairs.

Grenada
One of the smallest independent countries in the western
hemisphere, Grenada was seized by a Marxist military council on 19
October 1983. Six days later the island was invaded by US forces and
those of six other Caribbean nations, which quickly captured the
ringleaders and their hundreds of Cuban advisers. Free elections
were reinstituted the following year.

Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe has been a French possession since 1635. The
island of Saint Martin is shared with the Netherlands; its southern
portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands
Antilles and its northern portion is named Saint-Martin and is part
of Guadeloupe

Guam
Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by the
Japanese in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The
military installation on the island is one of the most strategically
important US bases in the Pacific.

Guatemala
The Maya civilization flourished in Guatemala and
surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost
three centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence
in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced
a variety of military and civilian governments as well as a 36-year
guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement
formally ending the conflict, which had led to the death of more
than 100,000 people and had created some 1 million refugees.

Guernsey
The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands
represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy,
which held sway in both France and England. The islands were the
only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II.

Guinea
Guinea has had only two presidents since gaining its
independence from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in
1984, when the military seized the government after the death of the
first president Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic
elections until 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military
government) was elected president of the civilian government. He was
reelected in 1998 and again in 2003. Unrest in Sierra Leone and
Liberia has spilled over into Guinea on several occasions over the
past decade, threatening stability and creating humanitarian
emergencies.

Guinea-Bissau
Since independence from Portugal in 1974,
Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable upheaval. The founding
government consisted of a single party system and command economy.
In 1980, a military coup established Joao VIEIRA as president and a
path to a market economy and multiparty system was implemented. A
number of coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to
unseat him and in 1994 he was elected president in the country's
first free elections. A military coup attempt and civil war in 1998
eventually led to VIERA's ouster in 1999. In February 2000, an
interim government turned over power when opposition leader Kumba
YALA took office following two rounds of transparent presidential
elections. YALA was ousted in a bloodless coup in September 2003,
and Henrique ROSA was sworn in as President. Guinea-Bissau's
transition back to democracy will be complicated by its crippled
economy, devastated in the civil war.

Guyana
Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana
had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to
black settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured
servants from India to work the sugar plantations. This
ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent
politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, but
until the early 1990s it was ruled mostly by socialist-oriented
governments. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was elected president, in what is
considered the country's first free and fair election since
independence. Upon his death five years later, he was succeeded by
his wife Janet, who resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her
successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001.

Haiti
The native Arawak Amerindians - who inhabited the island of
Hispaniola when it was discovered by Columbus in 1492 - were
virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the
early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola,
and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the
island - Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and
sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the
Caribbean, but only through the heavy importation of African slaves
and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18th
century, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint
L'OUVERTURE and after a prolonged struggle, became the first black
republic to declare its independence in 1804. Haiti has been plagued
by political violence for most of its history. It is the poorest
country in the Western Hemisphere.

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
These uninhabited, barren,
sub-Antarctic islands were transferred from the UK to Australia in
1947. Populated by large numbers of seal and bird species, the
islands have been designated a nature preserve.

Holy See (Vatican City)
Popes in their secular role ruled portions
of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the
mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the
newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were
further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between
a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by
three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of
Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy.
In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain
of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman
Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the
Holy See include religious freedom, international development, the
Middle East, terrorism, the failing health of Pope JOHN PAUL II,
interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of
church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1
billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith.

Honduras
Part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras
became an independent nation in 1821. After two and one-half decades
of mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came
to power in 1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for
anti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government
and an ally to Salvadoran Government forces fighting against leftist
guerrillas. The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998,
which killed about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion
in damage.

Hong Kong
Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded
by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later
in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and
the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this
agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two
systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be
imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of
autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the
next 50 years.

Howland Island
Discovered by the US early in the 19th century, the
island was officially claimed by the US in 1857. Both US and British
companies mined for guano until about 1890. Earhart Light is a day
beacon near the middle of the west coast that was partially
destroyed during World War II, but has since been rebuilt; it is
named in memory of the famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART. The island is
administered by the US Department of the Interior as a National
Wildlife Refuge.

Hungary
Hungary was part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire,
which collapsed during World War I. The country fell under Communist
rule following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and announced
withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military
intervention by Moscow. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968,
Hungary began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called
"goulash Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in
1990 and initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and
the EU in 2004.

Iceland
Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish)
immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland
boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the
Althing, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland
was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja
volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused
widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the
island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Limited
home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete independence
attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, income, and social cohesion
are first-rate by world standards.

India
The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world,
dates back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest
invaded about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier inhabitants
created the classical Indian culture. Arab incursions starting in
the 8th century and Turkish in the 12th were followed by European
traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century,
Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands.
Indian armed forces in the British army played a vital role in both
World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism under
Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU led to independence in 1947.
The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the
smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two
countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate
nation of Bangladesh. Fundamental concerns in India include the
ongoing dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, massive overpopulation,
environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic and
religious strife, all this despite impressive gains in economic
investment and output.

Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's
five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger
than the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important
access waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb
(Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of
Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia). The decision by the International
Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth
ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean
south of 60 degrees south.

Indonesia
The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th
century; the islands were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945.
Indonesia declared its independence after Japan's surrender, but it
required four years of intermittent negotiations, recurring
hostilities, and UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to
relinquish its colony. Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic
state. Current issues include: alleviating widespread poverty,
preventing terrorism, continuing the transition to popularly-elected
governments after four decades of authoritarianism, implementing
reforms of the banking sector, addressing charges of cronyism and
corruption, holding the military and police accountable for human
rights violations, and resolving armed separatist movements in Aceh
and Papua.

Iran
Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in
1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and the shah was
forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces established a
theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority
nominally vested in a learned religious scholar. Iranian-US
relations have been strained since a group of Iranian students
seized the US Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held it until
20 January 1981. During 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive
war with Iraq that eventually expanded into the Persian Gulf and led
to clashes between US Navy and Iranian military forces between
1987-1988. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism for
its activities in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains
subject to US economic sanctions and export controls because of its
continued involvement. Following the elections of a reformist
President and Majlis in the late 1990s, attempts to foster political
reform in response to popular dissatisfaction have floundered as
conservative politicians have prevented reform measures from being
enacted, increased repressive measures, and consolidated their
control over the government.

Iraq
Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by
Britain during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a
League of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over
the next dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in
1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series
of military strongmen ruled the country, the latest was SADDAM
Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and
costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait,
but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during the Gulf War
of January-February 1991. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN
Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass
destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification
inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions
over a period of 12 years resulted in the US-led invasion of Iraq in
March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime. Coalition
forces remain in Iraq, helping to restore degraded infrastructure
and facilitating the establishment of a freely elected government,
while simultaneously dealing with a robust insurgency. The Coalition
Provisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim
Government (IG) in June 2004 and the election of its president,
Ghazi al-Ujayl al-YAWR, was held in January 2005.

Ireland
Celtic tribes settled on the island from 600-150 B.C.
Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were
finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014.
English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than
seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions
and harsh repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched
off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in
independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern
(Ulster) counties remained part of the United Kingdom. In 1948
Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the
European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the
peaceful unification of Ireland and have cooperated with Britain
against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland,
known as the Good Friday Agreement and approved in 1998, is being
implemented with some difficulties.

Israel
Following World War II, the British withdrew from their
mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and
Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently,
the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending
the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories occupied by
Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country
profile, unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew
from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty.
Israel and Palestinian officials signed on 13 September 1993 a
Declaration of Principles (also known as the "Oslo accords") guiding
an interim period of Palestinian self-rule. Outstanding territorial
and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994
Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In addition, on 25 May 2000, Israel
withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied
since 1982. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid
Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations were conducted
between Israel and Palestinian representatives and Syria to achieve
a permanent settlement. On 24 June 2002, US President BUSH laid out
a "road map" for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which
envisions a two-state solution. However, progress toward a permanent
status agreement has been undermined by Palestinian-Israeli violence
ongoing since September 2000. The conflict may have reached a
turning point with the election in January 2005 of Mahmud ABBAS as
the new Palestinian leader following the November 2004 death of
Yasir ARAFAT.

Italy
Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-states of
the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under
King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to
a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a
Fascist dictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led
to Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced
the monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a
charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It
has been at the forefront of European economic and political
unification, joining the European Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent
problems include illegal immigration, organized crime, corruption,
high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the low incomes and
technical standards of southern Italy compared with the prosperous
north.

Jamaica
Jamaica gained full independence within the British
Commonwealth in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the
1970s led to recurrent violence and a drop off in tourism. Elections
in 1980 saw the democratic socialists voted out of office. Political
violence marred elections during the 1990s.

Jan Mayen
This desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch
whaling captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier
claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters
and trappers over the following centuries, the island came under
Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VII
Toppen/Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the
northernmost active volcano on earth.

Japan
In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered
in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to
secure its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy
stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Following the
Treaty of Kanagawa with the United States in 1854, Japan opened its
ports and began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During
the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional
power that was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia.
It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island.
In 1933 Japan occupied Manchuria and in 1937 it launched a
full-scale invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces in 1941 -
triggering America's entry into World War II - and soon occupied
much of East and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II,
Japan recovered to become an economic power and a staunch ally of
the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national
unity, actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians,
bureaucrats, and business executives. The economy experienced a
major slowdown starting in the 1990s following three decades of
unprecedented growth, but Japan still remains a major economic
power, both in Asia and globally. In 2005, Japan began a two-year
term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Jarvis Island
First discovered by the British in 1821, the
uninhabited island was annexed by the US in 1858, but abandoned in
1879 after tons of guano had been removed. The UK annexed the island
in 1889, but never carried out plans for further exploitation. The
US occupied and reclaimed the island in 1935. Abandoned after World
War II, the island is currently a National Wildlife Refuge
administered by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is
situated near the middle of the west coast.

Jersey
The island of Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent
the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy that held sway
in both France and England. These islands were the only British soil
occupied by German troops in World War II.

Johnston Atoll
Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed
Johnston Atoll in 1858, but it was the US that mined the guano
deposits until the late 1880s. Johnston and Sand Islands were
designated wildlife refuges in 1926. The US Navy took over the atoll
in 1934, and subsequently the US Air Force assumed control in 1948.
The site was used for high-altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and
1960s, and until late in 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage
and disposal site for chemical weapons. Munitions destruction is now
complete. Cleanup and closure of the facility is progressing, with
completion anticipated in 2004.

Jordan
For most of its history since independence from British
administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-99).
A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing pressures
from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states,
Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, despite several
wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he reinstituted parliamentary
elections and gradual political liberalization; in 1994 he signed a
formal peace treaty with Israel. King ABDALLAH II - the eldest son
of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne following his
father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his
power and undertaken an aggressive economic reform program. Jordan
acceded to the World Trade Organization in 2000, and began to
participate in the European Free Trade Association in 2001. After a
two-year delay, parliamentary and municipal elections took place in
the summer of 2003. The Prime Minister and government appointed in
October 2004 declared their commitment to accelerated economic and
political reforms and the new cabinet includes an unprecedented four
women as ministers.

Juan de Nova Island
Named after a famous 15th century Spanish
navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession
since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate.
Presently a small military garrison oversees a meteorological
station.

Kazakhstan
Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes
who migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united
as a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th
century and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. During the
1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens
were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures.
This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some other
deported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled
non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence in 1991 caused many
of these newcomers to emigrate. Current issues include: developing a
cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the
country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets;
achieving a sustainable economic growth outside the oil, gas, and
mining sectors; and strengthening relations with neighboring states
and other foreign powers.

Kenya
Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA
led Kenya from independence until his death in 1978, when President
Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession.
The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982 when
the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) made itself the sole
legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and external pressure
for political liberalization in late 1991. The ethnically fractured
opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power in elections in 1992
and 1997, which were marred by violence and fraud, but are viewed as
having generally reflected the will of the Kenyan people. President
MOI stepped down in December of 2002 following fair and peaceful
elections. Mwai KIBAKI, running as the candidate of the multiethnic,
united opposition group, the National Rainbow Coalition, defeated
KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA and assumed the presidency following a
campaign centered on an anticorruption platform.

Kingman Reef
The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon
served as a way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa
flights during the late 1930s. There are no terrestrial plants on
the reef, which is frequently awash, but it does support abundant
and diverse marine fauna and flora. In 2001, the waters surrounding
the reef out to 12 nm around the reef were designated a US National
Wildlife Refuge.

Kiribati
The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in
1971 and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of
Kiribati. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited
Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with
Kiribati.

Korea, North
An independent kingdom under Chinese suzerainty for
most of the past millennium, Korea was occupied by Japan in 1905
following the Russo-Japanese War; five years later, Japan formally
annexed the entire peninsula. Following World War II, Korea was
split, with the northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored
Communist domination. After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to
conquer the US-backed republic in the southern portion by force,
North Korea under its founder President KIM Il Sung adopted a policy
of ostensible diplomatic and economic "self-reliance" as a check
against excessive Soviet or Communist Chinese influence and molded
political, economic, and military policies around the core
ideological objective of eventual unification of Korea under
Pyongyang's control. KIM's son, the current ruler KIM Jong Il, was
officially designated as KIM's future successor in 1980 and assumed
a growing political and managerial role until his father's death in
1994, when he assumed full power without opposition. After decades
of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation, the North
since the mid-1990s has relied heavily on international food aid to
feed its population while continuing to expend resources to maintain
an army of about 1 million. North Korea's long-range missile
development and research into nuclear, chemical, and biological
weapons and massive conventional armed forces are of major concern
to the international community. In December 2002, following
revelations it was pursuing a nuclear weapons program based on
enriched uranium in violation of a 1994 agreement with the United
States to freeze and ultimately dismantle its existing
plutonium-based program, North Korea expelled monitors from the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and in January 2003
declared its withdrawal from the international Non-Proliferation
Treaty. In mid-2003 Pyongyang announced it had completed the
reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel rods (to extract weapons-grade
plutonium) and was developing a "nuclear deterrent." Since August
2003 North Korea has participated in six-party talks with the United
States, China, South Korea, Japan, and Russia to resolve the
stalemate over its nuclear programs.

Korea, South
Korea was an independent kingdom under Chinese
suzerainty for most of the past millennium. Following its victory in
the Russo-Japanese War in 1905, Japan occupied Korea; five years
later it formally annexed the entire peninsula. After World War II,
a republic was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula
while a Communist-style government was installed in the north.
During the Korean War (1950-1953), US and other UN forces intervened
to defend South Korea from North Korean attacks supported by the
Chinese. An armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula
along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter,
South Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income
rising to roughly 18 times the level of North Korea. In 1987, South
Korean voters elected ROH Tae-woo to the presidency, ending 26 years
of military dictatorships. South Korea today is a fully functioning
modern democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit
took place between the South's President KIM Tae-chung and the
North's leader KIM Jong Il.

Kuwait
Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling
Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961.
Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following
several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a
ground assault on 23 February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four
days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure
damaged during 1990-91.

Kyrgyzstan
A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and
proud nomadic traditions, Kyrgyzstan was annexed by Russia in 1864;
it achieved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Current
concerns include: privatization of state-owned enterprises,
expansion of democracy and political freedoms, interethnic
relations, and combating terrorism.

Laos
Laos was under the control of Siam (Thailand) from the late
18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of
French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the
current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao
took control of the government, ending a six-century-old monarchy.
Initial closer ties to Vietnam and socialization were replaced with
a gradual return to private enterprise, a liberalization of foreign
investment laws, and the admission into ASEAN in 1997.

Latvia
After a brief period of independence between the two World
Wars, Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It reestablished its
independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the
Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to
Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Lebanon
Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political
institutions since 1991 and the end of the devastating 15-year civil
war. Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national
reconciliation - the Lebanese have established a more equitable
political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater say in
the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divisions
in the government. Since the end of the war, the Lebanese have
conducted several successful elections, most of the militias have
been weakened or disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have
extended central government authority over about two-thirds of the
country. Hizballah, a radical Shia organization, retains its
weapons. Syria maintains about 16,000 troops in Lebanon, based
mainly east of Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Syria's troop
deployment was legitimized by the Arab League during Lebanon's civil
war and in the Ta'if Accord. Damascus justifies its continued
military presence in Lebanon by citing Beirut's requests and the
failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the
constitutional reforms in the Ta'if Accord. Israel's withdrawal from
southern Lebanon in May 2000, however, encouraged some Lebanese
groups to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as well. The passage
of UNSCR 1559 in early October 2004 - a resolution calling for Syria
to withdraw from Lebanon and end its interference in Lebanese
affairs - further emboldened Lebanese groups opposed to Syria's
presence in Lebanon.

Lesotho
Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon
independence from the UK in 1966. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in
1990. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 23 years
of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny
following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody South
African military intervention. Constitutional reforms have since
restored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections were
held in 2002.

Liberia
In August 2003, a comprehensive peace agreement ended 14
years of civil war and prompted the resignation of former president
Charles TAYLOR, who was exiled to Nigeria. The National Transitional
Government of Liberia (NTGL) - which is composed of rebel,
government, and civil society groups - assumed control in October
2003. Chairman Gyude BRYANT, who was given a two-year mandate to
oversee efforts to rebuild Liberia, heads the new government. The
United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which maintains a strong
presence throughout the country, completed a disarmament program for
former combatants in late 2004, but the security situation is still
volatile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic
structure of this war-torn country remains sluggish.

Libya
From the earliest days of his rule following his 1969 military
coup, Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI has espoused his own
political system, the Third Universal Theory. The system is a
combination of socialism and Islam derived in part from tribal
practices and is supposed to be implemented by the Libyan people
themselves in a unique form of "direct democracy." QADHAFI has
always seen himself as a revolutionary and visionary leader. He used
oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside
Libya, supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the
end of Marxism and capitalism. In addition, beginning in 1973, he
engaged in military operations in northern Chad's Aozou Strip - to
gain access to minerals and to use as a base of influence in Chadian
politics - but was forced to retreat in 1987. UN sanctions in 1992
isolated QADHAFI politically following the downing of Pan AM Flight
103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Libyan support for terrorism appears
to have decreased after the sanction imposition. During the 1990s,
QADHAFI also began to rebuild his relationships with Europe. UN
sanctions were suspended in April 1999 and finally lifted in
September 2003 after Libya resolved the Lockerbie case. In December
2003, Libya announced that it had agreed to reveal and end its
programs to develop weapons of mass destruction, and QADHAFI has
made significant strides in normalizing relations with western
nations since then. He has received various Western European leaders
as well as many working-level and commercial delegations, and made
his first trip to Western Europe in 15 years when he traveled to
Brussels in April 2004. QADHAFI also finally resolved in 2004
several outstanding cases against his government for terrorist
activities in the 1980s by paying compensation to the families of
victims of the UTA and La Belle disco bombings.

Liechtenstein
The Principality of Liechtenstein was established
within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in
1806. Until the end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria,
but the economic devastation caused by that conflict forced
Liechtenstein to enter into a customs and monetary union with
Switzerland. Since World War II (in which Liechtenstein remained
neutral), the country's low taxes have spurred outstanding economic
growth. Shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight have resulted
in concerns about the use of the financial institutions for money
laundering. Liechtenstein has, however, implemented new
anti-money-laundering legislation and recently concluded a Mutual
Legal Assistance Treaty with the US.

Lithuania
Independent between the two World Wars, Lithuania was
annexed by the USSR in 1940. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the
first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but
Moscow did not recognize this proclamation until September of 1991
(following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops
withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently restructured its economy
for integration into Western European institutions; it joined both
NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Luxembourg
Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815
and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than
half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger
measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun
by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when
it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO
the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six
founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the
European Union), and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area.

Macau
Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the
first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement
signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the
Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December
1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems"
formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in
Macau, and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all
matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.

Macedonia
International recognition of Macedonia's independence from
Yugoslavia in 1991 was delayed by Greece's objection to the new
state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols.
Greece finally lifted its trade blockade in 1995 and the two
countries agreed to normalize relations, although differences over
Macedonia's name remain. The undetermined status of neighboring
Kosovo, implementation of the Framework Agreement - which ended the
2001 ethnic Albanian armed insurgency - and a weak economy continue
to be challenges for Macedonia.

Madagascar
Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a
French colony in 1896, but regained its independence in 1960. During
1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were
held, ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second
presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and
1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential
election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and
Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country.
In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA
the winner.

Malawi
Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland
became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades
of one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country
held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution,
which came into full effect the following year. Current President
Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in May 2004 after the previous president
was unable to amend the constitution to permit another term, has
struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor, who still
leads their shared political party. MATHARIKA's anti-corruption
efforts have led to several high-level arrests but no convictions.
Increasing corruption, population growth, increasing pressure on
agricultural lands, and HIV/AIDS pose major problems for the country.

Malaysia
During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain
established colonies and protectorates in the area of current
Malaysia; these were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948,
the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula formed the
Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was
formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore and the
East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of
Borneo joined the Federation. The first several years of the
country's history were marred by Indonesian efforts to control
Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's secession from
the Federation in 1965.

Maldives
The Maldives were long a sultanate, first under Dutch and
then under British protection. They became a republic in 1968, three
years after independence. Since 1978, President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM
- currently in his sixth term in office - has dominated the island's
political scene. Following riots in the capital Male in August 2004,
the president and his government have pledged to embark upon
democratic reforms, including a more representative political system
and expanded political freedoms. Tourism and fishing are being
developed on the archipelago.

Mali
The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France
in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a
few months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed
Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 with a
transitional government and in 1992 when Mali's first democratic
presidential election was held. After his reelection in 1997,
President Alpha KONARE continued to push through political and
economic reforms and to fight corruption. In keeping with Mali's
two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was
succeeded by Amadou TOURE.

Malta
Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814.
The island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and
remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A
decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the
island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a
financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU
member in May of 2004.

Man, Isle of
Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the
13th century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the
British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost
extinct Manx Gaelic language.

Marshall Islands
After almost four decades under US administration
as the easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific
Islands, the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a
Compact of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a
result of US nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and
1962. The Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA)
Reagan Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile
defense network.

Martinique
Colonized by France in 1635, the island has subsequently
remained a French possession except for three brief periods of
foreign occupation.

Mauritania
Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the
southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in
1976, but relinquished it after three years of raids by the
Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory.
Opposition parties were legalized and a new constitution approved in
1991. Two multiparty presidential elections since then were widely
seen as flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections
were generally free and open. Mauritania remains, in reality, a
one-party state. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions
between its black population and the dominant Moor (Arab-Berber)
populace.

Mauritius
Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, Mauritius was
subsequently held by the Dutch, French, and British before
independence was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular
free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has
attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of
Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and
declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth, leading to some
protests over standards of living in the Creole community.

Mayotte
Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of
the Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago
that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego
independence.

Mexico
The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came
under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence
early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994
threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession
in over half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive
recovery. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real
wages, underemployment for a large segment of the population,
inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities
for the largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern
states. Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time since the
1910 Mexican Revolution that the opposition defeated the party in
government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Vicente FOX
of the National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in on 1 December 2000
as the first chief executive elected in free and fair elections.

Micronesia, Federated States of
In 1979 the Federated States of
Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a
constitution. In 1986 independence was attained under a Compact of
Free Association with the US, which was amended and renewed in 2003.
Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and
overdependence on US aid.

Midway Islands
The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867.
The laying of the trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the
islands, brought the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947,
Midway was used as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The
US naval victory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of
the turning points of World War II. The islands continued to serve
as a naval station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a
national wildlife refuge. From 1996 to 2001 the refuge was open to
the public; it is now temporarily closed.

Moldova
Formerly part of Romania, Moldova was incorporated into the
Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from
the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan
territory east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority
population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a
"Transnistria" republic. The poorest nation in Europe, Moldova
became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its
president in 2001.

Monaco
Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century
with a railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since
then, the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and
gambling facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and
recreation center.

Mongolia
The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under
Chinggis KHAN they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After his death
the empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but
these broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually
retired to their original steppe homelands and later came under
Chinese rule. Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet
backing. A Communist regime was installed in 1924. During the early
1990s, the ex-Communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party
(MPRP) gradually yielded its monopoly on power to the Democratic
Union Coalition (DUC), which defeated the MPRP in a national
election in 1996. Since then, parliamentary elections returned the
MPRP overwhelmingly to power in 2000 and produced a coalition
government in 2004.

Montserrat
Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the
population fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere
Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995.

Morocco
Morocco's long struggle for independence from France ended
in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier was turned over to
the new country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western
Sahara during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of
the territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the
1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature in
1997. Parliamentary elections were held for the second time in
September 2002 and municipal elections were held in September 2003.

Mozambique
Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a
close with independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by whites,
economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a
prolonged civil war hindered the country's development. The ruling
Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) party formally
abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the following year
provided for multiparty elections and a free market economy. A
UN-negotiated peace agreement between FRELIMO and rebel Mozambique
National Resistance (RENAMO) forces ended the fighting in 1992. In
December 2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim
CHISSANO steped down after 18 years in office. His newly elected
successor, Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, has promised to continue the
sound economic policies that have encouraged foreign investment.

Namibia
South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa
during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after
World War II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist
South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group
launched a war of independence for the area that was soon named
Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end
its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire
region. Namibia won its independence in 1990 and has been governed
by SWAPO since. Hifikepunye POHAMBA was elected president in
November 2004 in a landslide victory replacing Sam NUJOMA who led
the country during its first 14 years of self rule.

Nauru
Nauru's phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th
century by a German-British consortium; the island was occupied by
Australian forces in World War I. Nauru achieved independence in
1968 and joined the UN in 1999. Nauru is the world's smallest
independent republic.

Navassa Island
This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857
for its guano. Mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The
lighthouse, built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration
of Navassa Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department
of the Interior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island
described it as a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the
following year it became a National Wildlife Refuge and annual
scientific expeditions have continued.

Nepal
In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of
rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of
government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy
within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist
insurgency, launched in 1996, has gained traction and is threatening
to bring down the regime, especially after a negotiated cease-fire
between the Maoists and government forces broke down in August 2003.
In 2001, the crown prince massacred ten members of the royal family,
including the king and queen, and then took his own life. In October
2002, the new king dismissed the prime minister and his cabinet for
"incompetence" after they dissolved the parliament and were
subsequently unable to hold elections because of the ongoing
insurgency. While stopping short of reestablishing parliament, the
king in June 2004 reinstated the most recently elected Prime
Minister who formed a four-party coalition government, which the
king subsequently tasked with paving the way for elections to be
held in spring of 2005.

Netherlands
The Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In
1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands
remained neutral in World War I, but suffered invasion and
occupation by Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized
nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural
products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now
the EU), and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Netherlands Antilles
Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade,
the island of Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in
1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in
the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to
service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of
Saint Martin is shared with France; its southern portion is named
Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles; its northern
portion is called Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe.

New Caledonia
Settled by both Britain and France during the first
half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in
1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864.
Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s has
dissipated.

New Zealand
The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D.
800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain,
the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen
Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the
British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of
land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native
peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent
dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars.
New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances
lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to
address longstanding Maori grievances.

Nicaragua
The Pacific Coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish
colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from
Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent
republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first
half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region
in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental
manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and
resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist
Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist
rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista
contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990,
1996, and again in 2001 saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country
has slowly rebuilt its economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by
Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

Niger
Not until 1993, 33 years after independence from France, did
Niger hold its first free and open elections. A 1995 peace accord
ended a five-year Tuareg insurgency in the north. Coups in 1996 and
1999 were followed by the creation of a National Reconciliation
Council that effected a transition to civilian rule by December
1999. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with
minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its
resource base. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is
frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region
of Africa.

Nigeria
Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new
constitution was adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to
civilian government was completed. The president faces the daunting
task of rebuilding a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have
been squandered through corruption and mismanagement, and
institutionalizing democracy. In addition, the OBASANJO
administration must defuse longstanding ethnic and religious
tensions, if it is to build a sound foundation for economic growth
and political stability. Despite some irregularities, the April 2003
elections marked the first civilian transfer of power in Nigeria's
history.

Niue
Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic
differences between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest
of the Cook Islands, have caused it to be separately administered.
The population of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200
in 1966 to about 2,100 in 2004), with substantial emigration to New
Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest.

Norfolk Island
Two British attempts at establishing the island as a
penal colony (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In
1856, the island was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of
the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.

Northern Mariana Islands
Under US administration as part of the UN
Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana
Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to
forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status
began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political
union with the US was approved in 1975. A new government and
constitution went into effect in 1978.

Norway
Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off
following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in
994. Conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next
several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with
Denmark that was to last for more than four centuries. In 1814,
Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and
adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to
let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union
under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century
led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Although
Norway remained neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to
its shipping. Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of
World War II, but was nonetheless occupied for five-years by Nazi
Germany (1940-45). In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway
became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters
in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. The current
focus is on containing spending on the extensive welfare system and
planning for the time when petroleum reserves are depleted. In
referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU.

Oman
In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al Said ousted his father and has
ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has
opened the country to the outside world and has preserved a
long-standing political and military relationship with the UK.
Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain
good relations with all Middle Eastern countries.

Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five
oceans (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern
Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways
include the La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and
Torres Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic
Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the
Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60
degrees south.

Pakistan
The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim
state of Pakistan (with two sections West and East) and largely
Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and
Pakistan have fought two wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the
disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in
1971 - in which India capitalized on Islamabad's marginalization of
Bengalis in Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming
the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear
weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. The
dispute over the state of Kashmir is ongoing, but recent discussions
and confidence-building measures may be a start toward lessened
tensions.

Palau
After three decades as part of the UN Trust Territory of the
Pacific under US administration, this westernmost cluster of the
Caroline Islands opted for independence in 1978 rather than join the
Federated States of Micronesia. A Compact of Free Association with
the US was approved in 1986, but not ratified until 1993. It entered
into force the following year, when the islands gained independence.

Palmyra Atoll
The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and
the US included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the
archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not
include Palmyra Atoll, which is now privately owned by the Nature
Conservancy. This organization is managing the atoll as a nature
preserve. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12 nautical
mile US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and
Wildlife Service and were designated a National Wildlife Refuge in
January 2001.

Panama
With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and
promptly signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction
of a canal and US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of
the structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by
the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. On 7 September
1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal
from the US to Panama by the end of 1999. Certain portions of the
Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over
in the intervening years. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was
deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the
Canal, and remaining US military bases were turned over to Panama by
or on 31 December 1999.

Papua New Guinea
The eastern half of the island of New Guinea -
second largest in the world - was divided between Germany (north)
and the UK (south) in 1885. The latter area was transferred to
Australia in 1902, which occupied the northern portion during World
War I and continued to administer the combined areas until
independence in 1975. A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island
of Bougainville ended in 1997 after claiming some 20,000 lives.

Paracel Islands
The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive
fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932,
French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on
Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam.
China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops
seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands.
The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.

Paraguay
In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70),
Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its
territory. It stagnated economically for the next half century. In
the Chaco War of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were
won from Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo
STROESSNER was overthrown in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in
political infighting in recent years, relatively free and regular
presidential elections have been held since then.

Peru
Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean
civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was
captured by the Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence
was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces defeated in 1824.
After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic
leadership in 1980, but experienced economic problems and the growth
of a violent insurgency. President Alberto FUJIMORI's election in
1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the
economy and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity.
Nevertheless, the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian
measures and an economic slump in the late 1990s generated mounting
dissatisfaction with his regime. FUJIMORI won reelection to a third
term in the spring of 2000, but international pressure and
corruption scandals led to his ouster by Congress in November of
that year. A caretaker government oversaw new elections in the
spring of 2001, which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO as the new head of
government; his presidency has been hampered by allegations of
corruption.

Philippines
The Philippine Islands became a Spanish colony during
the 16th century; they were ceded to the US in 1898 following the
Spanish-American War. In 1935 the Philippines became a
self-governing commonwealth. Manuel QUEZON was elected President and
was tasked with preparing the country for independence after a
10-year transition. In 1942 the islands fell under Japanese
occupation during WWII, and US forces and Filipinos fought together
during 1944-45 to regain control. On 4 July 1946 the Philippines
attained their independence. The 21-year rule of Ferdinand MARCOS
ended in 1986, when a widespread popular rebellion forced him into
exile and installed Corazon AQUINO as president. Her presidency was
hampered by several coup attempts, which prevented a return to full
political stability and economic development. Fidel RAMOS was
elected president in 1992 and his administration was marked by
greater stability and progress on economic reforms. In 1992, the US
closed its last military bases on the islands. Joseph ESTRADA was
elected president in 1998, but was succeeded by his vice-president,
Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, in January 2001 after Estrada's stormy
impeachment trial on corruption charges broke down and widespread
demonstrations led to his ouster. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was elected to a
six-year term in May 2004. The Philippine Government faces threats
from armed communist insurgencies and from Muslim separtists in the
south.

Pitcairn Islands
Pitcairn Island was discovered in 1767 by the
British and settled in 1790 by the Bounty mutineers and their
Tahitian companions. Pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become
a British colony (in 1838) and today remains the last vestige of
that empire in the South Pacific. Outmigration, primarily to New
Zealand, has thinned the population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to
less than 50 today.

Poland
Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived around the
middle of the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th
century. During the following century, the strengthening of the
gentry and internal disorders weakened the nation. In a series of
agreements between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria
partitioned Poland amongst themselves. Poland regained its
independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet
Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite state following
the war, but its government was comparatively tolerant and
progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the
independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a
political force and by 1990 had swept parliamentary elections and
the presidency. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s
enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most
robust in Central Europe, but Poland currently suffers low GDP
growth and high unemployment. Solidarity suffered a major defeat in
the 2001 parliamentary elections when it failed to elect a single
deputy to the lower house of Parliament, and the new leaders of the
Solidarity Trade Union subsequently pledged to reduce the Trade
Union's political role. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the European
Union in 2004.

Portugal
Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and
16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the
destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the
Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony.
A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six
decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a
left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The
following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African
colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC
(now the EU) in 1986.

Puerto Rico
Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the
island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Columbus'
second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial
rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and
African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a
result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US
citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since
1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal
self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters
chose to retain commonwealth status.

Qatar
Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar
transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for
pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural
gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari
economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum
revenues by the amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. He was
overthrown by his son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani,
in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its
longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil
and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have one of the highest per
capita incomes in the world.

Reunion
The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in 1513.
From the 17th to the 19th centuries, French immigration,
supplemented by influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar
Indians, gave the island its ethnic mix. The opening of the Suez
Canal in 1869 cost the island its importance as a stopover on the
East Indies trade route.

Romania
The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries
under the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their
autonomy in 1856; they united in 1859 and a few years later adopted
the new name of Romania. The country gained full independence in
1878. It joined the Allied Powers in World War I and acquired new
territories following the conflict. In 1940, it allied with the Axis
powers and participated in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR.
Three years later, overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed an
armistice. The post-war Soviet occupation led to the formation of a
Communist "people's republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the
king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took
power in 1965, and his Securitate police state became increasingly
oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown
and executed in late 1989. Former Communists dominated the
government until 1996, when they were swept from power by a
fractious coalition of centrist parties. In 2000, the center-left
Social Democratic Party (PSD) became Romania's leading party,
governing with the support of the Democratic Union of Hungarians in
Romania (UDMR). The opposition center-right alliance formed by the
National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Party (PD) scored a
surprise victory over the ruling PSD in December 2004 presidential
elections. The PNL-PD alliance maintains a parliamentary majority
with the support of the UDMR, the Humanist Party (PUR), and various
ethnic minority groups. Although Romania completed accession talks
with the European Union (EU) in December 2004, it must continue to
address rampant corruption - while invigorating lagging economic and
democratic reforms - before it can achieve its hope of joining the
EU, tentatively set for 2007. Romania joined NATO in March of 2004.

Russia
Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was
able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th
centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding
principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynasty
continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific.
Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic
Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th
century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia.
Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army in World War I led
to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire and
to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial household. The Communists
under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed the USSR.
The brutal rule of Josef STALIN (1928-53) strengthened Russian
dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of
lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following
decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91)
introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an
attempt to modernize Communism, but his initiatives inadvertently
released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into 15
independent republics. Since then, Russia has struggled in its
efforts to build a democratic political system and market economy to
replace the strict social, political, and economic controls of the
Communist period. While some progress has been made on the economic
front, recent years have seen a recentralization of power under
Vladimir PUTIN and an erosion in nascent democratic institutions. A
determined guerrilla conflict still plagues Russia in Chechnya.

Rwanda
In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the
majority ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king.
Over the next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and
some 150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The
children of these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan
Patriotic Front (RPF), and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along
with several political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic
tensions, culminating in April 1994 in the genocide of roughly
800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the
Hutu regime and ended the killing in July 1994, but approximately 2
million Hutu refugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to
neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and the former Zaire. Since
then, most of the refugees have returned to Rwanda, but about 10,000
that remain in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo have
formed an extremist insurgency bent on retaking Rwanda, much as the
RPF tried in 1990. Despite substantial international assistance and
political reforms - including Rwanda's first local elections in
March 1999 and its first post-genocide presidential and legislative
elections in August and September 2003, respectively - the country
continues to struggle to boost investment and agricultural output,
and ethnic reconciliation is complicated by the real and perceived
Tutsi political dominance. Kigali's increasing centralization and
intolerance of dissent, the nagging Hutu extremist insurgency across
the border, and Rwandan involvement in two wars in recent years in
the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to hinder
Rwanda's efforts to escape its bloody legacy.

Saint Helena
Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in
1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th
century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's
exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a
port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869.
Ascension Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield;
Gough Island has a meteorological station.

Saint Kitts and Nevis
First settled by the British in 1623, the
islands became an associated state with full internal autonomy in
1967. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in
1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998,
a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell
short of the two-thirds majority needed. Nevis is once more trying
to separate from the Saint Kitts.

Saint Lucia
The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries,
was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and
early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally
ceded to the UK in 1814. Self-government was granted in 1967 and
independence in 1979.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
First settled by the French in the early
17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of
France's once vast North American possessions.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Disputed between France and the
United Kingdom in the 18th century, Saint Vincent was ceded to the
latter in 1783. Autonomy was granted in 1969 and independence in
1979.

Samoa
New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa
at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer
the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962,
when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish
independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western"
from its name in 1997.

San Marino
The third smallest state in Europe (after the Holy See
and Monaco) also claims to be the world's oldest republic. According
to tradition, it was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marino
in 301 A.D. San Marino's foreign policy is aligned with that of
Italy. Social and political trends in the republic also track
closely with those of its larger neighbor.

Sao Tome and Principe
Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late
15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee
and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation slave
labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. Although
independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not
instituted until the late 1980s. Though the first free elections
were held in 1991, the political environment has been one of
continued instability with frequent changes in leadership and coup
attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf
of Guinea is likely to have a significant impact on the country's
economy.

Saudi Arabia
In 1902, ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman Al Saud captured
Riyadh and set out on a 30-year campaign to unify the Arabian
Peninsula. Today, the monarchy is ruled by a son of ABD AL-AZIZ, and
the country's Basic Law stipulates that the throne shall remain in
the hands of the aging sons and grandsons of the kingdom's founder.
Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted
the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western
and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait
the following year. The continuing presence of foreign troops on
Saudi soil after Operation Desert Storm remained a source of tension
between the royal family and the public until the US military's
near-complete withdrawal to neighboring Qatar in 2003. The first
major terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia in several years, which
occurred in May and November 2003, prompted renewed efforts on the
part of the Saudi government to counter domestic terrorism and
extremism, which also coincided with a slight upsurge in media
freedom and announcement of government plans to phase in partial
political representation. A burgeoning population, aquifer
depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and
prices are all ongoing governmental concerns.

Senegal
Independent from France in 1960, Senegal joined with The
Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982.
However, the envisaged integration of the two countries was never
carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace
talks, a southern separatist group sporadically has clashed with
government forces since 1982. Senegal has a long history of
participating in international peacekeeping.

Serbia and Montenegro
The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was
formed in 1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929.
Occupation by Nazi Germany in 1941 was resisted by various
paramilitary bands that fought each other as well as the invaders.
The group headed by Marshal TITO took full control upon German
expulsion in 1945. Although Communist, his new government and its
successors (he died in 1980) managed to steer their own path between
the Warsaw Pact nations and the West for the next four and a half
decades. In the early 1990s, post-TITO Yugoslavia began to unravel
along ethnic lines: Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, and Bosnia and
Herzegovina were recognized as independent states in 1992. The
remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new "Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia" (FRY) in April 1992 and, under President
Slobodan MILOSEVIC, Serbia led various military intervention efforts
to unite ethnic Serbs in neighboring republics into a "Greater
Serbia." All of these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful and led
to Yugoslavia being ousted from the UN in 1992. In 1998-99, massive
expulsions by FRY forces and Serb paramilitaries of ethnic Albanians
living in Kosovo provoked an international response, including the
NATO bombing of Serbia and the stationing of a NATO-led force
(KFOR), in Kosovo. Federal elections in the fall of 2000, brought
about the ouster of MILOSEVIC and installed Vojislav KOSTUNICA as
president. The arrest of MILOSEVIC in 2001 allowed for his
subsequent transfer to the International Criminal Tribunal for the
Former Yugoslavia in The Hague to be tried for crimes against
humanity. In 2001, the country's suspension from the UN was lifted,
and it was once more accepted into UN organizations under the name
of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Kosovo has been governed by
the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) since June
1999, under the authority of UN Security Council Resolution 1244,
pending a determination by the international community of its future
status. In 2002, the Serbian and Montenegrin components of
Yugoslavia began negotiations to forge a looser relationship. These
talks became a reality in February 2003 when lawmakers restructured
the country into a loose federation of two republics called Serbia
and Montenegro. The Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro
includes a provision that allows either republic to hold a
referendum after three years that would allow for their independence
from the state union.

Seychelles
A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for
the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter.
Independence came in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close
with a new constitution and free elections in 1993. The most recent
presidential elections were held 31 August-2 September 2001.
President RENE, who has served since 1977, was re-elected. On 14
April 2004 RENE stepped down and Vice President James MICHEL was
sworn in as president.

Sierra Leone
The 1991 to 2002 civil war between the government and
the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) resulted in tens of thousands
of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (well
over one-third of the population), many of whom are now refugees in
neighboring countries. With the support of the UN peacekeeping force
and contributions from the World Bank and international community,
demobilization and disarmament of the RUF and Civil Defense Forces
(CDF) combatants has been completed. National elections were held in
May 2002 and the government continues to slowly reestablish its
authority. However, the gradual withdrawal of most UN Mission in
Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) peacekeepers in 2004 and early 2005,
deteriorating political and economic conditions in Guinea, and the
tenuous security situation in neighboring Liberia may present
challenges to the continuation of Sierra Leone's stability.

Singapore
Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819.
It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years
later and became independent. It subsequently became one of the
world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading
links (its port is the world's busiest in terms of tonnage handled)
and with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of
Western Europe.

Slovakia
In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to
form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II,
Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern
Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once
more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate
peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU
in the spring of 2004.

Slovenia
The Slovene lands were part of the Holy Roman Empire and
Austria until 1918 when the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in
forming a new multinational state, renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. After
World War II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia,
which though Communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule.
Dissatisfied with the exercise of power of the majority Serbs, the
Slovenes succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991 after
a short 10-day war. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong
economy, and a stable democracy have assisted in Slovenia's
transformation to a modern state. Slovenia acceded to both NATO and
the EU in the spring of 2004.

Solomon Islands
The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon
Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II
occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and
independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government
malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil
society. In June 2003, Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA sought the
assistance of Australia in reestablishing law and order; the
following month, an Australian-led multinational force arrived to
restore peace and disarm ethnic militias. The Regional Assistance
Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has been very effective in
restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions.

Somalia
The SIAD BARRE regime was ousted in January 1991; turmoil,
factional fighting, and anarchy have followed in the years since. In
May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of
Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal,
Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized
by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence,
aided by the overwhelming dominance of a ruling clan and economic
infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American
military assistance programs. The regions of Bari and Nugaal and
northern Mudug comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state
of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998, but does not
aim at independence; it has also made strides towards reconstructing
a legitimate, representative government, but has suffered some civil
strife. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it also
claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a
two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to
alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995,
having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been
restored. The mandate of the Transitional National Government (TNG),
created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti, expired in August 2003.
New Somali President Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed has formed a new
Transitional Federal Government (TFG) consisting of a 275-member
parliament. It was established in October 2004 to replace the TNG
but has not yet moved to Mogadishu. Discussions regarding the
establishment of a new government in Mogadishu are ongoing in Kenya.
Numerous warlords and factions are still fighting for control of the
capital city as well as for other southern regions. Suspicion of
Somali links with global terrorism further complicates the picture.

South Africa
After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in
1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found
their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold
(1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the
subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British
encroachments, but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The
resulting Union of South Africa operated under a policy of apartheid
- the separate development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to
apartheid politically and ushered in black majority rule.

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
The islands lie
approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been
under British administration since 1908, except for a brief period
in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia,
was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. Famed explorer
Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated
attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months
later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a
successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the
Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and
is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from
the British Antarctic Survey. The islands have large bird and seal
populations, and, recognizing the importance of preserving the
marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the
exclusive fishing zone from 12 nm to 200 nm around each island.

Southern Ocean
A decision by the International Hydrographic
Organization in the spring of 2000 delimited a fifth world ocean -
the Southern Ocean - from the southern portions of the Atlantic
Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends
from the coast of Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude,
which coincides with the Antarctic Treaty Limit. The Southern Ocean
is now the fourth largest of the world's five oceans (after the
Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean, but larger than the
Arctic Ocean).

Spain
Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries
ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent
failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused
the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic
and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II,
but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). In the
second half of the 20th century, Spain has played a catch-up role in
the western international community; it joined the EU in 1986.
Continuing challenges include Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA)
terrorism and further reductions in unemployment.

Spratly Islands
The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small
islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and
potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their
entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed
by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by
relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia,
the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a
fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef, but has not made any
formal claim.

Sri Lanka
The Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century
B.C., probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced
beginning in about the mid-third century B.C., and a great
civilization developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from
circa 200 B.C. to circa A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070
to 1200). In the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty seized power
in the north and established a Tamil kingdom. Occupied by the
Portuguese in the 16th century and by the Dutch in the 17th century,
the island was ceded to the British in 1796, became a crown colony
in 1802, and was united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it
became independent in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in
1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists
erupted into war in 1983. Tens of thousands have died in an ethnic
conflict that continues to fester. After two decades of fighting,
the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam formalized a
cease-fire in February 2002, with Norway brokering peace
negotiations.

Sudan
Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have
dominated national politics since independence from the UK in 1956.
Sudan has been embroiled in a civil war for all but 10 years of this
period (1972-82). The wars are rooted in northern economic,
political, and social domination of non-Muslim, non-Arab southern
Sudanese. Since 1983, the war and war- and famine-related effects
have led to more than 2 million deaths and over 4 million people
displaced. The ruling regime is a mixture of military elite and an
Islamist party that came to power in a 1989 coup. Some northern
opposition parties have made common cause with the southern rebels
and entered the war as a part of an anti-government alliance. Peace
talks gained momentum in 2002-03 with the signing of several
accords, including a cease-fire agreement.

Suriname
Independence from the Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five
years later the civilian government was replaced by a military
regime that soon declared a socialist republic. It continued to rule
through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until
1987, when international pressure finally forced a democratic
election. In 1989, the military overthrew the civilian government,
but a democratically-elected government returned to power in 1991.

Svalbard
First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the
islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and
18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five
years later it officially took over the territory.

Swaziland
Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed
by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in
1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured the
monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow
political reform and greater democracy. Swaziland recently surpassed
Botswana as the country with the world's highest known rates of
HIV/AIDS infection

Sweden
A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not
participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality
was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic
formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare
elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in
2000-02 by the global economic downturn, but fiscal discipline over
the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic
vagaries. Indecision over the country's role in the political and
economic integration of Europe delayed Sweden's entry into the EU
until 1995, and waived the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Switzerland
Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been
honored by the major European powers, and Switzerland was not
involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic
integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as
Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has
strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the
country did not officially become a UN member until 2002.
Switzerland remains active in many UN and international
organizations, but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.

Syria
Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War
I, Syria was administered by the French until independence in 1946.
In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to
Israel. Since 1976, Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon,
ostensibly in a peacekeeping capacity. Over the past decade, Syria
and Israel have held occasional peace talks over the return of the
Golan Heights.

Taiwan
In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to
Japan. Taiwan reverted to Chinese control after World War II.
Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million
Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the
1946 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five
decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and
incorporated the native population within the governing structure.
In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from
the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this
period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic
"Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the
relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of
eventual unification - as well as domestic political and economic
reform.

Tajikistan
Tajikistan has completed its transition from the civil
war that plagued the country from 1992 to 1997. There have been no
major security incidents in more than two years, although the
country remains the poorest in the region. Attention by the
international community in the wake of the war in Afghanistan has
brought increased economic development assistance, which could
create jobs and increase stability in the long term. Tajikistan is
in the early stages of seeking World Trade Organization membership
and has joined NATO's Partnership for Peace.

Tanzania
Shortly after independence, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged
to form the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an
end in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country
since the 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular
opposition have led to two contentious elections since 1995, which
the ruling party won despite international observers' claims of
voting irregularities.

Thailand
A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th
century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast
Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power. A
bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In
alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally
following the conflict. Thailand is currently facing armed violence
in its three Muslim-majority southernmost provinces.

Togo
French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA,
installed as military ruler in 1967, is Africa's longest-serving
head of state. Despite the facade of multiparty elections instituted
in the early 1990s, the government continues to be dominated by
President EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party
has maintained power almost continually since 1967. In addition,
Togo has come under fire from international organizations for human
rights abuses and is plagued by political unrest. While most
bilateral and multilateral aid to Togo remains frozen, the European
Union initiated a partial resumption of cooperation and development
aid to Togo in late 2004.

Tokelau
Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding
island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate
in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925.

Tonga
The archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into a
Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in
1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired its
independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of
Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.

Trinidad and Tobago
The islands came under British control in the
19th century; independence was granted in 1962. The country is one
of the most prosperous in the Caribbean thanks largely to petroleum
and natural gas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in
Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing.

Tromelin Island
First explored by the French in 1776, the island
came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it
serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important
meteorological station.

Tunisia
Following independence from France in 1956, President Habib
BOURGUIBA established a strict one-party state. He dominated the
country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and
establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In
recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in
its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising
pressure for a more open political society.

Turkey
Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants
of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who
was later honored with the title Ataturk, or "Father of the Turks."
Under his authoritarian leadership, the country adopted wide-ranging
social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party
rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950
election victory of the opposition Democratic Party and the peaceful
transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have
multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of
instability and intermittent military coups (1960, 1971, 1980),
which in each case eventually resulted in a return of political
power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the
ouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the then
Islamic-oriented government. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus
in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since
acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,"
which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984
by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - now known as the People's
Congress of Kurdistan or Kongra-Gel (KGK) - has dominated the
Turkish military's attention and claimed more than 30,000 lives, but
after the capture of the group's leader in 1999, the insurgents
largely withdrew from Turkey, mainly to northern Iraq. In 2004, KGK
announced an end to its ceasefire and attacks attributed to the KGK
increased. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a
member of NATO. In 1964, Turkey became an associate member of the
European Community; over the past decade, it has undertaken many
reforms to strengthen its democracy and economy, enabling it to
begin accession membership talks with the European Union.

Turkmenistan
Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan
became a Soviet republic in 1924. It achieved its independence upon
the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President NIYAZOV retains
absolute control over the country and opposition is not tolerated.
Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to
this underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects were
to be expanded. The Turkmenistan Government is actively seeking to
develop alternative petroleum transportation routes in order to
break Russia's pipeline monopoly.

Turks and Caicos Islands
The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican
colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown
colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas
oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the
islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence
was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands
remain a British overseas territory.

Tuvalu
In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the
Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice
Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert
Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate
British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000,
Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv"
for $50 million in royalties over the next dozen years.

Uganda
Uganda achieved independence from the UK in 1962. The
dictatorial regime of Idi AMIN (1971-79) was responsible for the
deaths of some 300,000 opponents; guerrilla war and human rights
abuses under Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed at least another 100,000
lives. During the 1990s, the government promulgated non-party
presidential and legislative elections.

Ukraine
Ukraine was the center of the first Slavic state, Kievan
Rus, which during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and
most powerful state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels and
Mongol invasions, Kievan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy
of Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
The cultural and religious legacy of Kievan Rus laid the foundation
for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. A new
Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during the
mid-17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despite
continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remain
autonomous for well over 100 years. During the latter part of the
18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic territory was absorbed by
the Russian Empire. Following the collapse of czarist Russia in
1917, Ukraine was able to bring about a short-lived period of
independence (1917-1920), but was reconquered and forced to endure a
brutal Soviet rule that engineered two artificial famines (1921-22
and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died. In World War II, German
and Soviet armies were responsible for some 7 to 8 million more
deaths. Although final independence for Ukraine was achieved in 1991
with the dissolution of the USSR, democracy remained elusive as the
legacy of state control and endemic corruption stalled efforts at
economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties. A peaceful mass
protest "Orange Revolution" in the closing months of 2004 forced the
authorites to overturn a rigged presidential election and to allow a
new internationally monitored vote that swept into power a reformist
slate under Viktor YUSHCHENKO. The new government presents its
citizens with hope that the country may at last attain true freedom
and prosperity.

United Arab Emirates
The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast
granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th
century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman,
Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to
form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by
Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is on par with those of
leading West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and
its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a
vital role in the affairs of the region.

United Kingdom
Great Britain, the dominant industrial and maritime
power of the 19th century, played a leading role in developing
parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At
its zenith, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the
earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's
strength seriously depleted in two World Wars. The second half
witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself
into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five
permanent members of the UN Security Council, a founding member of
NATO, and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to
foreign policy; it currently is weighing the degree of its
integration with continental Europe. A member of the EU, it chose to
remain outside the European Monetary Union for the time being.
Constitutional reform is also a significant issue in the UK. The
Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the
Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1999, but the latter
is suspended due to bickering over the peace process.

United States
Britain's American colonies broke with the mother
country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United
States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the
19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13
as the nation expanded across the North American continent and
acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic
experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and
the Great Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars
I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the
world's most powerful nation state. The economy is marked by steady
growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in
technology.

Uruguay
A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement, the Tupamaros,
launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to agree to
military control of his administration in 1973. By yearend, the
rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its
hold throughout the government. Civilian rule was not restored until
1985. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest
on the continent.

Uzbekistan
Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century.
Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually
suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the
Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain
led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies,
which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain
rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to
gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its
mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include terrorism
by Islamic militants, economic stagnation, and the curtailment of
human rights and democratization.

Vanuatu
The British and French, who settled the New Hebrides in the
19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which
administered the islands until independence in 1980.

Venezuela
Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the
collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and
Ecuador). For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela
was ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted
the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically
elected governments have held sway since 1959. Current concerns
include: a polarized political environment, a divided military,
drug-related conflicts along the Colombian border, increasing
internal drug consumption, overdependence on the petroleum industry
with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations
that are endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples.

Vietnam
The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was
completed by 1884. It became part of French Indochina in 1887.
Independence was declared after World War II, but the French
continued to rule until 1954 when they were defeated by Communist
forces under Ho Chi Minh, who took control of the North. US economic
and military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an
attempt to bolster the government, but US armed forces were
withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later,
North Vietnamese forces overran the South. Despite the return of
peace, for over two decades the country experienced little economic
growth because of conservative leadership policies. Since 2001,
Vietnamese authorities have committed to economic liberalization and
enacted structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to
produce more competitive, export-driven industries. The country
continues to experience protests from the Montagnard ethnic minority
population of the Central Highlands over loss of land to Vietnamese
settlers and religious persecution.

Virgin Islands During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.

Wake Island
The US annexed Wake Island in 1899 for a cable station.
An important air and naval base was constructed in 1940-41. In
December 1941, the island was captured by the Japanese and held
until the end of World War II. In subsequent years, Wake was
developed as a stopover and refueling site for military and
commercial aircraft transiting the Pacific. Since 1974, the island's
airstrip has been used by the US military and some commercial cargo
planes, as well as for emergency landings. There are over 700
landings a year on the island.

Wallis and Futuna
Although discovered by the Dutch and the British
in the 17th and 18th centuries, it was the French who declared a
protectorate over the islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of
the islands voted to become a French overseas territory.

West Bank
The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim
Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13
September 1993, provided for a transitional period not exceeding
five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip
and the West Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain
powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which
includes the Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January
1996, as part of the interim self-governing arrangements in the West
Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for
the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4
May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and
in additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28
September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997
Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23
October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm
el-Sheikh Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain
responsibility during the transitional period for external and
internal security and for public order of settlements and Israeli
citizens. Direct negotiations to determine the permanent status of
Gaza and West Bank that began in September 1999 after a three-year
hiatus, were derailed by a second intifadah that broke out in
September 2000. The resulting widespread violence in the West Bank
and Gaza Strip, Israel's military response, and instability within
the Palestinian Authority continue to undermine progress toward a
permanent agreement. Following the death of longtime Palestinian
leader Yasir ARAFAT in November 2004, the election of his successor
Mahmud ABBAS in January 2005 could bring a turning point in the
conflict.

Western Sahara
Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of
Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of
the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A
guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's
sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized
referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed.

World
Globally, the 20th century was marked by: (a) two devastating
world wars; (b) the Great Depression of the 1930s; (c) the end of
vast colonial empires; (d) rapid advances in science and technology,
from the first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (US) to
the landing on the moon; (e) the Cold War between the Western
alliance and the Warsaw Pact nations; (f) a sharp rise in living
standards in North America, Europe, and Japan; (g) increased
concerns about the environment, including loss of forests, shortages
of energy and water, the decline in biological diversity, and air
pollution; (h) the onset of the AIDS epidemic; and (i) the ultimate
emergence of the US as the only world superpower. The planet's
population continues to explode: from 1 billion in 1820, to 2
billion in 1930, 3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in
1988, and 6 billion in 2000. For the 21st century, the continued
exponential growth in science and technology raises both hopes
(e.g., advances in medicine) and fears (e.g., development of even
more lethal weapons of war).

Yemen
North Yemen became independent of the Ottoman Empire in 1918.
The British, who had set up a protectorate area around the southern
port of Aden in the 19th century, withdrew in 1967 from what became
South Yemen. Three years later, the southern government adopted a
Marxist orientation. The massive exodus of hundreds of thousands of
Yemenis from the south to the north contributed to two decades of
hostility between the states. The two countries were formally
unified as the Republic of Yemen in 1990. A southern secessionist
movement in 1994 was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and
Yemen agreed to a delimitation of their border.

Zambia
The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the
South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in
1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred
development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon
independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper
prices and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991
brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996
saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001
was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a
legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate
Levy MWANAWASA. The new president launched a far-reaching
anti-corruption campaign in 2002, which resulted in the prosecution
of former President Frederick CHILUBA and many of his supporters in
late 2003. Opposition parties currently hold a majority of seats in
the National Assembly.

Zimbabwe
The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa
Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored
whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its
independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more
complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country
(then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising
finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe)
in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been
the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated
the country's political system since independence. His chaotic land
redistribution campaign begun in 2000 caused an exodus of white
farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread shortages
of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation, MUGABE
rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure his reelection.
Opposition and labor groups launched general strikes in 2003 to
pressure MUGABE to retire early; security forces continued their
brutal repression of regime opponents.

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2030 Airports - with paved runways

Afghanistan total: 10 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Albania total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Algeria
total: 52
over 3,047 m: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 27
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

American Samoa
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Angola
total: 32
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Anguilla total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Argentina total: 144 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 62 914 to 1,523 m: 44 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Armenia
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2003 est.)

Aruba total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Australia
total: 305
over 3,047 m: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 131
914 to 1,523 m: 139
under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)

Austria
total: 24
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 14 (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
total: 27
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
total: 29
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Bahrain total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Bangladesh total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Barbados total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Belarus
total: 50
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 21
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
under 914 m: 21 (2003 est.)

Belgium
total: 25
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Belize
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Benin
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Bermuda
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Bhutan
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Bolivia
total: 16
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
total: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Botswana
total: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Brazil
total: 698
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 23
1,524 to 2,437 m: 158
914 to 1,523 m: 461
under 914 m: 49 (2004 est.)

British Indian Ocean Territory total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Brunei total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
total: 128
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 19
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 92 (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Burma
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Burundi total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Cambodia total: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Cameroon
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Canada
total: 503
over 3,047 m: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
1,524 to 2,437 m: 150
914 to 1,523 m: 245
under 914 m: 75 (2004 est.)

Cape Verde total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Central African Republic total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Chad
total: 7
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Chile
total: 71
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 21
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 15 (2004 est.)

China
total: 332
over 3,047 m: 49
2,438 to 3,047 m: 97
1,524 to 2,437 m: 129
914 to 1,523 m: 22
under 914 m: 35 (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Colombia
total: 101
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 39
914 to 1,523 m: 39
under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.)

Comoros total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the total: 24 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Cook Islands total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Costa Rica total: 30 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Croatia
total: 23
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)

Cuba
total: 79
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 37 (2004 est.)

Cyprus
total: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
total: 44
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)

Denmark
total: 28
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Djibouti total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Dominica total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic total: 13 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

East Timor total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Ecuador
total: 62
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 19
under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)

Egypt
total: 72
over 3,047 m: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 38
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

El Salvador
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
less than 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Eritrea
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Estonia
total: 14
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.)

Ethiopia total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Faroe Islands
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Fiji
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Finland
total: 75
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 27
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)

France
total: 283
over 3,047 m: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 28
1,524 to 2,437 m: 95
914 to 1,523 m: 82
under 914 m: 65 (2004 est.)

French Guiana total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

French Polynesia
total: 37
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Gabon
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Georgia
total: 17
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2003 est.)

Germany
total: 331
over 3,047 m: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 51
1,524 to 2,437 m: 62
914 to 1,523 m: 71
under 914 m: 134 (2004 est.)

Ghana
total: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Greece
total: 66
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)

Greenland
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Grenada
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Guadeloupe
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Guam
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Guatemala total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Guernsey total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Guinea
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Guyana
total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Haiti
total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Honduras
total: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Hungary
total: 18
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Iceland total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

India
total: 234
over 3,047 m: 14
2,438 to 3,047 m: 47
1,524 to 2,437 m: 78
914 to 1,523 m: 74
under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Indonesia
total: 154
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
1,524 to 2,437 m: 44
914 to 1,523 m: 49
under 914 m: 44 (2004 est.)

Iran
total: 127
over 3,047 m: 39
2,438 to 3,047 m: 25
1,524 to 2,437 m: 26
914 to 1,523 m: 32
under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Iraq
total: 79
over 3,047 m: 21
2,438 to 3,047 m: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Ireland
total: 15
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Israel
total: 28
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Italy
total: 96
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 32
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 30
under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.)

Jamaica
total: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Japan
total: 143
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 37
1,524 to 2,437 m: 39
914 to 1,523 m: 28
under 914 m: 32 (2004 est.)

Jersey
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Johnston Atoll
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Jordan
total: 15
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
total: 64
over 3,047 m: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 26
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 10 (2003 est.)

Kenya
total: 15
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Kiribati total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Korea, North
total: 35
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 23
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 3 (2003 est.)

Korea, South
total: 88
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 21
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 38 (2004 est.)

Kuwait
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan total: 17 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 under 914 m: 2 (2003 est.)

Laos
total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Latvia
total: 27
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 16 (2003 est.)

Lebanon
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Lesotho total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Liberia total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Libya
total: 59
over 3,047 m: 23
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Lithuania
total: 28
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 14 (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Macau
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Macedonia total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Madagascar total: 29 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Malawi
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Malaysia
total: 38
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Maldives
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Mali
total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Malta
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Marshall Islands total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Martinique total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Mauritania
total: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Mauritius
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Mayotte
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Mexico
total: 233
over 3,047 m: 12
2,438 to 3,047 m: 28
1,524 to 2,437 m: 84
914 to 1,523 m: 80
under 914 m: 29 (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Midway Islands
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Moldova
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.)

Mongolia total: 11 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 (2003 est.)

Montserrat total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Morocco
total: 25
over 3,047 m: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Mozambique
total: 22
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Namibia
total: 21
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Nauru
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Nepal
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Netherlands
total: 20
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
2038 to 3047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

New Caledonia total: 11 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

New Zealand total: 46 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Nicaragua total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Niger
total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Nigeria
total: 36
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Niue
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Norfolk Island
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Norway
total: 65
2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.)

Oman
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Pakistan
total: 92
over 3,047 m: 14
2,438 to 3,047 m: 22
1,524 to 2,437 m: 32
914 to 1,523 m: 18
under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Palau
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Panama
total: 44
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea total: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Paracel Islands total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Paraguay total: 12 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Peru
total: 52
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 20
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Philippines
total: 82
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 26
914 to 1,523 m: 35
under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Poland
total: 84
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 30
1,524 to 2,437 m: 40
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Portugal
total: 42
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Qatar total: 2 over 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Reunion total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Romania total: 25 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 (2004 est.)

Russia
total: 585
over 3,047 m: 56
2,438 to 3,047 m: 201
1,524 to 2,437 m: 122
914 to 1,523 m: 100
under 914 m: 106 (2003 est.)

Rwanda
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Saint Helena total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Saint Lucia
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Samoa
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia total: 72 over 3,047 m: 32 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Senegal total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro total: 19 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Seychelles total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Singapore
total: 10
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Slovakia
total: 17
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Slovenia
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Somalia total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2438 to 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

South Africa
total: 144
over 3,047 m: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 51
914 to 1,523 m: 67
under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Spain
total: 95
over 3,047 m: 15
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 28 (2004 est.)

Spratly Islands total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 less than 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
total: 13
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Sudan
total: 12
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Suriname
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Svalbard
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Swaziland
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Sweden
total: 154
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 82
914 to 1,523 m: 22
under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)

Switzerland
total: 42
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)

Syria
total: 26
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Taiwan
total: 37
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
total: 15
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2003 est.)

Tanzania
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Thailand
total: 65
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 19
under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Togo
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Tonga
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Tunisia
total: 14
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Turkey
total: 87
over 3,047 m: 16
2,438 to 3,047 m: 30
1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
total: 24
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Uganda total: 4 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Ukraine
total: 174
over 3,047 m: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 57
1,524 to 2,437 m: 30
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 70 (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
total: 22
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
total: 334
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 33
1,524 to 2,437 m: 150
914 to 1,523 m: 86
under 914 m: 57 (2004 est.)

United States
total: 5,128
over 3,047 m: 188
2,438 to 3,047 m: 221
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,375
914 to 1,523 m: 2,383
under 914 m: 961 (2004 est.)

Uruguay
total: 14
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan total: 33 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 14 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 4 (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1524 to 2437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Venezuela total: 127 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 31 914 to 1,523 m: 61 under 914 m: 19 (2004 est.)

Vietnam total: 16 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Wake Island
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

West Bank total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Western Sahara total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Yemen
total: 16
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Zambia
total: 10
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
total: 17
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2031 Airports - with unpaved runways

Afghanistan total: 37 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Albania
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Algeria
total: 85
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 26
914 to 1,523 m: 38
under 914 m: 19 (2004 est.)

American Samoa
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Angola
total: 211
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 30
914 to 1,523 m: 95
under 914 m: 80 (2004 est.)

Anguilla total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Antarctica total: 20 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Argentina total: 1,190 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 50 914 to 1,523 m: 569 under 914 m: 567 (2004 est.)

Armenia
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.)

Australia
total: 143
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 112
under 914 m: 14 (2004 est.)

Austria
total: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 27 (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan total: 40 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 32 (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The total: 34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Bahrain
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Belarus
total: 85
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 64 (2003 est.)

Belgium
total: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)

Belize
total: 38
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.)

Benin
total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Bhutan
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Bolivia
total: 1,049
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 60
914 to 1,523 m: 207
under 914 m: 778 (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
total: 19
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Botswana
total: 75
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 54
under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)

Brazil
total: 3,438
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 78
914 to 1,523 m: 1,579
under 914 m: 1,780 (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Brunei
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
total: 85
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 72 (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
total: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)

Burma
total: 69
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 31 (2004 est.)

Burundi total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Cambodia
total: 14
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Cameroon
total: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)

Canada
total: 823
1,524 to 2,437 m: 67
914 to 1,523 m: 347
under 914 m: 409 (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Central African Republic total: 47 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)

Chad
total: 44
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Chile
total: 293
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 60
under 914 m: 217 (2004 est.)

China
total: 175
over 3,047 m: 23
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 36
914 to 1,523 m: 40
under 914 m: 66 (2003 est.)

Colombia
total: 879
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 34
914 to 1,523 m: 272
under 914 m: 572 (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
total: 206
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 92
under 914 m: 97 (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
total: 28
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Cook Islands
total: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Costa Rica total: 119 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 95 (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
total: 30
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Croatia
total: 45
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 37 (2004 est.)

Cuba
total: 91
914 to 1,523 m: 29
under 914 m: 62 (2004 est.)

Cyprus
total: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Czech Republic total: 76 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 48 (2004 est.)

Denmark total: 69 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 63 (2004 est.)

Djibouti
total: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
total: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

East Timor
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Ecuador
total: 143
914 to 1,523 m: 30
under 914 m: 113 (2004 est.)

Egypt
total: 15
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

El Salvador total: 69 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 54 (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Eritrea
total: 13
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Estonia
total: 15
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 6 (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
total: 69
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 27
under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)

Europa Island
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
total: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Fiji
total: 25
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 19 (2004 est.)

Finland
total: 73
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 69 (2004 est.)

France
total: 195
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 72
under 914 m: 120 (2004 est.)

French Guiana
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

French Polynesia
total: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Gabon
total: 45
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Georgia total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Germany
total: 219
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 31
under 914 m: 185 (2004 est.)

Ghana
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Glorioso Islands total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Greece total: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Greenland total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Guadeloupe
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Guam
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Guatemala total: 441 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 109 under 914 m: 323 (2004 est.)

Guinea
total: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
total: 25
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Guyana
total: 41
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 32 (2004 est.)

Haiti
total: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Honduras total: 104 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 84 (2004 est.)

Hungary
total: 26
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)

Iceland
total: 93
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 29
under 914 m: 61 (2004 est.)

India
total: 99
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 42
under 914 m: 45 (2004 est.)

Indonesia
total: 513
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 27
under 914 m: 480 (2004 est.)

Iran
total: 178
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 129
under 914 m: 39 (2004 est.)

Iraq
total: 32
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)

Ireland
total: 21
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)

Israel
total: 23
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Italy
total: 38
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 18
under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)

Jamaica total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.)

Jan Mayen total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Japan
total: 31
over 3047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.)

Jordan
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Juan de Nova Island
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan total: 328 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 71 under 914 m: 217 (2003 est.)

Kenya
total: 206
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 110
under 914 m: 84 (2004 est.)

Kiribati
total: 17
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Korea, North total: 43 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 8 (2003 est.)

Korea, South
total: 91
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 88 (2004 est.)

Kuwait
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
total: 44
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 37 (2003 est.)

Laos
total: 35
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Latvia
total: 24
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 20 (2003 est.)

Lebanon
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Lesotho
total: 25
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Liberia
total: 51
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 38 (2004 est.)

Libya
total: 80
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 41
under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)

Lithuania total: 74 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 67 (2003 est.)

Luxembourg total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Macedonia total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Madagascar
total: 87
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 42
under 914 m: 43 (2004 est.)

Malawi
total: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Malaysia
total: 79
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 72 (2004 est.)

Maldives
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Mali
total: 19
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Marshall Islands total: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Martinique total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Mauritania total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Mauritius total: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Mexico
total: 1,600
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 69
914 to 1,523 m: 454
under 914 m: 1,075 (2004 est.)

Midway Islands
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Moldova
total: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 11 (2003 est.)

Mongolia
total: 25
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 5 (2003 est.)

Morocco
total: 38
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Mozambique
total: 136
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 34
under 914 m: 87 (2004 est.)

Namibia
total: 115
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
914 to 1,523 m: 71
under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Nepal
total: 37
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 29 (2004 est.)

Netherlands
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

New Caledonia
total: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

New Zealand
total: 70
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 29
under 914 m: 39 (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
total: 165
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 141 (2004 est.)

Niger
total: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Nigeria
total: 34
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Norway
total: 36
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 29 (2004 est.)

Oman
total: 130
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 52
914 to 1,523 m: 34
under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)

Pakistan total: 39 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Palau
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Palmyra Atoll
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Panama
total: 61
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 49 (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
total: 550
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 62
under 914 m: 478 (2004 est.)

Paraguay
total: 866
1,524 to 2,437 m: 26
914 to 1,523 m: 323
under 914 m: 517 (2004 est.)

Peru
total: 182
1,524 to 2,437 m: 21
914 to 1,523 m: 62
under 914 m: 99 (2004 est.)

Philippines
total: 173
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 68
under 914 m: 100 (2004 est.)

Poland
total: 39
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Portugal total: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico total: 13 1,524 to 2, 437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Qatar
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Romania
total: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 24 (2004 est.)

Russia
total: 2,024
over 3,047 m: 19
2,438 to 3,047 m: 34
1,524 to 2,437 m: 120
914 to 1,523 m: 261
under 914 m: 1,590 (2003 est.)

Rwanda
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Samoa
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia total: 129 over 3047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 72 914 to 1,523 m: 39 under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.)

Senegal
total: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
total: 25
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)

Seychelles
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
total: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Slovakia
total: 17
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Slovenia
total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
total: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Somalia
total: 54
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 29
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

South Africa
total: 584
1,524 to 2,437 m: 34
914 to 1,523 m: 300
under 914 m: 250 (2004 est.)

Spain
total: 61
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 44 (2004 est.)

Spratly Islands
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Sudan
total: 63
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 33
under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Suriname total: 41 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)

Svalbard total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Swaziland
total: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Sweden
total: 100
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 90 (2004 est.)

Switzerland
total: 23
under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)

Syria
total: 66
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 54 (2004 est.)

Taiwan
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
total: 51
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 40 (2003 est.)

Tanzania
total: 112
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 60
under 914 m: 33 (2004 est.)

Thailand
total: 44
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 28 (2004 est.)

Togo
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Tonga
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Tromelin Island total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Tunisia
total: 16
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Turkey
total: 32
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan total: 45 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 36 (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Tuvalu
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Uganda
total: 25
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Ukraine
total: 528
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 35
under 914 m: 469 (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
total: 13
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

United Kingdom total: 137 2438 to 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 112 (2004 est.)

United States total: 9,729 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 160 914 to 1,523 m: 1,718 under 914 m: 7,843 (2004 est.)

Uruguay
total: 50
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 31 (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan total: 214 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 200 (2003 est.)

Vanuatu total: 27 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)

Venezuela
total: 242
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 88
under 914 m: 144 (2004 est.)

Vietnam
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Western Sahara total: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Yemen
total: 28
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Zambia
total: 99
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 62
under 914 m: 32 (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe total: 387 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 186 under 914 m: 196 (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2032 Environment - current issues

Afghanistan
limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate
supplies of potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing;
deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for
fuel and building materials); desertification; air and water
pollution

Akrotiri
shooting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for
loggerhead and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon
vultures is on the base

Albania
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial
and domestic effluents

Algeria
soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming
practices; desertification; dumping of raw sewage, petroleum
refining wastes, and other industrial effluents is leading to the
pollution of rivers and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in
particular, becoming polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and
fertilizer runoff; inadequate supplies of potable water

American Samoa
limited natural fresh water resources; the water
division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past
few years to improve water catchments and pipelines

Andorra
deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes
to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste
disposal

Angola
overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable
to population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical
rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical
timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of
biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and
siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water

Anguilla
supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing
demand largely because of poor distribution system

Antarctica
in 1998, NASA satellite data showed that the antarctic
ozone hole was the largest on record, covering 27 million square
kilometers; researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet
light coming through the hole damages the DNA of icefish, an
antarctic fish lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown
to harm one-celled antarctic marine plants; in 2002, significant
areas of ice shelves disintegrated in response to regional warming

Antigua and Barbuda
water management - a major concern because of
limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the
clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to
run off quickly

Arctic Ocean
endangered marine species include walruses and whales;
fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from
disruptions or damage; thinning polar icepack

Argentina
environmental problems (urban and rural) typical of an
industrializing economy such as deforestation, soil degradation,
desertification, air pollution, and water pollution
note: Argentina is a world leader in setting voluntary greenhouse
gas targets

Armenia
soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy
crisis of the 1990s led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for
firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the
draining of Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan), a result of its use as a
source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of
Metsamor nuclear power plant in spite of its location in a
seismically active zone

Aruba
NA

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
NA

Atlantic Ocean
endangered marine species include the manatee, seals,
sea lions, turtles, and whales; drift net fishing is hastening the
decline of fish stocks and contributing to international disputes;
municipal sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and
eastern Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico,
Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste
and municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and
Mediterranean Sea

Australia
soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development,
urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due
to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for
agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique
animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast
coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by
increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited
natural fresh water resources

Austria
some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution;
soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air
pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power
stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria
between northern and southern Europe

Azerbaijan
local scientists consider the Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron
Peninsula) (including Baku and Sumqayit) and the Caspian Sea to be
the ecologically most devastated area in the world because of severe
air, soil, and water pollution; soil pollution results from oil
spills, from the use of DDT as a pesticide, and from toxic
defoliants used in the production of cotton

Bahamas, The
coral reef decay; solid waste disposal

Bahrain
desertification resulting from the degradation of limited
arable land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal
degradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation)
resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers,
oil refineries, and distribution stations; lack of freshwater
resources, groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all
water needs

Baker Island
no natural fresh water resources

Bangladesh
many people are landless and forced to live on and
cultivate flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in
surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results
from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by
naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of
falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the
country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe
overpopulation

Barbados
pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships;
soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination
of aquifers

Bassas da India
NA

Belarus
soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the
country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident
at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine

Belgium
the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human
activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry,
extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water
pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries;
uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now
resolved) have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges

Belize
deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial
effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal

Benin
inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens
wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification

Bermuda
asbestos disposal; water pollution; preservation of open
space; sustainable development

Bhutan
soil erosion; limited access to potable water

Bolivia
the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the
international demand for tropical timber are contributing to
deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation
methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertification;
loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water supplies used
for drinking and irrigation

Bosnia and Herzegovina
air pollution from metallurgical plants;
sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; water shortages and
destruction of infrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife;
deforestation

Botswana
overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources

Bouvet Island
NA

Brazil
deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and
endangers a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the
area; there is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; air and water
pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large
cities; land degradation and water pollution caused by improper
mining activities; wetland degradation; severe oil spills

British Indian Ocean Territory
NA

British Virgin Islands
limited natural fresh water resources (except
for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the
islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments)

Brunei
seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Bulgaria
air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted
from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest
damage from air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil
contamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants and
industrial wastes

Burkina Faso
recent droughts and desertification severely affecting
agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy;
overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation

Burma
deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water;
inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease

Burundi
soil erosion as a result of overgrazing and the expansion of
agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation (little forested land
remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel); habitat
loss threatens wildlife populations

Cambodia
illegal logging activities throughout the country and strip
mining for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand
have resulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in
particular, destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural
fisheries); soil erosion; in rural areas, most of the population
does not have access to potable water; declining fish stocks because
of illegal fishing and overfishing

Cameroon
water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation;
overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing

Canada
air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting
lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities,
and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest
productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to
agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities

Cape Verde
soil erosion; demand for wood used as fuel has resulted
in deforestation; desertification; environmental damage has
threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand
extraction; overfishing

Cayman Islands
no natural fresh water resources; drinking water
supplies must be met by rainwater catchments

Central African Republic
tap water is not potable; poaching has
diminished the country's reputation as one of the last great
wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation

Chad
inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal
in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution;
desertification

Chile
widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural
resources; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions;
water pollution from raw sewage

China
air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates)
from reliance on coal produces acid rain; water shortages,
particularly in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes;
deforestation; estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land
since 1949 to soil erosion and economic development;
desertification; trade in endangered species

Christmas Island
NA

Clipperton Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
fresh water resources are limited to
rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs

Colombia
deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse
of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle
emissions

Comoros
soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation
on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation

Congo, Democratic Republic of the poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing environmental damage

Congo, Republic of the
air pollution from vehicle emissions; water
pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable;
deforestation

Cook Islands
NA

Coral Sea Islands
no permanent fresh water resources

Costa Rica
deforestation and land use change, largely a result of
the clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil
erosion; coastal marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste
management; air pollution

Cote d'Ivoire
deforestation (most of the country's forests - once
the largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged); water
pollution from sewage and industrial and agricultural effluents

Croatia
air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid
rain is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrial and
domestic waste; landmine removal and reconstruction of
infrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife

Cuba
air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation

Cyprus
water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments,
seasonal disparity in rainfall, sea water intrusion to island's
largest aquifer, increased salination in the north); water pollution
from sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of
wildlife habitats from urbanization

Czech Republic
air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia
and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid
rain damaging forests; efforts to bring industry up to EU code
should improve domestic pollution

Denmark
air pollution, principally from vehicle and power plant
emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea;
drinking and surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes and
pesticides

Dhekelia
netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the
spring and autumn

Djibouti
inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land;
desertification; endangered species

Dominica
NA

Dominican Republic
water shortages; soil eroding into the sea
damages coral reefs; deforestation

East Timor
widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to
deforestation and soil erosion

Ecuador
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water
pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically
sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands

Egypt
agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown
sands; increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam;
desertification; oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and
marine habitats; other water pollution from agricultural pesticides,
raw sewage, and industrial effluents; very limited natural fresh
water resources away from the Nile which is the only perennial water
source; rapid growth in population overstraining the Nile and
natural resources

El Salvador
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution;
contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes

Equatorial Guinea
tap water is not potable; deforestation

Eritrea
deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing;
loss of infrastructure from civil warfare

Estonia
air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning
power plants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted
to the air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 80% less
than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to
water bodies in 2000 was one twentieth the level of 1980; in
connection with the start-up of new water purification plants, the
pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400
natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural
areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain
locations

Ethiopia
deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification;
water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor
management

Europa Island
NA

European Union
NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the Chornobyl disaster

Faroe Islands
NA

Fiji
deforestation; soil erosion

Finland
air pollution from manufacturing and power plants
contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes,
agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations

France
some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from
industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes,
agricultural runoff

French Guiana
NA

French Polynesia
NA

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
NA

Gabon
deforestation; poaching

Gambia, The
deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases
prevalent

Gaza Strip
desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage
treatment; water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and
contamination of underground water resources

Georgia
air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi; heavy pollution of
Mtkvari River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable
water; soil pollution from toxic chemicals

Germany
emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries
contribute to air pollution; acid rain, resulting from sulfur
dioxide emissions, is damaging forests; pollution in the Baltic Sea
from raw sewage and industrial effluents from rivers in eastern
Germany; hazardous waste disposal; government established a
mechanism for ending the use of nuclear power over the next 15
years; government working to meet EU commitment to identify nature
preservation areas in line with the EU's Flora, Fauna, and Habitat
directive

Ghana
recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural
activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and
habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution;
inadequate supplies of potable water

Gibraltar
limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or
natural rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for
drinking water) and adequate desalination plant

Glorioso Islands
NA

Greece
air pollution; water pollution

Greenland
protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the
Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting

Grenada
NA

Guadeloupe
NA

Guam
extirpation of native bird population by the rapid
proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species

Guatemala
deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water
pollution

Guernsey
NA

Guinea
deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water;
desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing,
overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to
environmental damage

Guinea-Bissau
deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing

Guyana
water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial
chemicals; deforestation

Haiti
extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land
is being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion;
inadequate supplies of potable water

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
NA

Holy See (Vatican City)
NA

Honduras
urban population expanding; deforestation results from
logging and the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further
land degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled
development and improper land use practices such as farming of
marginal lands; mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the
country's largest source of fresh water), as well as several rivers
and streams, with heavy metals

Hong Kong
air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

Howland Island
no natural fresh water resources

Hungary
the upgrading of Hungary's standards in waste management,
energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution with
environmental requirements for EU accession will require large
investments

Iceland
water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate
wastewater treatment

India
deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air
pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water
pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap
water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing
population is overstraining natural resources

Indian Ocean
endangered marine species include the dugong, seals,
turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf,
and Red Sea

Indonesia
deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes,
sewage; air pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forest
fires

Iran
air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle
emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents;
deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the
Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation
(salination); inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution
from raw sewage and industrial waste; urbanization

Iraq
government water control projects have drained most of the
inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting
the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of Marsh
Arabs, who inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has been
displaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat poses
serious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequate
supplies of potable water; development of the Tigris and Euphrates
rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian
Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salination) and
erosion; desertification

Ireland
water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural
runoff

Israel
limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose
serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial
and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and
domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides

Italy
air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur
dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and
agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate
industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities

Jamaica
heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by
industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air
pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions

Jan Mayen
NA

Japan
air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain;
acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and
threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of
fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these
resources in Asia and elsewhere

Jarvis Island
no natural fresh water resources

Jersey
NA

Johnston Atoll
no natural fresh water resources

Jordan
limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation;
overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Juan de Nova Island
NA

Kazakhstan
radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with
former defense industries and test ranges scattered throughout the
country pose health risks for humans and animals; industrial
pollution is severe in some cities; because the two main rivers
which flowed into the Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, it
is drying up and leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical
pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then picked up by
the wind and blown into noxious dust storms; pollution in the
Caspian Sea; soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals
and salination from poor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation
practices

Kenya
water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation
of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers;
water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil
erosion; desertification; poaching

Kingman Reef
none

Kiribati
heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to
heavy migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon
latrines and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk

Korea, North
water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water;
water-borne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation

Korea, South
air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water
pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents;
drift net fishing

Kuwait
limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's
largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much
of the water; air and water pollution; desertification

Kyrgyzstan
water pollution; many people get their water directly
from contaminated streams and wells; as a result, water-borne
diseases are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty
irrigation practices

Laos
unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the
population does not have access to potable water

Latvia
Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service
industries after the country regained independence; the main
environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality
and sewage system, household and hazardous waste management, and
reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession
negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of
EU environmental directives by 2010

Lebanon
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution
in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial
wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills

Lesotho
population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas
results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion;
desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and
redirects water to South Africa

Liberia
tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of
biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw
sewage

Libya
desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources;
the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development
scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large
aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities

Liechtenstein
NA

Lithuania
contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum
products and chemicals at military bases

Luxembourg
air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of
farmland

Macau
NA

Macedonia
air pollution from metallurgical plants

Madagascar
soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing;
desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and
other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to
the island are endangered

Malawi
deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from
agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of
spawning grounds endangers fish populations

Malaysia
air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions;
water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from
Indonesian forest fires

Maldives
depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies;
global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching

Mali
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate
supplies of potable water; poaching

Malta
very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing
reliance on desalination

Man, Isle of
waste disposal (both household and industrial);
transboundary air pollution

Marshall Islands
inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of
Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing
vessels

Martinique
NA

Mauritania
overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated
by drought are contributing to desertification; very limited natural
fresh water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only
perennial river; locust infestation

Mauritius
water pollution, degradation of coral reefs

Mayotte
NA

Mexico
scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to
urban migration; natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted
in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme
southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in
urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification;
deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in
the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land
subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion
note: the government considers the lack of clean water and
deforestation national security issues

Micronesia, Federated States of
overfishing, climate change,
pollution

Midway Islands
NA

Moldova
heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned
pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater;
extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods

Monaco
NA

Mongolia
limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; the
policies of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and
industrial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the
burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of
environmental laws severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar;
deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land to
agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain;
desertification and mining activities had a deleterious effect on
the environment

Montserrat
land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for
cultivation

Morocco
land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting
from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of
vegetation); water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of
reservoirs; oil pollution of coastal waters

Mozambique
a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands
have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and
coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences;
desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant
poaching for ivory is a problem

Namibia
very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification;
wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas

Nauru
limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks
collect rainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging
desalination plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90
years - mainly by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the
central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining
land resources

Navassa Island
NA

Nepal
deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of
alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes,
agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife
conservation; vehicular emissions

Netherlands
water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic
compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air
pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain

Netherlands Antilles
NA

New Caledonia
erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

New Zealand
deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna
hard-hit by species introduced from outside

Nicaragua
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Niger
overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification;
wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and
lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction

Nigeria
soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water
pollution; desertification; oil pollution - water, air, and soil;
has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land;
rapid urbanization

Niue
increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter
loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture

Norfolk Island
NA

Northern Mariana Islands
contamination of groundwater on Saipan may
contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of
endangered species conflicts with development

Norway
water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely
affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle
emissions

Oman
rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very
limited natural fresh water resources

Pacific Ocean
endangered marine species include the dugong, sea
lion, sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in
Philippine Sea and South China Sea

Pakistan
water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and
agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; a
majority of the population does not have access to potable water;
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification

Palau
inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to
the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing
practices, and overfishing

Palmyra Atoll
NA

Panama
water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery
resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation
and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal; air pollution
in urban areas; mining threatens natural resources

Papua New Guinea
rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of
growing commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining
projects; severe drought

Paracel Islands
NA

Paraguay
deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste
disposal present health risks for many urban residents; loss of
wetlands

Peru
deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing
of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion;
desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and
coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes

Philippines
uncontrolled deforestation especially in watershed
areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in major urban centers;
coral reef degradation; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove
swamps that are important fish breeding grounds

Pitcairn Islands
deforestation (only a small portion of the original
forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)

Poland
situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy
industry and increased environmental concern by post-Communist
governments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of
sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the
resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water pollution from
industrial and municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal
of hazardous wastes; pollution levels should continue to decrease as
industrial establishments bring their facilities up to European
Union code, but at substantial cost to business and the government

Portugal
soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and
vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas

Puerto Rico
erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages

Qatar
limited natural fresh water resources are increasing
dependence on large-scale desalination facilities

Reunion
NA

Romania
soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution
in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta
wetlands

Russia
air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired
electric plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial,
municipal, and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and
seacoasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from
improper application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of
sometimes intense radioactive contamination; groundwater
contamination from toxic waste; urban solid waste management;
abandoned stocks of obsolete pesticides

Rwanda
deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for
fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching

Saint Helena
NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
NA

Saint Lucia
deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the
northern region

Saint Pierre and Miquelon recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive

Samoa
soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing

San Marino
NA

Sao Tome and Principe
deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion

Saudi Arabia
desertification; depletion of underground water
resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies
has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination
facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills

Senegal
wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation;
overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing

Serbia and Montenegro
pollution of coastal waters from sewage
outlets, especially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor; air
pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities; water
pollution from industrial wastes dumped into the Sava which flows
into the Danube

Seychelles
water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater

Sierra Leone
rapid population growth pressuring the environment;
overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and
slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil
exhaustion; civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing

Singapore
industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water
resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal
problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in
Indonesia

Slovakia
air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human
health risks; acid rain damaging forests

Slovenia
Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste;
pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals;
forest damage near Koper from air pollution (originating at
metallurgical and chemical plants) and resulting acid rain

Solomon Islands
deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding
coral reefs are dead or dying

Somalia
famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human
health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion;
desertification

South Africa
lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires
extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water
usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff
and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil
erosion; desertification

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
NA

Southern Ocean
increased solar ultraviolet radiation resulting from
the Antarctic ozone hole in recent years, reducing marine primary
productivity (phytoplankton) by as much as 15% and damaging the DNA
of some fish; illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in recent
years, especially the landing of an estimated five to six times more
Patagonian toothfish than the regulated fishery, which is likely to
affect the sustainability of the stock; large amount of incidental
mortality of seabirds resulting from long-line fishing for toothfish
note: the now-protected fur seal population is making a strong
comeback after severe overexploitation in the 18th and 19th centuries

Spain
pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and
effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality
and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation;
desertification

Spratly Islands
NA

Sri Lanka
deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations
threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from
mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources
being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste
disposal; air pollution in Colombo

Sudan
inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations
threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification;
periodic drought

Suriname
deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of
inland waterways by small-scale mining activities

Svalbard
NA

Swaziland
limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations
being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil
degradation; soil erosion

Sweden
acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North
Sea and the Baltic Sea

Switzerland
air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air
burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of
agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity

Syria
deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification;
water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes;
inadequate potable water

Taiwan
air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw
sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in
endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal

Tajikistan
inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of
soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides

Tanzania
soil degradation; deforestation; desertification;
destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent
droughts affected marginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by
illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory

Thailand
air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from
organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife
populations threatened by illegal hunting

Togo
deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and
the use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards
and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban
areas

Tokelau
very limited natural resources and overcrowding are
contributing to emigration to New Zealand

Tonga
deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared
for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from
starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting
threatens native sea turtle populations

Trinidad and Tobago
water pollution from agricultural chemicals,
industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches;
deforestation; soil erosion

Tromelin Island
NA

Tunisia
toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses
health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh
water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion;
desertification

Turkey
water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air
pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for
oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic

Turkmenistan
contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural
chemicals, pesticides; salination, water-logging of soil due to poor
irrigation methods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large
share of the flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to
that river's inability to replenish the Aral Sea; desertification

Turks and Caicos Islands
limited natural fresh water resources,
private cisterns collect rainwater

Tuvalu
since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not
potable, most water needs must be met by catchment systems with
storage facilities (the Japanese Government has built one
desalination plant and plans to build one other); beachhead erosion
because of the use of sand for building materials; excessive
clearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coral
reefs from the spread of the Crown of Thorns starfish; Tuvalu is
very concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissions
and their effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country's
underground water table; in 2000, the government appealed to
Australia and New Zealand to take in Tuvaluans if rising sea levels
should make evacuation necessary

Uganda
draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation;
overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake
Victoria; poaching is widespread

Ukraine
inadequate supplies of potable water; air and water
pollution; deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast
from 1986 accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant

United Arab Emirates
lack of natural freshwater resources
compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution
from oil spills

United Kingdom
continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (has met
Kyoto Protocol target of a 12.5% reduction from 1990 levels and
intends to meet the legally binding target and move towards a
domestic goal of a 20% cut in emissions by 2010); by 2005 the
government aims to reduce the amount of industrial and commercial
waste disposed of in landfill sites to 85% of 1998 levels and to
recycle or compost at least 25% of household waste, increasing to
33% by 2015; between 1998-99 and 1999-2000, household recycling
increased from 8.8% to 10.3%

United States
air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US
and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide
from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of
pesticides and fertilizers; limited natural fresh water resources in
much of the western part of the country require careful management;
desertification

Uruguay
water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry;
inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal

Uzbekistan
shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing
concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these
substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and
contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial
wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause
of many human health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil
contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural
chemicals, including DDT

Vanuatu
a majority of the population does not have access to a
potable and reliable supply of water; deforestation

Venezuela
sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban
pollution of Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation;
urban and industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean
coast; threat to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining
operations

Vietnam
logging and slash-and-burn agricultural practices contribute
to deforestation and soil degradation; water pollution and
overfishing threaten marine life populations; groundwater
contamination limits potable water supply; growing urban
industrialization and population migration are rapidly degrading
environment in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

Virgin Islands
lack of natural freshwater resources

Wake Island
NA

Wallis and Futuna
deforestation (only small portions of the original
forests remain) largely as a result of the continued use of wood as
the main fuel source; as a consequence of cutting down the forests,
the mountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to erosion;
there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because of the lack of
natural fresh water resources

West Bank
adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment

Western Sahara
sparse water and lack of arable land

World
large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters,
pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of
vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of
wildlife, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion

Yemen
very limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate
supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Zambia
air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral
extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds;
poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and
large cat populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification;
lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks

Zimbabwe
deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and
water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest
concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly
reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste
and heavy metal pollution

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2033 Environment - international agreements

Afghanistan
party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Albania
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Algeria
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Andorra
party to: Hazardous Wastes
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Angola
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Antigua and Barbuda
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Argentina
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Armenia
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Australia
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Austria
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Azerbaijan
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Bahamas, The
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Bahrain
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Bangladesh
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Barbados
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Belarus
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Belgium
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Belize
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Benin
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Bhutan
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Bolivia
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection

Bosnia and Herzegovina
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Botswana
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Brazil
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Brunei
party to: Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Bulgaria
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Burkina Faso
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Burma
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Burundi
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Cambodia
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Cameroon
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Canada
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Marine Life Conservation

Cape Verde
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Central African Republic
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection,
Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Chad
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Chile
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

China
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Colombia
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Comoros
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Congo, Democratic Republic of the party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Congo, Republic of the party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Cook Islands
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Costa Rica
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Cote d'Ivoire
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Croatia
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Cuba
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Cyprus
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Czech Republic
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Denmark
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Djibouti
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Dominica
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Dominican Republic
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

East Timor
NA

Ecuador
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Egypt
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

El Salvador
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Equatorial Guinea
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Eritrea
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Estonia
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Ethiopia
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

European Union
Hazardous Wastes, Biodiversity, Air Pollution,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Tropical Timber 82, Tropical
Timber 94, Ozone Layer Protection, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Law of the Sea, Desertification, Climate
Change; has signed, but not yet ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Fiji
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber
83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Finland
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

France
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Gabon
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Gambia, The
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Georgia
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Germany
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Ghana
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Greece
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

Grenada
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Guatemala
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Guinea
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Guinea-Bissau
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Guyana
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber
83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Haiti
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law
of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection
signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes

Holy See (Vatican City)
party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification

Honduras
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Hong Kong
party to: Marine Dumping (associate member)

Hungary
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Iceland
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

India
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Indonesia
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life
Conservation

Iran
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the
Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Iraq
party to: Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Ireland
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Marine Life Conservation

Israel
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life
Conservation

Italy
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Jamaica
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Japan
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

Jordan
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Kazakhstan
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Kenya
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Kiribati
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Korea, North
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Korea, South
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Kuwait
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping

Kyrgyzstan
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes,
Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Laos
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Latvia
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Lebanon
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life
Conservation

Lesotho
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Liberia
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Environmental
Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Libya
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Liechtenstein
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Lithuania
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Luxembourg
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur
85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Macedonia
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Madagascar
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Malawi
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Malaysia
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands

Maldives
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Mali
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Malta
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Marshall Islands
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Mauritania
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Mauritius
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Mexico
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Micronesia, Federated States of
party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Moldova
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Monaco
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Mongolia
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Morocco
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,
Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

Mozambique
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Namibia
party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Nauru
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Nepal
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Netherlands
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur
85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of
the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling

New Zealand
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation

Nicaragua
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Niger
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the
Sea

Nigeria
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Niue
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Norway
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Oman
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Pakistan
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Palau
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Panama
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Papua New Guinea
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Paraguay
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Peru
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Philippines
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Poland
party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Portugal
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental
Modification

Qatar
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Romania
party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Russia
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol

Rwanda
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Saint Kitts and Nevis
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Saint Lucia
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Samoa
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

San Marino
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution

Sao Tome and Principe
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Saudi Arabia
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Senegal
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

Serbia and Montenegro
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Seychelles
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sierra Leone
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Singapore
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Slovakia
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Slovenia
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Solomon Islands
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Somalia
party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection

South Africa
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Southern Ocean
the Southern Ocean is subject to all international
agreements regarding the world's oceans; in addition, it is subject
to these agreements specific to the Antarctic region: International
Whaling Commission (prohibits commercial whaling south of 40 degrees
south [south of 60 degrees south between 50 degrees and 130 degrees
west]); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (limits
sealing); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living
Resources (regulates fishing)
note: many nations (including the US) prohibit mineral resource
exploration and exploitation south of the fluctuating Polar Front
(Antarctic Convergence) which is in the middle of the Antarctic
Circumpolar Current and serves as the dividing line between the very
cold polar surface waters to the south and the warmer waters to the
north

Spain
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Sri Lanka
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Sudan
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Suriname
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Swaziland
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Sweden
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Switzerland
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur
85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine
Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Syria
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Taiwan
party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's
international status
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements because of
Taiwan's international status

Tajikistan
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Tanzania
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Thailand
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Togo
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Tonga
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law
of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Trinidad and Tobago
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Tunisia
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Turkey
party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Turkmenistan
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone
Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Tuvalu
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Uganda
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Ukraine
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
Compounds

United Arab Emirates
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

United Kingdom
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

United States
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
Oxides, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,
Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes

Uruguay
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Uzbekistan
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Vanuatu
party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Venezuela
party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

Vietnam
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Western Sahara
party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Yemen
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Zambia
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Zimbabwe
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2034 Military expenditures - percent of GDP (%)

Afghanistan
1% (2003)

Albania
1.49% (FY02)

Algeria
3.5% (2003)

Angola
1.9% (2003)

Antigua and Barbuda
NA

Argentina
1.3% (FY00)

Armenia
6.5% (FY01)

Australia
2.8% (2003)

Austria
0.85% (June 2004)

Azerbaijan
2.6% (FY99)

Bahamas, The
NA

Bahrain
7.5% (2003)

Bangladesh
1.2% (2003)

Barbados
NA

Belarus
1.4% (FY02)

Belgium
1.3% (2003)

Belize
2% (2003)

Benin
2.7% (2003)

Bermuda
0.11% (FY00/01)

Bhutan
1.9% (2003)

Bolivia
1.6% (2003)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
4.5% (FY02)

Botswana
3.6% (2003)

Brazil
2.1% (2003)

Brunei
5.9% (2003)

Bulgaria
2.6% (2003)

Burkina Faso
1.6% (2003)

Burma
2.1% (FY97)

Burundi
6% (2003)

Cambodia
3% (FY01 est.)

Cameroon
1.4% (2003)

Canada
1.1% (2003)

Cape Verde
1.5% (2003)

Central African Republic
1.1% (2003)

Chad
2.1% (2003)

Chile
4% (2003)

China
3.5-5.0% (FY03 est.)

Colombia
3.4% (FY01)

Comoros
3% (2003)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
1.4% (2003)

Congo, Republic of the
2.8% (2003)

Costa Rica
0.4% (2003)

Cote d'Ivoire
1.2% (2003)

Croatia
2.39% (2002 est.)

Cuba
1.8% (2003)

Cyprus
3.8% (FY02)

Czech Republic
2.1% (FY01)

Denmark
1.6% (2003)

Djibouti
4.4% (2003)

Dominica
NA

Dominican Republic
1.1% (1998)

East Timor
NA

Ecuador
2.4% (2003)

Egypt
3.6% (2003)

El Salvador
1.1% (2003)

Equatorial Guinea
2.5% (2003)

Eritrea
11.8% (2003)

Estonia
2% (2002 est.)

Ethiopia
5.2% (2003)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA

Faroe Islands
NA

Fiji
2.2% (FY02)

Finland
2% (FY98/99)

France
2.6% (2003)

French Guiana
NA

Gabon
2% (2003)

Gambia, The
0.3% (2003)

Gaza Strip
NA

Georgia
0.59% (FY00)

Germany
1.5% (2003)

Ghana
0.6% (2003)

Greece
4.3% (2003)

Grenada
NA

Guatemala
0.8% (2003)

Guinea
1.7% (2003)

Guinea-Bissau
2.8% (2003)

Guyana
0.8% (2003)

Haiti
0.9% (2003)

Honduras
1.5% (2003)

Hong Kong
NA (FY02)

Hungary
1.75% (2002 est.)

India
2.4% (2003)

Indonesia
1.3% (FY98)

Iran
3.3% (2003 est.)

Iraq
NA

Ireland
0.9% (FY00/01)

Israel
8.7% (FY02)

Italy
1.9% (2003)

Jamaica
0.4% (2003)

Japan
1% (2003)

Jordan
20.2% (2003)

Kazakhstan
0.9% (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)

Kenya
1.8% (2003)

Kiribati
NA

Korea, North
22.9% (2003)

Korea, South
2.7% (FY03)

Kuwait
5.8% (2003)

Kyrgyzstan
1.4% (FY01)

Laos
0.5% (2003)

Latvia
1.2% (FY01)

Lebanon
4.8% (FY99)

Lesotho
2.6% (2003)

Liberia
1.3% (2003)

Libya
3.9% (FY99)

Lithuania
1.9% (FY01)

Luxembourg
0.9% (2003)

Macedonia
6% (FY01/02 est.)

Madagascar
1.2% (2003)

Malawi
0.7% (2003)

Malaysia
2.03% (FY00)

Maldives
8.6% (2003)

Mali
1.3% (2003)

Malta
0.7% (2003)

Marshall Islands
NA

Mauritania
3.7% (2003)

Mauritius
0.2% (2003)

Mexico
0.9% (2003)

Moldova
0.4% (FY02)

Mongolia
2.2% (FY02)

Morocco
4.8% (2003)

Mozambique
2.2% (2003)

Namibia
2.5% (2003)

Nauru
NA

Nepal
1.6% (2003)

Netherlands
1.6% (2003)

New Caledonia
NA

New Zealand
1% (FY02)

Nicaragua
1.2% (2003)

Niger
1.1% (2003)

Nigeria
0.9% (2003)

Norway
1.9% (2003)

Oman
11.4% (2003)

Pakistan
3.9% (FY02/03)

Palau
NA

Panama
1.2% (2003)

Papua New Guinea
1.4% (FY02)

Paraguay
0.9% (2003)

Peru
1.3% (2003)

Philippines
1.5% (FY98)

Poland
1.71% (2002)

Portugal
2.3% (2003)

Qatar
10% (FY00)

Romania
2.47% (2002)

Russia
NA

Rwanda
2.9% (2003)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
NA

Saint Lucia
NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
NA

Samoa
NA

San Marino
NA

Sao Tome and Principe
0.8% (2003)

Saudi Arabia
10% (2002)

Senegal
1.5% (2003)

Serbia and Montenegro
NA

Seychelles
1.8% (2003)

Sierra Leone
1.5% (2003)

Singapore
4.9% (FY01)

Slovakia
1.89% (2002)

Slovenia
1.7% (FY00)

Solomon Islands
NA

Somalia
0.9% (2003)

South Africa
1.7% (2003)

Spain
1.2% (2003)

Sri Lanka
3.2% (2003)

Sudan
2.5% (1999)

Suriname
0.7% (2003)

Swaziland
1.8% (2003)

Sweden
2.1% (FY01)

Switzerland
1% (FY01)

Syria
5.9% (FY00)

Taiwan
2.7% (2003)

Tajikistan
3.9% (FY01)

Tanzania
0.2% (2003)

Thailand
1.8% (2003)

Togo
1.9% (2003)

Tonga
NA

Trinidad and Tobago
0.6% (2003)

Tunisia
1.5% (FY99)

Turkey
5.3% (2003)

Turkmenistan
3.4% (FY99)

Tuvalu
NA

Uganda
2.1% (2003)

Ukraine
1.4% (FY02)

United Arab Emirates
3.1% (FY00)

United Kingdom
2.4% (2003)

United States
3.3% (FY03 est.) (February 2004)

Uruguay
2% (2003)

Uzbekistan
2% (FY97)

Vanuatu
NA

Venezuela
1.3% (2003)

Vietnam
2.5% (FY98)

West Bank
NA

Western Sahara
NA

World
roughly 2% of gross world product (1999 est.)

Yemen
7.9% (2003)

Zambia
0.9% (2003)

Zimbabwe
1.7% (2003)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2038 Electricity - production (kWh)

Afghanistan
334.8 million kWh (2001)

Albania
5.289 billion kWh (2001)

Algeria
24.69 billion kWh (2001)

American Samoa
130 million kWh (2001)

Andorra
NA kWh

Angola
1.45 billion kWh (2001)

Anguilla
NA

Antigua and Barbuda
105.3 million kWh (2001)

Argentina
97.17 billion kWh (2001)

Armenia
6.479 billion kWh (2001)

Aruba
531.9 million kWh (2001)

Australia
198.2 billion kWh (2001)

Austria
58.75 billion kWh (2001)

Azerbaijan
18.23 billion kWh (2001)

Bahamas, The
1.56 billion kWh (2001)

Bahrain
6.257 billion kWh (2001)

Bangladesh
15.33 billion kWh (2001)

Barbados
780 million kWh (2001)

Belarus
24.4 billion kWh (2001)

Belgium
74.28 billion kWh (2001)

Belize
199.5 million kWh (2001)

Benin
274.3 million kWh (2001)

Bermuda
643.7 million kWh (2001)

Bhutan
1.896 billion kWh (2001)

Bolivia
3.901 billion kWh (2001)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
9.979 billion kWh (2001)

Botswana
409.8 million kWh (2001)

Brazil
321.2 billion kWh (2001)

British Indian Ocean Territory
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied
by the US military

British Virgin Islands
38.1 million kWh (2001)

Brunei
2.497 billion kWh (2001)

Bulgaria
41.38 billion kWh (2001)

Burkina Faso
279.2 million kWh (2001)

Burma
6.139 billion kWh (2001)

Burundi
155.4 million kWh (2001)

Cambodia
119 million kWh (2001)

Cameroon
3.613 billion kWh (2001)

Canada
566.3 billion kWh (2001)

Cape Verde
42.03 million kWh (2001)

Cayman Islands
381.9 million kWh (2001)

Central African Republic
106 million kWh (2001)

Chad
94.04 million kWh (2001)

Chile
41.66 billion kWh (2001)

China
1.42 trillion kWh (2001)

Christmas Island
NA kWh

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA kWh

Colombia
42.99 billion kWh (2001)

Comoros
21.27 million kWh (2001)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
5.243 billion kWh (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
358.1 million kWh (2001)

Cook Islands
27.43 million kWh (2001)

Costa Rica
6.839 billion kWh (2001)

Cote d'Ivoire
4.605 billion kWh (2001)

Croatia
12.12 billion kWh (2001)

Cuba
14.38 billion kWh (2001)

Cyprus
3.401 billion kWh; north Cyprus: NA kWh (2001)

Czech Republic
70.04 billion kWh (2001)

Denmark
35.47 billion kWh (2001)

Djibouti
180 million kWh (2001)

Dominica
72.41 million kWh (2001)

Dominican Republic
9.186 billion kWh (2001)

East Timor
NA kWh (2001)

Ecuador
75.23 billion kWh (2001)

Egypt
75.23 billion kWh (2001)

El Salvador
3.729 billion kWh (2001)

Equatorial Guinea
23.56 million kWh (2001)

Eritrea
220.5 million kWh (2001)

Estonia
7.937 billion kWh (2001)

Ethiopia
1.713 billion kWh (2001)

European Union
2.822 trillion kWh (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
16.33 million kWh (2001)

Faroe Islands
160.4 million kWh (2001)

Fiji
520.1 million kWh (2001)

Finland
71.2 billion kWh (2001)

France
520.1 billion kWh (2001)

French Guiana
455 million kWh (2001)

French Polynesia
428.3 million kWh (2001)

Gabon
798.4 million kWh (2001)

Gambia, The
85.33 million kWh (2001)

Gaza Strip
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel

Georgia
7.27 billion kWh (2001)

Germany
544.8 billion kWh (2001)

Ghana
8.801 billion kWh (2001)

Gibraltar
100 million kWh (2001)

Greece
49.79 billion kWh (2001)

Greenland
245 million kWh (2001)

Grenada
138 million kWh (2001)

Guadeloupe
1.155 billion kWh (2001)

Guam
830 million kWh (2001)

Guatemala
6.237 billion kWh (2001)

Guernsey
NA kWh

Guinea
790.6 million kWh (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
55 million kWh (2001)

Guyana
852 million kWh (2001)

Haiti
580 million kWh (2001)

Holy See (Vatican City)
NA kWh

Honduras
3.778 billion kWh (2001)

Hong Kong
30.48 billion kWh (2001)

Hungary
34.39 billion kWh (2001)

Iceland
7.894 billion kWh (2001)

India
533.3 billion kWh (2001)

Indonesia
95.78 billion kWh (2001)

Iran
124.6 billion kWh (2001)

Iraq
36.01 billion kWh (2001)

Ireland
23.53 billion kWh (2001)

Israel
42.24 billion kWh (2001)

Italy
258.8 billion kWh (2001)

Jamaica
6.272 billion kWh (2001)

Japan
1.037 trillion kWh (2001)

Jordan
7.091 billion kWh (2001)

Kazakhstan
52.43 billion kWh (2001)

Kenya
4.033 billion kWh (2001)

Kiribati
7 million kWh (2001)

Korea, North
30.01 billion kWh (2001)

Korea, South
290.7 billion kWh (2001)

Kuwait
31.49 billion kWh (2001)

Kyrgyzstan
13.45 billion kWh (2001)

Laos
1.317 billion kWh (2001)

Latvia
4.365 billion kWh (2001)

Lebanon
6.728 billion kWh (2001)

Lesotho
0 kWh NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa
(2001)

Liberia
468.8 million kWh (2001)

Libya
20.18 billion kWh (2001)

Lithuania
14.62 billion kWh (2001)

Luxembourg
457 million kWh (2001)

Macau
1.611 billion kWh (2002)

Macedonia
6.465 billion kWh (2001)

Madagascar
830.2 million kWh (2001)

Malawi
769.2 million kWh (2001)

Malaysia
75.33 billion kWh (2002)

Maldives
117 million kWh (2001)

Mali
480.2 million kWh (2001)

Malta
1.768 billion kWh (2001)

Martinique
1.151 billion kWh (2001)

Mauritania
157.4 million kWh (2001)

Mauritius
1.311 billion kWh (2001)

Mayotte
NA kWh

Mexico
198.6 billion kWh (2001)

Micronesia, Federated States of
NA kWh

Moldova
3.394 billion kWh (2001)

Mongolia
2.225 billion kWh (2001)

Montserrat
2.5 million kWh (2001)

Morocco
13.35 billion kWh (2001)

Mozambique
7.193 billion kWh (2001)

Namibia
26.95 million kWh (2001)

Nauru
30 million kWh (2001)

Nepal
1.755 billion kWh (2001)

Netherlands
88.32 billion kWh (2001)

Netherlands Antilles
1.061 billion kWh (2001)

New Caledonia
1.613 billion kWh (2001)

New Zealand
37.51 billion kWh (2001)

Nicaragua
2.549 billion kWh (2001)

Niger
242 million kWh (2001)

Nigeria
15.67 billion kWh (2001)

Niue
3 million kWh (2001)

Norfolk Island
NA kWh

Northern Mariana Islands
NA kWh

Norway
120.1 billion kWh (2001)

Oman
9.274 billion kWh (2001)

Pakistan
66.96 billion kWh (2001)

Panama
4.039 billion kWh (2001)

Papua New Guinea
1.496 billion kWh (2001)

Paraguay
44.89 billion kWh (2001)

Peru
20.59 billion kWh (2001)

Philippines
45.21 billion kWh (2001)

Pitcairn Islands
NA kWh; note - electric power is provided by a
small diesel-powered generator

Poland
135 billion kWh (2001)

Portugal
44.32 billion kWh (2001)

Puerto Rico
20.9 billion kWh (2001)

Qatar
9.264 billion kWh (2001)

Reunion
1.08 billion kWh (2001)

Romania
50.86 billion kWh (2001)

Russia
915 billion kWh (2003)

Rwanda
96.78 million kWh (2001)

Saint Helena
5 million kWh (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
100.3 million kWh (2001)

Saint Lucia
120.2 million kWh (2001)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
42.03 million kWh (2001)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
92.48 million kWh (2001)

Samoa
105.1 million kWh (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
17 million kWh (2001)

Saudi Arabia
122.4 billion kWh (2001)

Senegal
1.518 billion kWh (2001)

Serbia and Montenegro
31.71 billion kWh (2001)

Seychelles
160 million kWh (2001)

Sierra Leone
250.1 million kWh (2001)

Singapore
30.48 billion kWh (2001)

Slovakia
30.29 billion kWh (2001)

Slovenia
13.69 billion kWh (2001)

Solomon Islands
32 million kWh (2001)

Somalia
245.1 million kWh (2001)

South Africa
195.6 billion kWh (2001)

Spain
222.5 billion kWh (2001)

Sri Lanka
6.36 billion kWh (2001)

Sudan
2.389 billion kWh (2001)

Suriname
1.959 billion kWh (2001)

Svalbard
NA kWh

Swaziland
348.3 million kWh (2001)

Sweden
152.9 billion kWh (2001)

Switzerland
68.68 billion kWh (2001)

Syria
23.26 billion kWh (2001)

Taiwan
151.1 billion kWh (2001)

Tajikistan
14.18 billion kWh (2001)

Tanzania
2.906 billion kWh (2001)

Thailand
97.6 billion kWh (2001)

Togo
101.6 million kWh (2001)

Tokelau
NA kWh

Tonga
27.27 million kWh (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
5.315 billion kWh (2001)

Tunisia
10.48 billion kWh (2001)

Turkey
116.6 billion kWh (2001)

Turkmenistan
10.18 billion kWh (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands
5 million kWh (2001)

Uganda
1.928 billion kWh (2001)

Ukraine
164.7 billion kWh (2001)

United Arab Emirates
37.74 billion kWh (2001)

United Kingdom
360.9 billion kWh (2001)

United States
3.719 trillion kWh (2001)

Uruguay
7.963 billion kWh (2001)

Uzbekistan
44.49 billion kWh (2001)

Vanuatu
43.46 million kWh (2001)

Venezuela
87.6 billion kWh (2001)

Vietnam
29.8 billion kWh (2001)

Virgin Islands
1.03 billion kWh (2001)

Wake Island
NA

Wallis and Futuna
NA kWh

West Bank
NA kWh; note - most electricity imported from Israel; East
Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to
Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank;
the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most
Jewish residents and military facilities; some Palestinian
municipalities, such as Nablus and Janin, generate their own
electricity from small power plants

Western Sahara
90 million kWh (2001)

World
14.93 trillion kWh (2001 est.)

Yemen
3.01 billion kWh (2001)

Zambia
7.751 billion kWh (2001)

Zimbabwe
6.735 billion kWh (2001)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2042 Electricity - consumption (kWh)

Afghanistan
511.4 million kWh (2001)

Albania
5.898 billion kWh (2001)

Algeria
22.9 billion kWh (2001)

American Samoa
120.9 million kWh (2001)

Andorra
NA kWh

Angola
1.348 billion kWh (2001)

Anguilla
42.6 million kWh

Antigua and Barbuda
97.89 million kWh (2001)

Argentina
92.12 billion kWh (2001)

Armenia
5.784 billion kWh (2001)

Aruba
494.7 million kWh (2001)

Australia
184.4 billion kWh (2001)

Austria
54.85 billion kWh (2001)

Azerbaijan
16.65 billion kWh (2001)

Bahamas, The
1.451 billion kWh (2001)

Bahrain
5.819 billion kWh (2001)

Bangladesh
14.25 billion kWh (2001)

Barbados
725.4 million kWh (2001)

Belarus
26.69 billion kWh (2001)

Belgium
78.18 billion kWh (2001)

Belize
185.5 million kWh (2001)

Benin
631.1 million kWh (2001)

Bermuda
598.6 million kWh (2001)

Bhutan
379.5 million kWh (2001)

Bolivia
3.634 billion kWh (2001)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
8.116 billion kWh (2001)

Botswana
1.564 billion kWh (2001)

Brazil
335.9 billion kWh (2001)

British Indian Ocean Territory
NA kWh

British Virgin Islands
35.43 million kWh (2001)

Brunei
2.322 billion kWh (2001)

Bulgaria
32.52 billion kWh (2001)

Burkina Faso
259.6 million kWh (2001)

Burma
5.709 billion kWh (2001)

Burundi
177.5 million kWh (2001)

Cambodia
110.6 million kWh (2001)

Cameroon
3.36 billion kWh (2001)

Canada
504.4 billion kWh (2001)

Cape Verde
39.08 million kWh (2001)

Cayman Islands
355.2 million kWh (2001)

Central African Republic
98.63 million kWh (2001)

Chad
87.46 million kWh (2001)

Chile
40.13 billion kWh (2001)

China
1.312 trillion kWh (2001)

Christmas Island
NA kWh

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA kWh

Colombia
39.81 billion kWh (2001)

Comoros
19.78 million kWh (2001)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
3.839 billion kWh (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
633 million kWh (2001)

Cook Islands
25.51 million kWh (2001)

Costa Rica
6.109 billion kWh (2001)

Cote d'Ivoire
2.983 billion kWh (2001)

Croatia
14.27 billion kWh (2001)

Cuba
13.38 billion kWh (2001)

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: 3.163 billion kWh; north Cyprus: NA kWh
(2001)

Czech Republic
55.6 billion kWh (2001)

Denmark
32.41 billion kWh (2001)

Djibouti
167.4 million kWh (2001)

Dominica
67.35 million kWh (2001)

Dominican Republic
8.543 billion kWh (2001)

East Timor
NA kWh (2001)

Ecuador
69.96 billion kWh (2001)

Egypt
69.96 billion kWh (2001)

El Salvador
3.777 billion kWh (2001)

Equatorial Guinea
21.91 million kWh (2001)

Eritrea
205.1 million kWh (2001)

Estonia
6.192 billion kWh (2001)

Ethiopia
1.594 billion kWh (2001)

European Union
2.635 trillion kWh (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
15.19 million kWh (2001)

Faroe Islands
149.1 million kWh (2001)

Fiji
483.7 million kWh (2001)

Finland
76.18 billion kWh (2001)

France
415.3 billion kWh (2001)

French Guiana
423.2 million kWh (2001)

French Polynesia
398.3 million kWh (2001)

Gabon
742.5 million kWh (2001)

Gambia, The
79.36 million kWh (2001)

Gaza Strip
NA kWh

Georgia
7.611 billion kWh (2001)

Germany
506.8 billion kWh (2001)

Ghana
8.835 billion kWh (2001)

Gibraltar
93 million kWh (2001)

Greece
48.8 billion kWh (2001)

Greenland
227.9 million kWh (2001)

Grenada
128.3 million kWh (2001)

Guadeloupe
1.074 billion kWh (2001)

Guam
771.9 million kWh (2001)

Guatemala
5.559 billion kWh (2001)

Guernsey
NA kWh

Guinea
735.2 million kWh (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
51.15 million kWh (2001)

Guyana
792.4 million kWh (2001)

Haiti
539.4 million kWh (2001)

Holy See (Vatican City)
NA kWh

Honduras
3.822 billion kWh (2001)

Hong Kong
37.12 billion kWh (2001)

Hungary
35.15 billion kWh (2001)

Iceland
7.341 billion kWh (2001)

India
497.2 billion kWh (2001)

Indonesia
89.08 billion kWh (2001)

Iran
115.9 billion kWh (2001)

Iraq
33.49 billion kWh (2001)

Ireland
21.63 billion kWh (2001)

Israel
37.82 billion kWh (2001)

Italy
289.1 billion kWh (2001)

Jamaica
5.833 billion kWh (2001)

Japan
964.2 billion kWh (2001)

Jordan
6.86 billion kWh (2001)

Kazakhstan
48.36 billion kWh (2001)

Kenya
3.981 billion kWh (2001)

Kiribati
6.51 million kWh (2001)

Korea, North
27.91 billion kWh (2001)

Korea, South
270.3 billion kWh (2001)

Kuwait
29.29 billion kWh (2001)

Kyrgyzstan
10.46 billion kWh (2001)

Laos
824.7 million kWh (2001)

Latvia
6.046 billion kWh (2001)

Lebanon
7.44 billion kWh (2001)

Lesotho
40 million kWh (2001)

Liberia
435.9 million kWh (2001)

Libya
18.77 billion kWh (2001)

Lithuania
8.683 billion kWh (2001)

Luxembourg
6.07 billion kWh (2001)

Macau
1.688 billion kWh (2002)

Macedonia
6.112 billion kWh (2001)

Madagascar
772.1 million kWh (2001)

Malawi
715.3 million kWh (2001)

Malaysia
68.4 billion kWh (2002)

Maldives
108.8 million kWh (2001)

Mali
446.6 million kWh (2001)

Malta
1.644 billion kWh (2001)

Martinique
1.07 billion kWh (2001)

Mauritania
146.3 million kWh (2001)

Mauritius
1.219 billion kWh (2001)

Mayotte
NA kWh

Mexico
186.7 billion kWh (2001)

Micronesia, Federated States of
NA kWh

Moldova
3.216 billion kWh (2001)

Monaco
NA kWh

Mongolia
2.194 billion kWh (2001)

Montserrat
2.325 million kWh (2001)

Morocco
14.61 billion kWh (2001)

Mozambique
1.39 billion kWh (2001)

Namibia
603.1 million kWh (2001)

Nauru
27.9 million kWh (2001)

Nepal
1.764 billion kWh (2001)

Netherlands
99.42 billion kWh (2001)

Netherlands Antilles
986.8 million kWh (2001)

New Caledonia
1.5 billion kWh (2001)

New Zealand
34.88 billion kWh (2001)

Nicaragua
2.388 billion kWh (2001)

Niger
325.1 million kWh (2001)

Nigeria
14.55 billion kWh (2001)

Niue
2.79 million kWh (2001)

Norfolk Island
NA kWh

Northern Mariana Islands
NA kWh

Norway
115.3 billion kWh (2001)

Oman
8.625 billion kWh (2001)

Pakistan
62.27 billion kWh (2001)

Panama
3.681 billion kWh (2001)

Papua New Guinea
1.391 billion kWh (2001)

Paraguay
2.637 billion kWh (2001)

Peru
19.15 billion kWh (2001)

Philippines
42.04 billion kWh (2001)

Pitcairn Islands
NA kWh

Poland
118.8 billion kWh (2001)

Portugal
41.48 billion kWh (2001)

Puerto Rico
19.44 billion kWh (2001)

Qatar
8.616 billion kWh (2001)

Reunion
1.005 billion kWh (2001)

Romania
46.1 billion kWh (2001)

Russia
773 billion kWh (2001)

Rwanda
140 million kWh (2001)

Saint Helena
4.65 million kWh (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
93.26 million kWh (2001)

Saint Lucia
111.8 million kWh (2001)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
39.08 million kWh (2001)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
86 million kWh (2001)

Samoa
97.74 million kWh (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
15.81 million kWh (2001)

Saudi Arabia
113.8 billion kWh (2001)

Senegal
1.412 billion kWh (2001)

Serbia and Montenegro
32.37 billion kWh (2001)

Seychelles
148.8 million kWh (2001)

Sierra Leone
232.6 million kWh (2001)

Singapore
28.35 billion kWh (2001)

Slovakia
24.41 billion kWh (2001)

Slovenia
13.83 billion kWh (2001)

Solomon Islands
29.76 million kWh (2001)

Somalia
227.9 million kWh (2001)

South Africa
181.2 billion kWh (2001)

Spain
210.4 billion kWh (2001)

Sri Lanka
5.915 billion kWh (2001)

Sudan
2.222 billion kWh (2001)

Suriname
1.822 billion kWh (2001)

Svalbard
NA kWh

Swaziland
962.9 million kWh (2001)

Sweden
134.9 billion kWh (2001)

Switzerland
53.43 billion kWh (2001)

Syria
21.63 billion kWh (2001)

Taiwan
140.5 billion kWh (2001)

Tajikistan
14.52 billion kWh (2001)

Tanzania
2.752 billion kWh (2001)

Thailand
90.91 billion kWh (2001)

Togo
614.5 million kWh (2001)

Tokelau
NA kWh

Tonga
25.36 million kWh (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
4.943 billion kWh (2001)

Tunisia
9.748 billion kWh (2001)

Turkey
112.6 billion kWh (2001)

Turkmenistan
8.509 billion kWh (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands
4.65 million kWh (2001)

Uganda
1.62 billion kWh (2001)

Ukraine
152.4 billion kWh (2001)

United Arab Emirates
35.1 billion kWh (2001)

United Kingdom
346.1 billion kWh (2001)

United States
3.602 trillion kWh (2001)

Uruguay
6.152 billion kWh (2001)

Uzbekistan
47.07 billion kWh (2001)

Vanuatu
40.42 million kWh (2001)

Venezuela
81.47 billion kWh (2001)

Vietnam
27.71 billion kWh (2001)

Virgin Islands
957.9 million kWh (2001)

Wallis and Futuna
NA kWh

West Bank
NA kWh

Western Sahara
83.7 million kWh (2001)

World
13.94 trillion kWh (2001 est.)

Yemen
2.8 billion kWh (2001)

Zambia
5.458 billion kWh (2001)

Zimbabwe
9.813 billion kWh (2001)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2043 Electricity - imports (kWh)

Afghanistan
200 million kWh (2001)

Albania
1.2 billion kWh (2001)

Algeria
275 million kWh (2001)

American Samoa
0 kWh (2001)

Andorra
NA kWh; note - most electricity supplied by Spain and
France; Andorra generates a small amount of hydropower

Angola
0 kWh (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
0 kWh (2001)

Argentina
7.417 billion kWh (2001)

Armenia
463 million kWh; note - imports an unknown quantity from
Iran (2001)

Aruba
0 kWh (2001)

Australia
0 kWh (2001)

Austria
14.47 billion kWh (2001)

Azerbaijan
400 million kWh (2001)

Bahamas, The
0 kWh (2001)

Bahrain
0 kWh (2001)

Bangladesh
0 kWh (2001)

Barbados
0 kWh (2001)

Belarus
4.3 billion kWh (2001)

Belgium
15.82 billion kWh (2001)

Belize
0 kWh (2001)

Benin
376 million kWh (2001)

Bermuda
0 kWh (2001)

Bhutan
16 million kWh (2001)

Bolivia
9 million kWh (2001)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
1.405 billion kWh (2001)

Botswana
1.183 billion kWh (2001)

Brazil
37.19 billion kWh; note - supplied by Paraguay (2001)

British Virgin Islands
0 kWh (2001)

Brunei
0 kWh (2001)

Bulgaria
830 million kWh (2001)

Burkina Faso
0 kWh (2001)

Burma
0 kWh (2001)

Burundi
33 million kWh; note - supplied by the Democratic Republic
of the Congo (2001)

Cambodia
0 kWh (2001)

Cameroon
0 kWh (2001)

Canada
16.11 billion kWh (2001)

Cape Verde
0 kWh (2001)

Cayman Islands
0 kWh (2001)

Central African Republic
0 kWh (2001)

Chad
0 kWh (2001)

Chile
1.386 billion kWh (2001)

China
1.8 billion kWh (2001)

Colombia
40 million kWh (2001)

Comoros
0 kWh (2001)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
60 million kWh (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
300 million kWh (2001)

Cook Islands
0 kWh (2001)

Costa Rica
128 million kWh (2001)

Cote d'Ivoire
0 kWh (2001)

Croatia
3.386 billion kWh (2001)

Cuba
0 kWh (2001)

Cyprus
0 kWh (2001)

Czech Republic
9.38 billion kWh (2001)

Denmark
8.199 billion kWh (2001)

Djibouti
0 kWh (2001)

Dominica
0 kWh (2001)

Dominican Republic
0 kWh (2001)

East Timor
0 kWh (2001)

Ecuador
0 kWh (2001)

Egypt
0 kWh (2001)

El Salvador
353 million kWh (2001)

Equatorial Guinea
0 kWh (2001)

Eritrea
0 kWh NA kWh (2001)

Estonia
0 kWh (2001)

Ethiopia
0 kWh (2001)

European Union
245.7 billion kWh (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
0 kWh (2001)

Faroe Islands
0 kWh (2001)

Fiji
0 kWh (2001)

Finland
11.77 billion kWh (2001)

France
4.2 billion kWh (2001)

French Guiana
0 kWh (2001)

French Polynesia
0 kWh (2001)

Gabon
0 kWh (2001)

Gambia, The
0 kWh (2001)

Gaza Strip
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel (2001)

Georgia
850 million kWh (2001)

Germany
44 billion kWh (2001)

Ghana
950 million kWh (2001)

Gibraltar
0 kWh (2001)

Greece
3.562 billion kWh (2001)

Greenland
0 kWh (2001)

Grenada
0 kWh (2001)

Guadeloupe
0 kWh (2001)

Guam
0 kWh (2001)

Guatemala
95 million kWh (2001)

Guernsey
0 kWh (2002)

Guinea
0 kWh (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
0 kWh (2001)

Guyana
0 kWh (2001)

Haiti
0 kWh (2001)

Holy See (Vatican City)
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy

Honduras
308 million kWh (2001)

Hong Kong
10.36 billion kWh (2001)

Hungary
10.43 billion kWh (2001)

Iceland
0 kWh (2001)

India
1.54 billion kWh (2001)

Indonesia
0 kWh (2001)

Iran
0 kWh (2001)

Iraq
0 kWh (2001)

Ireland
38 million kWh (2001)

Israel
0 kWh (2001)

Italy
48.93 billion kWh (2001)

Jamaica
0 kWh (2001)

Japan
0 kWh (2001)

Jersey
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France

Jordan
267 million kWh (2001)

Kazakhstan
3.2 billion kWh (2001)

Kenya
230 million kWh (2001)

Kiribati
0 kWh (2001)

Korea, North
0 kWh (2001)

Korea, South
0 kWh (2001)

Kuwait
0 kWh (2001)

Kyrgyzstan
200 million kWh (2001)

Laos
0 kWh (2001)

Latvia
2.69 billion kWh (2001)

Lebanon
1.183 billion kWh (2001)

Lesotho
40 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa
(2001)

Liberia
0 kWh (2001)

Libya
0 kWh (2001)

Lithuania
1.389 billion kWh (2001)

Luxembourg
6.389 billion kWh (2001)

Macau
193 million kWh (2002)

Macedonia
100 million kWh (2001)

Madagascar
0 kWh (2001)

Malawi
0 kWh (2001)

Malaysia
0 kWh (2002)

Maldives
0 kWh (2001)

Mali
0 kWh (2001)

Malta
0 kWh (2001)

Martinique
0 kWh (2001)

Mauritania
0 kWh (2001)

Mauritius
0 kWh (2001)

Mexico
2.068 billion kWh (2001)

Moldova
60 million kWh (2001)

Monaco
NA kWh
note: electricity supplied by France

Mongolia
196 million kWh (2001)

Montserrat
0 kWh (2001)

Morocco
2.2 billion kWh (2001)

Mozambique
500 million kWh (2001)

Namibia
578 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa
(2001)

Nauru
0 kWh (2001)

Nepal
227 million kWh (2001)

Netherlands
21.49 billion kWh (2001)

Netherlands Antilles
0 kWh (2001)

New Caledonia
0 kWh (2001)

New Zealand
0 kWh (2001)

Nicaragua
17 million kWh (2001)

Niger
100 million kWh (2001)

Nigeria
0 kWh (2001)

Niue
0 kWh (2001)

Northern Mariana Islands
0 kWh

Norway
10.76 billion kWh (2001)

Oman
0 kWh (2001)

Pakistan
0 kWh (2001)

Panama
43 million kWh (2001)

Papua New Guinea
0 kWh (2001)

Paraguay
0 kWh (2001)

Peru
0 kWh (2001)

Philippines
0 kWh (2001)

Poland
4.306 billion kWh (2001)

Portugal
3.743 billion kWh (2001)

Puerto Rico
0 kWh (2001)

Qatar
0 kWh (2001)

Reunion
0 kWh (2001)

Romania
400 million kWh (2001)

Russia
7 billion kWh (2001)

Rwanda
50 million kWh (2001)

Saint Helena
0 kWh (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
0 kWh (2001)

Saint Lucia
0 kWh (2001)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
0 kWh (2001)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
0 kWh (2001)

Samoa
0 kWh (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
0 kWh (2001)

Saudi Arabia
0 kWh (2001)

Senegal
0 kWh (2001)

Serbia and Montenegro
3.33 billion kWh (2001)

Seychelles
0 kWh (2001)

Sierra Leone
0 kWh (2001)

Singapore
0 kWh (2001)

Slovakia
1.381 billion kWh (2001)

Slovenia
4.1 billion kWh (2001)

Solomon Islands
0 kWh (2001)

Somalia
0 kWh (2001)

South Africa
6.2 billion kWh (2001)

Spain
7.588 billion kWh (2001)

Sri Lanka
0 kWh (2001)

Sudan
0 kWh (2001)

Suriname
0 kWh (2001)

Swaziland
639 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South
Africa (2001)

Sweden
11.14 billion kWh (2001)

Switzerland
24.1 billion kWh (2001)

Syria
0 kWh (2001)

Taiwan
0 kWh (2001)

Tajikistan
5.242 billion kWh (2001)

Tanzania
50 million kWh (2001)

Thailand
350 million kWh (2001)

Togo
520 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by Ghana (2001)

Tonga
0 kWh (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
0 kWh (2001)

Tunisia
1 million kWh (2001)

Turkey
4.579 billion kWh (2001)

Turkmenistan
20 million kWh (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands
0 kWh (2001)

Uganda
1 million kWh (2001)

Ukraine
0 kWh (2001)

United Arab Emirates
0 kWh (2001)

United Kingdom
10.66 billion kWh (2001)

United States
38.48 billion kWh (2001)

Uruguay
123 million kWh (2001)

Uzbekistan
9.7 billion kWh (2001)

Vanuatu
0 kWh (2001)

Venezuela
0 kWh (2001)

Vietnam
0 kWh (2001)

Virgin Islands
0 kWh (2001)

Wallis and Futuna
0 kWh (2002)

West Bank
NA kWh

Western Sahara
0 kWh (2001)

Yemen
0 kWh (2001)

Zambia
0 kWh (2001)

Zimbabwe
3.55 billion kWh (2001)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2044 Electricity - exports (kWh)

Afghanistan
0 kWh (2001)

Albania
221 million kWh (2001)

Algeria
340 million kWh (2001)

American Samoa
0 kWh (2001)

Andorra
0 kWh (2002)

Angola
0 kWh (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
0 kWh (2001)

Argentina
5.662 billion kWh (2001)

Armenia
704 million kWh; note - exports an unknown quantity to
Georgia; includes exports to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan
(2001)

Aruba
0 kWh (2001)

Australia
0 kWh (2001)

Austria
14.25 billion kWh (2001)

Azerbaijan
700 million kWh (2001)

Bahamas, The
0 kWh (2001)

Bahrain
0 kWh (2001)

Bangladesh
0 kWh (2001)

Barbados
0 kWh (2001)

Belarus
300 million kWh (2001)

Belgium
6.712 billion kWh (2001)

Belize
0 kWh (2001)

Benin
0 kWh (2001)

Bermuda
0 kWh (2001)

Bhutan
1.4 billion kWh (2001)

Bolivia
3 million kWh (2001)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
2.569 billion kWh (2001)

Botswana
0 kWh (2001)

Brazil
0 kWh (2001)

British Virgin Islands
0 kWh (2001)

Brunei
0 kWh (2001)

Bulgaria
6.79 billion kWh (2001)

Burkina Faso
0 kWh (2001)

Burma
0 kWh (2001)

Burundi
0 kWh (2001)

Cambodia
0 kWh (2001)

Cameroon
0 kWh (2001)

Canada
38.4 billion kWh (2001)

Cape Verde
0 kWh (2001)

Cayman Islands
0 kWh (2001)

Central African Republic
0 kWh (2001)

Chad
0 kWh (2001)

Chile
0 kWh (2001)

China
10.3 billion kWh (2001)

Colombia
210 million kWh (2001)

Comoros
0 kWh (2001)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
1.097 billion kWh (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
0 kWh (2001)

Cook Islands
0 kWh (2001)

Costa Rica
379 million kWh (2001)

Cote d'Ivoire
1.3 billion kWh (2001)

Croatia
386 million kWh (2001)

Cuba
0 kWh (2001)

Cyprus
0 kWh (2001)

Czech Republic
18.92 billion kWh (2001)

Denmark
8.775 billion kWh (2001)

Djibouti
0 kWh (2001)

Dominica
0 kWh (2001)

Dominican Republic
0 kWh (2001)

East Timor
0 kWh (2001)

Ecuador
0 kWh (2001)

Egypt
0 kWh (2001)

El Salvador
44 million kWh (2001)

Equatorial Guinea
0 kWh (2001)

Eritrea
0 kWh NA kWh (2001)

Estonia
1.19 billion kWh (2001)

Ethiopia
0 kWh (2001)

European Union
234.8 billion kWh (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
0 kWh (2001)

Faroe Islands
0 kWh (2001)

Fiji
0 kWh (2001)

Finland
1.81 billion kWh (2001)

France
72.6 billion kWh (2001)

French Guiana
0 kWh (2001)

French Polynesia
0 kWh (2001)

Gabon
0 kWh (2001)

Gambia, The
0 kWh (2001)

Gaza Strip
0 kWh (2001)

Georgia
0 kWh (2001)

Germany
43.9 billion kWh (2001)

Ghana
300 million kWh (2001)

Gibraltar
0 kWh (2001)

Greece
1.062 billion kWh (2001)

Greenland
0 kWh (2001)

Grenada
0 kWh (2001)

Guadeloupe
0 kWh (2001)

Guam
0 kWh (2001)

Guatemala
336 million kWh (2001)

Guernsey
0 kWh (2002)

Guinea
0 kWh (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
0 kWh (2001)

Guyana
0 kWh (2001)

Haiti
0 kWh (2001)

Holy See (Vatican City)
0 kWh

Honduras
0 kWh (2001)

Hong Kong
1.581 billion kWh (2001)

Hungary
7.261 billion kWh (2001)

Iceland
0 kWh (2001)

India
321 million kWh (2001)

Indonesia
0 kWh (2001)

Iran
0 kWh (2001)

Iraq
0 kWh (2001)

Ireland
285 million kWh (2001)

Israel
1.457 billion kWh (2001)

Italy
556 million kWh (2001)

Jamaica
0 kWh (2001)

Japan
0 kWh (2001)

Jordan
2 million kWh (2001)

Kazakhstan
3.6 billion kWh (2001)

Kenya
0 kWh (2001)

Kiribati
0 kWh (2001)

Korea, North
0 kWh (2001)

Korea, South
0 kWh (2001)

Kuwait
0 kWh (2001)

Kyrgyzstan
2.25 billion kWh (2001)

Laos
400 million kWh (2001)

Latvia
703 million kWh (2001)

Lebanon
0 kWh (2001)

Lesotho
0 kWh (2001)

Liberia
0 kWh (2001)

Libya
0 kWh (2001)

Lithuania
6.3 billion kWh (2001)

Luxembourg
744 million kWh (2001)

Macau
1 million kWh (2001)

Macedonia
0 kWh (2001)

Madagascar
0 kWh (2001)

Malawi
0 kWh (2001)

Malaysia
0 kWh (2002)

Maldives
0 kWh (2001)

Mali
0 kWh; note - recent hydropower developments may be providing
electricity to Senegal and Mauritania (2001)

Malta
0 kWh (2001)

Martinique
0 kWh (2001)

Mauritania
0 kWh (2001)

Mauritius
0 kWh (2001)

Mexico
77 million kWh (2001)

Moldova
0 kWh (2001)

Mongolia
25 million kWh (2001)

Montserrat
0 kWh (2001)

Morocco
0 kWh (2001)

Mozambique
5.8 billion kWh (2001)

Namibia
0 kWh (2001)

Nauru
0 kWh (2001)

Nepal
95 million kWh (2001)

Netherlands
4.209 billion kWh (2001)

Netherlands Antilles
0 kWh (2001)

New Caledonia
0 kWh (2001)

New Zealand
0 kWh (2001)

Nicaragua
0 kWh (2001)

Niger
0 kWh (2001)

Nigeria
20 million kWh (2001)

Niue
0 kWh (2001)

Northern Mariana Islands
0 kWh

Norway
7.162 billion kWh (2001)

Oman
0 kWh (2001)

Pakistan
0 kWh (2001)

Panama
118 million kWh (2001)

Papua New Guinea
0 kWh (2001)

Paraguay
39.11 billion kWh (2001)

Peru
0 kWh (2001)

Philippines
0 kWh (2001)

Poland
11.04 billion kWh (2001)

Portugal
3.479 billion kWh (2001)

Puerto Rico
0 kWh (2001)

Qatar
0 kWh (2001)

Reunion
0 kWh (2001)

Romania
1.6 billion kWh (2001)

Russia
21.16 billion kWh (2001)

Rwanda
0 kWh (2001)

Saint Helena
0 kWh (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
0 kWh (2001)

Saint Lucia
0 kWh (2001)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
0 kWh (2001)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
0 kWh (2001)

Samoa
0 kWh (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
0 kWh (2001)

Saudi Arabia
0 kWh (2001)

Senegal
0 kWh (2001)

Serbia and Montenegro
446 million kWh (2001)

Seychelles
0 kWh (2001)

Sierra Leone
0 kWh (2001)

Singapore
0 kWh (2001)

Slovakia
5.141 billion kWh (2001)

Slovenia
3 billion kWh (2001)

Solomon Islands
0 kWh (2001)

Somalia
0 kWh (2001)

South Africa
6.91 billion kWh (2001)

Spain
4.138 billion kWh (2001)

Sri Lanka
0 kWh (2001)

Sudan
0 kWh (2001)

Suriname
0 kWh (2001)

Swaziland
0 kWh (2001)

Sweden
18.45 billion kWh (2001)

Switzerland
34.54 billion kWh (2001)

Syria
0 kWh (2001)

Taiwan
0 kWh (2001)

Tajikistan
3.909 billion kWh (2001)

Tanzania
0 kWh (2001)

Thailand
200 million kWh (2001)

Togo
0 kWh (2001)

Tonga
0 kWh (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
0 kWh (2001)

Tunisia
0 kWh (2001)

Turkey
433 million kWh (2001)

Turkmenistan
980 million kWh (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands
0 kWh (2001)

Uganda
174 million kWh (2001)

Ukraine
800 million kWh (2001)

United Arab Emirates
0 kWh (2001)

United Kingdom
264 million kWh (2001)

United States
18.17 billion kWh (2001)

Uruguay
1.377 billion kWh (2001)

Uzbekistan
3.998 billion kWh (2001)

Vanuatu
0 kWh (2001)

Venezuela
0 kWh (2001)

Vietnam
0 kWh (2001)

Virgin Islands
0 kWh (2001)

Wallis and Futuna
0 kWh (2002)

Western Sahara
0 kWh (2001)

Yemen
0 kWh (2001)

Zambia
1.75 billion kWh (2001)

Zimbabwe
0 kWh (2001)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2045

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2046 Population below poverty line (%)

Afghanistan
23% (2002)

Albania
30% (2001 est.)

Algeria
23% (1999 est.)

American Samoa
NA

Andorra
NA

Angola
70% (2003 est.)

Anguilla
NA

Antigua and Barbuda
NA

Argentina
51.7% (May 2003)

Armenia
50% (2002 est.)

Aruba
NA

Australia
NA

Austria
3.9% (1999)

Azerbaijan
49% (2002 est.)

Bahamas, The
NA

Bahrain
NA

Bangladesh
35.6% (FY95/96 est.)

Barbados
NA

Belarus
22% (1995 est.)

Belgium
4% (1989 est.)

Belize
33% (1999 est.)

Benin
37% (2001 est.)

Bermuda
19% (2000)

Bhutan
NA

Bolivia
70% (1999 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
NA (2004 est.)

Botswana
47% (2002 est.)

Brazil
22% (1998 est.)

British Virgin Islands
NA

Brunei
NA (1992 est.)

Bulgaria
13.4% (2002 est.)

Burkina Faso
45% (2003 est.)

Burma
25% (2000 est.)

Burundi
68% (2002 est.)

Cambodia
36% (1997 est.)

Cameroon
48% (2000 est.)

Canada
NA

Cape Verde
30% (2000)

Cayman Islands
NA (2002 est.)

Central African Republic
NA (1993)

Chad
80% (2001 est.)

Chile
20.6% (2000 est.)

China
10% (2001 est.)

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA

Colombia
55% (2001)

Comoros
60% (2002 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
NA

Congo, Republic of the
NA

Cook Islands
NA

Costa Rica
20.6% (2002 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
37% (1995)

Croatia
NA

Cuba
NA

Cyprus
NA

Czech Republic
NA

Denmark
NA

Djibouti
50% (2001 est.)

Dominica
30% (2002 est.)

Dominican Republic
25%

East Timor
42% (2003 est.)

Ecuador
65% (2003 est.)

Egypt
16.7% (2000 est.)

El Salvador
48% (1999 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
NA

Eritrea
53% (1993/94)

Estonia
NA (2000)

Ethiopia
50% (2003 est.)

European Union
NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA

Faroe Islands
NA

Fiji
25.5% (1990-91)

Finland
NA

France
6.5% (2000)

French Guiana
NA

French Polynesia
NA

Gabon
NA

Gambia, The
NA

Gaza Strip
60% (2003 est.)

Georgia
54% (2001 est.)

Germany
NA

Ghana
31.4% (1992 est.)

Gibraltar
NA

Greece
NA

Greenland
NA

Grenada
32% (2000)

Guadeloupe
NA

Guam
23% (2001 est.)

Guatemala
75% (2002 est.)

Guernsey
NA

Guinea
40% (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
NA

Guyana
NA

Haiti
80% (2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
NA

Honduras
53% (1993 est.)

Hong Kong
NA

Hungary
8.6% (1993 est.)

Iceland
NA

India
25% (2002 est.)

Indonesia
27% (1999)

Iran
40% (2002 est.)

Iraq
NA

Ireland
10% (1997 est.)

Israel
18% (2001 est.)

Italy
NA

Jamaica
19.7% (2002 est.)

Japan
NA

Jersey
NA

Jordan
30% (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
26% (2001 est.)

Kenya
50% (2000 est.)

Kiribati
NA

Korea, North
NA

Korea, South
4% (2001 est.)

Kuwait
NA

Kyrgyzstan
50% (2003 est.)

Laos
40% (2002 est.)

Latvia
NA

Lebanon
28% (1999 est.)

Lesotho
49% (1999)

Liberia
80%

Libya
NA

Liechtenstein
NA

Lithuania
NA

Luxembourg
NA

Macau
NA

Macedonia
30.2% (2002 est.)

Madagascar
71% (1999 est.)

Malawi
55% (2003 est.)

Malaysia
8% (1998 est.)

Maldives
NA

Mali
64% average; 30% of the total population living in urban areas;
70% of the total population living in rural areas) (2001 est.)

Malta
NA

Man, Isle of
NA

Marshall Islands
NA

Martinique
NA

Mauritania
50% (2001 est.)

Mauritius
10% (2001 est.)

Mayotte
NA

Mexico
40% (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
26.7%

Moldova
80% (2001 est.)

Monaco
NA

Mongolia
33% (2003 est.)

Montserrat
NA

Morocco
19% (1999 est.)

Mozambique
70% (2001 est.)

Namibia
50% (2002 est.)

Nauru
NA

Nepal
42% (1995-96)

Netherlands
NA

Netherlands Antilles
NA

New Caledonia
NA

New Zealand
NA

Nicaragua
50% (2001 est.)

Niger
63% (1993 est.)

Nigeria
60% (2000 est.)

Niue
NA

Norfolk Island
NA

Northern Mariana Islands
NA

Norway
NA

Oman
NA

Pakistan
35% (2001 est.)

Palau
NA

Panama
37% (1999 est.)

Papua New Guinea
37% (2002 est.)

Paraguay
36% (2001 est.)

Peru
54% (2003 est.)

Philippines
40% (2001 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
NA

Poland
18.4% (2000 est.)

Portugal
NA

Puerto Rico
NA

Qatar
NA

Reunion
NA

Romania
44.5% (2000)

Russia
25% (January 2003 est.)

Rwanda
60% (2001 est.)

Saint Helena
NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
NA

Saint Lucia
NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
NA

Samoa
NA

San Marino
NA

Sao Tome and Principe
54% NA (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
NA

Senegal
54% (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
30% (1999 est.)

Seychelles
NA

Sierra Leone
68% (1989 est.)

Singapore
NA

Slovakia
NA

Slovenia
NA

Solomon Islands
NA

Somalia
NA

South Africa
50% (2000 est.)

Spain
NA

Sri Lanka
22% (1997 est.)

Sudan
NA (2004 est.)

Suriname
70% (2002 est.)

Svalbard
NA

Swaziland
40% (1995)

Sweden
NA

Switzerland
NA

Syria
20% (2003 est.)

Taiwan
1% (2000 est.)

Tajikistan
60% (2003 est.)

Tanzania
36% (2002 est.)

Thailand
10.4% (2002 est.)

Togo
32% (1989 est.)

Tokelau
NA

Tonga
NA

Trinidad and Tobago
21% (1992 est.)

Tunisia
7.6% (2001 est.)

Turkey
18% (2001)

Turkmenistan
34.4% (2001 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
NA

Tuvalu
NA

Uganda
35% (2001 est.)

Ukraine
29% (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
NA

United Kingdom
17% (2002 est.)

United States
12% (2003 est.)

Uruguay
23.7% (2002)

Uzbekistan
NA (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
NA

Venezuela
47% (1998 est.)

Vietnam
37% (1998 est.)

Virgin Islands
NA

Wallis and Futuna
NA

West Bank
60% (2003 est.)

Western Sahara
NA

Yemen
15.7% (2001)

Zambia
86% (1993)

Zimbabwe
70% (2002 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2047 Household income or consumption by percentage share (%)

Afghanistan
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Albania
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Algeria
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 26.8% (1995)

American Samoa
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Andorra
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Angola
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Anguilla
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Antigua and Barbuda
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Argentina
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Armenia
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 46.2% (1999)

Aruba
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Australia
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 25.4% (1994)

Austria
lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 22.5% (1995)

Azerbaijan
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 27.8% (1995)

Bahamas, The
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Bahrain
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Bangladesh
lowest 10%: 3.9%
highest 10%: 28.6% (1995-96 est.)

Barbados
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Belarus
lowest 10%: 5.1%
highest 10%: 20% (1998)

Belgium
lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 23% (1996)

Belize
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Benin
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Bermuda
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Bhutan
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Bolivia
lowest 10%: 1.3%
highest 10%: 32% (1999)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Botswana
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Brazil
lowest 10%: 0.7%
highest 10%: 48% (1998)

British Virgin Islands
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Brunei
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Bulgaria
lowest 10%: 4.5%
highest 10%: 22.8% (1997)

Burkina Faso
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 46.8% (1994)

Burma
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Burundi
lowest 10%: 1.8%
highest 10%: 32.9% (1998)

Cambodia
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 33.8% (1997)

Cameroon
lowest 10%: 1.9%
highest 10%: 36.6% (1996)

Canada
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 23.8% (1994)

Cape Verde
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Cayman Islands
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Central African Republic
lowest 10%: 0.7%
highest 10%: 47.7% (1993)

Chad
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Chile
lowest 10%: 3.7%
highest 10%: 41% (2000)

China
lowest 10%: 2.4%
highest 10%: 30.4% (1998)

Christmas Island
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Colombia
lowest 10%: 1%
highest 10%: 44% (1999)

Comoros
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Congo, Republic of the
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Cook Islands
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Costa Rica
lowest 10%: 1.1%
highest 10%: 36.8% (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
lowest 10%: 3.1%
highest 10%: 28.8% (1995)

Croatia
lowest 10%: 3.7%
highest 10%: 23.3% (1998)

Cuba
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Cyprus
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Czech Republic
lowest 10%: 4.3%
highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)

Denmark
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 24% (2000 est.)

Djibouti
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Dominica
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Dominican Republic
lowest 10%: 2.1%
highest 10%: 37.9% (1998)

East Timor
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Ecuador
lowest 10%: 2.2%
highest 10%: 33.8% (1995)

Egypt
lowest 10%: 3.7%
highest 10%: 29.5% (1999)

El Salvador
lowest 10%: 1.4%
highest 10%: 39.3% (2001)

Equatorial Guinea
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Eritrea
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Estonia
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 29.8% (1998)

Ethiopia
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 33.7% (1995)

European Union
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 25.2% (1995 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Faroe Islands
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Fiji
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Finland
lowest 10%: 4.2%
highest 10%: 21.6% (1991)

France
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 25.1% (1995)

French Guiana
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

French Polynesia
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Gabon
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Gambia, The
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Gaza Strip
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Georgia
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 27.9% (1996)

Germany
lowest 10%: 3.6%
highest 10%: 25.1% (1997)

Ghana
lowest 10%: 2.2%
highest 10%: 30.1% (1999)

Gibraltar
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Greece
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 25.3% (1993 est.)

Greenland
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Grenada
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Guadeloupe
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Guam
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Guatemala
lowest 10%: 1.6%
highest 10%: 46% (1998)

Guernsey
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Guinea
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 32% (1994)

Guinea-Bissau
lowest 10%: 0.5%
highest 10%: 42.4% (1991)

Guyana
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Haiti
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Holy See (Vatican City)
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Honduras
lowest 10%: 0.6%
highest 10%: 42.7% (1998)

Hong Kong
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Hungary
lowest 10%: 4.1%
highest 10%: 20.5% (1998)

Iceland
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

India
lowest 10%: 3.5%
highest 10%: 33.5% (1997)

Indonesia
lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 26.7% (1999)

Iran
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Iraq
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Ireland
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 27.3% (1997)

Israel
lowest 10%: 2.4%
highest 10%: 28.3% (1997)

Italy
lowest 10%: 2.1%
highest 10%: 26.6% (2000)

Jamaica
lowest 10%: 2.7%
highest 10%: 30.3% (2000)

Japan
lowest 10%: 4.8%
highest 10%: 21.7% (1993)

Jersey
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Jordan
lowest 10%: 3.3%
highest 10%: 29.8% (1997)

Kazakhstan
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 27.3% (2001)

Kenya
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 37.2% (2000)

Kiribati
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Korea, North
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Korea, South
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 22.5% (1999 est.)

Kuwait
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Kyrgyzstan
lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 27.7% (1999)

Laos
lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 30.6% (1997)

Latvia
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)

Lebanon
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Lesotho
lowest 10%: 0.9%
highest 10%: 43.4%

Liberia
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Libya
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Liechtenstein
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Lithuania
lowest 10%: 3.1%
highest 10%: 25.6% (1996)

Luxembourg
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Macau
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Macedonia
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Madagascar
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 29% (1999)

Malawi
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Malaysia
lowest 10%: 1.4%
highest 10%: 39.2% (2003 est.)

Maldives
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Mali
lowest 10%: 1.8%
highest 10%: 40.4% (1994)

Malta
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Man, Isle of
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Marshall Islands
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Martinique
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Mauritania
lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 30.2% (2000)

Mauritius
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Mayotte
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Mexico
lowest 10%: 1.6%
highest 10%: 35.6% (2002)

Micronesia, Federated States of
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Moldova
lowest 10%: 2.2%
highest 10%: 30.7% (1997)

Monaco
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Mongolia
lowest 10%: 2.1%
highest 10%: 37% (1995)

Montserrat
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Morocco
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99)

Mozambique
lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 31.7% (1997)

Namibia
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Nauru
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Nepal
lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 29.8% (1995-96)

Netherlands
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 25.1% (1994)

Netherlands Antilles
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

New Caledonia
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

New Zealand
lowest 10%: 0.3%
highest 10%: 29.8% (1991 est.)

Nicaragua
lowest 10%: 0.7%
highest 10%: 48.8% (1998)

Niger
lowest 10%: 0.8%
highest 10%: 35.4% (1995)

Nigeria
lowest 10%: 1.6%
highest 10%: 40.8% (1996-97)

Niue
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Norfolk Island
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Northern Mariana Islands
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Norway
lowest 10%: 4.1%
highest 10%: 21.8% (1995)

Oman
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Pakistan
lowest 10%: 4.1%
highest 10%: 27.6% (FY96/97)

Palau
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Panama
lowest 10%: 1.2%
highest 10%: 35.7% (1997)

Papua New Guinea
lowest 10%: 1.7%
highest 10%: 40.5% (1996)

Paraguay
lowest 10%: 0.5%
highest 10%: 43.8% (1998)

Peru
lowest 10%: 1.6%
highest 10%: 35.4% (1996)

Philippines
lowest 10%: 1.7%
highest 10%: 38.4% (2000)

Pitcairn Islands
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Poland
lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 24.7% (1998)

Portugal
lowest 10%: 3.1%
highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)

Puerto Rico
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Qatar
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Reunion
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Romania
lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 25% (1998)

Russia
lowest 10%: 5.9%
highest 10%: 47% (2001)

Rwanda
lowest 10%: 4.2%
highest 10%: 24.2% (1985)

Saint Helena
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Saint Lucia
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Samoa
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

San Marino
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Sao Tome and Principe
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Saudi Arabia
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Senegal
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 33.5% (1995)

Serbia and Montenegro
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Seychelles
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Sierra Leone
lowest 10%: 0.5%
highest 10%: 43.6% (1989)

Singapore
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Slovakia
lowest 10%: 5.1%
highest 10%: 18.2% (1992)

Slovenia
lowest 10%: 3.9%
highest 10%: 23% (1998)

Solomon Islands
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Somalia
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

South Africa
lowest 10%: 1.1%
highest 10%: 45.9% (1994)

Spain
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 25.2% (1990)

Sri Lanka
lowest 10%: 3.5%
highest 10%: 28% (1995)

Sudan
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Suriname
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Svalbard
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Swaziland
lowest 10%: 1%
highest 10%: 50.2% (1995)

Sweden
lowest 10%: 3.7%
highest 10%: 20.1% (1992)

Switzerland
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 25.2% (1992)

Syria
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Taiwan
lowest 10%: 6.7%
highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)

Tajikistan
lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 25.2% (1998)

Tanzania
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 30.1% (1993)

Thailand
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Togo
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Tokelau
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Tonga
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Trinidad and Tobago
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Tunisia
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 31.8% (1995)

Turkey
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 32.3% (1994)

Turkmenistan
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)

Turks and Caicos Islands
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Tuvalu
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Uganda
lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 21% (2000)

Ukraine
lowest 10%: 3.7%
highest 10%: 23.2% (1999)

United Arab Emirates
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

United Kingdom
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 27.7% (1995)

United States
lowest 10%: 1.8%
highest 10%: 30.5% (1997)

Uruguay
lowest 10%: 3.7%
highest 10%: 25.8% (1997)

Uzbekistan
lowest 10%: 1.2%
highest 10%: 32.8% (1998)

Vanuatu
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Venezuela
lowest 10%: 0.8%
highest 10%: 36.5% (1998)

Vietnam
lowest 10%: 3.6%
highest 10%: 29.9% (1998)

Virgin Islands
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Wallis and Futuna
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

West Bank
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Western Sahara
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

World
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Yemen
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 25.9% (2003)

Zambia
lowest 10%: 1.1%
highest 10%: 41% (1998)

Zimbabwe
lowest 10%: 1.97%
highest 10%: 40.42% (1995)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2048 Labor force - by occupation (%)

Afghanistan
agriculture 80%, industry 10%, services 10% (1990 est.)

Albania
agriculture 57%, non-agricultural private sector 20%, public
sector 23% (2003 est.)

Algeria
agriculture 14%, industry 13.4%, construction and public
works 10%, trade 14.6%, government 32%, other 16% (2003 est.)

American Samoa
tuna canneries 34%, government 33%, other 33% (1990)

Andorra
agriculture 1%, industry 21%, services 78% (2000 est.)

Angola
agriculture 85%, industry and services 15% (2003 est.)

Anguilla
agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4%, manufacturing 3%,
construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, commerce 36%,
services 29% (2000 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
agriculture 7%, industry 11%, services 82% (1983)

Argentina
agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Armenia
agriculture 45%, industry 25%, services 30% (2002 est.)

Aruba
most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair,
followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining

Australia
agriculture 5%, industry 22%, services 73% (1997 est.)

Austria
agriculture and forestry 4%, industry and crafts 29%,
services 67% (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
agriculture and forestry 41%, industry 7%, services 52%
(2001)

Bahamas, The
agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other
services 40% (1999 est.)

Bahrain
agriculture 1%, industry, commerce, and services 79%,
government 20% (1997 est.)

Bangladesh
agriculture 63%, industry 11%, services 26% (FY95/96)

Barbados
agriculture 10%, industry 15%, services 75% (1996 est.)

Belarus
NA

Belgium
agriculture 1.3%, industry 24.5%, services 74.2% (2003 est.)

Belize
agriculture 27%, industry 18%, services 55% (2001 est.)

Bermuda
agriculture and fishing 3%, laborers 17%, clerical 22%,
professional and technical 17%, administrative and managerial 13%,
sales 8%, services 20% (2000 est.)

Bhutan
agriculture 93%, industry and commerce 2%, services 5%

Bolivia
agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Bosnia and Herzegovina
agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Botswana
NA

Brazil
agriculture 23%, industry 24%, services 53%

British Virgin Islands
agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Brunei
agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10%, production of oil,
natural gas, services, and construction 42%, government 48% (1999
est.)

Bulgaria
agriculture 26%, industry 31%, services 43% (1998 est.)

Burkina Faso
agriculture 90% (2000 est.)

Burma
agriculture 70%, industry 7%, services 23% (2001 est.)

Burundi
agriculture 93.6%, industry 2.3%, services 4.1% (2002 est.)

Cambodia
agriculture 75% (2003 est.)

Cameroon
agriculture 70%, industry and commerce 13%, other 17%

Canada
agriculture 3%, manufacturing 15%, construction 5%, services
74%, other 3% (2000)

Cayman Islands
agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%, services 86% (1995)

Chad
agriculture more than 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and
fishing)

Chile
agriculture 13.6%, industry 23.4%, services 63% (2003 est.)

China
agriculture 50%, industry 22%, services 28% (2001 est.)

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others

Colombia
agriculture 30%, industry 24%, services 46% (1990)

Comoros
agriculture 80%

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
NA

Cook Islands
agriculture 29%, industry 15%, services 56%
note: shortage of skilled labor (1995)

Costa Rica
agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.)

Croatia
agriculture 13.2%, industry 25.4%, services 46.4% (2002)

Cuba
agriculture 24%, industry 25%, services 51% (1999)

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: services 75.6%, industry 19.4%,
agriculture 4.9% (2003); north Cyprus: services 68.9%, industry
20.5%, agriculture 10.6% (2003)

Czech Republic
agriculture 5%, industry 35%, services 60% (2001 est.)

Denmark
agriculture 4%, industry 17%, services 79% (2002 est.)

Djibouti
NA

Dominica
agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28%

Dominican Republic
agriculture 17%, industry 24.3%, services and
government 58.7% (1998 est.)

East Timor
NA

Ecuador
agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Egypt
agriculture 32%, industry 17%, services 51% (2001 est.)

El Salvador
agriculture 30%, industry 15%, services 55% (1999 est.)

Eritrea
agriculture 80%, industry and services 20%

Estonia
agriculture 11%, industry 20%, services 69% (1999 est.)

Ethiopia
agriculture and animal husbandry 80%, industry and
construction 8%, government and services 12% (1985)

European Union
agriculture 4.3%, industry 29%, services 66.8% (2000)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
agriculture 95% (mostly
sheepherding and fishing)

Faroe Islands
fishing, fish processing, and manufacturing 33%,
construction and private services 33%, public services 34%

Fiji
agriculture, including subsistence agriculture 70% (2001 est.)

Finland
agriculture and forestry 8%, industry 22%, construction 6%,
commerce 14%, finance, insurance, and business services 10%,
transport and communications 8%, public services 32%

France
agriculture 4.1%, industry 24.4%, services 71.5% (1999)

French Guiana
agriculture 18.2%, industry 21.2%, services,
government, and commerce 60.6% (1980)

French Polynesia
agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997)

Gabon
agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25%

Gambia, The
agriculture 75%, industry, commerce, and services 19%,
government 6%

Gaza Strip
agriculture 13%, industry 21%, services 66% (1996)

Georgia
agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services 40% (1999 est.)

Germany
agriculture 2.8%, industry 33.4%, services 63.8% (1999)

Ghana
agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.)

Gibraltar
agriculture negligible, industry 40%, services 60%

Greece
agriculture 20%, industry 20%, services 60% (2000 est.)

Grenada
agriculture 24%, industry 14%, services 62% (1999 est.)

Guadeloupe
NA

Guam
private 74% (industry 10%, trade 24%, other services 40%),
federal and territorial government 26% (2000 est.)

Guatemala
agriculture 50%, industry 15%, services 35% (1999 est.)

Guinea
agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2000 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
agriculture 82% (2000 est.)

Guyana
agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Haiti
agriculture 66%, industry 9%, services 25%

Holy See (Vatican City) essentially services with a small amount of industry; note - dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican

Honduras
agriculture 34%, industry 21%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
manufacturing 8.2%, construction 2.9%, wholesale and
retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 43.5%, financing, insurance,
and real estate 19.5%, transport and communications 7.8%, community
and social services 17.8% (Note: above data exclude public sector)
(2002 est.)

Hungary
agriculture 8%, industry 27%, services 65% (1996)

Iceland
agriculture 5.1%, fishing and fish processing 11.8%,
manufacturing 12.9%, construction 10.7%, services 59.5% (1999)

India
agriculture 60%, industry 17%, services 23% (1999)

Indonesia
agriculture 45%, industry 16%, services 39% (1999 est.)

Iran
agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Iraq
agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Ireland
agriculture 8%, industry 29%, services 64% (2002 est.)

Israel
agriculture, forestry, and fishing 2.6%, manufacturing 20.2%,
construction 7.5%, commerce 12.8%, transport, storage, and
communications 6.2%, finance and business 13.1%, personal and other
services 6.4%, public services 31.2% (1996)

Italy
agriculture 5%, industry 32%, services 63% (2001)

Jamaica
agriculture 21%, industry 19%, services 60% (1998)

Japan
agriculture 5%, industry 25%, services 70% (2002 est.)

Jordan
agriculture 5%, industry 12.5%, services 82.5% (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
agriculture 20%, industry 30%, services 50% (2002 est.)

Kenya
agriculture 75% (2003 est.)

Korea, North
agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64%

Korea, South
agriculture 8.8%, industry 19.1%, services 72.1% (2001)

Kuwait
agriculture NA, industries NA, services NA

Kyrgyzstan
agriculture 55%, industry 15%, services 30% (2000 est.)

Laos
agriculture 80% (1997 est.)

Latvia
agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.)

Lebanon
agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Lesotho
86% of resident population engaged in subsistence
agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in
South Africa

Liberia
agriculture 70%, industry 8%, services 22% (2000 est.)

Libya
agriculture 17%, industry 29%, services 54% (1997 est.)

Liechtenstein
agriculture 1.3%, industry 47.4%, services 51.3% (31
December 2001 est.)

Lithuania
agriculture 20%, industry 30%, services 50% (1997 est.)

Luxembourg
agriculture 1.9%, industry 8%, services 90.1% (1999 est.)

Macau
manufacturing 20%, construction 7%, transport and
communications 6%, wholesale and retail trade 15%, restaurants and
hotels 12%, gambling 7%, public sector 8%, other services and
agriculture 25% (2002 est.)

Macedonia
agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Malawi
agriculture 90% (2003 est.)

Malaysia
agriculture 14.5%, industry 36%, services 49.5% (2000 est.)

Maldives
agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995)

Mali
agriculture and fishing 80% (2001 est.)

Malta
agriculture 5%, industry 24%, services 71% (1999 est.)

Man, Isle of
agriculture, forestry and fishing 3%, manufacturing
11%, construction 10%, transport and communication 8%, wholesale and
retail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 18%,
public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%,
entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10%

Marshall Islands
agriculture 21.4%, industry 20.9%, services 57.7%

Martinique
agriculture 10%, industry 17%, services 73% (1997)

Mauritania
agriculture 50%, industry 10%, services 40% (2001 est.)

Mauritius
agriculture and fishing 14%, construction and industry
36%, transportation and communication 7%, trade, restaurants, hotels
16%, finance 3%, other services 24% (1995)

Mexico
agriculture 18%, industry 24%, services 58% (2003)

Micronesia, Federated States of
two-thirds are government employees

Moldova
agriculture 40%, industry 14%, services 46% (1998)

Mongolia
herding/agriculture 46%, manufacturing 6%, trade 10.3%,
public sector 4.7%, other/unemployed 33% (2001)

Montserrat
agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Morocco
agriculture 40%, industry 15%, services 45% (2003 est.)

Mozambique
agriculture 81%, industry 6%, services 13% (1997 est.)

Namibia
agriculture 47%, industry 20%, services 33% (1999 est.)

Nauru
employed in mining phosphates, public administration,
education, and transportation

Nepal
agriculture 81%, industry 3%, services 16%

Netherlands
agriculture 4%, industry 23%, services 73% (1998 est.)

Netherlands Antilles agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (2000 est.)

New Caledonia
agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 est.)

New Zealand
agriculture 10%, industry 25%, services 65% (1995)

Nicaragua
agriculture 42%, industry 15%, services 43% (1999 est.)

Niger
agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%, government 4%

Nigeria
agriculture 70%, industry 10%, services 20% (1999 est.)

Niue
most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in
government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board

Norfolk Island
tourism NA, subsistence agriculture NA

Northern Mariana Islands
NA

Norway
agriculture, forestry, and fishing 4%, industry 22%, services
74% (1995)

Oman
agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Pakistan
agriculture 44%, industry 17%, services 39% (1999 est.)

Palau
agriculture 20%, industry NA, services NA (1990)

Panama
agriculture 20.8%, industry 18%, services 61.2% (1995 est.)

Papua New Guinea
agriculture 85%, industry NA, services NA

Paraguay
agriculture 45%

Peru
agriculture 5.9%, mining and quarrying 0.4%, manufacturing
12.6%, construction 5.3%, commerce 26.3%, household work 4.9%, other
services 44.6% (2004)

Philippines
agriculture 45%, industry 15%, services 40% (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands no business community in the usual sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing

Poland
agriculture 27.5%, industry 22.1%, services 50.4% (1999)

Portugal
agriculture 10%, industry 30%, services 60% (1999 est.)

Puerto Rico
agriculture 3%, industry 20%, services 77% (2000 est.)

Reunion
agriculture 13%, industry 12%, services 75% (2000)

Romania
agriculture 41.4%, industry 27.3%, services 31.3% (2000)

Russia
agriculture 12.3%, industry 22.7%, services 65% (2002 est.)

Rwanda
agriculture 90%

Saint Helena
agriculture and fishing 6%, industry (mainly
construction) 48%, services 46% (1987 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
NA

Saint Lucia
agriculture 21.7%, industry, commerce, and manufacturing
24.7%, services 53.6% (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
fishing 18%, industry (mainly
fish-processing) 41%, services 41% (1996 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
agriculture 26%, industry 17%,
services 57% (1980 est.)

Samoa
NA

San Marino
agriculture 1%, industry 42%, services 57% (2000 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing note: shortages of skilled workers

Saudi Arabia
agriculture 12%, industry 25%, services 63% (1999 est.)

Senegal
agriculture 70%

Serbia and Montenegro
agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Seychelles
agriculture 10%, industry 19%, services 71% (1989)

Sierra Leone
agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Singapore
manufacturing 18%, construction 6%, transportation and
communication 11%, financial, business, and other services 49%,
other 16% (2003)

Slovakia
agriculture 8.9%, industry 29.3%, construction 8%,
transport and communication 8.2%, services 45.6% (1994)

Slovenia
agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Solomon Islands
agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000
est.)

Somalia
agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism) 71%, industry and
services 29%

South Africa
agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.)

Spain
agriculture 7%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 29%,
services 64% (2001 est.)

Sri Lanka
agriculture 38%, industry 17%, services 45% (1998 est.)

Sudan
agriculture 80%, industry and commerce 7%, government 13%
(1998 est.)

Suriname
agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Swaziland
NA

Sweden
agriculture 2%, industry 24%, services 74% (2000 est.)

Switzerland
agriculture 4.6%, industry 26.3%, services 69.1% (1998)

Syria
agriculture, industry, services NA

Taiwan
agriculture 7.5%, industry 35%, services 57% (2001 est.)

Tajikistan
agriculture 67.2%, industry 7.5%, services 25.3% (2000
est.)

Tanzania
agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2002 est.)

Thailand
agriculture 49%, industry 14%, services 37% (2000 est.)

Togo
agriculture 65%, industry 5%, services 30% (1998 est.)

Tonga
agriculture 65% (1997 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
agriculture 9.5%, manufacturing, mining, and
quarrying 14%, construction and utilities 12.4%, services 64.1%
(1997 est.)

Tunisia
services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.)

Turkey
agriculture 39.7%, industry 22.4%, services 37.9% (3rd
quarter, 2001)

Turkmenistan
agriculture 48%, industry 15%, services 37% (1998 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
about 33% in government and 20% in
agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial,
and other services

Tuvalu
people make a living mainly through exploitation of the sea,
reefs, and atolls and from wages sent home by those abroad (mostly
workers in the phosphate industry and sailors)

Uganda
agriculture 82%, industry 5%, services 13% (1999 est.)

Ukraine
agriculture 24%, industry 32%, services 44% (1996)

United Arab Emirates agriculture 7%, industry 15%, services 78% (2000 est.)

United Kingdom
agriculture 1%, industry 25%, services 74% (1999)

United States
managerial, professional, and technical 34.9%, sales
and office 25.5%, manufacturing, extraction, transportation, and
crafts 22.7%, other services 16.3%, farming, forestry, and fishing
0.7%
note: figures exclude the unemployed (2004)

Uruguay
agriculture 14%, industry 16%, services 70%

Uzbekistan
agriculture 44%, industry 20%, services 36% (1995)

Vanuatu
agriculture 65%, industry 5%, services 30% (2000 est.)

Venezuela
agriculture 13%, industry 23%, services 64% (1997 est.)

Vietnam
agriculture 63%, industry and services 37% (2000 est.)

Virgin Islands
agriculture 1%, industry 19%, services 80% (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4% (2001 est.)

West Bank
agriculture 13%, industry 21%, services 66% (1996)

Western Sahara
animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%

World
agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Yemen
most people are employed in agriculture and herding; services,
construction, industry, and commerce account for less than
one-fourth of the labor force

Zambia
agriculture 85%, industry 6%, services 9%

Zimbabwe
agriculture 66%, industry 10%, services 24% (1996)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2049 Exports - commodities

Afghanistan
opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton,
hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems

Albania
textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores,
crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco

Algeria
petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%

American Samoa
canned tuna 93%

Andorra
tobacco products, furniture

Angola
crude oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee,
sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton

Anguilla
lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum

Antigua and Barbuda
petroleum products 48%, manufactures 23%,
machinery and transport equipment 17%, food and live animals 4%,
other 8%

Argentina
edible oils, fuels and energy, cereals, feed, motor
vehicles

Armenia
diamonds, mineral products, foodstuffs, energy

Aruba
live animals and animal products, art and collectibles,
machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment

Australia
coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat,
machinery and transport equipment

Austria
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and
paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel; textiles,
foodstuffs

Azerbaijan
oil and gas 90%, machinery, cotton, foodstuffs

Bahamas, The
fish and crawfish; rum, salt, chemicals; fruit and
vegetables

Bahrain
petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles

Bangladesh
garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and
seafood (2001)

Barbados
sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages,
chemicals, electrical components

Belarus
machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals,
metals; textiles, foodstuffs

Belgium
machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and
metal products, foodstuffs

Belize
sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses,
wood

Benin
cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa

Bermuda
reexports of pharmaceuticals

Bhutan
electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber,
handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices

Bolivia
soybeans, natural gas, zinc, gold, wood (2000)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
metals, clothing, wood products

Botswana
diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles

Brazil
transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee,
autos

British Virgin Islands
rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand

Brunei
crude oil, natural gas, refined products

Bulgaria
clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and
equipment, fuels

Burkina Faso
cotton, livestock, gold

Burma
Clothing, gas, wood products, pulses, beans, fish, rice

Burundi
coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides

Cambodia
Clothing, timber, rubber, rice, fish, tobacco, footwear

Cameroon
crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans,
aluminum, coffee, cotton

Canada
motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft,
telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood
pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum

Cape Verde
fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides

Cayman Islands
turtle products, manufactured consumer goods

Central African Republic
diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco

Chad
cotton, cattle, gum arabic

Chile
copper, fish, fruits, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine

China
machinery and equipment, textiles and clothing, footwear, toys
and sporting goods, mineral fuels

Christmas Island
phosphate

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
copra

Colombia
petroleum, coffee, coal, apparel, bananas, cut flowers

Comoros
vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
diamonds, copper, crude oil,
coffee, cobalt

Congo, Republic of the
petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa,
coffee, diamonds

Cook Islands
copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee;
fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing

Costa Rica
coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic
components, medical equipment

Cote d'Ivoire
cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas,
pineapples, palm oil, fish

Croatia
transport equipment, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels

Cuba
sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: citrus, potatoes, pharmaceuticals,
cement, clothing and cigarettes; north Cyprus: citrus, potatoes,
textiles

Czech Republic
machinery and transport equipment 44%, intermediate
manufactures 25%, chemicals 7%, raw materials and fuel 7% (2000)

Denmark
machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy
products, fish, chemicals, furniture, ships, windmills

Djibouti
reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)

Dominica
bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges

Dominican Republic
ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa,
tobacco, meats, consumer goods

East Timor
coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - the potential for oil
and vanilla exports

Ecuador
petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp

Egypt
crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal
products, chemicals

El Salvador
offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp,
textiles, chemicals, electricity

Equatorial Guinea
petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa

Eritrea
livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures (2000)

Estonia
machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles
14%, food products 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001)

Ethiopia
coffee, qat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds

European Union
machinery, motor vehicles, aircraft, plastics,
pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, fuels, iron and steel,
nonferrous metals, wood pulp and paper products, textiles, meat,
dairy products, fish, alcoholic beverages.

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
wool, hides, meat

Faroe Islands
fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999)

Fiji
sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil

Finland
machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper,
pulp (1999)

France
machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics,
chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages

French Guiana
shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing

French Polynesia
cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl,
vanilla, shark meat

Gabon
crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)

Gambia, The
peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels,
re-exports

Gaza Strip
citrus, flowers

Georgia
scrap metal, machinery, chemicals; fuel reexports; citrus
fruits, tea, wine

Germany
machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals and manufactures,
foodstuffs, textiles

Ghana
gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore,
diamonds

Gibraltar
(principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods
41%, other 8%

Greece
food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products,
chemicals, textiles

Greenland
fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%)

Grenada
bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace

Guadeloupe
bananas, sugar, rum

Guam
mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products;
construction materials, fish, food and beverage products

Guatemala
coffee, sugar, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom,
meat, apparel, petroleum, electricity

Guernsey
tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other
vegetables

Guinea
bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural
products

Guinea-Bissau
cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber

Guyana
sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum,
timber

Haiti
manufactures, coffee, oils, cocoa

Honduras
coffee, bananas, shrimp, lobster, meat; zinc, lumber (2000)

Hong Kong
electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel,
footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones

Hungary
machinery and equipment 57.6%, other manufactures 31.0%,
food products 7.5%, raw materials 1.9%, fuels and electricity 1.9%
(2001)

Iceland
fish and fish products 70%, animal products, aluminum,
diatomite, ferrosilicon

India
textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals,
leather manufactures

Indonesia
oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles,
rubber

Iran
petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and
nuts, carpets

Iraq
crude oil

Ireland
machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals,
pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products (1999)

Israel
machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural
products, chemicals, textiles and apparel

Italy
engineering products, textiles and clothing, production
machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food,
beverages and tobacco; minerals and nonferrous metals

Jamaica
alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, rum, coffee, yams,
beverages, chemicals, wearing apparel, mineral fuels

Japan
motor vehicles, semiconductors, office machinery, chemicals

Jersey
light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles

Jordan
clothing, phosphates, fertilizers, potash, vegetables,
manufactures, pharmaceuticals

Kazakhstan
oil and oil products 58%, ferrous metals 24%, chemicals
5%, machinery 3%, grain, wool, meat, coal (2001)

Kenya
tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish,
cement

Kiribati
copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish

Korea, North
minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures
(including armaments); textiles and fishery products

Korea, South
Semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment,
motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals

Kuwait
oil and refined products, fertilizers

Kyrgyzstan
cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium,
natural gas, hydropower; machinery; shoes

Laos
garments, wood products, coffee, electricity, tin

Latvia
wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals,
textiles, foodstuffs

Lebanon
authentic jewelry, inorganic chemicals, miscellaneous
consumer goods, fruit, tobacco, construction minerals, electric
power machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper

Lesotho
manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool
and mohair, food and live animals (2000)

Liberia
rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee

Libya
crude oil, refined petroleum products (1999)

Liechtenstein
small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and
video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared
foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products

Lithuania
mineral products 23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery
and equipment 11%, chemicals 6%, wood and wood products 5%,
foodstuffs 5% (2001)

Luxembourg
machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals,
rubber products, glass

Macau
clothing, textiles, footwear, cement, machines, and parts

Macedonia
food, beverages, tobacco; miscellaneous manufactures, iron
and steel

Madagascar
coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth,
chromite, petroleum products

Malawi
tobacco 60%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood
products, apparel

Malaysia
electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas,
wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals

Maldives
fish, clothing

Mali
cotton, gold, livestock

Malta
machinery and transport equipment, manufactures

Man, Isle of
tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb

Marshall Islands
copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish

Martinique
refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples
(2001 est.)

Mauritania
iron ore, fish and fish products, gold

Mauritius
clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses

Mayotte
ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts,
coffee, cinnamon

Mexico
manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits,
vegetables, coffee, cotton

Micronesia, Federated States of
fish, garments, bananas, black pepper

Moldova
foodstuffs, textiles, machinery

Mongolia
copper, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides,
fluorspar, other nonferrous metals

Montserrat
electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot
peppers, live plants, cattle

Morocco
clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude
minerals, fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products,
fruits, vegetables

Mozambique
aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber;
bulk electricity

Namibia
diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle,
processed fish, karakul skins

Nauru
phosphates

Nepal
carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain

Netherlands
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs

Netherlands Antilles
petroleum products

New Caledonia
ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

New Zealand
dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish,
machinery

Nicaragua
coffee, shrimp and lobster, cotton, tobacco, bananas,
beef, sugar, gold

Niger
uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions

Nigeria
petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber

Niue
canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruit
products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts

Norfolk Island
postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and
Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados

Northern Mariana Islands
garments

Norway
petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment,
metals, chemicals, ships, fish

Oman
petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles

Pakistan
textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, and yarn),
rice, leather goods, sports goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets
and rugs

Palau
shellfish, tuna, copra, garments

Panama
bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing (1999)

Papua New Guinea
oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee,
cocoa, crayfish, prawns

Paraguay
soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity,
wood, leather

Peru
fish and fish products, gold, copper, zinc, crude petroleum and
byproducts, lead, coffee, sugar, cotton

Philippines
electronic equipment, machinery and transport equipment,
garments, coconut products, chemicals

Pitcairn Islands
fruits, vegetables, curios, stamps

Poland
machinery and transport equipment 30.2%, intermediate
manufactured goods 25.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 20.9%,
food and live animals 8.5% (1999)

Portugal
clothing and footwear, machinery, chemicals, cork and paper
products, hides

Puerto Rico
chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum,
beverage concentrates, medical equipment

Qatar
petroleum products, fertilizers, steel

Reunion
sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%, lobster
3%, (1993)

Romania
textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery
and equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals, agricultural products

Russia
petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood and wood
products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian and
military manufactures

Rwanda
coffee, tea, hides, tin ore

Saint Helena
fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna),
coffee, handicrafts

Saint Kitts and Nevis
machinery, food, electronics, beverages,
tobacco

Saint Lucia
bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits,
coconut oil

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
fish and fish products, soybeans, animal
feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen
(taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets

Samoa
fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, automotive parts,
garments, beer

San Marino
building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked
goods, hides, ceramics

Sao Tome and Principe
cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil

Saudi Arabia
petroleum and petroleum products 90%

Senegal
fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates,
cotton

Serbia and Montenegro
manufactured goods, food and live animals, raw
materials

Seychelles
canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum
products (reexports)

Sierra Leone
diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish (1999)

Singapore
machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer
goods, chemicals, mineral fuels

Slovakia
machinery and transport equipment 39.4%, intermediate
manufactured goods 27.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 13%,
chemicals 8% (1999)

Slovenia
manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment,
chemicals, food

Solomon Islands
timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa

Somalia
livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal

South Africa
gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals,
machinery and equipment (1998 est.)

Spain
machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, other consumer goods

Sri Lanka
textiles and apparel, tea, diamonds, coconut products,
petroleum products

Sudan
oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame, livestock,
groundnuts, gum arabic, sugar

Suriname
alumina, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas

Swaziland
soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn,
refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit

Sweden
machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood,
iron and steel products, chemicals

Switzerland
machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural
products

Syria
crude oil, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton
fiber, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat

Taiwan
computer products and electrical equipment, metals, textiles,
plastics and rubber products, chemicals (2002)

Tajikistan
aluminum, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil,
textiles

Tanzania
gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton

Thailand
computers, office machine parts, transistors, rubber,
vehicles (cars and trucks), plastic, seafood (2002)

Togo
reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa

Tokelau
stamps, copra, handicrafts

Tonga
squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops

Trinidad and Tobago
petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals,
steel products, fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers

Tunisia
textiles, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals,
agricultural products, hydrocarbons

Turkey
apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport
equipment

Turkmenistan
gas 57%, oil 26%, cotton fiber 3%, textiles 2% (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands
lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells

Tuvalu
copra, fish

Uganda
coffee, fish and fish products, tea; gold, cotton, flowers,
horticultural products

Ukraine
ferrous and nonferrous metals, fuel and petroleum products,
chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, food products

United Arab Emirates
crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried
fish, dates

United Kingdom
manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food,
beverages, tobacco

United States
capital goods, automobiles, industrial supplies and
raw materials, consumer goods, agricultural products

Uruguay
meat, rice, leather products, wool, fish, dairy products

Uzbekistan
cotton 41.5%, gold 9.6%, energy products 9.6%, mineral
fertilizers, ferrous metals, textiles, food products, automobiles
(1998 est.)

Vanuatu
copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee

Venezuela
petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals,
agricultural products, basic manufactures

Vietnam
crude oil, marine products, rice, coffee, rubber, tea,
garments, shoes

Virgin Islands
refined petroleum products

Wallis and Futuna
copra, chemicals, construction materials

West Bank
olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone

Western Sahara
phosphates 62%

World
the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and
services

Yemen
crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish

Zambia
copper 55%, cobalt, electricity, tobacco, flowers, cotton

Zimbabwe
tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2050 Exports - partners (%)

Afghanistan
US 27%, France 17.5%, India 16.6%, Pakistan 13.3% (2003)

Albania
Italy 74.9%, Greece 12.8%, Germany 3.4% (2003)

Algeria
Italy 19.5%, US 18.5%, France 13.6%, Spain 11.2%, Canada
6.2%, Belgium 5.1%, Brazil 4.9% (2003)

American Samoa
Samoa 33.3%, Japan 22.2%, Australia 11.1%, Canada
11.1%, New Zealand 11.1% (2003)

Andorra
Spain 58%, France 34% (2000)

Angola
US 47.7%, China 23.4%, Taiwan 8%, France 7.4% (2003)

Anguilla
UK, US, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin (2000)

Antigua and Barbuda
Germany 84.9%, UK 3.8%, US 3.3% (2003)

Argentina
Brazil 15.8%, Chile 12%, US 10.6%, China 8.4%, Spain 4.7%
(2003)

Armenia
Belgium 18.2%, UK 16.8%, Israel 15.7%, Russia 12.1%, Iran
7.9%, US 6.3%, Germany 5% (2003)

Aruba
Netherlands 33.7%, Colombia 12%, Netherlands Antilles 12%,
Panama 12%, Venezuela 10.8%, US 9.6% (2003)

Australia
Japan 18.1%, US 8.7%, China 8.4%, South Korea 7.4%, New
Zealand 7.4%, UK 6.7% (2003)

Austria
Germany 31.9%, Italy 9.6%, Switzerland 5.2%, US 4.9%, France
4.8%, UK 4.7% (2003)

Azerbaijan
Italy 34.1%, Czech Republic 11.4%, Germany 10.5%, France
8.2%, Turkey 5.9%, Georgia 4.5%, Russia 4.5% (2003)

Bahamas, The
US 35%, Spain 9.6%, Germany 7.8%, France 7.6%, Poland
5.3%, Switzerland 4.8%, Peru 4.2%, Paraguay 4.2% (2003)

Bahrain
US 3.5%, India 3.3%, South Korea 2.2% (2003)

Bangladesh
US 23.9%, Germany 13.6%, UK 9.7%, France 5.9% (2003)

Barbados
US 18.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.5%, UK 14%, Jamaica 7.8%,
Saint Lucia 6.2%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4.7% (2003)

Belarus
Russia 49.1%, UK 9.4%, Poland 4.4%, Germany 4.2%,
Netherlands 4.2% (2003)

Belgium
Germany 19.5%, France 17.4%, Netherlands 11.7%, UK 9%, US
6.7%, Italy 5.4% (2003)

Belize
US 39.1%, UK 25%, France 4% (2003)

Benin
China 21.1%, India 18%, Thailand 6.8%, Ghana 5.8%, Niger 4.4%,
Indonesia 4.1% (2003)

Bermuda
France 62%, Norway 13.8%, UK 7.5% (2003)

Bhutan
Bangladesh 60.5%, US 11.7%, Malaysia 5.7% (2003)

Bolivia
Brazil 37%, Venezuela 12.9%, Colombia 11.9%, US 11.5%, Peru
5.1% (2003)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Italy 28.7%, Croatia 18.3%, Germany 17.1%,
Austria 9.2%, Slovenia 7.1% (2003)

Botswana
European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 87%, Southern
African Customs Union (SACU) 7%, Zimbabwe 4% (2000)

Brazil
US 23%, Argentina 6.1%, China 6%, Netherlands 5.8%, Germany
4.2% (2003)

British Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

Brunei
Japan 41%, South Korea 11.2%, Thailand 9.4%, Australia 8.4%,
US 7.8%, China 6.7%, Singapore 4.5% (2003)

Bulgaria
Italy 14.1%, Germany 10.9%, Greece 10.5%, Turkey 9.2%,
France 5.1%, US 4.5% (2003)

Burkina Faso
Singapore 12.8%, China 11.6%, Thailand 8%, Italy 6.4%,
India 6%, Colombia 5.2%, Ghana 5.2%, France 4.8%, Niger 4% (2003)

Burma
Thailand 31.5%, US 10.2%, India 9.3%, China 5.8%, Japan 4.8%
(2003)

Burundi
Switzerland 31.6%, UK 15.8%, Netherlands 5.3%, Rwanda 5.3%
(2003)

Cambodia
US 58.4%, Germany 10.3%, UK 7.2% (2003)

Cameroon
Spain 21.9%, Italy 13.4%, France 10.8%, Netherlands 10.6%,
US 7.5%, China 4.4% (2003)

Canada
US 86.6%, Japan 2.1%, UK 1.4% (2003)

Cape Verde
Portugal 31%, France 27.6%, UK 17.2%, US 17.2% (2003)

Cayman Islands
mostly US

Central African Republic
Belgium 41.8%, Italy 10.7%, Spain 9.8%,
France 7.4%, Indonesia 6.6% (2003)

Chad
US 25%, Germany 17%, Portugal 15.9%, France 6.8%, Morocco 4.5%
(2003)

Chile
US 16.2%, Japan 10.5%, China 8.6%, South Korea 4.7%, Mexico
4.3%, Italy 4.2% (2003)

China
US 21.1%, Hong Kong 17.4%, Japan 13.6%, South Korea 4.6%,
Germany 4% (2003)

Christmas Island
Australia, NZ

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Australia

Colombia
US 47.1%, Ecuador 6%, Venezuela 5.3% (2003)

Comoros
France 46.9%, Germany 18.8%, US 12.5% (2003)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Belgium 54.9%, US 15.4%, Zimbabwe
11.1%, Finland 4.8% (2003)

Congo, Republic of the
China 28.6%, Taiwan 19.3%, US 16%, South
Korea 12.9% (2003)

Cook Islands
Australia 34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2000)

Costa Rica
US 14.2%, Guatemala 3%, Nicaragua 2.7% (2003)

Cote d'Ivoire
France 19.1%, Netherlands 17.7%, US 7.1%, Spain 5.6%
(2003)

Croatia
Italy 26.1%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 14.6%, Germany 12%,
Slovenia 8.3%, Austria 7.9% (2003)

Cuba
Netherlands 21.8%, Canada 16.2%, Russia 10.7%, Spain 8.7%,
China 7.3% (2003)

Cyprus
UK 32.1%, Greece 9.2%, Lebanon 3.5% (2003)

Czech Republic
Germany 37.1%, Slovakia 8%, Austria 6.3%, UK 5.4%,
Poland 4.8%, France 4.7%, Italy 4.5%, Netherlands 4.1% (2003)

Denmark
Germany 18.7%, Sweden 12.6%, UK 8.5%, US 6.2%, Norway 5.7%,
France 5.1%, Netherlands 4.7% (2003)

Djibouti
Somalia 63.9%, Yemen 22.5%, Ethiopia 4.7% (2003)

Dominica
UK 20%, Jamaica 18.5%, Antigua and Barbuda 7.7%, US 7.7%,
Guyana 6.2%, Japan 6.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.6% (2003)

Dominican Republic
US 83.8%, Canada 1.5%, Haiti 1.5% (2003)

East Timor
NA

Ecuador
US 42.4%, Colombia 5.7%, Germany 5.6% (2003)

Egypt
US 13.3%, Italy 12.3%, UK 7.9%, France 4.7%, Germany 4.7%,
India 4.2% (2003)

El Salvador
US 67.8%, Guatemala 11.5%, Honduras 5.9% (2003)

Equatorial Guinea
US 33.6%, Spain 25.8%, China 14.4%, Canada 11.8%,
Italy 6.4% (2003)

Eritrea
Malaysia 65.1%, Italy 10.4%, France 4.4% (2003)

Estonia
Finland 21.9%, Sweden 12.5%, Russia 11.4%, Germany 8.4%,
Latvia 7.4%, Lithuania 4% (2003)

Ethiopia
Djibouti 13.4%, Germany 11.4%, Saudi Arabia 6.9%, Japan
6.8%, Italy 6.4%, US 5.1% (2003)

European Union
NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Spain 80%, UK 9.3%, US 3.6% (2003)

Faroe Islands
Denmark 36.7%, UK 32.1%, Netherlands 6.1%, Nigeria
5.6%, Norway 5.4% (2003)

Fiji
US 23.7%, Australia 18.4%, UK 13.6%, Samoa 6%, Japan 4.8% (2003)

Finland
Germany 11.8%, Sweden 9.9%, US 8.2%, UK 8%, Russia 7.5%,
Netherlands 4.8% (2003)

France
Germany 14.9%, Spain 9.6%, UK 9.4%, Italy 9.3%, Belgium 7.2%,
US 6.8% (2003)

French Guiana
France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (2001)

French Polynesia
France 66.3%, Japan 16.1%, US 9.1% (2003)

Gabon
US 51.5%, France 8.7%, China 7.5%, Japan 4% (2003)

Gambia, The
UK 26.7%, Belgium 6.7%, China 6.7%, Germany 6.7%, Italy
6.7%, Malaysia 6.7%, Thailand 6.7% (2003)

Gaza Strip
Israel, Egypt, West Bank

Georgia
Russia 17.7%, Turkey 17.3%, Turkmenistan 12.2%, Armenia
8.6%, Switzerland 6.9%, Ukraine 6.3%, UK 5.9% (2003)

Germany
France 10.6%, US 9.3%, UK 8.4%, Italy 7.4%, Netherlands
6.2%, Austria 5.3%, Belgium 5.1%, Spain 4.9%, Switzerland 4% (2003)

Ghana
Netherlands 11.2%, UK 10.7%, France 7.7%, Germany 6.2%, Japan
5.2%, Italy 4.6%, Turkey 4.4%, US 4.3% (2003)

Gibraltar
Germany 25.6%, France 24.8%, UK 14.3%, Turkmenistan 9.4%,
Switzerland 7.5%, Spain 5.6% (2003)

Greece
Germany 12.6%, Italy 10.5%, UK 7%, US 6.5%, Bulgaria 6.2%,
Cyprus 4.8%, France 4.2%, Turkey 4% (2003)

Greenland
Denmark 64.7%, Japan 14.2%, China 4.4% (2003)

Grenada
US 14.9%, Germany 12.8%, Netherlands 8.5%, Saint Lucia 8.5%,
Antigua and Barbuda 6.4%, UK 6.4%, Belgium 4.3%, Dominica 4.3%,
France 4.3%, Saint Kitts and Nevis 4.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.3%
(2003)

Guadeloupe
France 60%, Martinique 18%, US 4% (1999)

Guam
Japan 70.1%, South Korea 17.9%, Singapore 6% (2003)

Guatemala
US 56.7%, El Salvador 10.8%, Nicaragua 3.6% (2003)

Guernsey
UK (regarded as internal trade)

Guinea
South Korea 14.8%, Spain 10.7%, US 10.1%, France 9.2%, Russia
9%, Ireland 7.9%, Belgium 6.4%, Germany 5.6%, Ukraine 5.3% (2003)

Guinea-Bissau
India 76.8%, Nigeria 12.1%, Italy 5.1% (2003)

Guyana
Canada 23.2%, US 21.8%, UK 13.5%, Portugal 6.7%, Belgium
6.5%, Jamaica 6.1% (2003)

Haiti
US 83.8%, Dominican Republic 6.5%, Canada 3.2% (2003)

Honduras
US 65.5%, El Salvador 3.5%, Guatemala 2.4% (2003)

Hong Kong
China 42.6%, US 18.7%, Japan 5.4% (2003)

Hungary
Germany 34.1%, Austria 8%, Italy 5.8%, France 5.7%, UK 4.5%,
Netherlands 4.1% (2003)

Iceland
Germany 17.4%, UK 17.4%, Netherlands 11.2%, US 9.8%, Spain
6.3%, Denmark 5%, Norway 4.5%, France 4% (2003)

India
US 20.6%, China 6.4%, UK 5.3%, Hong Kong 4.8%, Germany 4.4%
(2003)

Indonesia
Japan 22.3%, US 12.1%, Singapore 8.9%, South Korea 7.1%,
China 6.2% (2003)

Iran
Japan 21.8%, China 9.7%, Italy 6.3%, Taiwan 5.5%, Turkey 5.4%,
South Korea 5.4% (2003)

Iraq
US 48.8%, Jordan 8.4%, Canada 8%, Italy 7.9%, Morocco 5.3%
(2003)

Ireland
US 20.5%, UK 18.1%, Belgium 12.6%, Germany 8.3%, France
6.1%, Netherlands 5.1%, Italy 4.6% (2003)

Israel
US 38.4%, Belgium 7.4%, Hong Kong 4.8% (2003)

Italy
Germany 13.8%, France 12.3%, US 8.5%, Spain 7%, UK 6.9% (2003)

Jamaica
US 29.6%, UK 11%, Canada 10.8%, France 7.9%, Norway 6.8%,
Germany 6.2%, China 6%, Netherlands 4.4% (2003)

Japan
US 24.8%, China 12.1%, South Korea 7.3%, Taiwan 6.6%, Hong
Kong 6.3% (2003)

Jersey
UK

Jordan
US 21.5%, Iraq 17.6%, Switzerland 6.5%, India 6.5%, Saudi
Arabia 5.3% (2003)

Kazakhstan
Bermuda 17%, Russia 15.2%, Switzerland 13%, China 12.8%,
Italy 7.8% (2003)

Kenya
Uganda 12.7%, UK 12.5%, US 9.4%, Netherlands 8.5%, Pakistan
5%, Egypt 4.6%, Tanzania 4.3% (2003)

Kiribati
Japan 75%, Australia 8.3%, US 8.3%, Philippines 4.2%,
Thailand 4.2% (2003)

Korea, North
South Korea 28.5%, China 28.4%, Japan 24.7% (2002)

Korea, South
China 18.2%, US 17.8%, Japan 9%, Hong Kong 7.6% (2003)

Kuwait
Japan 21.3%, South Korea 14.9%, US 11.5%, Singapore 9.8%,
Taiwan 9.3% (2003)

Kyrgyzstan
UAE 24.7%, Switzerland 20.3%, Russia 16.7%, Kazakhstan
9.8%, Canada 5.3%, China 4% (2003)

Laos
Thailand 20.7%, Vietnam 15.9%, France 7.3%, Germany 5.3%,
Belgium 4% (2003)

Latvia
UK 15.6%, Germany 14.8%, Sweden 10.5%, Lithuania 8.2%,
Estonia 6.6%, Denmark 6%, Russia 5.4% (2003)

Lebanon
Switzerland 10.8%, UAE 10%, Saudi Arabia 7.5%, US 7.3%,
Turkey 5.5%, Jordan 4.4% (2003)

Lesotho
US 97.6%, Canada 1.5%, France 0.5% (2003)

Liberia
Germany 43.3%, Poland 10.9%, Greece 9.1%, US 6%, France
5.5%, Thailand 4.9%, China 4.1% (2003)

Libya
Italy 38.8%, Spain 13.4%, Germany 13.4%, Turkey 7.1%, France
6.1% (2003)

Liechtenstein
EU 62.6% (Germany 24.3%, Austria 9.5%, France 8.9%,
Italy 6.6%, UK 4.6%), US 18.9%, Switzerland 15.7%

Lithuania
Switzerland 11.6%, Russia 10.1%, Germany 9.9%, Latvia
9.7%, UK 6.4%, France 5.1%, Denmark 4.7%, Estonia 4.3%, Sweden 4%
(2003)

Luxembourg
Germany 23.3%, France 19%, Belgium 10.4%, UK 9.1%, Italy
6.8%, Spain 4.6%, Netherlands 4.3% (2003)

Macau
US 49.4%, China 14.1%, Germany 8.1%, Hong Kong 6.7%, UK 4.5%
(2003)

Macedonia
Serbia and Montenegro 37.8%, Germany 27%, Italy 14.7%,
Greece 9.7%, Croatia 6.9%, US 6.1%, Netherlands 4.8% (2003)

Madagascar
France 37.4%, US 29.2%, Germany 5.5%, Mauritius 5.2%
(2003)

Malawi
South Africa 23.3%, US 13.4%, Germany 11.3%, Egypt 5.7%,
Portugal 4.8%, Japan 4.5%, Netherlands 4.1% (2003)

Malaysia
US 19.6%, Singapore 15.7%, Japan 10.7%, China 6.5%, Hong
Kong 6.5%, Thailand 4.4% (2003)

Maldives
US 32.1%, Thailand 17%, Sri Lanka 13.4%, Japan 10.7%, UK
9.8%, Indonesia 4.5% (2003)

Mali
Thailand 14%, China 12.1%, India 7.9%, Italy 7.5%, Bangladesh
6.1%, UK 6.1% (2003)

Malta
Singapore 17.4%, US 11.6%, UK 9.4%, Germany 8.8%, France 7.5%,
China 7% (2003)

Man, Isle of
UK (2000)

Marshall Islands
US, Japan, Australia, China (2000)

Martinique
France 45%, Guadeloupe 28% (2000)

Mauritania
Japan 12.5%, France 12.1%, Spain 11.4%, Italy 10.4%,
Belgium 7.8%, Germany 7.4%, Russia 5%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.2%,
Netherlands 4% (2003)

Mauritius
UK 31%, France 21.3%, US 17.6%, Madagascar 6.3% (2003)

Mayotte
France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion (2000)

Mexico
US 87.6%, Canada 1.8%, Germany 1.2% (2003)

Micronesia, Federated States of
Japan, US, Guam (2000)

Moldova
Russia 39%, Romania 11.4%, Italy 10.4%, Germany 7.1%,
Ukraine 7.1%, Belarus 5.2%, US 4.3% (2003)

Mongolia
China 46.1%, US 23.2%, Russia 6.7%, Singapore 5.7%,
Australia 5.5%, UK 4.2% (2003)

Montserrat
US, Antigua and Barbuda

Morocco
France 26.5%, Spain 16.7%, UK 7.2%, Germany 5.2%, Italy 5%,
US 4% (2003)

Mozambique
Belgium 26%, South Africa 14.4%, Italy 9.6%, Spain 9.5%,
Germany 8.3%, Zimbabwe 4.7% (2003)

Namibia
EU 79%, US 4% (2001)

Nauru
Japan 42.3%, India 38.5%, South Korea 7.7% (2003)

Nepal
India 50.7%, US 26%, Germany 6.6% (2003)

Netherlands
Germany 25.3%, Belgium 12.6%, France 10.2%, UK 10.1%,
Italy 6%, US 4.5% (2003)

Netherlands Antilles
US 21.3%, Venezuela 16%, Bahamas, The 7.6%,
Singapore 5.2%, Honduras 4.9%, Guatemala 4.4% (2003)

New Caledonia
Japan 21.8%, France 19.2%, Taiwan 14%, Spain 11%,
South Korea 8.5%, Australia 7.2%, Italy 5.1% (2003)

New Zealand
Australia 21.8%, US 14.6%, Japan 11%, China 4.9%, UK
4.8% (2003)

Nicaragua
US 35.9%, El Salvador 17.2%, Costa Rica 8.1%, Honduras
7.3%, Mexico 4.6%, Guatemala 4.3% (2003)

Niger
France 42.2%, Nigeria 28.9%, Japan 17.2%, Spain 4.4% (2003)

Nigeria
US 38.3%, India 9.9%, Brazil 6.8%, Spain 6.2%, France 5.6%,
Japan 4% (2003)

Niue
New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia (2000)

Norfolk Island
Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia,
Europe

Northern Mariana Islands
US (2000)

Norway
UK 21.3%, Germany 13%, Netherlands 9.6%, US 8.7%, France
8.2%, Sweden 7.4% (2003)

Oman
South Korea 18.7%, China 18.5%, Japan 16.2%, Thailand 12.2%,
UAE 7.8%, Iran 4.1% (2003)

Pakistan
US 23.1%, UAE 9.4%, UK 7.1%, Germany 5.1%, Hong Kong 4.6%
(2003)

Palau
US, Japan, Singapore (2000)

Panama
US 13.9%, Nigeria 9.8%, Germany 8.1%, South Korea 7.8%, Peru
5.1%, Costa Rica 4.9%, Belgium 4.8%, Japan 4.5% (2003)

Papua New Guinea
Australia 25.6%, Japan 7.4%, China 5.8% (2003)

Paraguay
Brazil 34.2%, Uruguay 19.6%, Switzerland 7.8%, Argentina
5.3% (2003)

Peru
US 27.1%, UK 12.4%, China 7.7%, Switzerland 7.6%, Chile 4.7%,
Japan 4.4% (2003)

Philippines
US 20.1%, Japan 15.9%, Hong Kong 8.5%, Netherlands 8.1%,
Taiwan 6.9%, Malaysia 6.8%, Singapore 6.7%, China 5.9% (2003)

Pitcairn Islands
NA (2000)

Poland
Germany 32.3%, France 6.1%, Italy 5.8%, UK 5%, Netherlands
4.5%, Czech Republic 4.1% (2003)

Portugal
Spain 22.7%, Germany 15.2%, France 12.9%, UK 10.5%, US
5.8%, Italy 4.8%, Belgium 4.6% (2003)

Puerto Rico
US 90.3%, UK 1.6%, Netherlands 1.4%, Dominican Republic
1.4% (2002 est.)

Qatar
Japan 46%, South Korea 18.5%, Singapore 9.5% (2003)

Reunion
France 74%, Japan 6%, Comoros 4% (2000)

Romania
Italy 24.3%, Germany 15.7%, France 7.4%, UK 6.7%, Turkey
5.1% (2003)

Russia
Germany 7.8%, Netherlands 6.5%, Italy 6.3%, China 6.2%,
Belarus 5.7%, Ukraine 5.7%, US 4.6%, Switzerland 4.4% (2003)

Rwanda
Indonesia 39.2%, Germany 4.6%, China 3.9% (2003)

Saint Helena
US 26.7%, Tanzania 21.9%, Indonesia 9.4%, UK 8.7%,
Japan 7.4%, Netherlands 7.2%, Nigeria 6.8%, Poland 5%, Spain 4.9%
(2003)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
US 61.4%, UK 15.7%, Canada 8.6%, Germany 4.3%
(2003)

Saint Lucia
UK 48%, US 24%, Antigua and Barbuda 6%, Dominica 6%,
Grenada 4% (2003)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
US 42.9%, Ecuador 28.6%, Canada 14.3%,
France 14.3% (2003)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
France 52.7%, UK 6.9%, Greece 6.4%,
Spain 6.4% (2003)

Samoa
Australia 63.6%, Indonesia 15.2%, US 5.1% (2003)

Sao Tome and Principe
Netherlands 41.7%, Canada 16.7%, Belgium 8.3%,
Germany 8.3%, Philippines 8.3% (2003)

Saudi Arabia
US 20.6%, Japan 15.4%, South Korea 9.8%, China 5.5%,
Taiwan 4.5%, Singapore 4.1% (2003)

Senegal
India 13%, France 12.2%, Mali 9.5%, Italy 8.5%, Cote
d'Ivoire 5.4%, Spain 5% (2003)

Serbia and Montenegro
Italy 31.6%, Germany 17.5%, Austria 6.2%,
France 6%, Greece 5.4%, Slovenia 4.1%, Hungary 4% (2003)

Seychelles
UK 38.8%, France 31.8%, Italy 14.5%, Germany 7.5% (2003)

Sierra Leone
Belgium 61.2%, Germany 14.2%, UK 4.5%, US 4.5% (2003)

Singapore
Malaysia 15.8%, US 14.3%, Hong Kong 10%, China 7%, Japan
6.7%, Taiwan 4.7%, Thailand 4.3%, South Korea 4.2% (2003)

Slovakia
Germany 37.2%, Czech Republic 12%, Austria 9.8%, Italy
5.4%, Poland 4.7%, US 4.7%, Hungary 4.2% (2003)

Slovenia
Germany 23.2%, Italy 13.2%, Croatia 9%, Austria 7.3%,
France 5.7%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.2% (2003)

Solomon Islands
China 25.2%, South Korea 17.6%, Japan 13.4%,
Philippines 8.4%, Singapore 5.9%, Thailand 5.9% (2003)

Somalia
UAE 37.2%, Yemen 22.3%, Oman 10.1%, China 6%, Kuwait 4.4%,
Nigeria 4% (2003)

South Africa
UK 12.6%, US 12.4%, Japan 9.2%, Germany 8.1%, China
4.7%, Italy 4.4% (2003)

Spain
France 19.2%, Germany 11.9%, Italy 9.7%, UK 9.4%, Portugal
9.3%, US 4.2% (2003)

Sri Lanka
US 34.6%, UK 12.5%, India 4.8%, Germany 4.5% (2003)

Sudan
China 40.9%, Saudi Arabia 17.2%, UAE 5.4% (2003)

Suriname
US 23.3%, Norway 18.4%, Belgium 12.5%, France 10.1%,
Trinidad and Tobago 7.1%, Iceland 4.7%, Italy 4.3%, Netherlands 4.2%
(2003)

Swaziland
South Africa 72%, EU 14.2%, Mozambique 3.7%, US 3.5% (1999)

Sweden
US 11.5%, Germany 10%, Norway 8.4%, UK 7.8%, Denmark 6.4%,
Finland 5.7%, Netherlands 4.9%, France 4.9%, Belgium 4.5% (2003)

Switzerland
Germany 20.8%, US 11.3%, France 8.7%, Italy 8.3%, UK
4.9%, Japan 4% (2003)

Syria
Germany 20.9%, Italy 12.6%, UAE 7.6%, Lebanon 6.2%, Turkey 6%,
France 5.4%, Croatia 4.8%, US 4.1% (2003)

Taiwan
China 25.3%, US 20.5%, Japan 9.2% (2002)

Tajikistan
Netherlands 25.4%, Turkey 24.4%, Latvia 9.9%, Switzerland
9.7%, Uzbekistan 8.5%, Russia 6.6%, Iran 6.4% (2003)

Tanzania
Japan 9.5%, India 8.6%, Netherlands 8.2%, Germany 5.3%, UK
5.3%, Kenya 4.8% (2003)

Thailand
US 17%, Japan 14.2%, Singapore 7.3%, China 7.1%, Hong Kong
5.4%, Malaysia 4.8% (2003)

Togo
Burkina Faso 16.6%, Ghana 15.4%, Netherlands 13%, Benin 9.6%,
Mali 7.7% (2003)

Tokelau
New Zealand (2000)

Tonga
US 50%, Japan 35.7%, Italy 3.6% (2003)

Trinidad and Tobago
US 63.5%, Jamaica 5.6%, France 3.2% (2003)

Tunisia
France 32.6%, Italy 21.9%, Germany 10.7%, Spain 4.7%, Libya
4.4% (2003)

Turkey
Germany 15.8%, US 8%, UK 7.8%, Italy 6.8%, France 6% (2003)

Turkmenistan
Ukraine 39.2%, Italy 18.1%, Iran 14.7%, Turkey 6.5%
(2003)

Turks and Caicos Islands
US, UK

Tuvalu
UK 37.5%, Poland 19.1%, Philippines 9.2%, Australia 9.1%,
Fiji 6.2% (2003)

Uganda
Kenya 14.7%, Switzerland 13.7%, Netherlands 9.2%, UK 6.4%,
South Africa 5.6% (2003)

Ukraine
Russia 17.8%, Germany 5.9%, Italy 5.3%, China 4.1% (2003)

United Arab Emirates
Japan 26.2%, South Korea 10.5%, Iran 3.8% (2003)

United Kingdom
US 15.7%, Germany 10.5%, France 9.5%, Netherlands
6.9%, Ireland 6.5%, Belgium 5.6%, Spain 4.4%, Italy 4.4% (2003)

United States
Canada 23.4%, Mexico 13.5%, Japan 7.2%, UK 4.7%,
Germany 4% (2003)

Uruguay
Brazil 21.4%, US 11.4%, Argentina 7.1%, Germany 6.6%, China
4.3%, Mexico 4.1%, Italy 4.1%, Canada 4% (2003)

Uzbekistan
Russia 22.4%, China 9.3%, Ukraine 7.5%, Tajikistan 6.2%,
Bangladesh 4.7%, Turkey 4.6%, Japan 4.3%, Kazakhstan 4.2%, US 4.1%
(2003)

Vanuatu
India 32.8%, Thailand 25.5%, Indonesia 9.6%, Japan 7.6%,
Australia 4%, Poland 4% (2003)

Venezuela
US 52.9%, Netherlands Antilles 5%, Dominican Republic 3%
(2003)

Vietnam
US 21.9%, Japan 13.8%, Australia 6.8%, China 6.5%, Germany
5.8%, Singapore 4.6%, UK 4.4% (2003)

Virgin Islands
US, Puerto Rico

Wallis and Futuna
Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13%

West Bank
Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2000)

Western Sahara
Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so
trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts

World
US 16.4%, Germany 7.9%, UK 5.2%, France 5.1%, China 5%, Japan
4.6% (2003)

Yemen
China 31.7%, Thailand 20.3%, India 15.6%, South Korea 4.9%,
Malaysia 4.3% (2003)

Zambia
UK 26.7%, South Africa 21.6%, Tanzania 13.9%, Switzerland
8.1% (2003)

Zimbabwe
Zambia 6.3%, South Africa 6.1%, China 5.3%, Germany 4.6%,
Japan 4.4% (2003)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2051 Administrative divisions

Afghanistan
34 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan,
Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Daykondi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni,
Ghowr, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khowst,
Konar, Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Nurestan,
Oruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Panjshir, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol,
Takhar, Vardak, and Zabol

Albania
12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Qarku i Beratit, Qarku
i Dibres, Qarku i Durresit, Qarku i Elbasanit, Qarku i Fierit, Qarku
i Gjirokastres, Qarku i Korces, Qarku i Kukesit, Qarku i Lezhes,
Qarku i Shkodres, Qarku i Tiranes, Qarku i Vlores

Algeria
48 provinces (wilayas, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Ain Defla,
Ain Temouchent, Alger, Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Biskra, Blida,
Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine, Djelfa,
El Bayadh, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, Jijel,
Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila,
Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi
Bel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanghasset, Tebessa, Tiaret,
Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen

American Samoa
none (territory of the US); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are three districts and two islands* at the second order; Eastern,
Manu'a, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western

Andorra
7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la
Vella, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Escaldes-Engordany, Ordino, Sant
Julia de Loria

Angola
18 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Bengo,
Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul,
Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Luanda, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje,
Moxico, Namibe, Uige, Zaire

Anguilla
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Antigua and Barbuda
6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*,
Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint
Peter, Saint Philip

Argentina
23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), and 1
autonomous city* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
Capital Federal*, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Corrientes,
Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones,
Neuquen, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe,
Santiago del Estero, Tierra del Fuego - Antartida e Islas del
Atlantico Sur, Tucuman
note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica

Armenia
11 provinces (marzer, singular - marz); Aragatsotn, Ararat,
Armavir, Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush,
Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan

Aruba
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Australia
6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital
Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South
Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Austria
9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland,
Kaernten, Niederoesterreich, Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark,
Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien

Azerbaijan
59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities*
(saharlar; sahar - singular), 1 autonomous republic** (muxtar
respublika)
rayons: Abseron Rayonu, Agcabadi Rayonu, Agdam Rayonu, Agdas Rayonu,
Agstafa Rayonu, Agsu Rayonu, Astara Rayonu, Balakan Rayonu, Barda
Rayonu, Beylaqan Rayonu, Bilasuvar Rayonu, Cabrayil Rayonu,
Calilabad Rayonu, Daskasan Rayonu, Davaci Rayonu, Fuzuli Rayonu,
Gadabay Rayonu, Goranboy Rayonu, Goycay Rayonu, Haciqabul Rayonu,
Imisli Rayonu, Ismayilli Rayonu, Kalbacar Rayonu, Kurdamir Rayonu,
Lacin Rayonu, Lankaran Rayonu, Lerik Rayonu, Masalli Rayonu,
Neftcala Rayonu, Oguz Rayonu, Qabala Rayonu, Qax Rayonu, Qazax
Rayonu, Qobustan Rayonu, Quba Rayonu, Qubadli Rayonu, Qusar Rayonu,
Saatli Rayonu, Sabirabad Rayonu, Saki Rayonu, Salyan Rayonu, Samaxi
Rayonu, Samkir Rayonu, Samux Rayonu, Siyazan Rayonu, Susa Rayonu,
Tartar Rayonu, Tovuz Rayonu, Ucar Rayonu, Xacmaz Rayonu, Xanlar
Rayonu, Xizi Rayonu, Xocali Rayonu, Xocavand Rayonu, Yardimli
Rayonu, Yevlax Rayonu, Zangilan Rayonu, Zaqatala Rayonu, Zardab
Rayonu
cities: Ali Bayramli Sahari, Baki Sahari, Ganca Sahari, Lankaran
Sahari, Mingacevir Sahari, Naftalan Sahari, Saki Sahari, Sumqayit
Sahari, Susa Sahari, Xankandi Sahari, Yevlax Sahari
autonomous republic: Naxcivan Muxtar Respublikasi

Bahamas, The
21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat
Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green
Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long
Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and
Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador
and Rum Cay

Bahrain
12 municipalities (manatiq, singular - mintaqah); Al Hadd,
Al Manamah, Al Mintaqah al Gharbiyah, Al Mintaqah al Wusta, Al
Mintaqah ash Shamaliyah, Al Muharraq, Ar Rifa' wa al Mintaqah al
Janubiyah, Jidd Hafs, Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Juzur Hawar,
Sitrah
note: all municipalities administered from Manama

Bangladesh
6 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna,
Rajshahi, and Sylhet

Barbados
11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George,
Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael,
Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas; note - the city of
Bridgetown may be given parish status

Belarus
6 provinces (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1
municipality* (horad); Brest, Homyel', Horad Minsk*, Hrodna,
Mahilyow, Minsk, Vitsyebsk
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers

Belgium
10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch:
provincies, singular - provincie) and 3 regions* (French: regions;
Dutch: gewesten); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Brussels* (Bruxelles),
Flanders*, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur,
Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams-Brabant, Wallonia*, West-Vlaanderen
note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered
devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of
government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a
complex division of responsibilities

Belize
6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek,
Toledo

Benin
12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou,
Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou

Bermuda
9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton,
Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys,
Smith's, Southampton, Warwick

Bhutan
18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang,
Chhukha, Chirang, Dagana, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro,
Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang,
Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang
note: there may be two new districts named Gasa and Yangtse

Bolivia
9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, Beni, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa
Cruz, Tarija

Bosnia and Herzegovina
2 first-order administrative divisions and 1
internationally supervised district* - Brcko district (Brcko
Distrikt)*, the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
(Federacija Bosna i Hercegovina) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika
Srpska; note - Brcko district is in northeastern Bosnia and is an
administrative unit under the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
the district remains under international supervision

Botswana
9 districts and four town councils*; Central, Francistown*,
Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*,
Northwest, Northeast, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern

Brazil
26 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal
district* (distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas, Bahia,
Ceara, Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato
Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana,
Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande
do Sul, Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe,
Tocantins

British Virgin Islands
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Brunei
4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait,
Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong

Bulgaria
28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad,
Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Khaskovo, Kurdzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech,
Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen,
Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofiya, Sofiya-Grad, Stara Zagora,
Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol

Burkina Faso
45 provinces; Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba,
Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba,
Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komondjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koulpelogo,
Kouritenga, Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Namentenga, Nahouri,
Nayala, Noumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie,
Sanmatenga, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga,
Ziro, Zondoma, Zoundweogo

Burma
7 divisions (taing-myar, singular - taing) and 7 states (pyi
ne-myar, singular - pyi ne)
divisions: Ayeyarwady, Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi,
Yangon (Rangoon)
states: Chin State, Kachin State, Kayin State, Kayah State, Mon
State, Rakhine State, Shan State

Burundi
16 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke,
Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro,
Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi

Cambodia
20 provinces (khaitt, singular and plural) and 4
municipalities (krong, singular and plural)
provinces: Banteay Mean Chey, Batdambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong
Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Koh Kong,
Kracheh, Mondol Kiri, Otdar Mean Chey, Pouthisat, Preah Vihear, Prey
Veng, Rotanakir, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takao
municipalities: Keb, Pailin, Phnom Penh, Preah Sihanouk (formerly
Kompong Som)

Cameroon
10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord,
Littoral, Nord, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest

Canada
10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia,
Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest
Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island,
Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

Cape Verde
17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa
Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira
Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe,
Sao Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal

Cayman Islands
8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town,
Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western

Central African Republic
14 prefectures (prefectures, singular -
prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques,
singular - prefecture economique), and 1 commune**;
Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**, Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou,
Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei, Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere,
Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga

Chad
14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture); Batha,
Biltine, Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Kanem, Lac,
Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mayo-Kebbi, Moyen-Chari,
Ouaddai, Salamat, Tandjile
note: instead of 14 prefectures, there may be a new administrative
structure of 28 departments (departments, singular - department),
and 1 city*; Assongha, Baguirmi, Bahr El Gazal, Bahr Koh, Batha
Oriental, Batha Occidental, Biltine, Borkou, Dababa, Ennedi, Guera,
Hadjer Lamis, Kabia, Kanem, Lac, Lac Iro, Logone Occidental, Logone
Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Boneye, Mayo-Dallah, Monts de Lam,
N'Djamena*, Ouaddai, Salamat, Sila, Tandjile Oriental, Tandjile
Occidental, Tibesti

Chile
13 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General
Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Atacama, Bio-Bio,
Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos,
Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana
(Santiago), Tarapaca, Valparaiso
note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

China
23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous
regions (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities (shi,
singular and plural)
provinces: Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei,
Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin,
Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan,
Zhejiang
autonomous regions: Guangxi, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Xizang
(Tibet)
municipalities: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin
note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries
for the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau

Christmas Island
none (territory of Australia)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
none (territory of Australia)

Colombia
32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and
1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca,
Atlantico, Distrito Capital de Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas,
Caqueta, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca,
Guainia, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte
de Santander, Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y
Providencia, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes,
Vichada

Comoros
3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and
Moheli (Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities named
Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
10 provinces (provinces, singular
- province) and one city* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur,
Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema,
Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu

Congo, Republic of the
10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1
commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou,
Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha

Cook Islands
none

Costa Rica
7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela,
Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose

Cote d'Ivoire
19 regions; Agneby, Bafing, Bas-Sassandra, Denguele,
Dix-Huit Montagnes, Fromager, Haut-Sassandra, Lacs, Lagunes,
Marahoue, Moyen-Cavally, Moyen-Comoe, N'zi-Comoe, Savanes,
Sud-Bandama, Sud-Comoe, Vallee du Bandama, Worodougou, Zanzan

Croatia
20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular) and 1 city*
(grad - singular); Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska Zupanija, Brodsko-Posavska
Zupanija, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska Zupanija, Istarska Zupanija,
Karlovacka Zupanija, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka Zupanija,
Krapinsko-Zagorska Zupanija, Licko-Senjska Zupanija, Medimurska
Zupanija, Osjecko-Baranjska Zupanija, Pozesko-Slavonska Zupanija,
Primorsko-Goranska Zupanija, Sibensko-Kninska Zupanija,
Sisacko-Moslavacka Zupanija, Splitsko-Dalmatinska Zupanija,
Varazdinska Zupanija, Viroviticko-Podravska Zupanija,
Vukovarsko-Srijemska Zupanija, Zadarska Zupanija, Zagreb*,
Zagrebacka Zupanija

Cuba
14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special
municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila,
Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla
de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio,
Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara

Cyprus
6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia,
Paphos; note - Turkish Cypriot area's administrative divisions
include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts
of Lefkosia (Nicosia) and Larnaca

Czech Republic
13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital
city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky Kraj, Jihomoravsky Kraj, Karlovarsky
Kraj, Kralovehradecky Kraj, Liberecky Kraj, Moravskoslezsky Kraj,
Olomoucky Kraj, Pardubicky Kraj, Plzensky Kraj, Praha*, Stredocesky
Kraj, Ustecky Kraj, Vysocina, Zlinsky Kraj

Denmark
metropolitan Denmark - 14 counties (amter, singular - amt)
and 2 boroughs* (amtskommuner, singular - amtskommune); Arhus,
Bornholm, Frederiksberg*, Frederiksborg, Fyn, Kobenhavn,
Kobenhavns*, Nordjylland, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde, Sonderjylland,
Storstrom, Vejle, Vestsjalland, Viborg
note: see separate entries for the Faroe Islands and Greenland,
which are part of the Kingdom of Denmark and are self-governing
overseas administrative divisions

Djibouti
5 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); 'Ali Sabih,
Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjoura

Dominica
10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint
John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint
Paul, Saint Peter

Dominican Republic
31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia)
and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon,
Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato
Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria
Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata,
Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez,
San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris,
Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Santo Domingo, Valverde

East Timor
13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau,
Bobonaro (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los
Palos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno),
Viqueque

Ecuador
22 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay,
Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas,
Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi,
Morona-Santiago, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios,
Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe

Egypt
26 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ad
Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah,
Al Iskandariyah, Al Isma'iliyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah, Al Minya,
Al Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, Ash Sharqiyah, As
Suways, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id, Dumyat, Janub Sina',
Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina', Suhaj

El Salvador
14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz,
La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, Santa Ana, San Vicente,
Sonsonate, Usulutan

Equatorial Guinea
7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia);
Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral,
Wele-Nzas

Eritrea
6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); Anseba, Debub,
Debubawi K'eyih Bahri, Gash Barka, Ma'akel, Semenawi Keyih Bahri

Estonia
15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond): Harjumaa
(Tallinn), Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide),
Jogevamaa (Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere),
Parnumaa (Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa
(Kuressaare), Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa
(Viljandi), Vorumaa (Voru)
note: counties have the administrative center name following in
parentheses

Ethiopia
9 ethnically-based states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and
2 self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular -
astedader); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara),
Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela Peoples),
Hareri Hizb (Harari People), Oromiya (Oromia), Sumale (Somali),
Tigray, Ye Debub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations,
Nationalities and Peoples)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
none (overseas territory of the
UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands
none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing
overseas administrative division of Denmark); there are no
first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
Government, but there are 49 municipalities

Fiji
4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern,
Rotuma*, Western

Finland
6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen
Laani, Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani

France
22 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine,
Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre,
Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie,
Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine,
Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie,
Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes
note: metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions (including the
"territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and is subdivided
into 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas
departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the
overseas territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and
Miquelon)

French Guiana
none (overseas department of France)

French Polynesia
none (overseas territory of France); there are no
first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
Government, but there are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel
des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du
Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent
note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French
Polynesia

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
none (overseas territory of
France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as
defined by the US Government, but there are 3 districts named Ile
Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes
"Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

Gabon
9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie,
Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem

Gambia, The
5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Central River, Lower
River, North Bank, Upper River, Western

Georgia
9 regions (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 9 cities
(k'alak'ebi, singular - k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous republics
(avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika)
regions: Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti,
Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti,
Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli
cities: Chiat'ura, Gori, K'ut'aisi, P'ot'i, Rust'avi, T'bilisi,
Tqibuli, Tsqaltubo, Zugdidi
autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri
Respublika (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika
(Bat'umi)
note: the administrative centers of the 2 autonomous republics are
shown in parentheses

Germany
13 states (Laender, singular - Land) and 3 free states*
(Freistaaten, singular - Freistaat); Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bayern*,
Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen,
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen,
Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen*, Sachsen-Anhalt,
Schleswig-Holstein, Thueringen*

Ghana
10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater
Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western

Gibraltar
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Greece
51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos) and 1 autonomous
region*; Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Achaia, Aitolia kai Akarmania,
Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios,
Dodekanisos, Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos,
Fthiotis, Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa,
Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani,
Kyklades, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia,
Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai,
Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos

Greenland
3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu
(Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)
note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland

Grenada
6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petit
Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John,
Saint Mark, Saint Patrick

Guadeloupe
none (overseas department of France)

Guam
none (territory of the US)

Guatemala
22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso,
Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten,
Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa
Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa

Guernsey
none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 10 parishes including Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson, Vale,
Castel, Saint Saviour, Saint Pierre du Bois, Torteval, Forest, Saint
Martin, Saint Andrew

Guinea
33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla,
Boffa, Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka,
Faranah, Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane,
Kindia, Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma,
Lola, Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri,
Telimele, Tougue, Yomou

Guinea-Bissau
9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata,
Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note -
Bolama may have been renamed Bolama/Bijagos

Guyana
10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica,
East Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara,
Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper
Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo

Haiti
9 departments (departements, singular - departement);
Artibonite, Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest,
Sud, Sud-Est

Holy See (Vatican City)
none

Honduras
18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
Atlantida, Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso,
Francisco Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La
Paz, Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro

Hong Kong
none (special administrative region of China)

Hungary
19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 20 urban counties
(singular - megyei varos), and 1 capital city (fovaros)
counties: Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen,
Csongrad, Fejer, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves,
Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komarom-Esztergom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy,
Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala
urban counties: Bekescsaba, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Gyor,
Hodmezovasarhely, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa,
Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar, Szolnok,
Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg
capital city: Budapest

Iceland
8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland
Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir,
Vesturland

India
28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar
Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar,
Chandigarh*, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*,
Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir,
Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa,
Pondicherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura,
Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal

Indonesia
30 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular - propinsi), 2
special regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah
istimewa), and 1 special capital city district** (daerah khusus
ibukota); Aceh*, Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Irian Jaya
Barat, Jakarta Raya**, Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur,
Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan
Timur, Kepulauan Bangka Belitung, Kepulauan Riau, Lampung, Maluku,
Maluku Utara, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Papua, Riau,
Sulawesi Barat, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi
Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera
Utara, Yogyakarta*; note - with the implementation of
decentralization on 1 January 2001, the 357 districts or regencies
became the key administrative units responsible for providing most
government services

Iran
28 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e
Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari,
Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman,
Kermanshah, Khorasan, Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad,
Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan,
Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan

Iraq
18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al
Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah,
At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Maysan,
Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit

Ireland
26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin,
Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick,
Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo,
Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow
note: Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are part of Ulster Province

Israel
6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa,
Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv

Italy
16 regions (regioni, singular - regione) and 4 autonomous
regions* (regioni autonome, singular - regione autonoma); Abruzzo,
Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia
Giulia*, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte,
Puglia, Sardegna*, Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige*, Umbria,
Valle d'Aosta*, Veneto

Jamaica
14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester,
Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth,
Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland
note: for local government purposes, Kingston and Saint Andrew were
amalgamated in 1923 into the present single corporate body known as
the Kingston and Saint Andrew Corporation

Japan
47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui,
Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gumma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo,
Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi,
Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara,
Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga,
Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama,
Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi

Jersey
none (British crown dependency)

Jordan
12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al
'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az
Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba

Kazakhstan
14 provinces (oblystar, singular - oblys) and 3 cities*
(qala, singular - qalasy); Almaty Oblysy, Almaty Qalasy*, Aqmola
Oblysy (Astana), Aqtobe Oblysy, Astana Qalasy*, Atyrau Oblysy, Batys
Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oral), Bayqongyr Qalasy*, Mangghystau Oblysy
(Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy,
Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, Shyghys
Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oskemen), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy
(Petropavlovsk), Zhambyl Oblysy (Taraz)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses); in 1995 the Governments of
Kazakhstan and Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia would
lease for a period of 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km enclosing the
Baykonur space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr
(Baykonur, formerly Leninsk)

Kenya
7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi
Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western

Kiribati
3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands;
note - in addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts,
Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21
island councils - one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang,
Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton,
Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa,
Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina)

Korea, North
9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4
municipalities (si, singular and plural)
provinces: Chagang-do (Chagang), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong),
Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae),
Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae), Kangwon-do (Kangwon),
P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan),
Yanggang-do (Yanggang)
municipalites: Kaesong-si (Kaesong), Najin Sonbong-si (Najin),
Namp'o-si (Namp'o), P'yongyang-si (Pyongyang)

Korea, South
9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7
metropolitan cities (gwangyoksi, singular and plural)
provinces: Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto (North Cholla), Cholla-namdo
(South Cholla), Ch'ungch'ong-bukto (North Ch'ungch'ong),
Ch'ungch'ong-namdo (South Ch'ungch'ong), Kangwon-do, Kyonggi-do,
Kyongsang-bukto (North Kyongsang), Kyongsang-namdo (South Kyongsang)
metropolitan cities: Inch'on-gwangyoksi (Inchon), Kwangju-gwangyoksi
(Kwangju), Pusan-gwangyoksi (Pusan), Soul-t'ukpyolsi (Seoul),
Taegu-gwangyoksi (Taegu), Taejon-gwangyoksi (Taejon),
Ulsan-gwangyoksi (Ulsan)

Kuwait
5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi,
Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli

Kyrgyzstan
7 provinces (oblastlar, singular - oblasty) and 1 city*
(shaar); Batken Oblasty, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek),
Jalal-Abad Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty,
Ysyk-Kol Oblasty (Karakol)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses)

Laos
16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural), 1 municipality*
(kampheng nakhon, singular and plural), and 1 special zone**
(khetphiset, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai,
Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphrabang,
Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan*, Viangchan,
Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun**, Xekong, Xiangkhoang

Latvia
26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*:
Aizkraukles Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons,
Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons,
Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons,
Jurmala*, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja*, Liepajas
Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons,
Preilu Rajons, Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons,
Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras
Rajons, Ventspils*, Ventspils Rajons

Lebanon
6 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beyrouth,
Beqaa, Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye

Lesotho
10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru,
Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

Liberia
15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape
Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado,
Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe

Libya
25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya,
Al 'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al
Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi,
Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt,
Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25
municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions

Liechtenstein
11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers,
Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg,
Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz

Lithuania
10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis); Alytaus,
Kauno, Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages,
Telsiu, Utenos, Vilniaus

Luxembourg
3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg

Macau
none (special administrative region of China)

Macedonia
123 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina);
Aracinovo, Bac, Belcista, Berovo, Bistrica, Bitola, Blatec,
Bogdanci, Bogomila, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Cair (Skopje),
Capari, Caska, Cegrane, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa, Cesinovo,
Cucer-Sandevo, Debar, Delcevo, Delogozdi, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija,
Dobrusevo, Dolna Banjica, Dolneni, Dorce Petrov (Skopje), Drugovo,
Dzepciste, Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gostivar, Gradsko,
Ilinden, Izvor, Jegunovce, Kamenjane, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje),
Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda (Skopje), Klecevce, Kocani, Konce,
Kondovo, Konopiste, Kosel, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani,
Krusevo, Kuklis, Kukurecani, Kumanovo, Labunista, Lipkovo, Lozovo,
Lukovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovi Anovi,
Meseista, Miravci, Mogila, Murtino, Negotino, Negotino-Polosko,
Novaci, Novo Selo, Oblesevo, Ohrid, Orasac, Orizari, Oslomej,
Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Podares, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis,
Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Rostusa, Samokov, Saraj, Sipkovica,
Sopiste, Sopotnica, Srbinovo, Star Dojran, Staravina, Staro
Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Suto Orizari
(Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Topolcani, Valandovo,
Vasilevo, Velesta, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vitoliste, Vranestica,
Vrapciste, Vratnica, Vrutok, Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zeleno, Zitose,
Zletovo, Zrnovci
note: the seven municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses
collectively constitute "greater Skopje"; new information suggests
that the 123 municipalities have been consolidated into 84
municipalities

Madagascar
6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana,
Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Malawi
27 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu,
Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga
(Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata
Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo,
Zomba

Malaysia
13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) Johor, Kedah,
Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau
Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, and Terengganu; and one federal
territory (wilayah persekutuan) with three components, city of Kuala
Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya

Maldives
19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and 1 other
first-order administrative division*; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu,
Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu,
Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale*, Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa,
Vaavu

Mali
8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal,
Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou

Malta
none (administered directly from Valletta); note - Local
Councils carry out administrative orders

Man, Isle of
none; there are no first-order administrative divisions
as defined by the US Government, but there are 24 local authorities
each with its own elections

Marshall Islands
33 municipalities; Ailinginae, Ailinglaplap, Ailuk,
Arno, Aur, Bikar, Bikini, Bokak, Ebon, Enewetak, Erikub, Jabat,
Jaluit, Jemo, Kili, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap,
Mejit, Mili, Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Rongrik, Toke, Ujae, Ujelang,
Utirik, Wotho, Wotje

Martinique
none (overseas department of France)

Mauritania
12 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital
district*; Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol,
Guidimaka, Hodh Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*,
Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza

Mauritius
9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black
River, Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka,
Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart,
Rodrigues*, Savanne

Mayotte
none (territorial collectivity of France)

Mexico
31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal
district* (distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja
California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza,
Colima, Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo,
Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon,
Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi,
Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave,
Yucatan, Zacatecas

Micronesia, Federated States of
4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae
(Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap

Moldova
32 raions (raioane, singular - raionul), 3 municipalities
(municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala
autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala)
counties: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir,
Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari,
Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova,
Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti,
Soroca, Stefan-Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni
municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau
autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia
territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului

Monaco
none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as
defined by the US Government, but there are four quarters
(quartiers, singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine,
Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo

Mongolia
21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1
municipality* (singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy,
Bulgan, Darhan Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan,
Govi-Altay, Govi-Sumber, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon,
Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs

Montserrat
3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Morocco
16 regions: Casablanca, Chaouia-Ourdigha, Doukkala-Abda,
Fes-Boulmane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara,
Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz,
Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira,
Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal,
Tangier-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate

Mozambique
10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city
(cidade)*; Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Cidade de
Maputo*, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia

Namibia
13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene,
Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa

Nauru
14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe,
Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren

Nepal
14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri,
Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali,
Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti

Netherlands
12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie);
Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland (Fryslan), Gelderland, Groningen,
Limburg, Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland,
Zuid-Holland

Netherlands Antilles
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
note: each island has its own government

New Caledonia
none (overseas territory of France); there are no
first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
Government, but there are 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and
Sud

New Zealand
13 regions; Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury,
Gisborne-Hawke's Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui, Nelson-Marlborough,
Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Waikato, Wellington, West
Coast

Nicaragua
15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento)
and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region
autonomista); Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*, Boaco, Carazo,
Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz,
Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas

Niger
7 departments (departements, singular - departement) and 1
capital district* (capitale district); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi,
Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder

Nigeria
36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom,
Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi,
Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa,
Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger,
Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara

Niue
none; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions
as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at the
second order

Norfolk Island
none (territory of Australia)

Northern Mariana Islands
none (commonwealth in political union with
the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as
defined by the US Government, but there are four municipalities at
the second order; Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian

Norway
19 counties (fylker, singular - fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder,
Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland,
Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane,
Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold

Oman
5 regions (manaatiq, singular - mintaqat) and 3 governorates*
(muhaafazaat, singular - muhaafaza) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al
Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat*, Musandam*, Zufar*

Pakistan
4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**;
Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital
Territory**, North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh
note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and
Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir and the Northern Areas

Palau
16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel,
Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang,
Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol

Panama
9 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1
territory* (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon,
Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Panama, San Blas*, and Veraguas

Papua New Guinea
20 provinces; Bougainville, Central, Chimbu,
Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang,
Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National Capital, New Ireland, Northern,
Sandaun, Southern Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New
Britain

Paraguay
17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and
1 capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion*,
Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion,
Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari,
Presidente Hayes, San Pedro

Peru
24 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1
constitutional province* (provincia constitucional); Amazonas,
Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao*, Cusco,
Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima,
Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin,
Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali
note: some reports indicate that the 24 departments and 1
constitutional province are now being referred to as regions; Peru
is implementing a decentralization program whereby these 25
administrative divisions will begin to exercise greater governmental
authority over their territories; in November 2002, voters chose
their new regional presidents and other regional leaders; the
authority that the regional government will exercise has not yet
been clearly defined, but it will be devolved to the regions over
the course of several years

Philippines
79 provinces and 116 chartered cities
provinces: Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay,
Antique, Apayao, Aurora, Basilan, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas,
Biliran, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines
Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cebu,
Compostela, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Eastern
Samar, Guimaras, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Isabela,
Kalinga, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, La Union, Leyte,
Maguindanao, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro
Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain Province,
Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern Samar,
Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon,
Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Samar, Sarangani, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South
Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao del Norte,
Surigao del Sur, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi, Zambales, Zamboanga del Norte,
Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay
chartered cities: Alaminos, Angeles, Antipolo, Bacolod, Bago,
Baguio, Bais, Balanga, Batangas, Bayawan, Bislig, Butuan,
Cabanatuan, Cadiz, Cagayan de Oro, Calamba, Calapan, Calbayog,
Candon, Canlaon, Cauayan, Cavite, Cebu, Cotabato, Dagupan, Danao,
Dapitan, Davao, Digos, Dipolog, Dumaguete, Escalante, Gapan, General
Santos, Gingoog, Himamaylan, Iligan, Iloilo, Isabela, Iriga,
Kabankalan, Kalookan, Kidapawan, Koronadal, La Carlota, Laoag,
Lapu-Lapu, Las Pinas, Legazpi, Ligao, Lipa, Lucena, Maasin, Makati,
Malabon, Malaybalay, Malolos, Mandaluyong, Mandaue, Manila, Marawi,
Markina, Masbate, Muntinlupa, Munoz, Naga, Olongapo, Ormoc,
Oroquieta, Ozamis, Pagadian, Palayan, Panabo, Paranaque, Pasay,
Pasig, Passi, Puerto Princesa, Quezon, Roxas, Sagay, Samal, San
Carlos (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos (in Pangasinan), San
Fernando (in La Union), San Fernando (in Pampanga), San Jose, San
Jose del Monte, San Pablo, Santa Rosa, Santiago, Silay, Sipalay,
Sorsogon, Surigao, Tabaco, Tacloban, Tacurong, Tagaytay, Tagbilaran,
Tagum, Talisay (in Cebu), Talisay (in Negros Oriental), Tanauan,
Tangub, Tanjay, Tarlac, Toledo, Tuguegarao, Trece Martires,
Urdaneta, Valencia, Valenzuela, Victorias, Vigan, Zamboanga

Pitcairn Islands
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Poland
16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo);
Dolnoslaskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie,
Malopolskie, Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie,
Pomorskie, Slaskie, Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie,
Wielkopolskie, Zachodniopomorskie

Portugal
18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2
autonomous regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma);
Aveiro, Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco,
Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa, Madeira*, Portalegre,
Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu

Puerto Rico
none (commonwealth associated with the US); there are no
first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
Government, but there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular -
municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas
Buenas, Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta,
Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas,
Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales, Cidra, Coamo, Comerio,
Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica, Guayama,
Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros, Humacao,
Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las Marias, Las
Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez, Moca,
Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce,
Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San
German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa
Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega Baja,
Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco

Qatar
10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad
Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar
Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal

Reunion
none (overseas department of France); there are no
first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
Government, but there are 4 arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47
cantons

Romania
41 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality*
(municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud,
Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti*, Buzau, Calarasi,
Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati,
Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Ilfov,
Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare,
Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea

Russia
49 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast), 21 republics
(respublik, singular - respublika), 10 autonomous okrugs
(avtonomnykh okrugov, singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 6 krays (krayev,
singular - kray), 2 federal cities (singular - gorod), and 1
autonomous oblast (avtonomnaya oblast')
oblasts: Amur (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', Belgorod,
Bryansk, Chelyabinsk, Chita, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Kaliningrad, Kaluga,
Kamchatka (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy), Kemerovo, Kirov, Kostroma,
Kurgan, Kursk, Leningrad, Lipetsk, Magadan, Moscow, Murmansk,
Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Orenburg, Orel,
Penza, Perm', Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan', Sakhalin (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk),
Samara, Saratov, Smolensk, Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg), Tambov,
Tomsk, Tula, Tver', Tyumen', Ul'yanovsk, Vladimir, Volgograd,
Vologda, Voronezh, Yaroslavl'
republics: Adygeya (Maykop), Altay (Gorno-Altaysk), Bashkortostan
(Ufa), Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude), Chechnya (Groznyy), Chuvashiya
(Cheboksary), Dagestan (Makhachkala), Ingushetiya (Magas),
Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik), Kalmykiya (Elista),
Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk), Kareliya (Petrozavodsk),
Khakasiya (Abakan), Komi (Syktyvkar), Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola),
Mordoviya (Saransk), Sakha [Yakutiya] (Yakutsk), North Ossetia
(Vladikavkaz), Tatarstan (Kazan'), Tyva (Kyzyl), Udmurtiya (Izhevsk)
autonomous okrugs: Aga Buryat (Aginskoye), Chukotka (Anadyr'), Evenk
(Tura), Khanty-Mansi, Komi-Permyak (Kudymkar), Koryak (Palana),
Nenets (Nar'yan-Mar), Taymyr [Dolgano-Nenets] (Dudinka), Ust'-Orda
Buryat (Ust'-Ordynskiy), Yamalo-Nenets (Salekhard)
krays: Altay (Barnaul), Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk,
Primorskiy (Vladivostok), Stavropol'
federal cities: Moscow (Moskva), St. Petersburg (Sankt-Peterburg)
autonomous oblast: Yevrey [Jewish] (Birobidzhan)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses)

Rwanda
12 prefectures (in French - prefectures, singular -
prefecture; in Kinyarwanda - plural - NA, singular - prefegitura);
Butare, Byumba, Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama, Kibungo,
Kibuye, Kigali Rurale, Kigali-ville, Umutara, Ruhengeri

Saint Helena
1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*,
Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha*

Saint Kitts and Nevis
14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint
Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland,
Saint James Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree,
Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown,
Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle
Island, Trinity Palmetto Point

Saint Lucia
11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin,
Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
none (territorial collectivity of France);
note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined
by the US Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre,
Miquelon at the second order

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines,
Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick

Samoa
11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga,
Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga,
Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano

San Marino
9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello);
Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano,
Fiorentino, Montegiardino, San Marino Citta, Serravalle

Sao Tome and Principe
2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome
note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995

Saudi Arabia
13 provinces (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah,
Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar Riyad,
Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern Province), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jizan, Makkah,
Najran, Tabuk

Senegal
11 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel,
Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda,
Thies, Ziguinchor

Serbia and Montenegro
2 republics (republike, singular - republika);
and 2 nominally autonomous provinces* (autonomn pokrajine, singular
- autonomna pokrajina); Kosovo* (currently under UN administration
pending resolution of its future status), Montenegro, Serbia,
Vojvodina*

Seychelles
23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau,
Anse Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne,
Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on
Mahe), Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont
Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint
Louis, Takamaka

Sierra Leone
3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern,
Western*

Singapore
none

Slovakia
8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky,
Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky,
Zilinsky

Slovenia
182 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban
municipalities* (mestne obcine , singular - mestna obcina )
Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke,
Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica,
Cankova, Celje*, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno,
Cerkvenjak, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca,
Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec,
Dobrovnik-Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale,
Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gornja
Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina,
Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos-Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina,
Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola-Isola, Jesenice,
Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje,
Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Koper-Capodistria*, Kostel, Kozje, Kranj*,
Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart,
Lendava-Lendva, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Logatec, Loska
Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk,
Maribor*, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na
Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Moravce,
Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje,
Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica,
Pesnica, Piran-Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka,
Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Ptuj*, Puconci,
Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na
Koroskem, Razkrizje, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogasovci, Rogaska
Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Salovci, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic,
Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur pri Celju,
Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*,
Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob
Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sostanj, Starse,
Store, Sveta Ana, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij,
Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic,
Trzin, Turnisce, Velenje*, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej,
Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica,
Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica,
Zuzemberk, Zrece
note: there may be 45 more municipalities

Solomon Islands
9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central,
Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell
and Bellona, Temotu, Western

Somalia
18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool,
Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe,
Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha
Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed

South Africa
9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng,
KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape,
Western Cape

Spain
17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular -
comunidad autonoma)and 2 autonomous cities* (ciudades autonomas,
singular - ciudad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares
(Balearic Islands), Ceuta*, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria,
Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Comunidad Valenciana,
Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla*, Murcia, Navarra,
Pais Vasco (Basque Country)
note: three small Spanish possessions of Islas Chafarinas, Penon de
Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, administered directly by
the Spanish central government, are all located off the coast of
Morocco and are collectively referred to as Places of Sovereignty
(Plazas de Soberania)

Sri Lanka
8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North
Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western; note - North Eastern
province may have been divided in two - Northern and Eastern

Sudan
26 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); A'ali an Nil, Al Bahr
al Ahmar, Al Buhayrat, Al Jazirah, Al Khartum, Al Qadarif, Al
Wahdah, An Nil al Abyad, An Nil al Azraq, Ash Shamaliyah, Bahr al
Jabal, Gharb al Istiwa'iyah, Gharb Bahr al Ghazal, Gharb Darfur,
Gharb Kurdufan, Janub Darfur, Janub Kurdufan, Junqali, Kassala, Nahr
an Nil, Shamal Bahr al Ghazal, Shamal Darfur, Shamal Kurdufan, Sharq
al Istiwa'iyah, Sinnar, Warab

Suriname
10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo,
Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo,
Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica

Swaziland
4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Sweden
21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarnas,
Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hallands, Jamtlands, Jonkopings, Kalmar,
Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro, Ostergotlands, Skane,
Sodermanlands, Stockholms, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens,
Vasternorrlands, Vastmanlands, Vastra Gotalands

Switzerland
26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French;
cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton
in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden,
Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus,
Graubunden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt
Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri,
Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich

Syria
14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al
Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az
Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus

Taiwan
includes central island of Taiwan plus numerous smaller
islands near central island and off coast of China's Fujian
Province; Taiwan is divided into 18 counties (hsien, singular and
plural), 5 municipalities (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special
municipalities (chuan-shih, singular and plural)
counties: Chang-hua, Chia-i, Hsin-chu, Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung
county, Kin-men, Lien-chiang, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou, P'eng-hu,
P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-nan, T'ai-pei county, T'ai-tung,
T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin
municipalities: Chia-i, Chi-lung, Hsin-chu, T'ai-chung, T'ai-nan
special municipalities: Kao-hsiung city, T'ai-pei city
note: Taiwan generally uses Wade-Giles system for romanization;
special municipality of Taipei adopted standard pinyin romanization
for street and place names within city boundaries, other local
authorities have selected a variety of romanization systems

Tajikistan
2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and 1
autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor); Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni
Badakhshon* [Gorno-Badakhshan] (Khorugh), Viloyati Khatlon
(Qurghonteppa), Viloyati Sughd (Khujand)
note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Tanzania
26 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera,
Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Manyara, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara,
Mwanza, Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga,
Singida, Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North,
Zanzibar Urban/West

Thailand
76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural); Amnat
Charoen, Ang Thong, Buriram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum,
Chanthaburi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin,
Kamphaeng Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep
Mahanakhon (Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong
Son, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon
Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan,
Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani,
Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi,
Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket,
Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi
Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut
Songkhram, Sara Buri, Satun, Sing Buri, Sisaket, Songkhla,
Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon
Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon

Togo
5 regions (regions, singular - region); Kara, Plateaux,
Savanes, Centrale, Maritime

Tokelau
none (territory of New Zealand)

Tonga
3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u

Trinidad and Tobago
9 regional corporations, 2 city corporations, 3
borough corporations, and 1 ward
regional corporations: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Diego Martin,
Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San
Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarco
city corporations: Port of Spain, San Fernando;
borough corporations: Arima, Point Fortin, Chaguanas
ward: Tobago

Tunisia
24 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous
(Bin 'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah),
Jendouba (Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn),
Kebili (Qibili), Kef (Al Kaf), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba
(Manubah), Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul
(Nabul), Sfax (Safaqis), Sidi Bou Zid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana
(Silyanah), Sousse (Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar),
Tunis, Zaghouan (Zaghwan)

Turkey
81 provinces (iller, singular - il); Adana, Adiyaman,
Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan,
Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol,
Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli,
Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir,
Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Igdir, Isparta,
Istanbul, Izmir, Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu,
Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya,
Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir,
Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt,
Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon, Tunceli, Usak, Van,
Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak

Turkmenistan
5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat): Ahal
Welayaty (Ashgabat), Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dashoguz
Welayaty, Lebap Welayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary Welayaty
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses)

Turks and Caicos Islands
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Tuvalu
none

Uganda
56 districts; Adjumani, Apac, Arua, Bugiri, Bundibugyo,
Bushenyi, Busia, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole,
Kaberamaido, Kalangala, Kampala, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu,
Kapchorwa, Kasese, Katakwi, Kayunga, Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum,
Kotido, Kumi, Kyenjojo, Lira, Luwero, Masaka, Masindi, Mayuge,
Mbale, Mbarara, Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakapiripirit,
Nakasongola, Nebbi, Ntungamo, Pader, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri,
Sembabule, Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Wakiso, Yumbe

Ukraine
24 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast'), 1 autonomous
republic* (avtonomna respublika), and 2 municipalities (mista,
singular - misto) with oblast status**; Cherkasy, Chernihiv,
Chernivtsi, Crimea or Avtonomna Respublika Krym* (Simferopol'),
Dnipropetrovs'k, Donets'k, Ivano-Frankivs'k, Kharkiv, Kherson,
Khmel'nyts'kyy, Kirovohrad, Kiev (Kyyiv)**, Kyyiv, Luhans'k, L'viv,
Mykolayiv, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Sevastopol'**, Sumy, Ternopil',
Vinnytsya, Volyn' (Luts'k), Zakarpattya (Uzhhorod), Zaporizhzhya,
Zhytomyr
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses)

United Arab Emirates
7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu
Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah),
Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn

United Kingdom
England - 47 boroughs, 36 counties, 29 London
boroughs, 12 cities and boroughs, 10 districts, 12 cities, 3 royal
boroughs
boroughs: Barnsley, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Bolton,
Bournemouth, Bracknell Forest, Brighton and Hove, Bury, Calderdale,
Darlington, Doncaster, Dudley, Gateshead, Halton, Hartlepool,
Kirklees, Knowsley, Luton, Medway, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes,
North Tyneside, Oldham, Poole, Reading, Redcar and Cleveland,
Rochdale, Rotherham, Sandwell, Sefton, Slough, Solihull,
Southend-on-Sea, South Tyneside, St. Helens, Stockport,
Stockton-on-Tees, Swindon, Tameside, Thurrock, Torbay, Trafford,
Walsall, Warrington, Wigan, Wirral, Wolverhampton
counties: Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire,
Cornwall, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, Durham, East Sussex,
Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire,
Isle of Wight, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire,
Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Northumberland, North Yorkshire,
Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire, Somerset, Staffordshire,
Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Sussex, Wiltshire, Worcestershire
London boroughs: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent,
Bromley, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney,
Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon,
Hounslow, Islington, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Newham, Redbridge,
Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham
Forest, Wandsworth
cities and boroughs: Birmingham, Bradford, Coventry, Leeds,
Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Salford, Sheffield,
Sunderland, Wakefield, Westminster
districts: Bath and North East Somerset, East Riding of Yorkshire,
North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, North Somerset,
Rutland, South Gloucestershire, Telford and Wrekin, West Berkshire,
Wokingham
cities: City of Bristol, Derby, City of Kingston upon Hull,
Leicester, City of London, Nottingham, Peterborough, Plymouth,
Portsmouth, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent, York
royal boroughs: Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames,
Windsor and Maidenhead
Northern Ireland - 24 districts, 2 cities, 6 counties
districts: Antrim, Ards, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge,
Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Coleraine, Cookstown, Craigavon, Down,
Dungannon, Fermanagh, Larne, Limavady, Lisburn, Magherafelt, Moyle,
Newry and Mourne, Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, Strabane
cities: Belfast, Derry
counties: County Antrim, County Armagh, County Down, County
Fermanagh, County Londonderry, County Tyrone
Scotland - 32 council areas: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus,
Argyll and Bute, The Scottish Borders, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries
and Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East
Lothian, East Renfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife,
Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North
Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross,
Renfrewshire, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire,
Stirling, West Dunbartonshire, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), West
Lothian;
Wales - 11 county boroughs, 9 counties, 2 cities and counties
county boroughs: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Conwy,
Gwynedd, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Rhondda Cynon
Taff, Torfaen, Wrexham
counties: Isle of Anglesey, Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire,
Denbighshire, Flintshire, Monmouthshire, Pembrokeshire, Powys, The
Vale of Glamorgan
cities and counties: Cardiff, Swansea

United States
50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona,
Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of
Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska,
Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North
Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah,
Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Uruguay
19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida,
Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera,
Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres

Uzbekistan
12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1
autonomous republic* (respublika), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon
Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati, Farg'ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati,
Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi),
Qaraqalpog'iston Respublikasi* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati, Sirdaryo
Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent
Shahri**, Toshkent Viloyati, Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
name following in parentheses)

Vanuatu
6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba

Venezuela
23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 federal
district* (distrito federal), and 1 federal dependency**
(dependencia federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas,
Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales**,
Distrito Federal*, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas,
Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Vargas,
Yaracuy, Zulia
note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled
island groups with a total of 72 individual islands

Vietnam
59 provinces (tinh, singular and plural) and 5
municipalities (thu do, singular and plural)
provinces: An Giang, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Ba
Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Binh
Thuan, Ca Mau, Cao Bang, Dac Lak, Dac Nong, Dien Bien, Dong Nai,
Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Hai Duong, Ha Nam, Ha Tay, Ha Tinh,
Hau Giang, Hoa Binh, Hung Yen, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai
Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Ninh
Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Tho, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang
Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh,
Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen
Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phuc, Yen Bai
municipalities: Can Tho, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh

Virgin Islands
none (territory of the US); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are three islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John,
Saint Thomas

Wallis and Futuna
none (overseas territory of France); there are no
first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
Government, but there are three kingdoms at the second order named
Alo, Sigave, Wallis

Western Sahara
none (under de facto control of Morocco)

World
271 nations, dependent areas, and other entities

Yemen
19 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Abyan,
'Adan, Ad Dali', Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al
Mahwit, 'Amran, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib,
Sa'dah, San'a', Shabwah, Ta'izz
note: for electoral and administrative purposes, the capital city of
Sanaa is treated as an additional governorate

Zambia
9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka,
Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western

Zimbabwe
8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status;
Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland
East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland
South, Midlands

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2052 Agriculture - products

Afghanistan
opium, wheat, fruits, nuts, wool, mutton, sheepskins,
lambskins

Albania
wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets,
grapes; meat, dairy products

Algeria
wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep,
cattle

American Samoa
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit,
yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock

Andorra
small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables;
sheep

Angola
bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, manioc
(tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest
products; fish

Anguilla
small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising

Antigua and Barbuda
cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts,
cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock

Argentina
sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes, corn, tobacco,
peanuts, tea, wheat; livestock

Armenia
fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock

Aruba
aloes; livestock; fish

Australia
wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry

Austria
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products,
cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber

Azerbaijan
cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea,
tobacco; cattle, pigs, sheep, goats

Bahamas, The
citrus, vegetables; poultry

Bahrain
fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish

Bangladesh
rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco,
pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry

Barbados
sugarcane, vegetables, cotton

Belarus
grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk

Belgium
sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef,
veal, pork, milk

Belize
bananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber;
garments

Benin
cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil,
peanuts, livestock (2001)

Bermuda
bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products

Bhutan
rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products,
eggs

Bolivia
soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice,
potatoes; timber

Bosnia and Herzegovina
wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Botswana
livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers,
groundnuts

Brazil
coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa,
citrus; beef

British Virgin Islands
fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish

Brunei
rice, vegetables, fruits, chickens, water buffalo

Bulgaria
vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat,
barley, sunflowers, sugar beets

Burkina Faso
cotton, peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, sorghum, millet,
corn, rice; livestock

Burma
rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood;
fish and fish products

Burundi
coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas,
manioc (tapioca); beef, milk, hides

Cambodia
rice, rubber, corn, vegetables, cashews, tapioca

Cameroon
coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains,
root starches; livestock; timber

Canada
wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy
products; forest products; fish

Cape Verde
bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee,
peanuts; fish

Cayman Islands
vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming

Central African Republic
cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca),
yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber

Chad
cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc
(tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels

Chile
grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches,
garlic, asparagus, beans, beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber

China
rice, wheat, potatoes, sorghum, peanuts, tea, millet, barley,
cotton, oilseed, pork, fish

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts

Colombia
coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn,
sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp

Comoros
vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas,
cassava (tapioca)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products

Congo, Republic of the
cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn,
peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products

Cook Islands
copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws,
bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry

Costa Rica
coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans,
potatoes; beef; timber

Cote d'Ivoire
coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn,
rice, manioc (tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber

Croatia
wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, barley, alfalfa,
clover, olives, citrus, grapes, soybeans, potatoes; livestock, dairy
products

Cuba
sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock

Cyprus
potatoes, citrus, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives,
vegetables, poultry, pork, lamb, kids, dairy

Czech Republic
wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs,
poultry

Denmark
barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets; pork, dairy products;
fish

Djibouti
fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels

Dominica
bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa;
forest and fishery potential not exploited

Dominican Republic
sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice,
beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef,
eggs

East Timor
coffee, rice, maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans,
cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla

Ecuador
bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca),
plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy
products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp

Egypt
cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle,
water buffalo, sheep, goats

El Salvador
coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton,
sorghum; shrimp; beef, dairy products

Equatorial Guinea
coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca),
bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber

Eritrea
sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, coffee,
sisal; livestock, goats; fish

Estonia
potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish

Ethiopia
cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, sugarcane, potatoes, qat;
hides, cattle, sheep, goats

European Union
wheat, barley, oilseeds, sugar beets, wine, grapes,
dairy products, cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, fish

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
fodder and vegetable crops; sheep,
dairy products

Faroe Islands
milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish

Fiji
sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes,
bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish

Finland
barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish

France
wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef,
dairy products; fish

French Guiana
corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa,
vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry

French Polynesia
coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry,
beef, dairy products, coffee

Gabon
cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a
tropical softwood); fish

Gambia, The
rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava
(tapioca), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats

Gaza Strip
olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Georgia
citrus, grapes, tea, hazelnuts, vegetables; livestock

Germany
potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages;
cattle, pigs, poultry

Ghana
cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea
nuts, bananas; timber

Gibraltar
none

Greece
wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine,
tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products

Greenland
forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep,
reindeer; fish

Grenada
bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops,
sugarcane, corn, vegetables

Guadeloupe
bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables;
cattle, pigs, goats

Guam
fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef

Guatemala
sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle,
sheep, pigs, chickens

Guernsey
tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant,
fruit; Guernsey cattle

Guinea
rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca),
bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber

Guinea-Bissau
rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts,
peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish

Guyana
sugar, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry,
dairy products; fish (shrimp)

Haiti
coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum, wood

Honduras
bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp

Hong Kong
fresh vegetables, poultry, fish, pork

Hungary
wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs,
cattle, poultry, dairy products

Iceland
potatoes, green vegetables, mutton, dairy products, fish

India
rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes;
cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry; fish

Indonesia
rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee,
palm oil, copra, poultry, beef, pork, eggs

Iran
wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton;
dairy products, wool; caviar

Iraq
wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep

Ireland
turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy
products

Israel
citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products

Italy
fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans,
grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish

Jamaica
sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, yams, vegetables,
poultry, goats, milk, crustaceans, and mollusks

Japan
rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit, pork, poultry, dairy
products, eggs, fish

Jersey
potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products

Jordan
wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep,
goats, poultry

Kazakhstan
grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; livestock

Kenya
tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy
products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs

Kiribati
copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish

Korea, North
rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs,
pork, eggs

Korea, South
rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle,
pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish

Kuwait
practically no crops; fish

Kyrgyzstan
tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and
berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool

Laos
sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco,
cotton, tea, peanuts, rice, water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry

Latvia
grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk,
eggs; fish

Lebanon
citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes,
olives, tobacco; sheep, goats

Lesotho
corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock

Liberia
rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil,
sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber

Libya
wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts,
soybeans; cattle

Liechtenstein
wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy
products

Lithuania
grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef,
milk, eggs; fish

Luxembourg
barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes;
livestock products

Macau
vegetables, livestock

Macedonia
rice, tobacco, wheat, corn, millet, cotton, sesame,
mulberry leaves, citrus, vegetables; beef, pork, poultry, mutton

Madagascar
coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava
(tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products

Malawi
tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava
(tapioca), sorghum, pulses; groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats

Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah
- subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak -
rubber, pepper; timber

Maldives
coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish

Mali
cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep,
goats

Malta
potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes,
citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs

Man, Isle of
cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry

Marshall Islands
coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit,
fruits; pigs, chickens

Martinique
pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables,
sugarcane

Mauritania
dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, dates; cattle, sheep

Mauritius
sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle,
goats; fish

Mayotte
vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra

Mexico
corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit,
tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products

Micronesia, Federated States of
black pepper, tropical fruits and
vegetables, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), betel nuts, sweet potatoes;
pigs, chickens

Moldova
vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower
seed, tobacco; beef, milk

Monaco
none

Mongolia
wheat, barley, potatoes, forage crops, sheep, goats,
cattle, camels, horses

Montserrat
cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers,
livestock products

Morocco
barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock

Mozambique
cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca),
corn, coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes,
sunflowers; beef, poultry

Namibia
millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish

Nauru
coconuts

Nepal
rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo
meat

Netherlands
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables;
livestock

Netherlands Antilles
aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical
fruit

New Caledonia
vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products

New Zealand
wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables;
wool, beef, dairy products; fish

Nicaragua
coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco,
sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products

Niger
cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca),
rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry

Nigeria
cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet,
cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber;
fish

Niue
coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava
(tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle

Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals,
vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry

Northern Mariana Islands
coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle

Norway
barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish

Oman
dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish

Pakistan
cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk,
beef, mutton, eggs

Palau
coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes

Panama
bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables;
livestock; shrimp

Papua New Guinea
coffee, cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, tea, rubber,
sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables, poultry, pork

Paraguay
cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava
(tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber

Peru
coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, wheat, potatoes, corn,
plantains, coca; poultry, beef, dairy products, wool; fish

Philippines
rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples,
mangoes, pork, eggs, beef, fish

Pitcairn Islands
wide variety of fruits and vegetables, goats,
chickens

Poland
potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork

Portugal
grain, potatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats,
poultry, beef, dairy products

Puerto Rico
sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas,
livestock products, chickens

Qatar
fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish

Reunion
sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits, vegetables,
corn

Romania
wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes,
grapes; eggs, sheep

Russia
grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables, fruits; beef,
milk

Rwanda
coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from
chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock

Saint Helena
corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, crawfish (on
Tristan da Cunha)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas;
fish

Saint Lucia
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs;
fish

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes,
spices, small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, fish

Samoa
coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa

San Marino
wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef,
cheese, hides

Sao Tome and Principe
cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra,
cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish

Saudi Arabia
wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton,
chickens, eggs, milk

Senegal
peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes,
green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish

Serbia and Montenegro
cereals, fruits, vegetables, tobacco, olives;
cattle, sheep, goats

Seychelles
coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava
(tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish

Sierra Leone
rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts;
poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Singapore
rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables, poultry, eggs,
fish, ornamental fish

Slovakia
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle,
poultry; forest products

Slovenia
potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle,
sheep, poultry

Solomon Islands
cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes,
vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish

Somalia
cattle, sheep, goats; bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts,
rice, sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans; fish

South Africa
corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef,
poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products

Spain
grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus;
beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish

Sri Lanka
rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea,
rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef

Sudan
cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum
arabic, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet
potatoes, sesame; sheep, livestock

Suriname
paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains,
peanuts; beef, chickens; forest products; shrimp

Swaziland
sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus,
pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep

Sweden
barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk

Switzerland
grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Syria
wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar
beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk

Taiwan
rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef,
milk, fish

Tajikistan
cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep,
goats

Tanzania
coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made
from chrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat,
cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Thailand
rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts,
soybeans

Togo
coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans,
rice, millet, sorghum; livestock; fish

Tokelau
coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs,
poultry, goats

Tonga
squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa,
coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish

Trinidad and Tobago
cocoa, sugarcane, rice, citrus, coffee,
vegetables; poultry

Tunisia
olives, olive oil, grain, dairy products, tomatoes, citrus
fruit, beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds

Turkey
tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulse, citrus;
livestock

Turkmenistan
cotton, grain; livestock

Turks and Caicos Islands corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish

Tuvalu
coconuts; fish

Uganda
coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes,
corn, millet, pulses; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry, cut flowers

Ukraine
grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, vegetables; beef, milk

United Arab Emirates
dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs,
dairy products; fish

United Kingdom
cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle,
sheep, poultry; fish

United States
wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton;
beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; forest products; fish

Uruguay
rice, wheat, corn, barley; livestock; fish

Uzbekistan
cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

Vanuatu
copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts,
fruits, vegetables; fish, beef

Venezuela
corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables,
coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish

Vietnam
paddy rice, corn, potatoes, rubber, soybeans, coffee, tea,
bananas, sugar; poultry, pigs, fish

Virgin Islands
fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle

Wallis and Futuna
breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats

West Bank
olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Western Sahara
fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases);
camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads)

Yemen
grain, fruits, vegetables, pulses, qat (mildly narcotic
shrub), coffee, cotton; dairy products, livestock (sheep, goats,
cattle, camels), poultry; fish

Zambia
corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables,
flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle,
goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides; coffee

Zimbabwe
corn, cotton, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; sheep,
goats, pigs

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2053 Airports

Afghanistan
47 (2003 est.)

Albania
11 (2003 est.)

Algeria
137 (2003 est.)

American Samoa
3 (2003 est.)

Andorra
none

Angola
244 (2003 est.)

Anguilla
3 (2003 est.)

Antarctica
there are no developed public access airports or landing
facilities; 30 stations, operated by 16 national governments party
to the Antarctic Treaty, have restricted aircraft landing facilities
for either helicopters and/or fixed-wing aircraft; commercial
enterprises operate two additional aircraft landing facilities;
helicopter pads are available at 27 stations; runways at 15
locations are gravel, sea-ice, blue-ice, or compacted snow suitable
for landing wheeled, fixed-wing aircraft; of these, 1 is greater
than 3 km in length, 6 are between 2 km and 3 km in length, 3 are
between 1 km and 2 km in length, 3 are less than 1 km in length, and
2 are of unknown length; snow surface skiways, limited to use by
ski-equipped, fixed-wing aircraft, are available at another 15
locations; of these, 4 are greater than 3 km in length, 3 are
between 2 km and 3 km in length, 2 are between 1 km and 2 km in
length, 2 are less than 1 km in length, and 4 are of unknown length;
aircraft landing facilities generally subject to severe restrictions
and limitations resulting from extreme seasonal and geographic
conditions; aircraft landing facilities do not meet ICAO standards;
advance approval from the respective governmental or nongovernmental
operating organization required for landing; landed aircraft are
subject to inspection in accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty
(2003 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
3 (2003 est.)

Argentina
1,335 (2003 est.)

Armenia
17 (2003 est.)

Aruba
1 (2003 est.)

Australia
444 (2003 est.)

Austria
55 (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
67 (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
63 (2003 est.)

Bahrain
4 (2003 est.)

Baker Island
1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m, completely
covered with vegetation and unusable (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
16 (2003 est.)

Barbados
1 (2003 est.)

Belarus
135 (2003 est.)

Belgium
42 (2003 est.)

Belize
43 (2003 est.)

Benin
5 (2003 est.)

Bermuda
1 (2003 est.)

Bhutan
2 (2003 est.)

Bolivia
1,067 (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
27 (2003 est.)

Botswana
85 (2003 est.)

Brazil
3,803 (2003 est.)

British Indian Ocean Territory
1 (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
3 (2003 est.)

Brunei
2 (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
212 (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
33 (2003 est.)

Burma
79 (2003 est.)

Burundi
8 (2003 est.)

Cambodia
20 (2003 est.)

Cameroon
47 (2003 est.)

Canada
1,357 (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
7
note: 3 airports are reported to be nonoperational (2003 est.)

Cayman Islands
3 (2003 est.)

Central African Republic
50 (2003 est.)

Chad
50 (2003 est.)

Chile
363 (2003 est.)

China
507 (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
1 (2003 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
1 (2003 est.)

Colombia
980 (2003 est.)

Comoros
4 (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
230 (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
32 (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
9 (2003 est.)

Costa Rica
149 (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
37 (2003 est.)

Croatia
68 (2003 est.)

Cuba
170 (2003 est.)

Cyprus
17 (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
120 (2003 est.)

Denmark
99 (2003 est.)

Djibouti
13 (2003 est.)

Dominica
2 (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
31 (2003 est.)

East Timor
8 (2003 est.)

Ecuador
205 (2003 est.)

Egypt
89 (2003 est.)

El Salvador
73 (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
3 (2003 est.)

Eritrea
18 (2003 est.)

Estonia
29 (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
82 (2003 est.)

Europa Island
1 (2003 est.)

European Union total: 3,130 with paved runways: 1,834 with unpaved runways: 1,296 (2003)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
5 (2003 est.)

Faroe Islands
1 (2003 est.)

Fiji
28 (2003 est.)

Finland
148 (2003 est.)

France
477 (2003 est.)

French Guiana
11 (2003 est.)

French Polynesia
49 (2003 est.)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
none

Gabon
56 (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
1 (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
2 (2001)
note: includes Gaza International Airport (GIA), inaugurated on 24
November 1998 as part of agreements stipulated in the September 1995
Oslo II Accord and the 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum; GIA has
been largely closed since October 2000 by Israeli orders and its
runway was destroyed by the Israeli Defense Forces in December 2001
(2003 est.)

Georgia
31 (2003 est.)

Germany
550 (2003 est.)

Ghana
12 (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
1 (2003 est.)

Glorioso Islands
1 (2003 est.)

Greece
79 (note - new Athens airport at Spata opened in March 2001)
(2003 est.)

Greenland
14 (2003 est.)

Grenada
3 (2003 est.)

Guadeloupe
9 (2003 est.)

Guam
5 (2003 est.)

Guatemala
452 (2003 est.)

Guernsey
2 (2003 est.)

Guinea
16 (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
28 (2003 est.)

Guyana
49 (2003 est.)

Haiti
12 (2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
none (2003 est.)

Honduras
115 (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
4 (2003 est.)

Howland Island
airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling
stop on the round-the-world flight of Amelia EARHART and Fred NOONAN
- they left Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island, but were never seen
again; the airstrip is no longer serviceable (2003 est.)

Hungary
43 (2003 est.)

Iceland
100 (2003 est.)

India
333 (2003 est.)

Indonesia
661 (2003 est.)

Iran
303 (2003 est.)

Iraq
111; note - unknown number were damaged during the March-April
2003 war (2003 est.)

Ireland
36 (2003 est.)

Israel
51 (2003 est.)

Italy
134 (2003 est.)

Jamaica
35 (2003 est.)

Jan Mayen
1 (2003 est.)

Japan
174 (2003 est.)

Jersey
1 (2003 est.)

Johnston Atoll
1 (2003 est.)

Jordan
17 (2003 est.)

Juan de Nova Island
1 (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
392 (2003 est.)

Kenya
221 (2003 est.)

Kingman Reef
lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and
American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and
1938 (2003 est.)

Kiribati
20 (2003 est.)

Korea, North
78 (2003 est.)

Korea, South
102 (2003 est.)

Kuwait
7 (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
61 (2003 est.)

Laos
46 (2003 est.)

Latvia
51 (2003 est.)

Lebanon
8 (2003 est.)

Lesotho
28 (2003 est.)

Liberia
53 (2003 est.)

Libya
140 (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
none (2003 est.)

Lithuania
102 (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
2 (2003 est.)

Macau
1 (2003 est.)

Macedonia
17 (2003 est.)

Madagascar
116 (2003 est.)

Malawi
42 (2003 est.)

Malaysia
117 (2003 est.)

Maldives
5 (2003 est.)

Mali
27 (2003 est.)

Malta
1 (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
1 (2003 est.)

Marshall Islands
15 (2003 est.)

Martinique
2 (2003 est.)

Mauritania
24 (2003 est.)

Mauritius
5 (2003 est.)

Mayotte
1 (2003 est.)

Mexico
1,827 (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
6 (2003 est.)

Midway Islands
3 (2003 est.)

Moldova
24 (2003 est.)

Monaco
none; linked to the airport at Nice, France by helicopter
service (2003) (2003 est.)

Mongolia
36 (2003 est.)

Montserrat
1 (2003 est.)

Morocco
64 (2003 est.)

Mozambique
158 (2003 est.)

Namibia
136 (2003 est.)

Nauru
1 (2003 est.)

Nepal
46 (2003 est.)

Netherlands
27 (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
5 (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
25 (2003 est.)

New Zealand
113 (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
176 (2003 est.)

Niger
27 (2003 est.)

Nigeria
70 (2003 est.)

Niue
1 (2003 est.)

Norfolk Island
1 (2003 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
6 (2003 est.)

Norway
101 (2003 est.)

Oman
135 (2003 est.)

Pakistan
129 (2003 est.)

Palau
3 (2003 est.)

Palmyra Atoll
1 (2003 est.)

Panama
103 (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
559 (2003 est.)

Paracel Islands
1 (2003 est.)

Paraguay
880 (2003 est.)

Peru
233 (2003 est.)

Philippines
253 (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
none (2003 est.)

Poland
122 (2003 est.)

Portugal
66 (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
30 (2003 est.)

Qatar
4 (2003 est.)

Reunion
2 (2003 est.)

Romania
62 (2003 est.)

Russia
2,609 (2003 est.)

Rwanda
9 (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
1 (2003 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
2 (2003 est.)

Saint Lucia
2 (2003 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
2 (2003 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
6 (2003 est.)

Samoa
4 (2003 est.)

San Marino
none (2003 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
2 (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
204 (2003 est.)

Senegal
20 (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
45 (2003 est.)

Seychelles
15 (2003 est.)

Sierra Leone
10 (2003 est.)

Singapore
9 (2003 est.)

Slovakia
34 (2003 est.)

Slovenia
14 (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
33 (2003 est.)

Somalia
60 (2003 est.)

South Africa
728 (2003 est.)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
none (2003 est.)

Spain
156 (2003 est.)

Spratly Islands
3 (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
14 (2003 est.)

Sudan
63 (2003 est.)

Suriname
46 (2003 est.)

Svalbard
4 (2003 est.)

Swaziland
18 (2003 est.)

Sweden
255 (2003 est.)

Switzerland
65 (2003 est.)

Syria
93 (2003 est.)

Taiwan
40 (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
66 (2003 est.)

Tanzania
123 (2003 est.)

Thailand
109 (2003 est.)

Togo
9 (2003 est.)

Tokelau
none; lagoon landings are possible by amphibious aircraft
(2003 est.)

Tonga
6 (2003 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
6 (2003 est.)

Tromelin Island
1 (2003 est.)

Tunisia
30 (2003 est.)

Turkey
120 (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
69 (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
8 (2003 est.)

Tuvalu
1 (2003 est.)

Uganda
27 (2003 est.)

Ukraine
702 (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
35 (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
471 (2003 est.)

United States
14,807 (2003 est.)

Uruguay
64 (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
247 (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
30 (2003 est.)

Venezuela
368 (2003 est.)

Vietnam
19 (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
2 (2003 est.)

Wake Island
1 (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
2 (2003 est.)

West Bank
3 (2003 est.)

Western Sahara
11 (2003 est.)

Yemen
44 (2003 est.)

Zambia
109 (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
404 (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2054 Birth rate (births/1,000 population)

Afghanistan
47.27 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Albania
15.08 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Algeria
17.76 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

American Samoa
24.46 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Andorra
9.32 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Angola
45.14 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Anguilla
14.45 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
17.7 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Argentina
17.19 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Armenia
11.43 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Aruba
11.53 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Australia
12.4 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Austria
8.9 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
19.81 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
18.22 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bahrain
18.54 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
30.03 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Barbados
12.98 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Belarus
10.52 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Belgium
10.59 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Belize
29.89 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Benin
42.57 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bermuda
11.83 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bhutan
34.41 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bolivia
24.65 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
12.56 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Botswana
24.71 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Brazil
17.25 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
14.96 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Brunei
19.33 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
9.65 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
44.46 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Burma
18.64 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Burundi
39.68 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cambodia
27.13 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cameroon
35.08 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Canada
10.91 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
26.13 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands
13.11 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Central African Republic
35.55 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Chad
46.5 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Chile
15.77 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

China
12.98 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Christmas Island
NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Colombia
21.19 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Comoros
38 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 44.73 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
28.66 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cook Islands
NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Costa Rica
18.99 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
39.64 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Croatia
9.51 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cuba
12.18 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cyprus
12.66 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
9.1 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Denmark
11.59 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Djibouti
40.39 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Dominica
16.25 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
23.6 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

East Timor
27.46 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ecuador
23.18 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Egypt
23.84 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

El Salvador
27.48 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
36.56 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Eritrea
39.03 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Estonia
9.79 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
39.23 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

European Union
10.2 births/1,000 population (July 2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA births/1,000 population (2004
est.)

Faroe Islands
13.89 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Fiji
22.91 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Finland
10.56 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

France
12.34 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

French Guiana
21 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

French Polynesia
17.34 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Gabon
36.4 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
40.3 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
40.62 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Georgia
10.1 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Germany
8.45 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ghana
24.9 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
10.99 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Greece
9.73 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Greenland
15.96 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Grenada
22.61 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Guadeloupe
15.79 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Guam
19.31 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Guatemala
34.58 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Guernsey
9.16 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Guinea
42.26 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
38.03 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Guyana
17.85 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Haiti
33.76 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Honduras
31.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
7.23 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Hungary
9.77 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Iceland
13.83 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

India
22.8 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Indonesia
21.11 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Iran
17.1 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Iraq
33.09 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ireland
14.47 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Israel
18.45 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Italy
9.05 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Jamaica
16.94 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Japan
9.56 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Jersey
10.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Jordan
22.73 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
15.52 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Kenya
27.82 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Kiribati
30.99 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Korea, North
16.77 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Korea, South
12.33 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Kuwait
21.85 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
22.13 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Laos
36.47 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Latvia
8.87 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Lebanon
19.31 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Lesotho
26.91 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Liberia
44.81 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Libya
27.17 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
10.65 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Lithuania
8.49 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
12.21 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Macau
8.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Macedonia
13.14 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Madagascar
41.91 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Malawi
44.35 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Malaysia
23.37 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Maldives
36.06 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Mali
47.29 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Malta
10.09 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
11.28 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Marshall Islands
33.88 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Martinique
14.56 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Mauritania
41.79 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Mauritius
15.85 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Mayotte
42.19 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Mexico
21.44 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of 25.8 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Moldova
14.81 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Monaco
9.36 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Mongolia
21.44 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Montserrat
17.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Morocco
22.79 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Mozambique
36.06 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Namibia
33.51 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Nauru
25.61 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Nepal
31.96 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Netherlands
11.41 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
15.36 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

New Caledonia
18.98 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

New Zealand
14.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
25.5 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Niger
48.91 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Nigeria
38.24 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Niue
NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Norfolk Island
NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
19.77 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Norway
11.89 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Oman
37.12 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Pakistan
31.22 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Palau
18.69 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Panama
20.36 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
30.52 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Paraguay
29.78 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Peru
21.27 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Philippines
25.8 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
NA births/1,000 population

Poland
10.64 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Portugal
10.9 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
14.1 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Qatar
15.6 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Reunion
19.69 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Romania
10.69 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Russia
9.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Rwanda
40.01 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Saint Helena
12.68 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
18.26 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Saint Lucia
20.5 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
14.15 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 16.77 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Samoa
15.69 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

San Marino
10.31 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
41.36 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
29.74 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Senegal
35.72 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
12.13 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Seychelles
16.55 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
43.34 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Singapore
9.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Slovakia
10.57 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Slovenia
8.9 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
31.6 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Somalia
46.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

South Africa
18.38 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Spain
10.11 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
15.88 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sudan
35.79 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Suriname
18.87 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Svalbard
NA births/1,000 population

Swaziland
28.55 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sweden
10.46 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Switzerland
9.83 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Syria
28.93 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Taiwan
12.7 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
32.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Tanzania
39 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Thailand
16.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Togo
34.36 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Tokelau
NA births/1,000 population

Tonga
24.87 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
12.75 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Tunisia
15.74 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Turkey
17.22 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
27.82 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
22.85 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Tuvalu
21.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Uganda
46.31 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ukraine
10.21 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
18.65 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
10.88 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

United States
14.13 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Uruguay
14.44 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
26.12 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
23.67 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Venezuela
19.34 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Vietnam
19.58 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
14.49 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
NA births/1,000 population

West Bank
33.21 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Western Sahara
NA births/1,000 population

World
20.24 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Yemen
43.16 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Zambia
38.99 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
30.05 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2055 Military branches

Afghanistan
Afghan National Army, currently being trained by the US
with the assistance of the international community, is 7,000 strong;
note - the December 2001 Bonn Agreement called for all militia
forces to come under the authority of the central government, but
regional leaders have continued to retain their militias and the
formation of a national army remains a gradual process;
Afghanistan's militia forces continue to be factionalized, largely
along ethnic lines

Albania
General Staff Headquarters, Land Forces Command (Army),
Naval Forces Command, Air Forces Command, Doctrine and Exercises
Command, Logistics Support Command

Algeria
People's National Army (ANP; includes Ground Forces),
Algerian National Navy (ANN), Air Force (QJA), Territorial Air
Defense

Andorra
no regular military forces, Police Service of Andorra

Angola
Army, Navy (Marinha de Guerra, MdG), Air and Air Defense
Forces (FANA)

Antigua and Barbuda
Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force
(including Coast Guard)

Argentina
Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic (includes
Naval Aviation and Marines), Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aerea
Argentina, FAA)

Armenia
Army, Air Force and Air Defense Force

Aruba
no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Dutch Navy and
Marines, Coast Guard

Australia
Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian
Air Force, new Special Operations Command (announced in December
2002)

Austria
Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)

Azerbaijan
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces

Bahamas, The
Royal Bahamas Defense Force (including Coast Guard)

Bahrain
Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air
Defense), Navy, Air Force, National Guard

Bangladesh
Army, Navy, Air Force

Barbados
Royal Barbados Defense Force (Troops Command and Coast
Guard)

Belarus
Army, Air and Air Defense Force

Belgium
Army, Naval, and Air Operations Commands

Belize
Belize Defense Force (includes Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing,
and Volunteer Guard)

Benin
Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force

Bermuda
Bermuda Regiment

Bhutan
Royal Bhutan Army, Royal Bodyguard, National Militia

Bolivia
Army (Ejercito Boliviano), Navy (Fuerza Naval, includes
Marines), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
VF Army (the air and air defense forces are
subordinate commands within the Army), VRS Army (the air and air
defense forces are subordinate commands within the Army)

Botswana
Botswana Defense Force (including an Air Wing)

Brazil
Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (including Naval Air and
Marines), Brazilian Air Force (FAB)

Brunei
Royal Brunei Land Forces, Royal Brunei Navy, Royal Brunei Air
Force

Bulgaria
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces

Burkina Faso
Army, Air Force

Burma
Army, Navy, Air Force

Burundi
Army (including Naval Detachment and Air Wing), National
Gendarmerie

Cambodia
Royal Cambodian Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force

Cameroon
Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air Force

Canada
Canadian Armed Forces: Land Forces Command, Maritime Command,
Air Command

Cape Verde
Army, Coast Guard

Cayman Islands
no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands
Police Force

Central African Republic
Central African Armed Forces (FACA):
Republican Guard, Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force

Chad
Armed Forces: National Army (ANT), Air Force, and Republican
Guard

Chile
Army of the Nation, National Navy (including Naval Air, Coast
Guard, and Marine Corps), Air Force of the Nation, Chilean
Carabineros (National Police)

China
People's Liberation Army (PLA): comprises ground forces, Navy
(including naval infantry and naval aviation), Air Force, and II
Artillery Corps (strategic missile force), People's Armed Police
Force (internal security troops, nominally a state security body but
included by the Chinese as part of the "armed forces" and considered
to be an adjunct to the PLA), militia

Colombia
Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional, including
Naval Aviation, Marines, and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea
Colombiana)

Comoros
Comoran Security Force

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Army, Navy, Air Force

Congo, Republic of the
Congolese Armed Forces (FAC): Army, Air
Force, Navy

Costa Rica
no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security

Cote d'Ivoire
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie,
Republican Guard (includes Presidential Guard)

Croatia
Ground Forces (Hrvatska Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces
(Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM), Air and Air Defense Forces
(Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzrakoplovna Obrana, HRZiPZO)

Cuba
Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR): Revolutionary Army (ER),
Revolutionary Navy (MGR), Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR),
Territorial Militia Troops (MTT), Youth Labor Army (EJT)

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG;
including air and naval elements), Greek Cypriot Police
north Cyprus: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (GKK)

Czech Republic
Czech Army: Ground Forces, Air Forces, Special Forces

Denmark
Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish Air
Force, Home Guard

Djibouti
Djibouti National Army (including Navy and Air Force)

Dominica
no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police
Force (including Coast Guard)

Dominican Republic
Army, Navy, Air Force

East Timor
East Timor Defense Force (Forcas de Defesa de
Timor-L'este, FDTL): Army, Navy

Ecuador
Army, Navy (including Marines), Air Force, National Police

Egypt
Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

El Salvador
Army, Navy (FNES), Air Force

Equatorial Guinea
Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force

Eritrea
Army, Navy, Air Force

Estonia
Estonia Defense Forces (including Ground Forces, Navy, Air
Force), Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops),
Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit), Maritime Border Guard, Coast
Guard
note: Border Guards and Ministry of Internal Affairs become part of
the Estonian Defense Forces in wartime; the Coast Guard is
subordinate to the Ministry of Defense in peacetime and the Estonian
Navy in wartime

Ethiopia
Ethiopian National Defense Force: Ground Forces, Air Force,
Mobilized Militia
note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the
secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in
Eritrean possession

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
no regular military forces

Faroe Islands
no regular military forces

Fiji
Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval
Division

Finland
Army, Navy, Air Force

France
Army (includes Marines, Foreign Legion, Army Light Aviation),
Navy (including naval air), Air Force (including Air Defense),
National Gendarmerie

French Guiana
no regular military forces; Gendarmerie

French Polynesia
no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and
National Police Force

Gabon
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police

Gambia, The
Gambian National Army (GNA) (including Naval Unit),
Presidential Guard

Gaza Strip
in accordance with the peace agreement, the Palestinian
Authority is not permitted conventional military forces; there are,
however, a Public Security Force and a civil Police Force

Georgia
Ground Forces (including National Guard), Air and Air
Defense Forces, Maritime Defense Force

Germany
Army (Heer), Navy (Deutsche Marine; including Naval Air
arm), Air Force (Luftwaffe), Joint Support Service, Central Medical
Service

Ghana
Army, Navy, Air Force

Gibraltar
Royal Gibraltar Regiment

Greece
Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force (EPA),
National Guard

Grenada
no regular military forces; Royal Grenada Police Force

Guadeloupe
no regular military forces

Guatemala
Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force

Guinea
Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential Guard,
National Gendarmerie, General Directorate of National Police

Guinea-Bissau
People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes
Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary force

Guyana
Guyana Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Corps;
Guyana People's Militia

Haiti
Haitian National Police (HNP)
note: the regular Haitian Army, Navy, and Air Force have been
demobilized but still exist on paper until or unless they are
constitutionally abolished

Holy See (Vatican City)
Swiss Guards Corps (Corpo della Guardia
Svizzera)

Honduras
Army, Navy (including Naval Infantry), Air Force

Hong Kong
no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison
of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) including elements of the
PLA Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are
under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in
Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou
Military Region

Hungary
Ground Forces, Air Forces

Iceland
no regular armed forces; Police, Coast Guard

India
Army, Navy (including naval air arm), Air Force, Coast Guard,
various security or paramilitary forces (including Border Security
Force, Assam Rifles, National Security Guards, Indo-Tibetan Border
Police, Special Frontier Force, Central Reserve Police Force,
Central Industrial Security Force, Railway Protection Force, and
Defense Security Corps)

Indonesia
Indonesia Armed Forces (TNI): Army (TNI-AD), Navy (TNI-AL,
including Marines, Naval Air arm), Air Force (TNI-AU)

Iran
Islamic Republic of Iran regular forces (includes Ground
Forces, Navy, Air Force and Air Defense Command), Islamic
Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) (includes Ground Forces, Air
Force, Navy, Qods Force [special operations], and Basij [Popular
Mobilization Army]), Law Enforcement Forces

Iraq
note: in the summer of 2003 the Coalition Provisional Authority
(CPA) began recruiting and training a New Iraqi Army (NIA) that
would have a purely defensive mission and capability; in March 2004,
the Iraqi Interim Government established a Ministry of Defense to
create an Iraqi Armed Force; at that time the NIA was renamed the
Iraqi Armed Force - Army (IAF-A); plans also were put into effect to
reconstitute an Iraqi Army Air Corps (IAAC) and Coastal Defense
Force (navy), but there are no plans to reconstitute an Iraqi Air
Force; the Army's primary new focus will be domestic
counterinsurgency, which is a change of direction from the CPA's
intent to create an army not involved in domestic politics; in
mid-2004 the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps (ICDC) was designated the
Iraqi National Guard (ING) and subordinated to the Defense Ministry
and the Iraqi Armed Forces Pre-war Iraqi military equipment was
largely destroyed by Coalition forces during combat operations in
early 2003 or subsequently looted or scrapped (September 2004)

Ireland
Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps)

Israel
Israel Defense Forces (IDF): Ground Corps (including Pioneer
Fighting Youth (Nahal)), Navy, Air Force(including Air Defense
Forces); note - historically there have been no separate Israeli
military services

Italy
Army, Navy, Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI),
Carabinieri

Jamaica
Jamaica Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Wing

Japan
Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Maritime Self-Defense Force
(Navy), Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force), Coast Guard

Jordan
Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) (Royal Jordanian Land Force,
Royal Naval Force, Royal Jordanian Air Force, and Special Operations
Command or SOCOM); note - Public Security Directorate normally falls
under Ministry of Interior but comes under JAF in wartime or crisis
situations

Kazakhstan
Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Naval Force,
Republican Guard

Kenya
Army, Navy, Air Force

Kiribati
no regular military forces; Police Force (carries out law
enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; small police posts
are on all islands)

Korea, North
Korean People's Army (includes Army, Navy, Air Force),
Civil Security Forces

Korea, South
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Maritime
Police (Coast Guard)

Kuwait
Land Forces, Navy, Air Force (including Air Defense Force),
National Guard

Kyrgyzstan
Army, Air and Air Defense, Security Forces, Border Troops

Laos
Lao People's Army (LPA; including Riverine Force), Air Force

Latvia
Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard, Home Guard
(Zemessardze)

Lebanon
Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; includes Army, Navy, and Air
Force)

Lesotho
Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; with Army and Air Wing)

Liberia
Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force

Libya
Armed Peoples on Duty (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense
Command

Lithuania
National Defense Volunteer Forces (SKAT), Ground Forces,
Navy, Air Force

Luxembourg
Army

Macau
responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December
1999; there are local police forces

Macedonia
Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM; including Air and
Air Defense Command)

Madagascar
People's Armed Forces: comprising Intervention Force,
Development Force, and Aeronaval - Navy and Air - Force; National
Gendarmerie

Malawi
Army (including Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police
(including Mobile Force Unit)

Malaysia
Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air
Force, Royal Malaysian Marine Police, Sarawak Border Scouts

Maldives
National Security Service: comprising Security Branch
(ground forces), Air Element; Coast Guard

Mali
Army, Air Force, National Guard

Malta
Armed Forces: Land Forces (including Air Squadron and Maritime
Squadron), Revenue Security Corps

Marshall Islands
no regular military forces; Marshall Islands Police

Martinique
no regular military forces; Gendarmerie

Mauritania
Army, Navy (including Naval Infantry), Air Force,
National Gendarmerie, National Guard, National Police, Presidential
Guard (BSSP)

Mauritius
National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special
Mobile Force or SMF and National Coast Guard)

Mexico
National Defense Secretariat (Sedena) (including Army and Air
Force), Navy Secretariat (including Naval Air and Marines)

Moldova
National Army: Ground Forces, Air Force

Mongolia
Mongolian People's Army (comprising Ground Forces, Air
Defense Forces), Border Guards, Internal Security Forces,
Construction Corps Forces, Civil Defense Authority

Montserrat
no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Morocco
Royal Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force

Mozambique
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Special Forces

Namibia
Namibian Defense Force: Army (including Naval Wing, Air
Wing), Police

Nauru
no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force

Nepal
Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air
Service), Nepalese Police Force

Netherlands
Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy
(including Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands
Air Force, Royal Constabulary, Defense Interservice Command

Netherlands Antilles
National Guard, Police Force

New Caledonia
no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed
Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force

New Zealand
New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New
Zealand Air Force

Nicaragua
Army (includes Navy), Navy

Niger
Army, Air Force, National Intervention and Security Force

Nigeria
Army, Navy, Air Force

Niue
no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Norway
Norwegian Army, Royal Norwegian Navy (including Coast
Artillery and Coast Guard), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige
Norske Luftforsvaret, RNoAF), Home Guard

Oman
Royal Omani Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force

Pakistan
Army, Navy, Air Force

Palau
no regular military forces; Police Force

Panama
an amendment to the Constitution abolished the armed forces,
but there are security forces (Panamanian Public Forces or PPF
includes the Panamanian National Police, National Maritime Service,
and National Air Service)

Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea Defense Force: Ground Force,
Maritime Operations Element, and Air Operations Element

Paraguay
Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force

Peru
Army (Ejercito Peruano), Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru;
includes Naval Air, Naval Infantry, and Coast Guard), Air Force
(Fuerza Aerea del Peru; FAP)

Philippines
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP): Army, Navy
(includes Coast Guard and Marine Corps), Air Force

Poland
Land Forces, Navy, Air Force

Portugal
Army, Navy (PON; including Marines), Air Force (FAP),
Republican Guard (including Fiscal Guard)

Puerto Rico
no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary
National Guard, Police Force

Qatar
Land Force, Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Amiri Air Force

Reunion
no regular indigenous military forces; French forces
(including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie)

Romania
Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces
(AMR), Civil Defense

Russia
Ground Forces, Navy, Air Forces; Airborne troops, Strategic
Rocket Forces, and Military Space Forces are classified as
independent combat arms, not subordinate to any of the three branches

Rwanda
Rwandan Defense Forces (Army, Air Forces)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (including
Coast Guard), Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force (including
Special Service Unit)

Saint Lucia
Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (including Special
Service Unit, Coast Guard)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Royal Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard

Samoa
no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force

San Marino
Voluntary Military Force (Corpi Militari Voluntar); note
- the Voluntary Military Force performs ceremonial duties and
limited police assistance

Sao Tome and Principe
Army, Coast Guard, Presidential Guard,
National Guard

Saudi Arabia
Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force,
National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)

Senegal
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police
(Surete Nationale)

Serbia and Montenegro
Army (VJ) (including ground forces with border
troops, naval forces, air and air defense forces)

Seychelles
Army, Coast Guard (including Navy Wing, Air Wing),
National Guard, Presidential Protection Unit (includes Presidential
Guard), Seychelles National Police (includes Police Mobile Unit)

Sierra Leone
Army (RSLAF)

Singapore
Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force

Slovakia
Ground Forces (including Home Guard [Domobrana]), Air and
Air Defense Forces (January 2003)

Slovenia
Slovenian Army (includes Air and Naval Forces)

Solomon Islands
no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National
Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police
(RSIP)

Somalia
A Somali National Army was attempted under the interim
government; numerous factions and clans maintain independent
militias, and the Somaliland and Puntland regional governments
maintain their own security and police forces

South Africa
South African National Defense Force: Army, Navy, Air
Force, and Medical Services

Spain
Army, Navy, Air Force (Ejercito del Aire, EdA), Marines

Sri Lanka
Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force

Sudan
Sudanese People's Armed Forces (SPAF), Navy, Air Force,
Popular Defense Forces

Suriname
National Army (includes small Navy and Air Force elements)

Swaziland
Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army, including Air Wing)

Sweden
Army, Royal Navy, Air Force (Flygvapnet)

Switzerland
Land Forces, Air Force

Syria
Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force
(including Air Defense Command), Police and Security Force

Taiwan
Army, Navy (including Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard
Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service
Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command

Tajikistan
Army, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Presidential National
Guard

Tanzania
Tanzanian People's Defense Force: Army, Naval Wing, and Air
Defense Command; National Service

Thailand
Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy (including Royal Thai
Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force

Togo
Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie

Tonga
Tonga Defense Services: Ground Forces (Royal Marines, Royal
Guard), Maritime Force (including Air Wing)

Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force: Ground Force,
Coast Guard, and Air Wing

Tunisia
Army, Navy, Air Force

Turkey
Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Land Forces, Naval Forces Command
(includes Naval Air and Naval Infantry), Air Force, Coast Guard
Command, Gendarmerie (Jandarma)

Turkmenistan
Ministry of Defense (Army, Air and Air Defense, Navy,
Border Troops, and Internal Troops), National Guard

Tuvalu
no regular military forces; Police Force (includes Maritime
Surveillance Unit for search and rescue missions and surveillance
operations)

Uganda
Ugandan Peoples' Defense Force (UPDF): Army, Marine Unit, Air
Wing

Ukraine
Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces,
Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVS) Troops, Border Troops

United Arab Emirates
Army, Navy (including Marines and Coast Guard),
Air and Air Defense Force, paramilitary forces (includes Federal
Police Force)

United Kingdom
Army, Royal Navy (including Royal Marines), Royal Air
Force

United States
Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast
Guard (Coast Guard administered in peacetime by the Department of
Homeland Security, but in wartime reports to the Department of the
Navy)

Uruguay
Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm, Marines, Maritime
Prefecture in wartime), Air Force

Uzbekistan
Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard

Vanuatu
no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF;
including the paramilitary Mobile Force or VMF)

Venezuela
National Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales or FAN)
includes Ground Forces or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito),
Naval Forces (Fuerzas Navales or Armada - including marines and
Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces
of Cooperation or National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or
Guardia Nacional)

Vietnam
People's Army of Vietnam: Ground Forces, People's Navy
Command (including Naval Infantry), Air and Air Defense Force, Coast
Guard

Yemen
Army (including Special Forces), Naval Forces and Coastal
Defenses (including Marines), Air Force (including Air Defense
Forces), Republican Guard

Zambia
Zambian National Defense Force (ZNDF): Army, Air Force,
Police, National Service

Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe
Republic Police (includes Police Support Unit, Paramilitary Police)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2056 Budget

Afghanistan
revenues: $200 million
expenditures: $550 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 plan)

Albania
revenues: $1.36 billion
expenditures: $1.627 billion, including capital expenditures of $406
million (2003 est.)

Algeria
revenues: $25.49 billion
expenditures: $22.87 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.8
billion (2003 est.)

American Samoa
revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63%
in US grants)
expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY96/97)

Andorra
revenues: $385 million
expenditures: $342 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1997)

Angola
revenues: $4.874 billion
expenditures: $6.012 billion, including capital expenditures of $963
million (2003 est.)

Anguilla
revenues: $22.8 million
expenditures: $22.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
revenues: $123.7 million
expenditures: $145.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Argentina
revenues: $26.62 billion
expenditures: $26 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Armenia
revenues: $425.9 million
expenditures: $460.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003)

Aruba
revenues: $135.8 million
expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000)

Australia
revenues: $185 billion
expenditures: $181 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Austria
revenues: $67 billion
expenditures: $70 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
revenues: $2.063 billion
expenditures: $2.202 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Bahamas, The
revenues: $918.5 million
expenditures: $956.5 million, including capital expenditures of
$106.7 million (FY99/00)

Bahrain
revenues: $2.981 billion
expenditures: $3.019 billion, including capital expenditures of $700
million (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
revenues: $5.352 billion
expenditures: $7.55 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Barbados
revenues: $847 million (including grants)
expenditures: $886 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Belarus
revenues: $2.976 billion
expenditures: $3.211 billion, including capital expenditures of $180
million (2003 est.)

Belgium
revenues: $151.6 billion
expenditures: $151.1 billion, including capital expenditures of
$1.56 billion (2003)

Belize
revenues: $222 million
expenditures: $300 million, including capital expenditures of $70
million (2003 est.)

Benin
revenues: $698.9 million
expenditures: $613.2 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Bermuda
revenues: $671.1 million
expenditures: $594.6 million, including capital expenditures of $55
million (FY03/04)

Bhutan
revenues: $146 million
expenditures: $152 million, including capital expenditures of NA
note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of
Bhutan's budget expenditures (FY95/96 est.)

Bolivia
revenues: $2.346 billion
expenditures: $2.957 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
revenues: $3.271 billion
expenditures: $3.242 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Botswana
revenues: $3.263 billion
expenditures: $3.283 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Brazil
revenues: $147.2 billion
expenditures: $172.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

British Virgin Islands
revenues: $121.5 million
expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1997)

Brunei
revenues: $2.5 billion
expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.35
billion (1997 est.)

Bulgaria
revenues: $8.121 billion
expenditures: $8.121 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
revenues: $599.8 million
expenditures: $748.8 million NA, including capital expenditures of
NA (2003)

Burma
revenues: $7.9 billion
expenditures: $12.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.7
billion (FY96/97)

Burundi
revenues: $179.4 million
expenditures: $209 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003)

Cambodia
revenues: $476.5 million
expenditures: $734.8 million, including capital expenditures of $291
million of which 75% was financed by external assistance (2003 est.)

Cameroon
revenues: $2.442 billion
expenditures: $1.941 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Canada
revenues: $348.2 billion
expenditures: $342.7 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Cape Verde
revenues: $252.9 million
expenditures: $269.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Cayman Islands
revenues: $265.2 million
expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1997)

Central African Republic
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Chad
revenues: $591.2 million
expenditures: $680.9 million, including capital expenditures of $146
million (2003 est.)

Chile
revenues: $15.44 billion
expenditures: $16.02 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003 est.)

China
revenues: $265.8 billion
expenditures: $300.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003)

Christmas Island
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Colombia
revenues: $24 billion
expenditures: $25.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2004 est.)

Comoros
revenues: $27.6 million
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
revenues: $269 million
expenditures: $244 million, including capital expenditures of $24
million (1996 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
revenues: $1.025 billion
expenditures: $946.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Cook Islands
revenues: $28 million
expenditures: $27 million, including capital expenditures of $3.3
million (FY00/01 est.)

Costa Rica
revenues: $2.313 billion
expenditures: $2.851 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
revenues: $2.339 billion
expenditures: $2.749 billion, including capital expenditures of $420
million (2003 est.)

Croatia
revenues: $12.76 billion
expenditures: $14.31 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Cuba
revenues: $17.21 billion
expenditures: $18.28 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Cyprus
revenues: Republic of Cyprus - $3.971 billion, north Cyprus -
$231.3 million (2002 est.)
expenditures: $4.746 billion, Republic of Cyprus - $539 million,
including capital expenditures of $539 million, north Cyprus -
$432.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003)

Czech Republic
revenues: $33.25 billion
expenditures: $38.88 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Denmark
revenues: $118.5 billion
expenditures: $116 billion, including capital expenditures of $500
million (2003 est.)

Djibouti
revenues: $135 million
expenditures: $182 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1999 est.)

Dominica
revenues: $73.9 million
expenditures: $84.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2001)

Dominican Republic
revenues: $2.601 billion
expenditures: $3.353 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1
billion (2003 est.)

East Timor
revenues: $36 million
expenditures: $97 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Ecuador
revenues: $6.908 billion
expenditures: planned $6.594 billion, including capital expenditures
of $1.6 billion (2003)

Egypt
revenues: $14.69 billion
expenditures: $19.03 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.7
billion (2003)

El Salvador
revenues: $2.434 billion
expenditures: $2.625 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
revenues: $708.5 million
expenditures: $317.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Eritrea
revenues: $235.7 million
expenditures: $375 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003 est.)

Estonia
revenues: $3.806 billion
expenditures: $3.648 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Ethiopia
revenues: $1.813 billion
expenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $788
million (2003 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
revenues: $66.2 million
expenditures: $67.9 million, including capital expenditures of $23.2
million (FY98/99 est.)

Faroe Islands
revenues: $488 million
expenditures: $484 million, including capital expenditures of $21
million (1999)

Fiji
revenues: $427.9 million
expenditures: $531.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Finland
revenues: $87.03 billion
expenditures: $81.62 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

France
revenues: $882.8 billion
expenditures: $955.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $23
billion (2003 est.)

French Guiana
revenues: $225 million
expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105
million (1996)

French Polynesia
revenues: $1 billion
expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185
million (1996)

Gabon
revenues: $1.771 billion
expenditures: $1.413 billion, including capital expenditures of $310
million (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
revenues: $58.63 million
expenditures: $62.64 million, including capital expenditures of $4.1
million (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
revenues: $676.6 million
expenditures: $1.155 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(includes West Bank) (2003)

Georgia
revenues: $603.5 million
expenditures: $700.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Germany
revenues: $1.079 trillion
expenditures: $1.173 trillion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Ghana
revenues: $1.943 billion
expenditures: $2.192 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Gibraltar
revenues: $307 million
expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY00/01 est.)

Greece
revenues: $76.84 billion
expenditures: $79.48 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Greenland
revenues: $646 million
expenditures: $629 million, including capital expenditures of $85
million (1999)

Grenada
revenues: $85.8 million
expenditures: $102.1 million, including capital expenditures of $28
million (1997)

Guadeloupe
revenues: $225 million
expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105
million (1996)

Guam
revenues: $340 million
expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Guatemala
revenues: $2.741 billion
expenditures: $3.316 billion, including capital expenditures of $750
million (2003 est.)

Guernsey
revenues: $381.3 million
expenditures: $368.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Guinea
revenues: $410.7 million
expenditures: $708.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
million (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Guyana
revenues: $263.4 million
expenditures: $326.7 million, including capital expenditures of
$93.4 million (2003)

Haiti
revenues: $231.6 million
expenditures: $366.7 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
revenues: $245.2 million
expenditures: $260.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2002)

Honduras
revenues: $1.342 billion
expenditures: $1.744 billion, including capital expenditures of $106
million (2003)

Hong Kong
revenues: $26.17 billion
expenditures: $32.64 billion, including capital expenditures of $5
billion (2003)

Hungary
revenues: $35 billion
expenditures: $39.88 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Iceland
revenues: $4.205 billion
expenditures: $4.405 billion, including capital expenditures of $467
million (2003)

India
revenues: $86.69 billion
expenditures: $114.6 billion, including capital expenditures of
$13.5 billion (2003)

Indonesia
revenues: $40.91 billion
expenditures: $44.95 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Iran
revenues: $40.38 billion
expenditures: $40.29 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.6
billion (2003 est.)

Iraq
revenues: $12.8 billion NA
expenditures: $13.4 billion NA, including capital expenditures of NA
(2004 budget)

Ireland
revenues: $53.22 billion
expenditures: $53.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.5
billion (2003)

Israel
revenues: $44.98 billion
expenditures: $51.07 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Italy
revenues: $668 billion
expenditures: $703.1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Jamaica
revenues: $2.596 billion
expenditures: $3.111 billion, including capital expenditures of $236
million (2003 est.)

Japan
revenues: $1.327 trillion
expenditures: $1.646 trillion, including capital expenditures
(public works only) of about $71 billion (2003 est.)

Jersey
revenues: $601 million
expenditures: $588 million, including capital expenditures of $98
million (2000 est.)

Jordan
revenues: $2.397 billion
expenditures: $3.587 billion, including capital expenditures of $582
million (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
revenues: $6.729 billion
expenditures: $6.999 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Kenya
revenues: $2.761 billion
expenditures: $3.406 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Kiribati
revenues: $28.4 million
expenditures: $37.2 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Korea, North
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Korea, South
revenues: $135.5 billion
expenditures: $128.7 billion, including capital expenditures of
$23.5 billion (2003)

Kuwait
revenues: $29.41 billion
expenditures: $17.57 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Kyrgyzstan
revenues: $371.5 million
expenditures: $387.1 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Laos
revenues: $298.5 million
expenditures: $429.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Latvia
revenues: $3.691 billion
expenditures: $3.871 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Lebanon
revenues: $4.414 billion
expenditures: $7.026 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Lesotho
revenues: $625.4 million
expenditures: $675.2 million, including capital expenditures of $15
million (2003 est.)

Liberia
revenues: $85.4 million
expenditures: $90.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Libya
revenues: $10.28 billion
expenditures: $7.86 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
revenues: $424.2 million
expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1998 est.)

Lithuania
revenues: $5.427 billion
expenditures: $5.742 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Luxembourg
revenues: $11.82 billion
expenditures: $12.06 billion, including capital expenditures of $760
million (2003 est.)

Macau
revenues: $1.9 billion
expenditures: $1.68 billion, including capital expenditures of $194
million (2002)

Macedonia
revenues: $1.582 billion
expenditures: $1.661 billion, including capital expenditures of $80
million NA (2003 est.)

Madagascar
revenues: $739.6 million
expenditures: $1.071 billion, including capital expenditures of $331
million (2003)

Malawi
revenues: $528.1 million
expenditures: $653.2 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Malaysia
revenues: $22.95 billion
expenditures: $27.75 billion, including capital expenditures of $9.4
billion (2003 est.)

Maldives
revenues: $224 million (excluding foreign grants)
expenditures: $282 million, including capital expenditures of $80
million (2002 est.)

Mali
revenues: $764 million
expenditures: $828 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2002 est.)

Malta
revenues: $2.086 billion
expenditures: $2.367 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Man, Isle of
revenues: $485 million
expenditures: $463 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY00/01 est.)

Marshall Islands
revenues: $42 million
expenditures: $40 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999)

Martinique
revenues: $900 million
expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $140
million (1996)

Mauritania
revenues: $421 million
expenditures: $378 million, including capital expenditures of $154
million (2002 est.)

Mauritius
revenues: $1.122 billion
expenditures: $1.461 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003)

Mayotte
revenues: NA
expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1991 est.)

Mexico
revenues: $148.3 billion
expenditures: $152.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
revenues: $161 million ($69 million
less grants)
expenditures: $160 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1998 est.)

Moldova
revenues: $474.8 million
expenditures: $443.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Monaco
revenues: $518 million
expenditures: $531 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1995)

Mongolia
revenues: $387 million
expenditures: $428 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2001 est.)

Montserrat
revenues: $31.4 million
expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4
million (1997 est.)

Morocco
revenues: $13.8 billion
expenditures: $14 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.1
billion (2004 est.)

Mozambique
revenues: $1.089 billion
expenditures: $1.269 billion, including capital expenditures of
$479.4 million (2003 est.)

Namibia
revenues: $1.434 billion
expenditures: $1.62 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003)

Nauru
revenues: $23.4 million
expenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY95/96)

Nepal
revenues: $665 million
expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY99/00 est.)

Netherlands
revenues: $237.1 billion
expenditures: $249.5 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Netherlands Antilles
revenues: $710.8 million
expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1997 est.)

New Caledonia
revenues: $861.3 million
expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52
million (1996 est.)

New Zealand
revenues: $32.14 billion
expenditures: $30.13 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Nicaragua
revenues: $672.5 million
expenditures: $954.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003 est.)

Niger
revenues: $320 million - including $134 million from foreign
sources
expenditures: $320 million, including capital expenditures of $178
million (2002 est.)

Nigeria
revenues: $8.026 billion
expenditures: $11.09 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Niue
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Norfolk Island
revenues: $4.6 million
expenditures: $4.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY92/93)

Northern Mariana Islands
revenues: $193 million
expenditures: $223 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY01/02 est.)

Norway
revenues: $129.8 billion
expenditures: $105.5 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Oman
revenues: $8.218 billion
expenditures: $7.766 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Pakistan
revenues: $12.08 billion
expenditures: $15.41 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Palau
revenues: $57.7 million
expenditures: $80.8 million, including capital expenditures of $17.1
million (FY98/99 est.)

Panama
revenues: $2.995 billion
expenditures: $3.421 billion, including capital expenditures of $471
million (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
revenues: $954.1 million
expenditures: $996.8 million, including capital expenditures of $344
million (2003 est.)

Paraguay
revenues: $937.8 million
expenditures: $988.4 million, including capital expenditures of $700
million (2003 est.)

Peru
revenues: $15.86 billion
expenditures: $17.05 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6
billion (2003 est.)

Philippines
revenues: $11.56 billion
expenditures: $15.25 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.4
million NA (2003)

Pitcairn Islands
revenues: $729,900
expenditures: $878,100, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY94/95 est.)

Poland
revenues: $39.13 billion
expenditures: $48.64 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Portugal
revenues: $64.81 billion
expenditures: $69.09 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
revenues: $6.7 billion
expenditures: $9.6 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY99/00)

Qatar
revenues: $8.202 billion
expenditures: $6.981 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.2
billion (2003 est.)

Reunion
revenues: $1.26 billion
expenditures: $2.62 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(1998)

Romania
revenues: $17.06 billion
expenditures: $18.38 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Russia
revenues: $83.99 billion
expenditures: $73.75 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Rwanda
revenues: $365.9 million
expenditures: $402.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2003 est.)

Saint Helena
revenues: $11.2 million
expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(FY92/93)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
revenues: $89.7 million
expenditures: $128.2 million, including capital expenditures of
$19.5 million (2003 est.)

Saint Lucia
revenues: $141.2 million
expenditures: $146.7 million, including capital expenditures of
$25.1 million (2000 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
revenues: $70 million
expenditures: $60 million, including capital expenditures of $24
million (1996 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
revenues: $94.6 million
expenditures: $85.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Samoa
revenues: $105 million
expenditures: $119 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2001-02)

San Marino
revenues: $400 million
expenditures: $400 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
revenues: $38.59 million
expenditures: $42.04 million, including capital expenditures of $54
million (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
revenues: $78.77 billion
expenditures: $66.76 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Senegal
revenues: $1.304 billion
expenditures: $1.367 billion, including capital expenditures of $357
million (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
revenues: $8.668 billion
expenditures: $9.633 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Seychelles
revenues: $338.7 million
expenditures: $323.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Sierra Leone
revenues: $96 million
expenditures: $351 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000 est.)

Singapore
revenues: $14.15 billion
expenditures: $15.61 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.6
billion (2003 est.)

Slovakia
revenues: $12.03 billion
expenditures: $13.69 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Slovenia
revenues: $11.46 billion
expenditures: $11.85 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
revenues: $38 million
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA (2001)

Somalia
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

South Africa
revenues: $37.48 billion
expenditures: $41.46 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
billion (2003)

Spain
revenues: $330.7 billion
expenditures: $335.3 billion, including capital expenditures of
$12.8 billion (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
revenues: $3.229 billion
expenditures: $4.526 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Sudan
revenues: $2.402 billion
expenditures: $2.546 billion, including capital expenditures of $304
million (2003 est.)

Suriname
revenues: $393 million
expenditures: $403 million, including capital expenditures of $34
million (1997 est.)

Svalbard
revenues: $11.5 million
expenditures: $11.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1998 est.)

Swaziland
revenues: $462.4 million
expenditures: $563.4 million, including capital expenditures of $147
million (2003)

Sweden
revenues: $177.7 billion
expenditures: $176.9 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Switzerland
revenues: $123.2 billion
expenditures: $128 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Syria
revenues: $6.106 billion
expenditures: $7.397 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.6
billion (2003 est.)

Taiwan
revenues: $56.58 billion
expenditures: $69.21 billion, including capital expenditures of
$14.4 billion (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
revenues: $253.5 million
expenditures: $238.5 million, including capital expenditures of $86
million (2003 est.)

Tanzania
revenues: $1.879 billion
expenditures: $1.873 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Thailand
revenues: $24.41 billion
expenditures: $24.01 billion, including capital expenditures of $5
billion (2003 est.)

Togo
revenues: $214.5 million
expenditures: $296.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Tokelau
revenues: $430,800
expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of
$37,300 (1987 est.)

Tonga
revenues: $39.9 million
expenditures: $52.4 million, including capital expenditures of $1.9
million (FY99/00 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
revenues: $2.663 billion
expenditures: $2.51 billion, including capital expenditures of
$117.3 million (2003)

Tunisia
revenues: $6.101 billion
expenditures: $6.855 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6
billion (2003 est.)

Turkey
revenues: $66.79 billion
expenditures: $93.31 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Turkmenistan
revenues: $3.477 billion
expenditures: $3.908 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1997-98 est.)

Tuvalu
revenues: $22.5 million
expenditures: $11.2 million, including capital expenditures of $4.2
million (2000 est.)

Uganda
revenues: $1.123 billion
expenditures: $1.433 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY98/99 est.) (2003)

Ukraine
revenues: $14.1 billion
expenditures: $14.19 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
revenues: $17.35 billion
expenditures: $23.85 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.4
billion (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
revenues: $688.9 billion
expenditures: $746.1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

United States
revenues: $1.782 trillion
expenditures: $2.156 trillion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

Uruguay
revenues: $2.934 billion
expenditures: $3.425 billion, including capital expenditures of $193
million (2003)

Uzbekistan
revenues: $2.176 billion
expenditures: $2.207 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Vanuatu
revenues: $94.4 million
expenditures: $99.8 million, including capital expenditures of $30.4
million (1996 est.)

Venezuela
revenues: $19.33 billion
expenditures: $24.34 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.6
billion (2003)

Vietnam
revenues: $8.689 billion
expenditures: $9.718 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.8
billion (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
revenues: $560
expenditures: NA (2003)

Wallis and Futuna
revenues: $20 million
expenditures: $17 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(1998 est.)

West Bank
revenues: $676.6 million
expenditures: $1.155 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(includes Gaza Strip) (2003 est.)

Western Sahara
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Yemen
revenues: $3.729 billion
expenditures: $4.107 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Zambia
revenues: $896.7 million
expenditures: $1.142 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
revenues: $1.568 billion
expenditures: $2.004 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2057 Capital

Afghanistan
Kabul

Akrotiri
Episkopi; also serves as capital of Dhekelia

Albania
Tirana

Algeria
Algiers

American Samoa
Pago Pago

Andorra
Andorra la Vella

Angola
Luanda

Anguilla
The Valley

Antigua and Barbuda
Saint John's (Antigua)

Argentina
Buenos Aires

Armenia
Yerevan

Aruba
Oranjestad

Australia
Canberra

Austria
Vienna

Azerbaijan
Baku (Baki)

Bahamas, The
Nassau

Bahrain
Manama

Bangladesh
Dhaka

Barbados
Bridgetown

Belarus
Minsk

Belgium
Brussels

Belize
Belmopan

Benin
Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of
government

Bermuda
Hamilton

Bhutan
Thimphu

Bolivia
La Paz (seat of government); Sucre (legal capital and seat
of judiciary)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sarajevo

Botswana
Gaborone

Brazil
Brasilia

British Virgin Islands
Road Town

Brunei
Bandar Seri Begawan

Bulgaria
Sofia

Burkina Faso
Ouagadougou

Burma
Rangoon (government refers to the capital as Yangon)

Burundi
Bujumbura

Cambodia
Phnom Penh

Cameroon
Yaounde

Canada
Ottawa

Cape Verde
Praia

Cayman Islands
George Town

Central African Republic
Bangui

Chad
N'Djamena

Chile
Santiago

China
Beijing

Christmas Island
The Settlement

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
West Island

Colombia
Bogota

Comoros
Moroni

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Kinshasa

Congo, Republic of the
Brazzaville

Cook Islands
Avarua

Costa Rica
San Jose

Cote d'Ivoire
Yamoussoukro; note - although Yamoussoukro has been
the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and
administrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains its
Embassy in Abidjan

Croatia
Zagreb

Cuba
Havana

Cyprus
Nicosia

Czech Republic
Prague

Denmark
Copenhagen

Dhekelia
Episkopi; located in Akrotiri

Djibouti
Djibouti

Dominica
Roseau

Dominican Republic
Santo Domingo

East Timor
Dili

Ecuador
Quito

Egypt
Cairo

El Salvador
San Salvador

Equatorial Guinea
Malabo

Eritrea
Asmara (formerly Asmera)

Estonia
Tallinn

Ethiopia
Addis Ababa

European Union
Brussels, Belgium

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Stanley

Faroe Islands
Torshavn

Fiji
Suva (Viti Levu)

Finland
Helsinki

France
Paris

French Guiana
Cayenne

French Polynesia
Papeete

Gabon
Libreville

Gambia, The
Banjul

Georgia
T'bilisi

Germany
Berlin

Ghana
Accra

Gibraltar
Gibraltar

Greece
Athens

Greenland
Nuuk (Godthab)

Grenada
Saint George's

Guadeloupe
Basse-Terre

Guam
Hagatna (Agana)

Guatemala
Guatemala

Guernsey
Saint Peter Port

Guinea
Conakry

Guinea-Bissau
Bissau

Guyana
Georgetown

Haiti
Port-au-Prince

Holy See (Vatican City)
Vatican City

Honduras
Tegucigalpa

Hungary
Budapest

Iceland
Reykjavik

India
New Delhi

Indonesia
Jakarta

Iran
Tehran

Iraq
Baghdad

Ireland
Dublin

Israel
Jerusalem; note - Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital
in 1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its
Embassy in Tel Aviv

Italy
Rome

Jamaica
Kingston

Japan
Tokyo

Jersey
Saint Helier

Jordan
'Amman

Kazakhstan
Astana; note - the government moved from Almaty to Astana
in December 1998

Kenya
Nairobi

Kiribati
Tarawa

Korea, North
Pyongyang

Korea, South
Seoul

Kuwait
Kuwait

Kyrgyzstan
Bishkek

Laos
Vientiane

Latvia
Riga

Lebanon
Beirut

Lesotho
Maseru

Liberia
Monrovia

Libya
Tripoli

Liechtenstein
Vaduz

Lithuania
Vilnius

Luxembourg
Luxembourg

Macedonia
Skopje

Madagascar
Antananarivo

Malawi
Lilongwe

Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur
note: Putrajaya is referred to as administrative center not capital;
Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur

Maldives
Male

Mali
Bamako

Malta
Valletta

Man, Isle of
Douglas

Marshall Islands
Majuro

Martinique
Fort-de-France

Mauritania
Nouakchott

Mauritius
Port Louis

Mayotte
Mamoutzou

Mexico
Mexico (Distrito Federal)

Micronesia, Federated States of
Palikir

Moldova
Chisinau

Monaco
Monaco

Mongolia
Ulaanbaatar

Montserrat
Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity;
interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in
the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of
Montserrat)

Morocco
Rabat

Mozambique
Maputo

Namibia
Windhoek

Nauru
no official capital; government offices in Yaren District

Nepal
Kathmandu

Netherlands
Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government

Netherlands Antilles
Willemstad

New Caledonia
Noumea

New Zealand
Wellington

Nicaragua
Managua

Niger
Niamey

Nigeria
Abuja; note - on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially
transferred from Lagos to Abuja; most federal government offices
have now made the move to Abuja

Niue
Alofi

Norfolk Island
Kingston

Northern Mariana Islands
Saipan

Norway
Oslo

Oman
Muscat

Pakistan
Islamabad

Palau
Koror; note - a new capital is being built about 20 km
northeast of Koror

Panama
Panama

Papua New Guinea
Port Moresby

Paraguay
Asuncion

Peru
Lima

Philippines
Manila

Pitcairn Islands
Adamstown

Poland
Warsaw

Portugal
Lisbon

Puerto Rico
San Juan

Qatar
Doha

Reunion
Saint-Denis

Romania
Bucharest

Russia
Moscow

Rwanda
Kigali

Saint Helena
Jamestown

Saint Kitts and Nevis
Basseterre

Saint Lucia
Castries

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Saint-Pierre

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Kingstown

Samoa
Apia

San Marino
San Marino

Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome

Saudi Arabia
Riyadh

Senegal
Dakar

Serbia and Montenegro
Belgrade

Seychelles
Victoria

Sierra Leone
Freetown

Singapore
Singapore

Slovakia
Bratislava

Slovenia
Ljubljana

Solomon Islands
Honiara

Somalia
Mogadishu

South Africa
Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center
and Bloemfontein the judicial center

Spain
Madrid

Sri Lanka
Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the
legislative capital

Sudan
Khartoum

Suriname
Paramaribo

Svalbard
Longyearbyen

Swaziland
Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative
capital

Sweden
Stockholm

Switzerland
Bern

Syria
Damascus

Taiwan
Taipei

Tajikistan
Dushanbe

Tanzania
Dar es Salaam; note - legislative offices have been
transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital;
the National Assembly now meets there on regular basis

Thailand
Bangkok

Togo
Lome

Tokelau
none; each atoll has its own administrative center

Tonga
Nuku'alofa

Trinidad and Tobago
Port-of-Spain

Tunisia
Tunis

Turkey
Ankara

Turkmenistan
Ashgabat

Turks and Caicos Islands
Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)

Tuvalu
Funafuti; note - administrative offices are located in Vaiaku
Village on Fongafale Islet

Uganda
Kampala

Ukraine
Kiev (Kyyiv)

United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi

United Kingdom
London

United States
Washington, DC

Uruguay
Montevideo

Uzbekistan
Tashkent (Toshkent)

Vanuatu
Port-Vila (Efate)

Venezuela
Caracas

Vietnam
Hanoi

Virgin Islands
Charlotte Amalie

Wallis and Futuna
Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)

Western Sahara
none

Yemen
Sanaa

Zambia
Lusaka

Zimbabwe
Harare

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2058 Imports - commodities

Afghanistan
capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products

Albania
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals

Algeria
capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

American Samoa
materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum
products 7%, machinery and parts 6%

Andorra
consumer goods, food, electricity

Angola
machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts;
medicines, food, textiles, military goods

Anguilla
fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles

Antigua and Barbuda
food and live animals, machinery and transport
equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil

Argentina
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal
manufactures, plastics

Armenia
natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs,
diamonds

Aruba
machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and
reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs

Australia
machinery and transport equipment, computers and office
machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and
petroleum products

Austria
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal
goods, oil and oil products; foodstuffs

Azerbaijan
machinery and equipment, oil products, foodstuffs,
metals, chemicals

Bahamas, The
machinery and transport equipment, manufactures,
chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals

Bahrain
crude oil, machinery, chemicals

Bangladesh
machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel,
textiles, foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement (2000)

Barbados
consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction
materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components

Belarus
mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals,
foodstuffs, metals

Belgium
machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds,
pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products

Belize
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels,
chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco

Benin
foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products

Bermuda
machinery and transport equipment, construction materials,
chemicals, food and live animals

Bhutan
fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles,
fabrics, rice

Bolivia
capital goods, raw materials and semi-manufactures,
chemicals, petroleum, food

Bosnia and Herzegovina
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels,
foodstuffs

Botswana
foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport
equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper
products, metal and metal products

Brazil
machinery, electrical and transport equipment, chemical
products, oil

British Virgin Islands
building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs,
machinery

Brunei
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,
chemicals

Bulgaria
fuels, minerals, and raw materials; machinery and
equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; food, textiles

Burkina Faso
capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum

Burma
Fabric, petroleum products, plastics, machinery, transport
equipment, construction materials, crude oil; food products

Burundi
capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs

Cambodia
petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction
materials, machinery, motor vehicles, pharmaceutical products

Cameroon
machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel,
food

Canada
machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil,
chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods

Cape Verde
foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment,
fuels

Cayman Islands
foodstuffs, manufactured goods

Central African Republic
food, textiles, petroleum products,
machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals,
pharmaceuticals

Chad
machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods,
petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles

Chile
consumer goods, chemicals, motor vehicles, fuels, electrical
machinery, heavy industrial machinery, food

China
machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, plastics, iron and
steel, chemicals

Christmas Island
consumer goods

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
foodstuffs

Colombia
industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer
goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity

Comoros
rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum
products, cement, transport equipment

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
foodstuffs, mining and other
machinery, transport equipment, fuels

Congo, Republic of the
capital equipment, construction materials,
foodstuffs

Cook Islands
foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods

Costa Rica
raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment,
petroleum

Cote d'Ivoire
fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs

Croatia
machinery, transport and electrical equipment, chemicals,
fuels and lubricants, foodstuffs

Cuba
petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants,
intermediate goods, machinery, transport equipment; north Cyprus:
food, minerals, chemicals, machinery

Czech Republic
machinery and transport equipment 40%, intermediate
manufactures 21%, raw materials and fuels 13%, chemicals 11% (2000)

Denmark
machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures
for industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods

Djibouti
foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum
products

Dominica
manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals

Dominican Republic foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals

East Timor
mainly food (2001)

Ecuador
consumer goods, industrial raw materials, capital goods

Egypt
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products,
fuels

El Salvador
raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels,
foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity

Equatorial Guinea
petroleum sector equipment, other equipment

Eritrea
machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
(2000)

Estonia
machinery and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%,
textiles 10.3%, foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001)

Ethiopia
food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products,
chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles

European Union
machinery, vehicles, aircraft, plastics, crude oil,
chemicals, textiles, metals, foodstuffs, clothing

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
fuel, food and drink, building
materials, clothing

Faroe Islands
machinery and transport equipment 29%, consumer goods
36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%, fuels, fish and salt
(1999)

Fiji
manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment,
petroleum products, food, chemicals

Finland
foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals,
transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and
fabrics, grains (1999)

France
machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft,
plastics, chemicals

French Guiana
food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport
equipment, fuels and chemicals

French Polynesia
fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

Gabon
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction
materials

Gambia, The
foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport
equipment

Gaza Strip
food, consumer goods, construction materials

Georgia
fuels, machinery and parts, transport equipment, grain and
other foods, pharmaceuticals

Germany
machinery, vehicles, chemicals, foodstuffs, textiles, metals

Ghana
capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Gibraltar
fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs

Greece
machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Greenland
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods,
food, petroleum products

Grenada
food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel

Guadeloupe
foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer
goods, construction materials

Guam
petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Guatemala
fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction
materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity

Guernsey
coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment

Guinea
petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment,
textiles, grain and other foodstuffs

Guinea-Bissau
foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment,
petroleum products

Guyana
manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food

Haiti
food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment,
fuels, raw materials

Honduras
machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw
materials, chemical products, fuels, foodstuffs (2000)

Hong Kong
electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, foodstuffs,
transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum,
plastics; a large share is reexported

Hungary
machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures 35.3%,
fuels and electricity 8.2%, food products 2.9%, raw materials 2.0%
(2001)

Iceland
machinery and equipment, petroleum products; foodstuffs,
textiles

India
crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals

Indonesia
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs

Iran
industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods,
foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military
supplies

Iraq
food, medicine, manufactures

Ireland
data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment,
chemicals; petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing

Israel
raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough
diamonds, fuels, grain, consumer goods

Italy
engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy
products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing;
food, beverages and tobacco

Jamaica
food and other consumer goods, industrial supplies, fuel,
parts and accessories of capital goods, machinery and transport
equipment, construction materials

Japan
machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals,
textiles, raw materials (2001)

Jersey
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods,
foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals

Jordan
crude oil, textile fabrics, machinery, transport equipment,
manufactured goods

Kazakhstan
machinery and equipment 41%, metal products 28%,
foodstuffs 8% (2001)

Kenya
machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products,
motor vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics

Kiribati
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous
manufactured goods, fuel

Korea, North
petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment;
textiles, grain

Korea, South
machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil,
steel, transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics

Kuwait
food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing

Kyrgyzstan
oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals,
foodstuffs

Laos
machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods

Latvia
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles

Lebanon
petroleum products, cars, medicinal products, clothing, meat
and live animals, consumer goods, paper, textile fabrics, tobacco

Lesotho
food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines,
petroleum products (2000)

Liberia
fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment,
manufactured goods; foodstuffs

Libya
machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods (1999)

Liechtenstein
agricultural products, raw materials, machinery, metal
goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles

Lithuania
mineral products 21%, machinery and equipment 17%,
transport equipment 11%, chemicals 9%, textiles and clothing 9%,
metals 5% (2001)

Luxembourg
minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods

Macau
clothing, textiles, yarn, foodstuffs, fuel, automobiles,
capital goods

Macedonia
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; food products

Madagascar
capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

Malawi
food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods,
transportation equipment

Malaysia
electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics,
vehicles, iron and steel products, chemicals

Maldives
consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum
products

Mali
petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials,
foodstuffs, textiles

Malta
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and
semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, and tobacco

Man, Isle of
timber, fertilizers, fish

Marshall Islands
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels,
beverages and tobacco

Martinique
petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction
materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods

Mauritania
machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital
goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Mauritius
manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs,
petroleum products, chemicals

Mayotte
food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment,
metals, chemicals

Mexico
metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural
machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair
parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts

Micronesia, Federated States of
food, manufactured goods, machinery
and equipment, beverages

Moldova
mineral products and fuel 32%, machinery and equipment,
chemicals, textiles (2000)

Mongolia
machinery and equipment, fuels, food products, industrial
consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea

Montserrat
machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs,
manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials

Morocco
crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications
equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics

Mozambique
machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal
products, foodstuffs, textiles

Namibia
foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and
equipment, chemicals

Nauru
food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery

Nepal
gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer

Netherlands
machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels;
foodstuffs, clothing

Netherlands Antilles
crude petroleum, food, manufactures

New Caledonia
machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

New Zealand
machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft,
petroleum, electronics, textiles, plastics

Nicaragua
machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum
products, consumer goods

Niger
foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals

Nigeria
machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured
goods, food and live animals

Niue
food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels,
lubricants, chemicals, drugs

Norfolk Island
NA

Northern Mariana Islands food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products

Norway
machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs

Oman
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,
livestock, lubricants

Pakistan
petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics,
transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron
and steel, tea

Palau
machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs

Panama
capital goods, crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods,
chemicals (1999)

Papua New Guinea
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured
goods, food, fuels, chemicals

Paraguay
road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products,
electrical machinery

Peru
machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum, iron and
steel, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

Philippines
raw materials, machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals

Pitcairn Islands
fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour,
sugar, other foodstuffs

Poland
machinery and transport equipment 38.2%, intermediate
manufactured goods 20.8%, chemicals 14.3%, miscellaneous
manufactured goods 9.5% (1999)

Portugal
machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum,
textiles, agricultural products

Puerto Rico
chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food,
fish, petroleum products

Qatar
machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

Reunion
manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and
transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products

Romania
machinery and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemicals,
textile and products, basic metals, agricultural products

Russia
machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines, meat,
sugar, semifinished metal products

Rwanda
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum
products, cement and construction material

Saint Helena
food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed,
building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts

Saint Kitts and Nevis
machinery, manufactures, food, fuels

Saint Lucia
food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and
transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
meat, clothing, fuel, electrical
equipment, machinery, building materials

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
foodstuffs, machinery and
equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels

Samoa
machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs

San Marino
wide variety of consumer manufactures, food

Sao Tome and Principe
machinery and electrical equipment, food
products, petroleum products

Saudi Arabia
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor
vehicles, textiles

Senegal
foods and beverages, capital goods, fuels

Serbia and Montenegro
machinery and transport equipment, fuels and
lubricants, manufactured goods, chemicals, food and live animals,
raw materials

Seychelles
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products,
chemicals

Sierra Leone
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and
lubricants, chemicals (1995)

Singapore
machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals,
foodstuffs

Slovakia
machinery and transport equipment 37.7%, intermediate
manufactured goods 18%, fuels 13%, chemicals 11%, miscellaneous
manufactured goods 9.5% (1999)

Slovenia
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods,
chemicals, fuels and lubricants, food

Solomon Islands
food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods,
fuels, chemicals

Somalia
manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction
materials, qat

South Africa
machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products,
scientific instruments, foodstuffs (2000 est.)

Spain
machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods;
foodstuffs, consumer goods

Sri Lanka
textiles, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs,
machinery and equipment

Sudan
foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport
equipment, medicines and chemicals, textiles, wheat

Suriname
capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer
goods

Swaziland
motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment,
foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Sweden
machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor
vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing

Switzerland
machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural
products, textiles

Syria
machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery,
food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical
products, plastics, yarn, paper

Taiwan
machinery and electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision
instruments (2002)

Tajikistan
electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide,
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs

Tanzania
consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment,
industrial raw materials, crude oil

Thailand
capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials,
consumer goods, fuels (2000)

Togo
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Tokelau
foodstuffs, building materials, fuel

Tonga
foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Trinidad and Tobago
machinery, transportation equipment,
manufactured goods, food, live animals

Tunisia
textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals,
food

Turkey
machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport
equipment

Turkmenistan
machinery and equipment 60%, foodstuffs 15% (1999)

Turks and Caicos Islands food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials

Tuvalu
food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods

Uganda
capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies;
cereals

Ukraine
energy, machinery and equipment, chemicals

United Arab Emirates machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food

United Kingdom
manufactured goods, machinery, fuels; foodstuffs

United States
crude oil and refined petroleum products, machinery,
automobiles, consumer goods, industrial raw materials, food and
beverages

Uruguay
machinery, chemicals, road vehicles, crude petroleum

Uzbekistan
machinery and equipment 49.8%, foodstuffs 16.4%,
chemicals, metals (1998 est.)

Vanuatu
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels

Venezuela
raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport
equipment, construction materials

Vietnam
machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer,
steel products, raw cotton, grain, cement, motorcycles

Virgin Islands
crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building
materials

Wallis and Futuna
chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer
goods

West Bank
food, consumer goods, construction materials

Western Sahara
fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs

World
the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and
services

Yemen
food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Zambia
machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products,
electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing

Zimbabwe
machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures,
chemicals, fuels

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2059 Climate

Afghanistan
arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

Akrotiri
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool
winters

Albania
mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry
summers; interior is cooler and wetter

Algeria
arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers
along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high
plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in
summer

American Samoa
tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds;
annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season from November to
April, dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature
variation

Andorra
temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers

Angola
semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool,
dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)

Anguilla
tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

Antarctica
severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation,
and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West
Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has
the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January
along the coast and average slightly below freezing

Antigua and Barbuda
tropical; little seasonal temperature variation

Arctic Ocean
polar climate characterized by persistent cold and
relatively narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized
by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and
clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and
foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow

Argentina
mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in
southwest

Armenia
highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

Aruba
tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
tropical

Atlantic Ocean
tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast
of Africa near Cape Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea;
hurricanes can occur from May to December, but are most frequent
from August to November

Australia
generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east;
tropical in north

Austria
temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent
rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate
summers with occasional showers

Azerbaijan
dry, semiarid steppe

Bahamas, The
tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Bahrain
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Baker Island
equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Bangladesh
tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid
summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)

Barbados
tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Bassas da India
tropical

Belarus
cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between
continental and maritime

Belgium
temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy

Belize
tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November);
dry season (February to May)

Benin
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Bermuda
subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in
winter

Bhutan
varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot
summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in
Himalayas

Bolivia
varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

Bosnia and Herzegovina
hot summers and cold winters; areas of high
elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild,
rainy winters along coast

Botswana
semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Bouvet Island
antarctic

Brazil
mostly tropical, but temperate in south

British Indian Ocean Territory
tropical marine; hot, humid,
moderated by trade winds

British Virgin Islands
subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by
trade winds

Brunei
tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Bulgaria
temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers

Burkina Faso
tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Burma
tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest
monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild
temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon,
December to April)

Burundi
equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude
variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual
temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade
but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m;
average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; wet seasons from February
to May and September to November, and dry seasons from June to
August and December to January

Cambodia
tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry
season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation

Cameroon
varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid
and hot in north

Canada
varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in
north

Cape Verde
temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and
very erratic

Cayman Islands
tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October)
and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April)

Central African Republic
tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot,
wet summers

Chad
tropical in south, desert in north

Chile
temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region;
cool and damp in south

China
extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north

Christmas Island
tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and
humidity moderated by trade winds; wet season December to April

Clipperton Island
tropical; humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees
C, rains May-October

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
tropical with high humidity, moderated by
the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year

Colombia
tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

Comoros
tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season April to October, dry season December to February; south of Equator - wet season November to March, dry season April to October

Congo, Republic of the
tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry
season (June to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity;
particularly enervating climate astride the Equator

Cook Islands
tropical; moderated by trade winds

Coral Sea Islands
tropical

Costa Rica
tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April);
rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands

Cote d'Ivoire
tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three
seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to
May), hot and wet (June to October)

Croatia
Mediterranean and continental; continental climate
predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry
summers along coast

Cuba
tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to
April); rainy season (May to October)

Cyprus
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool
winters

Czech Republic
temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Denmark
temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool
summers

Dhekelia
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool
winters

Djibouti
desert; torrid, dry

Dominica
tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall

Dominican Republic tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall

East Timor
tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

Ecuador
tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher
elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Egypt
desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

El Salvador
tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season
(November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands

Equatorial Guinea
tropical; always hot, humid

Eritrea
hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter
in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually);
semiarid in western hills and lowlands; rainfall heaviest during
June-September except in coastal desert

Estonia
maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Ethiopia
tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation

Europa Island
tropical

European Union
cold temperate; potentially subarctic in the north to
temperate; mild wet winters; hot dry summers in the south

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate

Faroe Islands
mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy,
windy

Fiji
tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Finland
cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild
because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current,
Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes

France
generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and
hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry,
north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral

French Guiana
tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature
variation

French Polynesia
tropical, but moderate

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
antarctic

Gabon
tropical; always hot, humid

Gambia, The
tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler,
dry season (November to May)

Gaza Strip
temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Georgia
warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

Germany
temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers;
occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind

Ghana
tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast;
hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north

Gibraltar
Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

Glorioso Islands
tropical

Greece
temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Greenland
arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Grenada
tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Guadeloupe
subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high
humidity

Guam
tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by
northeast trade winds; dry season from January to June, rainy season
from July to December; little seasonal temperature variation

Guatemala
tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Guernsey
temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of
days are overcast

Guinea
generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to
November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May)
with northeasterly harmattan winds

Guinea-Bissau
tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type
rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season
(December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

Guyana
tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two
rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)

Haiti
tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
antarctic

Holy See (Vatican City) temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)

Honduras
subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Hong Kong
tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy
from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

Howland Island
equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Hungary
temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers

Iceland
temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy
winters; damp, cool summers

India
varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north

Indian Ocean
northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest
monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June
and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and
January/February in the southern Indian Ocean

Indonesia
tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Iran
mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast

Iraq
mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless
summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish
borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that
melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in
central and southern Iraq

Ireland
temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild
winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the
time

Israel
temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas

Italy
predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in
south

Jamaica
tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Jan Mayen
arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog

Japan
varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Jarvis Island
tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Jersey
temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Johnston Atoll
tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast
trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation

Jordan
mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)

Juan de Nova Island
tropical

Kazakhstan
continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and
semiarid

Kenya
varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior

Kingman Reef
tropical; moderated by prevailing winds

Kiribati
tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds

Korea, North
temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Korea, South
temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Kuwait
dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Kyrgyzstan
dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical
in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone

Laos
tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season
(December to April)

Latvia
maritime; wet, moderate winters

Lebanon
Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry
summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows

Lesotho
temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Liberia
tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to
cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Libya
Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Liechtenstein
continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow
or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers

Lithuania
transitional, between maritime and continental; wet,
moderate winters and summers

Luxembourg
modified continental with mild winters, cool summers

Macau
subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Macedonia
warm, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters
with heavy snowfall

Madagascar
tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Malawi
sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May
to November)

Malaysia
tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast
(October to February) monsoons

Maldives
tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to
March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

Mali
subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy,
humid, and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February

Malta
Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers

Man, Isle of
temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast
about one-third of the time

Marshall Islands
tropical; hot and humid; wet season from May to
November; islands border typhoon belt

Martinique
tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to
October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every
eight years on average; average temperature 17.3 degrees C; humid

Mauritania
desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Mauritius
tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry
winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

Mayotte
tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during
northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to
November)

Mexico
varies from tropical to desert

Micronesia, Federated States of tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage

Midway Islands
subtropical; moderated by prevailing easterly winds

Moldova
moderate winters, warm summers

Monaco
Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers

Mongolia
desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature
ranges)

Montserrat
tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Morocco
Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior

Mozambique
tropical to subtropical

Namibia
desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Nauru
tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to
February)

Navassa Island
marine, tropical

Nepal
varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to
subtropical summers and mild winters in south

Netherlands
temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Netherlands Antilles
tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

New Caledonia
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

New Zealand
temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Nicaragua
tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Niger
desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south

Nigeria
varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in
north

Niue
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

Norfolk Island
subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature
variation

Northern Mariana Islands
tropical marine; moderated by northeast
trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season
December to June, rainy season July to October

Norway
temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current;
colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers;
rainy year-round on west coast

Oman
dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong
southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south

Pacific Ocean
planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind
patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade
winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by
seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south
of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central
America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much
less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same
latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is
monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when
moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry
season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian
landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike
southeast and east Asia from May to December

Pakistan
mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in
north

Palau
Tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November

Palmyra Atoll
equatorial, hot, and very rainy

Panama
tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season
(May to January), short dry season (January to May)

Papua New Guinea
tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March),
southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature
variation

Paracel Islands
tropical

Paraguay
subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the
eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west

Peru
varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate
to frigid in Andes

Philippines
tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April);
southwest monsoon (May to October)

Pitcairn Islands
tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast
trade winds; rainy season (November to March)

Poland
temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with
frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and
thundershowers

Portugal
maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and
drier in south

Puerto Rico
tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature
variation

Qatar
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Reunion
tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and
dry from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April

Romania
temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog;
sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms

Russia
ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in
much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in
the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to
frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool
along Arctic coast

Rwanda
temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to
January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible

Saint Helena
Saint Helena - tropical; marine; mild, tempered by
trade winds; Tristan da Cunha - temperate; marine, mild, tempered by
trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
tropical tempered by constant sea breezes;
little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Saint Lucia
tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season
from January to April, rainy season from May to August

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
cold and wet, with much mist and fog;
spring and autumn are windy

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
tropical; little seasonal
temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Samoa
tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to
October)

San Marino
Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers

Sao Tome and Principe
tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season
(October to May)

Saudi Arabia
harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes

Senegal
tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has
strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by
hot, dry, harmattan wind

Serbia and Montenegro
in the north, continental climate (cold
winters and hot, humid summers with well distributed rainfall);
central portion, continental and Mediterranean climate; to the
south, Adriatic climate along the coast, hot, dry summers and
autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall inland

Seychelles
tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast
monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest
monsoon (March to May)

Sierra Leone
tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to
December); winter dry season (December to April)

Singapore
tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons
- Northeastern monsoon from December to March and Southwestern
monsoon from June to September; inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon
and early evening thunderstorms

Slovakia
temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Slovenia
Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate
with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and
valleys to the east

Solomon Islands
tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and
weather

Somalia
principally desert; December to February - northeast
monsoon, moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May
to October - southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the
south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili)
between monsoons

South Africa
mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny
days, cool nights

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
variable, with mostly
westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of
calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow

Southern Ocean
sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius
to -2 degrees Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the
continent and frequently are intense because of the temperature
contrast between ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about
latitude 40 south to the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average
winds found anywhere on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward
to 65 degrees south latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees
south latitude in the Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures
well below 0 degrees Celsius; at some coastal points intense
persistent drainage winds from the interior keep the shoreline
ice-free throughout the winter

Spain
temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and
cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy
and cool along coast

Spratly Islands
tropical

Sri Lanka
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March);
southwest monsoon (June to October)

Sudan
tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies
by region (April to November)

Suriname
tropical; moderated by trade winds

Svalbard
arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool
summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and
north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most
of the year

Swaziland
varies from tropical to near temperate

Sweden
temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly
cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Switzerland
temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy,
rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with
occasional showers

Syria
mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and
mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather
with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus

Taiwan
tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June
to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year

Tajikistan
midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters;
semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains

Tanzania
varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Thailand
tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to
September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March);
southern isthmus always hot and humid

Togo
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Tokelau
tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)

Tonga
tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to
May), cool season (May to December)

Trinidad and Tobago
tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Tromelin Island
tropical

Tunisia
temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry
summers; desert in south

Turkey
temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher
in interior

Turkmenistan
subtropical desert

Turks and Caicos Islands
tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds;
sunny and relatively dry

Tuvalu
tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to
November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)

Uganda
tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to
February, June to August); semiarid in northeast

Ukraine
temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern
Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest
in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from
cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; summers are warm
across the greater part of the country, hot in the south

United Arab Emirates
desert; cooler in eastern mountains

United Kingdom
temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds
over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are
overcast

United States
mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida,
arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the
Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low
winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in
January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes
of the Rocky Mountains

Uruguay
warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Uzbekistan
mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild
winters; semiarid grassland in east

Vanuatu
tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to
October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected
by cyclones from December to April

Venezuela
tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Vietnam
tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season
(mid-May to mid-September) and warm, dry season (mid-October to
mid-March)

Virgin Islands
subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds,
relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation;
rainy season May to November

Wake Island
tropical

Wallis and Futuna
tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April);
cool, dry season (May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year
(80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees C

West Bank
temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with
altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters

Western Sahara
hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air
currents produce fog and heavy dew

World
two large areas of polar climates separated by two rather
narrow temperate zones form a wide equatorial band of tropical to
subtropical climates

Yemen
mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in
western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot,
dry, harsh desert in east

Zambia
tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to
April)

Zimbabwe
tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to
March)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2060 Coastline (km)

Afghanistan
0 km (landlocked)

Albania
362 km

Algeria
998 km

American Samoa
116 km

Andorra
0 km (landlocked)

Angola
1,600 km

Anguilla
61 km

Antarctica
17,968 km

Antigua and Barbuda
153 km

Arctic Ocean
45,389 km

Argentina
4,989 km

Armenia
0 km (landlocked)

Aruba
68.5 km

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
74.1 km

Atlantic Ocean
111,866 km

Australia
25,760 km

Austria
0 km (landlocked)

Azerbaijan
0 km (landlocked); note - Azerbaijan borders the Caspian
Sea (800 km, est.)

Bahamas, The
3,542 km

Bahrain
161 km

Baker Island
4.8 km

Bangladesh
580 km

Barbados
97 km

Bassas da India
35.2 km

Belarus
0 km (landlocked)

Belgium
66.5 km

Belize
386 km

Benin
121 km

Bermuda
103 km

Bhutan
0 km (landlocked)

Bolivia
0 km (landlocked)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
20 km

Botswana
0 km (landlocked)

Bouvet Island
29.6 km

Brazil
7,491 km

British Indian Ocean Territory
698 km

British Virgin Islands
80 km

Brunei
161 km

Bulgaria
354 km

Burkina Faso
0 km (landlocked)

Burma
1,930 km

Burundi
0 km (landlocked)

Cambodia
443 km

Cameroon
402 km

Canada
202,080 km

Cape Verde
965 km

Cayman Islands
160 km

Central African Republic
0 km (landlocked)

Chad
0 km (landlocked)

Chile
6,435 km

China
14,500 km

Christmas Island
80 km

Clipperton Island
11.1 km

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
26 km

Colombia
3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448
km)

Comoros
340 km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
37 km

Congo, Republic of the
169 km

Cook Islands
120 km

Coral Sea Islands
3,095 km

Costa Rica
1,290 km

Cote d'Ivoire
515 km

Croatia
5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km)

Cuba
3,735 km

Cyprus
648 km

Czech Republic
0 km (landlocked)

Denmark
7,314 km

Djibouti
314 km

Dominica
148 km

Dominican Republic
1,288 km

East Timor
706 km

Ecuador
2,237 km

Egypt
2,450 km

El Salvador
307 km

Equatorial Guinea
296 km

Eritrea
2,234 km total; mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red
Sea 1,083 km

Estonia
3,794 km

Ethiopia
0 km (landlocked)

Europa Island
22.2 km

European Union
65,413.9 km

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
1,288 km

Faroe Islands
1,117 km

Fiji
1,129 km

Finland
1,250 km

France
3,427 km

French Guiana
378 km

French Polynesia
2,525 km

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
1,232 km

Gabon
885 km

Gambia, The
80 km

Gaza Strip
40 km

Georgia
310 km

Germany
2,389 km

Ghana
539 km

Gibraltar
12 km

Glorioso Islands
35.2 km

Greece
13,676 km

Greenland
44,087 km

Grenada
121 km

Guadeloupe
306 km

Guam
125.5 km

Guatemala
400 km

Guernsey
50 km

Guinea
320 km

Guinea-Bissau
350 km

Guyana
459 km

Haiti
1,771 km

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
101.9 km

Holy See (Vatican City)
0 km (landlocked)

Honduras
820 km

Hong Kong
733 km

Howland Island
6.4 km

Hungary
0 km (landlocked)

Iceland
4,988 km

India
7,000 km

Indian Ocean
66,526 km

Indonesia
54,716 km

Iran
2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)

Iraq
58 km

Ireland
1,448 km

Israel
273 km

Italy
7,600 km

Jamaica
1,022 km

Jan Mayen
124.1 km

Japan
29,751 km

Jarvis Island
8 km

Jersey
70 km

Johnston Atoll
34 km

Jordan
26 km

Juan de Nova Island
24.1 km

Kazakhstan
0 km (landlocked); note - Kazakhstan borders the Aral
Sea, now split into two bodies of water (1,070 km), and the Caspian
Sea (1,894 km)

Kenya
536 km

Kingman Reef
3 km

Kiribati
1,143 km

Korea, North
2,495 km

Korea, South
2,413 km

Kuwait
499 km

Kyrgyzstan
0 km (landlocked)

Laos
0 km (landlocked)

Latvia
531 km

Lebanon
225 km

Lesotho
0 km (landlocked)

Liberia
579 km

Libya
1,770 km

Liechtenstein
0 km (doubly landlocked)

Lithuania
99 km

Luxembourg
0 km (landlocked)

Macau
41 km

Macedonia
0 km (landlocked)

Madagascar
4,828 km

Malawi
0 km (landlocked)

Malaysia
4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607
km)

Maldives
644 km

Mali
0 km (landlocked)

Malta
196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)

Man, Isle of
160 km

Marshall Islands
370.4 km

Martinique
350 km

Mauritania
754 km

Mauritius
177 km

Mayotte
185.2 km

Mexico
9,330 km

Micronesia, Federated States of
6,112 km

Midway Islands
15 km

Moldova
0 km (landlocked)

Monaco
4.1 km

Mongolia
0 km (landlocked)

Montserrat
40 km

Morocco
1,835 km

Mozambique
2,470 km

Namibia
1,572 km

Nauru
30 km

Navassa Island
8 km

Nepal
0 km (landlocked)

Netherlands
451 km

Netherlands Antilles
364 km

New Caledonia
2,254 km

New Zealand
15,134 km

Nicaragua
910 km

Niger
0 km (landlocked)

Nigeria
853 km

Niue
64 km

Norfolk Island
32 km

Northern Mariana Islands
1,482 km

Norway
21,925 km (includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands 2,413
km, long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations
16,093 km)

Oman
2,092 km

Pacific Ocean
135,663 km

Pakistan
1,046 km

Palau
1,519 km

Palmyra Atoll
14.5 km

Panama
2,490 km

Papua New Guinea
5,152 km

Paracel Islands
518 km

Paraguay
0 km (landlocked)

Peru
2,414 km

Philippines
36,289 km

Pitcairn Islands
51 km

Poland
491 km

Portugal
1,793 km

Puerto Rico
501 km

Qatar
563 km

Reunion
207 km

Romania
225 km

Russia
37,653 km

Rwanda
0 km (landlocked)

Saint Helena
60 km

Saint Kitts and Nevis
135 km

Saint Lucia
158 km

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
120 km

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
84 km

Samoa
403 km

San Marino
0 km (landlocked)

Sao Tome and Principe
209 km

Saudi Arabia
2,640 km

Senegal
531 km

Serbia and Montenegro
199 km

Seychelles
491 km

Sierra Leone
402 km

Singapore
193 km

Slovakia
0 km (landlocked)

Slovenia
46.6 km

Solomon Islands
5,313 km

Somalia
3,025 km

South Africa
2,798 km

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
NA km

Southern Ocean
17,968 km

Spain
4,964 km

Spratly Islands
926 km

Sri Lanka
1,340 km

Sudan
853 km

Suriname
386 km

Svalbard
3,587 km

Swaziland
0 km (landlocked)

Sweden
3,218 km

Switzerland
0 km (landlocked)

Syria
193 km

Taiwan
1,566.3 km

Tajikistan
0 km (landlocked)

Tanzania
1,424 km

Thailand
3,219 km

Togo
56 km

Tokelau
101 km

Tonga
419 km

Trinidad and Tobago
362 km

Tromelin Island
3.7 km

Tunisia
1,148 km

Turkey
7,200 km

Turkmenistan
0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea
(1,768 km)

Turks and Caicos Islands
389 km

Tuvalu
24 km

Uganda
0 km (landlocked)

Ukraine
2,782 km

United Arab Emirates
1,318 km

United Kingdom
12,429 km

United States
19,924 km

Uruguay
660 km

Uzbekistan
0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the
southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline

Vanuatu
2,528 km

Venezuela
2,800 km

Vietnam
3,444 km (excludes islands)

Virgin Islands
188 km

Wake Island
19.3 km

Wallis and Futuna
129 km

West Bank
0 km (landlocked)

Western Sahara
1,110 km

World
356,000 km
note: 98 nations and other entities are islands that border no other
countries, they include: American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and
Barbuda, Aruba, Ashmore and Cartier Islands, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Baker Island, Barbados, Bassas da India, Bermuda, Bouvet Island,
British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cape Verde,
Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Clipperton Island, Cocos (Keeling)
Islands, Comoros, Cook Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Cuba, Cyprus,
Dominica, Europa Island, Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), Faroe
Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic
Lands, Glorioso Islands, Greenland, Grenada, Guam, Guernsey, Heard
Island and McDonald Islands, Howland Island, Iceland, Jamaica, Jan
Mayen, Japan, Jarvis Island, Jersey, Johnston Atoll, Juan de Nova
Island, Kingman Reef, Kiribati, Madagascar, Maldives, Malta, Isle of
Man, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Federated
States of Micronesia, Midway Islands, Montserrat, Nauru, Navassa
Island, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern
Mariana Islands, Palau, Palmyra Atoll, Paracel Islands, Philippines,
Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts
and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Singapore,
Solomon Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands,
Spratly Islands, Sri Lanka, Svalbard, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tromelin Island, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu,
Virgin Islands, Wake Island, Wallis and Futuna, Taiwan

Yemen
1,906 km

Zambia
0 km (landlocked)

Zimbabwe
0 km (landlocked)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2061 Imports - partners (%)

Afghanistan
Pakistan 30.1%, South Korea 9.2%, Japan 7.6%, Germany
6.9%, Turkmenistan 5.4%, Kenya 4.6%, US 4.5%, Russia 4% (2003)

Albania
Italy 33.6%, Greece 20.2%, Turkey 6.6%, Germany 5.7% (2003)

Algeria
France 30.9%, Italy 9.6%, Spain 6.1%, Germany 5.5%, China
4.6%, Turkey 4.1% (2003)

American Samoa
Australia 33.3%, New Zealand 33.3%, Mauritius 9%,
Japan 5.1%, South Korea 5.1%, UK 5.1% (2003)

Andorra
Spain 48%, France 35%, US 2.3% (2000)

Angola
Portugal 18.2%, South Africa 12.4%, US 12.2%, Netherlands
11.6%, France 6.5%, Brazil 6.1%, UK 4.2% (2003)

Anguilla
US, Puerto Rico, UK (2000)

Antigua and Barbuda
US 26.5%, Singapore 10%, Poland 7%, Germany
6.1%, UK 6.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.4% (2003)

Argentina
Brazil 34%, US 16.4%, Germany 5.6%, China 5.2% (2003)

Armenia
Belgium 11.6%, Russia 11.6%, Israel 11.3%, US 9.5%, Iran
8.8%, Germany 6.7%, UAE 5.4%, Italy 4.7%, Ukraine 4.6% (2003)

Aruba
US 55.3%, Netherlands 13%, Netherlands Antilles 3.1% (2003)

Australia
US 16%, Japan 12.5%, China 11%, Germany 6.1%, UK 4.2%
(2003)

Austria
Germany 43.2%, Italy 6.7%, Hungary 5.4%, Switzerland 5%,
Netherlands 4.2% (2003)

Azerbaijan
Russia 15.5%, Turkey 12%, UK 8.7%, Germany 8.1%, China
7.8%, Ukraine 5.4%, Italy 4.6%, US 4.6%, Kazakhstan 4.3% (2003)

Bahamas, The
US 20.8%, South Korea 17.4%, Italy 11.4%, France 9.1%,
Brazil 7.5%, Japan 5.6%, Venezuela 5.3% (2003)

Bahrain
Saudi Arabia 30.7%, US 11.4%, Japan 7.8%, UK 5.7%, Germany
5.4% (2003)

Bangladesh
India 15.4%, China 11.3%, Singapore 10.8%, Japan 5.9%,
Hong Kong 4.5% (2003)

Barbados
US 37.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 19.6%, UK 6.2%, Japan 4.4%
(2003)

Belarus
Russia 65.8%, Germany 7.1%, Ukraine 3.1% (2003)

Belgium
Germany 17.7%, Netherlands 16.5%, France 13.2%, UK 7.5%, US
5.9%, Ireland 5.7% (2003)

Belize
US 41.9%, Mexico 12.4%, UK 5.9%, Cuba 5.5% (2003)

Benin
China 29.5%, France 14.9%, UK 4.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.7%,
Thailand 4.6% (2003)

Bermuda
Kazakhstan 46.7%, France 32.5%, US 8.5% (2003)

Bhutan
Japan 36.6%, Austria 14.2%, Sweden 8.3%, China 7.5%, Thailand
6%, Bangladesh 6%, Germany 5.5%, Italy 4% (2003)

Bolivia
Brazil 25.2%, Argentina 22.3%, US 12%, Chile 9.3%, Peru 5.8%
(2003)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croatia 24.5%, Slovenia 14.7%, Germany 13.7%,
Italy 12.2%, Hungary 7.8%, Austria 6.7% (2003)

Botswana
Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, EFTA 17%,
Zimbabwe 4% (2000)

Brazil
US 20%, Argentina 9.8%, Germany 8.7%, Japan 5.2%, China 4.4%
(2003)

British Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

Brunei
Singapore 19.9%, Malaysia 19.8%, US 11.4%, Japan 9.9%, Hong
Kong 6.5%, China 4.8%, Australia 4.3%, Thailand 4% (2003)

Bulgaria
Germany 14.4%, Russia 12.6%, Italy 10.3%, Greece 6.7%,
Turkey 6.2%, France 5.7% (2003)

Burkina Faso
France 31.2%, Cote d'Ivoire 14.6%, Togo 9%, Belgium 5%
(2003)

Burma
China 31.1%, Singapore 22.3%, Thailand 15.1%, South Korea
6.3%, Malaysia 4.8%, Japan 4.3% (2003)

Burundi
Kenya 14.6%, Tanzania 11.5%, Uganda 5.7%, France 5.1%,
Zambia 5.1%, China 4.5%, India 4.5%, Japan 4.5% (2003)

Cambodia
Thailand 26.4%, Hong Kong 14.4%, Singapore 11.8%, China
11.3%, Vietnam 8.3%, Taiwan 8%, South Korea 4.1% (2003)

Cameroon
France 21.9%, Nigeria 9.5%, Japan 6.8%, US 5.7%, China
4.9%, Germany 4.3% (2003)

Canada
US 60.6%, China 5.6%, Japan 4.1% (2003)

Cape Verde
Portugal 46.7%, Netherlands 9.1%, Belgium 3.8% (2003)

Cayman Islands
US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles,
Japan

Central African Republic
France 27%, Cameroon 9.2%, US 5.3% (2003)

Chad
France 28.6%, US 20.7%, Cameroon 14.6%, Netherlands 4.7% (2003)

Chile
Argentina 19.4%, US 13%, Brazil 10.4%, China 6.6% (2003)

China
Japan 18%, Taiwan 11.9%, South Korea 10.4%, US 8.2%, Germany
5.9% (2003)

Christmas Island
principally Australia

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Australia

Colombia
US 29.6%, Brazil 5.5%, Mexico 5.4%, Venezuela 5.2%, China
5%, Japan 4.6%, Germany 4.4% (2003)

Comoros
France 31.6%, Japan 13.7%, South Africa 10.3%, Kenya 5.1%,
UAE 5.1%, Thailand 4.3% (2003)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
South Africa 17%, Belgium 14.9%,
France 12.6%, Germany 6.8%, Kenya 5.4%, Netherlands 4% (2003)

Congo, Republic of the
France 22.2%, US 6.8%, Italy 6.2%, China
5.1%, Belgium 4.6%, India 4.4% (2003)

Cook Islands
New Zealand 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan
2% (2000)

Costa Rica
US 23.2%, Mexico 4.7%, Venezuela 3.2% (2003)

Cote d'Ivoire
France 32.7%, Nigeria 14.4%, UK 7% (2003)

Croatia
Italy 17.9%, Germany 15.7%, Slovenia 7.4%, Austria 6.6%,
France 5.3%, Russia 4.7% (2003)

Cuba
Spain 16.6%, Venezuela 12.5%, Italy 8.6%, US 8.5%, China 7.7%,
Canada 5.4%, Mexico 5.3%, France 4.9% (2003)

Cyprus
Greece 11.9%, Italy 9.8%, UK 8.3%, Germany 7.5%, Japan 5.6%,
France 5.1%, China 4.9%, US 4.2%, Spain 4% (2003)

Czech Republic
Germany 32.6%, Italy 5.3%, China 5.2%, Slovakia 5.2%,
France 4.9%, Russia 4.6%, Austria 4.3%, Poland 4.2% (2003)

Denmark
Germany 23.1%, Sweden 13%, UK 7%, Netherlands 6.9%, France
4.9%, Norway 4.5%, Italy 4.1% (2003)

Djibouti
Saudi Arabia 19.7%, Ethiopia 10.9%, China 9.2%, France
6.5%, UK 5.1%, US 4.9% (2003)

Dominica
US 18.5%, China 18%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.6%, Japan 6.3%,
South Korea 5.4%, UK 5.4% (2003)

Dominican Republic
US 52.1%, Venezuela 11.9%, Mexico 4.7%, Colombia
4.2% (2003)

East Timor
NA

Ecuador
US 23.9%, Colombia 12.8%, Venezuela 7.1%, Brazil 6.1%, Chile
4.8%, Japan 4.2% (2003)

Egypt
US 13.6%, Germany 7.4%, Italy 7%, France 6.6%, China 4.8%,
Saudi Arabia 4.3% (2003)

El Salvador
US 50%, Guatemala 8.1%, Mexico 5.5% (2003)

Equatorial Guinea
US 30.6%, UK 16%, France 15.1%, Cote d'Ivoire
11.9%, Spain 8.1%, Norway 5.9%, Italy 5.3% (2003)

Eritrea
US 39.7%, Italy 19.1%, Turkey 6.8%, Russia 5.4%, France 4.7%
(2003)

Estonia
Finland 15.9%, Germany 11.1%, Russia 10.2%, Sweden 7.7%,
Ukraine 4.3%, China 4.2%, Japan 4.1% (2003)

Ethiopia
Saudi Arabia 24.1%, US 17%, China 6.4%, Italy 4.1% (2003)

European Union
NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
UK 62%, Spain 30.4%, Italy 2.5%
(2003)

Faroe Islands
Denmark 52.7%, Norway 22.5%, Iceland 4.7%, Germany
4.2%, UK 4% (2003)

Fiji
Australia 35.1%, Singapore 19.2%, New Zealand 17.2%, Japan 4.9%
(2003)

Finland
Germany 16.2%, Sweden 14.1%, Russia 11.7%, Netherlands 6.3%,
Denmark 5.7%, UK 5.3%, France 4.3% (2003)

France
Germany 19.1%, Belgium 9.4%, Italy 9%, Spain 7.4%,
Netherlands 7%, UK 7%, US 5.4% (2003)

French Guiana
France 63%, US, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy (2002 est.)

French Polynesia
France 59.9%, Australia 11.9%, New Zealand 6%, US
6% (2003)

Gabon
France 49.9%, US 5.3%, UK 4.6% (2003)

Gambia, The
China 24.9%, Senegal 8.9%, Brazil 6.8%, UK 6.6%, US
5.6%, Netherlands 5%, India 4.9% (2003)

Gaza Strip
Israel, Egypt, West Bank

Georgia
Russia 14%, UK 12.9%, Turkey 9.9%, Azerbaijan 8.3%, US 8%,
Germany 7.3%, Ukraine 7%, France 4.9% (2003)

Germany
France 9.2%, Netherlands 8.4%, US 7.3%, Italy 6.3%, UK 6%,
Belgium 4.9%, China 4.7%, Austria 4% (2003)

Ghana
Nigeria 13.2%, China 9.3%, UK 7.2%, US 6.1%, Germany 4.8%,
France 4.5%, South Africa 4% (2003)

Gibraltar
Spain 26.5%, UK 14.8%, Russia 8.2%, Italy 6.6%,
Netherlands 6.5%, France 5.3%, Germany 4.6%, Romania 4.2% (2003)

Greece
Germany 12.5%, Italy 12.2%, France 6.6%, Russia 6.1%, South
Korea 5.4%, US 5.2%, Netherlands 5.2%, Japan 4.3%, UK 4.2% (2003)

Greenland
Denmark 82.6%, Norway 7.5%, Sweden 3.5% (2003)

Grenada
US 30%, Trinidad and Tobago 26.8%, UK 5.2%, Japan 4.4% (2003)

Guadeloupe
France 63%, Germany 4%, US 3%, Japan 2%, Netherlands
Antilles 2% (1999)

Guam
Singapore 35.8%, Japan 22.2%, South Korea 17.5%, Hong Kong
11.4% (2003)

Guatemala
US 34.1%, Mexico 8.8%, South Korea 7.8%, El Salvador 6.4%,
China 4.6% (2003)

Guernsey
UK (regarded as internal trade)

Guinea
France 16.8%, China 9.3%, Belgium 7.1%, Italy 6.6%,
Netherlands 5.4%, UK 5.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.8%, US 4.5% (2003)

Guinea-Bissau
Senegal 18.1%, India 14.6%, Portugal 14.6%, China
9.7%, Italy 9%, Spain 4.9% (2003)

Guyana
US 22.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 19.2%, Italy 11.2%, UK 7.2%,
Cuba 5.2% (2003)

Haiti
US 53.5%, Dominican Republic 5.9%, Colombia 2.9% (2003)

Honduras
US 53.1%, El Salvador 4.5%, Mexico 3% (2003)

Hong Kong
China 43.5%, Japan 11.9%, Taiwan 6.9%, US 5.5%, Singapore
5%, South Korea 4.8% (2003)

Hungary
Germany 24.5%, Italy 7.1%, China 6.9%, Austria 6.3%, Russia
6.2%, France 4.8%, Japan 4.2% (2003)

Iceland
Germany 11.8%, Denmark 8%, US 7.5%, UK 7.5%, Norway 7%,
Sweden 6.5%, Netherlands 6.2%, Italy 4.7% (2003)

India
US 6.4%, Belgium 5.6%, UK 4.8%, China 4.3%, Singapore 4% (2003)

Indonesia
Japan 13%, Singapore 12.8%, China 9.1%, US 8.3%, Thailand
5.2%, Australia 5.1%, South Korea 4.7%, Saudi Arabia 4.6% (2003)

Iran
Germany 11%, France 8.6%, China 8.4%, Italy 8.1%, UAE 7.9%,
South Korea 6.5%, Russia 4.8%, Japan 4.1% (2003)

Iraq
Turkey 18.1%, Jordan 13.4%, Vietnam 10.7%, US 6.9%, Germany 5%,
UK 4.7% (2003)

Ireland
UK 34.9%, US 15.8%, Germany 7.9%, Netherlands 4.1% (2003)

Israel
US 15.6%, Belgium 9.3%, Germany 8%, UK 6.7%, Switzerland
6.1%, Italy 4.1% (2003)

Italy
Germany 17.9%, France 11.2%, Netherlands 5.8%, Spain 4.8%, UK
4.7%, Belgium 4.3%, US 4% (2003)

Jamaica
US 39.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 9.7%, Germany 5.6%, Venezuela
4.5%, France 4.5%, Japan 4.2% (2003)

Japan
China 19.7%, US 15.6%, South Korea 4.7%, Indonesia 4.3% (2003)

Jersey
UK

Jordan
Saudi Arabia 11.3%, China 7.9%, Germany 7.9%, US 6.8%, Iraq
6.5% (2003)

Kazakhstan
Russia 39%, Germany 8.7%, China 6.2%, US 5.6% (2003)

Kenya
UAE 13.2%, Saudi Arabia 9.6%, South Africa 8.6%, UK 7.4%,
China 6.3%, US 5.1%, India 5.1%, Japan 4.9%, Germany 4.2% (2003)

Kiribati
Australia 41.7%, Fiji 26.7%, New Zealand 8.9%, Japan 5.9%,
US 4% (2003)

Korea, North
China 39.7%, Thailand 14.6%, Japan 11.2%, Germany 7.6%,
South Korea 6.2% (2002)

Korea, South
Japan 20.3%, US 13.9%, China 12.3%, Saudi Arabia 5.2%
(2003)

Kuwait
US 14.7%, Japan 10.3%, Germany 9.6%, China 6.6%, UK 6.1%,
Saudi Arabia 5.5%, Italy 5%, France 4.2% (2003)

Kyrgyzstan
Russia 24.7%, Kazakhstan 24%, China 10.3%, US 6.7%,
Uzbekistan 5.5%, Germany 5.3% (2003)

Laos
Thailand 59.4%, China 12.8%, Vietnam 10.2% (2003)

Latvia
Germany 16.1%, Lithuania 9.7%, Russia 8.7%, Finland 7.4%,
Estonia 6.4%, Sweden 6.3%, Poland 5.1%, Italy 4.4% (2003)

Lebanon
France 13.4%, Germany 11.7%, Italy 10.7%, Syria 5.3%, China
5.2%, UK 4.9%, US 4.5% (2003)

Lesotho
Hong Kong 36.6%, Taiwan 36.2%, China 12%, Germany 9.9% (2003)

Liberia
South Korea 39.2%, Japan 16.2%, Singapore 12.4%, Germany
9.9%, Spain 4.1% (2003)

Libya
Italy 27.8%, Germany 10.5%, Tunisia 7.6%, UK 7.1%, France 6%,
Turkey 4.6% (2003)

Liechtenstein
EU, Switzerland

Lithuania
Russia 22%, Germany 16.1%, Poland 5.2%, Italy 4.3%, France
4.2% (2003)

Luxembourg
Belgium 29%, Germany 22.9%, France 11.4%, China 10.9%,
Netherlands 4.8% (2003)

Macau
China 43%, Hong Kong 12.7%, Japan 8.7%, Taiwan 5.6% (2003)

Macedonia
Greece 17.3%, Germany 12.6%, Serbia and Montenegro 9.2%,
Slovenia 7.9%, Bulgaria 7.4%, Italy 6.2%, Turkey 6% (2003)

Madagascar
China 14.2%, France 13.2%, South Africa 6.4%, Iran 6.2%
(2003)

Malawi
South Africa 53.7%, India 4.9%, Tanzania 3.9% (2003)

Malaysia
Japan 17.3%, US 15.5%, Singapore 11.9%, China 8.8%, South
Korea 5.5%, Taiwan 5%, Germany 4.7%, Thailand 4.6% (2003)

Maldives
Singapore 24.8%, Sri Lanka 13.8%, India 10.2%, Malaysia
7.6%, UAE 7.6%, Thailand 5.1% (2003)

Mali
France 15.4%, Senegal 7.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 7.1% (2003)

Malta
Italy 19.3%, France 13.7%, UK 8.5%, Germany 6.6%, Singapore
6.1%, Japan 5.7%, South Korea 5.5%, US 4.1% (2003)

Man, Isle of
UK (2000)

Marshall Islands
US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Fiji, China,
Philippines (2000)

Martinique
France 62%, Venezuela 6%, Germany 4%, Italy 4%, US 3%
(2000)

Mauritania
France 16.8%, Spain 7.7%, China 6.3%, Belgium 5.1%,
Germany 4.9%, Japan 4.3%, UK 4.1%, US 4% (2003)

Mauritius
South Africa 12.1%, France 12%, China 8.4%, India 8.2%
(2003)

Mayotte
France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 11% (2000 est.)

Mexico
US 61.8%, China 5.5%, Japan 4.5% (2003)

Micronesia, Federated States of
US, Australia, Japan (2000)

Moldova
Ukraine 22%, Russia 13%, Germany 9.7%, Italy 8.3%, Romania
7% (2003)

Mongolia
Russia 33.1%, China 21.5%, South Korea 8.5%, Japan 7.9%,
Germany 4.7% (2003)

Montserrat
US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada

Morocco
France 20.6%, Spain 12.4%, Italy 7.1%, Germany 5.2%, Saudi
Arabia 5%, Russia 4.9%, US 4.1% (2003)

Mozambique
South Africa 26.3%, Australia 9.2%, US 3.9% (2003)

Namibia
US 50%, EU 31% (2001)

Nauru
Australia 67.9%, Indonesia 10.7%, US 7.1% (2003)

Nepal
India 22.9%, China 13.4%, UAE 12.5%, Singapore 7.1%, Saudi
Arabia 5.5%, Kuwait 4.6% (2003)

Netherlands
Germany 18.2%, Belgium 10%, US 8%, UK 7.3%, China 6.2%,
France 5% (2003)

Netherlands Antilles
Venezuela 64.8%, US 13.6%, Netherlands 7.8%
(2003)

New Caledonia
France 46.1%, Australia 9.5%, Singapore 9.3%, New
Zealand 4.3% (2003)

New Zealand
Australia 22.2%, US 11.8%, Japan 11.8%, China 9%,
Germany 5.3% (2003)

Nicaragua
US 24.9%, Venezuela 9.7%, Costa Rica 9%, Mexico 8.4%,
Guatemala 7.3%, El Salvador 4.9%, Japan 4.3% (2003)

Niger
France 16.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 13.8%, China 10.5%, Nigeria 7.7%,
US 5.5%, Japan 4.9% (2003)

Nigeria
US 15.6%, UK 9.6%, Germany 7.3%, China 7.2%, Italy 4.3%
(2003)

Niue
New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Australia, US (2000)

Norfolk Island
Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia,
Europe

Northern Mariana Islands
US, Japan (2000)

Norway
Sweden 16.1%, Germany 13.3%, Denmark 7.9%, UK 7.2%, US 5.2%,
Netherlands 4.5%, China 4.4%, France 4.3%, Italy 4% (2003)

Oman
UAE 21.6%, Japan 17.1%, US 6.2%, UK 5.6%, Germany 4.4%, India
4.4% (2003)

Pakistan
UAE 11.2%, Saudi Arabia 10.9%, China 7.3%, Japan 6.6%,
Kuwait 6.4%, US 6%, Malaysia 4.6%, Germany 4.4%, Singapore 4% (2003)

Palau
US, Guam, Japan, Singapore, Korea (2000)

Panama
Japan 33.2%, US 11.4%, China 9.1%, South Korea 7.7%,
Singapore 7.1% (2003)

Papua New Guinea
Australia 44.6%, Singapore 20.6%, New Zealand 7.7%,
China 5% (2003)

Paraguay
Brazil 32.5%, Argentina 21.6%, China 12.7% (2003)

Peru
US 28.6%, Spain 10%, Chile 7.5%, Brazil 5.1%, Colombia 4.5%
(2003)

Philippines
Japan 20.4%, US 19.8%, Singapore 6.8%, South Korea 6.4%,
Taiwan 5%, China 4.8%, Hong Kong 4.3% (2003)

Pitcairn Islands
NA (2000)

Poland
Germany 24.4%, Italy 8.5%, Russia 7.7%, France 7.1%, China
4.3% (2003)

Portugal
Spain 29.1%, Germany 14.7%, France 9.9%, Italy 6.4%, UK
4.9%, Netherlands 4.6% (2003)

Puerto Rico
US 55.0%, Ireland 23.7%, Japan 5.4% (2002 est.)

Qatar
US 12.2%, Japan 10.5%, Germany 9.6%, UK 8%, Italy 7.4%, UAE
6.7%, Saudi Arabia 5.9%, South Korea 5% (2003)

Reunion
France 64%, Bahrain 3%, Germany 3%, Italy 3% (2000)

Romania
Italy 19.6%, Germany 14.9%, Russia 8.3%, France 7.3% (2003)

Russia
Germany 14%, Belarus 8.6%, Ukraine 7.7%, China 5.8%, US 5.2%,
Kazakhstan 4.7%, Italy 4.2%, France 4.1% (2003)

Rwanda
Kenya 23.3%, Germany 7.5%, Belgium 6.4%, Uganda 6.4%, France
5% (2003)

Saint Helena
UK 29.1%, South Africa 24.7%, Spain 16.4%, Italy 8.8%,
Tanzania 8.2%, US 5.8% (2003)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
US 35.7%, Italy 16.1%, Trinidad and Tobago
14.5%, UK 6.4%, Denmark 5.2%, Canada 4.4% (2003)

Saint Lucia
US 36.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 19.6%, UK 7.4%, Venezuela
6.8% (2003)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
France 51%, Canada 31.4%, Italy 11.8%
(2003)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
France 31.4%, US 10.4%, Singapore
10.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 10%, Spain 9%, Italy 5.5% (2003)

Samoa
New Zealand 19.8%, Fiji 17.8%, Australia 15.4%, Japan 11.9%,
US 4.7%, Singapore 4.3% (2003)

Sao Tome and Principe
Portugal 51.6%, Germany 11.3%, Italy 6.5%,
Belgium 4.8%, Netherlands 4.8% (2003)

Saudi Arabia
US 9.4%, Japan 7.7%, Germany 7.3%, UK 6.2%, China 4.4%,
France 4.1% (2003)

Senegal
France 24.9%, Nigeria 12.2%, Thailand 6.7%, Spain 4.3% (2003)

Serbia and Montenegro
Germany 18.8%, Italy 16.3%, Austria 8.1%,
Slovenia 6.6%, Hungary 5.8%, France 4.8%, Bulgaria 4.6%, Greece 4.4%
(2003)

Seychelles
Saudi Arabia 15.7%, South Africa 10.9%, Spain 10.4%,
France 9.7%, Italy 9.2%, Singapore 7%, UK 6.8% (2003)

Sierra Leone
Germany 23.7%, UK 9.9%, Cote d'Ivoire 7.4%, France
7.4%, US 5.3%, Netherlands 5.1%, Ukraine 4.6% (2003)

Singapore
Malaysia 16.8%, US 14.1%, Japan 12%, China 8.7%, Taiwan
5.1%, Thailand 4.3% (2003)

Slovakia
Germany 27.5%, Czech Republic 18.3%, Russia 10.8%, Austria
6.4%, Italy 5.6%, Poland 4.1%, Hungary 4% (2003)

Slovenia
Germany 19.3%, Italy 18.3%, France 10%, Austria 8.6% (2003)

Solomon Islands
Australia 29.7%, Singapore 21.9%, Fiji 4.7%, New
Zealand 4.7% (2003)

Somalia
Djibouti 33.9%, Kenya 15.5%, Brazil 6.6%, UAE 5.1%, Thailand
4.2% (2003)

South Africa
Germany 16.6%, UK 8.5%, US 8.2%, Japan 5.9%, China
5.9%, Saudi Arabia 5.2%, France 5% (2003)

Spain
France 16.8%, Germany 16.6%, Italy 8.8%, UK 6.5%, Netherlands
4.9% (2003)

Sri Lanka
India 16.1%, Hong Kong 8.4%, Singapore 7.8%, Japan 6.7%,
China 4.9%, South Korea 4.2%, Taiwan 4.2%, UK 4.1%, Malaysia 4%
(2003)

Sudan
Saudi Arabia 16.3%, China 14.2%, UK 5%, Germany 4.9%, India
4.8%, France 4.1% (2003)

Suriname
US 31.5%, Netherlands 18.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.5%,
China 6.8%, Japan 6.4% (2003)

Swaziland
South Africa 88.8%, EU 5.6%, Japan 0.6%, Singapore 0.4%
(1999)

Sweden
Germany 18.7%, Denmark 9%, UK 8%, Norway 8%, Netherlands
6.8%, Finland 5.6%, France 5.5%, Belgium 4.2% (2003)

Switzerland
Germany 32.3%, France 10.8%, Italy 10.7%, US 5.5%,
Netherlands 5%, Austria 4.2%, UK 4.1% (2003)

Syria
Germany 7.2%, Italy 7.1%, China 6.3%, France 5.9%, Turkey 5.4%
(2003)

Taiwan
Japan 24.2%, US 16.1%, China 7.1%, South Korea 6.9% (2002)

Tajikistan
Russia 20.2%, Uzbekistan 15.1%, Kazakhstan 10.9%,
Azerbaijan 7%, Ukraine 7%, Romania 4.4% (2003)

Tanzania
South Africa 10.1%, China 9.3%, Zambia 6.4%, India 5.8%,
UAE 5.4%, Kenya 5.1%, UK 4.5%, Germany 4% (2003)

Thailand
Japan 24.1%, US 9.5%, China 8%, Malaysia 6%, Singapore
4.3%, Taiwan 4.2% (2003)

Togo
France 21.1%, Netherlands 12.1%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.9%, Germany
4.6%, Italy 4.4%, South Africa 4.3%, China 4.1% (2003)

Tokelau
New Zealand (2000)

Tonga
New Zealand 43.4%, Fiji 22.2%, Australia 11.1%, US 6.1% (2003)

Trinidad and Tobago
US 31.7%, Venezuela 13.6%, Brazil 7.3%, Germany
6.6%, UK 5.1%, Japan 4.3% (2003)

Tunisia
France 26.1%, Italy 19.8%, Germany 8.9%, Spain 5.2% (2003)

Turkey
Germany 13.6%, Italy 7.9%, Russia 7.8%, France 6%, UK 5%, US
5%, Switzerland 4.3% (2003)

Turkmenistan
Russia 21.5%, Ukraine 15.3%, Turkey 9.4%, UAE 7.6%,
Germany 4.2%, China 4.2% (2003)

Turks and Caicos Islands
US, UK

Tuvalu
Fiji 47.3%, Australia 13.9%, Poland 10.8%, Germany 10.2%,
Japan 8%, New Zealand 6.2% (2003)

Uganda
Kenya 26%, India 7.4%, South Africa 7.2%, Japan 6.6%, UK
6.3%, UAE 5.8%, US 5.7%, China 5.1% (2003)

Ukraine
Russia 35.9%, Germany 9.4%, Turkmenistan 7.2% (2003)

United Arab Emirates
China 10%, Japan 7.2%, Germany 7.2%, US 7%,
France 6.9%, UK 5.9%, Italy 4.4%, South Korea 4.4%, India 4.1% (2003)

United Kingdom
Germany 13.5%, US 10.2%, France 8.1%, Netherlands
6.3%, Belgium 4.9%, Italy 4.7% (2003)

United States
Canada 17.4%, China 12.5%, Mexico 10.7%, Japan 9.3%,
Germany 5.3% (2003)

Uruguay
Argentina 26.1%, Brazil 21%, Russia 11.7%, US 7.6% (2003)

Uzbekistan
Russia 22.3%, US 11.4%, South Korea 11%, Germany 9.5%,
China 6.5%, Kazakhstan 6.1%, Turkey 6.1% (2003)

Vanuatu
Australia 15.3%, Japan 10.6%, Singapore 7.4%, New Zealand
6%, Fiji 5.1% (2003)

Venezuela
US 28.8%, Colombia 7%, Brazil 6.6%, Mexico 4.3% (2003)

Vietnam
China 13.7%, Taiwan 11.4%, Japan 11.3%, South Korea 11%,
Singapore 10.4%, US 5.7%, Thailand 5.4%, Hong Kong 4.2% (2003)

Virgin Islands
US, Puerto Rico

Wallis and Futuna
France 97%, Australia 2%, New Zealand 1%

West Bank
Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2000)

Western Sahara
Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so
trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2000)

World
US 9.9%, Germany 9.4%, China 7.9%, Japan 6.7%, France 4.7%
(2003)

Yemen
UAE 12.9%, Saudi Arabia 10.2%, China 8.9%, US 4.9%, Kuwait
4.4%, France 4.1% (2003)

Zambia
South Africa 48.3%, Zimbabwe 12.8%, UK 5.9%, UAE 4.3% (2003)

Zimbabwe
South Africa 51.3%, Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6.1%,
Germany 2.8% (2003)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2062 Economic aid - donor

Australia
ODA, $894 million (FY99/00)

Austria
ODA, $520 million (2002)

Belgium
ODA, $1.072 billion (2002)

Canada
ODA, $1.3 billion (1999)

Denmark
ODA, $1.63 billion (1999)

European Union
$NA

Finland
ODA, $379 million (2001)

France
ODA, $5.4 billion (2002)

Germany
ODA, $5.6 billion (1998)

Iceland
NA

Ireland
ODA, $283 million (2001)

Italy
ODA, $1 billion (2002 est.)

Japan
ODA, $7 billion (FY03/04)

Korea, South
ODA $200 million

Lesotho
ODA $4.4 million

Luxembourg
ODA, $147 million (2002)

Netherlands
ODA, $3.3 billion (2002 est.)

New Zealand
ODA, $99.7 million

Norway
ODA, $1.4 billion (1998)

Portugal
ODA, $271 million (1995)

Saudi Arabia
pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund reconstruction of
Lebanon; since 2000, Saudi Arabia has committed $307 million for
assistance to the Palestinians; pledged $240 million to development
in Afghanistan; pledged $1 billion in export guarantees and soft
loans to Iraq

Spain
ODA, $1.33 billion (1999)

Sweden
ODA, $1.7 billion (1997)

Switzerland
ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)

United Arab Emirates
NA

United Kingdom
ODA, $4.5 billion (2000)

United States
ODA, $6.9 billion (1997)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2063 Constitution

Afghanistan
new constitution drafted 14 December 2003 - 4 January
2004; signed 16 January 2004

Albania
a constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28
November 1998

Algeria
19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3
November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996

American Samoa
ratified 1966, in effect 1967

Andorra
Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991;
approved by referendum 14 March 1993; came into force 4 May 1993

Angola
11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978, 11 August 1980, 6
March 1991, and 26 August 1992; note - new constitution has not yet
been approved

Anguilla
Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990

Antigua and Barbuda
1 November 1981

Argentina
1 May 1853; revised August 1994

Armenia
adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995

Aruba
1 January 1986

Australia
9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

Austria
1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)

Azerbaijan
adopted 12 November 1995

Bahamas, The
10 July 1973

Bahrain
adopted late December 2000; Bahrani voters approved on 13-14
February 2001 a referendum on legislative changes (revised
constitution calls for a partially elected legislature, a
constitutional monarchy, and an independent judiciary)

Bangladesh
4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended
following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986, amended
many times

Barbados
30 November 1966

Belarus
30 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November
1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became
effective 27 November 1996; revised again 17 October 2004 removing
presidential term limits

Belgium
7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament
approved a constitutional package creating a federal state

Belize
21 September 1981

Benin
December 1990

Bermuda
8 June 1968, amended 1989 and 2003

Bhutan
no written constitution or bill of rights; note - in 2001 the
King commissioned the drafting of a constitution, and in November
2004 presented a draft to the Council of Ministers

Bolivia
2 February 1967; revised in August 1994

Bosnia and Herzegovina
the Dayton Agreement, signed 14 December
1995, included a new constitution now in force; note - each of the
entities also has its own constitution

Botswana
March 1965, effective 30 September 1966

Brazil
5 October 1988

British Virgin Islands
1 June 1977

Brunei
29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of
Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1
January 1984)

Bulgaria
adopted 12 July 1991

Burkina Faso
2 June 1991 approved by referendum; 11 June 1991
formally adopted; ammended April 2000

Burma
3 January 1974 (suspended since 18 September 1988); national
convention convened in 1993 to draft a new constitution but
collapsed in 1996; reconvened in 2004 but does not include
participation of democratic opposition

Burundi
13 March 1992; provided for establishment of a plural
political system; supplanted on 20 October 2004 by a provisional
constitution approved by the parliament, which extended the
transition, set ethnic quotas for government positions, and
tentatively scheduled elections for February-April 2005

Cambodia
promulgated 21 September 1993

Cameroon
20 May 1972 approved by referendum; 2 June 1972 formally
adopted; revised January 1996

Canada
17 April 1982 (Constitution Act); originally, the machinery
of the government was set up in the British North America Act of
1867; charter of rights and unwritten customs

Cape Verde
new constitution came into force 25 September 1992;
underwent a major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially
increasing the powers of the president, and a further revision in
1999, to create the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de
Justica)

Cayman Islands
1959, revised 1972 and 1992

Central African Republic
passed by referendum 5 December 2004

Chad
passed by referendum 31 March 1996

Chile
11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981, amended 30 July
1989, 1993, and 1997

China
most recent promulgation 4 December 1982

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955

Colombia
5 July 1991

Comoros
23 December 2001
note: a Transitional National Unity Government (GUNT) was formed on
20 January 2002 following the passing of the new constitution; the
GUNT governed until the presidential elections on 14 April 2002

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
a new constitution was adopted 17
July 2003

Congo, Republic of the
constitution approved by referendum 20
January 2002

Cook Islands
4 August 1965

Costa Rica
7 November 1949

Cote d'Ivoire
a new constitution was adopted 4 August 2000

Croatia
adopted on 22 December 1990; revised 2000, 2001

Cuba
24 February 1976, amended July 1992 and June 2002

Cyprus
16 August 1960; from December 1963, the Turkish Cypriots no
longer participated in the government; negotiations to create the
basis for a new or revised constitution to govern the island and to
better relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held
intermittently since the mid-1960s; in 1975, following the 1974
Turkish intervention, Turkish Cypriots created their own
constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish Federated
State of Cyprus," which became the "Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus" when the Turkish Cypriots declared their independence in
1983; a new constitution for the "TRNC" passed by referendum on 5
May 1985

Czech Republic
ratified 16 December 1992; effective 1 January 1993

Denmark
5 June 1849 adoption of original constitution; a major
overhaul of 5 June 1953 allowed for a unicameral legislature and a
female chief of state

Djibouti
multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September
1992

Dominica
3 November 1978

Dominican Republic
28 November 1966, amended 25 July 2002

East Timor
22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)

Ecuador
10 August 1998

Egypt
11 September 1971

El Salvador
23 December 1983

Equatorial Guinea
approved by national referendum 17 November 1991;
amended January 1995

Eritrea
the transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was
replaced by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet
implemented

Estonia
adopted 28 June 1992

Ethiopia
ratified December 1994; effective 22 August 1995

European Union
based on a series of treaties: the Treaty of Paris,
which set up the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951;
the Treaties of Rome, which set up the European Economic Community
(EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) in 1957;
the Single European Act in 1986; the Treaty on European Union
(Maastrict) in 1992; the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997; and the Treaty
of Nice in 2001; note - a new draft Constitutional Treaty, signed on
29 October 2004 in Rome, gives member states two years for
ratification either by parliamentary vote or national referendum
before it is scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998

Faroe Islands
5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Fiji
promulgated on 25 July 1990 and amended on 25 July 1997 to
allow nonethnic Fijians greater say in government and to make
multiparty government mandatory; entered into force 28 July 1998;
note - the May 1999 election was the first test of the amended
constitution and introduced open voting - not racially prescribed -
for the first time at the national level

Finland
1 March 2000

France
28 September 1958, amended concerning election of president
in 1962, amended to comply with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht
Treaty, 1996 Amsterdam Treaty, 2000 Treaty of Nice; amended to
tighten immigration laws in 1993; amended in 2000 to change the
seven-year presidential term to a five-year term

French Guiana
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

French Polynesia
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Gabon
adopted 14 March 1991

Gambia, The
24 April 1970; suspended July 1994; rewritten and
approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished January
1997

Georgia
adopted 17 October 1995

Germany
23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the
united German people 3 October 1990

Ghana
approved 28 April 1992

Gibraltar
30 May 1969

Greece
11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001

Greenland
5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Grenada
19 December 1973

Guadeloupe
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Guam
Organic Act of 1 August 1950

Guatemala
31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended
25 May 1993 by former President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993
following ouster of president; amended November 1993

Guernsey
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Guinea
23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Guinea-Bissau
16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26
February 1993, 9 June 1993, and 1996

Guyana
6 October 1980

Haiti
approved March 1987; suspended June 1988 with most articles
reinstated March 1989; in October 1991 government claimed to be
observing the constitution; returned to constitutional rule in
October 1994

Holy See (Vatican City) new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope John Paul II on 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Law of 1929)

Honduras
11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended 1995

Hong Kong
Basic Law approved in March 1990 by China's National
People's Congress is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"

Hungary
18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949, revised 19 April
1972; 18 October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals
and constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and
also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997
amendment streamlined the judicial system

Iceland
16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944

India
26 January 1950

Indonesia
August 1945, abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and
Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959

Iran
2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the
presidency and eliminate the prime ministership

Iraq
interim constitution signed 8 March 2004; note - the
Transitional Administrative Law (TAL) was enacted 8 March 2004 to
govern the country until an elected Iraqi Transitional Government
can draft and ratify a new constitution in 2005

Ireland
29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite

Israel
no formal constitution; some of the functions of a
constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948),
the Basic Laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli
citizenship law

Italy
passed 11 December 1947; effective 1 January 1948; amended
many times

Jamaica
6 August 1962

Japan
3 May 1947

Jersey
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Jordan
8 January 1952

Kazakhstan
adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995; first
post-independence constitution was adopted 28 January 1993

Kenya
12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with
amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, and 2001

Kiribati
12 July 1979

Korea, North
adopted 1948, completely revised 27 December 1972,
revised again in April 1992 and September 1998

Korea, South
17 July 1948

Kuwait
approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

Kyrgyzstan
adopted 5 May 1993; note - amendment proposed by
President AKAYEV and passed in a national referendum on 2 February
2003 significantly expands the powers of the president at the
expense of the legislature

Laos
promulgated 14 August 1991

Latvia
15 February 1922; an October 1998 amendment on Fundamental
Human Rights replaced the 1991 Constitutional Law, which had
supplemented the constitution

Lebanon
23 May 1926, amended a number of times, most recently
Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of
October 1989

Lesotho
2 April 1993

Liberia
6 January 1986

Libya
11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977

Liechtenstein
5 October 1921

Lithuania
adopted 25 October 1992

Luxembourg
17 October 1868, occasional revisions

Macau
Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's
Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"

Macedonia
adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991
note: in November of 2001, the Macedonian Assembly approved a series
of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights

Madagascar
19 August 1992 by national referendum

Malawi
18 May 1994

Malaysia
31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963

Maldives
adopted January 1998

Mali
adopted 12 January 1992

Malta
1964 constitution substantially amended on 13 December 1974
and again in 1987

Man, Isle of
unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act,
1961, does not embody the unwritten Manx Constitution

Marshall Islands
1 May 1979

Martinique
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Mauritania
12 July 1991

Mauritius
12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Mayotte
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Mexico
5 February 1917

Micronesia, Federated States of
10 May 1979

Moldova
new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet
constitution of 1979

Monaco
17 December 1962

Mongolia
12 February 1992

Montserrat
present constitution came into force 19 December 1989

Morocco
10 March 1972, revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create
bicameral legislature) September 1996

Mozambique
30 November 1990

Namibia
ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990

Nauru
29 January 1968

Nepal
9 November 1990

Netherlands
adopted 1815; amended many times, last time 2002

Netherlands Antilles
29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the
Netherlands, as amended

New Caledonia
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

New Zealand
consists of a series of legal documents, including
certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments and The
Constitution Act 1986 which is the principal formal charter

Nicaragua
9 January 1987, with reforms in 1995 and 2000

Niger
a new constitution was adopted 18 July 1999

Nigeria
new constitution adopted May 1999

Niue
19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)

Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island Act of 1979

Northern Mariana Islands
Covenant Agreement effective 4 November
1986 and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978

Norway
17 May 1814, modified in 1884

Oman
none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal
decree promulgating a basic law considered by the government to be a
constitution which, among other things, clarifies the royal
succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from
holding interests in companies doing business with the government,
establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil
liberties for Omani citizens

Pakistan
10 April 1973, suspended 5 July 1977, restored with
amendments 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored 31
December 2002

Palau
1 January 1981

Panama
11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983, 1994, and
2004

Papua New Guinea
16 September 1975

Paraguay
promulgated 20 June 1992

Peru
31 December 1993

Philippines
2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

Pitcairn Islands
1838; reformed 1904 with additional reforms in
1940; further refined by the Local Government Ordinance of 1964

Poland
adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997; passed by
national referendum 25 May 1997; effective 17 October 1997

Portugal
25 April 1976; revised 30 October 1982, 1 June 1989, 5
November 1992, 3 September 1997, 12 December 2001, and 24 July 2004

Puerto Rico
ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July
1952; effective 25 July 1952

Qatar
provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972; in July 1999
Amir HAMAD issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent
constitution; in the 29 April 2003 referendum, 96.6% of Qatari
voters approved the new constitution; on 8 June 2004 the new
constitution came into force

Reunion
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Romania
8 December 1991; revision came into force 29 October 2003

Russia
adopted 12 December 1993

Rwanda
a new constitution was adopted 26 May 2003

Saint Helena
1 January 1989

Saint Kitts and Nevis
19 September 1983

Saint Lucia
22 February 1979

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
27 October 1979

Samoa
1 January 1962

San Marino
8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the
functions of a constitution

Sao Tome and Principe
approved March 1990; effective 10 September
1990

Saudi Arabia
governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law); the Basic
Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities
was introduced in 1993

Senegal
a new constitution was adopted 7 January 2001

Serbia and Montenegro
4 February 2003

Seychelles
18 June 1993

Sierra Leone
1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times

Singapore
3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on preindependence State
of Singapore Constitution)

Slovakia
ratified 1 September 1992, fully effective 1 January 1993;
changed in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president;
amended February 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU
membership

Slovenia
adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991

Solomon Islands
7 July 1978

Somalia
25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
note: the Transitional National Government formed in August 2000 had
a three-year mandate to create a new constitution and hold
elections, this goal was not achieved but the process is ongoing

South Africa
10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified
by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then
President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3
February 1997; it is being implemented in phases

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
adopted 3 October 1985

Spain
6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978

Sri Lanka
adopted 16 August 1978

Sudan
12 April 1973, suspended following coup of 6 April 1985;
interim constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of
30 June 1989; new constitution implemented on 30 June 1998 partially
suspended 12 December 1999 by President BASHIR

Suriname
ratified 30 September 1987

Swaziland
a constitution was adopted 14 November 2003

Sweden
1 January 1975

Switzerland
revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal
Parliament 18 December 1998; adopted by referendum 18 April 1999;
officially entered into force 1 January 2000

Syria
13 March 1973

Taiwan
25 December 1946, amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, and 2000

Tajikistan
6 November 1994

Tanzania
25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984

Thailand
new constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997

Togo
multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of the
Republic 1 July 1992; adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992

Tokelau
administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as
amended in 1970

Tonga
4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967

Trinidad and Tobago
1 August 1976

Tunisia
1 June 1959; amended 12 July 1988

Turkey
7 November 1982

Turkmenistan
adopted 18 May 1992

Turks and Caicos Islands introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988

Tuvalu
1 October 1978

Uganda
8 October 1995; adopted by the interim, 284-member
Constituent Assembly, charged with debating the draft constitution
that had been proposed in May 1993; the Constituent Assembly was
dissolved upon the promulgation of the constitution in October 1995

Ukraine
adopted 28 June 1996

United Arab Emirates
2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)

United Kingdom
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and
practice

United States
17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789

Uruguay
27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27 June
1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; two
constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989 and 7
January 1997

Uzbekistan
new constitution adopted 8 December 1992

Vanuatu
30 July 1980

Venezuela
30 December 1999

Vietnam
15 April 1992

Virgin Islands
Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Wallis and Futuna
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Yemen
16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001

Zambia
24 August 1991

Zimbabwe
21 December 1979

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2064 Economic aid - recipient

Afghanistan
international pledges made by more than 60 countries and
international financial institutions at the Tokyo Donors Conference
for Afghan reconstruction in January 2002 reached $4.5 billion
through 2006, with $1.8 billion allocated for 2002; another $1.7
billion was pledged for 2003.

Albania
ODA: $315 million (top donors were Italy, EU, Germany) (2000
est.)

Algeria
$182 million (2001 est.)

American Samoa
important financial support from the US, more than
$40 million in 1994

Andorra
none

Angola
$383.5 million (1999)

Anguilla
$3.5 million (1995)

Antigua and Barbuda
$2.3 million (1995)

Argentina
$10 billion (2001 est.)

Armenia
ODA $170 million (2000)

Aruba
$26 million (1995); note - the Netherlands provided a $127
million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996

Azerbaijan
ODA, $140 million (2000 est.)

Bahamas, The
$9.8 million (1995)

Bahrain
$150 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from
each of Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait (2002)

Bangladesh
$1.575 billion (2000 est.)

Barbados
$9.1 million (1995)

Belarus
$194.3 million (1995)

Belize
NA

Benin
$342.6 million (2000)

Bermuda
NA

Bhutan
substantial aid from India and other nations

Bolivia
$588 million (1997)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
$650 million (2001 est.)

Botswana
$73 million (1995)

Brazil
$30 billion IMF disbursement (2002)

British Virgin Islands
NA

Brunei
$4.3 million (1995)

Bulgaria
$300 million (2000 est.)

Burkina Faso
$484.1 million (1995)

Burma
$127 million (2001 est.)

Burundi
$92.7 million (2000)

Cambodia
$548 million pledged in grants and concessional loans for
2001 by international donors (actual disbursement in 2002 was about
$500 million)

Cameroon
on 23 January 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reduce
Cameroon's debt of $1.3 billion by $900 million; debt relief now
totals $1.26 billion

Cape Verde
$136 million (1999)

Cayman Islands
NA (1999)

Central African Republic
ODA $73 million; note - traditional budget
subsidies from France (2000 est.)

Chad
$238.3 million; note - $125 million committed by Taiwan (August
1997); $30 million committed by African Development Bank; ODA $150
million (2001 est.)

Chile
ODA, $40 million (2001 est.)

China
NA

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA

Colombia
NA

Comoros
$10 million (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
$195.3 million (1995)

Congo, Republic of the
$159.1 million (1995)

Cook Islands
$13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish
the greater part (1995)

Cote d'Ivoire
ODA, $1 billion (1996 est.)

Croatia
ODA $66 million (2000)

Cuba
$68.2 million (1997 est.)

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus - $17 million (1998); north Cyprus - $700
million from Turkey in grants and loans (1990-97), which are usually
forgiven (1998)

Czech Republic
$108 million; EU structural adjustment funds (2002)

Djibouti
$36 million (2001)

Dominica
$22.8 million (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
$239.6 million (1995)

East Timor
$2.2 billion (1999-2002 est.)

Ecuador
$120 million (2001)

Egypt
ODA, $1.2 billion (2001)

El Salvador
total $252 million; $57 million from US (1995)

Equatorial Guinea
$33.8 million (1995)

Eritrea
$77 million (1999)

Estonia
$108 million (2000)

Ethiopia
$308 million (FY00/01)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
none (1997 est.)

Faroe Islands
$135 million (annual subsidy from Denmark) (1998)

Fiji
$40.3 million (1995)

French Guiana
NA (1995)

French Polynesia
$367 million (1997)

Gabon
$331 million (1995)

Gambia, The
$45.4 million (1995)

Gaza Strip
$800 million (includes West Bank) (2001 est.)

Georgia
ODA $150 million (2000 est.)

Ghana
$6.9 billion (1999)

Gibraltar
NA

Greece
$5.4 billion from EU (1995)

Greenland
$380 million subsidy from Denmark (1997)

Grenada
$8.3 million (1995)

Guadeloupe
$NA; note - substantial annual French subsidies (1995)

Guam
Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal
Treasury ($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay no income
or excise taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress,
the Guam Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal
income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees
stationed in Guam (2001 est.)

Guatemala
$250 million (2000 est.)

Guernsey
NA

Guinea
$359.2 million (1998)

Guinea-Bissau
$115.4 million (1995)

Guyana
$84 million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative
(HIPC) $253 million (1997) (2000 est.)

Haiti
$120 million (FY02)

Holy See (Vatican City)
none

Honduras
$557.8 million (1999)

Hungary
ODA $250 million (2000)

India
$2.9 billion (FY98/99)

Indonesia
$43 billion Indonesia finished its IMF program in December
2003 but still receives bilateral aid through the Consultative Group
on Indonesia (CGI), which pledged $2.8 billion in grants and loans
for 2004. (2003 est.)

Iran
$408 million (2002 est.)

Iraq
more than $33 billion in foreign aid pledged for 2004-07 (2004)

Israel
$662 million from US (2003 est.)

Jamaica
$16 million (2003)

Jersey
none

Jordan
ODA, $553 million (2000 est.)

Kazakhstan
$610 million in US assistance programs, 1992-2000 (2000)

Kenya
$453 million (1997)

Kiribati
$15.5 million largely from UK and Japan (2001 est.)

Korea, North
$NA; note - over $133 million in food aid through the
World Food Program in 2003 plus additional aid from bilateral donors
and non-governmental organizations

Kuwait
NA (2001)

Kyrgyzstan
$50 million from the US (2001)

Laos
$243 million (2001 est.)

Latvia
$96.2 million (1995)

Lebanon
$3.5 billion (pledges 1997-2001); $4.2 billion in soft loan
pledges November 2002 Paris II Aid Conference (2002)

Lesotho
$41.5 million (2000)

Liberia
$94 million (1999)

Libya
$15 million (2000)

Liechtenstein
none

Lithuania
$228.5 million (1995)

Macau
NA (1997)

Macedonia
$250 million (2003 est.)

Madagascar
$354 million (2001)

Malawi
$540 million (1999)

Maldives
NA (1995)

Mali
$596.4 million (2001)

Malta
NA

Man, Isle of
NA

Marshall Islands
more than $1 billion from the US, 1986-2002

Martinique
$NA; note - substantial annual aid from France (1998)

Mauritania
$220 million (2000)

Mauritius
$42 million (1997)

Mayotte
$107.7 million; note - extensive French financial assistance
(1995)

Mexico
$1.166 billion (1995)

Micronesia, Federated States of under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US pledged $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001

Moldova
$100 million (2000)

Monaco
NA

Mongolia
$332 million (2003 est.)

Montserrat
As of 31 March 2003, UK's DFID had provided about $328
million in economic relief from volcanic activity, and by 31 March
2006, DFID aid is expected to total $411 million.

Morocco
$565.6 million (1995)

Mozambique
$632.8 million (2001)

Namibia
ODA $160 million (2000 est.)

Nauru
$2.25 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.) (2000 est.)

Nepal
$424 million (FY00/01)

Netherlands Antilles
IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the
Netherlands continued its support with $40 million (2000)

New Caledonia
$880 million annual subsidy from France (1998)

Nicaragua
Substantial foreign support (2001)

Niger
$341 million (1997)

Nigeria
IMF $250 million (1998)

Niue
$2.6 million from New Zealand (2002)

Norfolk Island
NA

Northern Mariana Islands
extensive funding from US

Oman
$76.4 million (1995)

Pakistan
$2.4 billion (FY01/02)

Palau
$155.8 million ; note - the Compact of Free Association with
the US, entered into after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1
October 1994, provides Palau with up to $700 million in US aid over
15 years in return for furnishing military facilities

Panama
$197.1 million (1995)

Papua New Guinea
$400 million (1999 est.)

Paraguay
NA (2001)

Peru
$895.1 million (1995)

Philippines
ODA commitments, $1.2 billion (2002)

Pitcairn Islands
from UK'S DFID

Poland
EU structural adjustment funds (2000)

Puerto Rico
NA (2001)

Qatar
NA

Reunion
$NA; note - substantial annual subsidies from France (2001
est.)

Russia
in FY01 from US, $979 million (including $750 million in
non-proliferation subsidies); in 2001 from EU, $200 million (2000
est.)

Rwanda
$372.9 million (1999)

Saint Helena
$12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
$8 million (2001)

Saint Lucia
$51.8 million (1995)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
approximately $60 million in annual grants
from France

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
$47.5 million (1995); note - EU
$34.5 million (1998)

Samoa
$42.9 million (1995)

San Marino
NA

Sao Tome and Principe $200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program

Senegal $362.6 million (2002 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro $2 billion pledged in 2001 (disbursements to follow for several years)

Seychelles
$16.4 million (1995)

Sierra Leone
$103 million (2001 est.)

Singapore
NA

Slovakia
ODA $113 million (2000),; $92 million EU structural
adjustment funds (2000 est.)

Slovenia
ODA, $62 million (2000 est.)

Solomon Islands
$28 million annually, mainly from Australia (2001
est.)

Somalia
$60 million (1999 est.)

South Africa
$487.5 million (2000)

Sri Lanka
$577 million (1998)

Sudan
$172 million (2001)

Suriname
Netherlands provided $37 million for project and program
assistance, European Development Fund $4 million, Belgium $2 million
(1998)

Svalbard
$8.2 million from Norway (1998)

Swaziland
$104 million (2001)

Syria
$199 million (1997 est.)

Tajikistan
$60.7 million from US (2001)

Tanzania
$1.2 billion (2001)

Thailand
$131.5 million (1998 est.)

Togo
ODA $80 million (2000 est.)

Tokelau
from New Zealand about $4 million annually

Tonga
Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million (FY01/02)

Trinidad and Tobago
$24 million (1999 est.)

Tunisia
$378 million (2001)

Turkey
ODA, $300 million (2000)

Turkmenistan
$16 million from the US (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands
$4.1 million (1997)

Tuvalu
$13 million ; note - major donors are Australia, Japan, and
the US (1999 est.)

Uganda
$1.4 billion (2000)

Ukraine
$637.7 million (1995); IMF Extended Funds Facility $2.2
billion (1998)

Uruguay
NA

Uzbekistan
$87.4 million from the US (2003)

Vanuatu
$45.8 million (1995)

Venezuela
$74 million (2000)

Vietnam
$2.8 billion in credits and grants pledged by international
donors for 2000 (2004)

Virgin Islands
NA

Wallis and Futuna
assistance from France

West Bank
$2 billion (includes Gaza Strip) (2001-02 est.)

Western Sahara
NA

World
official development assistance (ODA) $50 billion

Yemen
$2.3 billion (2003-07 disbursements)

Zambia
$651 million (2000 est.)

Zimbabwe
$178 million; note - the EU and the US provide food aid on
humanitarian grounds (2000 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2065 Currency

Afghanistan
afghani (AFA)

Albania
lek (ALL)

Algeria
Algerian dinar (DZD)

American Samoa
US dollar (USD)

Andorra
euro (EUR)

Angola
kwanza (AOA)

Anguilla
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Antigua and Barbuda
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Argentina
Argentine peso (ARS)

Armenia
dram (AMD)

Aruba
Aruban guilder/florin (AWG)

Australia
Australian dollar (AUD)

Austria
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions
of member countries; as of 1 January 2002, the euro became the only
legal tender in EMU member countries, including Austria

Azerbaijan
Azerbaijani manat (AZM)

Bahamas, The
Bahamian dollar (BSD)

Bahrain
Bahraini dinar (BHD)

Bangladesh
taka (BDT)

Barbados
Barbadian dollar (BBD)

Belarus
Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)

Belgium
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Belize
Belizean dollar (BZD)

Benin
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Bermuda
Bermudian dollar (BMD)

Bhutan
ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)

Bolivia
boliviano (BOB)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
marka (BAM)

Botswana
pula (BWP)

Brazil
real (BRL)

British Virgin Islands
US dollar (USD)

Brunei
Bruneian dollar (BND)

Bulgaria
lev (BGL)

Burkina Faso
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Burma
kyat (MMK)

Burundi
Burundi franc (BIF)

Cambodia
riel (KHR)

Cameroon
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note -
responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Canada
Canadian dollar (CAD)

Cape Verde
Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)

Cayman Islands
Caymanian dollar (KYD)

Central African Republic
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc
(XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central
African States

Chad
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Chile
Chilean peso (CLP)

China
yuan (CNY)
note:: also referred to as the Renminbi (RMB)

Christmas Island
Australian dollar (AUD)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Australian dollar (AUD)

Colombia
Colombian peso (COP)

Comoros
Comoran franc (KMF)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Congolese franc (CDF)

Congo, Republic of the
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF);
note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African
States

Cook Islands
New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Costa Rica
Costa Rican colon (CRC)

Cote d'Ivoire
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Croatia
kuna (HRK)

Cuba
Cuban peso (CUP)

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: Cypriot pound (CYP); north Cyprus:
Turkish lira (TRL)

Czech Republic
Czech koruna (CZK)

Denmark
Danish krone (DKK)

Djibouti
Djiboutian franc (DJF)

Dominica
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Dominican Republic
Dominican peso (DOP)

East Timor
US dollar (USD)

Ecuador
US dollar (USD)

Egypt
Egyptian pound (EGP)

El Salvador
US dollar (USD)

Equatorial Guinea
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note
- responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Eritrea
nakfa (ERN)

Estonia
Estonian kroon (EEK)

Ethiopia
birr (ETB)

European Union
euro; pound (Cyprus), koruna (Czech Republic), krone
(Denmark), kroon (Estonia), forint (Hungary), lat (Latvia), litas
(Lithuania), lira (Malta), zloty (Poland), koruna (Slovakia), tolar
(Slovenia), krona (Sweden), pound (UK)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Falkland pound (FKP)

Faroe Islands
Danish krone (DKK)

Fiji
Fijian dollar (FJD)

Finland
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

France
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

French Guiana
euro (EUR)

French Polynesia
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Gabon
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note -
responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Gambia, The
dalasi (GMD)

Gaza Strip
new Israeli shekel (ILS)

Georgia
lari (GEL)

Germany
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Ghana
cedi (GHC)

Gibraltar
Gibraltar pound (GIP)

Greece
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Greenland
Danish krone (DKK) is the official legal tender.

Grenada
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Guadeloupe
euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)

Guam
US dollar (USD)

Guatemala
quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed

Guernsey
British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound

Guinea
Guinean franc (GNF)

Guinea-Bissau
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African
States; previously the Guinea-Bissau peso (GWP) was used

Guyana
Guyanese dollar (GYD)

Haiti
gourde (HTG)

Holy See (Vatican City)
euro (EUR)

Honduras
lempira (HNL)

Hong Kong
Hong Kong dollar (HKD)

Hungary
forint (HUF)

Iceland
Icelandic krona (ISK)

India
Indian rupee (INR)

Indonesia
Indonesian rupiah (IDR)

Iran
Iranian rial (IRR)

Iraq
New Iraqi dinar (NID) as of 22 January 2004

Ireland
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Israel
new Israeli shekel (ILS); note - NIS is the currency
abbreviation; ILS is the International Organization for
Standarization (ISO) code for the NIS

Italy
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Jamaica
Jamaican dollar (JMD)

Japan
yen (JPY)

Jersey
British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound

Jordan
Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Kazakhstan
tenge (KZT)

Kenya
Kenyan shilling (KES)

Kiribati
Australian dollar (AUD)

Korea, North
North Korean won (KPW)

Korea, South
South Korean won (KRW)

Kuwait
Kuwaiti dinar (KWD)

Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstani som (KGS)

Laos
kip (LAK)

Latvia
Latvian lat (LVL)

Lebanon
Lebanese pound (LBP)

Lesotho
loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)

Liberia
Liberian dollar (LRD)

Libya
Libyan dinar (LYD)

Liechtenstein
Swiss franc (CHF)

Lithuania
litas (LTL)

Luxembourg
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Macau
pataca (MOP)

Macedonia
Macedonian denar (MKD)

Madagascar
Malagasy franc (MGF)

Malawi
Malawian kwacha (MWK)

Malaysia
ringgit (MYR)

Maldives
rufiyaa (MVR)

Mali
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Malta
Maltese lira (MTL)

Man, Isle of
British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Manx pound

Marshall Islands
US dollar (USD)

Martinique
euro (EUR)

Mauritania
ouguiya (MRO)

Mauritius
Mauritian rupee (MUR)

Mayotte
euro (EUR)

Mexico
Mexican peso (MXN)

Micronesia, Federated States of
US dollar (USD)

Moldova
Moldovan leu (MDL)

Monaco
euro (EUR)

Mongolia
togrog/tugrik (MNT)

Montserrat
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Morocco
Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Mozambique
metical (MZM)

Namibia
Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)

Nauru
Australian dollar (AUD)

Nepal
Nepalese rupee (NPR)

Netherlands
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Netherlands Antilles
Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)

New Caledonia
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note -
may adopt the euro in 2003

New Zealand
New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Nicaragua
gold cordoba (NIO)

Niger
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Nigeria
naira (NGN)

Niue
New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Norfolk Island
Australian dollar (AUD)

Northern Mariana Islands
US dollar (USD)

Norway
Norwegian krone (NOK)

Oman
Omani rial (OMR)

Pakistan
Pakistani rupee (PKR)

Palau
US dollar (USD)

Panama
balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD)

Papua New Guinea
kina (PGK)

Paraguay
guarani (PYG)

Peru
nuevo sol (PEN)

Philippines
Philippine peso (PHP)

Pitcairn Islands
New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Poland
zloty (PLN)

Portugal
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Puerto Rico
US dollar (USD)

Qatar
Qatari rial (QAR)

Reunion
euro (EUR)

Romania
leu (ROL)

Russia
Russian ruble (RUR)

Rwanda
Rwandan franc (RWF)

Saint Helena
Saint Helenian pound (SHP)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Saint Lucia
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
euro (EUR)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Samoa
tala (SAT)

San Marino
euro (EUR)

Sao Tome and Principe
dobra (STD)

Saudi Arabia
Saudi riyal (SAR)

Senegal
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Serbia and Montenegro
in Serbia the Serbian dinar (CSD) is legal
tender, but the euro (EUR) is the de facto currency; in Montenegro
and Kosovo the euro is legal tender. (2004)

Seychelles
Seychelles rupee (SCR)

Sierra Leone
leone (SLL)

Singapore
Singapore dollar (SGD)

Slovakia
Slovak koruna (SKK)

Slovenia
tolar (SIT)

Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)

Somalia
Somali shilling (SOS)

South Africa
rand (ZAR)

Spain
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions
of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions with the member countries

Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)

Sudan
Sudanese dinar (SDD)

Suriname
Surinamese guilder (SRG)

Svalbard
Norwegian krone (NOK)

Swaziland
lilangeni (SZL)

Sweden
Swedish krona (SEK)

Switzerland
Swiss franc (CHF)

Syria
Syrian pound (SYP)

Taiwan
new Taiwan dollar (TWD)

Tajikistan
somoni

Tanzania
Tanzanian shilling (TZS)

Thailand
baht (THB)

Togo
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Tokelau
New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Tonga
pa'anga (TOP)

Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)

Tunisia
Tunisian dinar (TND)

Turkey
Turkish lira (TRL)

Turkmenistan
Turkmen manat (TMM)

Turks and Caicos Islands
US dollar (USD)

Tuvalu
Australian dollar (AUD); note - there is also a Tuvaluan
dollar

Uganda
Ugandan shilling (UGX)

Ukraine
hryvnia (UAH)

United Arab Emirates
Emirati dirham (AED)

United Kingdom
British pound (GBP)

United States
US dollar (USD)

Uruguay
Uruguayan peso (UYU)

Uzbekistan
Uzbekistani sum (UZS)

Vanuatu
vatu (VUV)

Venezuela
bolivar (VEB)

Vietnam
dong (VND)

Virgin Islands
US dollar (USD)

Wallis and Futuna
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

West Bank
new Israeli shekel (ILS); Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Western Sahara
Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Yemen
Yemeni rial (YER)

Zambia
Zambian kwacha (ZMK)

Zimbabwe
Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2066 Death rate (deaths/1,000 population)

Afghanistan
21.12 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Albania
5.02 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Algeria
4.61 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

American Samoa
3.39 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Andorra
5.9 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Angola
25.86 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Anguilla
5.46 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
5.55 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Argentina
7.57 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Armenia
8.12 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Aruba
6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Australia
7.38 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Austria
9.56 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
9.76 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
8.82 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bahrain
4.03 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
8.52 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Barbados
9.08 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Belarus
14.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Belgium
10.2 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Belize
6.04 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Benin
13.69 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bermuda
7.55 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bhutan
13.2 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bolivia
7.77 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
8.33 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Botswana
33.63 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Brazil
6.14 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Brunei
3.4 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
14.25 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
18.79 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Burma
12.16 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Burundi
17.61 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cambodia
9.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cameroon
15.34 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Canada
7.67 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
6.72 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands
4.76 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Central African Republic
19.99 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Chad
16.38 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Chile
5.71 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

China
6.92 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Christmas Island
NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Colombia
5.61 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Comoros
8.63 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 14.64 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
14.49 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cook Islands
NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Costa Rica
4.32 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
18.48 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Croatia
11.3 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cuba
7.17 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cyprus
7.63 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
10.54 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Denmark
10.53 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Djibouti
19.42 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Dominica
6.9 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

East Timor
6.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ecuador
4.26 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Egypt
5.3 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

El Salvador
5.93 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
12.27 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Eritrea
13.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Estonia
13.27 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
20.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

European Union
10 deaths/1,000 population (July 2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA deaths/1,000 population (2004
est.)

Faroe Islands
8.68 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Fiji
5.68 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Finland
9.69 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

France
9.06 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

French Guiana
4.82 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

French Polynesia
4.58 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Gabon
11.43 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
12.08 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
3.95 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Georgia
8.98 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Germany
10.44 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ghana
10.67 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
9.05 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Greece
10.08 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Greenland
7.7 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Grenada
7.31 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Guadeloupe
6.05 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Guam
4.35 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Guatemala
6.79 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Guernsey
9.87 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Guinea
15.53 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
16.57 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Guyana
9.71 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Haiti
13.21 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Honduras
6.64 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
5.98 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Hungary
13.16 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Iceland
6.57 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

India
8.38 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Indonesia
6.26 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Iran
5.53 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Iraq
5.66 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ireland
7.91 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Israel
6.19 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Italy
10.21 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Jamaica
5.4 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Japan
8.75 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Jersey
9.17 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Jordan
2.62 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
9.59 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Kenya
16.31 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Kiribati
8.49 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Korea, North
6.99 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Korea, South
6.13 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Kuwait
2.44 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
7.19 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Laos
12.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Latvia
13.73 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Lebanon
6.28 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Lesotho
24.79 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Liberia
17.86 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Libya
3.48 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
6.94 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Lithuania
11.03 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
8.42 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Macau
4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Macedonia
7.83 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Madagascar
11.62 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Malawi
23.01 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Malaysia
5.08 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Maldives
7.44 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Mali
19.12 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Malta
7.93 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
11.35 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Marshall Islands
4.94 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Martinique
6.43 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Mauritania
12.74 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Mauritius
6.82 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Mayotte
8.11 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Mexico
4.73 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of 4.97 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Moldova
12.76 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Monaco
12.74 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Mongolia
7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Montserrat
7.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Morocco
5.71 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Mozambique
23.86 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Namibia
21.02 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Nauru
6.95 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Nepal
9.66 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Netherlands
8.67 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

New Caledonia
5.64 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

New Zealand
7.54 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
4.54 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Niger
21.51 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Nigeria
13.99 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Niue
NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Norfolk Island
NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
2.3 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Norway
9.51 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Oman
3.91 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Pakistan
8.67 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Palau
6.89 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Panama
6.39 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
7.5 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Paraguay
4.58 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Peru
6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Philippines
5.53 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
NA deaths/1,000 population

Poland
9.97 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Portugal
10.37 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
7.77 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Qatar
4.52 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Reunion
5.48 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Romania
11.69 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Russia
15.17 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Rwanda
21.86 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Saint Helena
6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
8.65 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Saint Lucia
5.18 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
6.72 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6.04 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Samoa
6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

San Marino
7.96 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
6.89 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
2.66 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Senegal
10.74 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
10.53 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Seychelles
6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
20.62 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Singapore
4.05 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Slovakia
9.48 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Slovenia
10.15 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
4.04 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Somalia
17.3 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

South Africa
20.54 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Spain
9.55 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sudan
9.37 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Suriname
6.99 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Svalbard
NA deaths/1,000 population

Swaziland
23.06 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sweden
10.38 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Switzerland
8.44 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Syria
4.96 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Taiwan
6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
8.42 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Tanzania
17.45 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Thailand
6.94 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Togo
11.64 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Tokelau
NA deaths/1,000 population

Tonga
5.45 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
9.02 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Tunisia
5.05 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Turkey
5.95 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
8.82 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
4.26 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Tuvalu
7.24 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Uganda
16.61 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ukraine
16.41 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
4.14 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
10.19 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

United States
8.34 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Uruguay
9.07 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
7.95 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
8.02 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Venezuela
4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Vietnam
6.14 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
NA deaths/1,000 population

West Bank
4.07 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Western Sahara
NA deaths/1,000 population

World
8.86 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Yemen
8.78 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Zambia
24.35 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
23.3 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2067 Military expenditures - dollar figure

Afghanistan
$61 million (2003)

Albania
$56.5 million (FY02)

Algeria
$2,196.6 million (2003)

Angola
$265.1 million (2003)

Antigua and Barbuda
NA

Argentina
$4.3 billion (FY99)

Armenia
$135 million (FY01)

Australia
$14,120.1 million (2003)

Austria
$1.497 billion (FY01/02)

Azerbaijan
$121 million (FY99)

Bahamas, The
NA

Bahrain
$618.1 million (2003)

Bangladesh
$606.8 million (2003)

Barbados
NA

Belarus
$176.1 million (FY02)

Belgium
$3.999 billion (2003)

Belize
$18 million (2003)

Benin
$98.3 million (2003)

Bermuda
$4.03 million (2001)

Bhutan
$11.2 million (2003)

Bolivia
$127 million (2003)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
$234.3 million (FY02)

Botswana
$298.9 million (2003)

Brazil
$10,439.4 million (2003)

Brunei
$339.5 million (2003)

Bulgaria
$356 million (FY02)

Burkina Faso
$52.7 million (2003)

Burma
$39 million (FY97)

Burundi
$33.3 million (2003)

Cambodia
$112 million (FY01 est.)

Cameroon
$189.2 million (2003)

Canada
$9,801.7 million (2003)

Cape Verde
$12.3 million (2003)

Central African Republic
$14.5 million (2003)

Chad
$55.4 million (2003)

Chile
$2,839.6 million (2003)

China
$60 billion (2003 est.)

Colombia
$3.3 billion (FY01)

Comoros
$6 million (2003)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
$115.5 million (2003)

Congo, Republic of the
$68.6 million (2003)

Costa Rica
$64 million (2003)

Cote d'Ivoire
$173.6 million (2003)

Croatia
$520 million (2002 est.)

Cuba
$572.3 million (2003)

Cyprus
$384 million (FY02)

Czech Republic
$1,190.2 million (FY01)

Denmark
$3,271.6 million (2003)

Djibouti
$26.5 million (2003)

Dominica
NA

Dominican Republic
$180 million (1998)

East Timor
$4.4 million (FY03)

Ecuador
$650 million (2003)

Egypt
$2,443.2 million (2003)

El Salvador
$157 million (2003)

Equatorial Guinea
$75.1 million (2003)

Eritrea
$77.9 million (2003)

Estonia
$155 million (2002 est.)

Ethiopia
$345 million (2003)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA

Faroe Islands
NA

Fiji
$34 million (2003)

Finland
$1.8 billion (FY98/99)

France
$45,238.1 million (2003)

French Guiana
NA

Gabon
$149.3 million (2003)

Gambia, The
$900,000 (2003)

Gaza Strip
NA

Georgia
$23 million (FY00)

Germany
$35.063 billion (2003)

Ghana
$44 million (2003)

Greece
$7,288.9 million (2003)

Grenada
NA

Guatemala
$202.6 million (2003)

Guinea
$58.5 million (2003)

Guinea-Bissau
$8.4 million (2003)

Guyana
$6.5 million (2003)

Haiti
$25.8 million (2003)

Honduras
$99.8 million (2003)

Hong Kong
Hong Kong garrison is funded by China; figures are NA

Hungary
$1.08 billion (2002 est.)

Iceland
0

India
$14,018.8 million (2003)

Indonesia
$1 billion (FY98)

Iran
$4.3 billion (2003 est.)

Iraq
$1.3 billion (FY00)

Ireland
$700 million (FY00/01)

Israel
$9.11 billion (FY03)

Italy
$28,182.8 million (2003)

Jamaica
$31 million (2003)

Japan
$42,488.1 million (2003)

Jordan
$2,043.2 million (2003)

Kazakhstan
$221.8 million (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)

Kenya
$231 million (2003)

Kiribati
NA

Korea, North
$5,217.4 million (FY02)

Korea, South
$14.522 billion (FY03)

Kuwait
$2,500.4 million (2003)

Kyrgyzstan
$19.2 million (FY01)

Laos
$10.9 million (2003)

Latvia
$87 million (FY01)

Lebanon
$541 million (2002)

Lesotho
$32.5 million (2003)

Liberia
$10 million (2003)

Libya
$1.3 billion (FY99)

Lithuania
$230.8 million (FY01)

Luxembourg
$231.6 million (2003)

Macedonia
$200 million (FY01/02 est.)

Madagascar
$69.8 million (2003)

Malawi
$11.5 million (2003)

Malaysia
$1.69 billion (FY00 est.)

Maldives
$43.1 million (2003)

Mali
$51.1 million (2003)

Malta
$33.3 million (2003)

Marshall Islands
NA

Mauritania
$40.8 million (2003)

Mauritius
$11.2 million (2003)

Mexico
$5,168.3 million (2003)

Moldova
$9.5 million (FY03)

Mongolia
$23.1 million (FY02)

Morocco
$2,297.2 million (2003)

Mozambique
$101.3 million (2003)

Namibia
$111.6 million (2003)

Nauru
NA

Nepal
$295 million (FY03)

Netherlands
$8,044.4 million (2003)

New Caledonia
NA

New Zealand
$1.147 billion (FY03/04)

Nicaragua
$30.8 million (2003)

Niger
$21.7 million (2003)

Nigeria
$469.8 million (2003)

Norway
$4,033.5 million (2003)

Oman
$242.07 million (2003)

Pakistan
$2.7 billion (FY02/03)

Palau
NA

Panama
$145 million (2003)

Papua New Guinea
$16.9 million (2003)

Paraguay
$52.7 million (2003)

Peru
$829.4 million (2003)

Philippines
$995 million (FY98)

Poland
$3.5 billion (2002)

Portugal
$3,497.8 million (2003)

Qatar
$723 million (FY00)

Romania
$985 million (2002)

Russia
NA

Rwanda
$47.7 million (2003)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
NA

Saint Lucia
NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
NA

Samoa
NA

San Marino
$700,000 (FY00/01)

Sao Tome and Principe
$500,000 (2003)

Saudi Arabia
$18 billion (2002)

Senegal
$95.8 million (2003)

Serbia and Montenegro
$654 million (2002)

Seychelles
$11.6 million (2003)

Sierra Leone
$11.7 million (2003)

Singapore
$4.47 billion (FY01 est.)

Slovakia
$406 million (2002)

Slovenia
$370 million (FY00)

Solomon Islands
NA

Somalia
$18.9 million (2003)

South Africa
$2,653.4 million (2003)

Spain
$9,906.5 million (2003)

Sri Lanka
$518 million (2003)

Sudan
$581 million (2001 est.)

Suriname
$7.5 million (2003)

Swaziland
$29 million (2003)

Sweden
$4.395 billion (FY01)

Switzerland
$2.548 billion (FY01)

Syria
$858 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data
that may understate actual spending

Taiwan
$7,611.7 million (2003)

Tajikistan
$35.4 million (FY01)

Tanzania
$20.3 million (2003)

Thailand
$1.775 billion (FY00)

Togo
$32.6 million (2003)

Tonga
NA

Trinidad and Tobago
$66.7 million (2003)

Tunisia
$356 million (FY99)

Turkey
$12.155 billion (2003)

Turkmenistan
$90 million (FY99)

Tuvalu
NA

Uganda
$128.2 million (2003)

Ukraine
$617.9 million (FY02)

United Arab Emirates
$1.6 billion (FY00)

United Kingdom
$42,836.5 million (2003)

United States
$370.7 billion (FY04 est.) (March 2003)

Uruguay
$217.9 million (2003)

Uzbekistan
$200 million (FY97)

Vanuatu
NA

Venezuela
$1,125.6 million (2003)

Vietnam
$650 million (FY98)

West Bank
NA

Western Sahara
NA

World
aggregate real expenditure on arms worldwide in 1999 remained
at approximately the 1998 level, about three-quarters of a trillion
dollars (1999 est.)

Yemen
$885.6 million (2003)

Zambia
$42.6 million (2003)

Zimbabwe
$105 million (2003)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2068 Dependent areas

Australia
Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos
(Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald
Islands, Norfolk Island

France
Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French
Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands,
Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis and
Futuna
note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

Netherlands
Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

New Zealand
Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

Norway
Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard

United Kingdom
Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory,
British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar,
Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint
Helena and Ascension, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands,
Turks and Caicos Islands

United States
American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island,
Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa
Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin
Islands, Wake Island
note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered
the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. It entered into a
political relationship with all four political units: the Northern
Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US
(effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free
Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994); the Federated
States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the
US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands
signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21
October 1986)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2070 Disputes - international

Afghanistan
despite largely successful UN efforts at voluntary
repatriation, 2-3 million Afghan refugees continue to reside in Iran
and Pakistan, many at their own choosing; Pakistan has sent troops
into remote tribal areas to control the border and stem organized
terrorist and other illegal cross-border activites; regular meetings
between Pakistani and coalition allies aim to resolve periodic
claims of boundary encroachments; occasional conflicts over
water-sharing arrangements with Amu Darya and Helmand River states

Albania
the Albanian Government calls for the protection of the
rights of ethnic Albanians in neighboring countries, and the
peaceful resolution of interethnic disputes; some ethnic Albanian
groups in neighboring countries advocate for a "greater Albania,"
but the idea has little appeal among Albanian nationals

Algeria
Algeria supports the exiled Sahrawi Polisario Front and
rejects Moroccan administration of Western Sahara; Algeria's border
with Morocco remains an irritant to bilateral relations; each nation
has accused the other of harboring militants and arms smuggling; in
an attempt to improve relations afer unilaterally imposing a visa
requirement on Algerians in the early 1990s, Morocco lifted the
requirement in mid-2004 - a gesture not reciprocated by Algeria;
Algeria remains concerned about armed bandits operating throughout
the Sahel who sometimes destabilize southern Algerian towns; dormant
disputes include Libyan claims of about 32,000 sq km still reflected
on its maps of southeastern Algeria and the FLN's assertions of a
claim to Chirac Pastures in southeastern Morocco

American Samoa
none

Andorra
none

Angola
continues to give shelter to refugees from the Democratic
Republic of the Congo while many Angolan refugees and Cabinda
exclave secessionists reside in neighboring states

Anguilla
none

Antarctica
Antarctic Treaty freezes claims (see Antarctic Treaty
Summary in Government type entry); sections (some overlapping)
claimed by Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK;
the US and most other states do not recognize the territorial claims
of other states and have made no claims themselves (the US and
Russia reserve the right to do so); no claims have been made in the
sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west; several states
with land claims in Antarctica have expressed their intention to
submit data to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental
Shelf to extend their continental shelf claims to adjoining undersea
ridges

Antigua and Barbuda
none

Arctic Ocean
some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

Argentina
UK continues to reject sovereignty talks requested by
Argentina, whose constitution still claims UK-administered Falkland
Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich
Islands, but in 1995 ceded the right to settle the dispute by force;
Beagle Channel islands dispute resolved through Papal mediation in
1984, but armed incidents persist since 1992 oil discovery;
territorial claim in Antarctica partially overlaps UK and Chilean
claims (see Antarctic disputes); unruly region at convergence of
Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering,
smuggling, arms and drug trafficking, and fundraising for extremist
organizations; uncontested dispute between Brazil and Uruguay over
Braziliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim River leaves the tripoint
with Argentina in question

Armenia
Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in
Nagorno-Karabakh and militarily occupies 16% of Azerbaijan -
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues
to mediate dispute; border with Turkey remains closed over
Nagorno-Karabakh dispute; traditional demands regarding former
Armenian lands in Turkey have subsided; ethnic Armenian groups in
Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy from the new
Georgian Government

Aruba
none

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Indonesian groups challenge Australia's
claim to Ashmore Reef; Australia has closed the surrounding waters
to Indonesian traditional fishing and has created a national park in
the region while continuing to prospect for hydrocarbons in the
vicinity

Atlantic Ocean
some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

Australia
the 1999 maritime delimitation established partial
maritime boundaries with East Timor over part of the Timor Gap but
temporary resource-sharing agreements over an unreconciled area
grant Australia 90% share of exploited gas reserves and hamper
creation of a southern maritime boundary with Indonesia (see Ashmore
and Cartier Islands disputes); Australia asserts a territorial claim
to Antarctica and to its continental shelf (see Antarctica)

Austria
minor disputes with the Czech Republic over the Temelin
Nuclear Power Plant

Azerbaijan
Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in
Nagorno-Karabakh and militarily occupies about one-sixth of
Azerbaijan - Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) continues to mediate dispute; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and
Russia ratify Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on
equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on an even one-fifth
allocation and challenges Azerbaijan's hydrocarbon exploration in
disputed waters; talks resume with Turkmenistan on dividing the
seabed in 2004 as both sides await an ICJ decision on contested
oilfields in the middle of the Caspian; Azerbaijan protests Georgian
constructions at the Red Bridge crossing and several other small
segments of boundary, which remain unresolved until delimitation

Bahamas, The
concerned about migrants fleeing Haiti's deteriorated
economic and political conditions

Bahrain
none

Baker Island
none

Bangladesh
discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small
section of river boundary, exchange 162 miniscule enclaves in both
countries, allocate divided villages, and stop illegal cross-border
trade, migration, and violence; Bangladesh protests India's attempts
to fence off high-traffic sections of the porous boundary; dispute
with India over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay
of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation; Burmese Muslim
refugees strain Bangladesh's meager resources

Barbados
Barbados intends to take its claim before UNCLOS
arbitration that the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's
maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into its waters; joins
other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island
sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits
Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion
of the Caribbean Sea

Bassas da India
claimed by Madagascar

Belarus
1997 boundary treaty with Ukraine remains unratified over
unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and diminishing
border security; boundaries with Latvia and Lithuania remain
undemarcated despite European Union financial support

Belgium
none

Belize
Guatemalan squatters continue to settle along the border
region; an OAS brokered Differendum in 2002 created a small
adjustment to the land boundary, a large Guatemalan maritime
corridor in Caribbean, a joint ecological park for disputed
Sapodilla Cays, and a substantial US-UK financial package, but
agreement was not brought to popular referendum leaving Guatemala to
continue to claim the southern half of Belize

Benin
two villages remain in dispute along the border with Burkina
Faso; accuses Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars; much of
Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains
undemarcated, and ICJ ad hoc judges have been selected to rule on
disputed Niger and Mekrou River islands; several villages along the
Okpara River are in dispute with Nigeria; a joint boundary
commission continues to resurvey the boundary with Togo to verify
Benin's claim that Togo moved boundary stones

Bermuda
none

Bhutan
approximately 100,000 Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal, 90%
of whom reside in seven UN Office of the High Commissioner for
Refugees camps, place decades-long strains on Nepal

Bolivia
has reactivated its claim to restore the Atacama corridor,
ceded to Chile in 1884, to secure sovereign maritime access for
Bolivian natural gas

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and
Montenegro have delimited most of their boundary, but sections along
the Drina River remain in dispute; discussions continue with Croatia
on problem sections around Kostajnica on the Una River and villages
at the base of Mount Pljesevica

Botswana
established a commission with Namibia to resolve small
residual disputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu
marshlands along the Linyanti River; downstream Botswana residents
protest Namibia's planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric
dam at Popavalle (Popa Falls); Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and
Zimbabwe boundary convergence is not clearly defined or delimited

Bouvet Island
none

Brazil
unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay
borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and drug
trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations;
uncontested dispute with Uruguay over certain islands in the
Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada boundary streams and the resulting
tripoint with Argentina

British Indian Ocean Territory Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; the UK resists the Chagossians' demand for an immediate return to the islands; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricted access to the largest island in the chain

British Virgin Islands
none

Brunei
in 2003 Brunei and Malaysia ceased gas and oil exploration in
their offshore and deepwater seabeds until negotiations progress to
an agreement over allocation of disputed areas; Malaysia's land
boundary with Brunei around Limbang is in dispute; Brunei
established an exclusive economic fishing zone encompassing Louisa
Reef in southern Spratly Islands in 1984 but makes no public
territorial claim to the offshore reefs; the 2002 "Declaration on
the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions in
the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally binding "code of
conduct" desired by several of the disputants

Bulgaria
none

Burkina Faso
two villages are in dispute along the border with
Benin; Benin accuses Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars;
Burkina Faso border regions have become a staging area for Liberia
and Cote d'Ivoire rebels and an asylum for refugees caught in
regional fighting; the Ivoirian Government accuses Burkina Faso of
supporting Ivoirian rebels

Burma
despite continuing border committee talks, significant
differences remain with Thailand over boundary alignment and the
handling of ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border
activities; groups in Burma and Thailand express concern over
China's construction of 13 hydroelectric dams on the Salween River
in Yunnan Province; India seeks cooperation from Burma to keep out
Indian Nagaland insurgents

Burundi
Tutsi, Hutu, and other conflicting ethnic groups, associated
political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces
continue fighting in the Great Lakes region, transcending the
boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and
Uganda to gain control over populated and natural resource areas;
government heads pledge to end conflict, but localized violence
continues despite UN peacekeeping efforts

Cambodia
land boundary disputes persist among Cambodian claims that
Thailand and Vietnam moved or destroyed boundary markers; maritime
boundary with Vietnam is hampered by dispute over offshore islands;
Cambodia periodically accuses Thailand of obstructing access to
Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in
1962; 2003 anti-Thai riots in Phnom Penh resulted in the destruction
of the Thai Embassy, damage to 17 Thai-owned businesses, and
disputes over full payment of compensation

Cameroon
ICJ ruled in 2002 on the entire Cameroon-Nigeria land and
maritime boundary but the parties formed a Joint Border Commission
to resolve differences bilaterally and have commenced with
demarcation in less-contested sections of the boundary, starting in
Lake Chad in the north; the ICF ruled on an equidistance settlement
of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf
of Guinea, however, implementation of the decision is delayed due to
imprecisely defined coordinates, the unresolved Bakasi allocation,
and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon
over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River; Nigeria initially
rejected cession of the Bakasi Peninsula; Lake Chad Commission
continues to urge signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria to
ratify delimitation treaty over the lake region, which remains the
site of armed clashes among local populations and militias

Canada
managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon
Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the
disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; uncontested dispute
with Denmark over Hans Island sovereignty in the Kennedy Channel
between Ellesmere Island and Greenland

Cape Verde
none

Cayman Islands
none

Central African Republic
internal political instabilities with
fighting and violence overlap into Chad and CAR, leaving refugees
and rebel groups in both countries; Sudan has pledged to work with
CAR to stem violent skirmishes over water and grazing rights among
related pastoral populations along the border

Chad
civil war in Sudan overlaps into Chad as both states step up
border patrols, leaving refugees and rebel groups in both countries;
Chad serves as an important mediator in the Sudanese civil conflict;
Chadian Aozou rebels reside in southern Libya; Lake Chad Commission
continues to urge signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria to
ratify delimitation treaty over lake region; Chad rejects Nigerian
request to redemarcate boundary, the site of periodic cross-border
incidents

Chile
Bolivia has reactivated its claim to the Atacama corridor
ceded to Chile in 1884 to secure sovereign maritime access for
Bolivian natural gas; dispute with Peru over the economic zone
delimited by the maritime boundary; Beagle Channel islands dispute
resolved through Papal mediation in 1984, but armed incidents
persist since 1992 oil discovery; territorial claim in Antarctica
(Chilean Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps Argentine and
British claims

China
involved in complex dispute with Malaysia, Philippines,
Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the
2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea"
has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of
conduct" desired by several of the disputants; most of the rugged,
militarized boundary with India is in dispute, but the two sides are
committed to begin resolution with discussions on the least disputed
Middle Sector; Kashmir remains the world's largest and highly
militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto
administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and
Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas), but recent discussion
and confidence-building measures among parties are beginning to
defuse tensions, India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding lands to
China in a 1964 boundary agreement; China and Taiwan continue to
assert their claims to the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands
(Diaoyu Tai) with increased media coverage and protest actions;
certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers are in an uncontested
dispute with North Korea and a section of boundary around Mount
Paektu is indefinite - China has been attempting to manage illegal
migration of North Koreans into northern China; China and Russia in
2004 resolved their last border dispute over islands in the Amur and
Argun Rivers, but details on demarcation have not yet been
worked-out; boundary delimitation agreements signed in 2002 with
Tajikistan cedes 1,000 sq km of Pamir Mountain range to China in
return for China's relinquishing claims to 28,000 sq km, but
demarcation has not commenced; agreements with Vietnam demarcating
maritime boundaries and fisheries cooperation in the Gulf of Tonkin
were ratified in June, and demarcation of the land boundary
continues; China occupies some of the Paracel Islands also claimed
by Vietnam and Taiwan; in response to groups in Burma and Thailand
expressing concern over China's plans to construct 13 hydroelectric
dams on the Nu River in Yunnan Province (Salween River in Burma),
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao suspended the project to conduct an
environmental impact assessment, a smaller scale version of only 4
dams is now scheduled to move forward

Christmas Island
none

Clipperton Island
none

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
none

Colombia
Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and
against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundary
involving 50,000 sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including the
Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank;
maritime boundary dispute with Venezuela in the Gulf of Venezuela;
Colombian drug activities penetrate Peruvian border area; the
continuing civil disorder in Colombia has created a serious refugee
crisis in neighboring states, especially Ecuador

Comoros
claims French-administered Mayotte

Congo, Democratic Republic of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is in the grip of a civil war, tribal conflict, and rebel gang fighting that has drawn in neighboring states of Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda; in the Great Lakes region and Sudan, heads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledge to end conflict, but unchecked localized violence continues unabated; the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area

Congo, Republic of the
the location of the boundary in the broad
Congo River with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite
except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area

Cook Islands
none

Coral Sea Islands
none

Costa Rica
legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on
the border with Nicaragua remains unsolved

Cote d'Ivoire
continuing rebel fighting extends to neighboring
states and has kept out foreign workers from nearby countries; the
Ivorian Government accuses Burkina Faso and Liberia of supporting
Ivorian rebels

Croatia
discussions continue with Bosnia and Herzegovina over
disputed territory around Kostajnica on the Una River and villages
at the base of Mount Pljesevica; the Croatia-Slovenia land and
maritime boundary agreement, which would have ceded most of Pirin
Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and several villages to Croatia,
remains controversial, has not been ratified, and has been
complicated by Croatia's declaration of an ecological-fisheries zone
in the Adriatic Sea

Cuba
US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual
agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease

Cyprus
hostilities in 1974 divided the island into two de facto
autonomous areas, a Greek Cypriot area controlled by the
internationally recognized Cypriot Government and a Turkish Cypriot
area, separated by a UN buffer zone; March 2003 reunification talks
failed, but Turkish Cypriots later opened their borders to temporary
visits by Greek Cypriots

Czech Republic
Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for
1,600 sq km of land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918;
individual Sudeten Germans seek restitution for property confiscated
in connection with their expulsion after World War II; Austria has
minor dispute with Czech Republic over the Temelin Nuclear Power
Plant

Denmark
Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark,
Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary
agreement in the Rockall area) remains dormant; dispute with Iceland
over the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line boundary within 200
nm; disputes with Iceland, the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe
Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 nm; Faroese continue
to study proposals for full independence; uncontested dispute with
Canada over Hans Island sovereignty in the Kennedy Channel between
Ellesmere Island and Greenland

Djibouti
Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with
"Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to
various factions in Somalia including the Somali Transitional
National Government in Mogadishu

Dominica
joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim
that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under
UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf
over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Dominican Republic
despite efforts to control illegal migration,
destitute Haitians fleeing poverty and violence continue to cross
into the Dominican Republic; illegal migration of Dominicans and
other nationals across the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico has increased
in the last year

East Timor
East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to
meet, survey, and delimit the land boundary, but several sections of
the boundary especially around the Oekussi enclave remain
unresolved; Indonesia and East Timor contest the sovereignty of the
uninhabited coral island of Palau Batek/Fatu Sinai, which may delay
decision on the northern maritime boundaries; numbers of East Timor
refugees in Indonesia refuse repatriation; East Timor and Australia
continue to disagree over the delimitation of a permanent maritime
boundary and over the sharing of petroleum resources that fall
outside the Joint Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002
Timor Sea Treaty

Ecuador
the continuing civil disorder in Colombia has created a
serious refugee crisis in neighboring states, especially Ecuador

Egypt
Egypt and Sudan retain claims to administer the triangular
areas that extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary along
the 22nd Parallel, but have withdrawn their military presence; Egypt
is economically developing and effectively administers the "Hala'ib
Triangle" north of the Treaty line

El Salvador
in 1992, the ICJ ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones"
(disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, and the
OAS is assisting with a technical resolution of undemarcated
bolsones; in 2003, the ICJ rejected El Salvador's request to revise
its decision on one part of the bolsones; the 1992 ICJ ruling
advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf
of Fonseca with consideration of Honduran access to the Pacific; El
Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not mentioned by the
ICJ, off Honduras in the Gulf de Fonseca

Equatorial Guinea
in 2002, ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement
of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf
of Guinea, but a dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over
an island at the mouth of the Ntem River, imprecisely defined
coordinates in the ICJ decision, and the unresolved Bakasi
allocation contribute to the delay in implementation; creation of a
maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay with Gabon is
hampered by dispute over Mbane Island, administered and occupied by
Gabon since the 1970s

Eritrea
Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002
Ethiopia-Eritrea Border Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision,
but demarcation has been delayed, despite intense international
intervention, by Ethiopian insistence that the decision ignored
"human geography," made technical errors in the delimitation, and
incorrectly awarded Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000 war, and other
areas to Eritrea and Eritrea's insistence on not deviating from the
commission's decision; UN Peacekeeping Mission to Ethiopia and
Eritrea (UNMEE) continues to monitor a 25km-wide Temporary Security
Zone in Eritrea until the demarcation; Sudan accuses Eritrea of
supporting Sudanese rebel groups; Eritrea protests Yemeni fishing
around the Hanish Islands awarded to Eritrea by the ICJ in 1999

Estonia
Russia continues to reject signing and ratifying the joint
December 1996 technical border agreement with Estonia

Ethiopia
Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by the 2002
independent boundary commission's delimitation decision, but
demarcation has been delayed, despite intense international
intervention, by Ethiopian insistence that the decision ignored
"human geography," made technical errors in the delimitation, and
incorrectly awarded Badme - the focus of the 1998-2000 war - and
other areas to Eritrea and Eritrea's insistence on not deviating
from the commission's decision; Ethiopia maintains only an
administrative line and no international border with the Oromo
region of southern Somalia and maintains alliances with local clans
in opposition to the Transitional National Government, which lost
its mandate in August 2003, in Mogadishu; "Somaliland" secessionists
provide port facilities and trade ties to landlocked Ethiopia;
efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Sudan have been
delayed by civil war

Europa Island
claimed by Madagascar

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) claimed by Argentina whose forces briefly occupied it in 1982, but now declares it will no longer seek settlement by force; UK continues to reject Argentine requests for sovereignty talks

Faroe Islands
Faroese are considering proposals for full
independence; Denmark dispute with Iceland over the Faroe Islands
fisheries median line boundary of 200 nm; Denmark disputes with
Iceland, the UK, and Ireland the Faroe Islands claim extending its
continental shelf boundary beyond 200 nm

Fiji
none

Finland
none

France
Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso
Islands, and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius
claims Tromelin Island; territorial dispute between Suriname and
French Guiana; territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land);
Matthew and Hunter Islands, east of New Caledonia, claimed by France
and Vanuatu

French Guiana
Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and
Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)

French Polynesia
none

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
French claim to "Adelie Land" in
Antarctica is not recognized by the US

Gabon
creation of a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco
Bay with Equatorial Guinea is hampered by dispute over Mbane Island,
administered and occupied by Gabon since the 1970s

Gambia, The
attempts to stem refugees, cross-border raids, arms
smuggling, other illegal activities, and political instability from
separatist movement in southern Senegal's Casamance region

Gaza Strip
West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with
current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement
- permanent status to be determined through further negotiation

Georgia
about a third of the boundary with Russia remains
undelimited, and none of it demarcated, with several small,
strategic segments remaining in dispute; OSCE observers monitor
volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and
the Argun Gorge in Abkhazia; Meshkheti Turks scattered throughout
the former Soviet Union seek to return to Georgia; boundary with
Armenia remains undemarcated; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti
region of Georgia seek greater autonomy from the Georgian
government; Azerbaijan protests Georgian construction at the Red
Bridge crossing and several other small segments of boundary, which
remain unresolved until delimitation

Germany
none

Ghana
Ghana must still deal with refugees and returning nationals
escaping rebel fighting in Cote d'Ivoire

Gibraltar
since Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by
referendum in 2003 against a "total shared sovereignty" arrangement,
talks between the UK and Spain over the fate of the 300-year-old UK
colony have stalled; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant
Gibraltar greater autonomy

Glorioso Islands
claimed by Madagascar

Greece
Greece and Turkey have resumed discussions to resolve their
complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the
Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; dispute with the Republic
of Macedonia over its name

Greenland
uncontested dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans
Island in the Kennedy Channel between Canada's Ellesmere Island and
Greenland

Grenada
none

Guadeloupe
none

Guam
none

Guatemala
Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in Belize border
region; OAS brokered Differendum in 2002 creating small adjustment
to land boundary, large Guatemalan maritime corridor in Caribbean,
joint ecological park for disputed Sapodilla Cays, and substantial
US-UK financial package, but agreement was not brought to popular
referendum leaving Guatemala to continue to claim the southern half
of Belize intact; numbers of Guatemalans enter Mexico seeking work
or transit to the US

Guernsey
none

Guinea
domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups in Guinea,
domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups, warlords, and youth
gangs in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have created
insurgencies, street violence, looting, arms trafficking, ethnic
conflicts skirmishes, deaths, and refugees in border areas; in 2003,
Guinea and Sierra Leone established a boundary commission to resolve
a dispute over the town of Yenga

Guinea-Bissau
attempts to stem refugees and cross-border raids, arms
smuggling, and political instability from a separatist movement in
Senegal's Casamance region

Guyana
all of the area west of the Essequibo (river) is claimed by
Venezuela preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana
has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims
before UNCLOS that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with
Venezuela extends into their waters; Suriname claims a triangle of
land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute
over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks UNCLOS
arbitration to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over
the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich
waters

Haiti
despite efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians fleeing
economic privation and civil unrest continue to cross into Dominican
Republic and to sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claims
US-administered Navassa Island

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
none

Holy See (Vatican City)
none

Honduras
in 1992, ICJ ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones"
(disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras border, and the OAS
is assisting with a technical resolution of bolsones; in 2003, the
ICJ rejected El Salvador's request to revise its decision on one
bolsone; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a
maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca with consideration of
Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny
Conejo Island, not mentioned by the ICJ, off Honduras in the Gulf of
Fonseca; Honduras claims Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize but
agreed to creation of a joint ecological park and Guatemalan
corridor in the Caribbean in the failed 2002 Belize-Guatemala
Differendum; Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and
against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over a complex maritime dispute
in the Caribbean Sea

Hong Kong
none

Howland Island
none

Hungary
Hungary amended the status law extending special social and
cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians in neighboring states, who
had objected to the law; Slovakia and Hungary have renewed
discussions on ways to resolve differences over the
Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam on the Danube, with possible
resort again to the ICJ for final resolution

Iceland
Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark,
Iceland, and the UK (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary
agreement in the Rockall area) remains dormant; dispute with Denmark
over the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line boundary within 200
nm; disputes with Denmark, the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe
Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 nm

India
Kashmir remains the world's most highly militarized
territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administration
of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad
Kashmir and Northern Areas), but recent discussions and
confidence-building measures among parties are beginning to defuse
tensions; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding lands to China
in the 1965 boundary agreement; disputes with Pakistan over Indus
River water sharing and the terminus of the Sir Creek Estuary at the
mouth of the Rann of Kutch, which prevents maritime boundary
delimitation; Pakistani maps continue to show Junagadh claim in
Indian Gujarat State; most of the rugged, militarized boundary with
China is in dispute, but sides have committed to begin resolution
with discussions on the least disputed Middle Sector; Joint Border
Committee with Nepal continues to work on resolution of minor
disputed boundary sections; discussions with Bangladesh remain
stalled to delimit a small section of river boundary, to exchange
162 miniscule enclaves in both countries, to allocate divided
villages, and to stop illegal cross-border trade, migration, and
violence; Bangladesh protests India's attempts to fence off
high-traffic sections of the porous boundary; dispute with
Bangladesh over volcanic New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha Island in
the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation; India seeks
cooperation from Bhutan and Burma to keep out Indian Nagaland
insurgents; joint border commission continues to work on small
disputed sections of boundary with Nepal; India has instituted a
stricter border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents and
illegal cross-border activities from Nepal

Indian Ocean
some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

Indonesia
East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to meet,
survey and delimit land boundary, but several sections of the
boundary remain unresolved; Indonesia and East Timor contest the
sovereignty of the uninhabited coral island of Palau Batek/Fatu
Sinai, which hinders a decision on a northern maritime boundary;
numbers of East Timor refugees in Indonesia refuse repatriation; a
1997 treaty between Indonesia and Australia settled some parts of
their maritime boundary but outstanding issues remain; ICJ's award
of Sipadan and Ligitan islands to Malaysia in 2002 prompted
Indonesia to assert claims to and to establish a presence on its
smaller outer islands; Indonesian secessionists, squatters, and
illegal migrants create repatriation problems for Papua New Guinea

Iran
Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed waters on
Helmand River tributaries in periods of drought; thousands of Afghan
refugees still reside in Iran; creation of a maritime boundary with
Iraq remains in hiatus until full sovereignty is restored in Iraq;
Iran and UAE engage in direct talks and solicit Arab League support
to resolve disputes over Iran's occupation of Tunb Islands and Abu
Musa Island; Iran stands alone among littoral states in insisting
upon a division of the Caspian Sea into five equal sectors

Iraq
coalition forces assist Iraqis in monitoring boundary security,
but resolution of disputes and creation of maritime boundaries with
neighboring states will remain in hiatus until full sovereignty is
restored in Iraq; Turkey has expressed concern over the status of
Kurds in Iraq

Ireland
disputes with Iceland, Denmark, and the UK over the Faroe
Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 nm

Israel
West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current
status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement -
permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Golan
Heights is Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of
Golan Heights)

Italy
none

Jamaica
none

Jan Mayen
none

Japan
The sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu,
Kunashiri, and Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as
the "Northern Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kuril
Islands", occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by
Russia and claimed by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to
signing a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities;
intensified media coverage and protests highlight dispute over the
fishing-rich Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima) also claimed by
South Korea; China and Taiwan have intensified their claims to the
Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Tai) administered by Japan

Jarvis Island
none

Jersey
none

Johnston Atoll
none

Jordan
border dispute settled with Syria in 2004

Juan de Nova Island
claimed by Madagascar

Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan and China have resolved their border dispute
and are working to demarcate their borders to control population
migration, illegal activities, and trade; delimitation of boundary
with Russia is almost complete - delimitations with Turkmenistan and
Uzbekistan are complete with demarcations underway - delimitation
with Kyrgyzstan is largely complete; creation of a seabed boundary
with Turkmenistan in the Caspian Sea is under discussion;
equidistant seabed treaties have been signed with Azerbaijan and
Russia in the Caspian Sea, but no resolution has been made on
dividing the water column among any of the littoral states

Kenya
Kenya's administrative boundary still extends into the Sudan,
creating the "Ilemi Triangle"; Kenya has acted as an important
mediator in Sudan's north-south civil war; Kenya and Uganda are
working together to stem cattle rustling and violence by Lord's
Resistance Army along the border

Kingman Reef
none

Kiribati
none

Korea, North
with China, certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers
are in uncontested dispute; a section of boundary around Paektu-san
(mountain) is indefinite; China has been attempting to stop mass
illegal migration of North Koreans escaping famine, economic
privation, and oppression into northern China; Military Demarcation
Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North
from South Korea since 1953; periodic maritime disputes with South
Korea

Korea, South
Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide
Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953;
periodic maritime disputes with North Korea over the Northern Limit
Line; unresolved dispute with Japan over Liancourt Rocks
(Tok-do/Take-shima) and occasional protests over fishing rights in
grounds also claimed by Japan

Kuwait
Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime
boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the
Persian Gulf

Kyrgyzstan
boundary with China is fully demarcated; delimitation
with Kazakhstan is largely complete with only minor disputed areas;
disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with
Tajikistan; delimitation is underway with Uzbekistan but serious
disputes around enclaves and elsewhere continue to mar progress for
some 130 km of border

Laos
demarcation of boundaries with Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam
is largely complete, but with Thailand several areas including
Mekong River islets remain in dispute; ongoing disputes with
Thailand and Vietnam over squatters; concern among Mekong Commission
members that China's construction of dams on the Mekong River will
affect water levels

Latvia
the Russian Duma refuses to ratify boundary delimitation
treaty with Latvia; the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998
maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns
over oil exploration rights

Lebanon
Syrian troops in central and eastern Lebanon since October
1976; Lebanese Government claims Shab'a Farms area of
Israeli-occupied Golan Heights

Lesotho
none

Liberia
domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups, warlords,
and youth gangs in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have created
insurgencies, street violence, looting, arms trafficking, and ethnic
conflicts and refugees in border areas; the Cote d'Ivoire Government
accuses Liberia of supporting Ivorian rebels

Libya
Libya has claimed more than 32,000 sq km in southeastern
Algeria and about 25,000 sq km in Niger in currently dormant
disputes; various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in
southern Libya

Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for
1,600 sq km of land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918

Lithuania
in May 2003, the Russian Parliament ratified the 1997 land
and maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, which ratified the
treaty in 1999, legalizing limits of former Soviet republic borders;
both states also implement a simplified transit regime for Russian
nationals transiting Lithuania to and from the Russian Kaliningrad
coastal enclave; the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998
maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns
over oil exploration rights

Luxembourg
none

Macau
none

Macedonia
the Albanian government calls for the protection of the
rights of ethnic Albanians in Macedonia while continuing to seek
regional cooperation; ethnic Albanians in Kosovo resist demarcation
of a small section of the Macedonia-Kosovo boundary in accordance
with the 2000 delimitation treaty, which transferred a small amount
of land to Macedonia; dispute with Greece over country's name
persists

Madagascar
claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands,
and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France)

Malawi
dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake
Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

Malaysia
involved in complex dispute with China, Philippines,
Taiwan, Vietnam and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the
2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea"
has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of
conduct" desired by several of the disputants; disputes over
deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land
reclamation, bridge construction, maritime boundaries, and Pedra
Branca Island/Pulau Batu Putih persist - parties agree to ICJ
arbitration on island dispute within three years; ICJ awarded
Ligitan and Sipadan islands off the coast of Sabah, also claimed by
Indonesia and Philippines, to Malaysia; a 1 kilometer segment at the
mouth of the Golok River remains in dispute with Thailand;
Philippines retains a now dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in
northern Borneo based on the Sultanate of Sulu's granting the
Philippines Government power of attorney to pursue the Sultanate's
sovereignty claim; in 2003 Brunei and Malaysia ceased gas and oil
exploration in their offshore and deepwater seabeds until
negotiations progress to an agreement over allocation of disputed
areas; Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is in
dispute

Maldives
none

Mali
none

Malta
none

Man, Isle of
none

Marshall Islands
claims US territory of Wake Island

Martinique
none

Mauritania
Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara have been dormant in
recent years

Mauritius
Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered
British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who
reside chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the
right to repatriation in 2001; claims French-administered Tromelin
Island

Mayotte
claimed by Comoros

Mexico
prolonged drought, population growth, and outmoded practices
and infrastructure in the border region have strained water-sharing
arrangements with the US; nationals from Central America slip into
Mexico seeking work or transit into the US; undocumented Mexican
nationals continue to enter the United States

Micronesia, Federated States of
none

Midway Islands
none

Moldova
difficulties with the Transnistria region complicate
controlling border crossing and customs regimes with Ukraine,
despite concordance on 2003 delimitation and customs protocols and
OSCE assistance

Monaco
none

Mongolia
none

Montserrat
none

Morocco
claims and administers Western Sahara whose sovereignty
remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in
effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have
failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals;
Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta,
Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de
Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; Morocco also
rejected Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the
Canary Islands in 2002 to set limits to undersea resource
exploration and refugee interdiction, but agreed in 2003 to discuss
a comprehensive maritime delimitation; Morocco serves as one of the
primary launching areas of illegal migration into Spain from North
Africa

Mozambique
none

Namibia
commission established with Botswana to resolve small
residual disputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu
marshlands along the Linyanti River; Botswana residents protest
Namibia's planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric dam on
Popa Falls; managed dispute with South Africa over the location of
the boundary in the Orange River; Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and
Zimbabwe boundary convergence is not clearly defined or delimited;
Angolan rebels and refugees still reside in Namibia

Nauru
none

Navassa Island
claimed by Haiti, source of subsistence fishing

Nepal
joint border commission continues to work on small disputed
sections of boundary with India; India has instituted a stricter
border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents and illegal
cross-border activities

Netherlands
none

Netherlands Antilles
none

New Caledonia
Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia
claimed by France and Vanuatu

New Zealand
territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency)

Nicaragua
territorial disputes with Colombia over the Archipelago de
San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank region; the 1992 ICJ
ruling for El Salvador and Honduras advised a tripartite resolution
to establish a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca, which
considers Honduran access to the Pacific; legal dispute over
navigational rights of San Juan River on border with Costa Rica

Niger
Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant
dispute; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with
Nigeria, remains undemarcated, and ICJ ad hoc judges have been
selected to rule on disputed Niger and Mekrou River islands; Lake
Chad Commission continues to urge signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger,
and Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over the lake region,
which remains the site of armed clashes among local populations and
militias

Nigeria
ICJ ruled in 2002 on the entire Cameroon-Nigeria land and
maritime boundary but the parties formed a Joint Border Commission
to resolve differences bilaterally and have commenced with
demarcation in less-contested sections of the boundary, starting in
Lake Chad in the north; Nigeria initially rejected cession of the
Bakasi Peninsula; the ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of
Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of
Guinea, but imprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision, the
unresolved Bakasi allocation, and a sovereignty dispute between
Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the
Ntem River all contribute to the delay in implementation; several
villages along the Okpara River are in dispute with Benin; Lake Chad
Commission continues to urge signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and
Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over lake region, which
remains the site of armed clashes among local populations and
militias

Niue
none

Norfolk Island
none

Northern Mariana Islands
none

Norway
Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud
Land and its continental shelf); despite recent discussions, Russia
and Norway continue to dispute their maritime limits in the Barents
Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits
within the Svalbard Treaty zone

Oman
boundary agreement signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for
entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah
enclaves

Pacific Ocean
some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

Pakistan
Kashmir remains the world's largest and most highly
militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto
administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and
Pakistan (Azad Kashmir, and Northern Areas), but recent discussions
and confidence-building measures among the parties are beginning to
defuse tensions; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding lands to
China in 1965 boundary agreement; disputes with Pakistan over Indus
River water sharing and the terminus of the Sir Creek Estuary at the
mouth of the Rann of Kutch, which prevents maritime boundary
delimitation; Pakistani maps continue to show Junagadh claim in
India's Gujarat State; despite largely successful UN efforts at
voluntary repatriation, 2-3 million Afghan refugees continue to
reside in Pakistan, many at their own choosing; Pakistan has sent
troops into remote tribal areas to control the border with
Afghanistan to stem organized terrorist and other illegal
cross-border activities; regular meetings with Afghan and coalition
allies aim to resolve periodic claims of boundary encroachments

Palau
border delineation disputes being negotiated with Philippines,
Indonesia

Palmyra Atoll
none

Panama
none

Papua New Guinea
seeks assistance from Australia to control illegal
cross-border activities from primarily Indonesia, including
smuggling, drug trafficking, and Indonesian squatters and
secessionists

Paracel Islands
occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam

Paraguay
unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay
borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and drug
trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations

Peru
Bolivia has reanimated its claim to restore the Atacama
corridor ceded to Chile and adjoining Peru in 1884 to secure
sovereign maritime assess for Bolivian natural gas

Philippines
involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia,
Taiwan, Vietnam and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands, known
locally as the Kalayaan (Freedom) Islands, the 2002 "Declaration on
the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," has eased tensions
but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by
several of the disputants; Philippines retains a dormant claim to
Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo based on the Sultanate of
Sulu's granting the Philippines Government power of attorney to
pursue a sovereignty claim

Pitcairn Islands
none

Poland
none

Portugal
some Portuguese groups assert dormant claims to territories
ceded to Spain around the town of Olivenza

Puerto Rico
none

Qatar
none

Reunion
none

Romania
has not resolved claims to Ukrainian-administered Zmyinyy
(Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary despite ongoing talks
based on 1997 friendship treaty to find a solution in two years;
Hungary amended status law extending special social and cultural
benefits to ethnic Hungarians in Romania, who had objected to the law

Russia
China and Russia in 2004 resolved their last border dispute
over islands in the Amur and Argun Rivers, but details on
demarcation have not yet been worked-out; the sovereignty dispute
over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai
group known in Japan as the "Northern Territories" and in Russia as
the "Southern Kurils," occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now
administered by Russia, and claimed by Japan, remains the primary
sticking point to signing a peace treaty formally ending World War
II hostilities; about a third of the boundary with Georgia remains
undelimited and none of it demarcated with several small, strategic
segments remaining in dispute; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas
such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Kodori Gorge
in Abkhazia; equidistant seabed treaties have been signed with
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in the Caspian Sea but no consensus on
dividing the water column among the littoral states; Russia and
Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's
fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the
Svalbard Treaty zone; Russia continues to reject signing and
ratifying the joint 1996 technical border agreement with Estonia;
the Russian Parliament refuses to consider ratification of the
boundary treaties with Estonia and Latvia, but in May 2003, ratified
land and maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, which ratified the
1997 treaty in 1999, legalizing limits of former Soviet republic
borders; a simplified transit regime was adopted in July 2003 for
residents of the Kaliningrad coastal exclave to travel through
Lithuania to Russia; delimitation of land boundary with Ukraine is
complete, but demarcation remains unresolved; Ukraine protests
Russia's construction of a causeway in the direction of
Ukrainian-administered Tuzla Island in the Kerch Strait; Kazakhstan
and Russia will complete delimitation of their interstate border in
2004 and demarcation is underway; Russian Duma has not yet ratified
1990 Maritime Boundary Agreement with the US in the Bering Sea

Rwanda
Tutsi, Hutu, Hema, Lendu, and other conflicting ethnic
groups, associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various
government forces continue fighting in Great Lakes region,
transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda to gain control over populated areas and
natural resources - government heads pledge to end conflicts, but
localized violence continues despite UN peacekeeping efforts

Saint Helena
none

Saint Kitts and Nevis
joins other Caribbean states to counter
Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a
criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its
EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Saint Lucia
joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's
claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under
UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf
over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
none

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Samoa
none

San Marino
none

Sao Tome and Principe
none

Saudi Arabia
nomadic groups on border region with Yemen resist
demarcation of boundary; Yemen protests Saudi erection of a
concrete-filled pipe as a security barrier in 2004 to stem illegal
cross-border activities in sections of the boundary; Kuwait and
Saudi Arabia continue discussions on a maritime boundary with Iran;
because the treaties have not been made public, the exact alignment
of the boundary with the UAE is still unknown and labeled approximate

Senegal
The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau attempt to stem refugees, cross
border raids, arms smuggling, and political instability from a
separatist movement in Senegal's Casamance region

Serbia and Montenegro
the future status of Kosovo remains an
unresolved issue in South Central Europe with Kosovo Albanians
overwhelmingly supporting and Serbian officials opposing Kosovo
independence; the international community has agreed to begin a
process to determine final status only after significant progress
has been made in solidifying multi-ethnic democracy in Kosovo as
outlined in the policy of "standards before status"; the Contact
group (including the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Russia)
will review progress on the UNMIK standard around mid-2005; ethnic
Albanians in Kosovo resist demarcation of the F.Y.R.O.M. boundary in
accordance with the 2000 delimitation treaty, which transfers on net
a small amount of land to F.Y.R.O.M.; Serbia and Montenegro have
delimited about half of the boundary with Bosnia and Herzegovina,
but sections along the Drina River remain in dispute

Seychelles
together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos
Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)

Sierra Leone
domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups,
warlords, and youth gangs in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have
created insurgencies, street violence, looting, arms trafficking,
ethnic conflicts, and refugees in border areas; in 2003, Guinea and
Sierra Leone established a boundary commission to resolve a dispute
over the town of Yenga

Singapore
disputes with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to
Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation works, bridge construction,
maritime boundaries, and Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Putih
persist - parties agree to ICJ arbitration on island dispute within
three years

Slovakia
Hungary amended its status law extending special social and
cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians in Slovakia, many of whom had
protested the law; Slovakia and Hungary have renewed discussions on
ways to resolve differences over the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros
hydroelectric dam on the Danube, with possible resort again to the
ICJ for final resolution

Slovenia
the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement,
which would have ceded most of Piran Bay and maritime access to
Slovenia and several villages to Croatia, remains controversial, has
not been ratified, and has been complicated by Croatia's declaration
of an ecological-fisheries zone in the Adriatic Sea

Solomon Islands
Australian defense personnel are dispatched at the
invitation of the Solomon Islands' Government to restore law and
order on the islands and reinforce regional security

Somalia
"Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities to
land-locked Ethiopia and establish commercial ties with regional
states; "Puntland" secessionists clash with "Somaliland"
secessionists to establish territorial limits and clan loyalties,
each seeking support from neighboring states; Ethiopia maintains
only an administrative line with the Oromo region of southern
Somalia and maintains alliances with local Somali clans opposed to
the unrecognized Transitional National Government in Mogadishu

South Africa
managed dispute with Namibia over the location of the
boundary in the Orange River

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
briefly occupied by
military force in 1982 - claimed by Argentina in constitution but
declares it will no longer seek settlement by force

Southern Ocean
Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctica
entry), but Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK
assert claims (some overlapping), including the continental shelf in
the Southern Ocean; several states have expressed an interest in
extending those continental shelf claims under the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to include undersea
ridges; the US and most other states do not recognize the land or
maritime claims of other states and have made no claims themselves
(the US and Russia have reserved the right to do so); no formal
claims have been made in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150
degrees west

Spain
since Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum
in 2003 against a "total shared sovereignty" arrangement, talks
between the UK and Spain over the fate of the 300-year old UK colony
have stalled; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar
greater autonomy; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal
enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la
Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding
waters; Morocco serves as the primary launching area of illegal
migration into Spain from North Africa; Morocco rejected Spain's
unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands in
2002 to set limits to undersea resource exploration and refugee
interdiction, but agreed in 2003 to discuss a comprehensive maritime
delimitation; some Portuguese groups assert dormant claims to
territories ceded to Spain around the town of Olivenza

Spratly Islands
all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China,
Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the
Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone
that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has
not publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the
"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,"
which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code
of conduct"

Sri Lanka
none

Sudan
the north-south civil war has affected Sudan's neighbors by
drawing them into the fighting and by forcing them to provide
shelter to refugees, to contend with infiltration by rebel groups,
and to serve as mediators; Sudan has provided shelter to Ugandan
refugees and cover to Lord's Resistance Army soldiers; Sudan accuses
Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; efforts to demarcate
the porous boundary with Ethiopia have been delayed by fighting in
Sudan; Kenya's administrative boundary still extends into the Sudan,
creating the "Ilemi Triangle"; Egypt and Sudan retain claims to
administer the triangular areas that extend north and south of the
1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel, but have withdrawn
their military presence; Egypt is economically developing and
currently effectively administers the "Hala'ib Triangle" north of
the Treaty Line; Sudan has pledged to work with the Central African
Republic to stem violent skirmishes over water and grazing among
related pastoral populations along the border

Suriname
area claimed by French Guiana between Riviere Litani and
Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); Suriname claims a
triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari Rivers in a
historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks
UNCLOS arbitration to resolve the long-standing dispute with
Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in
potentially oil-rich waters

Svalbard
despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway dispute their
maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights
beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone

Swaziland
none

Sweden
none

Switzerland
none

Syria
Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied; Lebanon claims Shaba'a
farms in Golan Heights; Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon
since October 1976; Syria protests Turkish hydrological projects
regulating upper Euphrates waters; settled border dispute with
Jordan in 2004

Taiwan
involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia,
Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands;
the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China
Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code
of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; Paracel Islands
are occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; in 2003,
China and Taiwan asserted claims to the Japanese-administered
Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Tai) with increased media coverage and
protest actions

Tajikistan
prolonged regional drought created water-sharing
difficulties for Amu Darya river states; boundary agreements signed
in 2002 cede 1,000 sq km of Pamir Mountain range to China in return
for China relinquishing claims to 28,000 sq km of Tajikistani lands
but demarcation has not yet commenced; talks continue with
Uzbekistan to delimit border and remove minefields; disputes in
Isfara Valley delay delimitation with Kyrgyzstan

Tanzania
disputes with Malawi over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake
Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

Thailand
a 1 kilometer segment at the mouth of the Golok River
remains in dispute with Malaysia; demarcation with Laos complete
except for certain Mekong River islets and complaints of Thai
squatters; despite continuing border committee talks, significant
differences remain with Burma over boundary alignment and the
handling of ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border
activities; Cambodia accuses Thailand of moving boundary markers and
obstructing access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia
by ICJ decision in 1962; 2003 anti-Thai riots in Phnom Penh resulted
in the destruction of the Thai Embassy and damage to 17 Thai-owned
businesses and disputes over payments of full compensation persist;
groups in Burma and Thailand express concern over China's
construction of 13 hydroelectric dams on the Salween River in Yunnan
Province

Togo
in 2001 Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - joint
commission continues to resurvey the boundary

Tokelau
none

Tonga
none

Trinidad and Tobago
Barbados will assert its claim before UNCLOS
that the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary
with Venezuela extends into its waters; Guyana has also expressed
its intention to challenge this boundary as it may extend into its
waters as well

Tromelin Island
claimed by Mauritius

Tunisia
none

Turkey
complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece
in the Aegean Sea; Cyprus question remains with Greece; Syria and
Iraq protest Turkish hydrological projects to control upper
Euphrates waters; Turkey has expressed concern over the status of
Kurds in Iraq; border with Armenia remains closed over
Nagorno-Karabakh

Turkmenistan
prolonged regional drought created water-sharing
difficulties for Amu Darya river states; Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
reached an agreement on improving water usage along the Amu Darya in
2004; delimitation of Caspian seabed remains unresolved

Turks and Caicos Islands have received Haitians fleeing economic collapse and civil unrest

Tuvalu
none

Uganda
Tutsi, Hutu, Lendu, Hema, and other ethnic groups, associated
political rebels, armed gangs, militias, and various government
forces continue fighting in the Great Lakes region, transcending the
boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and
Uganda to gain control over populated areas and natural resources;
government heads pledge to end conflict, but localized violence
continues despite UN peacekeeping efforts; civil conflict in Sudan
has extended Sudanese rebel forces and refugees into Uganda and
given shelter to Ugandan Lord's Resistance Army soldiers in Sudan;
Kenya and Uganda are working together to stem cattle rustling and
violence by Lord's Resistance Army along the border

Ukraine
1997 boundary treaty with Belarus remains unratified due to
unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and reducing
border security; delimitation of land boundary with Russia is
complete but boundary through the Sea of Azov and Kerch Strait
remains unresolved despite a December 2003 framework agreement and
on-going expert-level discussions; Ukraine protests Russia's
construction of a causeway in the direction of
Ukrainian-administered Tuzla Island in the Kerch Strait;
difficulties with Moldova's Transnistria region complicate
controlling border crossing and customs regimes despite concordance
on the 2003 delimitation and customs protocols and OSCE assistance;
has not resolved Romanian claims to Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy
(Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary despite ongoing talks
based on 1997 friendship treaty to find a solution in two years;
ongoing dispute between Ukraine and Romania over the Danube River
delta

United Arab Emirates
because the treaties have not been made public,
the exact alignment of the boundary with Saudi Arabia is still
unknown and labeled approximate; boundary agreement signed and
ratified with Oman in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's
Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves; UAE engage in direct
talks and solicit Arab League support to resolve disputes over
Iran's occupation of Lesser and Greater Tunb Islands and Abu Musa
Island

United Kingdom
since Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by
referendum in 2003 against a "total shared sovereignty" arrangement,
talks between the UK and Spain over the fate of the 300-year old UK
colony have stalled; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant
Gibraltar greater autonomy; Mauritius and Seychelles claim the
Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former
inhabitants since their eviction in 1965; most reside chiefly in
Mauritius, and in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to
repatriation; UK continues to reject sovereignty talks requested by
Argentina, which still claims the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Rockall
continental shelf dispute involving Denmark and Iceland remains
dormant; territorial claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic
Territory) overlaps Argentine claim and partially overlaps Chilean
claim; disputes with Iceland, Denmark, and Ireland over the Faroe
Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 nm

United States
Prolonged drought, population growth, and outmoded
practices and infrastructure in the border region has strained
water-sharing arrangements with Mexico; undocumented nationals from
Mexico and Central America continue to enter the United States
illegally; 1990 Maritime Boundary Agreement in the Bering Sea still
awaits Russian Duma ratification; managed maritime boundary disputes
with Canada at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca,
and around the disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; The
Bahamas have not been able to agree on a maritime boundary; US Naval
Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement
or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims
US-administered Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in
Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not
recognize the claims of any other state; Marshall Islands claims
Wake Island

Uruguay
uncontested dispute with Brazil over certain islands in the
Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada streams and the resulting tripoint with
Argentina

Uzbekistan
prolonged drought and cotton monoculture creates
water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; delimitation
with Kazakhstan complete with demarcation underway; delimitation is
underway with Kyrgyzstan but serious disputes around enclaves and
elsewhere continue to mar progress for some 130 km of border; talks
continue with Tajikistan to determine and delimit border

Vanuatu
Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by
Vanuatu and France

Venezuela
claims all of the area west of the Essequibo River,
preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has
expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before
UNCLOS that the Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with
Venezuela extends into their waters; maritime boundary dispute with
Colombia in the Gulf of Venezuela and the Caribbean Sea; US, France
and the Netherlands recognize Venezuela's claim to give full effect
to Aves Island, which creates a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf
extending over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint
Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
protest Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation
and other states' recognition of it

Vietnam
demarcation of the land boundary with China continues, but
maritime boundary and joint fishing zone agreement remains
unimplemented; Cambodia and Laos protest Vietnamese squatters and
armed encroachments along border; China occupies Paracel Islands
also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; involved in complex dispute with
China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and possibly Brunei over the
Spratly Islands; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in
the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally
binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants

Virgin Islands
none

Wake Island
claimed by Marshall Islands

Wallis and Futuna
none

West Bank
West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current
status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement -
permanent status to be determined through further negotiation

Western Sahara
Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose
sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has
remained in effect since September 1991 but attempts to hold a
referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all
brokered proposals

World
stretching over 250,000 km, the world's 325 international land
boundaries separate the 192 independent states and 72 dependencies,
areas of special sovereignty, and other miscellaneous entities;
ethnicity, culture, race, religion, and language have divided states
into separate political entities as much as history, physical
terrain, political fiat, or conquest, resulting in sometimes
arbitrary and imposed boundaries; maritime states have claimed
limits and have so far established over 130 maritime boundaries and
joint development zones to allocate ocean resources and to provide
for national security at sea; boundary, borderland/resource, and
territorial disputes vary in intensity from managed or dormant to
violent or militarized; most disputes over the alignment of
political boundaries are confined to short segments and are today
less common and less hostile than borderland, resource, and
territorial disputes; undemarcated, indefinite, porous, and
unmanaged boundaries, however, encourage illegal cross-border
activities, uncontrolled migration, and confrontation; territorial
disputes may evolve from historical and/or cultural claims, or they
may be brought on by resource competition; ethnic clashes continue
to be responsible for much of the territorial fragmentation around
the world; disputes over islands at sea or in rivers frequently form
the source of territorial and boundary conflict; other sources of
contention include access to water and mineral (especially
petroleum) resources, fisheries, and arable land; nonetheless, most
nations cooperate to clarify their international boundaries and to
resolve territorial and resource disputes peacefully; regional
discord directly affects the sustenance and welfare of local
populations, often leaving the world community to cope with
resultant refugees, hunger, disease, impoverishment, deforestation,
and desertification

Yemen
Yemen protests Eritrea fishing around the Hanish Islands
awarded to Yemen by the ICJ in 1999; nomadic groups in border region
with Saudi Arabia resist demarcation of boundary in accordance wih
2000 Jeddah Treaty; Yemen protests Saudi erection of a
concrete-filled pipe as a security barrier in 2004 to stem illegal
cross-border activities in sections of the boundary

Zambia
the Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe boundary
convergence is not clearly defined or delimited

Zimbabwe
the Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe boundary
convergence is not clearly defined or delimited

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2075 Ethnic groups (%)

Afghanistan
Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%,
Turkmen 3%, Baloch 2%, other 4%

Albania
Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb,
and Macedonian or Bulgarian) (1989 est.)
note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from
1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)

Algeria
Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%
note: almost all Algerians are Berber in origin, not Arab; the
minority who identify themselves as Berber live mostly in the
mountainous region of Kabylie east of Algeirs; the Berbers are also
Muslim but identify with their Berber rather than Arab cultural
heritage; Berbers have long agitated, sometimes violently, for
autonomy; the government is unlikely to grant autonomy but has
offered to begin sponsoring teaching Berber language in schools

American Samoa
Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%,
other 5%

Andorra
Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other
6% (1998)

Angola
Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed
European and Native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%

Anguilla
black (predominant), mulatto, white

Antigua and Barbuda
black, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian

Argentina
white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo,
Amerindian, or other nonwhite groups 3%

Armenia
Armenian 93%, Azeri 1%, Russian 2%, other (mostly Yezidi
Kurds) 4% (2002)
note: as of the end of 1993, virtually all Azeris had emigrated from
Armenia

Aruba
mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%

Australia
Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%

Austria
German 88.5%, indigenous minorities 1.5% (includes
Croatians, Slovenes, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Roma), recent
immigrant groups 10% (includes Turks, Bosnians, Serbians, Croatians)
(2001)

Azerbaijan
Azeri 90%, Dagestani 3.2%, Russian 2.5%, Armenian 2%,
other 2.3% (1998 est.)
note: almost all Armenians live in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh
region

Bahamas, The
black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%

Bahrain
Bahraini 63%, Asian 19%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8%

Bangladesh
Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998)

Barbados
black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6%

Belarus
Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish, Ukrainian, and
other 7.4%

Belgium
Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%

Belize
mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other
9.7%

Benin
African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja,
Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500

Bermuda
black 58%, white 36%, other 6%

Bhutan
Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of
several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%

Bolivia
Quechua 30%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry)
30%, Aymara 25%, white 15%

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Serb 37.1%, Bosniak 48%, Croat 14.3%, other
0.6% (2000)
note: Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid
confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam

Botswana
Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other,
including Kgalagadi and white 7%

Brazil
white (includes Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish)
55%, mixed white and black 38%, black 6%, other (includes Japanese,
Arab, Amerindian) 1%

British Virgin Islands
black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed

Brunei
Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12%

Bulgaria
Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including
Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001)

Burkina Faso
Mossi over 40%, Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande,
Fulani

Burma
Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian
2%, Mon 2%, other 5%

Burundi
Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%,
Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000

Cambodia
Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4%

Cameroon
Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%,
Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other
African 13%, non-African less than 1%

Canada
British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European
15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed
background 26%

Cape Verde
Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%

Cayman Islands
mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of
various ethnic groups 20%

Central African Republic
Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%,
Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2%

Chad
200 distinct groups; in the north and center: Arabs, Gorane
(Toubou, Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Baguirmi,
Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba, most of whom are
Muslim; in the south: Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Moundang,
Moussei, Massa, most of whom are Christian or animist; about 1,000
French citizens live in Chad

Chile
white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%

China
Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao,
Manchu, Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 8.1%

Christmas Island
Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Europeans, Cocos Malays

Colombia
mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed
black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%

Comoros
Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
over 200 African ethnic groups of
which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba,
Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about
45% of the population

Congo, Republic of the
Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%,
Europeans and other 3%
note: Europeans estimated at 8,500, mostly French, before the 1997
civil war; may be half that in 1998, following the widespread
destruction of foreign businesses in 1997

Cook Islands
Polynesian (full blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and European
7.7%, Polynesian and non-European 7.7%, European 2.4%, other 0.9%

Costa Rica
white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%,
Chinese 1%, other 1%

Cote d'Ivoire
Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes
16.5%, Krous 11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000
Lebanese and 14,000 French) (1998)

Croatia
Croat 89.6%, Serb 4.5%, Bosniak 0.5%, Hungarian 0.4%,
Slovene 0.3%, Czech 0.2%, Roma 0.2%, Albanian 0.1%, Montenegrin
0.1%, others 4.1% (2001)

Cuba
mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1%

Cyprus
Greek 77%, Turkish 18%, other 5% (2001)

Czech Republic
Czech 81.2%, Moravian 13.2%, Slovak 3.1%, Polish
0.6%, German 0.5%, Silesian 0.4%, Roma 0.3%, Hungarian 0.2%, other
0.5% (1991)

Denmark
Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian,
Somali

Djibouti
Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian
5%

Dominica
black, mixed black and European, European, Syrian, Carib
Amerindian

Dominican Republic
white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%

East Timor
Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese
minority

Ecuador
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%,
Spanish and others 7%, black 3%

Egypt
Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%,
Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and
French) 1%

El Salvador
mestizo 90%, Amerindian 1%, white 9%

Equatorial Guinea
Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni
(primarily Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish

Eritrea
ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho
(Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%, other 3%

Estonia
Estonian 65.3%, Russian 28.1%, Ukrainian 2.5%, Belarusian
1.5%, Finn 1%, other 1.6% (1998)

Ethiopia
Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigre 32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella 6%,
Somali 6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%, other 1%

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
British

Faroe Islands
Scandinavian

Fiji
Fijian 51% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian
admixture), Indian 44%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas
Chinese, and other 5% (1998 est.)

Finland
Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.7%, Russian 0.4%, Estonian 0.2%, Roma
0.2%, Sami 0.1%

France
Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African,
Indochinese, Basque minorities

French Guiana
black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese,
Amerindian 12%, other 10%

French Polynesia
Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%,
metropolitan French 4%

Gabon
Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings (Fang,
Bapounou, Nzebi, Obamba), other Africans and Europeans 154,000,
including 10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality

Gambia, The
African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola
10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1%

Gaza Strip
Palestinian Arab and other 99.4%, Jewish 0.6%

Georgia
Georgian 70.1%, Armenian 8.1%, Russian 6.3%, Azeri 5.7%,
Ossetian 3%, Abkhaz 1.8%, other 5%

Germany
German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of
Greek, Italian, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish)

Ghana
black African 98.5% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba
16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%), European and other 1.5%
(1998)

Gibraltar
Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, German,
North Africans

Greece
Greek 98%, other 2%
note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in
Greece

Greenland
Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish
and others 12% (January 2000)

Grenada
black 82%, mixed black and European 13%, European and East
Indian 5% , and trace of Arawak/Carib Amerindian

Guadeloupe
black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese,
Chinese less than 5%

Guam
Chamorro 37%, Filipino 26%, white 10%, Chinese, Japanese,
Korean, and other 27%

Guatemala
Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish or assimilated
Amerindian - in local Spanish called Ladino), approximately 55%,
Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian, approximately 43%, whites
and others 2%

Guernsey
UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from
other European countries

Guinea
Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%

Guinea-Bissau
African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%,
Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%

Guyana
East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese,
and mixed 7%

Haiti
black 95%, mulatto and white 5%

Holy See (Vatican City)
Italians, Swiss, other

Honduras
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%,
black 2%, white 1%

Hong Kong
Chinese 95%, other 5%

Hungary
Hungarian 89.9%, Roma 4%, German 2.6%, Serb 2%, Slovak 0.8%,
Romanian 0.7%

Iceland
homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%,
population of foreign origin 6%

India
Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)

Indonesia
Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal Malays
7.5%, other 26%

Iran
Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%,
Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%

Iraq
Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%

Ireland
Celtic, English

Israel
Jewish 80.1% (Europe/America-born 32.1%, Israel-born 20.8%,
Africa-born 14.6%, Asia-born 12.6%), non-Jewish 19.9% (mostly Arab)
(1996 est.)

Italy
Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and
Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and
Greek-Italians in the south)

Jamaica
black 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%,
mixed 7.3%, other 0.1%

Japan
Japanese 99%, others 1% (Korean 511,262, Chinese 244,241,
Brazilian 182,232, Filipino 89,851, other 237,914)
note: up to 230,000 Brazilians of Japanese origin migrated to Japan
in the 1990s to work in industries; some have returned to Brazil
(2004)

Jersey
UK and Norman-French descent

Jordan
Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

Kazakhstan
Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek
2.5%, German 2.4%, Uygur 1.4%, other 6.6% (1999 census)

Kenya
Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii
6%, Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and
Arab) 1%

Kiribati
predominantly Micronesian with some Polynesian

Korea, North
racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese
community and a few ethnic Japanese

Korea, South
homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Kuwait
Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%,
other 7%

Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyz 64.9%, Uzbek 13.8%, Russian 12.5%, Dungan 1.1%,
Ukrainian 1%, Uygur 1%, other 5.7% (1999 census)

Laos
Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung
(highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic
Vietnamese/Chinese 1%

Latvia
Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian
2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)

Lebanon
Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

Lesotho
Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,

Liberia
indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio,
Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella,
Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of
immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5%
(descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)

Libya
Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians,
Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians

Liechtenstein
Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14%

Lithuania
Lithuanian 80.6%, Russian 8.7%, Polish 7%, Belarusian
1.6%, other 2.1%

Luxembourg
Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese,
Italian, Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo) and European
(guest and resident workers)

Macau
Chinese 95%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry),
Portuguese, other

Macedonia
Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.8%, Roma 2.7%,
Serb 1.8%, other 2.3% (2002)

Madagascar
Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers
(mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry -
Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian,
Creole, Comoran

Malawi
Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni,
Ngonde, Asian, European

Malaysia
Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 24%, Indian 8%,
others 10% (2000)

Maldives
South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs

Mali
Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%,
Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%

Malta
Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians,
with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)

Man, Isle of
Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Briton

Marshall Islands
Micronesian

Martinique
African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%, white 5%,
East Indian, Chinese less than 5%

Mauritania
mixed Maur/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30%

Mauritius
Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%,
Franco-Mauritian 2%

Mayotte
NA

Mexico
mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly
Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%

Micronesia, Federated States of
nine ethnic Micronesian and
Polynesian groups

Moldova
Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%,
Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, Gagauz and other 5.2% (1989 est.)
note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region

Monaco
French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21%

Mongolia
Mongol (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%, Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%,
other (including Chinese and Russian) 0.1% (2000)

Montserrat
black, white

Morocco
Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

Mozambique
indigenous tribal groups 99.66% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe,
Sena, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08%

Namibia
black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5%
note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9%
to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups are: Herero 7%, Damara
7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

Nauru
Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European
8%

Nepal
Brahman, Chetri, Newar, Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Rai, Limbu,
Sherpa, Tharu, and others (1995)

Netherlands
Dutch 83%, other 17% (of which 9% are non-Western origin
mainly Turks, Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese and Indonesians)
(1999 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East
Asian

New Caledonia
Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%,
Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%

New Zealand
New Zealand European 74.5%, Maori 9.7%, other European
4.6%, Pacific Islander 3.8%, Asian and others 7.4%

Nicaragua
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black
9%, Amerindian 5%

Niger
Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%, Tuareg 8%, Beri Beri
(Kanouri) 4.3%, Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%, about 1,200
French expatriates

Nigeria
Nigeria, which is Africa's most populous country, is
composed of more than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most
populous and politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba
21%, Igbo (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%

Niue
Polynesian (with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and Tongans)

Norfolk Island
descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New
Zealander, Polynesians

Northern Mariana Islands
Chamorro, Carolinians and other
Micronesians, Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean

Norway
Norwegian, Sami 20,000

Oman
Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan,
Bangladeshi), African

Pakistan
Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir
(immigrants from India at the time of partition and their
descendants)

Palau
Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures)
70%, Asian (mainly Filipinos, followed by Chinese, Taiwanese, and
Vietnamese) 28%, white 2% (2000 est.)

Panama
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and
mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%

Papua New Guinea
Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian

Paraguay
mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%

Peru
Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white
15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%

Philippines
Christian Malay 91.5%, Muslim Malay 4%, Chinese 1.5%,
other 3%

Pitcairn Islands
descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their
Tahitian wives

Poland
Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%,
other 2.7% (2002)

Portugal
homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African
descent who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less
than 100,000; since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal

Puerto Rico
white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%,
Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%

Qatar
Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%

Reunion
French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian

Romania
Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%,
German 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other 0.4% (2002)

Russia
Russian 81.5%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 3%, Chuvash 1.2%,
Bashkir 0.9%, Belarusian 0.8%, Moldavian 0.7%, other 8.1% (1989)

Rwanda
Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%

Saint Helena
African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25%

Saint Kitts and Nevis predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese

Saint Lucia
black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white 1%

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian
6%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 7%

Samoa
Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and
Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4%

San Marino
Sammarinese, Italian

Sao Tome and Principe
mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan
slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract
laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children
of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)

Saudi Arabia
Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

Senegal
Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%, Mandinka
3%, Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4%

Serbia and Montenegro
Serb 62.6%, Albanian 16.5%, Montenegrin 5%,
Hungarian 3.3%, other 12.6% (1991)

Seychelles
mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab

Sierra Leone
20 native African tribes 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%,
other 30%), Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves
who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century),
refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of
Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians

Singapore
Chinese 76.7%, Malay 14%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4%

Slovakia
Slovak 85.7%, Hungarian 10.6%, Roma 1.6% (the 1992 census
figures underreport the Gypsy/Romany community, which is about
500,000), Czech, Moravian, Silesian 1.1%, Ruthenian and Ukrainian
0.6%, German 0.1%, Polish 0.1%, other 0.2% (1996)

Slovenia
Slovene 92%, Croat 1%, Serb 0.5%, Hungarian 0.4%, Bosniak
0.3%, other 5.8% (1991)

Solomon Islands
Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%,
European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%

Somalia
Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs
30,000)

South Africa
black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%

Spain
composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Sri Lanka
Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and
Vedda 1%

Sudan
black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%

Suriname
Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their
ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the
19th century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%,
"Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in
the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior)
10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%

Svalbard
Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3%
(1998)

Swaziland
African 97%, European 3%

Sweden
indigenous population: Swedes and Finnish and Sami
minorities; foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns,
Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks

Switzerland
German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other
6%

Syria
Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%

Taiwan
Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%,
aborigine 2%

Tajikistan
Tajik 64.9%, Uzbek 25%, Russian 3.5% (declining because
of emigration), other 6.6%

Tanzania
mainland - native African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu
consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian,
European, and Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, native African, mixed Arab and
native African

Thailand
Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%

Togo
native African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe,
Mina, and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1%

Tokelau
Polynesian

Tonga
Polynesian, Europeans about 300

Trinidad and Tobago
East Indian (a local term - primarily immigrants
from northern India) 40.3%, black 39.5%, mixed 18.4%, white 0.6%,
Chinese and other 1.2%

Tunisia
Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Turkey
Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20% (estimated)

Turkmenistan
Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003)

Turks and Caicos Islands
black 90%, mixed, European, or North
American 10%

Tuvalu
Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4%

Uganda
Baganda 17%, Ankole 8%, Basoga 8%, Iteso 8%, Bakiga 7%, Langi
6%, Rwanda 6%, Bagisu 5%, Acholi 4%, Lugbara 4%, Batoro 3%, Bunyoro
3%, Alur 2%, Bagwere 2%, Bakonjo 2%, Jopodhola 2%, Karamojong 2%,
Rundi 2%, non-African (European, Asian, Arab) 1%, other 8%

Ukraine
Ukrainian 77.8%, Russian 17.3%, Belarusian 0.6%, Moldovan
0.5%, Crimean Tatar 0.5%, Bulgarian 0.4%, Hungarian 0.3%, Romanian
0.3%, Polish 0.3%, Jewish 0.2%, other 1.8% (2001)

United Arab Emirates
Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South
Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians)
8% (1982)
note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)

United Kingdom
English 81.5%, Scottish 9.6%, Irish 2.4%, Welsh 1.9%,
Ulster 1.8%, West Indian, Indian, Pakistani, and other 2.8%

United States
white 77.1%, black 12.9%, Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and
Alaska native 1.5%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.3%,
other 4% (2000)
note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US
Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean a person of Latin American
descent (including persons of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican
origin) living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group
(white, black, Asian, etc.)

Uruguay
white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian, practically
nonexistent

Uzbekistan
Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak
2.5%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.)

Vanuatu
indigenous Melanesian 98%, French, Vietnamese, Chinese,
other Pacific Islanders

Venezuela
Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African,
indigenous people

Vietnam
Vietnamese 85%-90%, Chinese, Hmong, Thai, Khmer, Cham,
mountain groups

Virgin Islands
black 78%, white 10%, other 12%
note: West Indian 81% (49% born in the Virgin Islands and 32% born
elsewhere in the West Indies), US mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 4%,
other 2%

Wallis and Futuna
Polynesian

West Bank
Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17%

Western Sahara
Arab, Berber

Yemen
predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asians, Europeans

Zambia
African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2%

Zimbabwe
African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and
Asian 1%, white less than 1%

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2076 Exchange rates

Afghanistan
afghanis per US dollar - 50 (2003), 50 (2002), 3,000
(2001), 3,000 (2000), 3,000 (1999)
note: in 2002, the afghani was revalued and the currency stabilized
at about 50 afghanis to the dollar; before 2002, the market rate
varied widely from the official rate

Albania
leke per US dollar - 121.863 (2003), 140.155 (2002), 143.485
(2001), 143.709 (2000), 137.691 (1999)

Algeria
Algerian dinars per US dollar - 77.395 (2003), 79.6819
(2002), 77.215 (2001), 75.2598 (2000), 66.5739 (1999)

American Samoa
the US dollar is used

Andorra
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.12
(2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999)

Angola
kwanza per US dollar - 74.6063 (2003), 43.5302 (2002),
22.0579 (2001), 10.041 (2000), 2.791 (1999), 0.393 (1998); note - in
December 1999 the kwanza was revalued with six zeroes dropped off
the old value

Anguilla
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.70 (fixed rate
since 1976)

Antigua and Barbuda
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7
(2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999), 2.7 (1998)
(fixed rate since 1976)

Argentina
Argentine pesos per US dollar - 2.9003 (2003), 3.0633
(2002), 0.9995 (2001), 0.9995 (2000), 0.9995 (1999)

Armenia
drams per US dollar - 578.763 (2002), 555.078 (2001),
539.526 (2000), 535.062 (1999)

Aruba
Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.79 (2003), 1.79
(2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.79 (2000), 1.79 (1999)

Australia
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406
(2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000), 1.55 (1999)

Austria
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Azerbaijan
Azerbaijani manats per US dollar - 4,910.73 (2003),
4,860.82 (2002), 4,656.58 (2001), 4,474.15 (2000), 4,120.17 (1999)

Bahamas, The
Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1
(2001), 1 (2000), 1 (1999)

Bahrain
Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2003), 0.376 (2002),
0.376 (2001), 0.376 (2000), 0.376 (1999)

Bangladesh
taka per US dollar - 58.15 (2003), 57.888 (2002), 55.8067
(2001), 52.1417 (2000), 49.0854 (1999)

Barbados
Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2 (2003), 2 (2002), 2
(2001), 2 (2000), 2 (1999)

Belarus
Belarusian rubles per US dollar - 1,790.92 (2003), 1,920
(2002), 1,390 (2001), 876.75 (2000), 248.795 (1999)

Belgium
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Belize
Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2 (2003), 2 (2002), 2
(2001), 2 (2000), 2 (1999)

Benin
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000),
615.699 (1999)

Bermuda
Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged
to the US dollar)

Bhutan
ngultrum per US dollar - 46.5806 (2003), 48.6103 (2002),
47.1864 (2001), 44.9416 (2000), 43.0554 (1999)

Bolivia
bolivianos per US dollar - 7.6592 (2003), 7.17 (2002),
6.6069 (2001), 6.1835 (2000), 5.8124 (1999)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
marka per US dollar - 1.7329 (2003), 1.7329
(2002), 2.1857 (2001), 2.1244 (2000), 1.8371 (1999)

Botswana
pulas per US dollar - 4.9499 (2003), 6.3278 (2002), 5.8412
(2001), 5.1018 (2000), 4.6244 (1999)

Brazil
reals per US dollar - 3.0771 (2003), 2.9208 (2002), 2.3577
(2001), 1.8301 (2000), 1.8147 (1999)
note: from October 1994 through 14 January 1999, the official rate
was determined by a managed float; since 15 January 1999, the
official rate floats independently with respect to the US dollar

British Virgin Islands
the US dollar is used

Brunei
Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906
(2002), 1.7917 (2001), 1.724 (2000), 1.695 (1999)

Bulgaria
leva per US dollar - 1.7327 (2003), 2.077 (2002), 2.1847
(2001), 2.1233 (2000), 1.8364 (1999)
note: on 5 July 1999, the lev was redenominated; the post-5 July
1999 lev is equal to 1,000 of the pre-5 July 1999 lev

Burkina Faso
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US
dollar - 581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976
(2000), 615.699 (1999)

Burma
kyats per US dollar - 6.0764 (2003), 6.5734 (2002), 6.6841
(2001), 6.5167 (2000), 6.2858 (1999)
note: these are official exchange rates; unofficial exchange rates
ranged in 2003 from 100 kyat/US dollar to nearly 1000 kyat/US dollar

Burundi
Burundi francs per US dollar - 1,082.62 (2003), 930.75
(2002), 830.35 (2001), 720.67 (2000), 563.56 (1999)

Cambodia
riels per US dollar - 3,973.33 (2003), 3,912.08 (2002),
3,916.33 (2001), 3,840.75 (2000), 3,807.83 (1999)

Cameroon
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar
- 581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000),
615.699 (1999)

Canada
Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.4011 (2003), 1.5693
(2002), 1.5488 (2001), 1.4851 (2000), 1.4857 (1999)

Cape Verde
Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 97.703 (2003),
117.168 (2002), 123.228 (2001), 115.877 (2000), 102.7 (1999)

Cayman Islands
Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October
2001), 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993)

Central African Republic
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs
(XAF) per US dollar - 581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001),
711.976 (2000), 615.699 (1999)

Chad
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar -
581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000),
615.699 (1999)

Chile
Chilean pesos per US dollar - 691.433 (2003), 688.936 (2002),
634.938 (2001), 535.466 (2000), 508.777 (1999)

China
yuan per US dollar - 8.277 (2003), 8.277 (2002), 8.2771
(2001), 8.2785 (2000), 8.2783 (1999)

Christmas Island
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003),
1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173(2000), 1.5497 (1999)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419
(2003), 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999)

Colombia
Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,877.65 (2003), 2,504.24
(2002), 2,299.63 (2001), 2,087.9 (2000), 1,756.23 (1999)

Comoros
Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 435.9 (2003), 522.741
(2002), 549.779 (2001), 533.982 (2000), 461.775 (1999)
note: prior to January 1999, the official rate was pegged to the
French franc at 75 Comoran francs per French franc; since 1 January
1999, the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677
Comoran francs per euro

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Congolese francs per US dollar -
NA (2003), 346.485 (2002), 206.617 (2001), 21.82 (2000), 4.02 (1999)

Congo, Republic of the
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF)
per US dollar - 581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.98
(2000), 615.7 (1999)

Cook Islands
New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003),
2.1622 (2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999)

Costa Rica
Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 398.663 (2003),
359.817 (2002), 328.871 (2001), 308.187 (2000), 285.685 (1999)

Cote d'Ivoire
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US
dollar - 581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976
(2000), 615.699 (1999)

Croatia
kuna per US dollar - 6.7035 (2003), 7.8687 (2002), 8.34
(2001), 8.2766 (2000), 7.1124 (1999)

Cuba
Cuban pesos per US dollar - 1.0000 (nonconvertible, official
rate, for international transactions, pegged to the US dollar);
convertible peso sold for domestic use at a rate of 27 pesos per US
dollar by the Government of Cuba (2002)

Cyprus
Cypriot pounds per US dollar - 0.5174 (2003), 0.6107 (2002),
0.6431 (2001), 0.6224 (2000), 0.5429 (1999), Turkish lira per US
dollar 1.505 million (2003), 1.507 million (2002), 1,225,590 (2001),
625,218 (2000), 418,783 (1999)

Czech Republic
koruny per US dollar - 28.209 (2003), 32.7385 (2002),
38.0353 (2001), 38.5984 (2000), 34.5692 (1999)

Denmark
Danish kroner per US dollar - 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002),
8.3228 (2001), 8.0831 (2000), 6.9762 (1999)

Djibouti
Djiboutian francs per US dollar - 177.721 (2003), 177.721
(2002), 177.721 (2001), 177.721 (2000), 177.721 (1999)

Dominica
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2003), 2.7
(2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999)

Dominican Republic
Dominican pesos per US dollar - 30.8307 (2003),
18.6098 (2002), 16.9516 (2001), 16.415 (2000), 16.0331 (1999)

East Timor
the US dollar is the legal tender

Ecuador
Ecuador formally adopted the US dollar as legal tender in
March 2000

Egypt
Egyptian pounds per US dollar - 5.8509 (2003), 4.4997 (2002),
3.973 (2001), 3.4721 (2000), 3.3953 (1999)

El Salvador
the US dollar is the legal tender

Equatorial Guinea
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per
US dollar - 581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976
(2000), 615.699 (1999)

Eritrea
nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - NA (2003), 13.9582 (2002),
11.3095 (2001), 9.5 (2000), 7.6 (1999)

Estonia
krooni per US dollar - 13.8564 (2003), 16.6118 (2002),
17.4781 (2001), 16.9686 (2000), 14.6776 (1999)

Ethiopia
birr per US dollar - NA (2003), 8.5678 (2002), 8.4575
(2001), 8.2173 (2000), 7.9423 (1999)
note: since 24 October 2001 exchange rates are determined on a daily
basis via interbank transactions regulated by the Central Bank

European Union
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
1.1175 (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Falkland pounds per US dollar -
0.6125 (2003), 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.618
(1999), 0.6037 (1998); note - the Falkland pound is at par with the
British pound

Faroe Islands
Danish kroner per US dollar - 6.5877 (2003), 7.89
(2002), 8.323 (2001), 8.083 (2000), 6.976 (1999)

Fiji
Fijian dollars per US dollar - 1.8958 (2003), 2.1869 (2002),
2.2766 (2001), 2.1286 (2000), 1.9696 (1999)

Finland
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

France
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

French Guiana
Euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

French Polynesia
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US
dollar - 105.73 (2003), 126.72 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000),
111.93 (1999)
note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Gabon
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar -
581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000),
615.699 (1999)

Gambia, The
dalasi per US dollar - NA (2003), 19.9182 (2002),
15.6872 (2001), 12.7876 (2000), 11.3951 (1999)

Gaza Strip
new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.55 (2003), 4.74
(2002), 4.21 (2001), 4.08 (2000), 4.14 (1999)

Georgia
lari per US dollar - 2.1457 (2003), 2.1957 (2002), 2.073
(2001), 1.9762 (2000), 2.0245 (1999)

Germany
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Ghana
cedis per US dollar - NA (2003), 7,932.7 (2002), 7,170.76
(2001), 5,455.06 (2000), 2,669.3 (1999)

Gibraltar
Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944
(2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); note - the
Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound

Greece
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175
(2001), 365.399 (2000), 305.647 (1999)

Greenland
Danish kroner per US dollar - 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947
(2002), 8.323 (2001), 8.083 (2000), 6.976 (1999)

Grenada
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2003), 2.7
(2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999)

Guadeloupe
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Guam
the US dollar is used

Guatemala
quetzales per US dollar - 7.9409 (2003), 7.8216 (2002),
7.8586 (2001), 7.7632 (2000), 7.3856 (1999)

Guernsey
Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944
(2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998); note - the
Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound

Guinea
Guinean francs per US dollar - NA (2003), 1,975.84 (2002),
1,950.56 (2001), 1,746.87 (2000), 1,387.4 (1999)

Guinea-Bissau
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US
dollar - 581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976
(2000), 615.699 (1999)
note: as of 1 May 1997, Guinea-Bissau adopted the XOF franc as the
national currency; since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc is pegged to
the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro

Guyana
Guyanese dollars per US dollar - NA (2003), 190.665 (2002),
187.321 (2001), 182.43 (2000), 177.995 (1999)

Haiti
gourdes per US dollar - 40.5 (2003), 29.2505 (2002), 24.4291
(2001), 21.1707 (2000), 16.9379 (1999)

Holy See (Vatican City)
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003),1.1324
(2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Honduras
lempiras per US dollar - 17.3453 (2003), 16.4334 (2002),
15.4737 (2001), 14.8392 (2000), 14.2132 (1999)

Hong Kong
Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.7868 (2003), 7.7989
(2002), 7.7988 (2001), 7.7912 (2000), 7.7575 (1999)

Hungary
forints per US dollar - 224.307 (2003), 257.887 (2002),
286.49 (2001), 282.179 (2000), 237.146 (1999)

Iceland
Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 76.709 (2003), 91.6617
(2002), 97.4246 (2001), 78.6159 (2000), 72.3353 (1999)

India
Indian rupees per US dollar - 46.5806 (2003), 48.6103 (2002),
47.1864 (2001), 44.9416 (2000), 43.0554 (1999)

Indonesia
Indonesian rupiahs per US dollar - 8,577.13 (2003),
9,311.19 (2002), 10,260.8 (2001), 8,421.77 (2000), 7,855.15 (1999)

Iran
rials per US dollar - 8,193.89 (2003), 6,906.96 (2002),
1,753.56 (2001), 1,764.43 (2000), 1,752.93 (1999)
note: Iran has been using a managed floating exchange rate regime
since unifying multiple exchange rates in March 2002.

Iraq
New Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 1,890 (second half, 2003)

Ireland
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Israel
new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.5541 (2003), 4.7378
(2002), 4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000), 4.1397 (1999)

Italy
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Jamaica
Jamaican dollars per US dollar - 57.7409 (2003), 48.4159
(2002), 45.9962 (2001), 42.7011 (2000), 39.0435 (1999)

Japan
yen per US dollar - 115.933 (2003), 125.388 (2002), 121.529
(2001), 107.765 (2000), 113.907 (1999)

Jersey
Jersey pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001),
0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999); the Jersey pound is at par with the
British pound

Jordan
Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.709 (2003), 0.709 (2002),
0.709 (2001), 0.709 (2000), 0.709 (1999)

Kazakhstan
tenge per US dollar - 149.576 (2003), 153.279 (2002),
146.736 (2001), 142.133 (2000), 119.523 (1999)

Kenya
Kenyan shillings per US dollar - 75.9356 (2003), 78.7491
(2002), 78.5632 (2001), 76.1755 (2000), 70.3262 (1999)

Kiribati
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406
(2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000), 1.55 (1999)

Korea, North
official: North Korean won per US dollar - 150
(December 2002), 2.15 (December 2001), 2.15 (May 1994), 2.13 (May
1992), 2.14 (September 1991), 2.1 (January 1990); market: North
Korean won per US dollar - 300-600 (December 2002), 200 (December
2001)

Korea, South
South Korean won per US dollar - 1,191.61 (2003),
1,251.09 (2002), 1,290.99 (2001), 1,130.96 (2000), 1,188.82 (1999)

Kuwait
Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.298 (2003), 0.3039 (2002),
0.3067 (2001), 0.3068 (2000), 0.3044 (1999)

Kyrgyzstan
soms per US dollar - 43.6484 (2003), 46.9371 (2002),
48.378 (2001), 47.7038 (2000), 39.0077 (1999)

Laos
kips per US dollar - 10,443 (2003), 10,056.3 (2002), 8,954.58
(2001), 7,887.64 (2000), 7,102.02 (1999)

Latvia
lati per US dollar - 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182 (2002), 0.6279
(2001), 0.6065 (2000), 0.5852 (1999)

Lebanon
Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2003), 1,507.5
(2002), 1,507.5 (2001), 1,507.5 (2000), 1,507.84 (1999)

Lesotho
maloti per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092
(2001), 6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999)

Liberia
Liberian dollars per US dollar - NA (2003), 61.7542 (2002),
48.5833 (2001), 40.9525 (2000), 41.9025 (1999)

Libya
Libyan dinars per US dollar - 1.2929 (2003), 1.2707 (2002),
0.6051 (2001), 0.4994 (2000), 0.3936 (1999)

Liechtenstein
Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586
(2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999)

Lithuania
litai per US dollar - 3.0609 (2003), 3.677 (2002), 4
(2001), 4 (2000), 4 (1999)

Luxembourg
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Macau
patacas per US dollar - 8.0212 (2003), 8.0334 (2002), 8.0335
(2001), 8.0259 (2000), 7.9919 (1999)

Macedonia
Macedonian denars per US dollar - NA (2003), 64.3498
(2002), 68.0371 (2001), 65.9039 (2000), 56.9018 (1999)

Madagascar
Malagasy francs per US dollar - 6,210 (2003), 6,831.96
(2002), 6,588.49 (2001), 6,767.48 (2000), 6,283.77 (1999)

Malawi
Malawian kwachas per US dollar - NA (2003), 76.6866 (2002),
72.1973 (2001), 59.5438 (2000), 44.0881 (1999)

Malaysia
ringgits per US dollar - 3.8 (2003), 3.8 (2002), 3.8
(2001), 3.8 (2000), 3.8 (1999)

Maldives
rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2003), 12.8 (2002), 12.2421
(2001), 11.77 (2000), 11.77 (1999)

Mali
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000),
615.699 (1999)

Malta
Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.3772 (2003), 0.4336 (2002),
0.4501 (2001), 0.4382 (2000), 0.3989 (1999)

Man, Isle of
Manx pounds per US dollar - 0.6125 (2003), 0.6661
(2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999); the Manx pound
is at par with the British pound

Marshall Islands
the US dollar is the legal tender

Martinique
euros per US dollar - 0.8860 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US
dollar - 5.8995 (1998)

Mauritania
ouguiyas per US dollar - NA (2003), 271.739 (2002),
255.629 (2001)

Mauritius
Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 27.9015 (2003), 29.962
(2002), 29.1293 (2001), 26.2496 (2000), 25.1858 (1999)

Mayotte
euros per US dollar - 0.8860 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Mexico
Mexican pesos per US dollar - 10.789 (2003), 9.656 (2002),
9.3423 (2001), 9.4556 (2000), 9.5604 (1999)

Micronesia, Federated States of
the US dollar is used

Moldova
lei per US dollar - 13.9449 (2003), 13.5705 (2002), 12.8651
(2001), 12.4342 (2000), 10.5158 (1999)

Monaco
euros per US dollar - 0.8860 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Mongolia
togrogs/tugriks per US dollar - 1,171 (2003), 1,110.31
(2002), 1,097.7 (2001), 1,076.67 (2000), 1,021.87 (1999)

Montserrat
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate
since 1976)

Morocco
Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 9.5744 (2003), 11.0206
(2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.6256 (2000), 9.8044 (1999)

Mozambique
meticais per US dollar - 23,782.3 (2003), 23,678 (2002),
20,703.6 (2001), 15,447.1 (2000), 13,028.6 (1999)
note: effective October 2000, the exchange rate is determined as the
weighted average of buying and selling exchange rates of all
transactions of commercial banks and stock exchanges with the public

Namibia
Namibian dollars per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407
(2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999)

Nauru
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.2641
(2002) 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999)

Nepal
Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 76.1414 (2003), 77.8766
(2002), 74.9492 (2001), 71.0938 (2000), 68.2394 (1999)

Netherlands
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Netherlands Antilles
Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar -
1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.79 (2000), 1.79 (1999)

New Caledonia
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US
dollar - 105.73 (2003), 126.72 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000),
111.93 (1999)

New Zealand
New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003),
2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000), 1.8896 (1999)

Nicaragua
gold cordobas per US dollar - 14.2513 (2003), 14.2513
(2002), 13.3719 (2001), 12.6844 (2000), 11.8092 (1999)

Niger
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000),
615.699 (1999)

Nigeria
nairas per US dollar - 129.222 (2003), 120.578 (2002),
111.231 (2001), 101.697 (2000), 92.3381 (1999)

Niue
New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003), 2.1620
(2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999)

Norfolk Island
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003),
1.8406 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999)

Northern Mariana Islands
the US dollar is used

Norway
Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 7.0802 (2003), 7.9838
(2002), 8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000), 7.7992 (1999)

Oman
Omani rials per US dollar - 0.3845 (2003), 0.3845 (2002),
0.3845 (2001), 0.3845 (2000), 0.3845 (1999)

Pakistan
Pakistani rupees per US dollar - 57.752 (2003), 59.7238
(2002), 61.9272 (2001), 53.6482 (2000), 49.1183 (1999)

Palau
the US dollar is used

Panama
balboas per US dollar - 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1
(2000), 1 (1999)

Papua New Guinea
kina per US dollar - 3.5635 (2003), 3.8952 (2002),
3.3887 (2001), 2.7822 (2000), 2.5708 (1999)

Paraguay
guarani per US dollar - 6,424.34 (2003), 5,716.26 (2002),
4,105.92 (2001), 3,486.35 (2000), 3,119.07 (1999)

Peru
nuevo sol per US dollar - 3.4785 (2003), 3.5165 (2002), 3.5068
(2001), 3.49 (2000), 3.3833 (1999)

Philippines
Philippine pesos per US dollar - 54.2033 (2003), 51.6036
(2002), 50.9926 (2001), 44.1922 (2000), 39.089 (1999)

Pitcairn Islands
New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003),
2.162 (2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999)

Poland
zlotych per US dollar - 3.8891 (2003), 4.08 (2002), 4.0939
(2001), 4.3461 (2000), 3.9671 (1999)
note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty

Portugal
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Puerto Rico
the US dollar is used

Qatar
Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2003), 3.64 (2002), 3.64
(2001), 3.64 (2000), 3.64 (1999)

Reunion
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Romania
lei per US dollar - 33,200.1 (2003), 33,055.4 (2002),
29,060.8 (2001), 21,708.7 (2000), 15,332.8 (1999)

Russia
Russian rubles per US dollar - 30.692 (2003), 31.3485 (2002),
29.1685 (2001), 28.1292 (2000), 24.6199 (1999)
note: the post-1 January 1998 ruble is equal to 1,000 of the pre-1
January 1998 rubles

Rwanda
Rwandan francs per US dollar - 537.658 (2003), 476.327
(2002), 442.801 (2001), 389.696 (2000), 333.942 (1999)

Saint Helena
Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.6661 (2002),
0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998),

Saint Kitts and Nevis
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7
(2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999)

Saint Lucia
East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2003), 2.7
(2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626
(2002), 1.0626 (2001), 1.08540 (2000), 0.93863 (1999)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
East Caribbean dollars per US
dollar - 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999)

Samoa
tala per US dollar - 2.9732 (2003), 3.3763 (2002), 3.478
(2001), 3.2864 (2000), 3.0132 (1999)

San Marino
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Sao Tome and Principe
dobras per US dollar - 9,347.58 (2003),
9,088.32 (2002), 8,842.11 (2001), 7,978.17 (2000), 7,118.96 (1999)

Saudi Arabia
Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.745 (2003), 3.745
(2002), 3.745 (2001), 3.745 (2000), 3.745 (1999)

Senegal
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000),
615.699 (1999)

Serbia and Montenegro
new Yugoslav dinars per US dollar - official
rate: 65 (2002)

Seychelles
Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 5.4007 (2003), 5.48
(2002), 5.8575 (2001), 5.7138 (2000), 5.3426 (1999)

Sierra Leone
leones per US dollar - 2,347.94 (2003), 2,099.03
(2002), 1,986.15 (2001), 2,092.12 (2000), 1,804.19 (1999)

Singapore
Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906
(2002), 1.7917 (2001), 1.724 (2000), 1.695 (1999)

Slovakia
koruny per US dollar - 36.7729 (2003), 45.3267 (2002),
48.3548 (2001), 46.0352 (2000), 41.3628 (1999)

Slovenia
tolars per US dollar - 207.099 (2003), 240.248 (2002),
242.749 (2001), 222.656 (2000), 181.769 (1999)

Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - NA (2003),
6.7488 (2002), 5.278 (2001), 5.0889 (2000), 4.8381 (1999)

Somalia
Somali shillings per US dollar - 11,000 (November 2000),
2,620 (January 1999), 7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January
1996 est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995)
note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared independent
country not recognized by any foreign government, issues its own
currency, the Somaliland shilling

South Africa
rand per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002),
8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999)

Spain
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 96.521 (2003), 95.6621
(2002), 89.383 (2001), 77.0051 (2000), 70.6354 (1999)

Sudan
Sudanese dinars per US dollar - 260.983 (2003), 263.306
(2002), 258.702 (2001), 257.122 (2000), 252.55 (1999)

Suriname
Surinamese guilders per US dollar - NA (2003), 2,346.75
(2002), 2,178.5 (2001), 1,322.47 (2000), 859.437 (1999)
note: during 1998, the exchange rate splintered into four distinct
rates; in January 1999 the government floated the guilder, but
subsequently fixed it when the black-market rate plunged; the
government currently allows trading within a band of SRG 500 around
the official rate

Svalbard
Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 7.0802 (2003), 7.9838
(2002), 8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000), 7.7992 (1999)

Swaziland
emalangeni per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002),
8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999)

Sweden
Swedish kronor per US dollar - 8.0853 (2003), 9.7371 (2002),
10.3291 (2001), 9.1622 (2000), 8.2624 (1999)

Switzerland
Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586
(2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999)

Syria
Syrian pounds per US dollar - (Official rate): 11.225 (2003),
11.225 (2002), 11.225 (2001), 11.225 (2000), 11.225 (1999), (Free
market rate): 49.65 (2001), 49.4 (2000), 51.7 (1999)

Taiwan
new Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 34.418 (2003), 34.575
(2002), 33.8 (2001), 33.09 (2000), 31.6 (1999)

Tajikistan
Tajikistani somoni per US dollar - 3.0614 (2003), 2.7641
(2002), 2.3722 (2001), 2.0763 (2000), 1.2378 (1999)
note: the new unit of exchange was introduced on 30 October 2000,
with one somoni equal to 1,000 of the old Tajikistani rubles

Tanzania
Tanzanian shillings per US dollar - NA (2003), 966.583
(2002), 876.412 (2001), 800.409 (2000), 744.759 (1999)

Thailand
baht per US dollar - 41.4846 (2003), 42.9601 (2002),
44.4319 (2001), 40.1118 (2000), 37.8137 (1999)

Togo
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000),
615.699 (1999)

Tokelau
New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003), 2.154
(2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999)

Tonga
pa'anga per US dollar - NA (2003), 2.1952 (2002), 2.1236
(2001), 1.7585 (2000), 1.5991 (1999)

Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago dollars per US dollar -
6.2929 (2003), 6.2487 (2002), 6.2332 (2001), 6.2998 (2000), 6.2989
(1999)

Tunisia
Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.2885 (2003), 1.4217
(2002), 1.4387 (2001), 1.3707 (2000), 1.1862 (1999)

Turkey
Turkish liras per US dollar - NA (2003), 1,507,230 (2002),
1,225,590 (2001), 625,218 (2000), 418,783 (1999), 151,865 (1997)

Turkmenistan
Turkmen manats per US dollar - 5,200 (2003), 5,200
(2002), 5,200 (2001), 5,200 (2000), 5,200 (1999);note - the official
exchange rate has not varied for the last six years; the unofficial
rate has fluctuated slightly, hovering around 21,000 manats to the
dollar

Turks and Caicos Islands
the US dollar is used

Tuvalu
Tuvaluan dollars or Australian dollars per US dollar -
1.5419, (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497
(1999)

Uganda
Ugandan shillings per US dollar - 1,963.72 (2003), 1,797.55
(2002), 1,755.66 (2001), 1,644.48 (2000), 1,454.83 (1999)

Ukraine
hryvnia per US dollar - 5.3327 (2003), 5.3266 (2002), 5.3722
(2001), 5.4402 (2000), 4.1304 (1999)

United Arab Emirates
Emirati dirhams per US dollar - 3.67 (2003),
3.6725 (2002), 3.6725 (2001), 3.6725 (2000), 3.6725 (1999)

United Kingdom
British pounds per US dollar - 0.55 (2004), 0.61
(2003), 0.67 (2002), 0.69 (2001), 0.66 (2000), 0.62 (1999)

United States
British pounds per US dollar - 0.6139 (2003), 0.6661
(2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), Canadian
dollars per US dollar - 1.4045 (2003), 1.5693 (2002), 1.5488 (2001),
1.4851 (2000), 1.4857 (1999), Japanese yen per US dollar - 116.08
(2003), 125.39 (2002), 121.53 (2001), 107.77 (2000), 113.91 (1999),
euros per US dollar - 0.8866 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.08540 (2000), 0.93863 (1999)

Uruguay
Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 28.2091 (2003), 21.257
(2002), 13.3191 (2001), 12.0996 (2000), 11.3393 (1999)

Uzbekistan
Uzbekistani sums per US dollar - 115.9 (2003), 125.3
(2002), NA (2001), 236.608 (2000), 124.625 (1999)

Vanuatu
vatu per US dollar - 122.189 (2003), 139.198 (2002), 145.312
(2001), 137.643 (2000), 129.075 (1999)

Venezuela
bolivares per US dollar - 1,607.79 (2003), 1,160.95
(2002), 723.666 (2001), 679.96 (2000), 605.717 (1999)

Vietnam
dong per US dollar - 15,279.5 (2003), 15,279.5 (2002),
14,725.2 (2001), 14,167.7 (2000), 13,943.2 (1999)

Virgin Islands
the US dollar is used

Wallis and Futuna
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per
US dollar - 105.73 (2003), 126.72 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43
(2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998)

West Bank
new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.5541 (2003), 4.7378
(2002), 4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000), 4.1397 (1999); Jordanian
dinars per US dollar - fixed rate of 0.7090 (from 1996)

Western Sahara
Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 9.574 (2003), 11.584
(2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999)

Yemen
Yemeni rials per US dollar - NA (2003), 175.625 (2002),
168.672 (2001), 161.718 (2000), 155.718 (1999)

Zambia
Zambian kwacha per US dollar - 4,733.77 (2003), 4,398.59
(2002), 3,610.93 (2001), 3,110.84 (2000), 2,388.02 (1999)

Zimbabwe
Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - NA (2003), 55.0358
(2002), 55.0521 (2001), 44.4179 (2000), 38.3012 (1999); note - these
are official exchange rates, non-official rates vary significantly

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2077 Executive branch

Afghanistan
chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of
Afghanistan, Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government; former
King ZAHIR Shah holds the honorific, "Father of the Country," and
presides symbolically over certain occasions, but lacks any
governing authority; the honorific is not hereditary
head of government: President of the Islamic Republic of
Afghanistan, Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); note - the
president is both chief of state and head of government
cabinet: 27 ministers; note - under the new constitution, ministers
are appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly
elections: the president and two vice presidents are elected by
direct vote for a five-year term; if no candidate receives 50% or
more of the vote in the first round of voting, the two candidates
with the most votes will participate in a second round; a president
can only be elected for two terms; election last held 9 October 2004
(next to be held in 2009)
election results: Hamid KARZAI elected president; percent of vote -
Hamid KARZAI - 55.4%, Yunus QANOONI - 16.3%, Mohammad MOHAQEQ -
11.6%, Abdul Rashid DOSTAM 10.0%, Abdul Latif PEDRAM - 1.4%, Masooda
JALAL - 1.2%

Akrotiri
chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Administrator Maj. Gen. Peter Tomas Clayton
PEARSON (since 9 May 2003) note - reports to the British Ministry of
Defence
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is
appointed by the monarch

Albania
chief of state: President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU
(since 24 July 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Fatos NANO (since 31 July 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister,
nominated by the president, and approved by Parliament
elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 24 June 2002 (next to be held NA
June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Alfred MOISIU elected president; People's Assembly
vote by number - total votes 116, for 97, against 19

Algeria
chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28
April 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 9 May 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 8 April 2004 (next to be held NA April 2009);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected president for
second term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA 85%, Ali BENFLIS
6.4%, Abdallah DJABALLAH 5%

American Samoa
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US
(since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since
20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003)
cabinet: NA
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
last held 2 and 16 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)
election results: Togiola TULAFONO elected governor; percent of
vote: Togiola TULAFONO 55.7%, Afoa Moega LUTU 44.3%

Andorra
chief of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
1995), represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002); Spanish
Coprince Bishop Joan Enric VIVES i SICILIA (since 12 May 2003),
represented by Nemesi MARQUES i OSTE (since NA)
head of government: Executive Council President Marc FORNE Molne
(since 21 December 1994)
cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive
Council president
elections: Executive Council president elected by the General
Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year
term; election last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held April-May
2005)
election results: Marc FORNE Molne elected executive council
president; percent of General Council vote - NA%

Angola
chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21
September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21
September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and
head of government; Fernando de Piedade Dias DOS SANTOS was
appointed Prime Minister on 6 December 2002, but this is not a
position of real power
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by universal ballot for a NA-year term;
President DOS SANTOS originally elected (in 1979) without opposition
under a one-party system and stood for reelection in Angola's first
multiparty elections 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held NA)
election results: DOS SANTOS 49.6%, Jonas SAVIMBI 40.1%, making a
run-off election necessary; the run-off was not held and SAVIMBI's
National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA)
repudiated the results of the first election; the civil war resumed

Anguilla
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
represented by Governor Alan Eden HUCKLE (since 28 May 2004)
head of government: Chief Minister Osbourne FLEMING (since 3 March
2000)
cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the
elected members of the House of Assembly
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
appointed chief minister by the governor

Antigua and Barbuda
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
February 1952), represented by Governor General James B. CARLISLE
(since 10 June 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Baldwin SPENCER (since 24 March
2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on
the advice of the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen
by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following
legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the
leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister
by the governor general

Argentina
chief of state: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May
2003); Vice President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003);
Vice President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; the last election held was the
presidential primary election of 27 April 2003 (next election to be
held NA 2007)
election results: results of the presidential primary of 27 April
2003: Carlos Saul MENEM 24.3%, Nestor KIRCHNER 22%, Ricardo Lopez
MURPHY 16.4%, Adolfo Rodriguez SAA 14.4%, Elisa CARRIO 14.2%, other
8.7%; the subsequent runoff election slated for 25 May 2003 was
awarded to KIRCHNER by default after MENEM withdrew his candidacy on
the eve of the election

Armenia
chief of state: President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March
1998)
head of government: Prime Minister Andranik MARKARYAN (since 12 May
2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 19 February and 5 March 2003 (next to be held NA
2008); prime minister appointed by the president; the prime minister
and Council of Ministers must resign if the National Assembly
refuses to accept their program
election results: Robert KOCHARIAN reelected president; percent of
vote - Robert KOCHARIAN 67.5%, Stepan DEMIRCHYAN 32.5%

Aruba
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30
April 1980), represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since
11 May 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30
October 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers (elected by the Staten)
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for
a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime
minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last
held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by December 2005)
election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent
of legislative vote - NA

Australia
chief of state: Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6
February 1952), represented by Governor General Maj. Gen. (Ret.)
Michael JEFFERY (since 11 August 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11
March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister John ANDERSON (since 20 July 1999)
cabinet: Parliament nominates and selects, from among its members, a
list of candidates to serve as government ministers; from this list,
the governor general swears in the final selections for the Cabinet
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime
minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as
prime minister by the governor general
note: government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party

Austria
chief of state: President Heinz FISCHER (since 8 July 2004)
head of government: Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (OeVP)(since 4
February 2000); Vice Chancellor Hubert GORBACH (since 21 October
2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice
of the chancellor
elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a six-year
term; presidential election last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held
NA April 2010); chancellor traditionally chosen by the president
from the plurality party in the National Council; vice chancellor
chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor
election results: Heinz FISCHER elected president; percent of vote -
Heinz FISCHER (SPOe) 52.4%, Benita FERRERO-WALDNER (OeVP) 47.6%
note: government coalition - OeVP and FPOe

Azerbaijan
chief of state: President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October
2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 4 November
2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Abbas ABBASOV (since 10 November
2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and
confirmed by the National Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term;
election last held 15 October 2003 (next to be held NA October
2008); prime minister and first deputy prime ministers appointed by
the president and confirmed by the National Assembly
election results: Ilham ALIYEV elected president; percent of vote -
Ilham ALIYEV 76.8%, Isa GAMBAR 14%

Bahamas, The
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Governor General Dame Ivy DUMONT (since NA May
2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 3 May 2002)
and Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime
minister's recommendation
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the
prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Bahrain
chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa (since 6 March
1999); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the
monarch, born 21 October 1969)
head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al Khalifa
(since NA 1971)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister
appointed by the monarch

Bangladesh
chief of state: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6
September 2002); note - the president's duties are normally
ceremonial, but with the 13th amendment to the constitution
("Caretaker Government Amendment"), the president's role becomes
significant at times when Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker
government is installed - at presidential direction - to supervise
the elections
head of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA (since 10 October
2001)
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the
president
elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year
term; election scheduled for 16 September 2002 was not held since
Iajuddin AHMED was the only presidential candidate; he was sworn in
on 6 September 2002 (next election to be held by NA 2007); following
legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most
seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president
election results: Iajuddin AHMED declared by the Election Commission
elected unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote
- NA

Barbados
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS
(since 1 June 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6
September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Mia MOTTLEY (since 26 May
2003)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the
prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Belarus
chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20
July 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Sergei SIDORSKY (since 19
December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since
December 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers Andrei KOBYAKOV (since
December 2003), Vladimir DRAZHIN (since 24 September 2001), Ivan
BAMBIZA (since 25 May 2004), Anatoly TYUTYUNOV (since July 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
first election took place 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the
1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999,
however LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a November 1996
referendum; new election held 9 September 2001; October 2004
referendum ended presidential term limits allowing president to run
for a third term in September 2006; prime minister and deputy prime
ministers appointed by the president
election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent
of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 75.6%, Vladimir GONCHARIK 15.4%

Belgium
chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir
Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch
head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July
1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
monarch and then approved by Parliament
note: government coalition - VLD, MR, PS, SP.A-Spirit

Belize
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG, Sr. (since 17
November 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Said Wilbert MUSA (since 28
August 1998); Deputy Prime Minister John BRICENO (since 1 September
1998)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; prime
minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Benin
chief of state: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April
1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;
runoff election held 22 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2006)
election results: Mathieu KEREKOU reelected president; percent of
vote - Mathieu KEREKOU 84.1%, Bruno AMOUSSOU 15.9%
note: the four top-ranking contenders following the first-round
presidential elections were: Mathieu KEREKOU (incumbent) 45.4%,
Nicephore SOGOLO (former president) 27.1%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI
(National Assembly Speaker) 12.6%, and Bruno AMOUSSOU (Minister of
State) 8.6%; the second-round balloting, originally scheduled for 18
March 2001, was postponed four days because both SOGOLO and
HOUNGBEDJI withdrew alleging electoral fraud; this left KEREKOU to
run against his own Minister of State, AMOUSSOU, in what was termed
a "friendly match"

Bermuda
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor Sir John VEREKER (since NA April 2002)
head of government: Premier Alex SCOTT (since 24 July 2003); Deputy
Premier Ewart BROWN
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
appointed premier by the governor

Bhutan
chief of state: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July
1972)
head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Lyonpo
Yeshey ZIMBA (since 20 August 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the
monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed,
five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council
(Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms
in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the
monarch with two-thirds vote

Bolivia
chief of state: President Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert (since
17 October 2003); Vice President (vacant); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert (since 17
October 2003); Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 30 June 2002
(next to be held NA June 2007)
election results: as a result of no candidate winning a majority in
the 30 June 2002 election, Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE LOZADA Bustamante was
chosen president by Congress; Congressional votes - Gonzalo SANCHEZ
DE LOZADA Bustamante 84, Evo MORALES 43; note - following the
resignation of the elected president on 17 October 2003, Vice
President Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert assumed the presidency

Bosnia and Herzegovina
chief of state: Chairman of the Presidency
Borislav PARAVAC (chairman since 28 October 2004; presidency member
since 10 April 2003 - Serb) other members of the three-member
rotating (every eight months) presidency: Dragan COVIC (since 5
October 2002 - Croat) and Sulejman TIHIC (since 5 October 2002 -
Bosniak); note - Mirko SAROVIC resigned 2 April 2003
head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Adnan
TERZIC (since 20 December 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairman;
approved by the National House of Representatives
elections: the three members of the presidency (one Bosniak, one
Croat, one Serb) are elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
the member with the most votes becomes the chairman unless he or she
was the incumbent chairman at the time of the election, but the
chairmanship rotates every eight months; election last held 5
October 2002 (next to be held NA 2006); the chairman of the Council
of Ministers is appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the
National House of Representatives
election results: percent of vote - Mirko SAROVIC with 35.5% of the
Serb vote was elected chairman of the collective presidency for the
first eight months; Dragan COVIC received 61.5% of the Croat vote;
Sulejman TIHIC received 37% of the Bosniak vote
note: President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Niko
LOZANCIC (since 27 January 2003); Vice Presidents Sahbaz DZIHANOVIC
(since NA 2003) and Desnica RADIVOJEVIC (since NA 2003); President
of the Republika Srpska: Dragan CAVIC (since 28 November 2002)

Botswana
chief of state: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998)
and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and
Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 16 October 1999 (next to be held
NA October 2004); vice president appointed by the president
election results: Festus MOGAE elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote - 54.3%

Brazil
chief of state: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1
January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1
January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 6 October
2002 (next to be held 1 October 2006, with a runoff on 29 October
2006 if necessary); runoff election held 27 October 2002
election results: in runoff election 27 October 2002, Luiz Inacio
LULA DA SILVA (PT) was elected with 61.3% of the vote; Jose SERRA
(PSDB) 38.7%

British Indian Ocean Territory
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II
(since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004);
Administrator Charles A. HAMILTON (since 2002); note - both reside
in the UK
cabinet: NA
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and
administrator appointed by the monarch

British Virgin Islands
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
February 1952), represented by Governor Tom MACAN (since 14 October
2002)
head of government: Chief Minister Orlando D. SMITH (since 17 June
2003)
cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of
the Legislative Council
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
appointed chief minister by the governor

Brunei
chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL
Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief
of state and head of government
head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah
(since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of
state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided over by
the monarch; deals with executive matters; note - there is also a
Religious Council (members appointed by the monarch) that advises on
religious matters, a Privy Council (members appointed by the
monarch) that deals with constitutional matters, and the Council of
Succession (members appointed by the monarch) that determines the
succession to the throne if the need arises
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Bulgaria
chief of state: President Georgi PURVANOV (since 22 January
2002); Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002)
head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime
Minister) Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA (since 24 July 2001); Deputy
Prime Ministers Nikolay VASILEV (since 24 July 2001), Lidiya SHULEVA
(since 24 July 2001), and Plamen PANAYOTOV (since 17 July 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
elected by the National Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 11 November
and 18 November 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); chairman of the
Council of Ministers (prime minister) nominated by the president and
elected by the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers nominated
by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly
election results: Georgi PURVANOV elected president; percent of vote
- Georgi PURVANOV 54.13%, Petar STOYANOV 45.87%

Burkina Faso
chief of state: President Blaise COMPAORE (since 15
October 1987)
head of government: Prime Minister Ernest Paramanga YONLI (since 6
November 2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 15 November 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); in
April 2000, the constitution was amended reducing the presidential
term from seven to five years, enforceable as of 2005, and allowing
the president to be reelected only once; it is unclear whether this
amendment will be applied retroactively or not; prime minister
appointed by the president with the consent of the legislature
election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected president with 87.5%
percent of the vote

Burma
chief of state: Chairman of the State Peace and Development
Council Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister, Gen SOE WIN (since 19 October
2004)
cabinet: State Peace and Development Council (SPDC); military junta,
so named 15 November 1997, which initially assumed power 18
September 1988 under the name State Law and Order Restoration
Council (SLORC); the SPDC oversees the cabinet
elections: none

Burundi
chief of state: President Domitien NDAYIZEYE (since 30 April
2003); note - NDAYIZEYE, a Hutu, was sworn in as president for the
second half of the three-year transitional government inaugurated on
1 November 2001; Vice President Frederic NGENZEBUHORO (since 11
November 2004)
head of government: President Domitien NDAYIZEYE (since 30 April
2003); note - NDAYIZEYE, a Hutu, was sworn in as president for the
second half of the three-year transitional government inaugurated on
1 November 2001; Vice President Frederic NGENZEBUHORO (since 11
November 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president
elections: NA; current president assumed power on 30 April 2003 as
part of the transitional government established by the 2000 Arusha
Accord

Cambodia
chief of state: King Norodom SIHAMONI (since 29 October
2004)
head of government: Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 14 January 1985)
and Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KHENG (since 3 February 1992),
Norodom SIRIVUDH, SOK AN, LU LAY SRENG, TEA BANH, HOR NAMHONG, NHEK
BUNCHHAY (since 16 July 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers in theory appointed by the monarch; in
practice named by the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is chosen by a Royal Throne Council;
following legislative elections, a member of the majority party or
majority coalition is named prime minister by the Chairman of the
National Assembly and appointed by the king

Cameroon
chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)
head of government: Prime Minister Ephraim INONI (since 8 Dec 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted
by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be held NA October
2011); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote -
Paul BIYA 70.9%, John FRU NDI 17.4%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 4.5%, Garga
Haman ADJI 3.7%

Canada
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Adrienne CLARKSON (since 7 October
1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Paul MARTIN (since 12 December
2003); Deputy Prime Minister Anne MCLELLAN (since 12 December 2003)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister from among
the members of his own party sitting in Parliament
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a
five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House
of Commons is automatically designated prime minister by the
governor general

Cape Verde
chief of state: President Pedro PIRES (since 22 March
2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1
February 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 11 and 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA
February 2006); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly
and appointed by the president
election results: Pedro PIRES elected president; percent of vote -
Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 49.43%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 49.42%; note - the
election was won by only twelve votes

Cayman Islands
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952); Governor Bruce DINWIDDY (since 29 May 2002)
head of government: Chief Secretary W. McKeeva BUSH (since NA
December 2001)
cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor,
four members elected by the Legislative Assembly)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is
appointed by the monarch; the chief secretary is appointed by the
governor

Central African Republic
chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE
(since 15 March 2003 coup) and Vice President Abel GOUMA (since 12
December 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Celestin GAOMBALET (since 12
December 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: NA; municipal, legislative and presidential elections
scheduled for December 2004 or January 2005; prime minister
appointed by the president

Chad
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since 4
December 1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Pascal YOADIMNADJI (since 3
February 2005)
cabinet: Council of State, members appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote to serve five-year
term; if no candidate receives at least 50% of the total vote, the
two candidates receiving the most votes must stand for a second
round of voting; last held 20 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY reelected president; percent
of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 63%, Ngarlegy YORONGAR 16%, Saleh
KEBZABO 7%
note: government coalition - MPS, UNDR, and URD

Chile
chief of state: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11
March 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March
2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 12 December 1999, with runoff election held 16
January 2000 (next to be held NA December 2005)
election results: Ricardo LAGOS Escobar elected president; percent
of vote - Ricardo LAGOS Escobar 51.32%, Joaquin LAVIN 48.68%

China
chief of state: President HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003) and
Vice President ZENG Qinghong (since 15 March 2003)
head of government: Premier WEN Jiabao (since 16 March 2003); Vice
Premiers HUANG Ju (since 17 March 2003), WU Yi (17 March 2003), ZENG
Peiyan (since 17 March 2003), and HUI Liangyu (since 17 March 2003)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the National People's Congress
(NPC)
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
People's Congress for five-year terms; elections last held 15-17
March 2003 (next to be held mid-March 2008); premier nominated by
the president, confirmed by the National People's Congress
election results: HU Jintao elected president by the Tenth National
People's Congress with a total of 2,937 votes (4 delegates voted
against him, 4 abstained, and 38 did not vote); ZENG Qinghong
elected vice president by the Tenth National People's Congress with
a total of 2,578 votes (177 delegates voted against him, 190
abstained, and 38 did not vote); 2 seats were vacant

Christmas Island
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November
2003)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
Australia

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Evan WILLIAMS (since
1 November 2003)
cabinet: NA
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
Australia

Colombia
chief of state: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7
August 2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August
2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the two dominant parties
- the PL and PSC - and independents
elections: president and vice president elected by popular vote for
a four-year term; election last held 26 May 2002 (next to be held NA
May 2006)
election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez received 53% of the
vote; Vice President Francisco SANTOS was elected on the same ticket

Comoros
chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May
2002); note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president;
in January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002
presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was
appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May
2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and
Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and
the head of government
head of government: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002);
note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in
January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002
presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was
appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May
2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and
Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and
the head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency
rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three
main islands in the Union; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to
be held NA April 2007); prime minister appointed by the president;
note - AZALI has not appointed a Prime Minister since he was sworn
into office in May 2002
election results: President AZALI Assoumani elected president with
75% of the vote

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
chief of state: President Joseph
KABILA (since 26 January 2001); note - following the assassination
of his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph
KABILA succeeded to the presidency; the president is both the chief
of state and head of government
head of government: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001);
note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire
KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the
presidency; the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: National Executive Council, appointed by the president
elections: prior to the overthrow of MOBUTU Sese Seko, the president
was elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last
held 29 July 1984 (next was scheduled to be held in May 1997);
formerly, there was also a prime minister who was elected by the
High Council of the Republic; note - a Transitional Government is
drafting a new constitution with free elections scheduled to be held
in NA 2005
election results: results of the last election were: MOBUTU Sese
Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga reelected president in 1984 without
opposition
note: Joseph KABILA succeeded his father, Laurent Desire KABILA,
following the latter's assassination in January 2001, negotiations
with rebel leaders led to the establishment of a transitional
government in July 2003 with free elections scheduled to be held in
NA 2005

Congo, Republic of the
chief of state: President Denis
SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in
which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October
1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president
Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state
and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
(eligible for a second seven-year term); election last held 10 March
2002 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent
of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU
2.7%

Cook Islands
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001); New
Zealand High Commissioner Kurt MEYER (since July 2001),
representative of New Zealand
head of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December
2004); Deputy Prime Minister SIR Geoffrey HENRY (since 14 December
2004)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively
responsible to Parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is
appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is
appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition usually becomes prime minister

Coral Sea Islands
administered from Canberra by the Department of
the Environment, Sport, and Territories

Costa Rica
chief of state: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May
2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since 8 May 2002);
Second Vice President Luis FISHMAN (since 8 May 2002); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First
Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since NA May 2002); Second Vice
President Luis FISHMAN (since NA May 2002); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 February
2002; run-off election held 7 April 2002 (next to be held NA
February 2006)
election results: Abel PACHECO elected president; percent of vote -
Abel PACHECO (PUSC) 58%; Rolando ARAYA (PLN) 42%

Cote d'Ivoire
chief of state: President Laurent GBAGBO (since 26
October 2000); note - seized power following a popular overthrow of
the interim leader Gen. Robert GUEI who had claimed a dubious
victory in presidential elections; Gen. GUEI himself had assumed
power on 25 December 1999, following a military coup against the
government of former President Henri Konan BEDIE
head of government: Prime Minister Seydou DIARRA (since 25 January
2003); note - appointed as transitional Prime Minister by President
GBAGBO as part of a French brokered peace plan
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 26 October 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: Laurent GBAGBO elected president; percent of vote
- Laurent GBAGBO 59.4%, Robert GUEI 32.7%, Francis WODIE 5.7%, other
2.2%

Croatia
chief of state: President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18
February 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Ivo SANADER (since 9 December
2003); Deputy Prime Ministers Jadranka KOSOR (since 23 December
2003) and Andrija HEBRANG (since 23 December 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and
approved by the parliamentary Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 16 January 2005 (next to be held January 2010);
prime minister nominated by the president in line with the balance
of power in the Assembly
election results: Stjepan MESIC reelected president; percent of vote
- Stjepan MESIC (HNS) 66%, Jadranka KOSOR (HDZ) 34%

Cuba
chief of state: President of the Council of State and President
of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from
February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;
president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the
Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of
Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President of the Council of State and President
of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from
February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;
president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the
Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of
Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the
Council of State and appointed by the National Assembly or the
31-member Council of State, elected by the Assembly to act on its
behalf when it is not in session
elections: president and vice presidents elected by the National
Assembly for a term of five years; election last held 6 March 2003
(next to be held in 2008)
election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz reelected president; percent of
legislative vote - 100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president;
percent of legislative vote - 100%

Cyprus
chief of state: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March
2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the
1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot
head of government: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March
2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the
1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and
vice president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 16 February 2003 (next to be held NA February
2008)
election results: Tassos PAPADOPOULOS elected president; percent of
vote - Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 51.5%, Glafkos KLIRIDIS 38.8%, Alekos
MARKIDIS 6.6%
note: Rauf R. DENKTASH has been "president" of north Cyprus since 13
February 1975 ("president" elected by popular vote for a five-year
term); elections last held 15 April 2000 (next to be held April
2005); results - Rauf R. DENKTASH reelected president after the
other contender withdrew; Mehmet Ali TALAT, who had been "prime
minister" of north Cyprus since mid-January 2004, currently serving
in a caretaker capacity following the failure of the governing
coalition to pass a budget; "parliamentary" elections are planned
for 20 February 2005; there is a Council of Ministers (cabinet) in
north Cyprus, appointed by the "prime minister"

Czech Republic
chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March
2003)
note: the Czech Republic's first president Vaclav HAVEL stepped down
from office on 2 February 2003 having served exactly 10 years;
parliament finally elected a successor on 28 February 2003 after two
inconclusive elections in January 2003
head of government: Prime Minister Stanislav GROSS (since 26 July
2004), Deputy Prime Ministers Zdenek SKROMACH (since 4 August 2004),
Martin JAHN (since 4 August 2004), Pavel NEMEC (since 4 August
2004); Milan SIMONOVSKY (since 4 August 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the prime minister
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term;
last successful election held 28 February 2003 (after earlier
elections held 15 and 24 January 2003 were inconclusive; next
election to be held NA January 2008); prime minister appointed by
the president
election results: Vaclav KLAUS elected president on 28 February
2003; Vaclav KLAUS 142 votes, Jan SOKOL 124 votes (third round;
combined votes of both chambers of parliament)

Denmark
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972);
Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born
26 May 1968)
head of government: Prime Minister Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN (since 27
November 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by
Parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch

Dhekelia
chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Administrator Maj. Gen. Peter Tomas Clayton
PEARSON (since 9 May 2003) note - reports to the British Ministry of
Defence
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is
appointed by the monarch

Djibouti
chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May
1999)
head of government: Prime Minister DILEITA Mohamed Dileita (since 4
March 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 9 April 1999 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH elected president; percent of
vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 74.4%, IDRIS Moussa Ahmed 25.6%

Dominica
chief of state: President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since
October 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8
January 2004); note - assumed post after death of Prime Minister
Pierre CHARLES
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the
prime minister
elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be held
NA October 2008); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL elected president; percent of
legislative vote - NA

Dominican Republic
chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna
(since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro
(since 16 August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16
August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16
August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 16 May 2004
(next to be held in May 2008)
election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ elected president; percent of
vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ (PLD) 57.1%, Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez
(PRD) 33.7%, Eduardo ESTRELLA (PRSC) 8.7%

East Timor
chief of state: President Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since
20 May 2002); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but
is able to veto some legislation; he formerly used the name Jose
Alexandre GUSMAO
head of government: Prime Minister Mari Bin Amude ALKATIRI (since 20
May 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2007);
after the first legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party was appointed prime minister by the president, suggesting a
precedent for the future
election results: Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO elected president; percent
of vote - Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do AMARAL
17.3%

Ecuador
chief of state: President Lucio GUTIERREZ (since 15 January
2003); Vice President Alfredo PALACIO (since 15 January 2003); note
- the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Lucio GUTIERREZ (since 15 January
2003); Vice President Alfredo PALACIO (since 15 January 2003); note
- the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: the president and vice president are elected on the same
ticket by popular vote for a four-year term (no immediate
reelection); election last held 20 October 2002; runoff election
held 24 November 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006)
election results: results of the 24 November 2002 runoff election -
Lucio GUTIERREZ elected president; percent of vote - Lucio GUTIERREZ
54.3%; Alvaro NOBOA 45.7%

Egypt
chief of state: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14
October 1981)
head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF (since 9 July 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president nominated by the People's Assembly for a
six-year term, the nomination must then be validated by a national,
popular referendum; national referendum last held 26 September 1999
(next to be held NA October 2005); prime minister appointed by the
president
election results: national referendum validated President MUBARAK's
nomination by the People's Assembly to a fourth term

El Salvador
chief of state: President Elias Antonio SACA (since 1
June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Elias Antonio SACA (since 1 June
2004); Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004); note
- the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 21 March
2004 (next to be held NA March 2009)
election results: Elias Antonio SACA elected president; percent of
vote - Elias Antonio SACA (ARENA) 57.7%, Schafik HANDAL (FMLN)
35.6%, Hector SILVA (CDU-PDC) 3.9%, other 2.8%

Equatorial Guinea
chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.)
Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized
power in a military coup)
head of government: Prime Minister Miguel Abia BITEO BORICO (since
14 June 2004); First Deputy Prime Minister Miguel OYONO NDONG (since
NA January 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Demetrio Elo NDONG NZE FUMU
(since NA January 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held NA December
2009); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the
president
election results: Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected president;
percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO 97.1%, Celestino
Bonifacio BACALE 2.2%; elections marred by widespread fraud

Eritrea
chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June
1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly
head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly
cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority;
members appointed by the president
elections: president elected by the National Assembly; election last
held 8 June 1993 (next election date uncertain as the National
Assembly did not hold a presidential election in December 2001 as
anticipated)
election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95%

Estonia
chief of state: President Arnold RUUTEL (since 8 October
2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Juhan PARTS (since 10 April 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
approved by Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; if
he or she does not secure two-thirds of the votes after three rounds
of balloting in the Parliament, then an electoral assembly (made up
of Parliament plus members of local governments) elects the
president, choosing between the two candidates with the largest
percentage of votes; election last held 21 September 2001 (next to
be held in the fall of 2006); prime minister nominated by the
president and approved by Parliament
election results: Arnold RUUTEL elected president on 21 September
2001 by a 367-member electoral assembly that convened following
Parliament's failure in August to elect then-President MERI's
successor; on the second ballot of voting, RUUTEL received 186 votes
to Parliament Speaker Toomas SAVI's 155; the remaining 26 ballots
were either left blank or invalid

Ethiopia
chief of state: President GIRMA Woldegiorgis (since 8
October 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since NA August
1995)
cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994
constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and
approved by the House of People's Representatives
elections: president elected by the House of People's
Representatives for a six-year term; election last held 8 October
2001 (next to be held NA October 2007); prime minister designated by
the party in power following legislative elections
election results: GIRMA Woldegiorgis elected president; percent of
vote by the House of People's Representatives - 100%

European Union
chief of union: President of the European Commission
Jose DURAO BARROSO (since 22 November 2004)
cabinet: European Commission (composed of 25 members, one from each
member country; each commissioner responsible for one or more policy
areas)
elections: the president of the European Commission is designated by
member governments; the president-designate then chooses the other
Commission members; the European Parliament confirms the entire
Commission for a five-year term; election last held 18 November 2004
(next to be held 2009)
election results: European Parliament approved the European
Commission by an approval vote of 449-149 with 82 abstentions
note: the European Council brings together heads of state and
government and the president of the European Commission and meets at
least twice a year; its aim is to provide the impetus for the major
political issues relating to European integration and to issue
general policy guidelines

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II
(since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Governor Howard PEARCE (since 3 December 2002);
Chief Executive Chris SIMPKINS (since NA March 2003); Financial
Secretary Derek F. HOWATT (since NA)
cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative
Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial
secretary), and the governor
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by
the monarch

Faroe Islands
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since
14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Birgit KLEIS,
chief administrative officer (since 1 November 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Joannes EIDESGAARD (since 3
February 2004)
cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister
elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held
20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than January 2008)
election results: Joannes EIDESGAARD elected prime minister; percent
of parliamentary vote - NA%
note: coalition of Social Democrats, Union Party, and People's Party

Fiji
chief of state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda
(since 18 July 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10
September 2000)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament; note - there
is also a Presidential Council that advises the president on matters
of national importance and a Great Council of Chiefs, which consists
of the highest ranking members of the traditional chief system
elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a
five-year term; prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda elected president
by the Great Council of Chiefs; percent of vote - NA%

Finland
chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June
2003) and Deputy Prime Minister Antti KALLIOMAKI (since 17 April
2003); note - former Prime Minister Anneli JAATTEENMAKI resigned
cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the
president, responsible to Parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 16 January 2000 and 6 February 2000 (next to be
held February 2006); the president appoints the prime minister and
deputy prime minister from the majority party or the majority
coalition after Parliamentary elections and the Parliament must
approve the appointment
election results: Tarja HALONEN elected president; percent of vote -
Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 51.6%, Esko AHO (Kesk) 48.4%
note: government coalition - KESK, SDP, and SFP

France
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Pierre RAFFARIN (since 7 May
2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
suggestion of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(changed from seven-year term in October 2000); election last held
21 April and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round April 2007,
second round May 2007); prime minister nominated by the National
Assembly majority and appointed by the president
election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected president; percent of
vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN
(FN) 18.04%

French Guiana
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France
(since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Ange MANCINI (since 31
July 2002)
head of government: President of the General Council Joseph
HO-TEN-YOU (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council
Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992)
cabinet: NA
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional
Councils are appointed by the members of those councils

French Polynesia
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France
(since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the
Republic Michel MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001)
head of government: President of the Territorial Government of
French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 9 October 2004); President of
the Territorial Assembly Lucette TAERO (since 17 May 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members
of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as
ministers
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the
Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly
are elected by the members of the assembly

Gabon
chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December
1967)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Francois NTOUTOUME-EMANE
(since 23 January 1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in
consultation with the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO reelected; percent of
vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO 66.6%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 16.5%, Fr. Paul
M'BA-ABESSOLE 13.4%

Gambia, The
chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since
18 October 1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 he was Chairman of the
Junta); Vice President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note
- the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18
October 1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 was he Chairman of the
Junta); Vice President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note
- the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
the number of terms is not restricted; election last held 18 October
2001 (next to be held October 2006)
election results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percent
of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 52.9%, Ousainou DARBOE 32.7%

Georgia
chief of state: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25
January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government for the power ministries: state security
(includes interior) and defense
head of government: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January
2004); Prime Minister Zurab ZHVANIA (since 9 February 2004); note -
the president is the chief of state and head of government for the
power ministries: state security (includes interior) and defense;
the prime minister is head of the remaining ministries of government
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 4 January 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: Mikheil SAAKASHVILI elected president; percent of
vote - Mikheil SAAKASHVILI 96.3%, Temur SHASHIASHVILI 1.9%

Germany
chief of state: President Horst KOEHLER (since 1 July 2004)
head of government: Chancellor Gerhard SCHROEDER (since 27 October
1998); Vice Chancellor Joschka FISCHER (since 17 October 1998)
cabinet: Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) appointed by
the president on the recommendation of the chancellor
elections: president elected for a five-year term by a Federal
Convention including all members of the Federal Assembly and an
equal number of delegates elected by the state parliaments; election
last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held 23 May 2009); chancellor
elected by an absolute majority of the Federal Assembly for a
four-year term; election last held 22 September 2002 (next to be
held September 2006)
election results: Horst KOEHLER elected president; received 604
votes of the Federal Convention against 589 for Gesine SCHWAN;
Gerhard SCHROEDER elected chancellor; percent of Federal Assembly
vote 50.7%

Ghana
chief of state: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January
2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January
2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject
to approval by Parliament
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 December
2004 (next to be held December 2008)
election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR reelected president in
election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 53.4%, John Atta MILLS 43.7%

Gibraltar
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis
RICHARDS (since 27 May 2003)
head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected
members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation
with the chief minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
appointed chief minister by the governor

Greece
chief of state: President Konstandinos (Kostis)
STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos KARAMANLIS (since 7
March 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the prime minister
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term;
election last held 8 February 2000 (next to be held by February
2005); according to the Greek Constitution, presidents may only
serve two terms; president appoints leader of the party securing
plurality of vote in election to become prime minister and form a
government
election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS reelected president;
percent of Parliament vote - 90%

Greenland
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14
January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Peter LAURITEEN
(since NA 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December
2002)
cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the Parliament
(Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed
by the monarch; prime minister is elected by Parliament (usually the
leader of the majority party); election last held 3 December 2002
(next to be held December 2006)
election results: Hans ENOKSEN elected prime minister
note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit

Grenada
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Daniel WILLIAMS (since 9 August 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 22 June
1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general

Guadeloupe
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since
17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Paul GIROT DE LANGLADE (since
17 August 2004)
head of government: President of the General Council Jacques GILLOT
(since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Victorin
LUREL (since 2 April 2004)
cabinet: NA
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and
Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
election results: NA

Guam
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
2001)
head of government: Governor Felix P. P. CAMACHO (since 6 January
2003) and Lieutenant Governor Kaleo MOYLAN (since 6 January 2003)
cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with
the consent of the Guam legislature
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for a four-year term; governor and lieutenant governor
elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term;
election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2006)
election results: Felix P. P. CAMACHO elected governor; percent of
vote - Felix P. P. CAMACHO (Republican Party) 55.4%, Robert A.
UNDERWOOD (Democratic Party) 44.6%

Guatemala
chief of state: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo
(since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas
(since 14 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo
(since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas
(since 14 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 9 November 2003; runoff held 28 December 2003
(next to be held NA November 2007)
election results: Oscar BERGER Perdomo elected president; percent of
vote - Oscar BERGER Perdomo (GANA) 54.1%, Alvaro COLOM (UNE) 45.9%

Guernsey
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Lt. Gen.
Sir John FOLEY (since NA 2000)
head of government: Chief Minister Laurie MORGAN (since 1 May 2004)
cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation
elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed
by the monarch; chief minister is elected by States of Delibertion
election results: Laurie MORGAN elected chief minister, percent of
vote of the States of Deliberation NA

Guinea
chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of military
government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Cellou Dalein DIALLO (since 9
December 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected
president; election last held 21 December 2003 (next to be held NA
December 2008); the prime minister is appointed by the president
election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote
- Lansana CONTE (PUP) 95.3%, Mamadou Boye BARRY (UPR) 4.6%

Guinea-Bissau
chief of state: President Henrique ROSA (interim;
since 28 September 2003); note - a September 2003 coup overthrew the
elected government of Kumba YALA; General Verissimo Correia SEABRA
served as interim president from 14 to 28 September 2003
head of government: Prime Minister Carlos GOMES Junior (since 9 May
2004)
cabinet: NA
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 28 November 1999 and 16 January 2000 (next to be
held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president after
consultation with party leaders in the legislature
election results: Kumba YALA elected president; percent of vote,
second ballot - Kumba YALA (PRS) 72%, Malan Bacai SANHA (PAIGC) 28%
note: a bloodless coup led to the dissolution of the elected
government of Kumba YALA in September 2003; General Verissimo
Correia SEABRA served as interim president from 14 September 2003
until stepping aside on 28 September 2003 with the establishment of
a caretaker government

Guyana
chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August
1999); note - assumed presidency after resignation of President
Janet JAGAN
head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since NA December
1997)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president,
responsible to the legislature
elections: president elected by the majority party in the National
Assembly following legislative elections, which must be held at
least every five years; elections last held 19 March 2001 (next to
be held by March 2006); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent of
legislative vote - NA

Haiti
chief of state: Interim President Boniface ALEXANDRE (since 29
February 2004)
note: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE resigned as president on 29 February
2004; ALEXANDRE, as Chief of the Supreme Court, constitutionally
succeeded Aristide
head of government: Interim Prime Minister Gerald LATORTUE (since 12
March 2004), chosen by extraconstitutional Council of Eminent
Persons representing cross-section of political and civic interests
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with
the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held in November
2005); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by the
National Assembly
election results: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE elected president; percent
of vote - Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 92%

Holy See (Vatican City)
chief of state: Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16
October 1978)
head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since
1 December 1990)
cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope
elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals;
election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death
of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope
election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope

Honduras
chief of state: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27
January 2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since
27 January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DE
LOPEZ Contreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice President
Alberto DIAZ Lobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27
January 2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since
27 January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DE
LOPEZ Contreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice President
Alberto DIAZ Lobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held 27 November
2005)
election results: Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (PN) elected president -
52.2%, Raphael PINEDA Ponce (PL) 44.3%, others 3.5%

Hong Kong
chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15
March 2003)
head of government: Chief Executive TUNG Chee-hwa (since 1 July 1997)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of seven non-official members
and 14 official members; including Chief Secretary Donald TSANG
Yam-kuen (since 1 May 2001), Financial Secretary Henry TANG (since 2
August 2003), and Secretary of Justice Elsie LEUNG (since 1 July
1997)
elections: TUNG Chee-hwa was elected to a second term in March 2002
by an 800-member election committee dominated by pro-Beijing forces;
the next election is scheduled to be held in 2007

Hungary
chief of state: Ferenc MADL (since 4 August 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Ferenc GYURCSANY (since 29
September 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on
the recommendation of the president
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 6 June 2000 (next to be held by
June 2005); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the
recommendation of the president; election last held 29 September 2004
election results: Ferenc MADL elected president; percent of
legislative vote - NA% (but by a simple majority in the third round
of voting); Ferenc GYURCSANY elected prime minister; percent of
legislative vote - 197 to 12
note: to be elected, the president must win two-thirds of
legislative vote in the first two rounds or a simple majority in the
third round

Iceland
chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1
August 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Halldor ASGRIMSSON (since 15
September 2004); note - Former Prime Minister David ODDSSON switched
positions with former Foreign Minister Halldor ASGRIMMSON
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by
Parliament
elections: president, which is largely a ceremonial post, elected by
popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 26 June 2004
(next to be held June 2008); prime minister appointed by the
president
election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON wins with 85.6% of the
vote, Baldur AGUSTSSON 12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9%

India
chief of state: President Abdul KALAM (since 26 July 2002);
Vice President Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT (since 19 August 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Manmohan SINGH (since NA May 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of
elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of
the states for a five-year term; election last held NA July 2002
(next to be held 18 July 2007); vice president elected by both
houses of Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 12
August 2002 (next to be held NA August 2007); prime minister chosen
by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative
elections; election last held April - May 2004 (next to be held NA
2009)
election results: Abdul KALAM elected president; percent of
electoral college vote - 89.6%; Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT elected vice
president; percent of Parliament vote - 59.8%

Indonesia
chief of state: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since
20 October 2004) and Vice President Muhammad Yusuf KALLA (since 20
October 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20
October 2004) and Vice President Muhammad Yusuf KALLA (since 20
October 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president were elected by direct vote
of the citizenry
election results: Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO elected president
receiving 60.6% of vote; MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri received 39.4%

Iran
chief of state: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI
(since 4 June 1989)
head of government: President (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani (since
3 August 1997); First Vice President Dr. Mohammad Reza AREF-Yazdi
(since 26 August 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with
legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over
appointments to the more sensitive ministries
elections: leader of the Islamic Revolution appointed for life by
the Assembly of Experts; president elected by popular vote for a
four-year term; election last held 8 June 2001 (next to be held June
2005)
election results: (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani reelected
president; percent of vote - (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani 77%

Iraq

chief of state: Interim Iraqi Government (IG) President Ghazi al-Ujayl al-YAWR (since 1 June 2004); Deputy Presidents Ibrahim al-JAFARI and Rowsch SHAWAYS (since 1 June 2004); note - the President and Deputy Presidents comprise the Presidency Council head of government: Interim Iraqi Government (IG) Prime Minister Ayad ALLAWI (since 28 June 2004) cabinet: 31 ministers appointed by the Presidency Council, plus a Deputy Prime Minister, Barham SALIH elections: scheduled to be held January 2005

Ireland
chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November
1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Bertie AHERN (since 26 June 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination
by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 31 October 1997 (next scheduled for 22 October
2004); note - Mary MCALEESE appointed to a second term when no other
candidate qualified for the 2004 presidential election; prime
minister nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by
the president
election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote -
Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6%
note: government coalition - Fianna Fail and the Progressive
Democrats

Israel
chief of state: President Moshe KATZAV (since 31 July 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Ariel SHARON (since 7 March 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the
Knesset
elections: president is largely a ceremonial role and is elected by
the Knesset for a seven-year term; election last held 31 July 2000
(next to be held mid-2007); following legislative elections, the
president assigns a Knesset member - traditionally the leader of the
largest party - the task of forming a governing coalition; election
last held 28 January 2003 (next schedulde to be held fall of 2006)
election results: Moshe KATZAV elected president by the 120-member
Knesset with a total of 60 votes, other candidate, Shimon PERES,
received 57 votes (there were three abstentions); Ariel SHARON
continues as prime minister after Likud Party victory in January
2003 Knesset elections; Likud won 38 seats and then formed coalition
government with Shinui, the National Religious Party, and the
National Union

Italy
chief of state: President Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI (since 13 May
1999)
head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the
president of the Council of Ministers) Silvio BERLUSCONI (since 10
June 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
approved by the president
elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of
both houses of Parliament and 58 regional representatives for a
seven-year term; election last held 13 May 1999 (next to be held NA
May 2006); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed
by Parliament
election results: Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI elected president; percent of
electoral college vote - 70%
note: a four-party government coalition includes Forza Italia,
National Alliance, Northern League, and Union of Christian Democrats
and Democrats of the Center

Jamaica
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir Howard Felix COOKE (since 1
August 1991)
head of government: Prime Minister Percival James PATTERSON (since
30 March 1992)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime
minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House
of Representatives is appointed prime minister by the governor
general; the deputy prime minister is recommended by the prime
minister

Japan
chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)
head of government: Prime Minister Junichiro KOIZUMI (since 26 April
2001)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
elections: Diet designates prime minister; constitution requires
that prime minister commands parliamentary majority; following
legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of
majority coalition in House of Representatives usually becomes prime
minister; monarch is hereditary

Jersey
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Air
Chief Marshall Sir John CHESHIRE (since 24 January 2001) and Bailiff
Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since NA February 1995)
cabinet: committees appointed by the Assembly of the States
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor and
bailiff appointed by the monarch

Jordan
chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999);
Prince HUSSEIN (born 1994), son of King ABDALLAH, is first in line
to inherit the throne
head of government: Prime Minister Faisal al-FAYEZ (since 25 October
2003)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation
with the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
by the monarch

Kazakhstan
chief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV
(chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected
president 1 December 1991)
head of government: Prime Minister Daniyal AKHMETOV (since 13 June
2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Akhmetzhan YESIMOV (since 14 May
2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 10 January 1999, a year before it was previously
scheduled (next to be held NA 2006); note - President NAZARBAYEV's
previous term was extended to 2000 by a nationwide referendum held
30 April 1995; prime minister and first deputy prime minister
appointed by the president
election results: Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV reelected president;
percent of vote - Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV 81.7%, Serikbolsyn
ABDILDIN 12.1%, Gani KASYMOV 4.7%, Engels GABBASSOV 1.5%
note: President NAZARBAYEV arranged a referendum in 1995 that
expanded his presidential powers: only he can initiate
constitutional amendments, appoint and dismiss the government,
dissolve Parliament, call referenda at his discretion, and appoint
administrative heads of regions and cities

Kenya
chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002)
and Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002)
and Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
in addition to receiving the largest number of votes in absolute
terms, the presidential candidate must also win 25% or more of the
vote in at least five of Kenya's seven provinces and one area to
avoid a runoff; election last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held
NA December 2007); vice president appointed by the president
election results: President Mwai KIBAKI elected; percent of vote -
Mwai KIBAKI 63%, Uhuru KENYATTA 30%

Kiribati
chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003);
Vice President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief
of state and head of government
head of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice
President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
cabinet: 12-member Cabinet appointed by the president from among the
members of the House of Parliament
elections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidential
candidates from among their members and then those candidates
compete in a general election; president is elected by popular vote
for a four-year term; election last held 4 July 2003 (next to be
held not later than July 2007); vice president appointed by the
president
election results: Anote TONG 47.4%, Harry TONG 43.5%, Banuera BERINA
9.1%

Korea, North
chief of state: KIM Jong Il (since July 1994); note -
on 3 September 2003, rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA)
reelected KIM Jong Il Chairman of the National Defense Commission, a
position accorded nation's "highest administrative authority"; SPA
reelected KIM Yong Nam President of its Presidium also with
responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic
credentials; SPA appointed PAK Pong Ju Premier
head of government: Premier PAK Pong Ju (since 3 September 2003);
Vice Premiers KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), JON Sung Hun
(since 3 September 2003), RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet (Naegak), members, except for the Minister of
People's Armed Forces, are appointed by the SPA
elections: election last held in September 2003 (next to be held in
September 2008)
election results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees
for positions and ran unopposed

Korea, South
chief of state: President ROH Moo-hyun (since 25
February 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hae-chan (since 25 May 2004);
Deputy Prime Ministers KIM Jin-pyo (since 28 January 2005), LEE
Hun-jai (since 10 February 2004), and OH Myung (since 18 October
2004)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime
minister's recommendation
elections: president elected by popular vote for single five-year
term; election last held 19 December 2002 (next to be held in
December 2007); prime minister appointed by president with consent
of National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by president
on prime minister's recommendation
election results: results of the 19 December 2002 election - ROH
Moo-hyun elected president; percent of vote - ROH Moo-hyun (MDP)
48.9%; LEE Hoi-chang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5%

Kuwait
chief of state: Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since
31 December 1977); Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdullah al-Salim Al Sabah
head of government: Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah
(since 13 July 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
the Interior NAWWAF al-Ahmad Al Sabah (since 2003); Deputy Prime
Ministers JABIR MUBARAK al-Hamad Al Sabah (since 2001) and Muhammad
Dayfallah al-SHARAR (since 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and
approved by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and
deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch

Kyrgyzstan
chief of state: President Askar AKAYEV (since 28 October
1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Nikolay TANAYEV (since 22 May
2002); note - Prime Minister Kurmanbek BAKIYEV resigned on 22 May
2002 when five demonstrators were killed in a clash with police in
March of 2002; First Deputy Prime Minister Kubanychbek JUMALIYEV
(since 19 March 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;
elections last held 29 October 2000 (next to be 30 October 2005);
prime minister appointed by the president; note - President AKAYEV
has publicly stated that he will not seek reelection when his
current term expires in 2005
election results: Askar AKAYEV reelected president; percent of vote
- Askar AKAYEV 74%, Omurbek TEKEBAYEV 14%, other candidates 12%;
note - election marred by serious irregularities

Laos
chief of state: President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphadon (since 26
February 1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason
(since 27 March 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister BOUNGNANG Volachit (since 27
March 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Bouasone BOUPHAVANH (since
3 October 2003) Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since
May 2002), Deputy Prime Minister THONGLOUN Sisolit (since 27 March
2001), and Deputy Prime Minister SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26
February 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved
by the National Assembly
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held
in 2007); prime minister appointed by the president with the
approval of the National Assembly for a five-year term
election results: KHAMTAI Siphandon elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote - NA%

Latvia
chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July
1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December
2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
appointed by the Parliament
elections: president reelected by Parliament for a four-year term;
election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be held by June 2007);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected president;
parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88 of 94 votes cast

Lebanon
chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November
1998)
head of government: Prime Minister Omar KARAMI (since 21 October
2004); Deputy Prime Minister Issam FARES (since 23 October 2000)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with
the president and members of the National Assembly
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year
term; election last held 15 October 1998 (next election date NA);
note - on 3 September 2004 the National Assembly voted 96 to 29 to
extend Emile LAHUD's six-year term by three years; the prime
minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in
consultation with the National Assembly; by agreement, the president
is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and
the speaker of the legislature is a Shia Muslim
election results: For 15 October 1998 election: Emile LAHUD elected
president; National Assembly vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against,
10 abstentions

Lesotho
chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996);
note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November
1990 to February 1995, while his father was in exile
head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May
1998)
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: none; according to the constitution, the leader of the
majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister;
the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution,
which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is
a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative
powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to
determine who is next in the line of succession, who shall serve as
regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age, and may
even depose the monarch

Liberia
chief of state: Chairman Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October
2003); note - this is an interim position until presidential
elections in 2005; the chairman is both the chief of state and head
of government
head of government: Chairman Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003);
note - this is an interim position until presidential elections in
2005; the chairman is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the
Senate; note - current cabinet positions are divided among groups
participating in the Liberian peace process
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term
(renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA
October 2005)
election results: Charles Ghankay TAYLOR elected president; percent
of vote - Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF
(UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1%; note - Taylor
stepped down in August 2003
note:: a UN-brokered cease-fire among warring factions and the
Liberian government resulted in the August 2003 resignation of
former president Charles TAYLOR; a jointly agreed upon replacement,
Chairman Gyude BRYANT, assumed office as head of the National
Transitional Government on 14 October 2003

Libya
chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar
al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title,
but is de facto chief of state
head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee
(Prime Minister) Shukri Muhammad GHANIM (since 14 June 2003)
cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General
People's Congress
elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of
people's committees; head of government elected by the General
People's Congress; election last held 2 March 2000 (next to be held
NA)
election results: NA

Liechtenstein
chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November
1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince
ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968) note - on 15 August
2004, HANS ADAM transferred the official duties of the ruling prince
to ALOIS, but HANS ADAM retains status of chief of state
head of government: Head of Government Otmar HASLER (since 5 April
2001) and Deputy Head of Government Rita KIEBER-BECK (since 5 April
2001)
cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party in the Diet is usually
appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of
the largest minority party in the Diet is usually appointed the
deputy head of government by the monarch

Lithuania
chief of state: President Valdas ADAMKUS (since 12 July
2004)
head of government: Premier Algirdas Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS (since 3
July 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
nomination of the premier
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 13 June 2004 and 27 June 2004; premier appointed
by the president on the approval of the Parliament
election results: Valdas ADAMKUS elected president; percent of vote
- Valdas ADAMKUS 52.2%, Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE 47.8%

Luxembourg
chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000);
Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November
1981)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1
January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July
2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and
appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following popular
elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority
party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed
prime minister by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is
appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of
Deputies
note: government coalition - CSV and LSAP

Macau
chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March
2003)
head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20
December 1999)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of all one government secretary,
four legislators, four businessmen, and one pro-Beijing unionist
elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member selection
committee for up to two five-year terms
election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected on 29 August 2004;
received 296 votes in Election Committee out of 300 possible; 3
members submitted blank ballots; 1 member was absent

Macedonia
chief of state: President Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 12 May
2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Vlado BUCKOVSKI (since 17
December 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all
the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the
government coalition parties SDSM, LDP, and BDI
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
two-round election last held 14 April and 28 April 2004 (next to be
held April 2009); prime minister elected by the Assembly; election
last held 1 November 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected president on
second-round ballot; percent of vote - Branko CRVENKOVSKI 62.7%,
Sasko KEDEV 37.3%; Vlado BUCKOVSKI elected prime minister by the
Assembly

Madagascar
chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May
2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA November
2006); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 37.7%,
Marc RAVALOMANANA (TIM) 50.5%

Malawi
chief of state: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May
2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May
2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held NA May 2009)
election results: Bingu wa MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of
vote - Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (UDF) 35.9%, John TEMBO (MCP) 27.1%,
Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MC) 25.7%, Brown MPINGANJIRA (NDA) 8.7%,
Justin MALEWEZI (independent) 2.5%

Malaysia
chief of state: Paramount Ruler Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni
Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail, the Raja of Perlis (since 12
December 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since
31 October 2003); Deputy Prime Minister NAJIB Tun Razak (since 7
January 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler
elections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers
of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held 12
December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister designated
from among the members of the House of Representatives; following
legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins a plurality
of seats in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister
election results: Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed
Putra Jamalullail elected paramount ruler

Maldives
chief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11
November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11
November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president nominated by the Majlis and then the nomination
must be ratified by a national referendum (at least a 51% approval
margin is required); president elected for a five-year term;
election last held 17 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)
election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected in
referendum held 17 October 2003; percent of popular vote - Maumoon
Abdul GAYOOM 90.3%

Mali
chief of state: President Amadou Toumani TOURE (since 8 June
2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Ousmane Issoufi MAIGA (since 30
April 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(two-term limit); election last held 12 May 2002 (next to be held NA
May 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Amadou Toumani TOURE elected president; percent of
vote - Amadou Toumani TOURE 64.4%, Soumaila CISSE 35.6%

Malta
chief of state: President Eddie FENECH ADAMI (since 4 April
2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 23 March
2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the
prime minister
elections: president elected by the House of Representatives for a
five-year term; election last held 29 March 2004 (next to be held by
April 2009); following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually
appointed prime minister by the president for a five-year term; the
deputy prime minister is appointed by the president on the advice of
the prime minister
election results: Eddie FENECH ADAMI elected president; percent of
House of Representatives vote - 33 out of 65 votes

Man, Isle of
chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since
6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Ian MACFADYEN
(since 26 October 2002)
head of government: Chief Minister Donald GELLING (since 14 December
2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed
by the monarch for a five-year term; the Chief Minister is elected
by the Tynwald; election last held 14 December 2004 (next to be held
NA December 2010)
election results: Donald GELLING elected chief minister by the
Tynwald; note - Richard CORKILL resigned 2 December 2004

Marshall Islands
chief of state: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5
January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January
2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of
Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament from among its own
members for a four-year term; election last held 17 November 2003
(next to be held NA November 2007)
election results: Kessai Hesa NOTE elected president; percent of
Parliament vote - 100%

Martinique
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since
17 May 1995); Prefect Yves DASSONVILLE (since 14 January 2004); note
- took office 8 February 2004
head of government: President of the General Council Claude LISE
(since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Alfred
MARIE-JEANNE (since NA March 1998)
cabinet: NA
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and
Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils

Mauritania
chief of state: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA
(since 12 December 1984)
head of government: Prime Minister Sghair Ould M'BARECK (since 6
July 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 7 November 2003 (next to be held NA 2009); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA reelected
for a third term with 60.8% of the vote

Mauritius
chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7
October 2003) and Vice President Abdool Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25
February 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 30 September
2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 25 February 2002
(next to be held NA 2007); prime minister and deputy prime minister
appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly
election results: Karl OFFMANN elected president and Raouf BUNDHUN
elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly -
NA; note - Karl OFFMANN stepped down on 30 September 2003

Mayotte
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17
May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Paul KIHL (since 17 January
2005)
head of government: President of the General Council Younoussa
BAMANA (since NA 1977)
cabinet: NA
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council
elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term

Mexico
chief of state: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1
December 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December
2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment of
attorney general requires consent of the Senate
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held 2 July 2006)
election results: Vicente FOX Quesada elected president; percent of
vote - Vicente FOX Quesada (PAN) 42.52%, Francisco LABASTIDA Ochoa
(PRI) 36.1%, Cuauhtemoc CARDENAS Solorzano (PRD) 16.64%, other 4.74%

Micronesia, Federated States of
chief of state: President Joseph J.
URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May
2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May
2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from
among the four senators at large for four-year terms; election last
held 11 May 2003 (next to be held NA May 2007); note - a proposed
constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for
president and vice president failed
election results: Joseph J. URUSEMAL elected president; percent of
Congress vote - NA; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percent
of Congress vote - NA

Moldova
chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April
2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April
2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasile IOVV (since 29 January
2002)
cabinet: selected by president, subject to approval of Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term;
election last held 4 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2005); note -
presidential elections were scheduled for December 2000, but in July
2000, Parliament canceled direct, popular elections; Parliament's
failure to choose a new president in December 2000 led to early
parliamentary elections in February 2001; prime minister designated
by the president, upon consultation with Parliament; note - within
15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request
a vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work
program and entire cabinet; prime minister designated 15 April 2001,
cabinet received a vote of confidence 19 April 2001
election results: Vladimir VORONIN elected president; parliamentary
votes - Vladimir VORONIN 71, Dumitru BRAGHIS 15, Valerian CRISTEA 3;
Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of
confidence - 75 of 101

Monaco
chief of state: Prince RAINIER III (since 9 May 1949); Heir
Apparent Prince ALBERT Alexandre Louis Pierre, son of the monarch
(born 14 March 1958)
head of government: Minister of State Patrick LECLERCQ (since 5
January 2000)
cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state
appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national
candidates presented by the French Government

Mongolia
chief of state: President Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (since 20
June 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Tsakhiagiyn ELBEGDORJ (since 20
August 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Chultem ULAAN (since 28
September 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural (parliament) in
consultation with the president
elections: presidential candidates nominated by political parties
represented in State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a
four-year term; presidential tenure limited to two four-year terms;
election last held 20 May 2001 (next to be held in May 2005);
following legislative elections, leader of majority party or
majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by State Great
Hural; election last held 27 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008)
election results: Natsagiyn BAGABANDI reelected president in 2001;
percent of vote - Natsagiyn BAGABANDI (MPRP) 58.13%,
Radnaasumbereliyn GONCHIGDORJ (DP) 36.58%, Luvsandamba DASHNYAM
(CWP) 3.54%, other 1.75%; Tsakkhiagiyn ELBEGDORJ elected prime
minister by the State Great Hural 74 to 0

Montserrat
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Governor Deborah Barnes JONES (since 10 May
2004)
head of government: Chief Minister John OSBORNE (since 5 April 2001)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief
minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the
finance secretary
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the
monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party usually becomes chief minister

Morocco
chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 30 July 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Driss JETTOU (since 9 October
2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
by the monarch following legislative elections

Mozambique
chief of state: President Armando GUEBUZA (since 2
February 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Luisa DIOGO (since 17 February
2004)
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held December
2009); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Armando GUEBUZA elected president; percent of vote
- Armando GUEBUZA 63.7%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 31.7%

Namibia
chief of state: President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since
November 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Theo-Ben GURIRAB (since 28 August
2002)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
of the National Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 15 November 2004 (next to be held November 2009)
election results: Hifikepunye POHAMBA elected president; percent of
vote - NA%

Nauru
chief of state: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 26 October
2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 26 October 2004);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
of Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term;
election last held 23 October 2004 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: Ludwig SCOTTY was unopposed in the parliamentary
elections for president

Nepal
chief of state: King GYANENDRA Bir Bikram Shah (succeeded to
the throne 4 June 2001 following the death of his nephew, King
DIPENDRA Bir Bikram Shah)
head of government: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur DEUBA (since 3 June
2004); note - Prime Minister THAPA resigned 7 May 2004
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of
the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority
coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch
note: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev died in a bloody shooting at
the royal palace on 1 June 2001 that also claimed the lives of most
of the royal family; King BIRENDRA's son, Crown Price DIPENDRA, is
believed to have been responsible for the shootings before fatally
wounding himself; immediately following the shootings and while
still clinging to life, DIPENDRA was crowned king; he died three
days later and was succeeded by his uncle

Netherlands
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980);
Heir Apparent WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the
monarch
head of government: Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22
July 2002) and Deputy Prime Ministers Gerrit ZALM (since 27 May
2003) and Thom DE GRAAF (since 27 May 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following Second
Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a
majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
monarch; vice prime ministers appointed by the monarch
note: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir
apparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the cabinet
on legislative and administrative policy

Netherlands Antilles
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the
Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General
Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1 July 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Etienne YS (since 3 June 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (legislature)
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections,
the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister
by the Staten; election last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held
by NA 2006)
note: government coalition - PAR, PNP, PLKP, DP St. Maarten, UP
Bonaire, WIPM Saba, DP Statia

New Caledonia
chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC
(since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner Daniel
CONSTANTIN (since 3 July 2002)
head of government: President of the Government Marie-Noelle
THEMEREAU (since 10 June 2004)
cabinet: Consultative Committee
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the
government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress; note
- last election held 29 June 2004 when Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU was
elected on the third vote with 8 votes for and 3 abstentions

New Zealand
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Governor General Dame Silvia CARTWRIGHT (since
4 April 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Helen CLARK (since 10 December
1999) and Deputy Prime Minister Michael CULLEN (since NA July 2002)
cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
prime minister appointed by the governor general

Nicaragua
chief of state: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10
January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January
2002); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10
January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January
2002); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 4 November
2001 (next to be held by November 2006)
election results: Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (PLC) elected president -
56.3%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 42.3%, Alberto SABORIO (PCN)
1.4%; Jose RIZO Castellon elected vice president

Niger
chief of state: President TANDJA Mamadou (since 22 December
1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President TANDJA Mamadou (since 22 December
1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
government; Prime Minister Hama AMADOU (since 31 December 1999) was
appointed by the president and shares some executive
responsibilities with the president
cabinet: 23-member Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
second round last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December
2009); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: TANDJA Mamadou reelected president; percent of
vote - TANDJA Mamadou 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5%

Nigeria
chief of state: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May
1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Federal Executive Council
elections: president is elected by popular vote for no more than two
four-year terms; election last held 19 April 2003 (next to be held
NA 2007)
election results: Olusegun OBASANJO elected president; percent of
vote - Olusegun OBASANJO (PDP) 61.9%, Muhammadu BUHARI (ANPP) 31.2%,
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu OJUKWU (APGA) 3.3%, other 3.6%

Niue
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the
UK and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner
John BRYAN (since NA May 2000)
head of government: Premier Young VIVIAN (since 1 May 2002)
cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers
elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the
Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 1 May
2002 (next to be held NA May 2005)
election results: Young VIVIAN elected premier; percent of
Legislative Assembly vote - Young VIVIAN (NPP) 70%, Hunukitama
HUNUKI (AI) 30%

Norfolk Island
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952); the UK and Australia are represented by Administrator Grant
TAMBLING (since 1 November 2003)
head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister Geoffrey
Robert GARDNER (since 5 December 2001)
cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members of
the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and
acts as an advisor to the administrator
elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the
governor general of Australia; chief minister elected by the
Legislative Assembly for a term of not more than three years;
election last held 29 November 2001 (next to be held by December
2004)
election results: Geoffrey Robert GARDNER elected chief minister;
percent of Legislative Assembly vote - NA

Northern Mariana Islands
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of
the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY
(since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Juan N. BABAUTA (since NA January
2002); Lieutenant Governor Diego T. BENAVENTE (since NA January 2002)
cabinet: NA
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
last held NA November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2005)
election results: Juan N. BABAUTA elected governor in a four-way
race; percent of vote - Juan N. BABAUTA (Republican Party) 49%

Norway
chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir
Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20
July 1973)
head of government: Prime Minister Kjell Magne BONDEVIK (since 19
October 2001)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of
Parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
monarch with the approval of the Parliament

Oman
chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al
Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al
Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of
state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Pakistan
note: following a military takeover on 12 October 1999,
Chief of Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Committee, General Pervez MUSHARRAF, suspended Pakistan's
constitution and assumed the additional title of Chief Executive; on
12 May 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the
October 1999 coup and granted MUSHARRAF executive and legislative
authority for three years from the coup date; on 20 June 2001,
MUSHARRAF named himself as president and was sworn in, replacing
Mohammad Rafiq TARAR; in a referendum held on 30 April 2002,
MUSHARRAF's presidency was extended by five more years; on 1 January
2004, MUSHARRAF won a vote of confidence in the Senate, National
Assembly, and four provincial assemblies
chief of state: President General Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 20 June
2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Shaukat AZIZ (since 28 August
2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the Prime Minister
elections: the president is elected by Parliament for a five-year
term; note - in a referendum held on 30 April 2002, MUSHARRAF's
presidency was extended by five more years (next to be held NA
2007); the prime minister is selected by the National Assembly for a
five-year term (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: AZIZ elected by the National Assembly on 27 August
2004 with 191 of the votes

Palau
chief of state: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since
19 January 2001) and Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January
2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19
January 2001) and Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 2 November
2004 (next to be held November 2008)
election results: Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. reelected president;
percent of vote - Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. 64%, Polycarp BASILIUS
33%; Elias Camsek CHIN elected vice president; percent of vote -
Elias Camsek CHIN 70%, Sandra PIERANTOZZI 29%

Panama
chief of state: President Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1
September 2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1
September 2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since
1 September 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state
and head of government
head of government: President Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1
September 2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1
September 2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since
1 September 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state
and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 2 May 2004
(next to be held 3 May 2009); note - beginning in 2009, Panama will
have only one vice president.
election results: Martin TORRIJOS Espino elected president; percent
of vote - Martin TORRIJOS Espino 47.5%, Guillermo ENDARA Galimany
30.6%, Jose Miguel ALEMAN 17%, Ricardo MARTINELLI 4.9%
note: government coalition - PRD (Democratic Revolutionary Party),
PP (Popular Party)

Papua New Guinea
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
February 1952), represented by governor general Sir Paulius MATANE
(since 29 June 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Sir Michael SOMARE (since 2
August 2002); deputy prime minister (vacant)
cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor
general on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the National Executive Council; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by the
governor general

Paraguay
chief of state: President Nicanor DUARTE Frutos (since 15
August 2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August
2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Nicanor DUARTE Frutos (since 15 August
2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August 2003);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 27 April
2003 (next to be held NA April 2008)
election results: Nicanor DUARTE Frutos elected president; percent
of vote - Nicanor DUARTE Frutos 37.1%, Julio Cesar Ramon FRANCO
Gomez 23.9%, Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella 21.3%, Guillermo
SANCHEZ Guffanti 13.5%, other 4.2%

Peru
chief of state: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28
July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
of government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by
the constitution, First Vice President (vacant) and Second Vice
President David WAISMAN (since 28 July 2001)
head of government: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28
July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
of government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by
the constitution, First Vice President (vacant) and Second Vice
President David WAISMAN (since 28 July 2001)
note: Prime Minister Carlos FERRERO Costa (since 15 December 2003)
does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the
president
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
special presidential and congressional elections held 8 April 2001,
with runoff election held 3 June 2001; next to be held 9 April 2006
election results: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique elected
president in runoff election; percent of vote - Alejandro TOLEDO
Manrique 53.1%, Alan GARCIA 46.9%

Philippines
chief of state: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since
20 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state
and head of government
head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20
January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with the consent of the
Commission of Appointments
elections: president and vice president (Manuel "Noli" DE CASTRO)
elected on separate tickets by popular vote for six-year terms;
election last held 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2010)
election results: results of the election - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
elected president; percent of vote - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO 40%,
Fernando POE 37%, three others 23%

Pitcairn Islands
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
February 1952), represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand
and Governor (nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands Richard FELL
(since NA December 2001); Commissioner (nonresident) Leslie JACQUES
(since November 2003); serves as liaison between the governor and
the Island Council
head of government: mayor and chairman of the Island Council Jay
WARREN (since 15 December 2004)
cabinet: NA
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner and
commissioner appointed by the monarch; island mayor elected by
popular vote for a three-year term; election last held December 2004
(next to be held December 2007)
election results: Jay WARREN elected mayor and chairman of the
Island Council

Poland
chief of state: President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23
December 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Marek BELKA (since 24 June 2004);
Deputy Prime Minister Jerzy HAUSNER (since 11 June 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and
the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and
the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2005);
prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
and confirmed by the Sejm
election results: Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI reelected president;
percent of popular vote - Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 53.9%, Andrzej
OLECHOWSKI 17.3%, Marian KRZAKLEWSKI 15.6%, Lech WALESA 1%

Portugal
chief of state: President Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Pedro SANTANA LOPES (since 17
July 2004); note - Prime Minister Jose Manuel DURAO BARROSO resigned
5 July 2004 to take over the Presidency of the European Commission;
Prime Minister Pedro SANTANA LOPES and his government resigned 11
December 2004, but will stay on in a caretaker capacity until
February 2005 elections
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative
body to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA January
2006); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime
minister by the president
election results: Jorge SAMPAIO reelected president; percent of vote
- Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 55.8%, Joaquim FERREIRA Do Amaral
(Social Democrat) 34.5%, Antonio ABREU (Communist) 5.1%

Puerto Rico
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US
(since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (since 2 January
2005)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the
legislature
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for four-year terms; governor elected by popular vote for a
four-year term; election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
November 2008)
election results: Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (PPD) elected governor;
percent of vote - 48.4%

Qatar
chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 27 June
1995 when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin
Hamad Al Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince TAMIM bin Hamad
bin Khalifa Al Thani, third son of the monarch (selected Heir
Apparent by the monarch on 5 August 2003); note - Amir HAMAD also
holds the positions of Minister of Defense and Commander-in-chief of
the Armed Forces
head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa Al Thani,
brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996) Deputy Prime Minister
MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch (since 20
January 1998); First Deputy Prime Minister HAMAD bin JASIM bin JABIR
Al Thani (since 16 September 2003; also Foreign Minister since
1992); Second Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah bin Hamad al-ATTIYAH
(since 16 September 2003; also Energy Minister since NA 1992)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
note: in April 2003, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member
Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has consultative powers aimed
at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election
for the CMC was held in March 1999

Reunion
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17
May 1995), represented by Prefect Dominique VIAN (since 16 August
2004)
head of government: President of the General Council Jean-Luc
POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council
Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993)
cabinet: NA
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the General and
Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils

Romania
chief of state: President Traian BASESCU (since 20 December
2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Calin Popescu TARICEANU (since 29
December 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 28 November 2004, with runoff between the top two
candidates held 12 December 2004 (next to be held 28 November 2009
and 12 December 2009); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: percent of vote - Traian BASESCU 51.23%, Adrian
NASTASE 48.77%

Russia
chief of state: President Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN
(acting president since 31 December 1999, president since 7 May 2000)
head of government: Premier Mikhail Yefimovich FRADKOV (since 5
March 2004); Deputy Premier Aleksandr Dmitriyevich ZHUKOV (since 9
March 2004)
cabinet: Ministries of the Government or "Government" composed of
the premier and his deputy, ministers, and selected other
individuals; all are appointed by the president
note: there is also a Presidential Administration (PA) that provides
staff and policy support to the president, drafts presidential
decrees, and coordinates policy among government agencies; a
Security Council also reports directly to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held NA March 2008);
note - no vice president; if the president dies in office, cannot
exercise his powers because of ill health, is impeached, or resigns,
the premier succeeds him; the premier serves as acting president
until a new presidential election is held, which must be within
three months; premier appointed by the president with the approval
of the Duma
election results: Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN reelected president;
percent of vote - Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN 71.2%, Nikolay
KHARITONOV 13.7%, other (no candidate above 5%) 15.1%

Rwanda
chief of state: President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March
2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: last held 25 August 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)
election results: Paul KAGAME elected president in first direct
popular vote; Paul KAGAME 95.05%, Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU 3.62%,
Jean-Nepomuscene NAYINZIRA 1.33%

Saint Helena
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952)
head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief David HOLLAMBY
(since 1999); Michael CLANCY (taking office in October 2004)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex officio
officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by
the monarch

Saint Kitts and Nevis
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
February 1952), represented by Governor General Cuthbert Montraville
SEBASTIAN (since 1 January 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July
1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation
with the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is
usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
prime minister appointed by the governor general

Saint Lucia
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Governor General Dame Pearlette LOUISY (since
September 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Kenneth Davis ANTHONY (since 24
May 1997) and Deputy Prime Minister Mario MICHEL (since 24 May 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
prime minister appointed by the governor general

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC
of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Albert DUPUY
(since 10 January 2005)
head of government: President of the General Council Marc
PLANTAGENEST (since NA)
cabinet: NA
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; election last held, first round - 21 April 2002, second round
- 5 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prefect appointed by the
French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior;
president of the General Council is elected by the members of the
council

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II
(since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir
Fredrick Nathaniel BALLANTYNE (since 2 September 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Ralph E. GONSALVES (since 29
March 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by
the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the
governor general on the advice of the prime minister

Samoa
chief of state: Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA (cochief of state
from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963)
head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA
(since 1996); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister from
1992 until he assumed the prime ministership in 1996, when former
Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health;
TUILA'EPA was confirmed as prime minister (November 1998) after
TOFILAU died; the post of deputy prime minister is currently vacant
cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members, appointed by the chief of
state with the prime minister's advice
elections: upon the death of Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA, a new
chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve
a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the chief of
state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly

San Marino
chief of state: cochiefs of state Captain Regent Giuseppe
ARZILLI and Captain Regent Roberto RASCHI (for the period 1 October
2004-31 March 2005)
head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political
Affairs Fabio BERARDI (15 December 2003)
cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council
for a five-year term
elections: cochiefs of state (captains regent) elected by the Great
and General Council for a six-month term; election last held NA
September 2004 (next to be held March 2005); secretary of state for
foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General
Council for a five-year term; election last held 13 December 2003
(next to be held June 2006 when general elections are scheduled)
election results: Giuseppe ARZILLI and Roberto RASCHI elected
captains regent; percent of legislative vote - NA%; Fabio BERARDI
elected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs;
percent of legislative vote - NA%
note: the popularly elected parliament (Grand and General Council)
selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (cochiefs
of state) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the
Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State), which
has 10 other members, all selected by the Grand and General Council;
assisting the captains regent are 10 secretaries of state; the
secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has assumed some of the
prerogatives of a prime minister

Sao Tome and Principe
chief of state: President Fradique DE MENEZES
(since 3 September 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Damiao Vaz DE ALMEIDA (since 17
September 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
proposal of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 29 July 2001 (next to be held NA July 2006);
prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the
president
election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president in Sao
Tome's third multiparty presidential election; percent of vote - NA%

Saudi Arabia
chief of state: King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd
al-Aziz Al Saud (since 13 June 1982, but largely incapacitated since
late 1995); Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH
bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud since 13 June 1982, also Saudi Arabian
National Guard Commander since 1963 and de facto ruler since early
1996; note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al
Saud (since 13 June 1982, but largely incapacitated since late
1995); Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd
al-Aziz Al Saud since 13 June 1982, also Saudi Arabian National
Guard Commander since 1963 and de facto ruler since early 1996; note
- the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch and
includes many royal family members
elections: note - in October 2003, Council of Ministers announced
its intent to introduce elections for half of the members of local
and provincial assemblies and a third of the members of the national
Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura, incrementally over a period
of four to five years; in November 2004, the Ministry of Municipal
and Rural Affairs initiated voter registration for partial municipal
council elections scheduled nationwide for February through April
2005

Senegal
chief of state: President Abdoulaye WADE (since 1 April 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Macky SALL (since 21 April 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in
consultation with the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
under new constitution; election last held 27 February and 19 March
2000 (next to be held 27 February 2005); prime minister appointed by
the president
election results: Abdoulaye WADE elected president; percent of vote
in the second round of voting - Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 58.49%, Abdou
DIOUF (PS) 41.51%

Serbia and Montenegro
chief of state: President Svetozar MAROVIC
(since 7 March 2003); note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: President Svetozar MAROVIC (since 7 March 2003);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Federal Ministries act as Cabinet
elections: president elected by the Parliament for a four-year term;
election last held 7 March 2003 (next to be held 2007)
election results: Svetozar MAROVIC elected president by the
Parliament; vote was Svetozar MAROVIC 65, other 47

Seychelles
chief of state: President James MICHEL (since 14 April
2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 31 August-2 September 2001 (next to be held NA
2006)
election results: France Albert RENE re-elected president; percent
of vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 54.19%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO)
44.95%, Philippe BOULLE 0.86%; note - the first time that
presidential elections have been held separately from legislative
elections; France Albert RENE stepped down 14 April 2004 and Vice
President James MICHEL was sworn in as president

Sierra Leone
chief of state: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29
March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March
1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the
chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the
approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible
to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007); note -
president's tenure of office is limited to two five-year terms
election results: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH reelected president; percent of
vote - Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 70.6%, Ernest KOROMA (APC) 22.4%

Singapore
chief of state: President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN
(since 1 September 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August
2004); Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004);
Minister Mentor LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime
Ministers Shunmugan JAYAKUMAR (since 12 August 2004) and Tony TAN
Keng Yam (since 1 August 1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, responsible to
Parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 28 August 1999 (next to be held by August 2005);
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime
minister by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the
president
election results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN elected president
unopposed

Slovakia
chief of state: President Ivan GASPAROVIC (since 15 June
2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30
October 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Ivan MIKLOS (since 30 October
1998); Deputy Prime Minister Pal CSAKY (since 30 October 1998);
Deputy Prime Minister Pavol RUSKO (since May 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
the prime minister
elections: president elected by direct, popular vote for a five-year
term; election last held 3 April and 17 April 2004 (next to be held
April 2009); following National Council elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually
appointed prime minister by the president
election results: Ivan GASPAROVIC elected president in runoff;
percent of vote - Ivan GASPAROVIC 59.9%, Vladimir MECIAR 40.1%;
Mikulas DZURINDA reelected prime minister October 2002
note: government coalition - SDKU, SMK, KDH, ANO

Slovenia
chief of state: President Janez DRNOVSEK (since 22 December
2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Janez JANSA (since 9 November
2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
elected by the National Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 10 November and 1 December 2002 (next to be held
in the fall of 2007); following National Assembly elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
is usually nominated to become prime minister by the president and
elected by the National Assembly; election last held 9 November 2004
(next National Assembly elections to be held October 2008)
election results: Janez DRNOVSEK elected president; percent of vote
- Janez DRNOVSEK 56.5%, Barbara BREZIGAR 43.5%; Janez JANSA elected
prime minister; National Assembly vote - 57 to 27

Solomon Islands
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Governor General Nathaniel WAENA (since 7 July
2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA (since 17
December 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Snyder RINI (since 17 December
2001)
cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor
general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members
of Parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five
years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime
minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the
governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the
members of Parliament

Somalia
chief of state: Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed (since 14 October
2004); note - a new Transitional Federal Government consisting of a
275-member parliament was established in October 2004 replacing the
Transitional National Government created in 2000
head of government: Prime Minister Ali Muhammad GHEDI (since 3
November 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
election results: Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed, the leader of the Puntland
region of Somalia, was elected president by the Transitional Federal
Government

South Africa
chief of state: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June
1999); Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999);
Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 2 June 1999 (next to be held 24
April 2004)
election results: Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of National
Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation)
note: ANC-IFP is the governing coalition

Spain
chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975);
Heir Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968
head of government: President of the Government Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ
ZAPATERO (since 17 April 2004); First Vice President (and Minister
of the Presidency) Maria Teresa FERNANDEZ DE LA VEGA(since 18 April
2004) and Second Vice President (and Minister of Economy and
Finance) Pedro SOLBES (since 18 April 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president
note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme
consultative organ of the government, but its recommendations are
non-binding
elections: the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition is usually proposed president by the monarch and
elected by the National Assembly; election last held 14 March 2004
(next to be held NA March 2008); vice presidents appointed by the
monarch on the proposal of the president
election results: Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO (PSOE) elected
president; percent of National Assembly vote - 52.29%

Sri Lanka
chief of state: President Chandrika Bandaranaike
KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Mahinda RAJAPAKSE
(since 6 April 2004)i s the prime minister; the president is
considered both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA
(since 12 November 1994); note - Mahinda RAJAPAKSE (since 6 April
2004) is the prime minister; the president is considered both the
chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the
prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 21 December 1999 (next to be held NA December
2005)
election results: Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA reelected
president; percent of vote - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA 51%,
Ranil WICKREMASINGHE 42%, other 7%

Sudan
chief of state: President Field Marshall Umar Hassan Ahmad
al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Ali Uthman
Muhammad TAHA (since 17 February 1998), Second Vice President Moses
MACHAR (since 12 February 2001); note - the president is both the
chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Field Marshall Umar Hasan Ahmad
al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Ali Uthman
Muhammad TAHA (since 17 February 1998), Second Vice President Moses
MACHAR (since 12 February 2001); note - the president is both the
chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - the
National Congress Party or NCP (formerly the National Islamic Front
or NIF) dominates al-BASHIR's cabinet
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 13-23 December 2000 (next to be held NA)
election results: Field Marshall Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR
reelected president; percent of vote - Umar Hasan Ahmad al-BASHIR
86.5%, Ja'afar Muhammed NUMAYRI 9.6%, three other candidates
received a combined vote of 3.9%; election widely viewed as rigged;
all popular opposition parties boycotted elections because of a lack
of guarantees for a free and fair election
note: BASHIR assumed supreme executive power in 1989 and retained it
through several transitional governments in the early and mid-1990s
before being popularly elected for the first time in March 1996

Suriname
chief of state: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since
12 August 2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12
August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12
August 2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12
August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president from among
the members of the National Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate
receives a constitutional majority in the National Assembly after
two votes, by the larger People's Assembly (869 representatives from
the national, local, and regional councils), for five-year terms;
election last held 6 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2005)
note: widespread demonstrations during the summer of 1999 led to the
call for elections a year early
election results: Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN elected president by the
National Assembly; percent of legislative vote - Runaldo Ronald
VENETIAAN 72.5%; Rashied DOEKHIE (NDP) 19.6%; total votes cast -
Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (New Front) 37 votes, Rashied DOEKHIE (NDP)
10 votes

Svalbard
chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January
1991)
head of government: Governor Odd Olsen INGERO (since 8 June 2001)
and Assistant Governor Rune Baard HANSEN (since NA)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant
governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of
Justice

Swaziland
chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)
head of government: Prime Minister Absolom Themba DLAMINI (since 14
November 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by
the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
by the monarch

Sweden
chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September
1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree,
daughter of the monarch (born 14 July 1977)
head of government: Prime Minister Goran PERSSON (since 21 March
1996)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the prime minister is elected by the Parliament; election
last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006)
election results: Goran PERSSON reelected prime minister with 131
out of 349 votes

Switzerland
chief of state: President Samuel SCHMID (since 1 January
2005); Vice President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2005);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Samuel SCHMID (since 1 January 2005);
Vice President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2005); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal
(in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal
Assembly usually from among its own members for a four-year term
elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal
Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year
terms that run concurrently; election last held 8 December 2004
(next to be held December 2005)
election results: Samuel SCHMID elected president; percent of
Federal Assembly vote - 70.7%; Moritz LEUENBERGER elected vice
president; percent of legislative vote - 64.8%

Syria
chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000);
Vice Presidents Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984)
and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984)
head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10
September 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
referendum/election last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of
President Hafiz al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held
2007); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister
and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
election results: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote
- Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%
note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June 2000, the Ba'th
Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name
to the People's Council on 25 June 2000

Taiwan
chief of state: President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000)
and Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000)
head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) Frank
HSIEH (since 1 February 2005) and Vice Premier (Vice President of
the Executive Yuan) YEH Chu-lan (since 20 May 2004)
cabinet: Executive Yuan appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 20 March
2004 (next to be held in March 2008); premier appointed by the
president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the premier
election results: CHEN Shui-bian re-elected president; percent of
vote - CHEN Shui-bian (DPP) 50.1%, LIEN Chan (KMT) 49.9%

Tajikistan
chief of state: President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6
November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19
November 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January
1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved
by the Supreme Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 6 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2006); prime
minister appointed by the president; Tajikistan held a
constitutional referendum on 22 June 2003 that, among other things,
set a term limit of two seven-year terms for the president
election results: Emomali RAHMONOV elected president; percent of
vote - Emomali RAHMONOV 97%, Davlat USMON 2%

Tanzania
chief of state: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23
November 1995); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July
2001); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23
November 1995); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July
2001); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
government
note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for
matters internal to Zanzibar; Amani Abeid KARUME was elected to that
office on 29 October 2000
cabinet: Cabinet ministers, including the prime minister, are
appointed by the president from among the members of the National
Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 29 October
2000 (next to be held NA October 2005); prime minister appointed by
the president
election results: Benjamin William MKAPA reelected president;
percent of vote - Benjamin William MKAPA 71.7%, Ibrahim Haruna
LIPUMBA 16.3%, Augustine Lyatonga MREME 7.8%, John Momose CHEYO 4.2%

Thailand
chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946)
head of government: Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat (since 9
February 2001) and Deputy Prime Ministers CHATURON Chaisaeng, Gen.
CHAWALIT Yongchaiyut (Ret.), PURACHAI Piamsombun, VISHANU Krua-ngam
(since 8 November 2003); LIPTAPANLOP Suwat (since 1 July 2004);
SOMSAK Thepsuthin, PHINIT Charusombat (since 6 October 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
note: there is also a Privy Council
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister is
designated from among the members of the House of Representatives;
following national elections for the House of Representatives, the
leader of the party that can organize a majority coalition usually
is appointed prime minister by the king

Togo
chief of state: President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 6 February
2005); note - Gnassingbe EYADEMA died on 5 February 2005 and was
succeeded by his son, Faure GNASSINGBE, who will be allowed to
complete his father's term
head of government: Prime Minister Koffi SAMA (since 29 June 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the
prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 1 June 2003 (next to be held NA June 2008); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: Gnassingbe EYADEMA reelected president; percent of
vote - Gnassingbe EYADEMA 57.2%, Emmanuel Akitani BOB 34.1%, Yawovi
AGBOYIBO 5.2%, Maurice Dahuku PERE 2.3%, Edem KODJO 1.0%

Tokelau
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
the UK and New Zealand are represented by Administrator Neil WALTER
(since NA 2002)
head of government: Aliki Faipule Kuresa NASAU (since 2004) note -
position rotates annually among members of the cabinet
cabinet: the Council of Faipule, consisting of three elected leaders
- one from each atoll - functions as a cabinet
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the
head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves
a one-year term

Tonga
chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December
1965)
head of government: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA
(since NA February 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister James C. COCKER
(since NA January 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet, appointed by the monarch, consists of 12 members
note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch,
the Cabinet, and two governors
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and
deputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarch

Trinidad and Tobago
chief of state: President George Maxwell
RICHARDS (since 17 March 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24
December 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament
elections: president elected by an electoral college, which consists
of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a
five-year term; election last held 14 February 2003 (next to be held
in 2008); the president usually appoints as prime minister the
leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives
election results: George Maxwell RICHARDS elected president; percent
of electoral college vote - 43%

Tunisia
chief of state: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (since 7
November 1987)
head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17
November 1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 24 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a
fourth term; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI 94.5%,
Mohamed BOUCHIHA 3.8%, Mohamed Ali HALOUANI 1%

Turkey
chief of state: President Ahmet Necdet SEZER (since 16 May
2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (14 March
2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
nomination of the prime minister
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
seven-year term; election last held 5 May 2000 (next to be held NA
May 2007); prime minister appointed by the president from among
members of parliament
election results: Ahmed Necdet SEZER elected president on the third
ballot; percent of National Assembly vote - 60%
note: president must have a two-thirds majority of the National
Assembly on the first two ballots and a simple majority on the third
ballot

Turkmenistan
chief of state: President and Chairman of the Cabinet
of Ministers Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the
first direct presidential election occurred); note - the president
is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of
Ministers Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the first
direct presidential election occurred); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
note: NIYAZOV's term in office was extended indefinitely on 28
December 1999 during a session of the People's Council (Halk
Maslahaty)
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 21 June 1992 (next to be held in 2008 when
NIYAZOV turns 70 and is constitutionally ineligible to run); note -
President NIYAZOV was unanimously approved as president for life by
the People's Council on 28 December 1999; deputy chairmen of the
cabinet of ministers are appointed by the president
election results: Saparmurat NIYAZOV elected president without
opposition; percent of vote - Saparmurat NIYAZOV 99.5%

Turks and Caicos Islands
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
February 1953), represented by Governor Jim POSTON (since 16
December 2002)
head of government: Chief Minister Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15
August 2003)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and
five appointed by the governor from among the members of the
Legislative Council
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party is appointed chief minister by the governor

Tuvalu
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Faimalaga LUKA (since 9 September
2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Maatia TOAFA (since 11 October
2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime
minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members
of Parliament; election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be held
following parliamentary elections in 2006)
election results: Saufatu SOPOANGA resigned parliamentary seat on 27
August 2004 following no-confidence vote on 25 August 2004;
succeeded by Deputy Prime Minister Maatia TOAFA in an acting
capacity on 27 August 2004; Maatia TOAFA confirmed Prime Minister in
a Parliamentary election (8-7 vote) on 11 Ocotober 2004

Uganda
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI
(since seizing power 26 January 1986); note - the president is both
chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since
seizing power 29 January 1986); Prime Minister Apollo NSIBAMBI
(since 5 April 1999); note - the president is both chief of state
and head of government; the prime minister assists the president in
the supervision of the cabinet
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected
legislators
elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 12 March 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); note -
first popular election for president since independence in 1962 was
held in 1996; prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president;
percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 69.3%, Kizza
BESIGYE 27.8%

Ukraine
chief of state: President Viktor A. YUSHCHENKO (since 23
January 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Yuliya TYMOSHENKO (since 4
February 2005); First Deputy Prime Minister - Anatoliy KINAKH (since
4 February 2005)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president and
approved by the Supreme Council
note: there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC
originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council, but
significantly revamped and strengthened under former-President
KUCHMA; the NSDC staff is tasked with developing national security
policy on domestic and international matters and advising the
president; a Presidential Administration that helps draft
presidential edicts and provides policy support to the president;
and a Council of Regions that serves as an advisory body
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
note - a special repeat runoff presidential election between Viktor
YUSHCHENKO and Viktor YANUKOVYCH took place on 26 December 2004
after the earlier 21 November 2004 contest - won by Mr. YANUKOVYCH -
was invalidated by the Ukrainian Supreme Court because of widespread
and significant violations; prime minister and deputy prime
ministers appointed by the president and approved by the Supreme
Council
election results: Viktor YUSHCHENKO elected president; percent of
vote - Viktor YUSHCHENKO 51.99%, Viktor YANUKOVYCH 44.2%

United Arab Emirates
chief of state: President Sheikh KHALIFA bin
Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 3 November 2004), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu
Dhabi) (since 4 November 2004) and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid
al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)
head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum
(since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy Prime
Minister SULTAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990);
Deputy Prime Minister HAMDAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 October
2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the
seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional
authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions
federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi)
and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power
elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC (composed
of rulers of the seven emirates) for five-year terms; election last
held 3 November 2004 upon the death of the UAE's Founding Father and
first President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (next to be held 2009);
prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president
election results: KHALIFA bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan elected president
by a unanimous vote of the FSC; MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum
unanimously reaffirmed vice president

United Kingdom
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952); Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14
November 1948)
head of government: Prime Minister Anthony (Tony) BLAIR (since 2 May
1997)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition is usually the prime minister

United States
chief of state: President George W. BUSH (since 20
January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001)
; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each
state; president and vice president serve four-year terms; election
last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)
election results: George W. BUSH reelected president; percent of
popular vote - George W. BUSH (Republican Party) 50.9%, John KERRY
(Democratic Party) 48.1%, other 1.0%

Uruguay
chief of state: President Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (since 1 March
2000) and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Jorge BATLLE Ibanez (since 1 March
2000) and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with
parliamentary approval
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 31 October
2004 (next to be held October 2009)
election results: Tabare VAZQUEZ elected president; percent of vote
- Tabare VAZQUEZ 50.7%, Jorge LARRANAGA 34.1%, Guillermo STIRLING
10.3%; note - VAZQUEZ will take office on 1 March 2005

Uzbekistan
chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March
1990, when he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet)
head of government: Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYAYEV (since 11
December 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with
approval of the Supreme Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
(previously was a five-year term, extended by constitutional
amendment in 2002); election last held 9 January 2000 (next to be
held NA December 2007); prime minister and deputy ministers
appointed by the president
election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote
- Islom KARIMOV 91.9%, Abdulkhafiz JALALOV 4.2%

Vanuatu
chief of state: President Kalkot Matas KELEKELE (since 16
August 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Ham LINI (since 11 December
2004); Deputy Prime Minister Sato KILMAN (since 11 December 2004);
Prime Minister Serge VOHOR ousted in no-confidence vote on 11
December 2004
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
responsible to Parliament
elections: president elected for a five-year term by an electoral
college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional
councils; election for president last held 16 August 2004 (next to
be held in 2009); following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime
minister by Parliament from among its members; election for prime
minister last held 29 July 2004 (next to be held following general
elections in 2008)
election results: Kalkot Matas KELEKELE elected president, with 49
votes out of 56, after several ballots on 16 August 2004

Venezuela
chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3
February 1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL (since 28 April
2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February
1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL (since 28 April 2002);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of
vote - 60%
note: a special presidential recall vote on 15 August 2004 resulted
in a victory for CHAVEZ; percent of vote - 58% in favor of CHAVEZ
fulfilling the remaining two years of his term, 42% in favor of
terminating his presidency immediately

Vietnam
chief of state: President Tran Duc Luong (since 24 September
1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Phan Van Khai (since 25 September
1997); First Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (since 29
September 1997); Deputy Prime Ministers Vu Khoan (8 August 2002) and
Pham Gia Khiem (since 29 September 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the proposal of the
prime minister and ratification of the National Assembly
elections: president elected by the National Assembly from among its
members for a five-year term; election last held 25 July 2002 (next
to be held when National Assembly meets following legislative
elections in 2007); prime minister appointed by the president from
among the members of the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers
appointed by the prime minister
election results: Tran Duc Luong elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote - NA

Virgin Islands
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US
(since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5
January 1999)
cabinet: NA
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2006)
election results: Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL reelected governor;
percent of vote - Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (Democrat) 50.5%, John
de JONGH 24.4%

Wallis and Futuna
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France
(since 17 May 1995), represented by High Administrator Xavier DE
FURST (since 18 January 2005)
head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione
KANIMOA (since NA January 2001)
cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of three kings and three
members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the
Territorial Assembly
note: there are three traditional kings with limited powers
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; high administrator appointed by the French president on the
advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the
Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly are elected by
the members of the assembly

Western Sahara
none

Yemen
chief of state: President Ali Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May
1990, the former president of North Yemen, assumed office upon the
merger of North and South Yemen); Vice President Maj. Gen. Abd
al-Rab Mansur al-HADI (since 3 October 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Abd al-Qadir BA JAMAL (since 4
April 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
advice of the prime minister
elections: president elected by direct, popular vote for a
seven-year term (recently extended from a five-year term by
constitutional amendment); election last held 23 September 1999
(next to be held NA 2006); vice president appointed by the
president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by
the president
election results: Ali Abdallah SALIH elected president; percent of
vote - Ali Abdallah SALIH 96.3%, Najib Qahtan AL-SHAABI 3.7%

Zambia
chief of state: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January
2002); Vice President Lupando MWAPE (since 4 October 2004); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002);
Vice President Lupando MWAPE (since 4 October 2004); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
of the National Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held NA December
2006); vice president appointed by the president
election results: Levy MWANAWASA elected president; percent of vote
- Levy MWANAWASA 29%, Anderson MAZOKA 27%, Christon TEMBO 13%,
Tilyenji KAUNDA 10%, Godfrey MIYANDA 8%, Benjamin MWILA 5%, Michael
SATA 3%, other 5%

Zimbabwe
chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE
(since 31 December 1987); Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6
December 2004; note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since
31 December 1987); Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December
2004; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the
House of Assembly
elections: presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper
signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each
province) and elected by popular vote; election last held 9-11 March
2002 (next to be held NA March 2008); co-vice presidents appointed
by the president
election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent
of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 56.2%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 41.9%

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2078 Exports

Afghanistan
$98 million (not including illicit exports) (2002 est.)

Albania
$425 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Algeria
$24.96 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

American Samoa
$30 million (2002)

Andorra
$58 million f.o.b. (1998)

Angola
$9.669 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Anguilla
$2.6 million (1999)

Antigua and Barbuda
$689 million (2002)

Argentina
$29.57 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Armenia
$735 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Aruba
$128 million f.o.b. (including oil reexports) (2002 est.)

Australia
$68.67 billion (2003 est.)

Austria
$83.45 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
$2.605 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
$617 million (2002 est.)

Bahrain
$6.492 billion (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
$6.713 billion (2003 est.)

Barbados
$206 million (2002)

Belarus
$9.413 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Belgium
$182.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Belize
$207.8 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Benin
$485 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Bermuda
$879 million (2002)

Bhutan
$154 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)

Bolivia
$1.495 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
$1.28 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Botswana
$2.544 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Brazil
$73.28 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
$25.3 million (2002)

Brunei
$3.439 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Bulgaria
$7.337 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
$293 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Burma
$2.434 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Burundi
$40 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Cambodia
$1.616 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Cameroon
$1.873 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Canada
$279.3 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
$50.68 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Cayman Islands
$1.2 million (1999)

Central African Republic
$172 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Chad
$365 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Chile
$20.44 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

China
$436.1 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA

Colombia
$12.96 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Comoros
$28 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
$1.417 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
$2.293 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
$9.1 million (2000)

Costa Rica
$6.176 billion (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
$5.299 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Croatia
$6.355 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Cuba
$1.467 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: $1.054 billion f.o.b. north Cyprus: $46
million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
$46.77 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Denmark
$64.16 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Djibouti
$155 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Dominica
$39 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
$5.524 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

East Timor
$8 million (2001 est.)

Ecuador
$6.073 billion (2003 est.)

Egypt
$8.759 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

El Salvador
$3.162 billion (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
$2.1 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Eritrea
$56 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Estonia
$4.075 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
$537 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

European Union
$850.3 billion (2002)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
$82 million (2002)

Faroe Islands
$408 million f.o.b. (2002)

Fiji
$609 million f.o.b. (2002)

Finland
$54.28 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

France
$346.5 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

French Guiana
$155 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

French Polynesia
$244 million f.o.b. (2002)

Gabon
$2.891 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
$156 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
$603 million f.o.b., includes West Bank

Georgia
$615 million (2003 est.)

Germany
$696.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Ghana
$2.642 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
$136 million f.o.b. (2002)

Greece
$5.899 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Greenland
$388 million f.o.b. (2002)

Grenada
$46 million (2002 est.)

Guadeloupe
$140 million f.o.b. (1997)

Guam
$38 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Guatemala
$2.763 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Guernsey
NA

Guinea
$726 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
$54 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Guyana
$512 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Haiti
$321 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Honduras
$1.37 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
$225.9 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2003 est.)

Hungary
$42.03 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Iceland
$2.379 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

India
$57.24 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Indonesia
$63.89 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Iran
$29.88 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Iraq
$7.542 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Ireland
$98.31 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Israel
$29.32 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Italy
$278.1 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Jamaica
$1.355 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Japan
$447.1 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Jersey
NA

Jordan
$2.908 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
$12.72 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Kenya
$2.514 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Kiribati
$35 million f.o.b. (2002)

Korea, North
$1.044 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Korea, South
$201.3 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Kuwait
$22.29 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
$548 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Laos
$332 million (2003 est.)

Latvia
$3 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Lebanon
$1.359 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Lesotho
$450 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Liberia
$1.079 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Libya
$14.32 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
$2.47 billion (1996)

Lithuania
$7.89 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
$8.571 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Macau
$2.356 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Macedonia
$1.346 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Madagascar
$700 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Malawi
$455 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Malaysia
$98.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Maldives
$90 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Mali
$915 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Malta
$2.175 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
NA

Marshall Islands
$9 million f.o.b. (2000)

Martinique
$250 million f.o.b. (1997)

Mauritania
$541 million f.o.b. (2002)

Mauritius
$1.965 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Mayotte
$3.44 million f.o.b. (1997)

Mexico
$164.8 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
$22 million (f.o.b.) (FY99/00 est.)

Moldova
$790 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Monaco
$NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and
rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market
system through customs union with France

Mongolia
$524 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Montserrat
$700,000 (2001)

Morocco
$8.466 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Mozambique
$795 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Namibia
$1.09 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Nauru
$18 million f.o.b. (2002)

Nepal
$568 million f.o.b., but does not include unrecorded border
trade with India (2002 est.)

Netherlands
$253.2 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
$1.579 billion f.o.b. (2002)

New Caledonia
$448 million f.o.b. (2002)

New Zealand
$15.86 billion (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
$632 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Niger
$280 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Nigeria
$21.8 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Niue
$137,200 (1999)

Norfolk Island
$1.5 million f.o.b. (FY91/92)

Northern Mariana Islands
NA

Norway
$67.27 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Oman
$11.7 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Pakistan
$11.7 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Palau
$18 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Panama
$5.237 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
$1.938 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Paraguay
$2.727 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Peru
$8.954 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Philippines
$34.56 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
NA

Poland
$57.6 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Portugal
$31.13 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
$46.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Qatar
$12.36 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Reunion
$214 million f.o.b. (1997)

Romania
$17.63 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Russia
$134.4 billion (2003 est.)

Rwanda
$73.33 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
$17 million f.o.b. (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
$70 million (2002 est.)

Saint Lucia
$66 million (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
$10 million f.o.b. (2002)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
$38 million (2002 est.)

Samoa
$14 million f.o.b. (2002)

San Marino
trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Sao Tome and Principe
$6.479 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
$86.53 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Senegal
$1.23 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
$2.667 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Seychelles
$250 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Sierra Leone
$49 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Singapore
$142.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Slovakia
$21.25 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Slovenia
$11.98 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
$90 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Somalia
$79 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

South Africa
$36.77 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Spain
$159.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
$5.269 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Sudan
$2.45 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Suriname
$495 million f.o.b. (2002)

Svalbard
NA

Swaziland
$905.6 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Sweden
$102.8 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Switzerland
$110 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Syria
$5.143 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Taiwan
$143 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
$750 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Tanzania
$978 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Thailand
$75.99 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Togo
$398.1 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Tokelau
$98,000 f.o.b. (1983)

Tonga
$27 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
$4.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Tunisia
$8.035 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Turkey
$49.12 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
$3.355 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
$169.2 million (2000)

Tuvalu
$1 million f.o.b. (2002)

Uganda
$495 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Ukraine
$23.63 billion (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
$56.73 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
$304.5 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

United States
$714.5 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Uruguay
$2.164 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
$2.83 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
$79 million f.o.b. (2002)

Venezuela
$25.86 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Vietnam
$19.88 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
NA

Wallis and Futuna
$250,000 f.o.b. (1999)

West Bank
$603 million f.o.b., includes Gaza Strip

Western Sahara
NA

World
$6.421 trillion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Yemen
$3.92 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Zambia
$1.039 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
$1.261 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2079 Debt - external

Afghanistan
$8 billion in bilateral debt, mostly to Russia;
Afghanistan has $500 million in debt to Multilateral Development
Banks (2004)

Albania
$1.41 billion (2003)

Algeria
$22.71 billion (2003 est.)

American Samoa
NA (2002 est.)

Andorra
NA

Angola
$9.164 billion (2003 est.)

Anguilla
$8.8 million (1998)

Antigua and Barbuda
$231 million (1999)

Argentina
$145.6 billion (2003 est.)

Armenia
$905 million (June 2001)

Aruba
$285 million (1996)

Australia
$233.5 billion (2003 est.)

Austria
$15.5 billion (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
$1.575 billion (2003)

Bahamas, The
$308.5 million (2002)

Bahrain
$4.682 billion (2003)

Bangladesh
$18.06 billion (2003)

Barbados
$668 million (2003)

Belarus
$851 million (2001 est.)

Belgium
$28.3 billion (1999 est.)

Belize
$475 million (2001 est.)

Benin
$1.6 billion (2000)

Bermuda
$160 million (FY99/00)

Bhutan
$245 million (2000)

Bolivia
$5.332 billion (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
$3.5 billion (2003)

Botswana
$392 million (2003)

Brazil
$214.9 billion (2003)

British Virgin Islands
$36.1 million (1997)

Brunei
$0

Bulgaria
$12.05 billion (2003)

Burkina Faso
$1.3 billion (2000)

Burma
$6.011 billion (2003 est.)

Burundi
$1.133 billion (2002)

Cambodia
$2.4 billion (2002 est.)

Cameroon
$7.236 billion (2003 est.)

Canada
$1.9 billion (2000)

Cape Verde
$325 million (2002)

Cayman Islands
$70 million (1996)

Central African Republic
$881.4 million (2000 est.)

Chad
$1.1 billion (2000 est.)

Chile
$43.15 billion (2003)

China
$197.8 billion (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA

Colombia
$38.26 billion (2003 est.)

Comoros
$232 million (2000 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
$11.6 billion (2000 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
$5 billion (2000 est.)

Cook Islands
$141 million (1996 est.)

Costa Rica
$5.366 billion (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
$11.85 billion (2003 est.)

Croatia
$23.56 billion (2003 est.)

Cuba
$12.52 billion (convertible currency); another $15 billion -$20
billion owed to Russia (2003 est.)

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: $8.85 billion; north Cyprus: NA (2003)

Czech Republic
$28 billion (2003)

Denmark
$21.7 billion (2000)

Djibouti
$366 million (2002 est.)

Dominica
$161.5 million (2001)

Dominican Republic
$6.567 billion (2003 est.)

East Timor
NA

Ecuador
$15.69 billion (2003)

Egypt
$30.34 billion (2003 est.)

El Salvador
$6.575 billion (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
$248 million (2000 est.)

Eritrea
$311 million (2000 est.)

Estonia
$7.002 billion (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
$2.9 billion (2001 est.)

European Union
$NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA (1999 est.)

Faroe Islands
$64 million (1999)

Fiji
$188.1 million (2001 est.)

Finland
$30 billion (December 1993)

France
NA

French Guiana
$1.2 billion (1988)

French Polynesia
NA (2000 est.)

Gabon
$3.284 billion (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
$476 million (2001 est.)

Gaza Strip
$108 million (includes West Bank) (1997 est.)

Georgia
$1.8 billion (2002)

Germany
NA (2000 est.)

Ghana
$7.398 billion (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
NA (2000 est.)

Greece
$65.51 billion (2003 est.)

Greenland
$25 million (1999)

Grenada
$196 million (2000)

Guadeloupe
NA (yearend 2003 est.)

Guam
NA (2003 est.)

Guatemala
$4.957 billion (2003 est.)

Guernsey
NA

Guinea
$3.25 billion (2001 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
$941.5 million (2000 est.)

Guyana
$1.2 billion (2002)

Haiti
$1.2 billion (1999)

Honduras
$5.246 billion (2003)

Hong Kong
$59.21 billion (2003 est.)

Hungary
$42.38 billion (2003 est.)

Iceland
$2.6 billion (1999)

India
$101.7 billion (2003 est.)

Indonesia
$135.7 billion (2003 est.)

Iran
$10.96 billion (2003 est.)

Iraq
$93.95 billion (2003 est.)

Ireland
$11 billion (1998)

Israel
$70.97 billion (2003 est.)

Italy
$868.5 billion NA (2003)

Jamaica
$4.962 billion (2003 est.)

Japan
NA (2002 est.)

Jersey
none

Jordan
$7.683 billion (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
$24.45 billion (2003 est.)

Kenya
$5.916 billion (2003 est.)

Kiribati
$10 million (1999 est.)

Korea, North
$12 billion (1996 est.)

Korea, South
$130.3 billion (2003 est.)

Kuwait
$12.18 billion (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
$1.5 billion (2002 est.)

Laos
$2.49 billion (2001)

Latvia
$6.793 billion (2003 est.)

Lebanon
$20.79 billion (2003 est.)

Lesotho
$735 million (2002)

Liberia
$2.1 billion (2000 est.)

Libya
$4.194 billion (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
$0 (2001)

Lithuania
$7.671 billion (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
NA

Macau
$121 million (2001 est.)

Macedonia
$1.929 billion (2003 est.)

Madagascar
$4.6 billion (2002)

Malawi
$3.026 billion (2003)

Malaysia
$48.84 billion (2003 est.)

Maldives
$281 million (2003 est.)

Mali
$3.3 billion (2000)

Malta
$130 million (1997)

Man, Isle of
NA

Marshall Islands
$86.5 million (FY99/00 est.)

Martinique
$180 million (1994)

Mauritania
$2.5 billion (2000)

Mauritius
$1.75 billion (2003 est.)

Mayotte
NA

Mexico
$159.8 billion (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
$53.1 million (FY02/03 est.)

Moldova
$1.515 billion (2003)

Monaco
NA (2000 est.)

Mongolia
$885 million (2001 est.)

Montserrat
$8.9 million (1997)

Morocco
$17.32 billion (2003 est.)

Mozambique
$966 million (2002 est.)

Namibia
$1.04 billion (2003 est.)

Nauru
$33.3 million (2002)

Nepal
$2.7 billion (2001)

Netherlands Antilles
$1.35 billion (1996)

New Caledonia
$79 million (1998 est.)

New Zealand
$37.46 billion (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
$5.833 billion (2003 est.)

Niger
$1.6 billion (1999 est.)

Nigeria
$31.07 billion (2003 est.)

Niue
$418,000 (2002 est.)

Norfolk Island
NA

Northern Mariana Islands
NA

Norway
$0 (Norway is a net external creditor) (2003 est.)

Oman
$5.973 billion (2003 est.)

Pakistan
$33.54 billion (2003 est.)

Palau
$0 (FY99/00)

Panama
$8.834 billion (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
$2.909 billion (2003 est.)

Paraguay
$2.96 billion (2003 est.)

Peru
$29.95 billion (2003 est.)

Philippines
$57.96 billion (2003)

Pitcairn Islands
NA

Poland
$86.82 billion (2003)

Portugal
$250.7 billion (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
NA

Qatar
$17.5 billion (2003 est.)

Reunion
NA

Romania
$18.34 billion (2003 est.)

Russia
$175.9 billion (2003)

Rwanda
$1.3 billion (2000 est.)

Saint Helena
NA (1996)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
$171 million (2001)

Saint Lucia
$214 million (2000)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
NA (2003 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
$167.2 million (2000)

Samoa
$197 million (2000)

San Marino
NA

Sao Tome and Principe
$318 million (2002)

Saudi Arabia
$39.16 billion (2003)

Senegal
$3.009 billion (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
$14.01 billion (2003 est.)

Seychelles
$213 million (2003 est.)

Sierra Leone
$1.5 billion (2002 est.)

Singapore
$15.06 billion (2003 est.)

Slovakia
$18.31 billion (2003 est.)

Slovenia
$11.33 billion (2003)

Solomon Islands
$162.5 million (2001 est.)

Somalia
$2.6 billion (2000 est.)

South Africa
$25.9 billion (2003 est.)

Spain
$718.4 billion (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
$10.52 billion (2003)

Sudan
$16.09 billion (2003 est.)

Suriname
$321 million (2002 est.)

Swaziland
$320 million (2002 est.)

Sweden
$66.5 billion (1994)

Switzerland
NA (2000)

Syria
$21.55 billion (2003 est.)

Taiwan
$53.44 billion (2003)

Tajikistan
$1 billion (2002 est.)

Tanzania
$6.549 billion (2003 est.)

Thailand
$53.75 billion (2003 est.)

Togo
$1.4 billion (2000)

Tokelau
$0

Tonga
$63.4 million (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
$2.608 billion (2003 est.)

Tunisia
$14.39 billion (2003 est.)

Turkey
$147.3 billion (2003)

Turkmenistan
$2.4 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
NA (2002 est.)

Tuvalu
NA

Uganda
$3.818 billion (2003 est.)

Ukraine
$16.13 billion (2003)

United Arab Emirates
$20.71 billion (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
NA (2002 est.)

United States
$1.4 trillion (2001 est.)

Uruguay
$10.73 billion (2003)

Uzbekistan
$4.384 billion (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
$65.8 million (2001 est.)

Venezuela
$32.51 billion (2003)

Vietnam
$14.69 billion (2003)

Virgin Islands
NA

Wallis and Futuna
NA

West Bank
$108 million (includes Gaza Strip) (1997 est.)

Western Sahara
NA

World
$2 trillion for less developed countries (2002 est.)

Yemen
$6.044 billion (2003)

Zambia
$5.281 billion (2003)

Zimbabwe
$3.404 billion (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2080 Fiscal year

Afghanistan
21 March - 20 March

Albania
calendar year

Algeria
calendar year

American Samoa
1 October - 30 September

Andorra
calendar year

Angola
calendar year

Anguilla
1 April - 31 March

Antigua and Barbuda
1 April - 31 March

Argentina
calendar year

Armenia
calendar year

Aruba
calendar year

Australia
1 July - 30 June

Austria
calendar year

Azerbaijan
calendar year

Bahamas, The
1 July - 30 June

Bahrain
calendar year

Bangladesh
1 July - 30 June

Barbados
1 April - 31 March

Belarus
calendar year

Belgium
calendar year

Belize
1 April - 31 March

Benin
calendar year

Bermuda
1 April - 31 March

Bhutan
1 July - 30 June

Bolivia
calendar year

Bosnia and Herzegovina
calendar year

Botswana
1 April - 31 March

Brazil
calendar year

British Virgin Islands
1 April - 31 March

Brunei
calendar year

Bulgaria
calendar year

Burkina Faso
calendar year

Burma
1 April - 31 March

Burundi
calendar year

Cambodia
calendar year

Cameroon
1 July - 30 June

Canada
1 April - 31 March

Cape Verde
calendar year

Cayman Islands
1 April - 31 March

Central African Republic
calendar year

Chad
calendar year

Chile
calendar year

China
calendar year

Christmas Island
1 July - 30 June

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
1 July - 30 June

Colombia
calendar year

Comoros
calendar year

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
calendar year

Congo, Republic of the
calendar year

Cook Islands
1 April - 31 March

Costa Rica
calendar year

Cote d'Ivoire
calendar year

Croatia
calendar year

Cuba
calendar year

Cyprus
calendar year

Czech Republic
calendar year

Denmark
calendar year

Djibouti
calendar year

Dominica
1 July - 30 June

Dominican Republic
calendar year

East Timor
1 July - 30 June

Ecuador
calendar year

Egypt
1 July - 30 June

El Salvador
calendar year

Equatorial Guinea
1 January - 31 December

Eritrea
calendar year

Estonia
calendar year

Ethiopia
8 July - 7 July

European Union
NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
1 April - 31 March

Faroe Islands
calendar year

Fiji
calendar year

Finland
calendar year

France
calendar year

French Guiana
calendar year

French Polynesia
calendar year

Gabon
calendar year

Gambia, The
calendar year

Gaza Strip
calendar year

Georgia
calendar year

Germany
calendar year

Ghana
calendar year

Gibraltar
1 July - 30 June

Greece
calendar year

Greenland
calendar year

Grenada
calendar year

Guadeloupe
calendar year

Guam
1 October - 30 September

Guatemala
calendar year

Guernsey
calendar year

Guinea
calendar year

Guinea-Bissau
calendar year

Guyana
calendar year

Haiti
1 October - 30 September

Holy See (Vatican City)
calendar year

Honduras
calendar year

Hong Kong
1 April - 31 March

Hungary
calendar year

Iceland
calendar year

India
1 April - 31 March

Indonesia
calendar year; note - previously was 1 April - 31 March,
but starting with 2001, has been changed to calendar year

Iran
21 March - 20 March

Iraq
calendar year

Ireland
calendar year

Israel
calendar year

Italy
calendar year

Jamaica
1 April - 31 March

Japan
1 April - 31 March

Jersey
1 April - 31 March

Jordan
calendar year

Kazakhstan
calendar year

Kenya
1 July - 30 June

Kiribati
NA

Korea, North
calendar year

Korea, South
calendar year

Kuwait
1 April - 31 March

Kyrgyzstan
calendar year

Laos
1 October - 30 September

Latvia
calendar year

Lebanon
calendar year

Lesotho
1 April - 31 March

Liberia
calendar year

Libya
calendar year

Liechtenstein
calendar year

Lithuania
calendar year

Luxembourg
calendar year

Macau
calendar year

Macedonia
calendar year

Madagascar
calendar year

Malawi
1 July - 30 June

Malaysia
calendar year

Maldives
calendar year

Mali
calendar year

Malta
1 April - 31 March

Man, Isle of
1 April - 31 March

Marshall Islands
1 October - 30 September

Martinique
calendar year

Mauritania
calendar year

Mauritius
1 July - 30 June

Mayotte
calendar year

Mexico
calendar year

Micronesia, Federated States of
1 October - 30 September

Moldova
calendar year

Monaco
calendar year

Mongolia
calendar year

Montserrat
1 April - 31 March

Morocco
calendar year

Mozambique
calendar year

Namibia
1 April - 31 March

Nauru
1 July - 30 June

Nepal
16 July - 15 July

Netherlands
calendar year

Netherlands Antilles
calendar year

New Caledonia
calendar year

New Zealand
1 July - 30 June

Nicaragua
calendar year

Niger
calendar year

Nigeria
calendar year

Niue
1 April - 31 March

Norfolk Island
1 July - 30 June

Northern Mariana Islands
1 October - 30 September

Norway
calendar year

Oman
calendar year

Pakistan
1 July - 30 June

Palau
1 October - 30 September

Panama
calendar year

Papua New Guinea
calendar year

Paraguay
calendar year

Peru
calendar year

Philippines
calendar year

Pitcairn Islands
1 April - 31 March

Poland
calendar year

Portugal
calendar year

Puerto Rico
1 July - 30 June

Qatar
1 April - 31 March

Reunion
calendar year

Romania
calendar year

Russia
calendar year

Rwanda
calendar year

Saint Helena
1 April - 31 March

Saint Kitts and Nevis
calendar year

Saint Lucia
1 April - 31 March

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
calendar year

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
calendar year

Samoa
June 1 - May 31

San Marino
calendar year

Sao Tome and Principe
calendar year

Saudi Arabia
calendar year

Senegal
calendar year

Serbia and Montenegro
calendar year

Seychelles
calendar year

Sierra Leone
calendar year

Singapore
1 April - 31 March

Slovakia
calendar year

Slovenia
calendar year

Solomon Islands
calendar year

Somalia
NA

South Africa
1 April - 31 March

Spain
calendar year

Sri Lanka
calendar year

Sudan
calendar year

Suriname
calendar year

Swaziland
1 April - 31 March

Sweden
calendar year

Switzerland
calendar year

Syria
calendar year

Taiwan
1 July - 30 June (up to FY98/99); 1 July 1999 - 31 December
2000 for FY00; calendar year (after FY00)

Tajikistan
calendar year

Tanzania
1 July - 30 June

Thailand
1 October - 30 September

Togo
calendar year

Tokelau
1 April - 31 March

Tonga
1 July - 30 June

Trinidad and Tobago
1 October - 30 September

Tunisia
calendar year

Turkey
calendar year

Turkmenistan
calendar year

Turks and Caicos Islands
calendar year

Tuvalu
calendar year

Uganda
1 July - 30 June

Ukraine
calendar year

United Arab Emirates
calendar year

United Kingdom
6 April - 5 April

United States
1 October - 30 September

Uruguay
calendar year

Uzbekistan
calendar year

Vanuatu
calendar year

Venezuela
calendar year

Vietnam
calendar year

Virgin Islands
1 October - 30 September

Wallis and Futuna
calendar year

West Bank
calendar year (since 1 January 1992)

Western Sahara
calendar year

Yemen
calendar year

Zambia
calendar year

Zimbabwe
1 January - 31 December

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2081 Flag description

Afghanistan
three equal vertical bands of black (hoist), red, and
green, with a gold emblem centered on the red band; the emblem
features a temple-like structure encircled by a wreath on the left
and right and by a bold Islamic inscription above

Akrotiri
the flag of the UK is used

Albania
red with a black two-headed eagle in the center

Algeria
two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white; a
red, five-pointed star within a red crescent centered over the
two-color boundary; the crescent, star, and color green are
traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion)

American Samoa
blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is
based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and
white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying
two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club

Andorra
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and
red with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the
coat of arms features a quartered shield; similar to the flags of
Chad and Romania, which do not have a national coat of arms in the
center, and the flag of Moldova, which does bear a national emblem

Angola
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a
centered yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within half
a cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle)

Anguilla
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant and the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer half
of the flag; the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an
interlocking circular design on a white background with blue wavy
water below

Antigua and Barbuda
red, with an inverted isosceles triangle based
on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal
bands of black (top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising
sun in the black band

Argentina
three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white,
and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun
with a human face known as the Sun of May

Armenia
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange

Aruba
blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the
lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the
upper hoist-side corner

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
the flag of Australia is used

Australia
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side
quadrant known as the Commonwealth Star, representing the federation
of the colonies of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for
each of the six original states and one representing all of
Australia's internal and external territories; the remaining half is
a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with
one small five-pointed star and four larger, seven-pointed stars

Austria
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red

Azerbaijan
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and
green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in
red band

Bahamas, The
three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold,
and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist
side

Bahrain
red, the traditional color for flags of Persian Gulf states,
with a white serrated band (five white points) on the hoist side;
the five points represent the five pillars of Islam

Baker Island
the flag of the US is used

Bangladesh
green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of
center; the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to achieve
independence; the green field symbolizes the lush countryside, and
secondarily, the traditional color of Islam

Barbados
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and
blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the
trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the
colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)

Bassas da India
the flag of France is used

Belarus
red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half
the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side
bears Belarusian national ornamention in red

Belgium
three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow,
and red; the design was based on the flag of France

Belize
blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom
edges; centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the
coat of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a
mahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in
the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green
garland

Benin
two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a
vertical green band on the hoist side

Bermuda
red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with
a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship
Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the
flag

Bhutan
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the
upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered
along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing
away from the hoist side

Bolivia
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green
with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; similar to the
flag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in
the yellow band

Bosnia and Herzegovina
a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly
side with a yellow isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top
of the flag; the remainder of the flag is medium blue with seven
full five-pointed white stars and two half stars top and bottom
along the hypotenuse of the triangle

Botswana
light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in
the center

Bouvet Island
the flag of Norway is used

Brazil
green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a
blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each
state and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the
night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with
the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)

British Indian Ocean Territory white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag

British Virgin Islands
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper
hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in
the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked
on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll
bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)

Brunei
yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double
width) and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national
emblem in red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a
swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned
crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands

Bulgaria
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and
red; the national emblem formerly on the hoist side of the white
stripe has been removed - it contained a rampant lion within a
wreath of wheat ears below a red five-pointed star and above a
ribbon bearing the dates 681 (first Bulgarian state established) and
1944 (liberation from Nazi control)

Burkina Faso
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with
a yellow five-pointed star in the center; uses the popular
pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Burma
red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
bearing, 14 white five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel
containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the 7
administrative divisions and 7 states

Burundi
divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and
bottom) and green panels (hoist side and outer side) with a white
disk superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars
outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above,
two stars below)

Cambodia
three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width),
and blue with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat
outlined in black in the center of the red band; only national flag
to incorporate a building in its design

Cameroon
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and
yellow with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band;
uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Canada
two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width),
with white square between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is
centered in the white square; the official colors of Canada are red
and white

Cape Verde
three horizontal bands of light blue (top, double width),
white (with a horizontal red stripe in the middle third), and light
blue; a circle of 10 yellow five-pointed stars is centered on the
hoist end of the red stripe and extends into the upper and lower
blue bands

Cayman Islands
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the outer half
of the flag; the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above
a shield with three stars (representing the three islands) and a
scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE
SEAS

Central African Republic
four equal horizontal bands of blue (top),
white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in center; there
is a yellow five-pointed star on the hoist side of the blue band

Chad
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and
red; similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flags of
Andorra and Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms
centered in the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France

Chile
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is a
blue square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end
of the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the
center representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes
the sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red stands for the
blood spilled to achieve independence; design was influenced by the
US flag

China
red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller
yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the
middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner

Christmas Island
the flag of Australia is used; note - in early
1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an
island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally
adopted as the official flag of the territory

Clipperton Island
the flag of France is used

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
the flag of Australia is used

Colombia
three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue,
and red; similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears
the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center

Comoros
four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and
blue with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered
within the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing
the hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a
line between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and
the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago -
Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of
France, but claimed by Comoros); the crescent, stars, and color
green are traditional symbols of Islam

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
light blue with a large yellow
five-pointed star in the center and a columnar arrangement of six
small yellow five-pointed stars along the hoist side

Congo, Republic of the
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side
by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the
lower triangle is red; uses the popular pan-African colors of
Ethiopia

Cook Islands
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for
every island) centered in the outer half of the flag

Coral Sea Islands
the flag of Australia is used

Costa Rica
five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double
width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical
disk on the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a
light blue ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just
below it near the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the
words, REPUBLICA COSTA RICA

Cote d'Ivoire
three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side),
white, and green; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer
and has the colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange;
also similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side),
white, and red; design was based on the flag of France

Croatia
red, white, and blue horizontal bands with Croatian coat of
arms (red and white checkered)

Cuba
five equal horizontal bands of blue (top and bottom)
alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the
hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center; design
influenced by the US flag

Cyprus
white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the
name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two
green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches
symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek
and Turkish communities
note: the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" flag has a
horizontal red stripe at the top and bottom between which is a red
crescent and red star on a white field

Czech Republic
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red
with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (identical to
the flag of the former Czechoslovakia)

Denmark
red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the
flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side,
and that design element of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) was
subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland,
Iceland, Norway, and Sweden

Dhekelia
the flag of the UK is used

Djibouti
two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light
green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
bearing a red five-pointed star in the center

Dominica
green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the
vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the
horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in
the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot
encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10
stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)

Dominican Republic
a centered white cross that extends to the edges
divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist
side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a
small coat of arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch
(left) and a palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross;
above the shield a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA,
LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA
DOMINICANA appears on a red ribbon

East Timor
red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist
side) superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that
extends to the center of the flag; there is a white star in the
center of the black triangle

Ecuador
three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue,
and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the
flag; similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not
bear a coat of arms

Egypt
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black;
the national emblem (a gold Eagle of Saladin facing the hoist side
with a shield superimposed on its chest above a scroll bearing the
name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; design is
based on the Arab Liberation flag and similar to the flag of Syria,
which has two green stars, Iraq, which has three green stars (plus
an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white
band, and Yemen, which has a plain white band

El Salvador
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and
blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the
coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the words
REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag
of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in the
white band - it features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA
DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar
to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X
pattern centered in the white band

Equatorial Guinea
three equal horizontal bands of green (top),
white, and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist
side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of
arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and
five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton
tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ,
JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice)

Eritrea
red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing
the flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the
lower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is
centered on the hoist side of the red triangle

Estonia
pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three
equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white

Ethiopia
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and
red with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from
the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the
three bands; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa,
and the three main colors of her flag were so often adopted by other
African countries upon independence that they became known as the
pan-African colors

Europa Island
the flag of France is used

European Union
on a blue field, 12 five-pointed gold stars arranged
in a circle, representing the union of the peoples of Europe; the
number of stars is fixed

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising is the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT

Faroe Islands
white with a red cross outlined in blue extending to
the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted
toward the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Fiji
light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the
flag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered
by the cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm
tree, bananas, and a white dove

Finland
white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag;
the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the
style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

France
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and
red; known as the "Le drapeau tricolore" (French Tricolor), the
origin of the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution; the
design and/or colors are similar to a number of other flags,
including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire,
Luxembourg, and Netherlands; the official flag for all French
dependent areas

French Guiana
the flag of France is used

French Polynesia
two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white
band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave
pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the
upper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave
pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
the flag of France is used

Gabon
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

Gambia, The
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with
white edges, and green

Georgia
white rectangle, in its central portion a red cross
connecting all four sides of the flag; in each of the four corners
is a small red bolnur-katskhuri cross; the five-cross flag appears
to date back to the 14th century

Germany
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold

Ghana
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green
with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band;
uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag
of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band

Gibraltar
two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red
with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band;
hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band

Glorioso Islands
the flag of France is used

Greece
nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white;
there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a
white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established
religion of the country

Greenland
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a
large disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of
the disk is red, the bottom half is white

Grenada
a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top
and bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side), with a
red border around the flag; there are seven yellow, five-pointed
stars with three centered in the top red border, three centered in
the bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the
center of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the
hoist-side triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer
of nutmeg, after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven
administrative divisions

Guadeloupe
the flag of France is used

Guam
territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all
four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse
containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree
with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the
national flag

Guatemala
three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side),
white, and light blue with the coat of arms centered in the white
band; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the
national bird) and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE
SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain)
all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed
swords and framed by a wreath

Guernsey
white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of
England) extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed
cross of William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross

Guinea
three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and
green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Guinea-Bissau
two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green
with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black
five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular
pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Guyana
green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist
side) superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow,
black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white border
between the yellow and the green

Haiti
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a
centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a
palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing
the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
the flag of Australia is used

Holy See (Vatican City)
two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side)
and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter
centered in the white band

Honduras
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue
with five blue, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered
in the white band; the stars represent the members of the former
Federal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El
Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words
REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white
band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a
triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and
AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band

Hong Kong
red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in
the center

Howland Island
the flag of the US is used

Hungary
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green

Iceland
blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the
edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the
hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

India
three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange)
(top), white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel)
centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has
a small orange disk centered in the white band

Indonesia
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar
to the flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of
Poland, which is white (top) and red

Iran
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red;
the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in
the shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in
the white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is
repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11
times along the top edge of the red band

Iraq
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black
with three green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in
the white band; the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green
Arabic script - Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar to
the left of the middle star - was added in January 1991 during the
Persian Gulf crisis; similar to the flag of Syria, which has two
stars but no script, Yemen, which has a plain white band, and that
of Egypt which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white
band; design is based upon the Arab Liberation colors

Ireland
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and
has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green;
also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors
of green (hoist side), white, and red

Israel
white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as
the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal
horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag

Italy
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green
(hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the
Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side),
white, and green
note: inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in
1797

Jamaica
diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles -
green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)

Jan Mayen
the flag of Norway is used

Japan
white with a large red disk (representing the sun without
rays) in the center

Jarvis Island
the flag of the US is used

Jersey
white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of
the flag; in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a red
shield with the three lions of England in yellow

Johnston Atoll
the flag of the US is used

Jordan
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), representing the
Abbassid Caliphate, white, representing the Ummayyad Caliphate, and
green, representing the Fatimid Caliphate; a red isosceles triangle
on the hoist side, representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916, and
bearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the seven
verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the seven
points on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, national
spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations; design is
based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I

Juan de Nova Island
the flag of France is used

Kazakhstan
sky blue background representing the endless sky and a
gold sun with 32 rays soaring above a golden steppe eagle in the
center; on the hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in gold

Kenya
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green;
the red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering
crossed spears is superimposed at the center

Kingman Reef
the flag of the US is used

Kiribati
the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying
over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three
horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean

Korea, North
three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple
width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side
of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star

Korea, South
white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the
center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching
(Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field

Kuwait
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red
with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side; design, which dates
to 1961, based on the Arab revolt flag of World War I

Kyrgyzstan
red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays
representing the 40 Kyrgyz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run
counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the
sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized
representation of the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt

Laos
three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and
red with a large white disk centered in the blue band

Latvia
three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width),
and maroon

Lebanon
three horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width),
and red with a green cedar tree centered in the white band

Lesotho
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the
upper half is white, bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield
with crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band
with a green triangle in the corner

Liberia
11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom)
alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue
square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the
US flag

Libya
plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the
state religion)

Liechtenstein
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with
a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band

Lithuania
three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and
red

Luxembourg
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and
light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a
darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France

Macau
light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and
water in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one
large in center of arc and four smaller

Macedonia
a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the
edges of the red field

Madagascar
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a
vertical white band of the same width on hoist side

Malawi
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green
with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band

Malaysia
14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with
white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side
corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the
crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design
was based on the flag of the US

Maldives
red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a
vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the
hoist side of the flag

Mali
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and
red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Malta
two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the
upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross,
edged in red

Man, Isle of
red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in
the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the
knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of
the flag, a two-sided emblem is used

Marshall Islands
blue with two stripes radiating from the lower
hoist-side corner - orange (top) and white; there is a white star
with four large rays and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the
two stripes

Martinique
a light blue background is divided into four quadrants by
a white cross; in the center of each rectangle is a white snake; the
flag of France is used for official occasions

Mauritania
green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow,
horizontal crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the
crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Mauritius
four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow,
and green

Mayotte
the flag of France is used

Mexico
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
red; the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in
its beak) is centered in the white band

Micronesia, Federated States of
light blue with four white
five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond
pattern

Midway Islands
the flag of the US is used

Moldova
same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of
blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a
Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons
carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its
right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast
is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox
head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow

Monaco
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to
the flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which
is white (top) and red

Mongolia
three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and
red; centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national
emblem ("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric
representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang
symbol)

Montserrat
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer
half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside
a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross

Morocco
red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known
as Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; red and
green are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red
is more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian
gulf; design dates to 1912

Mozambique
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and
yellow with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the
black band is edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow
five-pointed star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black
superimposed on an open white book

Namibia
a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper
left section and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower
right section; the triangles are separated by a red stripe that is
contrasted by two narrow white-edge borders

Nauru
blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the
center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the
hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to
the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12
original tribes of Nauru

Navassa Island
the flag of the US is used

Nepal
red with a blue border around the unique shape of two
overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a
white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white
12-pointed sun

Netherlands
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and
blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue
and is longer; one of the oldest flags in constant use, originating
with William I, Prince of Orange, in the latter half of the 16th
century

Netherlands Antilles
white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the
center superimposed on a vertical red band, also centered; five
white, five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the
center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main
islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten

New Caledonia
the flag of France is used

New Zealand
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in
the outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross
constellation

Nicaragua
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and
blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the
coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE
NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to
the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by
the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in
the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five
blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

Niger
three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green
with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the
white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked
wheel centered in the white band

Nigeria
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
green

Niue
yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars -
a large one on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on each
arm of the bold red cross

Norfolk Island
three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white,
and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in
the slightly wider white band

Northern Mariana Islands
blue, with a white, five-pointed star
superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional
foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a
wreath

Norway
red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the
edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the
hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Oman
three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width
with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national
emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed
swords in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the
vertical band

Pakistan
green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of
religious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and
star are centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color
green are traditional symbols of Islam

Palau
light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon)
shifted slightly to the hoist side

Palmyra Atoll
the flag of the US is used

Panama
divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are
white (hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and
plain red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and
white with a red five-pointed star in the center

Papua New Guinea
divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner;
the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise
centered; the lower triangle is black with five, white, five-pointed
stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered

Paraguay
three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue
with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the
emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the
left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star
within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY,
all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears
the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty
and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words
REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)

Peru
three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red
with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms
features a shield bearing a vicuna, cinchona tree (the source of
quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all
framed by a green wreath

Philippines
two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a
white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; in the center of
the triangle is a yellow sun with eight primary rays (each
containing three individual rays) and in each corner of the triangle
is a small yellow five-pointed star

Pitcairn Islands
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper
hoist-side quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered
on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green,
and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor

Poland
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to
the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white

Portugal
two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and
red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the
dividing line

Puerto Rico
five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom)
alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist
side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; design
initially influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag,
with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed

Qatar
maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on
the hoist side

Reunion
the flag of France is used

Romania
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and
red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the
yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flag of Chad, also
resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova

Russia
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red

Rwanda
three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width),
yellow, and green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end
of the blue band

Saint Helena
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of
the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted
sailing ship

Saint Kitts and Nevis
divided diagonally from the lower hoist side
by a broad black band bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the
black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the
lower triangle is red

Saint Lucia
blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black
arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist
side rides on a dark blue background with yellow wavy lines under
the ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three
parts: the top part (called ikkurina) is red with a green diagonal
cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing
the rectangle into four sections; the middle part has a white
background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red
background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one
above the other; these three heraldic arms represent settlement by
colonists from the Basque Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy; the
flag of France is used for official occasions

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
three vertical bands of blue (hoist
side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three
green diamonds arranged in a V pattern

Samoa
red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant
bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern
Cross constellation

San Marino
two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue
with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat
of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked
by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word
LIBERTAS (Liberty)

Sao Tome and Principe
three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow
(double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed
side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles
triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African
colors of Ethiopia

Saudi Arabia
green, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the
Shahada or Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as
"There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God") above a
white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); design
dates to the early twentieth century and is closely associated with
the Al Saud family which established the kingdom in 1932

Senegal
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow,
and red with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow
band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Serbia and Montenegro
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top),
white, and red

Seychelles
five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red,
white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side

Sierra Leone
three equal horizontal bands of light green (top),
white, and light blue

Singapore
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near
the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent
(closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five
white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle

Slovakia
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red
superimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield centered on the hoist
side; the cross is white centered on a background of red and blue

Slovenia
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red,
with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav,
Slovenia's highest peak, in white against a blue background at the
center; beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and
rivers, and above it are three six-pointed stars arranged in an
inverted triangle, which are taken from the coat of arms of the
Counts of Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th
and early 15th centuries); the seal is located in the upper hoist
side of the flag centered in the white and blue bands

Solomon Islands
divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the
lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue
with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the
lower triangle is green

Somalia
light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the
center; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN

South Africa
two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue
separated by a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y,
the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y
embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are
separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are
separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
blue, with the flag of
the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the South Georgia and
the South Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half
of the flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion
centered; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a
penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the shield, and below
it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the
Lion Protect its Own Land)

Spain
three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width),
and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the
yellow band; the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the
Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and
Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar

Sri Lanka
yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has
two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other
panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a
sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow
field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between
the two panels

Sudan
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black
with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

Suriname
five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white,
red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a
large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band

Svalbard
the flag of Norway is used

Swaziland
three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width),
and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band
is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff
decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally

Sweden
blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the
flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in
the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Switzerland
red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the
center that does not extend to the edges of the flag

Syria
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black,
colors associated with the Arab Liberation flag; two small green
five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band;
former flag of the United Arab Republic where the two stars
represented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; similar to
the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which has
three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line
centered in the white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold
Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; the current design
dates to 1980

Taiwan
red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

Tajikistan
three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of
white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold,
five-pointed stars is located in the center of the white stripe

Tanzania
divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the
lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green
and the lower triangle is blue

Thailand
five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double
width), white, and red

Togo
five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom)
alternating with yellow; there is a white five-pointed star on a red
square in the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African
colors of Ethiopia

Tokelau
the flag of New Zealand is used

Tonga
red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper
hoist-side corner

Trinidad and Tobago
red with a white-edged black diagonal band from
the upper hoist side to the lower fly side

Tromelin Island
the flag of France is used

Tunisia
red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent
nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are
traditional symbols of Islam

Turkey
red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is
toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just
outside the crescent opening

Turkmenistan
green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist
side, containing five carpet guls (designs used in producing rugs)
stacked above two crossed olive branches similar to the olive
branches on the UN flag; a white crescent moon and five white stars
appear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the
red stripe

Turks and Caicos Islands
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper
hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer
half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell,
lobster, and cactus

Tuvalu
light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
quadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country
with nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands

Uganda
six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red,
black, yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center
and depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the
hoist side

Ukraine
two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellow
represent grainfields under a blue sky

United Arab Emirates
three equal horizontal bands of green (top),
white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side

United Kingdom
blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron
saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red
cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is
superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron
saint of Scotland); properly known as the Union Flag, but commonly
called the Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue
Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including
other Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or
provinces, as well as British overseas territories

United States
13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom)
alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper
hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars
arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and
bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent
the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies;
known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a
number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and
Puerto Rico

Uruguay
nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom)
alternating with blue; there is a white square in the upper
hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as
the Sun of May and 16 rays alternately triangular and wavy

Uzbekistan
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and
green separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and
12 white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant

Vanuatu
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a
black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by
a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two
points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle);
centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed
namele leaves, all in yellow

Venezuela
three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and
red with the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and
an arc of seven white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band

Vietnam
red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center

Virgin Islands
white, with a modified US coat of arms in the center
between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a
yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows
in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white
stripes below a blue panel

Wake Island
the flag of the US is used

Wallis and Futuna
a large white modified Maltese cross - shifted a
little off center toward the fly and slightly downward - on a red
background; the flag of France outlined in white on two sides is in
the upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France is used for official
occasions

Yemen
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black;
similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars and of Iraq
which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a
horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag
of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band

Zambia
green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist
side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer
edge of the flag

Zimbabwe
seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black,
red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in
black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird
representing the long history of the country is superimposed on a
red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle, which
symbolizes peace; green symbolizes agriculture, yellow - mineral
wealth, red - blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands
for the native people

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@2085 Highways (km)

Afghanistan
total: 21,000 km
paved: 2,793 km
unpaved: 18,207 km (1999 est.)

Albania
total: 18,000 km
paved: 5,400 km
unpaved: 12,600 km (2000)

Algeria
total: 104,000 km
paved: 71,656 km (including 640 km of expressways)
unpaved: 32,344 km (1999)

American Samoa
total: 350 km
paved: 150 km
unpaved: 200 km

Andorra
total: 269 km
paved: 198 km
unpaved: 71 km (1994)

Angola
total: 51,429 km
paved: 5,349 km
unpaved: 46,080 km (1999)

Anguilla
total: 105 km
paved: 65 km
unpaved: 40 km (1997)

Antigua and Barbuda
total: 250 km (1999 est.)

Argentina
total: 215,471 km
paved: 63,348 km (including 734 km of expressways)
unpaved: 152,123 km (1999)

Armenia
total: 15,918 km
paved: 15,329 km (includes 7,527 km of expressways)
unpaved: 589 km (2000)

Aruba
total: 800 km
paved: 513 km
unpaved: 287 km
note: most coastal roads are paved, while unpaved roads serve large
tracts of the interior (1995)

Australia
total: 811,603 km
paved: 314,090 km (including 18,619 km of expressways)
unpaved: 497,513 km (1999 est.)

Austria
total: 200,000 km
paved: 200,000 km (including 1,633 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Azerbaijan
total: 24,981 km
paved: 23,057 km
unpaved: 1,924 km (2000)

Bahamas, The
total: 2,693 km
paved: 1,546 km
unpaved: 1,147 km (1999 est.)

Bahrain
total: 3,261 km
paved: 2,531 km
unpaved: 730 km (2000)

Bangladesh
total: 207,486 km
paved: 19,773 km
unpaved: 187,713 km (1999)

Barbados
total: 1,793 km
paved: 1,719 km
unpaved: 74 km (1999)

Belarus
total: 74,385 km
paved: 66,203 km
unpaved: 8,182 km (2000)

Belgium
total: 148,216 km
paved: 116,687 km (including 1,727 km of expressways)
unpaved: 31,529 km (2000)

Belize
total: 2,872 km
paved: 488 km
unpaved: 2,384 km (1999 est.)

Benin
total: 6,787 km
paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways)
unpaved: 5,430 km (1999 est.)

Bermuda total: 450 km paved: 450 km unpaved: 0 km note: public roads - 209 km; private roads - 241 km (2002)

Bhutan
total: 3,690 km
paved: 2,240 km
unpaved: 1,450 km (1999 est.)

Bolivia
total: 53,790 km
paved: 3,496 km (including 13 km of expressways)
unpaved: 50,294 km (2000 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
total: 21,846 km
paved: 11,424 km
unpaved: 10,422 km (1999 est.)

Botswana
total: 10,217 km
paved: 5,619 km
unpaved: 4,598 km (1999)

Brazil
total: 1,724,929 km
paved: 94,871 km
unpaved: 1,630,058 km (2000)

British Indian Ocean Territory
total: NA km
paved: short section of paved road between port and airfield on
Diego Garcia
unpaved: NA km

British Virgin Islands
total: 177 km
paved: 177 km
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Brunei
total: 2,525 km
paved: 2,525 km
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Bulgaria
total: 37,286 km
paved: 35,049 km (including 324 km of expressways)
unpaved: 2,237 km (2000)

Burkina Faso
total: 12,506 km
paved: 2,001 km
unpaved: 10,505 km (1999)

Burma
total: 28,200 km
paved: 3,440 km
unpaved: 24,760 km (1996 est.)

Burundi
total: 14,480 km
paved: 1,028 km
unpaved: 13,452 km (1999 est.)

Cambodia
total: 12,323 km
paved: 1,996 km
unpaved: 10,327 km (2000 est)

Cameroon
total: 34,300 km
paved: 4,288 km
unpaved: 30,012 km (1999 est.)

Canada
total: 1,408,800 km
paved: 497,306 km (including 16,900 km of expressways)
unpaved: 911,494 km (2002)

Cape Verde
total: 1,100 km
paved: 858 km
unpaved: 242 km (1999 est.)

Cayman Islands total: 785 km paved: 785 km (2000)

Central African Republic
total: 23,810 km
paved: 643 km
unpaved: 23,167 km (1999 est.)

Chad
total: 33,400 km
paved: 267 km
unpaved: 33,133 km (1999 est.)

Chile
total: 79,814 km
paved: 15,484 km (including 294 km of expressways)
unpaved: 64,330 km (2000)

China
total: 1,402,698 km
paved: 314,204 km (with at least 16,314 km of expressways)
unpaved: 1,088,494 km (2000)

Christmas Island
total: 240 km
paved: 30 km
unpaved: 210 km (2000)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
total: 15 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (2003)

Colombia
total: 110,000 km
paved: 26,000 km
unpaved: 84,000 km (2000)

Comoros
total: 880 km
paved: 673 km
unpaved: 207 km (1999 est)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the total: 157,000 km (including 30 km of expressways) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1999 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
total: 12,800 km
paved: 1,242 km
unpaved: 11,558 km (1999 est.)

Cook Islands
total: 320 km
paved: 33 km
unpaved: 287 km (2000)

Costa Rica
total: 35,892 km
paved: 7,896 km
unpaved: 27,996 km (2000)

Cote d'Ivoire
total: 50,400 km
paved: 4,889 km
unpaved: 45,511 km (1999 est.)

Croatia
total: 28,123 km
paved: 23,792 km (including 410 km of expressways)
unpaved: 4,331 km (2000)

Cuba
total: 60,858 km
paved: 29,820 km (including 638 km of expressway)
unpaved: 31,038 km (1999 est.)

Cyprus
total: 13,491 km
note: Republic of Cyprus: 11,141 km; north Cyprus: 2,350 km
paved: Republic of Cyprus: 6,428 km; north Cyprus: 1,370 km
unpaved: Republic of Cyprus: 4,713 km; north Cyprus: 980 km
(2000/1996)

Czech Republic
total: 55,408 km
paved: 55,408 km (including 499 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Denmark
total: 71,591 km
paved: 71,591 km (including 880 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Djibouti
total: 2,890 km
paved: 364 km
unpaved: 2,526 km (1999 est.)

Dominica
total: 780 km
paved: 393 km
unpaved: 387 km (1999 est.)

Dominican Republic
total: 12,600 km
paved: 6,224 km
unpaved: 6,376 km (1999)

East Timor
total: 3,800 km
paved: 428 km
unpaved: 3,372 km (1995)

Ecuador
total: 43,197 km
paved: 8,164 km
unpaved: 35,033 km (2000)

Egypt
total: 64,000 km
paved: 49,984 km
unpaved: 14,016 km (1999 est.)

El Salvador
total: 10,029 km
paved: 1,986 km (including 327 km of expressways)
unpaved: 8,043 km (1999 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
total: 2,880 km (1999 est.)

Eritrea
total: 4,010 km
paved: 874 km
unpaved: 3,136 km (1999 est.)

Estonia
total: 51,411 km
paved: 10,334 km (including 94 km of expressways)
unpaved: 41,077 km (2000)

Ethiopia
total: 31,571 km
paved: 3,789 km
unpaved: 27,782 km (2000)

European Union total: 4,634,810 km (including 56,704 km of expressways) paved: 4,161,318 km unpaved: 473,492 km (1999-2000)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
total: 440 km
paved: 50 km
unpaved: 390 km (2002)

Faroe Islands
total: 463 km
paved: 454 km
unpaved: 9 km (1999)

Fiji
total: 3,440 km
paved: 1,692 km
unpaved: 1,748 km (1999 est.)

Finland
total: 78,137 km
paved: 50,398 km (including 750 km of expressways)
unpaved: 27,739 km (2003)

France
total: 894,000 km
paved: 894,000 km (including 11,500 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

French Guiana
total: 722 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (1996)

French Polynesia
total: 2,590 km
paved: 1,735 km
unpaved: 855 km (1999)

Gabon
total: 8,464 km
paved: 838 km
unpaved: 7,626 km (2000 est.)

Gambia, The
total: 2,700 km
paved: 956 km
unpaved: 1,744 km (1999)

Gaza Strip total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: small, poorly developed road network

Georgia
total: 20,363 km
paved: 19,038 km
unpaved: 1,325 km (2000)

Germany
total: 230,735 km
paved: 230,735 km (including 11,515 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Ghana
total: 39,409 km
paved: 11,665 km
unpaved: 27,744 km (1999 est.)

Gibraltar
total: 29 km
paved: 29 km
unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Greece
total: 117,000 km
paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,594 km (1999 est.)

Greenland
total: NA (there are no roads between towns) (2003)

Grenada
total: 1,040 km
paved: 638 km
unpaved: 402 km (1999 est.)

Guadeloupe
total: 2,467 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (1998)

Guam
total: 885 km
paved: 675 km
unpaved: 210 km
note: there are also 685 km of roads classified non-public,
including roads located on federal government installations

Guatemala
total: 14,118 km
paved: 4,871 km (including 74 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,247 km (1999)

Guernsey
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km

Guinea
total: 30,500 km
paved: 5,033 km
unpaved: 25,467 km (1999 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
total: 4,400 km
paved: 453 km
unpaved: 3,947 km (1999 est.)

Guyana
total: 7,970 km
paved: 590 km
unpaved: 7,380 km (1999 est.)

Haiti
total: 4,160 km
paved: 1,011 km
unpaved: 3,149 km (1999 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
none; all city streets

Honduras
total: 13,603 km
paved: 2,775 km
unpaved: 10,828 km (1999 est.)

Hong Kong
total: 1,831 km
paved: 1,831 km
unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Hungary
total: 188,203 km
paved: 81,680 km (including 438 km of expressways)
unpaved: 106,523 km (1999)

Iceland
total: 12,955 km
paved/oiled gravel: 3,863 km
unpaved: 9,092 km (2003)

India
total: 3,319,644 km
paved: 1,517,077 km
unpaved: 1,802,567 km (1999 est.)

Indonesia
total: 342,700 km
paved: 158,670 km
unpaved: 184,030 km (1999 est.)

Iran
total: 167,157 km
paved: 94,109 km (including 890 km of expressways)
unpaved: 73,048 km (1998)

Iraq
total: 45,550 km
paved: 38,399 km
unpaved: 7,151 km (2000 est.)

Ireland
total: 92,500 km
paved: 87,043 km (including 115 km of expressways)
unpaved: 5,457 km (2000 est.)

Israel
total: 16,281 km
paved: 16,281 km (including 56 km of expressways)
unpaved: NA (2000)

Italy
total: 479,688 km
paved: 479,688 km (including 6,621 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Jamaica
total: 18,700 km
paved: 13,109 km
unpaved: 5,591 km (1999 est.)

Japan
total: 1,161,894 km
paved: 534,471 km (including 6,455 km of expressways)
unpaved: 627,423 km (1999)

Jersey
total: 577 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km

Jordan
total: 7,245 km
paved: 7,245 km
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Kazakhstan
total: 81,331 km
paved: 77,020 km
unpaved: 4,311 km (2000)

Kenya
total: 63,942 km
paved: 7,737 km
unpaved: 56,205 km (2000)

Kiribati
total: 670 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (1999 est.)

Korea, North
total: 31,200 km
paved: 1,997 km
unpaved: 29,203 km (1999 est.)

Korea, South
total: 86,990 km
paved: 64,808 km (including 1,996 km of expressways)
unpaved: 22,182 km (1999 est.)

Kuwait
total: 4,450 km
paved: 3,587 km
unpaved: 863 km (1999 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
total: 18,500 km
paved: 16,854 km (including 140 km of expressways)
unpaved: 1,646 km (1999 est.)

Laos
total: 21,716 km
paved: 9,664 km
unpaved: 12,052 km (1999 est.)

Latvia
total: 73,202 km
paved: 28,256 km
unpaved: 44,946 km (2000)

Lebanon
total: 7,300 km
paved: 6,198 km
unpaved: 1,102 km (1999 est.)

Lesotho
total: 5,940 km
paved: 1,087 km
unpaved: 4,853 km (1999)

Liberia
total: 10,600 km
paved: 657 km
unpaved: 9,943 km (1999 est.)

Libya
total: 83,200 km
paved: 47,590 km
unpaved: 35,610 km (1999 est.)

Liechtenstein
total: 250 km
paved: 250 km
unpaved: 0 km

Lithuania
total: 75,243 km
paved: 68,697 km (including 417 km of expressways)
unpaved: 6,546 km (2000)

Luxembourg
total: 5,189 km
paved: 5,189 km (including 114 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Macau
total: 271 km
paved: 271 km
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Macedonia
total: 8,684 km
paved: 5,540 km (including 133 km of expressways)
unpaved: 3,144 km (1999 est.)

Madagascar
total: 49,827 km
paved: 5,780 km
unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.)

Malawi
total: 28,400 km
paved: 5,254 km
unpaved: 23,146 km (1999 est.)

Malaysia
total: 65,877 km
paved: 49,935 km (including 1,192 km of expressways)
unpaved: 15,942 km (1999)

Maldives
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km

Mali
total: 15,100 km
paved: 1,827 km
unpaved: 13,273 km (1999 est.)

Malta
total: 2,254 km
paved: 1,972 km
unpaved: 282 km (2000)

Man, Isle of
total: 800 km
paved: 800 km
unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Marshall Islands total: NA km paved: 64.5 km unpaved: NA km note: paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks (2002)

Martinique
total: 2,105 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (2000)

Mauritania
total: 7,720 km
paved: 830 km
unpaved: 6,890 km (2000)

Mauritius
total: 1,926 km
paved: 1,868 km (including 44 km of expressways)
unpaved: 58 km (2000)

Mayotte
total: 93 km
paved: 72 km
unpaved: 21 km

Mexico
total: 329,532 km
paved: 108,087 km (including 6,429 km of expressways)
unpaved: 221,445 km (1999 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
total: 240 km
paved: 42 km
unpaved: 198 km (1999 est.)

Midway Islands
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km

Moldova
total: 12,657 km
paved: 11,012 km
unpaved: 1,645 km (1999)

Monaco
total: 50 km
paved: 50 km
unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Mongolia
total: 49,250 km
paved: 1,724 km
unpaved: 47,526 km (2003)

Montserrat
total: 227 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
note: volcanic eruptions beginning in 1995 destroyed most of the
road system (2003)

Morocco
total: 57,707 km
paved: 32,547 km (including 481 km of expressways)
unpaved: 25,160 km (2000)

Mozambique
total: 30,400 km
paved: 5,685 km
unpaved: 24,715 km (1999 est.)

Namibia
total: 66,467 km
paved: 9,172 km
unpaved: 57,285 km (2000)

Nauru
total: 30 km
paved: 24 km
unpaved: 6 km (1999 est.)

Nepal
total: 13,223 km
paved: 4,073 km
unpaved: 9,150 km (1999 est.)

Netherlands
total: 116,500 km
paved: 104,850 km (including 2,235 km of expressways)
unpaved: 11,650 km (1999)

Netherlands Antilles
total: 600 km
paved: 300 km
unpaved: 300 km

New Caledonia
total: 4,825 km
paved: 2,287 km
unpaved: 2,538 km (1999)

New Zealand
total: 92,053 km
paved: 57,809 km (including at least 190 km of expressways)
unpaved: 34,244 km (2000)

Nicaragua
total: 19,032 km
paved: 2,094 km
unpaved: 16,938 km (2000)

Niger
total: 10,100 km
paved: 798 km
unpaved: 9,302 km (1999 est.)

Nigeria
total: 194,394 km
paved: 60,068 km (including 1,194 km of expressways)
unpaved: 134,326 km (1999 est.)

Niue
total: 234 km
paved: 86 km
unpaved: 148 km (2001)

Norfolk Island
total: 80 km
paved: 53 km
unpaved: 27 km (2001)

Northern Mariana Islands
total: 362 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (1991)

Norway
total: 91,454 km
paved: 69,505 km (including 143 km of expressways)
unpaved: 21,949 km (2000)

Oman
total: 34,965 km
paved: 9,673 km (including 550 km of expressways)
unpaved: 25,292 km (2001)

Pakistan
total: 254,410 km
paved: 109,396 km (including 339 km of expressways)
unpaved: 145,014 km (1999)

Palau
total: 61 km
paved: 36 km
unpaved: 25 km

Palmyra Atoll
most of the roads and many causeways built during
World War II are unserviceable and overgrown (2001)

Panama
total: 11,400 km
paved: 3,944 km (including 30 km of expressways)
unpaved: 7,456 km (1999)

Papua New Guinea
total: 19,600 km
paved: 686 km
unpaved: 18,914 km (1999 est.)

Paraguay
total: 29,500 km
paved: 14,986 km
unpaved: 14,514 km (1999 est)

Peru
total: 72,900 km
paved: 9,331 km
unpaved: 63,569 km (1999 est.)

Philippines
total: 201,994 km
paved: 42,419 km
unpaved: 159,575 km (2000)

Pitcairn Islands
total: 6.4 km
paved: 0 km
unpaved: 6.4 km

Poland
total: 364,656 km
paved: 249,060 km (including 358 km of expressways)
unpaved: 115,596 km (2000)

Portugal
total: 68,732 km
paved: 59,110 km (including 1441 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,622 km (2000)

Puerto Rico
total: 14,400 km
paved: 14,400 km
unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Qatar
total: 1,230 km
paved: 1,107 km
unpaved: 123 km (1999 est.)

Reunion
total: 2,724 km
paved: 1,300 km (including 73 km of four-lane road)
unpaved: 1,424 km (1994)

Romania
total: 198,603 km
paved: 98,308 km (including 113 km of expressways)
unpaved: 100,295 km (2000)

Russia
total: 532,393 km
paved: 358,833 km
unpaved: 173,560 km (2000)

Rwanda
total: 12,000 km
paved: 996 km
unpaved: 11,004 km (1999 est.)

Saint Helena
total: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km,
Tristan da Cunha 20 km)
paved: 168 km (Saint Helena 118km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha
10 km)
unpaved: 30 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha
10 km) (2000)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
total: 320 km
paved: 136 km
unpaved: 184 km (1999 est)

Saint Lucia
total: 1,210 km
paved: 63 km
unpaved: 1,147 km (1999 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
total: 114 km
paved: 69 km
unpaved: 45 km

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
total: 1,040 km
paved: 320 km
unpaved: 720 km (1999 est.)

Samoa
total: 790 km
paved: 332 km
unpaved: 458 km (1999 est.)

San Marino
total: 220 km
paved: 220 km
unpaved: 0 km (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
total: 320 km
paved: 218 km
unpaved: 102 km (1999 est.)

Saudi Arabia
total: 151,470 km
paved: 45,592 km
unpaved: 105,878 km (1999)

Senegal
total: 14,576 km
paved: 4,271 km including 7 km of expressways
unpaved: 10,305 km (2000)

Serbia and Montenegro
total: 49,805 km
paved: 31,029 km (including 560 km of expressways)
unpaved: 18,776 km (2000)

Seychelles
total: 373 km
paved: 315 km
unpaved: 58 km (1997 est.)

Sierra Leone
total: 11,330 km
paved: 895 km
unpaved: 10,435 km (1999)

Singapore
total: 3,066 km
paved: 3,066 km (including 150 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Slovakia
total: 42,717 km
paved: 37,036 km (including 296 km of expressways)
unpaved: 5,681 km (2000)

Slovenia
total: 20,177 km
paved: 20,157 km (including 427 km of expressways)
unpaved: 20 km (2000)

Solomon Islands
total: 1,360 km
paved: 34 km
unpaved: 1,326 km (1999 est.)

Somalia
total: 22,100 km
paved: 2,608 km
unpaved: 19,492 km (1999 est.)

South Africa
total: 362,099 km
paved: 73,506 km (including 2,032 km of expressways)
unpaved: 288,593 km (2000)

Spain
total: 663,795 km
paved: 657,157 km (including 10,317 km of expressways)
unpaved: 6,638 km (1999)

Sri Lanka
total: 96,695 km
paved: 91,860 km
unpaved: 4,835 km (1999)

Sudan
total: 11,900 km
paved: 4,320 km
unpaved: 7,580 km (1999 est.)

Suriname
total: 4,492 km
paved: 1,168 km
unpaved: 3,324 km (2000)

Svalbard
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km

Swaziland
total: 3,247 km
paved: NA
unpaved: NA (1998)

Sweden
total: 212,402 km
paved: 166,523 km (including 1,499 km of expressways)
unpaved: 45,879 km (2000)

Switzerland
total: 71,011 km
paved: 71,011 km (including 1,638 of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Syria
total: 43,381 km
paved: 10,021 km (including 877 km of expressways)
unpaved: 33,360 km (1999)

Taiwan
total: 35,931 km
paved: 31,583 km (including 608 km of expressways)
unpaved: 4,348 km (2000)

Tajikistan
total: 27,767 km
paved: NA
unpaved: NA (2000)

Tanzania
total: 88,200 km
paved: 3,704 km
unpaved: 84,496 km (1999 est.)

Thailand
total: 64,600 km
paved: 62,985 km
unpaved: 1,615 km (1999 est.)

Togo
total: 7,520 km
paved: 2,376 km
unpaved: 5,144 km (1999 est.)

Tokelau
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km

Tonga
total: 680 km
paved: 184 km
unpaved: 496 km (1999 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
total: 8,320 km
paved: 4,252 km
unpaved: 4,068 km (1999 est.)

Tunisia
total: 18,997 km
paved: 12,310 km (including 142 km of expressways)
unpaved: 6,687 km (2000)

Turkey
total: 385,960 km
paved: 131,226 km (including 1,749 km of expressways)
unpaved: 254,734 km (1999)

Turkmenistan
total: 24,000 km
paved: 19,488 km
unpaved: 4,512 km (1999 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
total: 121 km
paved: 24 km
unpaved: 97 km (2000)

Tuvalu
total: 8 km
paved: 0 km
unpaved: 8 km (1999 est.)

Uganda
total: 27,000 km
paved: 1,809 km
unpaved: 25,191 km (1999 est.)

Ukraine
total: 169,491 km
paved: 163,898 km
unpaved: 5,593 km (2000)

United Arab Emirates
total: 1,088 km
paved: 1,088 km (including 253 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

United Kingdom
total: 371,913 km
paved: 371,913 km (including 3,358 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1999)

United States
total: 6,406,296 km
paved: 4,148,395 km (including 74,898 km of expressways)
unpaved: 2,257,902 km (2002)

Uruguay
total: 8,983 km
paved: 8,081 km
unpaved: 902 km (1999 est.)

Uzbekistan
total: 81,600 km
paved: 71,237 km
unpaved: 10,363 km (1999 est.)

Vanuatu
total: 1,070 km
paved: 256 km
unpaved: 814 km (1999 est.)

Venezuela
total: 96,155 km
paved: 32,308 km
unpaved: 63,847 km (1999 est.)

Vietnam
total: 93,300 km
paved: 23,418 km
unpaved: 69,882 km (1999 est.)

Virgin Islands total: 856 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: the only US possession where driving on the left side of the road is practiced (2000)

Wallis and Futuna total: 120 km (Ile Uvea 100 km, Ile Futuna 20 km) paved: 16 km (all on Ile Uvea) unpaved: 104 km (Ile Uvea 84 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)

West Bank
total: 4,500 km
paved: 2,700 km
unpaved: 1,800 km
note: Israelis have developed many highways to service Jewish
settlements (1997 est.)

Western Sahara
total: 6,200 km
paved: 1,350 km
unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est)

World
total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km

Yemen
total: 67,000 km
paved: 7,705 km
unpaved: 59,295 km (1999 est.)

Zambia
total: 66,781 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (1999 est.)

Zimbabwe
total: 18,338 km
paved: 8,692 km
unpaved: 9,646 km (1999 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2086 Illicit drugs

Afghanistan
world's largest producer of opium; cultivation of opium
poppy reached unprecedented level of 206,700 hectares in 2004;
counterdrug efforts largely unsuccessful; potential opium production
of 4,950 metric tons; potential heroin production of 582 metric tons
if all opium was processed; source of hashish; many
narcotics-processing labs throughout the country; drug trade source
of instability and some antigovernment groups profit from the trade;
80-90% of the heroin consumed in Europe comes from Afghan opium;
vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through informal financial
networks

Albania
increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian
opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to
a far lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for
Western Europe; limited opium and growing cannabis production;
ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and expanding
in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering associated with regional
trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens

Angola
used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for
Western Europe and other African states

Anguilla
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined
for the US and Europe

Antigua and Barbuda
considered a minor transshipment point for
narcotics bound for the US and Europe; more significant as an
offshore financial center

Argentina
used as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for
Europe and the US; some money-laundering activity, especially in the
Tri-Border Area; domestic consumption of drugs in urban centers is
increasing

Armenia
illicit cultivation of small amount of cannabis for domestic
consumption; used as a transit point for illicit drugs - mostly
opium and hashish - moving from Southwest Asia to Russia and to a
lesser extent the rest of Europe

Aruba
transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some
accompanying money-laundering activity

Australia
Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit
opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of
opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate

Austria
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South
American cocaine destined for Western Europe

Azerbaijan
limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy,
mostly for CIS consumption; small government eradication program;
transit point for Southwest Asian opiates bound for Russia and to a
lesser extent the rest of Europe

Bahamas, The
transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for
US and Europe; offshore financial center

Bangladesh
transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring
countries

Barbados
one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics
bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center

Belarus
limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for
the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and
via Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe; a small and
lightly regulated financial center; new anti-money-laundering
legislation does not meet international standards; few
investigations or prosecutions of money-laundering activities

Belgium
growing producer of synthetic drugs; transit point for
US-bound ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American
cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin,
hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe; despite a
strengthening of legislation, the country remains vulnerable to
money laundering related to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol and
tobacco

Belize
major transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit
producer of cannabis for the international drug trade;
money-laundering activity related to narcotics trafficking and
offshore sector

Benin
transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian
trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western
Europe and the US; vulnerable to money laundering due to a poorly
regulated financial infrastructure

Bolivia
world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Colombia and
Peru) with an estimated 28,450 hectares under cultivation in June
2003, a 23% increase from June 2002; intermediate coca products and
cocaine exported mostly to or through Brazil, Argentina, and Chile
to European and US drug markets; eradication and alternative crop
programs under the MESA administration have been unable to keep pace
with farmers' attempts to increase cultivation; money-laundering
activity related to narcotics trade, especially along the borders
with Brazil and Paraguay

Bosnia and Herzegovina
minor transit point for marijuana and opiate
trafficking routes to Western Europe; remains highly vulnerable to
money laundering activity given a primarily cash-based and
unregulated economy, weak law enforcement and instances of corruption

Brazil
illicit producer of cannabis; minor coca cultivation in the
Amazon region, used for domestic consumption; government has a
large-scale eradication program to control cannabis; important
transshipment country for Bolivian, Colombian and Peruvian cocaine
headed for Europe and the US; also used by traffickers as a way
station for narcotics air transshipments between Peru and Colombia;
upsurge in drug-related violence and weapons smuggling; important
market for Colombian, Bolivian, and Peruvian cocaine; illicit
narcotics proceeds earned in Brazil are often laundered through the
financial system; significant illicit financial activity in the
Tri-Border Area

British Virgin Islands
transshipment point for South American
narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial
center makes it vulnerable to money laundering

Brunei
drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled
substances are serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory
death penalty

Bulgaria
major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian
heroin and, to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the
European market; limited producer of precursor chemicals; some money
laundering of drug-related proceeds through financial institutions

Burma
world's second largest producer of illicit opium (potential
production in 2003 - 484 metric tons, down 23% due to eradication
efforts and alternate development; cultivation in 2003 - 47,130
hectares, a 39% decline from 2002); surrender of drug warlord KHUN
SA's Mong Tai Army in January 1996 was hailed by Rangoon as a major
counternarcotics success, but lack of government will and ability to
take on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment
against money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug
effort; major source of methamphetamine and heroin for regional
consumption; currently under Financial Action Task Force
countermeasures due to continued failure to address its inadequate
money-laundering controls

Cambodia
narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving some in
the government, military, and police; possible small-scale opium,
heroin, and amphetamine production; large producer of cannabis for
the international market; vulnerable to money laundering due to its
cash-based economy and porous borders

Canada
illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market and
export to US; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant
large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; transit point
for heroin and cocaine entering the US market; vulnerable to
narcotics money laundering because of its mature financial services
sector

Cape Verde
used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving
from Latin America and Asia destined for Western Europe; the lack of
a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
money-laundering center

Cayman Islands
offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug
transshipment to the US and Europe

Chile
important transshipment country for cocaine destined for
Europe and the US; economic prosperity and increasing trade have
made Chile more attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug
profits, especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone, but a new
anti-money-laundering law improves controls; imported precursors
passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising

China
major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden
Triangle; growing domestic drug abuse problem; source country for
chemical precursors and methamphetamine

Colombia
illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis;
world's leading coca cultivator (cultivation of coca in 2002 was
144,450 hectares, a 15% decline since 2001); potential production of
opium between 2001 and 2002 declined by 25% to 91 metric tons;
potential production of heroin declined to 11.3 metric tons; the
world's largest processor of coca derivatives into cocaine; supplier
of about 90% of the cocaine to the US market and the great majority
of cocaine to other international drug markets; important supplier
of heroin to the US market; active aerial eradication program; a
significant portion of non-US narcotics proceeds are either
laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso
exchange

Congo, Democratic Republic of the illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center

Costa Rica
transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South
America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots;
domestic cocaine consumption is rising, particularly crack cocaine

Cote d'Ivoire
illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local
consumption; transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian
heroin to Europe and occasionally to the US, and for Latin American
cocaine destined for Europe and South Africa; while rampant
corruption and inadequate supervision leave the banking system
vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a developed financial
system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering
center

Croatia
transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian
heroin to Western Europe; has been used as a transit point for
maritime shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe

Cuba
territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone
for cocaine and heroin bound for the US and Europe; established the
death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999

Cyprus
minor transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and
container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey;
some cocaine transits as well; despite a strengthening of anti-money
laundering legislation, remains highly vulnerable to money
laundering; identification of benefiting owners and reporting of
suspicious transactions by nonresident-controlled companies in
offshore sector remains weak

Czech Republic
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and
minor transit point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe;
producer of synthetic drugs for local and regional markets;
susceptible to money laundering related to drug trafficking,
organized crime

Dominica
transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and
Europe; minor cannabis producer; anti-money-laundering enforcement
is weak, making the country particularly vulnerable to money
laundering

Dominican Republic
transshipment point for South American drugs
destined for the US and Europe; has become a transshipment point for
ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada;
substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics
traffickers favor the Dominican Republic for illicit financial
transactions

East Timor
NA

Ecuador
significant transit country for cocaine originating in
Colombia and Peru; importer of precursor chemicals used in
production of illicit narcotics; attractive location for
cash-placement by drug traffickers laundering money because of
dollarization and weak anti-money-laundering regime, especially
vulnerable along the border with Colombia; increased activity on the
northern frontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents

Egypt
transit point for Southwest Asian and Southeast Asian heroin
and opium moving to Europe, Africa, and the US; transit stop for
Nigerian couriers; concern as money-laundering site due to lax
financial regulations and enforcement

El Salvador
transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of
marijuana produced for local consumption; domestic cocaine abuse on
the rise

Estonia
transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Southwest
Asia and the Caucasus via Russia, cocaine from Latin America to
Western Europe and Scandinavia, and synthetic drugs from Western
Europe to Scandinavia; increasing domestic drug abuse problem;
possible precursor manufacturing and/or trafficking; potential money
laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking is a
concern as is possible use of the gambling sector to launder funds

Ethiopia
Transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and
Southeast Asia and destined for Europe and North America as well as
cocaine destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat
(khat) for local use and regional export, principally to Djibouti
and Somalia (legal in all three countries); the lack of a
well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
money-laundering center

France
transshipment point for and consumer of South American
cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics

French Guiana
small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption;
minor transshipment point to Europe

Georgia
limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for
domestic consumption; used as transshipment point for opiates via
Central Asia to Western Europe and Russia

Germany
source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine
processors; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian
heroin, Latin American cocaine, and European-produced synthetic
drugs; major financial center

Ghana
illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade;
major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a
lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the
US; widespread crime and corruption have made money laundering a
problem, but the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure
limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center

Greece
a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and
heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and
precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine
transits or is consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug
trafficking and organized crime

Grenada
small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point
for marijuana and cocaine to US

Guatemala
major transit country for cocaine and heroin; minor
producer of illicit opium poppy and cannabis for mostly domestic
consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging
area for drugs (particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a
serious problem; corruption is a major problem; remains on Financial
Action Task Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for
continued failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering
control regime

Guyana
transshipment point for narcotics from South America -
primarily Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis

Haiti
major Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to
the US and Europe; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian
narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial
transactions; pervasive corruption

Honduras
transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit
producer of cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally
for local consumption; corruption is a major problem; some
money-laundering activity

Hong Kong
Makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces
difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin and
methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system
provides a conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of
synthetic drugs, especially among young people

Hungary
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and cannabis
and for South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; limited
producer of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamine and
methamphetamine; improving, but remains vulnerable to money
laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking

India
world's largest producer of licit opium for the pharmaceutical
trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is diverted to illicit
international drug markets; transit point for illicit narcotics
produced in neighboring countries; illicit producer of methaqualone;
vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through the hawala system

Indonesia
illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use;
possible growing role as transshipment point for Golden Triangle
heroin

Iran
despite substantial interdiction efforts, Iran remains a key
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; domestic
narcotics consumption remains a persistent problem and according to
official Iranian statistics there are at least 2 million drug users
in the country; lax anti-money-laundering regulations

Ireland
transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North
Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic
drugs; minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for
Western Europe; despite recent legislation, narcotics-related money
laundering using bureaux de change, trusts, shell companies
involving the offshore financial community remains a concern

Israel
increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin abuse; drugs
arrive in country from Lebanon and, increasingly, from Jordan;
money-laundering center

Italy
important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine
and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money
laundering by organized crime and from smuggling

Jamaica
major transshipment point for cocaine from South America to
North America and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis;
government has an active manual cannabis eradication program;
corruption is a major concern; substantial money-laundering
activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit
financial transactions

Kazakhstan
significant illicit cultivation of cannabis for CIS
markets, as well as limited cultivation of opium poppy and ephedra
(for the drug ephedrine); limited government eradication of illicit
crops; transit point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia
and the rest of Europe

Kenya
widespread harvesting of small plots of marijuana; transit
country for South Asian heroin destined for Europe and North
America; Indian methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa;
significant potential for money-laundering activity given the
country's status as a regional financial center, massive corruption,
and relatively high levels of narcotics-associated activities

Korea, North
for years, from the 1970's into the 2000's, citizens of
the Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea (DPRK), many of
them diplomatic employees of the government, were apprehended abroad
while trafficking in narcotics, including two in Turkey in December
2004; in recent years, police investigations in Taiwan and Japan
have linked North Korea to large illicit shipments of heroin and
methamphetamine, including an attempt by the North Korean merchant
ship Pong Su to deliver 150 kg of heroin to Australia in April 2003;
all indications point to North Korea emerging as an important
regional source of illicit drugs targeting markets in Japan, Taiwan,
the Russian Far East, and China

Kyrgyzstan
limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy
for CIS markets; limited government eradication of illicit crops;
transit point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the
rest of Europe

Laos
world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated
cultivation in 2003 - 18,900 hectares, a 19% decrease over 2002;
estimated potential production in 2003 - 200 metric tons, a 11%
increase from 2002); potential heroin producer; transshipment point
for heroin and methamphetamine produced in Burma; illicit producer
of cannabis; growing methamphetamine abuse problem

Latvia
transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and
Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American
cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; vulnerable
to money laundering despite improved legislation due to nascent
enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of
offshore companies, exchange firms, and the gaming industry;
organized crime (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion,
stolen cars, and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds

Lebanon
cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares
in 2002; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of Latin
American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on way
to European markets and for Middle Eastern consumption

Liberia
transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin
and South American cocaine for the European and US markets;
corruption, criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade
provide significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of
well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
major money-laundering center

Liechtenstein
has strengthened money-laundering controls, but money
laundering remains a concern due to Liechtenstein sophisticated
offshore financial services sector

Lithuania
transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs
from Southwest Asia, Latin America, and Western Europe to Western
Europe and Scandinavia; limited production of methamphetamine and
ecstasy; susceptible to money laundering despite changes to banking
legislation

Macedonia
major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and
hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for
Europe; although most criminal activity is thought to be domestic
and not a financial center, money laundering is a problem due to a
mostly cash-based economy and weak enforcement (no arrests or
prosecutions for money laundering to date)

Madagascar
illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild
varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point
for heroin

Malaysia
transit point for some illicit drugs; drug trafficking
prosecuted vigorously and carries severe penalties

Malta
minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to
Western Europe

Martinique
transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for
the US and Europe

Mauritius
minor consumer and transshipment point for heroin from
South Asia; small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally;
significant offshore financial industry creates potential for money
laundering, but corruption levels are relatively low and the
government appears generally to be committed to regulating its
banking industry

Mexico
illicit cultivation of opium poppy (cultivation in 2001 -
4,400 hectares; potential heroin production - 7 metric tons) and of
cannabis (in 2001 - 4,100 hectares); government eradication efforts
have been key in keeping illicit crop levels low; major supplier of
heroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine
to the US market; continues as the primary transshipment country for
US-bound cocaine from South America, accounting for about 70 percent
of estimated annual cocaine movement to the US; major drug
syndicates control majority of drug trafficking throughout the
country; producer and distributor of ecstasy; significant
money-laundering center

Moldova
limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for
CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from
Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and
possibly the US; widespread crime and underground economic activity

Montserrat
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined
for the US and Europe

Morocco
illicit producer of hashish; shipments of hashish mostly
directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South
America destined for Western Europe

Mozambique
Southern African transit point for South Asian hashish,
South Asian heroin, and South American cocaine probably destined for
the European and South African markets; producer of cannabis (for
local consumption) and methaqualone (for export to South Africa);
corruption and poor regulatory capability makes the banking system
vulnerable to money laundering, but the lack of a well-developed
financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a
money-laundering center

Nauru
offshore banking recently stopped, remains on Financial Action
Task Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for
continued failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering
control regime

Nepal
illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and
international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast
Asia to the West

Netherlands
major European producer of ecstasy, illicit
amphetamines, and other synthetic drugs; important gateway for
cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; major source of
US-bound ecstasy; large financial sector vulnerable to money
laundering

Netherlands Antilles
transshipment point for South American drugs
bound for the US and Europe; money-laundering center

Nicaragua
transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and
transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

Nigeria
a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for
European, East Asian, and North American markets; safehaven for
Nigerian narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major
money-laundering center; massive corruption and criminal activity,
remains on Financial Action Task Force Non-Cooperative Countries and
Territories List for continued failure to address deficiencies in
money-laundering control regime

Pakistan
opium poppy in Federally Administered Tribal Areas,
North-West Frontier Province, and Balochistan Province has rebounded
since it was nearly eliminated in 2001; key transit point for Afghan
drugs, including heroin, opium, morphine, and hashish, bound for
Western markets, the Gulf States, and Africa; financial crimes
related to drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption, and smuggling
remain problems

Panama
major cocaine transshipment point and primary
money-laundering center for narcotics revenue; money-laundering
activity is especially heavy in the Colon Free Zone; offshore
financial center; negligible signs of coca cultivation; monitoring
of financial transactions is improving; official corruption remains
a major problem

Paraguay
major illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is
consumed in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile; transshipment country for
Andean cocaine headed for Brazil, other Southern Cone markets,
Europe, and US; corruption and some money-laundering activity,
especially in the Tri-Border Area

Peru
until 1996 the world's largest coca leaf producer; emerging
opium producer; cultivation of coca in Peru fell 15 percent to
31,150 hectares between 2002 and the end of 2003; much of the
cocaine base is shipped to neighboring Colombia for processing into
cocaine, while finished cocaine is shipped out from Pacific ports to
the international drug market; increasing amounts of base and
finished cocaine, however, are being moved to Brazil and Bolivia for
use in the Southern Cone or transshipped to Europe and Africa

Philippines
exports locally-produced marijuana and hashish to East
Asia, the US, and other Western markets; serves as a transit point
for heroin and crystal methamphetamine; domestic methamphetamine
production is a growing problem; remains on Financial Action Task
Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for continued
failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering control regime

Poland
major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the
international market; minor transshipment point for Asian and Latin
American illicit drugs to Western Europe

Portugal
gateway country for Latin American cocaine and Southwest
Asian heroin entering the European market (especially from Brazil);
transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe;
consumer of Southwest Asian heroin

Romania
major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin
transiting the Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American
cocaine bound for Western Europe; although not a significant
financial center, role as a narcotics conduit leaves it vulnerable
to laundering which occurs via the banking system, currency exchange
houses, and casinos

Russia
limited cultivation of illicit cannabis and opium poppy and
producer of methamphetamine, mostly for domestic consumption;
government has active illicit crop eradication program; used as
transshipment point for Asian opiates, cannabis, and Latin American
cocaine bound for growing domestic markets, to a lesser extent
Western and Central Europe, and occasionally to the US; major source
of heroin precursor chemicals; corruption and organized crime are
key concerns; heroin increasingly popular in domestic market

Saint Kitts and Nevis
transshipment point for South American drugs
destined for the US and Europe; some money-laundering activity

Saint Lucia
transit point for South American drugs destined for the
US and Europe

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
transshipment point for South
American drugs destined for the US and Europe; small-scale cannabis
cultivation

Saudi Arabia
death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption
of heroin, cocaine, and hashish; not a major money-laundering
center, improving anti-money-laundering legislation

Senegal
transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin
moving to Europe and North America; illicit cultivator of cannabis

Serbia and Montenegro
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin
moving to Western Europe on the Balkan route; economy vulnerable to
money laundering

Singapore
as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore
is vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, to be used as a
transit point for Golden Triangle heroin and as a venue for money
laundering

Slovakia
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for
Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market

Slovenia
minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin
bound for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals

South Africa
transshipment center for heroin, hashish, marijuana,
and cocaine; cocaine consumption on the rise; world's largest market
for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India
through various east African countries; illicit cultivation of
marijuana; attractive venue for money launderers given the
increasing level of organized criminal and narcotics activity in the
region

Spain
key European gateway country and consumer for Latin American
cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market;
destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian
heroin; money laundering site for European earnings of Colombian
narcotics trafficking organizations

Suriname
growing transshipment point for South American drugs
destined for Europe and Brazil; transshipment point for
arms-for-drugs dealing

Switzerland
a major international financial center vulnerable to the
layering and integration stages of money laundering; despite
significant legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules
persist and nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through
offshore entities and various intermediaries; transit country for
and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin

Syria
a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and
Western markets; weak anti-money-laundering controls, bank
privatization may leave it vulnerable to money-laundering

Taiwan
regional transit point for heroin and methamphetamine; major
problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin;
renewal of domestic methamphetamine production is a problem

Tajikistan
major transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for
Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited
illicit cultivation of opium poppy for domestic consumption;
Tajikistan seizes roughly 80 percent of all drugs captured in
Central Asia and stands third world-wide in seizures of opiates
(heroin and raw opium)

Tanzania
growing role in transshipment of Southwest and Southeast
Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for South African,
European, and US markets and of South Asian methaqualone bound for
Southern Africa; money laundering remains a problem

Thailand
a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; illicit
transit point for heroin en route to the international drug market
from Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of
cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring
countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication
efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in
amphetamine production for regional consumption; increasing
indigenous abuse of methamphetamine

Togo
transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; money
laundering not a significant problem

Trinidad and Tobago
transshipment point for South American drugs
destined for the US and Europe; producer of cannabis

Turkey
key transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western
Europe and - to a far lesser extent the US - via air, land, and sea
routes; major Turkish, Iranian, and other international trafficking
organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert
imported morphine base into heroin are in remote regions of Turkey
as well as near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over
areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw
concentrate

Turkmenistan
transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian
and Western European markets; transit point for heroin precursor
chemicals bound for Afghanistan

Turks and Caicos Islands
transshipment point for South American
narcotics destined for the US and Europe

Ukraine
limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for
CIS consumption; some synthetic drug production for export to the
West; limited government eradication program; used as transshipment
point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Africa, Latin
America, and Turkey to Europe and Russia; Ukraine has improved
anti-money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the
Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and
Territories List in February 2004; Ukraine's anti-money-laundering
regime continues to be monitored by FATF

United Arab Emirates
the UAE is a drug transshipment point for
traffickers given its proximity to southwest Asian drug producing
countries; the UAE's position as a major financial center makes it
vulnerable to money laundering; anti-money-laundering controls
improving

United Kingdom
producer of limited amounts of synthetic drugs and
synthetic precursor chemicals; major consumer of Southwest Asian
heroin, Latin American cocaine, and synthetic drugs;
money-laundering center

United States
consumer of cocaine shipped from Colombia through
Mexico and the Caribbean; consumer of heroin, marijuana, and
increasingly methamphetamine from Mexico; consumer of high-quality
Southeast Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana,
depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine;
money-laundering center

Uzbekistan
transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian
and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit
cultivation of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for
domestic consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by
government crop eradication program; transit point for heroin
precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan

Venezuela
small-scale illicit producer of opium and coca for the
processing of opiates and coca derivatives; however, large
quantities of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana transit the country
from Colombia bound for US and Europe; significant narcotics-related
money-laundering activity, especially along the border with Colombia
and on Margarita Island; active eradication program primarily
targeting opium; increasing signs of drug-related activities by
Colombian insurgents on border

Vietnam
minor producer of opium poppy; probable minor transit point
for Southeast Asian heroin; domestic opium/heroin/methamphetamine
addiction problems

World
cocaine: worldwide, coca is grown on an estimated 173,450
hectares-almost exclusively in South America with 70% in Colombia;
potential cocaine production during 2003 is estimated at 728 metric
tons (or 835 metric tons of export quality cocaine); coca
eradication programs continue in Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru; 376
metric tons of export quality cocaine are documented to have been
seized in 2003, and 26 metric tons disrupted (jettisoned or
destroyed); consumption of export quality cocaine is estimated to
have been 800 metric tons
opiates: cultivation of opium poppy occurred on an estimated 137,944
hectares in 2003-mostly in Southwest and Southeast Asia-with 44% in
Afghanistan, potentially produced 3,775 metric tons of opium - which
conceivably could be converted to the equivalent of 429 metric tons
of pure heroin; opium eradication programs have been undertaken in
Afghanistan, Burma, Colombia, Mexico, Pakistan, Thailand, and Vietnam

Zambia
transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone,
small amounts of heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and
possibly Europe; a poorly developed financial infrastructure coupled
with a government commitment to combating money laundering make it
an unattractive venue for money launderers

Zimbabwe
transit point for African cannabis and South Asian heroin,
mandrax, and methamphetamines destined for the South African and
European markets

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2087 Imports

Afghanistan
$1.007 billion (2002 est.)

Albania
$1.76 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Algeria
$12.42 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

American Samoa
$123 million (2002)

Andorra
$1.077 billion (1998)

Angola
$4.08 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Anguilla
$80.9 million (1999)

Antigua and Barbuda
$692 million (2002 est.)

Argentina
$13.27 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Armenia
$1.18 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Aruba
$841 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Australia
$82.91 billion (2003 est.)

Austria
$81.59 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
$2.498 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
$1.614 billion (2002 est.)

Bahrain
$5.126 billion (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
$9.459 billion (2003 est.)

Barbados
$1.039 billion (2002)

Belarus
$11.09 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Belgium
$173 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Belize
$500.6 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Benin
$726 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Bermuda
$5.523 billion (2002)

Bhutan
$196 million c.i.f. (2000 est.)

Bolivia
$1.505 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
$4.7 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Botswana
$1.753 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Brazil
$48.25 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
$187 million (2002 est.)

Brunei
$1.63 billion c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Bulgaria
$9.723 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
$633.6 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Burma
$2.071 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Burundi
$128 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Cambodia
$2.124 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Cameroon
$1.959 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Canada
$240.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
$315.5 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Cayman Islands
$457.4 million (1999)

Central African Republic
$136 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Chad
$760 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Chile
$17.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

China
$397.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA

Colombia
$13.06 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Comoros
$88 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
$933 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
$666.9 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
$50.7 million (2000)

Costa Rica
$7.057 billion (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
$2.781 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Croatia
$12.86 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Cuba
$4.531 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: $4.637 billion f.o.b.; north Cyprus: $301
million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
$50.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Denmark
$54.47 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Djibouti
$665 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Dominica
$98.2 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
$7.911 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

East Timor
$237 million (2001 est.)

Ecuador
$6.22 billion (2003 est.)

Egypt
$14.75 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

El Salvador
$5.466 billion (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
$1.371 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Eritrea
$600 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Estonia
$5.535 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
$1.964 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

European Union
$887.1 billion (2002)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
$53 million (2002)

Faroe Islands
$466 million c.i.f. (2002)

Fiji
$835 million c.i.f. (2002)

Finland
$37.35 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

France
$339.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

French Guiana
$625 million c.i.f. (2002 est.)

French Polynesia
$1.341 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Gabon
$1.079 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
$271 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
$1.9 billion c.i.f., includes West Bank

Georgia
$1.25 billion (2003 est.)

Germany
$585 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Ghana
$3.24 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
$1.743 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Greece
$33.27 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Greenland
$445 million c.i.f. (2002)

Grenada
$208 million (2002 est.)

Guadeloupe
$1.7 billion c.i.f. (1997)

Guam
$462 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Guatemala
$5.749 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Guernsey
NA

Guinea
$646 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
$104 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Guyana
$612 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Haiti
$1.028 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Honduras
$3.11 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
$230.3 billion (2003 est.)

Hungary
$46.19 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Iceland
$2.59 billion (2003 est.)

India
$74.15 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Indonesia
$40.22 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Iran
$25.26 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Iraq
$6.521 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Ireland
$57.54 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Israel
$32.27 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Italy
$271.1 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Jamaica
$3.265 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Japan
$346.6 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Jersey
NA

Jordan
$4.946 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
$8.621 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Kenya
$3.705 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Kiribati
$83 million c.i.f. (2002)

Korea, North
$2.042 billion c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Korea, South
$175.6 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Kuwait
$9.606 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
$601 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Laos
$492 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Latvia
$4.921 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Lebanon
$6.073 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Lesotho
$661 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Liberia
$5.051 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Libya
$6.282 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
$917.3 million (1996)

Lithuania
$9.2 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
$11.61 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Macau
$2.53 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Macedonia
$2.184 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Madagascar
$920 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Malawi
$505 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Malaysia
$74.4 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Maldives
$392 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Mali
$927 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Malta
$2.761 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
NA

Marshall Islands
$54 million f.o.b. (2000)

Martinique
$2 billion c.i.f. (1997)

Mauritania
$860 million f.o.b. (2002)

Mauritius
$2.136 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Mayotte
$141.3 million f.o.b. (1997)

Mexico
$168.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
$149 million f.o.b. (FY99/00 est.)

Moldova
$1.34 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Monaco
$NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and
rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market
system through customs union with France

Mongolia
$691 million c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Montserrat
$17 million (2001)

Morocco
$12.75 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Mozambique
$1.142 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Namibia
$1.371 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Nauru
$31 million c.i.f. (2002)

Nepal
$1.419 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Netherlands
$217.7 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
$2.233 billion f.o.b. (2002)

New Caledonia
$1.007 billion f.o.b. (2002)

New Zealand
$16.06 billion (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
$1.658 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Niger
$400 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Nigeria
$14.54 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Niue
$2.38 million (1999)

Norfolk Island
$17.9 million c.i.f. (FY91/92)

Northern Mariana Islands
NA

Norway
$40.19 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Oman
$5.659 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Pakistan
$12.51 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Palau
$99 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Panama
$6.622 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
$967 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Paraguay
$2.77 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Peru
$8.244 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Philippines
$35.97 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
NA

Poland
$63.65 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Portugal
$43.73 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
$29.1 billion c.i.f. (2001)

Qatar
$5.711 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Reunion
$2.5 billion c.i.f. (1997)

Romania
$22.17 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Russia
$74.8 billion (2003 est.)

Rwanda
$245.8 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
$42 million c.i.f. (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
$195 million (2002 est.)

Saint Lucia
$267 million (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
$106 million f.o.b. (2002)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
$174 million (2002 est.)

Samoa
$113 million f.o.b. (2002)

San Marino
trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Sao Tome and Principe
$30.03 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
$30.38 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Senegal
$1.753 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
$7.144 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Seychelles
$383.7 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Sierra Leone
$264 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Singapore
$121.6 billion (2003 est.)

Slovakia
$21.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Slovenia
$12.63 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
$100 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Somalia
$344 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

South Africa
$33.89 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Spain
$197.1 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
$6.626 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Sudan
$2.383 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Suriname
$604 million f.o.b. (2002)

Svalbard
NA

Swaziland
$1.088 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Sweden
$83.27 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Switzerland
$102.2 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Syria
$4.845 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Taiwan
$119.6 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
$890 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Tanzania
$1.674 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Thailand
$65.3 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Togo
$501.3 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Tokelau
$323,000 c.i.f. (1983)

Tonga
$86 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
$3.917 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Tunisia
$10.3 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Turkey
$62.43 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
$2.472 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
$175.6 million (2000)

Tuvalu
$79 million c.i.f. (2002)

Uganda
$1.179 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Ukraine
$23.58 billion (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
$37.16 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
$363.6 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

United States
$1.26 trillion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Uruguay
$1.989 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
$2.31 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
$138 million c.i.f. (2002)

Venezuela
$10.71 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Vietnam
$22.5 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
NA

Wallis and Futuna
$300,000 f.o.b. (1999)

West Bank
$1.9 billion c.i.f., includes Gaza Strip

Western Sahara
NA

World
$6.531 trillion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Yemen
$3.042 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Zambia
$1.128 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
$1.691 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2088 Independence

Afghanistan
19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign
affairs)

Albania
28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)

Algeria
5 July 1962 (from France)

American Samoa
none (territory of the US)

Andorra
1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of the French
count of Foix and the Spanish bishop of Urgel)

Angola
11 November 1975 (from Portugal)

Anguilla
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Antigua and Barbuda
1 November 1981 (from UK)

Argentina
9 July 1816 (from Spain)

Armenia
21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Aruba
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Australia
1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)

Austria
1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 12 November 1918 (republic
proclaimed)

Azerbaijan
30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Bahamas, The
10 July 1973 (from UK)

Bahrain
15 August 1971 (from UK)

Bangladesh
16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March
1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December
1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation
of the state of Bangladesh

Barbados
30 November 1966 (from UK)

Belarus
25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Belgium
4 October 1830 (a provisional government declares
independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King Leopold I
ascends to the throne)

Belize
21 September 1981 (from UK)

Benin
1 August 1960 (from France)

Bermuda
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Bhutan
8 August 1949 (from India)

Bolivia
6 August 1825 (from Spain)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for
independence was completed 1 March 1992; independence was declared 3
March 1992)

Botswana
30 September 1966 (from UK)

Brazil
7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

British Virgin Islands
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Brunei
1 January 1984 (from UK)

Bulgaria
3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the
Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the
Ottoman Empire)

Burkina Faso
5 August 1960 (from France)

Burma
4 January 1948 (from UK)

Burundi
1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian
administration)

Cambodia
9 November 1953 (from France)

Cameroon
1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

Canada
1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11
December 1931 (independence recognized)

Cape Verde
5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Cayman Islands
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Central African Republic
13 August 1960 (from France)

Chad
11 August 1960 (from France)

Chile
18 September 1810 (from Spain)

China
221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty); 1 January
1912 (Manchu Dynasty replaced by a Republic); 1 October 1949
(People's Republic established)

Christmas Island
none (territory of Australia)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
none (territory of Australia)

Colombia
20 July 1810 (from Spain)

Comoros
6 July 1975 (from France)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

Congo, Republic of the
15 August 1960 (from France)

Cook Islands
none (became self-governing in free association with
New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move
to full independence by unilateral action)

Costa Rica
15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Cote d'Ivoire
7 August 1960 (from France)

Croatia
25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

Cuba
20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the
US from 1898 to 1902)

Cyprus
16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriots proclaimed
self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983, but these
proclamations are only recognized by Turkey

Czech Republic
1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech
Republic and Slovakia)

Denmark
first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849
became a constitutional monarchy

Djibouti
27 June 1977 (from France)

Dominica
3 November 1978 (from UK)

Dominican Republic
27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

East Timor
28 November 1975 (date of proclamation of independence
from Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of
international recognition of East Timor's independence from Indonesia

Ecuador
24 May 1822 (from Spain)

Egypt
28 February 1922 (from UK)

El Salvador
15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Equatorial Guinea
12 October 1968 (from Spain)

Eritrea
24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)

Estonia
20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Ethiopia
oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest
in the world - at least 2,000 years

European Union
7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed
establishing the EU); 1 November 1993 (Maastricht Treaty entered
into force)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
none (overseas territory of the
UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands
none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing
overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Fiji
10 October 1970 (from UK)

Finland
6 December 1917 (from Russia)

France
486 (unified by Clovis)

French Guiana
none (overseas department of France)

French Polynesia
none (overseas territory of France)

Gabon
17 August 1960 (from France)

Gambia, The
18 February 1965 (from UK)

Georgia
9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Germany
18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into
four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945
following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West
Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and
French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany)
proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone;
unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October
1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights 15 March 1991

Ghana
6 March 1957 (from UK)

Gibraltar
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Greece
1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

Greenland
none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; foreign affairs is
the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates
in international agreements relating to Greenland)

Grenada
7 February 1974 (from UK)

Guadeloupe
none (overseas department of France)

Guam
none (territory of the US)

Guatemala
15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Guernsey
none (British crown dependency)

Guinea
2 October 1958 (from France)

Guinea-Bissau
24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by
Guinea-Bissau); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)

Guyana
26 May 1966 (from UK)

Haiti
1 January 1804 (from France)

Holy See (Vatican City)
11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the
three treaties signed with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged,
among other things, the full sovereignty of the Vatican and
established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal
States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may
be traced back to the 8th century

Honduras
15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Hong Kong
none (special administrative region of China)

Hungary
1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

Iceland
1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish
Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)

India
15 August 1947 (from UK)

Indonesia
17 August 1945 (independence proclaimed); 27 December 1949
(Netherlands recognizes Indonesian independence)

Iran
1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)

Iraq
3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British
administration); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional
Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim Government

Ireland
6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty)

Israel
14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British
administration)

Italy
17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not
finally unified until 1870)

Jamaica
6 August 1962 (from UK)

Japan
660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu)

Jersey
none (British crown dependency)

Jordan
25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British
administration)

Kazakhstan
16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Kenya
12 December 1963 (from UK)

Kiribati
12 July 1979 (from UK)

Korea, North
15 August 1945 (from Japan)

Korea, South
15 August 1945 (from Japan)

Kuwait
19 June 1961 (from UK)

Kyrgyzstan
31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Laos
19 July 1949 (from France)

Latvia
21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Lebanon
22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under
French administration)

Lesotho
4 October 1966 (from UK)

Liberia
26 July 1847

Libya
24 December 1951 (from Italy)

Liechtenstein
23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein
established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire)

Lithuania
11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6
September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence)

Luxembourg
1839 (from the Netherlands)

Macau
none (special administrative region of China)

Macedonia
8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters
endorsing independence from Yugoslavia)

Madagascar
26 June 1960 (from France)

Malawi
6 July 1964 (from UK)

Malaysia
31 August 1957 (from UK)

Maldives
26 July 1965 (from UK)

Mali
22 September 1960 (from France)

Malta
21 September 1964 (from UK)

Man, Isle of
none (British crown dependency)

Marshall Islands 21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)

Martinique
none (overseas department of France)

Mauritania
28 November 1960 (from France)

Mauritius
12 March 1968 (from UK)

Mayotte
none (territorial collectivity of France)

Mexico
16 September 1810 (from Spain)

Micronesia, Federated States of
3 November 1986 (from the
US-administered UN Trusteeship)

Moldova
27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Monaco
1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi)

Mongolia
11 July 1921 (from China)

Montserrat
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Morocco
2 March 1956 (from France)

Mozambique
25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

Namibia
21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

Nauru
31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered
UN trusteeship)

Nepal
1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)

Netherlands
23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low
Countries conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; it was
not until 1648 that Spain recognized their independence)

Netherlands Antilles
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

New Caledonia
none (overseas territory of France); note - a
referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new
referendum is scheduled for 2014

New Zealand
26 September 1907 (from UK)

Nicaragua
15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Niger
3 August 1960 (from France)

Nigeria
1 October 1960 (from UK)

Niue
on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary
government in free association with New Zealand

Norfolk Island
none (territory of Australia)

Northern Mariana Islands
none (commonwealth in political union with
the US)

Norway
7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden
dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the
union)

Oman
1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

Pakistan
14 August 1947 (from UK)

Palau
1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)

Panama
3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain
28 November 1821)

Papua New Guinea
16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered
UN trusteeship)

Paraguay
14 May 1811 (from Spain)

Peru
28 July 1821 (from Spain)

Philippines
12 June 1898 (from Spain)

Pitcairn Islands
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Poland
11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)

Portugal
1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910
(independent republic proclaimed)

Puerto Rico
none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Qatar
3 September 1971 (from UK)

Reunion
none (overseas department of France)

Romania
9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from Turkey;
independence recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin;
kingdom proclaimed 26 March 1881); 30 December 1947 (republic
proclaimed)

Russia
24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Rwanda
1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)

Saint Helena
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
19 September 1983 (from UK)

Saint Lucia
22 February 1979 (from UK)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
27 October 1979 (from UK)

Samoa
1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)

San Marino
3 September 301

Sao Tome and Principe
12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Saudi Arabia
23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom)

Senegal
4 April 1960 (from France); note - complete independence was
achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960

Serbia and Montenegro
27 April 1992 (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
or FRY - now Serbia and Montenegro - formed as self-proclaimed
successor to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or SFRY)

Seychelles
29 June 1976 (from UK)

Sierra Leone
27 April 1961 (from UK)

Singapore
9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)

Slovakia
1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech
Republic and Slovakia)

Slovenia
25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

Solomon Islands
7 July 1978 (from UK)

Somalia
1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which
became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian
Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered
UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)

South Africa
31 May 1910 (from UK); note - South Africa became a
republic in 1961 following an October 1960 referendum

Spain
the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of
independent kingdoms prior to the Moslem occupation that began in
the early 8th century A. D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the
small Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost
immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this
event completed the unification of several kingdoms and is
traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain

Sri Lanka
4 February 1948 (from UK)

Sudan
1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)

Suriname
25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

Svalbard
none (territory of Norway)

Swaziland
6 September 1968 (from UK)

Sweden
6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)

Switzerland
1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)

Syria
17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French
administration)

Tajikistan
9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Tanzania
26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December
1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became
independent 19 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with
Zanzibar 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and
Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964

Thailand
1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)

Togo
27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

Tokelau
none (territory of New Zealand)

Tonga
4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)

Trinidad and Tobago
31 August 1962 (from UK)

Tunisia
20 March 1956 (from France)

Turkey
29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)

Turkmenistan
27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Turks and Caicos Islands
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Tuvalu
1 October 1978 (from UK)

Uganda
9 October 1962 (from UK)

Ukraine
24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

United Arab Emirates
2 December 1971 (from UK)

United Kingdom
England has existed as a unified entity since the
10th century; the union between England and Wales, begun in 1284
with the Statute of Rhuddlan, was not formalized until 1536 with an
Act of Union; in another Act of Union in 1707, England and Scotland
agreed to permanently join as Great Britain; the legislative union
of Great Britain and Ireland was implemented in 1801, with the
adoption of the name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland; the Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921 formalized a partition of
Ireland; six northern Irish counties remained part of the United
Kingdom as Northern Ireland and the current name of the country, the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was adopted in
1927

United States
4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)

Uruguay
25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

Uzbekistan
1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Vanuatu
30 July 1980 (from France and UK)

Venezuela
5 July 1811 (from Spain)

Vietnam
2 September 1945 (from France)

Wallis and Futuna
none (overseas territory of France)

Yemen
22 May 1990 (Republic of Yemen established with the merger of
the Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and the
Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen
(Aden) or South Yemen]); note - previously North Yemen had become
independent in November of 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South
Yemen had become independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)

Zambia
24 October 1964 (from UK)

Zimbabwe
18 April 1980 (from UK)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2089 Industrial production growth rate (%)

Afghanistan
NA

Albania
2.7% (2003 est.)

Algeria
6% (2003 est.)

American Samoa
NA

Andorra
NA

Angola
1% (2000)

Anguilla
3.1% (1997 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
6% (1997 est.)

Argentina
16.2% (2003 est.)

Armenia
15% (2002 est.)

Aruba
NA (2002 est.)

Australia
-0.1% (2003 est.)

Austria
1.9% (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
6.1% (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
NA (2002 est.)

Bahrain
2% (2000 est.)

Bangladesh
1.9% (2003 est.)

Barbados
-3.2% (2000 est.)

Belarus
5% (2003 est.)

Belgium
-1.5% (2003 est.)

Belize
4.6% (1999)

Benin
8.3% (2001 est.)

Bermuda
NA

Bhutan
9.3% (1996 est.)

Bolivia
3.9% (1998)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
5.5% (2003 est.)

Botswana
7.3% (2003 est.)

Brazil
0.4% (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
NA

Brunei
5% (2002 est.)

Bulgaria
6.3% (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
14% (2001 est.)

Burma
NA

Burundi
18% (2001)

Cambodia
22% (2002 est.)

Cameroon
4.2% (1999 est.)

Canada
0.2% (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
NA

Cayman Islands
NA

Central African Republic
3% (2002)

Chad
5% (1995)

Chile
1.5% (2003 est.)

China
30.4% (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA

Colombia
3.5% (2003 est.)

Comoros
-2% (1999 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
NA

Congo, Republic of the
0% (2002 est.)

Cook Islands
1% (2002)

Costa Rica
8% (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
15% (1998 est.)

Croatia
3.9% (2003 est.)

Cuba
2.4% (2003 est.)

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: -0.6% (2002); north Cyprus: -0.3% (2003)

Czech Republic
3.3% (2003)

Denmark
0.3% (2003 est.)

Djibouti
3% (1996 est.)

Dominica
-10% (1997 est.)

Dominican Republic
2% (2001 est.)

East Timor
8.5%

Ecuador
5.3% (2003 est.)

Egypt
1.5% (2003 est.)

El Salvador
1.6% (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
30% (2002 est.)

Eritrea
NA

Estonia
5% (2000 est.)

Ethiopia
6.7% (2001 est.)

European Union
0.8% (2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA

Faroe Islands
8% (1999 est.)

Fiji
NA

Finland
0.8% (2003 est.)

France
-0.3% (2003)

French Guiana
NA

French Polynesia
NA

Gabon
1.6% (2002 est.)

Gambia, The
NA

Gaza Strip
NA

Georgia
3% (2000)

Germany
0.2% (2003 est.)

Ghana
3.8% (2000 est.)

Gibraltar
NA

Greece
0.7% (2003 est.)

Greenland
NA

Grenada
0.7% (1997 est.)

Guadeloupe
NA

Guam
NA

Guatemala
4.1% (1999)

Guernsey
NA

Guinea
3.2% (1994)

Guinea-Bissau
2.6% (1997 est.)

Guyana
7.1% (1997 est.)

Haiti
NA

Honduras
7.7% (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
-9.2% (2003 est.)

Hungary
6.4% (2003 est.)

Iceland
8.1% (2003 est.)

India
6.5% (2003 est.)

Indonesia
3.7% (2003 est.)

Iran
3% excluding oil (2003 est.)

Iraq
NA

Ireland
6.7% (2003 est.)

Israel
-0.6% (2003 est.)

Italy
-0.5% (2003)

Jamaica
-2% (2000 est.)

Japan
3.3% (2003 est.)

Jersey
NA

Jordan
3.5% (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
8.8% (2003 est.)

Kenya
2% (2003 est.)

Kiribati
0.7% (1991 est.)

Korea, North
NA

Korea, South
5.1% (2003 est.)

Kuwait
-5% (2002 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
6% (2000 est.)

Laos
9.7% (2001 est.)

Latvia
8% (2003 est.)

Lebanon
NA

Lesotho
15.5% (1999)

Liberia
NA

Libya
NA

Liechtenstein
NA

Lithuania
16.1% (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
1.7% (2003 est.)

Macau
NA

Macedonia
4.5% (2003 est.)

Madagascar
3% (2000 est.)

Malawi
-1.6% (2003 est.)

Malaysia
9.3% (2003 est.)

Maldives
4.4% (1996 est.)

Mali
NA (FY96/97)

Malta
NA

Man, Isle of
3.2% (FY96/97)

Marshall Islands
NA

Martinique
NA

Mauritania
2% (2000 est.)

Mauritius
8% (2000 est.)

Mayotte
NA

Mexico
-0.7% (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
NA

Moldova
17% (2003 est.)

Monaco
NA

Mongolia
4.1% (2002 est.)

Montserrat
NA

Morocco
NA

Mozambique
3.4% (2000)

Namibia
NA

Nauru
NA

Nepal
8.7% (FY99/00)

Netherlands
-2.1% (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
NA

New Caledonia
-0.6% (1996)

New Zealand
1.3% (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
4.4% (2000 est.)

Niger
NA (2001 est.)

Nigeria
2.3% (2003 est.)

Niue
NA

Norfolk Island
NA

Northern Mariana Islands
NA

Norway
-3.5% (2003 est.)

Oman
0.2% (2003 est.)

Pakistan
7.6% (2003 est.)

Palau
NA

Panama
7% (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
NA (FY01/02 est.)

Paraguay
0% (2000 est.)

Peru
2% (2003 est.)

Philippines
-0.1% (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
NA

Poland
8.6% (2003)

Portugal
0.4% (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
NA

Qatar
10% (2003 est.)

Reunion
NA

Romania
2.3% (2003)

Russia
7% (2003 est.)

Rwanda
7% (2001 est.)

Saint Helena
NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
NA

Saint Lucia
-8.9% (1997 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
-0.9% (1997 est.)

Samoa
2.8% (2000)

San Marino
6% (1997 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
NA

Saudi Arabia
7.7% (2003 est.)

Senegal
2.9% (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
1.7% (2002 est.)

Seychelles
NA

Sierra Leone
NA

Singapore
2.8% (2003 est.)

Slovakia
7.2% (2003 est.)

Slovenia
1.4% (2003)

Solomon Islands
NA

Somalia
NA

South Africa
5% (2003 est.)

Spain
1.6% (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
5.8% (2003)

Sudan
8.5% (1999 est.)

Suriname
6.5% (1994 est.)

Svalbard
NA

Swaziland
3.7% (FY95/96)

Sweden
1.9% (2003 est.)

Switzerland
0.4% (2003)

Syria
NA

Taiwan
8.4% (2003)

Tajikistan
10.3% (2000 est.)

Tanzania
8.4% (1999 est.)

Thailand
12.3% (2003 est.)

Togo
NA

Tokelau
NA

Tonga
8.6% (FY98/99)

Trinidad and Tobago
5.7% (2003 est.)

Tunisia
-0.1% (2003 est.)

Turkey
8.5% (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
14% (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
NA

Tuvalu
NA

Uganda
5% (2003 est.)

Ukraine
15.8% (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
4% (2000)

United Kingdom
-0.7% (2003 est.)

United States
0.3% (2003 est.)

Uruguay
0.7% (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
6.2% (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
1% (1997 est.)

Venezuela
-15.4% (2003 est.)

Vietnam
16% (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
NA

Wallis and Futuna
NA

West Bank
NA

Western Sahara
NA

World
3% (2002 est.)

Yemen
3% (2003 est.)

Zambia
4% (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
-14.7% (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2090 Industries

Afghanistan
small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture,
shoes, fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal,
copper

Albania
food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement,
chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower

Algeria
petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining,
electrical, petrochemical, food processing

American Samoa
tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing
vessels), handicrafts

Andorra
tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber,
banking

Angola
petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite,
uranium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing;
food processing; brewing; tobacco products; sugar; textiles

Anguilla
tourism, boat building, offshore financial services

Antigua and Barbuda
tourism, construction, light manufacturing
(clothing, alcohol, household appliances)

Argentina
food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables,
textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel

Armenia
diamond-processing, metal-cutting machine tools,
forging-pressing machines, electric motors, tires, knitted wear,
hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, chemicals, trucks, instruments,
microelectronics, jewelry manufacturing, software development, food
processing, brandy

Aruba
tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining

Australia
mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food
processing, chemicals, steel

Austria
construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food,
chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard,
communications equipment, tourism

Azerbaijan
petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield
equipment; steel, iron ore, cement; chemicals and petrochemicals;
textiles

Bahamas, The
tourism, banking, e-commerce, cement, oil refining and
transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded
steel pipe

Bahrain
petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting,
offshore banking, ship repairing; tourism

Bangladesh
cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper
newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar

Barbados
tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for
export

Belarus
metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers,
motorcycles, television sets, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles,
radios, refrigerators

Belgium
engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly,
processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles,
glass, petroleum

Belize
garment production, food processing, tourism, construction

Benin
textiles, food processing, chemical production, construction
materials (2001)

Bermuda
tourism, international business, light manufacturing

Bhutan
cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages,
calcium carbide

Bolivia
mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco,
handicrafts, clothing

Bosnia and Herzegovina
steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese,
bauxite, vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden
furniture, tank and aircraft assembly, domestic appliances, oil
refining (2001)

Botswana
diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock
processing; textiles

Brazil
textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin,
steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and
equipment

British Virgin Islands
tourism, light industry, construction, rum,
concrete block, offshore financial center

Brunei
petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas,
construction

Bulgaria
electricity, gas and water; food, beverages and tobacco;
machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke,
refined petroleum, nuclear fuel

Burkina Faso
cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap,
cigarettes, textiles, gold

Burma
agricultural processing; knit and woven apparel; wood and wood
products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials;
pharmaceuticals; fertilizer; cement

Burundi
light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly
of imported components; public works construction; food processing

Cambodia
tourism, garments, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood
products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles

Cameroon
petroleum production and refining, food processing, light
consumer goods, textiles, lumber

Canada
transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and
unprocessed minerals, food products; wood and paper products; fish
products, petroleum and natural gas

Cape Verde
food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments,
salt mining, ship repair

Cayman Islands
tourism, banking, insurance and finance,
construction, construction materials, furniture

Central African Republic
diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles,
footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles

Chad
oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, beer brewing, natron (sodium
carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials

Chile
copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and
steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles

China
iron and steel, coal, machine building, armaments, textiles
and apparel, petroleum, cement, chemical fertilizers, footwear,
toys, food processing, automobiles, consumer electronics,
telecommunications

Christmas Island
tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
copra products and tourism

Colombia
textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear,
beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds

Comoros
tourism, perfume distillation

Congo, Democratic Republic of the mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement

Congo, Republic of the
petroleum extraction, cement, lumber,
brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes

Cook Islands
fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing,
handicrafts

Costa Rica
microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing,
construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products

Cote d'Ivoire
foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining,
truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials,
electricity

Croatia
chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal,
electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum, paper,
wood products, construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding,
petroleum and petroleum refining, food and beverages; tourism

Cuba
sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement,
agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals

Cyprus
food, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metal products,
tourism, wood products

Czech Republic
metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles,
glass, armaments

Denmark
food processing, machinery and equipment, textiles and
clothing, chemical products, electronics, construction, furniture
and other wood products, shipbuilding, windmills

Djibouti
construction, agricultural processing

Dominica
soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement
blocks, shoes

Dominican Republic
tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold
mining, textiles, cement, tobacco

East Timor
printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth

Ecuador
petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products,
chemicals

Egypt
textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, hydrocarbons,
construction, cement, metals

El Salvador
food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals,
fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals

Equatorial Guinea
petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas

Eritrea
food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles

Estonia
engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile;
information technology, telecommunications

Ethiopia
food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metals
processing, cement

European Union
among the world's largest and most technologically
advanced industries, including iron and steel, aluminum, petroleum,
coal, cement, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, aircraft,
railroad equipment, shipbuilding, electrical power equipment,
machine tools, electronics, telecommunications equipment, fishing,
food processing, furniture, paper, textiles and clothing, tourism

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
fish and wool processing; tourism

Faroe Islands
fishing, fish processing, shipbuilding, construction,
handicrafts

Fiji
tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small
cottage industries

Finland
metal products, electronics, shipbuilding, pulp and paper,
copper refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing

France
machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft,
electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism

French Guiana
construction, shrimp processing, forestry products,
rum, gold mining

French Polynesia
tourism, pearls, agricultural processing,
handicrafts, phosphates

Gabon
petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining;
chemicals; ship repair; food and beverage; textile; lumbering and
plywood; cement

Gambia, The
processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism; beverages;
agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking; clothing

Gaza Strip
generally small family businesses that produce textiles,
soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the
Israelis have established some small-scale modern industries in an
industrial center

Georgia
steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances,
mining (manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine

Germany
among the world's largest and most technologically advanced
producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery,
vehicles, machine tools, electronics, food and beverages;
shipbuilding; textiles

Ghana
mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting,
food processing

Gibraltar
tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco

Greece
tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals,
metal products; mining, petroleum

Greenland
fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut),
handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards, mining

Grenada
food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations,
tourism, construction

Guadeloupe
construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism

Guam
US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services,
concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles

Guatemala
sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals,
petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism

Guernsey
tourism, banking

Guinea
bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light
manufacturing and agricultural processing industries

Guinea-Bissau
agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Guyana
bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining

Haiti
sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light
assembly industries based on imported parts

Holy See (Vatican City) printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps, a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities

Honduras
sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Hong Kong
textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping,
electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks

Hungary
mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods,
textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles

Iceland
fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production,
geothermal power; tourism

India
textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation
equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software

Indonesia
petroleum and natural gas, textiles, apparel, footwear,
mining, cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood, rubber, food, tourism

Iran
petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other
construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining
and vegetable oil production), metal fabricating, armaments

Iraq
petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food
processing

Ireland
food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals,
pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and
crystal; software

Israel
high-technology projects (including aviation, communications,
computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics), wood
and paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, and
tobacco, caustic soda, cement, diamond cutting

Italy
tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food
processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics

Jamaica
tourism, bauxite/alumina, textiles, agro processing, wearing
apparel, light manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical
products, telecommunications

Japan
among world's largest and technologically advanced producers
of motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and
nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods

Jersey
tourism, banking and finance, dairy

Jordan
phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining,
cement, potash, light manufacturing, tourism

Kazakhstan
oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc,
copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron
and steel; tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric
motors, construction materials

Kenya
small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries,
textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products
processing; oil refining, cement; tourism

Kiribati
fishing, handicrafts

Korea, North
military products; machine building, electric power,
chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper,
zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food
processing; tourism

Korea, South
electronics, telecommunications, automobile production,
chemicals, shipbuilding, steel

Kuwait
petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing,
construction materials

Kyrgyzstan
small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement,
shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold,
rare earth metals

Laos
tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural
processing, construction, garments, tourism

Latvia
buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers,
agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios,
electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note -
dependent on imports for energy and raw materials

Lebanon
banking; food processing; jewelry; cement; textiles; mineral
and chemical products; wood and furniture products; oil refining;
metal fabricating

Lesotho
food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts;
construction; tourism

Liberia
rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds

Libya
petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement

Liechtenstein
electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products,
ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments,
tourism, optical instruments

Lithuania
metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television
sets, refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding
(small ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing,
fertilizers, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic
components, computers, amber

Luxembourg
banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals,
metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum

Macau
tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear,
toys

Macedonia
coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, ferronickel,
textiles, wood products, tobacco, food processing, buses, steel

Madagascar
meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar,
textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper,
petroleum, tourism

Malawi
tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods

Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and
manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin mining
and smelting, logging and processing timber; Sabah - logging,
petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum
production and refining, logging

Maldives
fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut
processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand
mining

Mali
food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

Malta
tourism; electronics, ship building and repair, construction;
food and beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco

Man, Isle of
financial services, light manufacturing, tourism

Marshall Islands
copra, fish, tourism, craft items from shell, wood,
and pearls

Martinique
construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism

Mauritania
fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

Mauritius
food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles,
clothing; chemicals, metal products, transport equipment,
nonelectrical machinery; tourism

Mayotte
newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction

Mexico
food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel,
petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer
durables, tourism

Micronesia, Federated States of
tourism, construction, fish
processing, specialized aquaculture, craft items from shell, wood,
and pearls

Moldova
food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment,
refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar,
vegetable oil, shoes, textiles

Monaco
tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer
products

Mongolia
construction materials; mining (coal, copper, molybdenum,
fluorspar, and gold); oil; food and beverages; processing of animal
products

Montserrat
tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Morocco
phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing,
leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism

Mozambique
food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints),
aluminum, petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos,
tobacco

Namibia
meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining
(diamond, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)

Nauru
phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products

Nepal
tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed
mills; cigarette; cement and brick production

Netherlands
agroindustries, metal and engineering products,
electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum,
construction, microelectronics, fishing

Netherlands Antilles
tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire),
petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities
(Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)

New Caledonia
nickel mining and smelting

New Zealand
food processing, wood and paper products, textiles,
machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism,
mining

Nicaragua
food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products,
textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages,
footwear, wood

Niger
uranium mining, cement, brick, textiles, food processing,
chemicals, slaughterhouses

Nigeria
crude oil, coal, tin, columbite, palm oil, peanuts, cotton,
rubber, wood, hides and skins, textiles, cement and other
construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals,
fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel

Niue
tourism, handicrafts, food processing

Norfolk Island
tourism

Northern Mariana Islands
tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts

Norway
petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and
paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing

Oman
crude oil production and refining, natural gas production,
construction, cement, copper

Pakistan
textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals,
construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp

Palau
tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction,
garment making

Panama
construction, petroleum refining, brewing, cement and other
construction materials, sugar milling

Papua New Guinea
copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood
production, wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and
copper; crude oil production; construction, tourism

Paraguay
sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel,
metallurgic, electric power

Peru
mining of metals, petroleum, fishing, textiles, clothing, food
processing, cement, auto assembly, steel, shipbuilding, metal
fabrication

Philippines
electronics assembly, textiles, pharmaceuticals,
chemicals, wood products, food processing, petroleum refining,
fishing

Pitcairn Islands
postage stamps, handicrafts

Poland
machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals,
shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles

Portugal
textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork;
metalworking; oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; wine; tourism

Puerto Rico
pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products,
tourism

Qatar
crude oil production and refining, fertilizers,
petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement

Reunion
sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items, flower oil
extraction

Romania
textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly,
mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food
processing, petroleum refining

Russia
complete range of mining and extractive industries producing
coal, oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building
from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles;
shipbuilding; road and rail transportation equipment; communications
equipment; agricultural machinery, tractors, and construction
equipment; electric power generating and transmitting equipment;
medical and scientific instruments; consumer durables, textiles,
foodstuffs, handicrafts

Rwanda
cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap,
furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes

Saint Helena
construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy
woodwork), fishing

Saint Kitts and Nevis
sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt,
copra, clothing, footwear, beverages

Saint Lucia
clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages,
corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut
processing

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
fish processing and supply base for
fishing fleets; tourism

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
food processing, cement, furniture,
clothing, starch

Samoa
food processing, building materials, auto parts

San Marino
tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics,
cement, wine

Sao Tome and Principe
light construction, textiles, soap, beer; fish
processing; timber

Saudi Arabia
crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic
petrochemicals, cement, construction, fertilizer, plastics

Senegal
agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining,
fertilizer production, petroleum refining, construction materials

Serbia and Montenegro
machine building (aircraft, trucks, and
automobiles; tanks and weapons; electrical equipment; agricultural
machinery); metallurgy (steel, aluminum, copper, lead, zinc,
chromium, antimony, bismuth, cadmium); mining (coal, bauxite,
nonferrous ore, iron ore, limestone); consumer goods (textiles,
footwear, foodstuffs, appliances); electronics, petroleum products,
chemicals, and pharmaceuticals

Seychelles
fishing; tourism; processing of coconuts and vanilla,
coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture;
beverages

Sierra Leone
mining (diamonds); small-scale manufacturing
(beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining

Singapore
electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling
equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber
products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, offshore
platform construction, life sciences, entrepot trade

Slovakia
metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity,
gas, coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers;
machinery; paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport
vehicles; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products

Slovenia
ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc
smelting, electronics (including military electronics), trucks,
electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals,
machine tools

Solomon Islands
fish (tuna), mining, timber

Somalia
a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles,
petroleum refining (mostly shut down), wireless communication

South Africa
mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold,
chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile,
iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs

Spain
textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages,
metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles,
machine tools, tourism

Sri Lanka
rubber processing, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural
commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco

Sudan
oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar,
soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals,
armaments, automobile/light truck assembly

Suriname
bauxite and gold mining, alumina production, oil,
lumbering, food processing, fishing

Swaziland
mining (coal), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates,
textile and apparel

Sweden
iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and
telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed
foods, motor vehicles

Switzerland
machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision
instruments

Syria
petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco,
phosphate rock mining

Taiwan
electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, textiles, iron
and steel, machinery, cement, food processing

Tajikistan
aluminum, zinc, lead, chemicals and fertilizers, cement,
vegetable oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and
freezers

Tanzania
agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal
twine), diamond and gold mining, oil refining, shoes, cement,
textiles, wood products, fertilizer, salt

Thailand
tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing,
beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry,
electric appliances and components, computers and parts, integrated
circuits, furniture, plastics, world's second-largest tungsten
producer, and third-largest tin producer

Togo
phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement; handicrafts,
textiles, beverages

Tokelau
small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking,
plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing

Tonga
tourism, fishing

Trinidad and Tobago
petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing,
cement, beverage, cotton textiles

Tunisia
petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore),
tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages

Turkey
textiles, food processing, autos, mining (coal, chromite,
copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper

Turkmenistan
natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food
processing

Turks and Caicos Islands
tourism, offshore financial services

Tuvalu
fishing, tourism, copra

Uganda
sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles, cement

Ukraine
coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals,
machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food processing
(especially sugar)

United Arab Emirates
petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals,
construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling

United Kingdom
machine tools, electric power equipment, automation
equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor
vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment,
metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food
processing, textiles, clothing, and other consumer goods

United States
leading industrial power in the world, highly
diversified and technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor
vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics,
food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining

Uruguay
food processing, electrical machinery, transportation
equipment, petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages

Uzbekistan
textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy,
natural gas, chemicals

Vanuatu
food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning

Venezuela
petroleum, iron ore mining, construction materials, food
processing, textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly

Vietnam
food processing, garments, shoes, machine-building, mining,
cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, coal, steel, paper

Virgin Islands
tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum
distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics

Wallis and Futuna
copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

West Bank
generally small family businesses that produce cement,
textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs;
the Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in
the settlements and industrial centers

Western Sahara
phosphate mining, handicrafts

World
dominated by the onrush of technology, especially in
computers, robotics, telecommunications, and medicines and medical
equipment; most of these advances take place in OECD nations; only a
small portion of non-OECD countries have succeeded in rapidly
adjusting to these technological forces; the accelerated development
of new industrial (and agricultural) technology is complicating
already grim environmental problems

Yemen
crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale
production of cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing;
handicrafts; small aluminum products factory; cement

Zambia
copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs,
beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture

Zimbabwe
mining (coal, gold, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous
metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel, wood products, cement,
chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2091 Infant mortality rate (deaths/1,000 live births)

Afghanistan
total: 165.96 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 170.85 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 160.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Albania
total: 22.31 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 23.01 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Algeria
total: 32.16 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 36.06 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 28.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

American Samoa
total: 9.48 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.06 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Andorra
total: 4.05 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Angola
total: 192.5 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 204.97 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 179.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Anguilla
total: 21.91 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 28.72 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
total: 20.18 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 24.29 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Argentina
total: 15.66 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 17.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Armenia
total: 24.16 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 29.32 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Aruba
total: 6.02 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.85 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Australia
total: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.16 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Austria
total: 4.68 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
total: 82.07 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 83.99 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 80.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
total: 25.7 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 31.73 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Bahrain
total: 17.91 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 20.93 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
total: 64.32 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 65.41 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 63.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Barbados
total: 12.61 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 14.26 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Belarus
total: 13.62 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 14.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Belgium
total: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.36 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Belize
total: 26.37 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 29.75 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 22.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Benin
total: 85.88 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 90.89 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 80.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Bermuda
total: 8.79 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.45 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Bhutan
total: 102.56 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 100.35 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 104.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Bolivia
total: 54.58 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 58.23 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 50.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
total: 21.88 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 24.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Botswana
total: 69.98 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 70.96 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 68.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Brazil
total: 30.66 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 34.47 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 26.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
total: 18.05 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.02 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Brunei
total: 13.05 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 16.51 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
total: 21.31 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 25.15 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
total: 98.67 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 106.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 90.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Burma
total: 68.78 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 74.78 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 62.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Burundi
total: 70.4 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 77.15 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 63.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Cambodia
total: 73.67 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 82.51 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 64.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Cameroon
total: 69.18 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 73.16 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 65.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Canada
total: 4.82 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.28 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
total: 49.14 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 54.39 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 43.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands
total: 8.41 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.64 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Central African Republic
total: 92.15 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 99.09 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 84.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Chad
total: 94.78 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 104.01 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 85.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Chile
total: 9.05 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.81 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

China
total: 25.28 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.84 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 29.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Christmas Island
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA (2004 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA (2004 est.)

Colombia
total: 21.72 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 25.69 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Comoros
total: 77.22 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 85.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 68.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
total: 94.69 deaths/1,000 live
births
male: 103.18 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 85.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
total: 93.86 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 99.95 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 87.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Cook Islands
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA (2004 est.)

Costa Rica
total: 10.26 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 11.17 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
total: 97.1 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 113.87 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 79.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Croatia
total: 6.96 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.03 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Cuba
total: 6.45 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.25 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Cyprus
total: 7.36 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.19 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
total: 3.97 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.32 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Denmark
total: 4.63 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.65 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Djibouti
total: 105.54 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 113.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 97.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Dominica
total: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 19.49 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
total: 33.28 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 35.75 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 30.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

East Timor
total: 48.86 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 55.34 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 42.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Ecuador
total: 24.49 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 29.34 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Egypt
total: 33.9 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 34.64 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 33.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

El Salvador
total: 25.93 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 28.79 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 22.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
total: 87.08 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 93.27 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 80.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Eritrea
total: 75.59 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 83.03 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 67.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Estonia
total: 8.08 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.32 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
total: 102.12 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 112.22 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 91.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

European Union
total: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (July 2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA (2004 est.)

Faroe Islands
total: 6.38 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.72 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Fiji
total: 12.99 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 14.36 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Finland
total: 3.59 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.91 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

France
total: 4.31 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.83 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

French Guiana
total: 12.46 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

French Polynesia
total: 8.61 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.92 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Gabon
total: 54.34 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 64.15 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 44.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
total: 73.48 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 80.14 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 66.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
total: 23.54 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 24.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 22.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Georgia
total: 19.34 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 16.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Germany
total: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.64 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Ghana
total: 52.22 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 55.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 49.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
total: 5.22 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.81 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Greece
total: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.19 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Greenland
total: 16.31 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 17.62 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Grenada
total: 14.62 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 14.18 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Guadeloupe
total: 8.83 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.07 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Guam
total: 7.15 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Guatemala
total: 36.91 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 37.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 36.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Guernsey
total: 4.78 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.35 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Guinea
total: 91.82 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 97.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 86.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
total: 108.72 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 119.37 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 97.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Guyana
total: 37.22 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 41.28 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 32.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Haiti
total: 74.38 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 79.83 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 68.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Honduras
total: 29.64 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 33.22 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 25.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
total: 2.97 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.16 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Hungary
total: 8.68 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.34 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Iceland
total: 3.31 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.44 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

India
total: 57.92 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 58.52 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 57.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Indonesia
total: 36.82 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 42.09 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 31.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Iran
total: 42.86 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 43.01 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 42.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Iraq
total: 52.71 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 58.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 46.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Ireland
total: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.04 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Israel
total: 7.21 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.96 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Italy
total: 6.07 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.68 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Jamaica
total: 12.81 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 13.82 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Japan
total: 3.28 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.54 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Jersey
total: 5.33 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Jordan
total: 18.11 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.63 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
total: 30.54 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 35.24 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 25.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Kenya
total: 62.62 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 65.55 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 59.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Kiribati
total: 49.9 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 55.04 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 44.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Korea, North
total: 24.84 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 26.59 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 23 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Korea, South
total: 7.18 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.64 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Kuwait
total: 10.26 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 11.27 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
total: 36.81 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 42.23 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 31.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Laos
total: 87.06 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 97.05 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 76.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Latvia
total: 9.67 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 11.45 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Lebanon
total: 25.48 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 28.21 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 22.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Lesotho
total: 85.22 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 90.19 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 80.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Liberia
total: 130.51 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 137.32 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 123.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Libya
total: 25.7 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 28.04 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 23.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
total: 4.77 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.47 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Lithuania
total: 7.13 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.61 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
total: 4.88 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Macau
total: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Macedonia
total: 11.74 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 12.67 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Madagascar
total: 78.52 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 86.84 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 69.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Malawi
total: 104.23 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 108.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 99.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Malaysia
total: 18.35 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.23 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Maldives
total: 58.32 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 57.43 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 59.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Mali
total: 117.99 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 124.51 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 111.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Malta
total: 3.94 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.45 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
total: 6.05 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.08 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Marshall Islands
total: 30.5 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 34.19 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 26.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Martinique
total: 7.27 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.79 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Mauritania
total: 72.35 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 75.22 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 69.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Mauritius
total: 15.57 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 18.36 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Mayotte
total: 64.19 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 70.42 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 57.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Mexico
total: 21.69 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 23.63 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
total: 31.28 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 34.45 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 27.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Moldova
total: 41 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 43.96 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 37.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Monaco
total: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Mongolia
total: 55.45 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 58.97 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 51.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Montserrat
total: 7.56 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Morocco
total: 43.25 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 47.09 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 39.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Mozambique
total: 137.08 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 142.67 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 131.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Namibia
total: 69.58 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 72.65 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 66.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Nauru
total: 10.14 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 12.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Nepal
total: 68.77 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 67.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 70.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Netherlands
total: 5.11 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.68 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
total: 10.37 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 11.18 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

New Caledonia
total: 7.89 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.59 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

New Zealand
total: 5.96 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.83 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
total: 30.15 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 33.73 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 26.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Niger
total: 122.66 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 126.96 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 118.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Nigeria
total: 70.49 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 73.55 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 67.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Niue
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA (2004 est.)

Norfolk Island
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Northern Mariana Islands
total: 7.25 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.18 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Norway
total: 3.73 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.11 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Oman
total: 20.26 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 23.18 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Pakistan
total: 74.43 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 74.84 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 74 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Palau
total: 15.3 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 17.07 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Panama
total: 20.95 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 23.08 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
total: 53.15 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 57.39 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 48.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Paraguay
total: 26.67 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 31.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Peru
total: 32.95 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 35.57 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 30.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Philippines
total: 24.24 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 27.11 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Poland
total: 8.73 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.82 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Portugal
total: 5.13 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
total: 8.37 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Qatar
total: 19.32 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 22.77 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Reunion
total: 7.95 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Romania
total: 27.24 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 30.41 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 23.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Russia
total: 16.96 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 19.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Rwanda
total: 101.68 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 106.68 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 96.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Saint Helena
total: 19.85 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 23.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
total: 14.94 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 16.72 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Saint Lucia
total: 13.95 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 15.09 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
total: 7.76 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.91 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
total: 15.24 deaths/1,000 live
births
male: 16.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Samoa
total: 28.72 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 33.83 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 23.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

San Marino
total: 5.85 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.28 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
total: 44.58 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 46.57 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 42.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
total: 13.7 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 15.72 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Senegal
total: 56.53 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 60.25 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 52.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
total: 13.43 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 15.04 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Seychelles
total: 15.97 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 20.2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
total: 145.24 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 162.64 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 127.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Singapore
total: 2.28 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 2.49 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Slovakia
total: 7.62 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.88 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Slovenia
total: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.11 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
total: 22.09 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 25.15 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Somalia
total: 118.52 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 127.95 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 108.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

South Africa
total: 62.18 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 65.87 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 58.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Spain
total: 4.48 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.88 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
total: 14.78 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 16.01 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Sudan
total: 64.05 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 64.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 63.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Suriname
total: 24.15 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 28.24 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Svalbard
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Swaziland
total: 68.35 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 71.64 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 64.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Sweden
total: 2.77 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 2.93 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Switzerland
total: 4.43 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.94 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Syria
total: 30.6 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 30.82 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 30.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Taiwan
total: 6.52 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.21 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
total: 112.1 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 124.47 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 99.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Tanzania
total: 102.13 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 111.62 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 92.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Thailand
total: 21.14 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 22.49 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Togo
total: 67.66 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 75.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 59.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Tokelau
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Tonga
total: 12.99 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 14.36 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
total: 24.64 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 26.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 22.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Tunisia
total: 25.76 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 28.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 22.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Turkey
total: 42.62 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 46.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 38.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
total: 73.13 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 76.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 69.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
total: 16.27 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 18.79 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Tuvalu
total: 20.69 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 23.63 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Uganda
total: 86.15 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 93.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 78.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Ukraine
total: 20.61 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.87 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
total: 15.06 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 17.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
total: 5.22 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.83 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

United States
total: 6.63 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.31 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Uruguay
total: 12.31 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 13.67 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
total: 71.3 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 75.03 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 67.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
total: 56.63 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 59.25 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 53.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Venezuela
total: 22.99 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 26.18 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Vietnam
total: 29.88 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 33.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 25.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
total: 8.21 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.31 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA

West Bank
total: 20.16 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 22.28 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Western Sahara
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA

World
total: 50.31 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 52.17 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 48.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Yemen
total: 63.26 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 68.12 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 58.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Zambia
total: 98.4 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 105.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 90.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
total: 67.08 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 69.74 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 64.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2092 Inflation rate (consumer prices) (%)

Afghanistan
5.2% (2003)

Albania
2.4% (2003)

Algeria
3.5% (2003 est.)

American Samoa
NA (2003 est.)

Andorra
4.3% (2000)

Angola
76.6% (2003 est.)

Anguilla
2.3%

Antigua and Barbuda
0.4% (2000 est.)

Argentina
13.4% (2003)

Armenia
4.8% (2003 est.)

Aruba
3.2% (2002 est.)

Australia
2.8% (2003 est.)

Austria
1.4% (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
2.1% (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
1.7% (2002 est.)

Bahrain
-0.2% (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
5.6% (2003 est.)

Barbados
-0.5% (2003 est.)

Belarus
28.2% (2003 est.)

Belgium
1.6% (2003 est.)

Belize
2.6% (2003 est.)

Benin
1.5% (2003 est.)

Bermuda
3.3% (mid-2003 est.)

Bhutan
3% (2002 est.)

Bolivia
3.3% (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
0.9% (2003 est.)

Botswana
9.2% (2003 est.)

Brazil
14.7% (2003)

British Virgin Islands
2.5% (2002)

Brunei
-2% (2002 est.)

Bulgaria
2.3% (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
1.9% (2003 est.)

Burma
49.7% (2003 est.)

Burundi
10.7% (2003 est.)

Cambodia
1.7% (2003 est.)

Cameroon
2.3% (2003 est.)

Canada
2.8% (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
3% (2003)

Cayman Islands
2.8% (2002)

Central African Republic
3.6% (2001 est.)

Chad
6% (2003 est.)

Chile
2.8% (2003 est.)

China
1.2% (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA

Colombia
7.1% (2003 est.)

Comoros
3.5% (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
14% (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
2.4% (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
3.2% (2000 est.)

Costa Rica
9.4% (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
3.4% (2003 est.)

Croatia
1.8% (2003 est.)

Cuba
4.1% (2003 est.)

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: 4.1% (2003 est.); north Cyprus: 12.6%
(2003 est.)

Czech Republic
0.1% (2003 est.)

Denmark
2.1% (2003 est.)

Djibouti
2% (2002 est.)

Dominica
1% (2001 est.)

Dominican Republic
27.5% (2003 est.)

East Timor
8% NA (2003 est.)

Ecuador
7.9% (2003 est.)

Egypt
4.3% (2003 est.)

El Salvador
2.1% (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
6% (2003 est.)

Eritrea
12.3% (2003)

Estonia
1.3% (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
17.8% (2003 est.)

European Union
2% (2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
3.6% (1998)

Faroe Islands
5.1% (1999)

Fiji
1.6% (2002 est.)

Finland
0.9% (2003 est.)

France
2.1% (2003 est.)

French Guiana
1.5% (2002 est.)

French Polynesia
1.5% (2002 est.)

Gabon
0.5% (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
14% (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
2.2% (includes West Bank) (2001 est.)

Georgia
4.8% (2003 est.)

Germany
1.1% (2003 est.)

Ghana
26.7% (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
1.5% (1998)

Greece
3.6% (2003 est.)

Greenland
1.6% (1999 est.)

Grenada
2.8% (2001 est.)

Guadeloupe
NA (2003 est.)

Guam
0% (1999 est.)

Guatemala
5.5% (2003 est.)

Guernsey
4% (2000 est.)

Guinea
14.8% (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
4% (2002 est.)

Guyana
5.7% (2003 est.)

Haiti
37.8% (2003 est.)

Honduras
7.7% (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
-2.6% (2003 est.)

Hungary
4.7% (2003 est.)

Iceland
2.1% (2003 est.)

India
3.8% (2003 est.)

Indonesia
6.6% (2003 est.)

Iran
16.4% (2003 est.)

Iraq
29.3% (2003 est.)

Ireland
3.5% (2003 est.)

Israel
0.7% (2003 est.)

Italy
2.7% (2003 est.)

Jamaica
10.3% (2003 est.)

Japan
-0.3% (2003 est.)

Jersey
4.7% (1998)

Jordan
2.4% (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
6.6% (2003 est.)

Kenya
9.8% (2003 est.)

Kiribati
2.5% (2001 est.)

Korea, North
NA (2003 est.)

Korea, South
3.6% (2003 est.)

Kuwait
1.2% (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
3.5% (2003 est.)

Laos
15.3% (2003 est.)

Latvia
2.9% (2003 est.)

Lebanon
2.5% (2003 est.)

Lesotho
6.1% (2003 est.)

Liberia
15% (2003 est.)

Libya
2.8% (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
1% (2001)

Lithuania
-1.2% (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
2% (2003 est.)

Macau
-2.6% (2003 est.)

Macedonia
1.2% (2003 est.)

Madagascar
8% (2003 est.)

Malawi
9.5% (2003 est.)

Malaysia
1.1% (2003 est.)

Maldives
1% (2002 est.)

Mali
4.5% (2002 est.)

Malta
0.4% (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
3.6% (March 2003 est.)

Marshall Islands
2% (2001 est.)

Martinique
3.9% (1990)

Mauritania
7% (2003 est.)

Mauritius
4.2% (2003 est.)

Mayotte
NA

Mexico
4.5% (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
1% (2002 est.)

Moldova
11.6% (2003 est.)

Monaco
NA (2000)

Mongolia
1.5% (2002 est.)

Montserrat
2.6% (2002 est.)

Morocco
1.2% (2003 est.)

Mozambique
14% (2003 est.)

Namibia
7.3% (2003)

Nauru
-3.6% (1993)

Nepal
2.9% (2002 est.)

Netherlands
2.1% (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
2.1% (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
-0.6% (2000 est.)

New Zealand
1.8% (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
5.3% (2003 est.)

Niger
3% (2002 est.)

Nigeria
13.8% (2003 est.)

Niue
1% (1995)

Norfolk Island
NA

Northern Mariana Islands
1.2% (1997 est.)

Norway
2.5% (2003 est.)

Oman
-0.3% (2003 est.)

Pakistan
2.9% (2003 est.)

Palau
3.4% (2000 est.)

Panama
1.4% (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
14.7% (2003 est.)

Paraguay
14.2% (2003 est.)

Peru
2.3% (2003 est.)

Philippines
3.1% (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
NA

Poland
0.7% (2003 est.)

Portugal
3.3% (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
6.5% (2003 est.)

Qatar
2.3% (2003)

Reunion
NA

Romania
15.3% (2003)

Russia
13.7% (2003 est.)

Rwanda
7.5% (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
3.2% (1997 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
1.7% (2001 est.)

Saint Lucia
3% (2001 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
2.1% (1991-96 average)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
-0.4% (2001 est.)

Samoa
4% (2001 est.)

San Marino
3.3% (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
9% (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
0.5% (2003 est.)

Senegal
0% (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
11.2% (2003 est.)

Seychelles
3.3% (2003 est.)

Sierra Leone
1% (2002 est.)

Singapore
0.5% (2003 est.)

Slovakia
8.6% (2003 est.)

Slovenia
5.6% (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
9% (2002 est.)

Somalia
note - businesses print their own money, so inflation rates
cannot be sensibly determined (2003 est.)

South Africa
5.9% (2003 est.)

Spain
3% (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
6.3% (2003 est.)

Sudan
8.8% (2003 est.)

Suriname
17% (2002 est.)

Svalbard
NA

Swaziland
7.3% (2003 est.)

Sweden
1.9% (2003 est.)

Switzerland
0.6% (2003 est.)

Syria
1.5% (2003 est.)

Taiwan
-0.3% (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
16.3% (2003 est.)

Tanzania
4.4% (2003 est.)

Thailand
1.8% (2003 est.)

Togo
-1% (2003 est.)

Tokelau
NA

Tonga
10.3% (2002 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
3.8% (2003 est.)

Tunisia
2.7% (2003 est.)

Turkey
25.3% (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
9.5% (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
4% (1995)

Tuvalu
5% (2000 est.)

Uganda
7.9% (2003 est.)

Ukraine
5.2% (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
3.2% (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
1.4% (2003 est.)

United States
2.3% (2003)

Uruguay
19.4% (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
13.1% (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
2% (2002 est.)

Venezuela
31.1% (2003 est.)

Vietnam
3.1% (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
2.2% (2003)

Wallis and Futuna
NA

West Bank
2.2% (includes Gaza Strip) (2001 est.)

Western Sahara
NA

World
developed countries 1% to 4% typically; developing countries
5% to 60% typically; national inflation rates vary widely in
individual cases, from declining prices in Japan to hyperinflation
in several Third World countries (2003 est.)

Yemen
10.8% (2003 est.)

Zambia
21.4% (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
384.7% (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2093 Waterways (km)

Afghanistan 1,200 km note: chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT (2004)

Albania
43 km (2004)

Angola
1,300 km (2004)

Argentina
11,000 km (2004)

Australia
2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and
Murray-Darling river systems) (2004)

Austria
358 km (2003)

Bangladesh
8,372 km
note: includes 2,575 km main cargo routes (2004)

Belarus
2,500 km (use limited by location on perimeter of country
and by shallowness) (2003)

Belgium
2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2003)

Belize
825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2004)

Benin
150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2004)

Bolivia
10,000 km (commercially navigable) (2004)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sava River (northern border) open to shipping
but use limited because of no agreement with neighboring countries
(2004)

Brazil
50,000 km (most in areas remote from industry and population)
(2004)

Brunei
209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m) (2004)

Bulgaria
470 km (2004)

Burma
12,800 km (2004)

Burundi
mainly on Lake Tanganyika (2004)

Cambodia
2,400 km (mainly on Mekong River) (2004)

Cameroon
navigation mainly on Benue River; limited during rainy
season (2004)

Canada
631 km
note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint
Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States (2003)

Central African Republic
2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and
Sangha rivers) (2004)

Chad
Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2002)

China
121,557 km (2002)

Colombia
9,187 km (2004)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 15,000 km (navigation on the Congo curtailed by fighting) (2004)

Congo, Republic of the
4,385 km (on Congo and Oubanqui rivers) (2004)

Costa Rica
730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire
980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal
lagoons) (2003)

Croatia
785 km (2004)

Cuba
240 km (2004)

Czech Republic
664 km (on Elbe, Vlatava, and Oder rivers) (2004)

Denmark
417 km (2001)

Ecuador
1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2003)

Egypt
3,500 km
note: includes Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway,
and numerous smaller canals in delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including
approaches) navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m
(2004)

El Salvador
Rio Lempa partially navigable (2004)

Estonia
500 km (2003)

European Union
53,512 km

Fiji
203 km
note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges
(2004)

Finland
7,842 km
note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased
from Russia (2004)

France
8,500 km (1,686 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons)
(2000)

French Guiana
3,760 km
note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and
river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft (2004)

Gabon
1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2003)

Gambia, The
390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can
reach 190 km) (2004)

Germany
7,300 km
note: Rhine River carries most goods; Main-Danube Canal links North
Sea and Black Sea (2004)

Ghana
1,293 km
note: 168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano
rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta
(2003)

Greece
6 km
note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; shortens
sea voyage by 325 km (2004)

Guatemala
990 km
note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable
during high-water season (2004)

Guinea
1,295 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft) (2003)

Guinea-Bissau
4 largest rivers are navigable for some distance; many
inlets and creeks give shallow-water access to much of interior
(2004)

Guyana
1,077 km
note: Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by
oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively (2004)

Honduras
465 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2004)

Hungary
1,622 km (most on Danube River) (2004)

India
14,500 km
note: 5,200 km on major rivers and 485 km on canals suitable for
mechanized vessels (2004)

Indonesia
21,579 km
note: Sumatra 5,471 km, Java and Madura 820 km, Kalimantan 10,460
km, Sulawesi (Celebes) 241 km, Irian Jaya 4,587 km (2004)

Iran
850 km (on Karun River and Lake Urmia) (2004)

Iraq
5,275 km (not all navigable)
note: Euphrates River (2,815 km), Tigris River (1,895 km), and Third
River (565 km) are principal waterways (2004)

Ireland
753 km (pleasure craft only) (2004)

Italy
2,400 km
note: used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared
to road and rail (2004)

Japan
1,770 km (seagoing vessels use inland seas) (2004)

Kazakhstan
4,000 km
note: on the Syr Darya (Syrdariya) and Ertis (Irtysh) rivers (2004)

Kenya
part of Lake Victoria system is within boundaries of Kenya
(2004)

Kiribati
5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands) (2003)

Korea, North
2,250 km
note: most navigable only by small craft (2004)

Korea, South
1,608 km
note: most navigable only by small craft (2004)

Kyrgyzstan
600 km (2004)

Laos
4,600 km
note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional km are
intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2003)

Latvia
300 km (2004)

Liechtenstein
28 km (2004)

Lithuania
600 km (2004)

Luxembourg
37 km (on Moselle River) (2003)

Madagascar
600 km (2004)

Malawi
700 km
note: on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River (2003)

Malaysia
7,200 km
note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km, Sabah 1,500 km, Sarawak 2,500 km
(2004)

Mali
1,815 km (2004)

Mauritania
some ferry traffic on Senegal River (2004)

Mexico 2,900 km note: navigable rivers and coastal canals (2004)

Moldova
424 km (2004)

Mongolia
580 km
note: only waterway in operation is Lake Khovsgol (135 km); Selenge
River (270 km) and Orkhon River (175 km) are navigable but carry
little traffic; lakes and rivers freeze in winter, are open from May
to September (2004)

Mozambique
460 km (Zambezi River navigable to Tete and along Cahora
Bassa Lake) (2004)

Netherlands
5,046 km (navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2004)

Nicaragua
2,220 km (including lakes Managua and Nicaragua) (1997)

Niger
300 km
note: Niger River is navigable to Gaya between September and March
(2004)

Nigeria
8,600 km (Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and
creeks) (2004)

Panama
800 km (includes 82 km Panama Canal) (2004)

Papua New Guinea
10,940 km (2003)

Paraguay
3,100 km (2004)

Peru
8,808 km
note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km
of Lago Titicaca (2004)

Philippines 3,219 km note: limited to vessels with draft less than 1.5 m (2004)

Poland
3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2003)

Portugal
210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2003)

Romania
1,731 km (2004)

Russia
96,000 km
note: 72,000 km system in European Russia links Baltic Sea, White
Sea, Caspian Sea, Sea of Azov, and Black Sea (2004)

Rwanda
Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft
(2004)

Senegal
1,000 km (primarily on Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance
rivers) (2003)

Serbia and Montenegro
587 km
note: Danube River traffic delayed by pontoon bridge at Novi Sad;
plan to replace by summer of 2005 (2004)

Sierra Leone
800 km (2003)

Slovakia
172 km (on Danube River) (2004)

Spain
1,045 km (2003)

Sri Lanka
160 km (primarily on rivers in southwest) (2004)

Sudan
4,068 km (1,723 km open year round on White and Blue Nile
rivers) (2004)

Suriname
1,200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m)
(2003)

Switzerland
65 km
note: Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and
Schaffhausen-Bodensee, some canals, and 12 navigable lakes (2003)

Syria
900 km (not economically significant) (2002)

Tajikistan
200 km (along Vakhsh River) (2003)

Tanzania
Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa principal
avenues of commerce with neighboring countries; rivers not navigable
(2004)

Thailand 4,000 km note: 3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m (2003)

Togo
50 km (seasonally on Mono River depending on rainfall) (2003)

Turkey
1,200 km (2003)

Turkmenistan
1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal important inland
waterways) (2003)

Uganda
300 km (on Lake Victoria, 200 km on Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga,
and parts of Albert Nile) (2004 est.)

Ukraine
1,672 km (most on Dnieper River) (2004)

United Kingdom
3,200 km (620 km used for commerce) (2004)

United States
41,009 km (19,312 km used for commerce)
note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint
Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with Canada (2004)

Uruguay
1,600 km (2002)

Uzbekistan
1,100 km (2004)

Venezuela
7,100 km
note: Orinoco River and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing
vessels, Orinoco for 400 km (2004)

Vietnam
17,702 km (5,000 km navigable by vessels up to 1.8 m draft)
(2004)

Zambia
2,250 km
note: includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers
(2003)

Zimbabwe
on Lake Kariba, length small (2003)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2094 Judicial branch

Afghanistan
the new constitution establishes a nine-member Stera
Mahkama or Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for
10-year terms by the president with approval of the Wolesi Jirga)
and subordinate High Courts and Appeals Courts; there is also a
Minister of Justice; a separate Afghan Independent Human Rights
Commission established by the Bonn Agreement is charged with
investigating human rights abuses and war crimes

Albania
Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (chairman is elected by
the People's Assembly for a four-year term), and multiple appeals
and district courts

Algeria
Supreme Court or Court Supreme

American Samoa
High Court (chief justice and associate justices are
appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)

Andorra
Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of the
Courts or Tribunal de Corts; Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or
Tribunal Superior de Justicia d'Andorra; Supreme Council of Justice
or Consell Superior de la Justicia; Fiscal Ministry or Ministeri
Fiscal; Constitutional Tribunal or Tribunal Constitucional

Angola
Supreme Court or Tribunal da Relacao (judges are appointed by
the president)

Anguilla
High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme
Court)

Antigua and Barbuda
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint
Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands
and presides over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction)

Argentina
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (the nine Supreme Court
judges are appointed by the president with approval by the Senate)

Armenia
Constitutional Court; Court of Cassation (Appeals Court)

Aruba
Joint High Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the
monarch)

Australia
High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are
appointed by the governor general)

Austria
Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof;
Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court
or Verfassungsgerichtshof

Azerbaijan
Supreme Court

Bahamas, The
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts

Bahrain
High Civil Appeals Court

Bangladesh
Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are
appointed by the president)

Barbados
Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the
Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services)

Belarus
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president);
Constitutional Court (half of the judges appointed by the president
and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives)

Belgium
Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or
Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the
Government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice
Council)

Belize
Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor
general on the advice of the prime minister)

Benin
Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court
or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice

Bermuda
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts

Bhutan
Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges
appointed by the monarch)

Bolivia
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges appointed for 10-year
terms by National Congress); District Courts (one in each
department); provincial and local courts (to try minor cases)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
BiH Constitutional Court (consists of nine
members: four members are selected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's
House of Representatives, two members by the Republika Srpska's
National Assembly, and three non-Bosnian members by the president of
the European Court of Human Rights); BiH State Court (consists of
nine judges and three divisions - Administrative, Appellate and
Criminal - having jurisdiction over cases related to state-level law
and appellate jurisdiction over cases initiated in the entities;
note - a War Crimes Chamber may be added at a future date)
note: the entities each have a Supreme Court; each entity also has a
number of lower courts; there are 10 cantonal courts in the
Federation, plus a number of municipal courts; the Republika Srpska
has five municipal courts

Botswana
High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in
each district)

Brazil
Supreme Federal Tribunal (11 ministers are appointed for life
by the president and confirmed by the Senate); Higher Tribunal of
Justice; Regional Federal Tribunals (judges are appointed for life);
note - though appointed "for life," judges, like all federal
employees, have a mandatory retirement age of 70

British Virgin Islands
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting
of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of
the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the
High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary
Jurisdiction

Brunei
Supreme Court (chief justice and judges are sworn in by the
monarch for three-year terms)

Bulgaria
Supreme Administrative Court; Supreme Court of Cassation;
Constitutional Court (12 justices appointed or elected for nine-year
terms); Supreme Judicial Council (consists of the chairmen of the
two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22 other members;
responsible for appointing the justices, prosecutors, and
investigating magistrates in the justice system; members of the
Supreme Judicial Council elected for five-year terms, 11 elected by
the National Assembly and 11 by bodies of the judiciary)

Burkina Faso
Supreme Court; Appeals Court

Burma
remnants of the British-era legal system are in place, but
there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not
independent of the executive

Burundi
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court; Courts
of Appeal (there are three in separate locations); Tribunals of
First Instance (17 at the province level and 123 small local
tribunals)

Cambodia
Supreme Council of the Magistracy (provided for in the
constitution and formed in December 1997); Supreme Court (and lower
courts) exercises judicial authority

Cameroon
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High
Court of Justice (consists of 9 judges and 6 substitute judges,
elected by the National Assembly)

Canada
Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the prime
minister through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada;
Federal Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named
variously Court of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court,
Supreme Court, and Court of Justice)

Cape Verde
Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia

Cayman Islands
Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of
Appeal

Central African Republic
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme;
Constitutional Court (3 judges appointed by the president, 3 by the
president of the National Assembly, and 3 by fellow judges); Court
of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Inferior Courts

Chad
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate
Courts

Chile
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the
president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates
provided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is
elected by the 21-member court); Constitutional Tribunal

China
Supreme People's Court (judges appointed by the National
People's Congress); Local Peoples Courts (comprise higher,
intermediate and local courts); Special Peoples Courts (primarily
military, maritime, and railway transport courts)

Christmas Island
Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court

Colombia
four roughly coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme
Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (highest court of
criminal law; judges are selected by their peers from the nominees
of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Council of
State (highest court of administrative law; judges are selected from
the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms);
Constitutional Court (guards integrity and supremacy of the
constitution; rules on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the
constitution, and international treaties); Superior Judicial Council
(administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; resolves
jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are
elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms)

Comoros
Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the
president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected
by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of
the republic)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Congo, Republic of the
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Cook Islands
High Court

Costa Rica
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected
for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)

Cote d'Ivoire
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four
chambers: Judicial Chamber for criminal cases, Audit Chamber for
financial cases, Constitutional Chamber for judicial review cases,
and Administrative Chamber for civil cases; there is no legal limit
to the number of members

Croatia
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; judges for both courts
appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the
Republic, which is elected by the Assembly

Cuba
People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president,
vice president, and other judges are elected by the National
Assembly)

Cyprus
Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president
and vice president)
note: there is also a Supreme Court in north Cyprus

Czech Republic
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and
deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term

Denmark
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch for life)

Djibouti
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Dominica
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of
Appeal and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six
judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary
Jurisdiction)

Dominican Republic
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are
appointed by a the National Judicial Council comprised of the
President, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the President
of the Supreme Court, and an opposition or non-governing party
member)

East Timor
Supreme Court of Justice - constitution calls for one
judge to be appointed by National Parliament and rest appointed by
Superior Council for Judiciary; note - until Supreme Court is
established, Court of Appeals is highest court

Ecuador
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema; note - per the Constitution,
new justices are elected by the full Supreme Court; In December
2004, however, Congress successfully replaced the entire court via a
simple-majority resolution

Egypt
Supreme Constitutional Court

El Salvador
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by
the Legislative Assembly)

Equatorial Guinea
Supreme Tribunal

Eritrea
High Court - regional, subregional, and village courts; also
have military and special courts

Estonia
National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)

Ethiopia
Federal Supreme Court (the president and vice president of
the Federal Supreme Court are recommended by the prime minister and
appointed by the House of People's Representatives; for other
federal judges, the prime minister submits to the House of People's
Representatives for appointment candidates selected by the Federal
Judicial Administrative Council)

European Union
European Court of Justice (ensures that the treaties
are interpreted and applied correctly) - 25 Justices (one from each
member state) appointed for a six-year term; note - for the sake of
efficiency, the court can sit with 11 justices known as the "Grand
Chamber"; Court of First Instance - 25 justices appointed for a
six-year term

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Faroe Islands
none

Fiji
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of
Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts

Finland
Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the
president)

France
Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are
appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of
the Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel
(three members appointed by the president, three appointed by the
president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the
president of the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat

French Guiana
Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court
based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe,
and French Guiana)

French Polynesia
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First
Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative
Law or Tribunal Administratif

Gabon
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers -
Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts
of Appeal; Court of State Security; County Courts

Gambia, The
Supreme Court

Georgia
Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the
president's recommendation); Constitutional Court; first and second
instance courts

Germany
Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht
(half the judges are elected by the Bundestag and half by the
Bundesrat)

Ghana
Supreme Court

Gibraltar
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Greece
Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges
appointed for life by the president after consultation with a
judicial council

Greenland
High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre
Landsret or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in
Copenhagen)

Grenada
West Indies Associate States Supreme Court (an associate
judge resides in Grenada)

Guadeloupe
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel with jurisdiction over
Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique

Guam
Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president);
Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by
the governor)

Guatemala
Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitutcionalidad is
Guatemala's highest court (five judges are elected for concurrent
five-year terms by Congress, each serving one year as president of
the Constitutional Court; one is elected by Congress, one elected by
the Supreme Court of Justice, one appointed by the President, one
elected by Superior Counsel of Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala,
and one by Colegio de Abogados); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte
Suprema de Justicia (thirteen members serve concurrent five-year
terms and elect a president of the Court each year from among their
number; the president of the Supreme Court of Justice also
supervises trial judges around the country, who are named to
five-year terms)

Guernsey
Royal Court

Guinea
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Guinea-Bissau
Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists
of nine justices who are appointed by the president and serve at his
pleasure; final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases);
Regional Courts (one in each of nine regions; first court of appeals
for Sectoral Court decisions; hear all felony cases and civil cases
valued at over $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not
necessarily trained lawyers; they hear civil cases under $1,000 and
misdemeanor criminal cases)

Guyana
Supreme Court of Judicature; Judicial Court of Appeal; High
Court

Haiti
Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation

Holy See (Vatican City)
there are three tribunals responsible for
civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other
tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See
note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pius
XII on 1 May 1946

Honduras
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia
(judges are elected for seven-year terms by the National Congress)

Hong Kong
Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region

Hungary
Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the National
Assembly for nine-year terms)

Iceland
Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for
life by the Minister of Justice); eight district courts (justices
are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice)

India
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president and
remain in office until they reach the age of 65)

Indonesia
Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung (justices appointed by the
president from a list of candidates approved by the legislature); a
separate Constitutional Court or Makhama Konstitusi was invested by
the president on 16 August 2003; in March 2004 the Supreme Court
assumed administrative and financial responsibility for the lower
court system from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights

Iran
Supreme Court - above a special clerical court, a revolutionary
court, and a special administrative court

Iraq
Supreme Court appointed by the Prime Minister, confirmed by the
Presidency Council

Ireland
Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the
advice of the prime minister and cabinet)

Israel
Supreme Court (justices appointed for life by the president)

Italy
Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15
judges: one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by
Parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative
Supreme Courts)

Jamaica
Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on
the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal

Japan
Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after
designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the
cabinet)

Jersey
Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the
bailiff)

Jordan
Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)

Kazakhstan
Supreme Court (44 members); Constitutional Council (7
members)

Kenya
Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president);
High Court

Kiribati
Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges
at all levels are appointed by the president

Korea, North
Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme
People's Assembly)

Korea, South
Supreme Court (justices appointed by president with
consent of National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices
appointed by president based partly on nominations by National
Assembly and Chief Justice of the court)

Kuwait
High Court of Appeal

Kyrgyzstan
Supreme Court (judges are appointed for 10-year terms by
the Supreme Council on the recommendation of the president);
Constitutional Court; Higher Court of Arbitration

Laos
People's Supreme Court (the president of the People's Supreme
Court is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of
the National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the
People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National
Assembly Standing Committee)

Latvia
Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by
Parliament)

Lebanon
four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and
commercial cases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional
Council (called for in Ta'if Accord - rules on constitutionality of
laws); Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and
prime minister as needed)

Lesotho
High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court
of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court

Liberia
Supreme Court

Libya
Supreme Court

Liechtenstein
Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal
or Obergericht

Lithuania
Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal;
judges for all courts appointed by the President

Luxembourg
judicial courts and tribunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2
district courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative
courts and tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative
courts and tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all
courts are appointed for life by the monarch

Macau
The Court of Final Appeal in the Macau Special Administrative
Region

Macedonia
Supreme Court - the Assembly appoints the judges;
Constitutional Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Republican
Judicial Council - the Assembly appoints the judges

Madagascar
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court
or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle

Malawi
Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed
by the president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the
Judicial Service Commission); magistrate's courts

Malaysia
Federal Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on
the advice of the prime minister)

Maldives
High Court

Mali
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Malta
Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts
are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

Man, Isle of
High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the
Lord Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant
governor)

Marshall Islands
Supreme Court; High Court

Martinique
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Mauritania
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower
courts

Mauritius
Supreme Court

Mayotte
Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Mexico
Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia
Nacional (justices or ministros are appointed by the president with
consent of the Senate)

Micronesia, Federated States of
Supreme Court

Moldova
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for
constitutional judicature)

Monaco
Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the
monarch on the basis of nominations by the National Council)

Mongolia
Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people's and
provincial courts but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts;
judges are nominated by the General Council of Courts and approved
by the president)

Montserrat
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia,
one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and
presides over the High Court)

Morocco
Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of
the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch)

Mozambique
Supreme Court (the court of final appeal; some of its
professional judges are appointed by the president and some are
elected by the Assembly); other courts include an Administrative
Court, customs courts, maritime courts, courts marshal, labor courts
note: although the constitution provides for the creation of a
separate Constitutional Court, one has never been established; in
its absence the Supreme Court reviews constitutional cases

Namibia
Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)

Nauru
Supreme Court

Nepal
Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed
by the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the
other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of
the Judicial Council)

Netherlands
Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for
life by the monarch)

Netherlands Antilles
Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed
by the monarch)

New Caledonia
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint
Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court

New Zealand
High Court; Court of Appeal

Nicaragua
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for
five-year terms by the National Assembly)

Niger
State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Nigeria
Supreme Court (judges appointed by the President); Federal
Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the federal government on
the advice of the Advisory Judicial Committee)

Niue
Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue

Norfolk Island
Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions

Northern Mariana Islands
Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court;
Federal District Court

Norway
Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the
monarch)

Oman
Supreme Court
note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has
judges who practice secular and Sharia (Islamic) law

Pakistan
Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president);
Federal Islamic or Shari'a Court

Palau
Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas

Panama
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine
judges appointed for 10-year terms); five superior courts; three
courts of appeal

Papua New Guinea
Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by
the governor general on the proposal of the National Executive
Council after consultation with the minister responsible for
justice; other judges are appointed by the Judicial and Legal
Services Commission)

Paraguay
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia
(judges appointed on the proposal of the Council of Magistrates or
Consejo de la Magistratura)

Peru
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges
are appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary)

Philippines
Supreme Court (15 justices are appointed by the
president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council and
serve until 70 years of age); Court of Appeals; Sandigan-bayan
(special court for hearing corruption cases of government officials)

Pitcairn Islands
Island Court (island magistrate, appointed by the
governor, presides over the court)

Poland
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an
indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by
the Sejm for nine-year terms)

Portugal
Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (judges
appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura)

Puerto Rico
Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance
composed of two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court
(justices for all these courts appointed by the governor with the
consent of the Senate)

Qatar
Court of Appeal
note: under the new judiciary law issued in 2003, the former two
court systems, civil and Islamic law, have been merged under a
higher court, the Court of Cassation, to be established for appeals

Reunion
Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel

Romania
Supreme Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the
president on the recommendation of the Superior Council of
Magistrates)

Russia
Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Superior Court of
Arbitration; judges for all courts are appointed for life by the
Federation Council on the recommendation of the president

Rwanda
Supreme Court; communal courts; appeals courts

Saint Helena
Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court; Small Debts Court;
Juvenile Court

Saint Kitts and Nevis
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on
Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts
and Nevis)

Saint Lucia
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (jurisdiction extends to
Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica,
Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal
Superieur d'Appel

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
(based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)

Samoa
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Land and Titles Court

San Marino
Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII

Sao Tome and Principe
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the
National Assembly)

Saudi Arabia
Supreme Council of Justice

Senegal
Constitutional Court; Council of State; Court of Final
Appeals or Cour de Cassation; Court of Appeals; note - the judicial
system was reformed in 1992

Serbia and Montenegro
The Court of Serbia and Montenegro; judges are
elected by the Serbia and Montenegro Parliament for six-year terms
note: since the promulgation of the 2003 Constitution, the Federal
Court has constitutional and administrative functions; it has an
equal number of judges from each republic

Seychelles
Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts
are appointed by the president

Sierra Leone
Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court

Singapore
Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president
with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by
the president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals

Slovakia
Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council);
Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of
nominees approved by the National Council)

Slovenia
Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly
on the recommendation of the Judicial Council); Constitutional Court
(judges elected for nine-year terms by the National Assembly and
nominated by the president)

Solomon Islands
Court of Appeal

Somalia
following the breakdown of national government, most regions
have reverted to either Islamic (Shari'a) law with a provision for
appeal of all sentences, or traditional clan-based arbitration

South Africa
Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High
Courts; Magistrate Courts

Spain
Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo

Sri Lanka
Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts
are appointed by the president

Sudan
Supreme Court; Special Revolutionary Courts

Suriname
Court of Justice (justices are nominated for life)

Swaziland
High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are
appointed by the monarch

Sweden
Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed by
the prime minister and the cabinet)

Switzerland
Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms
by the Federal Assembly)

Syria
Supreme Constitutional Court (justices are appointed for
four-year terms by the president); High Judicial Council; Court of
Cassation; State Security Courts

Taiwan
Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with
consent of the Legislative Yuan)

Tajikistan
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Tanzania
Permanent Commission of Enquiry (official ombudsman); Court
of Appeal (consists of a chief justice and four judges); High Court
(consists of a Jaji Kiongozi and 29 judges appointed by the
president; holds regular sessions in all regions); District Courts;
Primary Courts (limited jurisdiction and appeals can be made to the
higher courts)

Thailand
Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch)

Togo
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Tokelau
Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal
jurisdiction in Tokelau

Tonga
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of
Appeal (consists of the Privy Council with the addition of the chief
justice of the Supreme Court)

Trinidad and Tobago
Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the
High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is
appointed by the president after consultation with the prime
minister and the leader of the opposition; other justices are
appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal
Service Commission); High Court of Justice; Court of Appeals; the
highest court of appeal is the Privy Council in London

Tunisia
Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation

Turkey
Constitutional Court; High Court of Appeals (Yargitay);
Council of State (Danistay); Court of Accounts (Sayistay); Military
High Court of Appeals; Military High Administrative Court

Turkmenistan
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Turks and Caicos Islands
Supreme Court

Tuvalu
High Court (a chief justice visits twice a year to preside
over its sessions; its rulings can be appealed to the Court of
Appeal in Fiji); eight Island Courts (with limited jurisdiction)

Uganda
Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and
approved by the legislature); High Court (judges are appointed by
the president)

Ukraine
Supreme Court; Constitutional Court

United Arab Emirates
Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by
the president)

United Kingdom
House of Lords (highest court of appeal; several
Lords of Appeal in Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life);
Supreme Courts of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (comprising
the Courts of Appeal, the High Courts of Justice, and the Crown
Courts); Scotland's Court of Session and Court of the Justiciary

United States
Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for
life on condition of good behavior by the president with
confirmation by the Senate); United States Courts of Appeal; United
States District Courts; State and County Courts

Uruguay
Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and
elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly)

Uzbekistan
Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and
confirmed by the Supreme Assembly)

Vanuatu
Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president
after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the
opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on
the advice of the Judicial Service Commission)

Venezuela
Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia
(magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single
12-year term)

Vietnam
Supreme People's Court (chief justice is elected for a
five-year term by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the
president)

Virgin Islands
US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third
Circuit jurisdiction); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the
governor for 10-year terms)

Wallis and Futuna
none; justice generally administered under French
law by the high administrator, but the three traditional kings
administer customary law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu

Yemen
Supreme Court

Zambia
Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are
appointed by the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction
to hear civil and criminal cases)

Zimbabwe
Supreme Court; High Court

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@2095 Labor force

Afghanistan
11.8 million (2001 est.)

Albania
1.35 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (2003
est.)

Algeria
9.6 million (2003)

American Samoa
14,000 (1996)

Andorra
33,000 (2001 est.)

Angola
5.57 million (2003 est.)

Anguilla
6,049 (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
30,000

Argentina
14.92 million (2003)

Armenia
1.4 million (2001)

Aruba
41,500 (1997 est.)

Australia
10.19 million (37256)

Austria
3.425 million (2003)

Azerbaijan
4.99 million (2003)

Bahamas, The
156,000 (1999)

Bahrain
350,000
note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
(2003 est.)

Bangladesh
64.02 million
note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman,
Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billion
in 1998-99 (2003)

Barbados
128,500 (2001 est.)

Belarus
4.8 million (2000 est.)

Belgium
4.73 million (2003)

Belize
90,000
note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel
(2001 est.)

Benin
NA (1996)

Bermuda
37,470 (2000)

Bhutan
NA
note: massive lack of skilled labor (1997 est.)

Bolivia
4.1 million (2003)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
1.026 million (2001)

Botswana
264,000 formal sector employees (2000)

Brazil
82.59 million (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
4,911 (1980)

Brunei
143,400
note: includes foreign workers and military personnel; temporary
residents make up about 40% of labor force (1999 est.)

Bulgaria
3.333 million (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
5 million
note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to
neighboring countries for seasonal employment (2003)

Burma
22.14 million (2003 est.)

Burundi
2.99 million (2002)

Cambodia
7 million (2003 est.)

Cameroon
6.49 million NA (2003)

Canada
17.04 million (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
NA (1980)

Cayman Islands
19,820 (1995)

Central African Republic
NA (2000 est.)

Chad
NA (2002)

Chile
6 million (2003 est.)

China
778.1 million (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA

Colombia
20.34 million (2003 est.)

Comoros
144,500 (1996 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
14.51 million (1993 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
NA (2000 est.)

Cook Islands
8,000 (1996)

Costa Rica
1.758 million (2003)

Cote d'Ivoire
6.64 million 68% agricultural (2003)

Croatia
1.69 million (2003)

Cuba
4.58 million
note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2003 est.)

Cyprus
330,000 Republic of Cyprus: 306,000; north Cyprus: 95,025
(2003)

Czech Republic
5.25 million (2003 est.)

Denmark
2.863 million (2003 est.)

Djibouti
282,000 (2000)

Dominica
25,000 (1999 est.)

Dominican Republic
2.3 million - 2.6 million (2000 est.)

East Timor
NA

Ecuador
4.36 million (urban) (2003)

Egypt
20.19 million (2003 est.)

El Salvador
2.62 million (2003)

Equatorial Guinea
NA (October 2000)

Eritrea
NA (1999)

Estonia
654,000 (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
NA (2001 est.)

European Union
211.1 million

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
1,100 (est.)

Faroe Islands
24,250 (October 2000)

Fiji
137,000 (1999)

Finland
2.599 million (2003 est.)

France
27.39 million (2003 est.)

French Guiana
58,800 (1997)

French Polynesia
70,000 (1996)

Gabon
610,000 (2003)

Gambia, The
400,000 (1996)

Gaza Strip
NA (1997)

Georgia
2.1 million (2001 est.)

Germany
42.63 million (2003)

Ghana
10 million (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) (1999)

Greece
4.39 million (2003 est.)

Greenland
24,500 (1999 est.)

Grenada
42,300 (1996)

Guadeloupe
125,900 (1997)

Guam
60,000 (2000 est.)

Guatemala
3.84 million (2003 est.)

Guernsey
31,320 (2000)

Guinea
3 million (1999)

Guinea-Bissau
480,000 (1999)

Guyana
418,000 (2001 est.)

Haiti
3.6 million
note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1995)

Holy See (Vatican City)
NA

Honduras
2.41 million (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
3.5 million (2003 est.)

Hungary
4.164 million (2003)

Iceland
160,000 (2003)

India
472 million (2003)

Indonesia
105.7 million (2003)

Iran
22.32 million
note: shortage of skilled labor (2003 est.)

Iraq
7.8 million (2004 est.)

Ireland
1.871 million (2003)

Israel
2.61 million (2003 est.)

Italy
24.15 million (2003 est.)

Jamaica
1.13 million (2003)

Japan
66.66 million (2003)

Jersey
57,050 (1996)

Jordan
1.36 million (2003)

Kazakhstan
7.634 million (2003)

Kenya
11.45 million (2003 est.)

Kiribati
7,870 economically active, not including subsistence
farmers (2001 est.)

Korea, North
9.6 million

Korea, South
22.92 million (2003)

Kuwait
1.38 million
note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force. (2003
est.)

Kyrgyzstan
2.7 million (2000)

Laos
2.6 million (2001 est.)

Latvia
1.18 million (2003 est.)

Lebanon
1.5 million
note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers
(2001 est.)

Lesotho
838,000 (2000)

Libya
1.51 million (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
29,000 of whom 19,000 are foreigners; 13,000 commute
from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (31 December
2001)

Lithuania
1.642 million (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
200,000 (of whom 87,400 are foreign cross-border workers
primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany) (2003)

Macau
214,000 (2002)

Macedonia
860,000 (2003 est.)

Madagascar
7.3 million (2000)

Malawi
4.5 million (2001 est.)

Malaysia
10.26 million (2003 est.)

Maldives
88,000 (2000)

Mali
3.93 million (2001 est.)

Malta
160,000 (2002 est.)

Man, Isle of
36,610 (1998)

Marshall Islands
28,700 (1996 est.)

Martinique
165,900 (1998)

Mauritania
786,000 (2001)

Mauritius
560,000 (2003)

Mayotte
48,800 (2000)

Mexico
34.11 million (2003)

Micronesia, Federated States of
NA (2000 est.)

Moldova
1.383 million (2003)

Monaco
30,540 (January 1994)

Mongolia
1.4 million (2001)

Montserrat
4,521 ; note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic
activity (2000 est.)

Morocco
10.84 million (2003)

Mozambique
9.2 million (2000 est.)

Namibia
760,000 (2003)

Nepal 10 million note: severe lack of skilled labor (1996 est.)

Netherlands
7.46 million (2003)

Netherlands Antilles
89,000 (2000)

New Caledonia
79,400 (including 15,018 unemployed, 1996)

New Zealand
2.008 million (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
1.91 million (2003)

Niger
70,000 receive regular wages or salaries (2002 est.)

Nigeria
54.36 million (2003 est.)

Niue
NA (1998 est.)

Norfolk Island
NA

Northern Mariana Islands 6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (June 1995)

Norway
2.38 million (2003 est.)

Oman
920,000 (2002 est.)

Pakistan
43.98 million
note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use
of child labor (2003)

Palau
9,845 (2000)

Panama
1.19 million
note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled
labor (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
3.25 million (2003)

Paraguay
2.15 million (2003 est.)

Peru
8.63 million (2003 est.)

Philippines
34.56 million (2003)

Pitcairn Islands
12 able-bodied men (1997)

Poland
16.92 million (2003 est.)

Portugal
5.409 million (2003)

Puerto Rico
1.3 million (2000)

Qatar
140,000 (2003 est.)

Reunion
309,900 (2000)

Romania
9.28 million (2003 est.)

Russia
71.68 million (2003 est.)

Rwanda
4.6 million (2000)

Saint Helena 3,500 note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
18,170 (June 1995)

Saint Lucia
43,800 (2001 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
3,261 (1999)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
67,000 (1984 est.)

Samoa
90,000 (2000 est.)

San Marino
18,500 (1999)

Sao Tome and Principe
NA

Saudi Arabia
6.43 million
note: more than 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is
non-national (2003)

Senegal
4.62 million NA (2003)

Serbia and Montenegro
2.93 million (2003 est.)

Seychelles
30,900 (1996)

Sierra Leone
1.369 million (1981 est.)

Singapore
2.2 million (2003)

Slovakia
2.58 million (2003)

Slovenia
875,000 (2003)

Solomon Islands
26,840 (1999)

Somalia
3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers)

South Africa
16.35 million economically active (2003)

Spain
18.82 million (2003)

Sri Lanka
7.17 million (2003)

Sudan
11 million (1996 est.)

Suriname
100,000

Svalbard
NA

Swaziland
383,200 (2000)

Sweden
4.449 million (2003 est.)

Switzerland
3.72 million (2003)

Syria
4.97 million (2003 est.)

Taiwan
10.08 million (2003)

Tajikistan
3.187 million (2000)

Tanzania
18.56 million (2003)

Thailand
34.9 million (2003 est.)

Togo
1.74 million (1996)

Tokelau
NA

Tonga
33,910 (1996)

Trinidad and Tobago
590,000 (2003)

Tunisia
3.461 million
note: shortage of skilled labor (2003 est.)

Turkey
23.79 million
note: about 1.2 million Turks work abroad (2003)

Turkmenistan
2.34 million (1996)

Turks and Caicos Islands
4,848 (1990 est.)

Tuvalu
7,000 (2001 est.)

Uganda
12.09 million (2003 est.)

Ukraine
21.29 million (2003)

United Arab Emirates
2.16 million
note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
(2003)

United Kingdom
29.6 million (2003)

United States
147.4 million (includes unemployed) (2003)

Uruguay
1.56 million (2003)

Uzbekistan
14.2 million (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
NA

Venezuela
11.38 million (2003)

Vietnam
45.74 million (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
48,900 (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
NA

West Bank
NA

Western Sahara
12,000

World
NA

Yemen
5.79 million (2003 est.)

Zambia
4.59 million (2003)

Zimbabwe
4.17 million (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2096 Land boundaries (km)

Afghanistan
total: 5,529 km
border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km,
Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km

Albania
total: 720 km
border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and
Montenegro 287 km

Algeria
total: 6,343 km
border countries: Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km,
Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km

American Samoa
0 km

Andorra
total: 120.3 km
border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km

Angola
total: 5,198 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,511 km (of
which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province),
Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zambia 1,110 km

Anguilla
0 km

Antarctica 0 km note: see entry on Disputes - international

Antigua and Barbuda
0 km

Argentina
total: 9,665 km
border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km,
Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km

Armenia
total: 1,254 km
border countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan
exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km

Aruba
0 km

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
0 km

Australia
0 km

Austria
total: 2,562 km
border countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366
km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330
km, Switzerland 164 km

Azerbaijan
total: 2,013 km
border countries: Armenia (with Azerbaijan-proper) 566 km, Armenia
(with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave) 221 km, Georgia 322 km, Iran
(with Azerbaijan-proper) 432 km, Iran (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan
exclave) 179 km, Russia 284 km, Turkey 9 km

Bahamas, The
0 km

Bahrain
0 km

Baker Island
0 km

Bangladesh total: 4,246 km border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km

Barbados
0 km

Bassas da India
0 km

Belarus
total: 2,900 km
border countries: Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 407 km,
Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km

Belgium
total: 1,385 km
border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km,
Netherlands 450 km

Belize
total: 516 km
border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

Benin
total: 1,989 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km,
Togo 644 km

Bermuda
0 km

Bhutan
total: 1,075 km
border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km

Bolivia
total: 6,743 km
border countries: Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,400 km, Chile 861 km,
Paraguay 750 km, Peru 900 km

Bosnia and Herzegovina
total: 1,459 km
border countries: Croatia 932 km, Serbia and Montenegro 527 km

Botswana
total: 4,013 km
border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe
813 km

Bouvet Island
0 km

Brazil
total: 14,691 km
border countries: Argentina 1,224 km, Bolivia 3,400 km, Colombia
1,643 km, French Guiana 673 km, Guyana 1,119 km, Paraguay 1,290 km,
Peru 1,560 km, Suriname 597 km, Uruguay 985 km, Venezuela 2,200 km

British Indian Ocean Territory
0 km

British Virgin Islands
0 km

Brunei
total: 381 km
border countries: Malaysia 381 km

Bulgaria
total: 1,808 km
border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 318 km, Turkey 240 km

Burkina Faso
total: 3,193 km
border countries: Benin 306 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Ghana 549 km,
Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km

Burma
total: 5,876 km
border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km,
Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km

Burundi
total: 974 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda
290 km, Tanzania 451 km

Cambodia
total: 2,572 km
border countries: Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km

Cameroon
total: 4,591 km
border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km,
Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298
km, Nigeria 1,690 km

Canada total: 8,893 km border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Cape Verde
0 km

Cayman Islands
0 km

Central African Republic
total: 5,203 km
border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic
Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan
1,165 km

Chad
total: 5,968 km
border countries: Cameroon 1,094 km, Central African Republic 1,197
km, Libya 1,055 km, Niger 1,175 km, Nigeria 87 km, Sudan 1,360 km

Chile
total: 6,171 km
border countries: Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km

China
total: 22,117 km
border countries: Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km,
India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea 1,416 km,
Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Mongolia 4,677 km, Nepal 1,236 km,
Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605 km, Russia (northwest) 40
km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 km
regional borders: Hong Kong 30 km, Macau 0.34 km

Christmas Island
0 km

Clipperton Island
0 km

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
0 km

Colombia
total: 6,004 km
border countries: Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km,
Peru 1,496 km (est.), Venezuela 2,050 km

Comoros
0 km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
total: 10,730 km
border countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary
of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central
African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda
217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km

Congo, Republic of the
total: 5,504 km
border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African
Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon
1,903 km

Cook Islands
0 km

Coral Sea Islands
0 km

Costa Rica
total: 639 km
border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

Cote d'Ivoire
total: 3,110 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km,
Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km

Croatia
total: 2,197 km
border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km,
Serbia and Montenegro (north) 241 km, Serbia and Montenegro (south)
25 km, Slovenia 670 km

Cuba
total: 29 km
border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km
note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and thus remains
part of Cuba

Cyprus
NA; boundaries with Akrotiri and Dhekelia are being resurveyed

Czech Republic
total: 1,881 km
border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km,
Slovakia 215 km

Denmark
total: 68 km
border countries: Germany 68 km

Djibouti
total: 516 km
border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km

Dominica
0 km

Dominican Republic
total: 360 km
border countries: Haiti 360 km

East Timor
total: 228 km
border countries: Indonesia 228 km

Ecuador
total: 2,010 km
border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

Egypt
total: 2,665 km
border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km,
Sudan 1,273 km

El Salvador
total: 545 km
border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

Equatorial Guinea
total: 539 km
border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km

Eritrea
total: 1,626 km
border countries: Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km

Estonia
total: 633 km
border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km

Ethiopia
total: 5,328 km
border countries: Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km,
Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 1,606 km

Europa Island
0 km

European Union
total: 11,214.8 km
border countries: Albania 282 km, Andorra 120.3 km, Belarus 1,050
km, Bulgaria 494 km, Croatia 999 km, Holy See 3.2 km, Liechtenstein
34.9 km, Macedonia 246 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Norway 2,348 km, Romania
443 km, Russia 2,257 km, San Marino 39 km, Serbia and Montenegro 151
km, Switzerland 1,811 km, Turkey 206 km, Ukraine 726 km
note: data for European Continent only

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
0 km

Faroe Islands
0 km

Fiji
0 km

Finland
total: 2,690 km
border countries: Norway 736 km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,340 km

France
total: 2,889 km
border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km,
Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km,
Switzerland 573 km

French Guiana total: 1,183 km border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km

French Polynesia
0 km

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
0 km

Gabon
total: 2,551 km
border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km,
Equatorial Guinea 350 km

Gambia, The
total: 740 km
border countries: Senegal 740 km

Gaza Strip
total: 62 km
border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km

Georgia
total: 1,461 km
border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km,
Turkey 252 km

Germany
total: 3,621 km
border countries: Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646
km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577
km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km

Ghana
total: 2,094 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo
877 km

Gibraltar total: 1.2 km border countries: Spain 1.2 km

Glorioso Islands
0 km

Greece
total: 1,228 km
border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km,
Macedonia 246 km

Greenland
0 km

Grenada
0 km

Guadeloupe total: 10.2 km border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km

Guam
0 km

Guatemala
total: 1,687 km
border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256
km, Mexico 962 km

Guernsey
0 km

Guinea
total: 3,399 km
border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km,
Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km

Guinea-Bissau
total: 724 km
border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km

Guyana
total: 2,462 km
border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km

Haiti
total: 360 km
border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
0 km

Holy See (Vatican City)
total: 3.2 km
border countries: Italy 3.2 km

Honduras
total: 1,520 km
border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua
922 km

Hong Kong total: 30 km regional border: China 30 km

Howland Island
0 km

Hungary
total: 2,171 km
border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 151 km, Slovakia 677 km, Slovenia 102 km,
Ukraine 103 km

Iceland
0 km

India
total: 14,103 km
border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463
km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km

Indonesia
total: 2,830 km
border countries: East Timor 228 km, Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New
Guinea 820 km

Iran
total: 5,440 km
border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km,
Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq
1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km

Iraq
total: 3,650 km
border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi
Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km

Ireland
total: 360 km
border countries: UK 360 km

Israel
total: 1,017 km
border countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km,
Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km

Italy
total: 1,932.2 km
border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican
City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km

Jamaica
0 km

Jan Mayen
0 km

Japan
0 km

Jarvis Island
0 km

Jersey
0 km

Johnston Atoll
0 km

Jordan
total: 1,635 km
border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km,
Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Juan de Nova Island
0 km

Kazakhstan
total: 12,012 km
border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846
km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km

Kenya
total: 3,477 km
border countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km,
Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km

Kingman Reef
0 km

Kiribati
0 km

Korea, North
total: 1,673 km
border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

Korea, South
total: 238 km
border countries: North Korea 238 km

Kuwait
total: 462 km
border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Kyrgyzstan
total: 3,878 km
border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870
km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km

Laos
total: 5,083 km
border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km,
Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km

Latvia
total: 1,150 km
border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km,
Russia 217 km

Lebanon
total: 454 km
border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km

Lesotho
total: 909 km
border countries: South Africa 909 km

Liberia
total: 1,585 km
border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone
306 km

Libya
total: 4,348 km
border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km,
Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

Liechtenstein
total: 76 km
border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km

Lithuania
total: 1,273 km
border countries: Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km,
Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km

Luxembourg
total: 359 km
border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km

Macau
total: 0.34 km
regional border: China 0.34 km

Macedonia
total: 766 km
border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 221 km

Madagascar
0 km

Malawi
total: 2,881 km
border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

Malaysia
total: 2,669 km
border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km

Maldives
0 km

Mali
total: 7,243 km
border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea
858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km,
Senegal 419 km

Malta
0 km

Man, Isle of
0 km

Marshall Islands
0 km

Martinique
0 km

Mauritania
total: 5,074 km
border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km,
Western Sahara 1,561 km

Mauritius
0 km

Mayotte
0 km

Mexico total: 4,353 km border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km

Micronesia, Federated States of
0 km

Midway Islands
0 km

Moldova
total: 1,389 km
border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km

Monaco
total: 4.4 km
border countries: France 4.4 km

Mongolia
total: 8,220 km
border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,543 km

Montserrat
0 km

Morocco
total: 2,017.9 km
border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain
(Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km

Mozambique
total: 4,571 km
border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland
105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km

Namibia
total: 3,936 km
border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa
967 km, Zambia 233 km

Nauru
0 km

Navassa Island
0 km

Nepal
total: 2,926 km
border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

Netherlands
total: 1,027 km
border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

Netherlands Antilles
total: 10.2 km
border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint Martin) 10.2 km

New Caledonia
0 km

New Zealand
0 km

Nicaragua
total: 1,231 km
border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km

Niger
total: 5,697 km
border countries: Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km,
Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km

Nigeria
total: 4,047 km
border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger
1,497 km

Niue
0 km

Norfolk Island
0 km

Northern Mariana Islands
0 km

Norway
total: 2,551 km
border countries: Finland 736 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km

Oman
total: 1,374 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km

Pakistan
total: 6,774 km
border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912
km, Iran 909 km

Palau
0 km

Palmyra Atoll
0 km

Panama
total: 555 km
border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km

Papua New Guinea
total: 820 km
border countries: Indonesia 820 km

Paracel Islands
0 km

Paraguay
total: 3,920 km
border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km

Peru
total: 5,536 km
border countries: Bolivia 900 km, Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km,
Colombia 1,496 km (est.), Ecuador 1,420 km

Philippines
0 km

Pitcairn Islands
0 km

Poland
total: 2,788 km
border countries: Belarus 407 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456
km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia
444 km, Ukraine 526 km

Portugal total: 1,214 km border countries: Spain 1,214 km

Puerto Rico 0 km

Qatar total: 60 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km

Reunion
0 km

Romania
total: 2,508 km
border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east)
169 km

Russia
total: 20,017 km
border countries: Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China
(southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 294 km, Finland
1,340 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 19 km,
Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,485
km, Norway 196 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Ukraine 1,576
km

Rwanda
total: 893 km
border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km

Saint Helena
0 km

Saint Kitts and Nevis
0 km

Saint Lucia
0 km

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
0 km

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
0 km

Samoa
0 km

San Marino total: 39 km border countries: Italy 39 km

Sao Tome and Principe
0 km

Saudi Arabia
total: 4,431 km
border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman
676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km

Senegal
total: 2,640 km
border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau
338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km

Serbia and Montenegro
total: 2,246 km
border countries: Albania 287 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 527 km,
Bulgaria 318 km, Croatia (north) 241 km, Croatia (south) 25 km,
Hungary 151 km, Macedonia 221 km, Romania 476 km

Seychelles
0 km

Sierra Leone total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

Singapore
0 km

Slovakia
total: 1,524 km
border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677
km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km

Slovenia
total: 1,334 km
border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Italy 232 km,
Hungary 102 km

Solomon Islands
0 km

Somalia
total: 2,340 km
border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km

South Africa
total: 4,862 km
border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491
km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
0 km

Spain
total: 1,917.8 km
border countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km,
Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km

Spratly Islands
0 km

Sri Lanka
0 km

Sudan
total: 7,687 km
border countries: Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km,
Democratic Republic of the Congo 628 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605
km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km

Suriname total: 1,707 km border countries: Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

Svalbard 0 km

Swaziland
total: 535 km
border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Sweden
total: 2,233 km
border countries: Finland 614 km, Norway 1,619 km

Switzerland
total: 1,852 km
border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km,
Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Syria
total: 2,253 km
border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon
375 km, Turkey 822 km

Taiwan
0 km

Tajikistan
total: 3,651 km
border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870
km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km

Tanzania
total: 3,861 km
border countries: Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217
km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km

Thailand
total: 4,863 km
border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km,
Malaysia 506 km

Togo
total: 1,647 km
border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km

Tokelau
0 km

Tonga
0 km

Trinidad and Tobago
0 km

Tromelin Island
0 km

Tunisia
total: 1,424 km
border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km

Turkey
total: 2,648 km
border countries: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km,
Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km

Turkmenistan
total: 3,736 km
border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379
km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km

Turks and Caicos Islands
0 km

Tuvalu
0 km

Uganda
total: 2,698 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933
km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km

Ukraine
total: 4,663 km
border countries: Belarus 891 km, Hungary 103 km, Moldova 939 km,
Poland 526 km, Romania (south) 169 km, Romania (west) 362 km, Russia
1,576 km, Slovakia 97 km

United Arab Emirates
total: 867 km
border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km

United Kingdom
total: 360 km
border countries: Ireland 360 km

United States
total: 12,034 km
border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska),
Mexico 3,141 km
note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and
is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 29 km

Uruguay
total: 1,564 km
border countries: Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km

Uzbekistan
total: 6,221 km
border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km,
Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km

Vanuatu
0 km

Venezuela
total: 4,993 km
border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km

Vietnam
total: 4,639 km
border countries: Cambodia 1,228 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 2,130 km

Virgin Islands
0 km

Wake Island
0 km

Wallis and Futuna
0 km

West Bank
total: 404 km
border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km

Western Sahara
total: 2,046 km
border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km

World
the land boundaries in the world total 250,472 km (not
counting shared boundaries twice); two nations, China and Russia,
each border 14 other countries
note: 43 nations and other areas are landlocked, these include:
Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic,
Chad, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay, Rwanda, San
Marino, Slovakia, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tajikistan, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan,
West Bank, Zambia, Zimbabwe; two of these, Liechtenstein and
Uzbekistan, are doubly landlocked

Yemen
total: 1,746 km
border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km

Zambia
total: 5,664 km
border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania
338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km

Zimbabwe
total: 3,066 km
border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa
225 km, Zambia 797 km

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2097 Land use (%)

Afghanistan
arable land: 12.13%
permanent crops: 0.22%
other: 87.65% (2001)

Albania
arable land: 21.09%
permanent crops: 4.42%
other: 74.49% (2001)

Algeria
arable land: 3.22%
permanent crops: 0.25%
other: 96.53% (2001)

American Samoa
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 15%
other: 75% (2001)

Andorra
arable land: 2.22%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 97.78% (2001)

Angola
arable land: 2.41%
permanent crops: 0.24%
other: 97.35% (2001)

Anguilla
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some
commercial salt ponds) (2001)

Antarctica
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%) (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
arable land: 18.18%
permanent crops: 4.55%
other: 77.27% (2001)

Argentina
arable land: 12.31%
permanent crops: 0.48%
other: 87.21% (2001)

Armenia
arable land: 17.55%
permanent crops: 2.3%
other: 80.15% (2001)

Aruba
arable land: 10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)
permanent crops: 0%
other: 89.47% (2001)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (all grass and sand) (2001)

Australia
arable land: 6.55% (includes about 27 million hectares of
cultivated grassland)
permanent crops: 0.04%
other: 93.41% (2001)

Austria
arable land: 16.91%
permanent crops: 0.86%
other: 82.23% (2001)

Azerbaijan
arable land: 19.63%
permanent crops: 2.71%
other: 77.66% (2001)

Bahamas, The
arable land: 0.8%
permanent crops: 0.4%
other: 98.8% (2001)

Bahrain
arable land: 2.82%
permanent crops: 5.63%
other: 91.55% (2001)

Baker Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Bangladesh
arable land: 62.11%
permanent crops: 3.07%
other: 34.82% (2001)

Barbados
arable land: 37.21%
permanent crops: 2.33%
other: 60.46% (2001)

Bassas da India
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (all rock) (2001)

Belarus
arable land: 29.55%
permanent crops: 0.6%
other: 69.85% (2001)

Belgium
arable land: 23.28%
permanent crops: 0.4%
other: 76.32%
note: includes Luxembourg (2001)

Belize
arable land: 2.85%
permanent crops: 1.71%
other: 95.44% (2001)

Benin
arable land: 18.08%
permanent crops: 2.4%
other: 79.52% (2001)

Bermuda
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 80% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (2001)

Bhutan
arable land: 3.09%
permanent crops: 0.43%
other: 96.48% (2001)

Bolivia
arable land: 2.67%
permanent crops: 0.19%
other: 97.54% (2001)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
arable land: 13.6%
permanent crops: 2.96%
other: 83.44% (2001)

Botswana
arable land: 0.65%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 99.34% (2001)

Bouvet Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (93% ice) (2001)

Brazil
arable land: 6.96%
permanent crops: 0.9%
other: 92.15% (2001)

British Indian Ocean Territory
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

British Virgin Islands
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 6.67%
other: 73.33% (2001)

Brunei
arable land: 0.57%
permanent crops: 0.76%
other: 98.67% (2001)

Bulgaria
arable land: 40.02%
permanent crops: 1.92%
other: 58.06% (2001)

Burkina Faso
arable land: 14.43%
permanent crops: 0.19%
other: 85.38% (2001)

Burma
arable land: 15.19%
permanent crops: 0.97%
other: 83.84% (2001)

Burundi
arable land: 35.05%
permanent crops: 14.02%
other: 50.93% (2001)

Cambodia
arable land: 20.96%
permanent crops: 0.61%
other: 78.43% (2001)

Cameroon
arable land: 12.81%
permanent crops: 2.58%
other: 84.61% (2001)

Canada
arable land: 4.96%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 95.02% (2001)

Cape Verde
arable land: 9.68%
permanent crops: 0.5%
other: 89.82% (2001)

Cayman Islands
arable land: 3.85%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 96.15% (2001)

Central African Republic
arable land: 3.1%
permanent crops: 0.14%
other: 96.76% (2001)

Chad
arable land: 2.86%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 97.12% (2001)

Chile
arable land: 2.65%
permanent crops: 0.42%
other: 96.93% (2001)

China
arable land: 15.4%
permanent crops: 1.25%
other: 83.36% (2001)

Christmas Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100%
note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national
park (2001)

Clipperton Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (all coral) (2001)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Colombia
arable land: 2.42%
permanent crops: 1.67%
other: 95.91% (2001)

Comoros
arable land: 35.87%
permanent crops: 23.32%
other: 40.81% (2001)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
arable land: 2.96%
permanent crops: 0.52%
other: 96.52% (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
arable land: 0.51%
permanent crops: 0.13%
other: 99.36% (2001)

Cook Islands
arable land: 17.39%
permanent crops: 13.04%
other: 69.57% (2001)

Coral Sea Islands
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2001)

Costa Rica
arable land: 4.41%
permanent crops: 5.88%
other: 89.71% (2001)

Cote d'Ivoire
arable land: 9.75%
permanent crops: 13.84%
other: 76.41% (2001)

Croatia
arable land: 26.09%
permanent crops: 2.27%
other: 71.65% (2001)

Cuba
arable land: 33.05%
permanent crops: 7.6%
other: 59.35% (2001)

Cyprus
arable land: 7.79%
permanent crops: 4.44%
other: 87.77% (2001)

Czech Republic
arable land: 39.8%
permanent crops: 3.05%
other: 57.15% (2001)

Denmark
arable land: 54.02%
permanent crops: 0.19%
other: 45.79% (2001)

Djibouti
arable land: 0.04%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.96% (2001)

Dominica
arable land: 6.67%
permanent crops: 20%
other: 73.33% (2001)

Dominican Republic
arable land: 22.65%
permanent crops: 10.33%
other: 67.02% (2001)

East Timor
arable land: 4.71%
permanent crops: 0.67%
other: 94.62% (2001)

Ecuador
arable land: 5.85%
permanent crops: 4.93%
other: 89.22% (2001)

Egypt
arable land: 2.87%
permanent crops: 0.48%
other: 96.65% (2001)

El Salvador
arable land: 31.85%
permanent crops: 12.07%
other: 56.08% (2001)

Equatorial Guinea
arable land: 4.63%
permanent crops: 3.57%
other: 91.8% (2001)

Eritrea
arable land: 4.95%
permanent crops: 0.03%
other: 95.02% (2001)

Estonia
arable land: 16.04%
permanent crops: 0.45%
other: 83.51% (2001)

Ethiopia
arable land: 10.71%
permanent crops: 0.75%
other: 88.54% (2001)

Europa Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (mangrove forests and woodlands) (2001)

European Union arable land: NA permanent crops: NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2001)

Faroe Islands
arable land: 2.14%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 97.86% (2001)

Fiji
arable land: 10.95%
permanent crops: 4.65%
other: 84.4% (2001)

Finland
arable land: 7.19%
permanent crops: 0.03%
other: 92.78% (2001)

France
arable land: 33.53%
permanent crops: 2.07%
other: 64.4% (2001)

French Guiana
arable land: 0.14%
permanent crops: 0.05%
other: 99.81% (90% forest, 10% other) (2001)

French Polynesia
arable land: 0.82%
permanent crops: 5.46%
other: 93.72% (2001)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Gabon
arable land: 1.26%
permanent crops: 0.66%
other: 98.08% (2001)

Gambia, The
arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0.5%
other: 74.5% (2001)

Gaza Strip
arable land: 28.95%
permanent crops: 21.05%
other: 50% (2001)

Georgia
arable land: 11.44%
permanent crops: 3.86%
other: 84.7% (2001)

Germany
arable land: 33.85%
permanent crops: 0.59%
other: 65.56% (2001)

Ghana
arable land: 16.26%
permanent crops: 9.67%
other: 74.07% (2001)

Gibraltar
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Glorioso Islands
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (all lush vegetation and coconut palms) (2001)

Greece
arable land: 21.1%
permanent crops: 8.78%
other: 70.12% (2001)

Greenland
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Grenada
arable land: 5.88%
permanent crops: 29.41%
other: 64.71% (2001)

Guadeloupe
arable land: 11.24%
permanent crops: 3.55%
other: 85.21% (2001)

Guam
arable land: 9.09%
permanent crops: 16.36%
other: 74.55% (2001)

Guatemala
arable land: 12.54%
permanent crops: 5.03%
other: 82.43% (2001)

Guernsey
arable land: NA
permanent crops: NA
other: NA (2001)

Guinea
arable land: 3.63%
permanent crops: 2.58%
other: 93.79% (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
arable land: 10.67%
permanent crops: 8.82%
other: 80.51% (2001)

Guyana
arable land: 2.44%
permanent crops: 0.15%
other: 97.41% (2001)

Haiti
arable land: 28.3%
permanent crops: 11.61%
other: 60.09% (2001)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Holy See (Vatican City)
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (urban area) (2001)

Honduras
arable land: 9.55%
permanent crops: 3.22%
other: 87.23% (2001)

Hong Kong
arable land: 5.05%
permanent crops: 1.01%
other: 93.94% (2001)

Howland Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Hungary
arable land: 50.09%
permanent crops: 2.06%
other: 47.85% (2001)

Iceland
arable land: 0.07%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.93% (2001)

India
arable land: 54.4%
permanent crops: 2.74%
other: 42.86% (2001)

Indonesia
arable land: 11.32%
permanent crops: 7.23%
other: 81.45% (2001)

Iran
arable land: 8.72%
permanent crops: 1.39%
other: 89.89% (2001)

Iraq
arable land: 13.15%
permanent crops: 0.78%
other: 86.07% (2001)

Ireland
arable land: 15.2%
permanent crops: 0.03%
other: 84.77% (2001)

Israel
arable land: 16.39%
permanent crops: 4.17%
other: 79.44% (2001)

Italy
arable land: 27.79%
permanent crops: 9.53%
other: 62.68% (2001)

Jamaica
arable land: 16.07%
permanent crops: 10.16%
other: 73.77% (2001)

Jan Mayen
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Japan
arable land: 12.19%
permanent crops: 0.96%
other: 86.85% (2001)

Jarvis Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Jersey
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Johnston Atoll
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Jordan
arable land: 2.67%
permanent crops: 1.83%
other: 95.5% (2001)

Juan de Nova Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (90% forest) (2001)

Kazakhstan
arable land: 7.98%
permanent crops: 0.05%
other: 91.97% (2001)

Kenya
arable land: 8.08%
permanent crops: 0.98%
other: 90.94% (2001)

Kingman Reef
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Kiribati
arable land: 2.74%
permanent crops: 50.68%
other: 46.58% (2001)

Korea, North
arable land: 20.76%
permanent crops: 2.49%
other: 76.75% (2001)

Korea, South
arable land: 17.18%
permanent crops: 1.95%
other: 80.87% (2001)

Kuwait
arable land: 0.73%
permanent crops: 0.11%
other: 99.16% (2001)

Kyrgyzstan
arable land: 7.3%
permanent crops: 0.35%
other: 92.35%
note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural growth walnut
forest (2001)

Laos
arable land: 3.8%
permanent crops: 0.35%
other: 95.85% (2001)

Latvia
arable land: 29.67%
permanent crops: 0.47%
other: 69.86% (2001)

Lebanon
arable land: 16.62%
permanent crops: 13.98%
other: 69.4% (2001)

Lesotho
arable land: 10.87%
permanent crops: 0.13%
other: 89% (2001)

Liberia
arable land: 3.95%
permanent crops: 2.28%
other: 93.77% (2001)

Libya
arable land: 1.03%
permanent crops: 0.19%
other: 98.78% (2001)

Liechtenstein
arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 75% (2001)

Lithuania
arable land: 45.22%
permanent crops: 0.91%
other: 53.87% (2001)

Luxembourg
arable land: 23.28%
permanent crops: 0.4%
other: 76.32% (includes Belgium) (2001)

Macau
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100%
note: "green areas" represent 22.4% (2001)

Macedonia
arable land: 22.26%
permanent crops: 1.81%
other: 75.93% (2001)

Madagascar
arable land: 5.07%
permanent crops: 1.03%
other: 93.91% (2001)

Malawi
arable land: 23.38%
permanent crops: 1.49%
other: 75.13% (2001)

Malaysia
arable land: 5.48%
permanent crops: 17.61%
other: 76.91% (2001)

Maldives
arable land: 13.33%
permanent crops: 16.67%
other: 70% (2001)

Mali
arable land: 3.82%
permanent crops: 0.03%
other: 96.15% (2001)

Malta
arable land: 28.13%
permanent crops: 3.13%
other: 68.74% (2001)

Man, Isle of
arable land: 9%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 91% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland)
(2002)

Marshall Islands
arable land: 16.67%
permanent crops: 38.89%
other: 44.44% (2001)

Martinique
arable land: 10.38%
permanent crops: 9.43%
other: 80.19% (2001)

Mauritania
arable land: 0.48%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 99.51% (2001)

Mauritius
arable land: 49.26%
permanent crops: 2.96%
other: 47.78% (2001)

Mayotte
arable land: NA
permanent crops: NA
other: NA (2001)

Mexico
arable land: 12.99%
permanent crops: 1.31%
other: 85.7% (2001)

Micronesia, Federated States of
arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 45.71%
other: 48.58% (2001)

Midway Islands
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Moldova
arable land: 55.3%
permanent crops: 10.79%
other: 33.91% (2001)

Monaco
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (urban area) (2001)

Mongolia
arable land: 0.77%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.23% (2001)

Montserrat
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 80% (2001)

Morocco
arable land: 19.61%
permanent crops: 2.17%
other: 78.22% (2001)

Mozambique
arable land: 5.1%
permanent crops: 0.3%
other: 94.6% (2001)

Namibia
arable land: 0.99%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.01% (2001)

Nauru
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Navassa Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Nepal
arable land: 21.68%
permanent crops: 0.64%
other: 77.68% (2001)

Netherlands
arable land: 26.71%
permanent crops: 0.97%
other: 72.32% (2001)

Netherlands Antilles
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 90% (2001)

New Caledonia
arable land: 0.38%
permanent crops: 0.33%
other: 99.29% (2001)

New Zealand
arable land: 5.6%
permanent crops: 6.99%
other: 87.41% (2001)

Nicaragua
arable land: 15.94%
permanent crops: 1.94%
other: 82.12% (2001)

Niger
arable land: 3.54%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 96.45% (2001)

Nigeria
arable land: 31.29%
permanent crops: 2.96%
other: 65.75% (2001)

Niue
arable land: 15.38%
permanent crops: 11.54%
other: 73.08% (2001)

Norfolk Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Northern Mariana Islands
arable land: 13.04%
permanent crops: 4.35%
other: 82.61% (2001)

Norway
arable land: 2.87%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 97.13% (2001)

Oman
arable land: 0.12%
permanent crops: 0.14%
other: 99.74% (2001)

Pakistan
arable land: 27.87%
permanent crops: 0.87%
other: 71.26% (2001)

Palau
arable land: 8.7%
permanent crops: 4.35%
other: 86.95% (2001)

Palmyra Atoll
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (forests and woodlands) (2001)

Panama
arable land: 7.36%
permanent crops: 1.98%
other: 90.66% (2001)

Papua New Guinea
arable land: 0.46%
permanent crops: 1.44%
other: 98.1% (2001)

Paracel Islands
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Paraguay
arable land: 7.6%
permanent crops: 0.23%
other: 92.17% (2001)

Peru
arable land: 2.89%
permanent crops: 0.4%
other: 96.71% (2001)

Philippines
arable land: 18.95%
permanent crops: 16.77%
other: 64.28% (2001)

Pitcairn Islands
arable land: NA
permanent crops: NA
other: NA (2001)

Poland
arable land: 45.91%
permanent crops: 1.12%
other: 52.97% (2001)

Portugal
arable land: 21.75%
permanent crops: 7.81%
other: 70.44% (2001)

Puerto Rico
arable land: 3.95%
permanent crops: 5.52%
other: 90.53% (2001)

Qatar
arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 0.27%
other: 98.09% (2001)

Reunion
arable land: 13.6%
permanent crops: 1.2%
other: 85.2% (2001)

Romania
arable land: 40.82%
permanent crops: 2.25%
other: 56.93% (2001)

Russia
arable land: 7.33%
permanent crops: 0.11%
other: 92.56% (2001)

Rwanda
arable land: 40.54%
permanent crops: 12.16%
other: 47.3% (2001)

Saint Helena
arable land: 12.9%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 87.1% (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
arable land: 19.44%
permanent crops: 2.78%
other: 77.78% (2001)

Saint Lucia
arable land: 6.56%
permanent crops: 22.95%
other: 70.49% (2001)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
arable land: 13.04%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 86.96% (2001)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
arable land: 17.95%
permanent crops: 17.95%
other: 64.1% (2001)

Samoa
arable land: 21.2%
permanent crops: 24.38%
other: 54.42% (2001)

San Marino
arable land: 16.67%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 83.33% (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
arable land: 6.25%
permanent crops: 48.96%
other: 44.79% (2001)

Saudi Arabia
arable land: 1.67%
permanent crops: 0.09%
other: 98.24% (2001)

Senegal
arable land: 12.78%
permanent crops: 0.21%
other: 87.01% (2001)

Serbia and Montenegro
arable land: 33.35%
permanent crops: 3.2%
other: 63.45% (2001)

Seychelles
arable land: 2.22%
permanent crops: 13.33%
other: 84.45% (2001)

Sierra Leone
arable land: 6.98%
permanent crops: 0.89%
other: 92.13% (2001)

Singapore
arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 98.36% (2001)

Slovakia
arable land: 30.16%
permanent crops: 2.62%
other: 67.22% (2001)

Slovenia
arable land: 8.6%
permanent crops: 1.49%
other: 89.91% (2001)

Solomon Islands
arable land: 0.64%
permanent crops: 2%
other: 97.36% (2001)

Somalia
arable land: 1.67%
permanent crops: 0.04%
other: 98.29% (2001)

South Africa
arable land: 12.08%
permanent crops: 0.79%
other: 87.13% (2001)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some
sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (2001)

Spain
arable land: 26.07%
permanent crops: 9.87%
other: 64.06% (2001)

Spratly Islands
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Sri Lanka
arable land: 13.86%
permanent crops: 15.7%
other: 70.44% (2001)

Sudan
arable land: 6.83%
permanent crops: 0.18%
other: 92.99% (2001)

Suriname
arable land: 0.37%
permanent crops: 0.06%
other: 99.57% (2001)

Svalbard
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and
cloudberry) (2001)

Swaziland
arable land: 10.35%
permanent crops: 0.7%
other: 88.95% (2001)

Sweden
arable land: 6.54%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 93.45% (2001)

Switzerland
arable land: 10.42%
permanent crops: 0.61%
other: 88.97% (2001)

Syria
arable land: 25.22%
permanent crops: 4.43%
other: 70.35% (2001)

Taiwan
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 1%
other: 75% (2001)

Tajikistan
arable land: 6.61%
permanent crops: 0.92%
other: 92.47% (2001)

Tanzania
arable land: 4.52%
permanent crops: 1.08%
other: 94.4% (2001)

Thailand
arable land: 29.36%
permanent crops: 6.46%
other: 64.18% (2001)

Togo
arable land: 46.15%
permanent crops: 2.21%
other: 51.64% (2001)

Tokelau
arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Tonga
arable land: 23.61%
permanent crops: 43.06%
other: 33.33% (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
arable land: 14.62%
permanent crops: 9.16%
other: 76.22% (2001)

Tromelin Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (grasses; scattered bushes) (2001)

Tunisia
arable land: 17.86%
permanent crops: 13.74%
other: 68.4% (2001)

Turkey
arable land: 30.93%
permanent crops: 3.31%
other: 65.76% (2001)

Turkmenistan
arable land: 3.72%
permanent crops: 0.14%
other: 96.14% (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands
arable land: 2.33%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 97.67% (2001)

Tuvalu
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Uganda
arable land: 25.88%
permanent crops: 10.65%
other: 63.47% (2001)

Ukraine
arable land: 56.21%
permanent crops: 1.61%
other: 42.18% (2001)

United Arab Emirates
arable land: 0.6%
permanent crops: 2.25%
other: 97.15% (2001)

United Kingdom
arable land: 23.46%
permanent crops: 0.21%
other: 76.33% (2001)

United States
arable land: 19.13%
permanent crops: 0.22%
other: 80.65% (2001)

Uruguay
arable land: 7.43%
permanent crops: 0.23%
other: 92.34% (2001)

Uzbekistan
arable land: 10.83%
permanent crops: 0.83%
other: 88.34% (2001)

Vanuatu
arable land: 2.46%
permanent crops: 7.38%
other: 90.16% (2001)

Venezuela
arable land: 2.95%
permanent crops: 0.92%
other: 96.13% (2001)

Vietnam
arable land: 19.97%
permanent crops: 5.95%
other: 74.08% (2001)

Virgin Islands
arable land: 11.76%
permanent crops: 2.94%
other: 85.29% (2001)

Wake Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Wallis and Futuna
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 25%
other: 70% (2001)

West Bank
arable land: 16.9%
permanent crops: 18.97%
other: 64.13% (2001)

Western Sahara
arable land: 0.02%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.98% (2001)

World
arable land: 10.73%
permanent crops: 1%
other: 88.27% (2001)

Yemen
arable land: 2.78%
permanent crops: 0.24%
other: 96.98% (2001)

Zambia
arable land: 7.08%
permanent crops: 0.03%
other: 92.9% (2001)

Zimbabwe
arable land: 8.32%
permanent crops: 0.34%
other: 91.34% (2001)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2098 Languages (%)

Afghanistan
Pashtu (official) 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic
languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages
(primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism

Albania
Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek,
Vlach, Romani, Slavic dialects

Algeria
Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

American Samoa
Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other
Polynesian languages), English
note: most people are bilingual

Andorra
Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese

Angola
Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages

Anguilla
English (official)

Antigua and Barbuda
English (official), local dialects

Argentina
Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French

Armenia
Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2%

Aruba
Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch,
English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish

Australia
English, native languages

Austria
German (official nationwide), Slovene (official in
Carinthia), Croatian (official in Burgenland), Hungarian (official
in Burgenland)

Azerbaijan
Azerbaijani (Azeri) 89%, Russian 3%, Armenian 2%, other
6% (1995 est.)

Bahamas, The
English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Bahrain
Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Bangladesh
Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English

Barbados
English

Belarus
Belarusian, Russian, other

Belgium
Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German
(official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)

Belize
English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole

Benin
French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in
south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)

Bermuda
English (official), Portuguese

Bhutan
Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects,
Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects

Bolivia
Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian

Botswana
English (official), Setswana

Brazil
Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French

British Virgin Islands
English (official)

Brunei
Malay (official), English, Chinese

Bulgaria
Bulgarian, secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic
breakdown

Burkina Faso
French (official), native African languages belonging
to Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population

Burma
Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages

Burundi
Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake
Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)

Cambodia
Khmer (official) 95%, French, English

Cameroon
24 major African language groups, English (official),
French (official)

Canada
English 59.3% (official), French 23.2% (official), other 17.5%

Cape Verde
Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West
African words)

Cayman Islands
English

Central African Republic
French (official), Sangho (lingua franca
and national language), tribal languages

Chad
French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more
than 120 different languages and dialects

Chile
Spanish

China
Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing
dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan
(Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages
(see Ethnic groups entry)

Christmas Island
English (official), Chinese, Malay

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Malay (Cocos dialect), English

Colombia
Spanish

Comoros
Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of
Swahili and Arabic)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
French (official), Lingala (a
lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or
Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

Congo, Republic of the
French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba
(lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects
(of which Kikongo is the most widespread)

Cook Islands
English (official), Maori

Costa Rica
Spanish (official), English

Cote d'Ivoire
French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the
most widely spoken

Croatia
Croatian 96%, other 4% (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech,
Slovak, and German)

Cuba
Spanish

Cyprus
Greek, Turkish, English

Czech Republic
Czech

Denmark
Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German
(small minority)
note: English is the predominant second language

Djibouti
French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar

Dominica
English (official), French patois

Dominican Republic
Spanish

East Timor
Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian,
English
note: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum, Galole,
Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people

Ecuador
Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Egypt
Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by
educated classes

El Salvador
Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)

Equatorial Guinea
Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin
English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo

Eritrea
Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic
languages

Estonia
Estonian (official), Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish, other

Ethiopia
Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromigna, Guaragigna, Somali, Arabic,
other local languages, English (major foreign language taught in
schools)

European Union
Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish,
French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian,
Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish; note
- only official languages are listed

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
English

Faroe Islands
Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish

Fiji
English (official), Fijian, Hindustani

Finland
Finnish 93.4% (official), Swedish 5.9% (official), small
Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities

France
French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and
languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque,
Flemish)

French Guiana
French

French Polynesia
French (official), Tahitian (official)

Gabon
French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira,
Bandjabi

Gambia, The
English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other
indigenous vernaculars

Gaza Strip
Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many
Palestinians), English (widely understood)

Georgia
Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%,
other 7%
note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia

Germany
German

Ghana
English (official), African languages (including Akan,
Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)

Gibraltar
English (used in schools and for official purposes),
Spanish, Italian, Portuguese

Greece
Greek 99% (official), English, French

Greenland
Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English

Grenada
English (official), French patois

Guadeloupe
French (official) 99%, Creole patois

Guam
English, Chamorro, Japanese

Guatemala
Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially
recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel,
Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)

Guernsey
English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country
districts

Guinea
French (official), each ethnic group has its own language

Guinea-Bissau
Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages

Guyana
English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu

Haiti
French (official), Creole (official)

Holy See (Vatican City)
Italian, Latin, French, various other
languages

Honduras
Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Hong Kong
Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official

Hungary
Hungarian 98.2%, other 1.8%

Iceland
Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken

India
English enjoys associate status but is the most important
language for national, political, and commercial communication;
Hindi is the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the
people; there are 14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu,
Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi,
Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular
variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is
not an official language

Indonesia
Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay),
English, Dutch, local dialects, the most widely spoken of which is
Javanese

Iran
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects
26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%

Iraq
Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian,
Armenian

Ireland
English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic or
Gaeilge) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard

Israel
Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority,
English most commonly used foreign language

Italy
Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige
region are predominantly German speaking), French (small
French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene
(Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)

Jamaica
English, patois English

Japan
Japanese

Jersey
English (official), French (official), Norman-French dialect
spoken in country districts

Jordan
Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and
middle classes

Kazakhstan
Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official,
used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic
communication") 95% (2001 est.)

Kenya
English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous
languages

Kiribati
I-Kiribati, English (official)

Korea, North
Korean

Korea, South
Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high
school

Kuwait
Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyz - official language, Russian - official language
note: in December 2001, the Kyrgyzstani legislature made Russian an
official language, equal in status to Kyrgyz

Laos
Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages

Latvia
Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other

Lebanon
Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian

Lesotho
Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa

Liberia
English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of
which a few can be written and are used in correspondence

Libya
Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the
major cities

Liechtenstein
German (official), Alemannic dialect

Lithuania
Lithuanian (official), Polish, Russian

Luxembourg
Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative
language), French (administrative language)

Macau
Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese)

Macedonia
Macedonian 68%, Albanian 25%, Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian
2%, other 2%

Madagascar
French (official), Malagasy (official)

Malawi
English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages
important regionally

Malaysia
Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects
(Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil,
Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note - in addition, in East
Malaysia several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest are
Iban and Kadazan

Maldives
Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from
Arabic), English spoken by most government officials

Mali
French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages

Malta
Maltese (official), English (official)

Man, Isle of
English, Manx Gaelic

Marshall Islands
English (widely spoken as a second language, both
English and Marshallese are official languages), two major
Marshallese dialects from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese

Martinique
French, Creole patois

Mauritania
Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya,
Wolof

Mauritius
English (official), Creole, French (official), Hindi,
Urdu, Hakka, Bhojpuri

Mayotte
Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language)
spoken by 35% of the population

Mexico
Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional
indigenous languages

Micronesia, Federated States of
English (official and common
language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian,
Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi

Moldova
Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian
language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

Monaco
French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque

Mongolia
Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)

Montserrat
English

Morocco
Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the
language of business, government, and diplomacy

Mozambique
Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, numerous other indigenous
languages, Portuguese (official; spoken by 27% of population as a
second language)

Namibia
English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of
the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%,
indigenous languages: Oshivambo, Herero, Nama

Nauru
Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language),
English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and
commercial purposes

Nepal
Nepali (official; spoken by 90% of the population), about a
dozen other languages and about 30 major dialects; note - many in
government and business also speak English (1995)

Netherlands
Dutch (official language), Frisian (official language)

Netherlands Antilles
Dutch (official), Papiamento (a
Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) predominates, English
widely spoken, Spanish

New Caledonia
French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

New Zealand
English (official), Maori (official)

Nicaragua
Spanish (official)
note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast

Niger
French (official), Hausa, Djerma

Nigeria
English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani

Niue
Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and
Samoan; English

Norfolk Island
English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century
English and ancient Tahitian

Northern Mariana Islands
English, Chamorro, Carolinian
note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home

Norway
Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official)
note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Oman
Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects

Pakistan
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%,
Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%,
English (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most
government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%

Palau
English and Palauan official in all states except Sonsoral
(Sonsoralese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are
official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official)

Panama
Spanish (official), English 14%
note: many Panamanians bilingual

Papua New Guinea
Melanesian Pidgin serves as the lingua franca,
English spoken by 1%-2%, Motu spoken in Papua region
note: 715 indigenous languages — many unrelated

Paraguay
Spanish (official), Guarani (official)

Peru
Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara, and a large
number of minor Amazonian languages

Philippines
two official languages - Filipino (based on Tagalog) and
English; eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocan, Hiligaynon
or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense

Pitcairn Islands
English (official), Pitcairnese (mixture of an 18th
century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)

Poland
Polish

Portugal
Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally
used)

Puerto Rico
Spanish, English

Qatar
Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language

Reunion
French (official), Creole widely used

Romania
Romanian (official), Hungarian, German

Russia
Russian, other

Rwanda
Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French
(official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in
commercial centers

Saint Helena
English

Saint Kitts and Nevis
English

Saint Lucia
English (official), French patois

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
French (official)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
English, French patois

Samoa
Samoan (Polynesian), English

San Marino
Italian

Sao Tome and Principe
Portuguese (official)

Saudi Arabia
Arabic

Senegal
French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka

Serbia and Montenegro
Serbian 95%, Albanian 5%

Seychelles
English (official), French (official), Creole

Sierra Leone
English (official, regular use limited to literate
minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne
(principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole,
spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled
in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10%
of the population but understood by 95%)

Singapore
Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil
(official), English (official)

Slovakia
Slovak (official), Hungarian

Slovenia
Slovenian 92%, Serbo-Croatian 6.2%, other 1.8%

Solomon Islands
Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua
franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the
population
note: 120 indigenous languages

Somalia
Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English

South Africa
11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English,
Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu

Spain
Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%
note: Castilian is the official language nationwide; the other
languages are official regionally

Sri Lanka
Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil
(national language) 18%, other 8%
note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken
competently by about 10% of the population

Sudan
Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of
Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English
note: program of "Arabization" in process

Suriname
Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo
(Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of
Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca
among others), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Svalbard
Norwegian, Russian

Swaziland
English (official, government business conducted in
English), siSwati (official)

Sweden
Swedish
note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Switzerland
German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%,
Italian (official) 7.6%, Romansch (official) 0.6%, other 8.9%

Syria
Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian
widely understood; French, English somewhat understood

Taiwan
Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects

Tajikistan
Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and
business

Tanzania
Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguju (name for Swahili
in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce,
administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in
Zanzibar), many local languages
note: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people
living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili
is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety
of sources, including Arabic and English, and it has become the
lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of
most people is one of the local languages

Thailand
Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and
regional dialects

Togo
French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina
(the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes
spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the
north)

Tokelau
Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English

Tonga
Tongan, English

Trinidad and Tobago
English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish,
Chinese

Tunisia
Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce),
French (commerce)

Turkey
Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic, Armenian, Greek

Turkmenistan
Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%

Turks and Caicos Islands
English (official)

Tuvalu
Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)

Uganda
English (official national language, taught in grade schools,
used in courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio
broadcasts), Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger-Congo
languages, preferred for native language publications in the capital
and may be taught in school), other Niger-Congo languages,
Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili, Arabic

Ukraine
Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian, Polish, Hungarian

United Arab Emirates
Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu

United Kingdom
English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of
Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)

United States
English, Spanish (spoken by a sizable minority)

Uruguay
Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on
the Brazilian frontier)

Uzbekistan
Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%

Vanuatu
three official languages: English, French, pidgin (known as
Bislama or Bichelama), plus more than 100 local languages

Venezuela
Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

Vietnam
Vietnamese (official), English (increasingly favored as a
second language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer; mountain area
languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)

Virgin Islands
English (official), Spanish, Creole

Wallis and Futuna
French, Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language)

West Bank
Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many
Palestinians), English (widely understood)

Western Sahara
Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic

World
Chinese, Mandarin 14.37%, Hindi 6.02%, English 5.61%, Spanish
5.59%, Bengali 3.4%, Portuguese 2.63%, Russian 2.75%, Japanese
2.06%, German, Standard 1.64%, Korean 1.28%, French 1.27% (2000 est.)
note: percents are for "first language" speakers only

Yemen
Arabic

Zambia
English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi,
Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages

Zimbabwe
English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the
Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal
dialects

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2100 Legal system

Afghanistan
according to the new constitution, no law should be
"contrary to Islam"; the state is obliged to create a prosperous and
progressive society based on social justice, protection of human
dignity, protection of human rights, realization of democracy, and
to ensure national unity and equality among all ethnic groups and
tribes; the state shall abide by the UN charter, international
treaties, international conventions that Afghanistan signed, and the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Akrotiri
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Albania
has a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International
Criminal Court for its citizens

Algeria
socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial review
of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of
various public officials, including several Supreme Court justices;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

American Samoa
NA

Andorra
based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review
of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Angola
based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law;
recently modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased
use of free markets

Anguilla
based on English common law

Antarctica
Antarctica is administered through meetings of the
consultative member nations; decisions from these meetings are
carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own
nationals and operations) in accordance with their own national
laws; US law, including certain criminal offenses by or against US
nationals, such as murder, may apply extra-territorially; some US
laws directly apply to Antarctica; for example, the Antarctic
Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. section 2401 et seq., provides civil and
criminal penalties for the following activities, unless authorized
by regulation of statute: the taking of native mammals or birds; the
introduction of nonindigenous plants and animals; entry into
specially protected areas; the discharge or disposal of pollutants;
and the importation into the US of certain items from Antarctica;
violation of the Antarctic Conservation Act carries penalties of up
to $10,000 in fines and one year in prison; the National Science
Foundation and Department of Justice share enforcement
responsibilities; Public Law 95-541, the US Antarctic Conservation
Act of 1978, as amended in 1996, requires expeditions from the US to
Antarctica to notify, in advance, the Office of Oceans, Room 5805,
Department of State, Washington, DC 20520, which reports such plans
to other nations as required by the Antarctic Treaty; for more
information, contact Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs,
National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone:
(703) 292-8030, or visit their website at www.nsf.gov

Antigua and Barbuda
based on English common law

Argentina
mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Armenia
based on civil law system

Aruba
based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law
influence

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
the laws of the Commonwealth of
Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where
applicable, apply

Australia
based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Austria
civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of
legislative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate
administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Azerbaijan
based on civil law system

Bahamas, The
based on English common law

Bahrain
based on Islamic law and English common law

Baker Island
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Bangladesh
based on English common law

Barbados
English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts

Bassas da India
the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Belarus
based on civil law system

Belgium
civil law system influenced by English constitutional
theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Belize
English law

Benin
based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Bermuda
English law

Bhutan
based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Bolivia
based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Bosnia and Herzegovina
based on civil law system

Botswana
based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial
review limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Bouvet Island
the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Brazil
based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

British Indian Ocean Territory
the laws of the UK, where applicable,
apply

British Virgin Islands
English law

Brunei
based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law
supersedes civil law in a number of areas

Bulgaria
civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Burkina Faso
based on French civil law system and customary law

Burma
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Burundi
based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Cambodia
primarily a civil law mixture of French-influenced codes
from the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC)
period, royal decrees, and acts of the legislature, with influences
of customary law and remnants of communist legal theory; increasing
influence of common law in recent years

Cameroon
based on French civil law system, with common law
influence; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Canada
based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil
law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Cape Verde
derived from the legal system of Portugal

Cayman Islands
British common law and local statutes

Central African Republic
based on French law

Chad
based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Chile
based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent
codes influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
note: Chile is in the process of completely overhauling its criminal
justice system; a new, US-style adversarial system is being
gradually implemented throughout the country with the final stage of
implementation in the Santiago metropolitan region expected in June
2005

China
a complex amalgam of custom and statute, largely criminal law;
rudimentary civil code in effect since 1 January 1987; new legal
codes in effect since 1 January 1980; continuing efforts are being
made to improve civil, administrative, criminal, and commercial law

Christmas Island
under the authority of the governor general of
Australia and Australian law

Clipperton Island
the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
based upon the laws of Australia and local
laws

Colombia
based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US
procedures was enacted in 1992-93; judicial review of executive and
legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations

Comoros
French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
based on Belgian civil law system
and tribal law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Congo, Republic of the
based on French civil law system and
customary law

Cook Islands
based on New Zealand law and English common law

Coral Sea Islands
the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

Costa Rica
based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Cote d'Ivoire
based on French civil law system and customary law;
judicial review in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Croatia
based on civil law system

Cuba
based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of
Communist legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Cyprus
based on common law, with civil law modifications

Czech Republic
civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to
bring it in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE) obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal
theory

Denmark
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Dhekelia
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Djibouti
based on French civil law system, traditional practices,
and Islamic law

Dominica
based on English common law

Dominican Republic
based on French civil codes; undergoing
modification in 2004 towards an accusatory system

East Timor
UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains
in place but will be replaced by civil and penal codes based on
Portuguese law (2004)

Ecuador
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Egypt
based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic
codes; judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State
(oversees validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

El Salvador
based on civil and Roman law, with traces of common law;
judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Equatorial Guinea
partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom

Eritrea
primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with
revisions; new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been
promulgated; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted
laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Sharia law

Estonia
based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative
acts

Ethiopia
currently transitional mix of national and regional courts

Europa Island
the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
English common law

Faroe Islands
Danish

Fiji
based on British system

Finland
civil law system based on Swedish law; the president may
request the Supreme Court to review laws; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

France
civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of
administrative but not legislative acts

French Guiana
French legal system

French Polynesia
based on French system

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
the laws of France, where
applicable, apply

Gabon
based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial
review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme
Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Gambia, The
based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law,
and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations

Georgia
based on civil law system

Germany
civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review
of legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Ghana
based on English common law and customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Gibraltar
English law

Glorioso Islands
the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Greece
based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil,
criminal, and administrative courts

Greenland
Danish

Grenada
based on English common law

Guadeloupe
French legal system

Guam
modeled on US; US federal laws apply

Guatemala
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Guernsey
English law and local statute; justice is administered by
the Royal Court

Guinea
based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree;
legal codes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Guinea-Bissau
NA

Guyana
based on English common law with certain admixtures of
Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Haiti
based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
the laws of Australia, where
applicable, apply

Holy See (Vatican City)
based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to
it

Honduras
rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing
influence of English common law; recent judicial reforms include
abandoning Napoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial
system; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Hong Kong
based on English common law

Howland Island
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Hungary
rule of law based on Western model

Iceland
civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

India
based on English common law; limited judicial review of
legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations

Indonesia
based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by
indigenous concepts and by new criminal procedures and election
codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Iran
the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government

Iraq
based on civil and Islamic law under the Iraqi Interim
Government (IG) and Transitional Administrative Law (TAL)

Ireland
based on English common law, substantially modified by
indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme
Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Israel
mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations,
and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal
systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that
it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Italy
based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials;
judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Jamaica
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Jan Mayen
the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Japan
modeled after European civil law system with English-American
influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Jarvis Island
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Jersey
English law and local statute; justice is administered by the
Royal Court

Johnston Atoll
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Jordan
based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of
legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Juan de Nova Island
the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Kazakhstan
based on civil law system

Kenya
based on Kenyan statutory law, Kenyan and English common law,
tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional
amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in
1991

Kingman Reef
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Kiribati
NA

Korea, North
based on German civil law system with Japanese
influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of
legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Korea, South
combines elements of continental European civil law
systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought

Kuwait
civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal
matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Kyrgyzstan
based on civil law system

Laos
based on traditional customs, French legal norms and
procedures, and socialist practice

Latvia
based on civil law system

Lebanon
mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and
civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Lesotho
based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial
review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Liberia
dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common
law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten
tribal practices for indigenous sector

Libya
based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate
religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of
legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Liechtenstein
local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Lithuania
based on civil law system; legislative acts can be
appealed to the constitutional court

Luxembourg
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Macau
based on Portuguese civil law system

Macedonia
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative
acts

Madagascar
based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy
law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Malawi
based on English common law and customary law; judicial
review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Malaysia
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative
acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the
federation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Maldives
based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law
primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Mali
based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial
review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which was
formally established on 9 March 1994); has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Malta
based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Man, Isle of
English common law and Manx statute

Marshall Islands
based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the
legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws

Martinique
French legal system

Mauritania
a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil
law

Mauritius
based on French civil law system with elements of English
common law in certain areas

Mayotte
French law

Mexico
mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system;
judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Micronesia, Federated States of based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws

Midway Islands
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Moldova
based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews
legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of
resolution; it is unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction but accepts many UN and Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents

Monaco
based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Mongolia
blend of Soviet, German, and US systems that combine
"continental" or "civil" code and case-precedent; constitution
ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Montserrat
English common law and statutory law

Morocco
based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law
system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional
Chamber of Supreme Court

Mozambique
based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law

Namibia
based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution

Nauru
acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law

Navassa Island
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Nepal
based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Netherlands
civil law system incorporating French penal theory;
constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States
General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Netherlands Antilles
based on Dutch civil law system with some
English common law influence

New Caledonia
the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy
to the islands; formerly under French law

New Zealand
based on English law, with special land legislation and
land courts for the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations

Nicaragua
civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative
acts

Niger
based on French civil law system and customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Nigeria
based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (only in
some northern states), and traditional law

Niue
English common law
note: Niue is self-governing, with the power to make its own laws

Norfolk Island
based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and
acts; English common law applies in matters not covered by either
Australian or Norfolk Island law

Northern Mariana Islands
based on US system, except for customs,
wages, immigration laws, and taxation

Norway
mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law
traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature
when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Oman
based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to
the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Pakistan
based on English common law with provisions to accommodate
Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Palau
based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature,
municipal, common, and customary laws

Palmyra Atoll
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Panama
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative
acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Papua New Guinea
based on English common law

Paraguay
based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes;
judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice

Peru
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Philippines
based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Pitcairn Islands
local island by-laws

Poland
mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover
Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part
of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of
legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are
final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of
Justice in Strasbourg

Portugal
civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the
constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Puerto Rico
based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal
system of justice

Qatar
discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although
civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and
personal matters

Reunion
French law

Romania
former mixture of civil law system and communist legal
theory; is now based on the constitution of France's Fifth Republic

Russia
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Rwanda
based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary
law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Saint Helena
NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
based on English common law

Saint Lucia
based on English common law

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
French law with special adaptations for
local conditions, such as housing and taxation

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
based on English common law

Samoa
based on English common law and local customs; judicial review
of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the
citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

San Marino
based on civil law system with Italian law influences;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Sao Tome and Principe
based on Portuguese legal system and customary
law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Saudi Arabia
based on Islamic law, several secular codes have been
introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Senegal
based on French civil law system; judicial review of
legislative acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State
audits the government's accounting office; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Serbia and Montenegro
based on civil law system

Seychelles
based on English common law, French civil law, and
customary law

Sierra Leone
based on English law and customary laws indigenous to
local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Singapore
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Slovakia
civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to comply
with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory

Slovenia
based on civil law system

Solomon Islands
English common law, which is widely disregarded

Somalia
no national system; Shari'a and secular courts are in some
localities

South Africa
based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
the laws of the UK,
where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland
Islands presides over the Magistrates Court

Spain
civil law system, with regional applications; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Sri Lanka
a highly complex mixture of English common law,
Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Sudan
based on English common law and Islamic law; as of 20 January
1991, the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Islamic
law in the northern states; Islamic law applies to all residents of
the northern states regardless of their religion; some separate
religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations

Suriname
based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal
theory

Svalbard
NA

Swaziland
based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts
and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Sweden
civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Switzerland
civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial
review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees
of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Syria
based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious
courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Taiwan
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Tajikistan
based on civil law system; no judicial review of
legislative acts

Tanzania
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative
acts limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Thailand
based on civil law system, with influences of common law;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Togo
French-based court system

Tokelau
New Zealand and local statutes

Tonga
based on English law

Trinidad and Tobago
based on English common law; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Tromelin Island
the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Tunisia
based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some
judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint
session

Turkey
civil law system derived from various European continental
legal systems; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations; note - member of the European Court of Human Rights
(ECHR), although Turkey claims limited derogations on the ratified
European Convention on Human Rights

Turkmenistan
based on civil law system

Turks and Caicos Islands
based on laws of England and Wales, with a
few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas

Tuvalu
NA

Uganda
in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one
based on English common law and customary law; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Ukraine
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative
acts

United Arab Emirates
federal court system introduced in 1971;
applies to all emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah,
which are not fully integrated into the federal system; all emirates
have secular courts to adjudicate criminal, civil, and commercial
matters and Islamic courts to review family and religious disputes

United Kingdom
common law tradition with early Roman and modern
continental influences; has judicial review of Acts of Parliament
under the Human Rights Act of 1998; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

United States
federal court system based on English common law; each
state has its own unique legal system, of which all but one
(Louisiana's) is based on English common law; judicial review of
legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with
reservations

Uruguay
based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Uzbekistan
evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent
judicial system

Vanuatu
unified system being created from former dual French and
British systems

Venezuela
based on organic laws as of July 1999; open, adversarial
court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Vietnam
based on communist legal theory and French civil law system

Virgin Islands
based on US laws

Wake Island
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Wallis and Futuna
French legal system

World
all members of the UN are parties to the statute that
established the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or World Court

Yemen
based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and
local tribal customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Zambia
based on English common law and customary law; judicial
review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Zimbabwe
mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2101 Legislative branch

Afghanistan
nonfunctioning as of January 2004; government is
empowered by the constitution to issue legislation by decree until
the new assembly is seated; under the new constitution, the
bicameral National Assembly will consist of the Wolesi Jirga or
House of People (no more than 249 seats), directly elected for a
five-year term, and the Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102
seats, one third elected from provincial councils for a four-year
term, one third elected from local district councils for a
three-year term, and one third presidential appointees for a
five-year term; the presidential appointees will include two
representatives of Kuchis and two representatives of the disabled;
half of the presidential appointees will be women)
note: on rare occasions the government may convene the Loya Jirga on
issues of independence, national sovereignty, and territorial
integrity; it can amend the provisions of the constitution and
prosecute the president; it is made up of members of the National
Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial and district councils
elections: scheduled for spring 2005

Albania
unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (140 seats;
100 are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote
for four-year terms)
elections: last held 24 June 2001 with subsequent rounds on 8 July,
22 July, 29 July, 19 August 2001 (next to be held July 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - PS 41.5%, PD and
coalition allies 36.8%, PDR 5.2%, PSD 3.6%, PBDNJ 2.6%, PASH (now
PAA) 2.6%, PAD 2.5%; seats by party - PS 73, PD and coalition allies
46, PDR 6, PSD 4, PBDNJ 3, PASH (now PAA) 3, PAD 3, independents 2;
note - seats by party as of January 2005: PS 65, PD and coalition
allies 46, LSI 9, PDR 6, PSD 3, PBDNJ 3, PASH (now PAA) 3, PAD 3,
PDS 1, independents 1

Algeria
bicameral Parliament consists of the National People's
Assembly or Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (389 seats - changed from
380 seats in the 2002 elections; members elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms) and the Council of Nations (Senate) (144
seats; one-third of the members appointed by the president,
two-thirds elected by indirect vote; members serve six-year terms;
the constitution requires half the council to be renewed every three
years)
elections: National People's Assembly - last held 30 May 2002 (next
to be held NA 2007); Council of Nations (Senate) - last held 30
December 2003 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: National People's Assembly - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - FLN 199, RND 48, Islah 43, MSP 38, PT
21, FNA 8, EnNahda 1, PRA 1, MEN 1, independents 29; Council of
Nations - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party NA

American Samoa
bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of
the House of Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by
popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains
Island; members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats;
members are elected from local chiefs and serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2002
(next to be held 2 November 2004); Senate - last held 7 November
2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - independents 18
note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US
House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2002 (next
to be held 2 November 2004); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA
(Democrat) reelected as delegate

Andorra
unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General
de las Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote,
14 from a single national constituency and 14 to represent each of
the 7 parishes; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held NA March-April
2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 46.1%, PSD 30%, PD
23.8%, other 0.1%; seats by party - PLA 15, PSD 6, PD 5, other 2

Angola
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220
seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held NA)
election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 54%, UNITA 34%,
others 12%; seats by party - MPLA 129, UNITA 70, PRS 6, FNLA 5, PLD
3, others 7

Anguilla
unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats total, 7 elected by
direct popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2 appointed; members
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 3 March 2000 (next to be held NA June 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
ANA 3, AUM 2, ADP 1, independent 1

Antigua and Barbuda
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate
(17-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of
Representatives (17 seats; members are elected by proportional
representation to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 23 March 2004 (next
to be held NA 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
ALP 4, UPP 12, contested 1; note - new election will decide the
contested seat

Argentina
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists
of the Senate (72 seats; members are elected by direct vote;
presently one-third of the members elected every two years to a
six-year term) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members are
elected by direct vote; one-half of the members elected every two
years to a four-year term)
elections: Senate - last held intermittently by province during the
2nd half of 2003 (next to be held NA 2005); Chamber of Deputies -
last held intermittently by province during the 2nd half of 2003
(next to be held NA 2005)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA;
seats by bloc or party - PJ 41, UCR 16, provincial parties 15;
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA; seats
by bloc or party - PJ 133, UCR 46, IF 23, ARI 11, Socialist 6,
other/provincial parties 38

Armenia
unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov
(131 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms; 75 members elected by party list, 56 by direct vote)
elections: last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held in the spring of
2007)
note: percent of vote by party - Republican Party 23.5%, Justice
Bloc 13.6%, Rule of Law 12.3%, ARF (Dashnak) 11.4%, National Unity
Party 8.8%, United Labor Party 5.7%; seats by party - Republican
Party 23, Justice Bloc 14, Rule of Law 12, ARF (Dashnak) 11,
National Unity 9, United Labor 6; note - seats by party change
frequently as deputies switch parties or announce themselves
independent

Aruba
unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by
direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 52.4%, AVP 26.7%,
PPA 9.6%, OLA 5.7%, Aliansa 3.5%, other 2.1%; seats by party - MEP
12, AVP 6, PPA 2, OLA 1

Australia
bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76
seats - 12 from each of the six states and two from each of the two
mainland territories; one-half of the members elected every three
years by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (150 seats - this is up from 148 seats in 2001
election; members elected by popular vote on the basis of
preferential representation to serve three-year terms; no state can
have fewer than five representatives)
elections: Senate - last held 9 October 2004 (next to be held not
later than June 2008); House of Representatives - last held 9
October 2004 (next to be held not later than November 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party (as of 1 July 2003) - Liberal Party-National Party coalition
34, Australian Labor Party 28, Australian Democrats 7, Green Party
2, One Nation Party 1, Country Liberal Party 1, Australian
Progressive Alliance 1, independent 2; House of Representatives -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal
Party-National Party coalition 86, Australian Labor Party 60,
Country Liberal Party 1, independent and other 3

Austria
bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of
Federal Council or Bundesrat (62 members; members represent each of
the states on the basis of population, but with each state having at
least three representatives; members serve a five- or six-year term)
and the National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected
by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: National Council - last held 24 November 2002 (next to be
held in the fall of 2006)
election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - OeVP
42.3%, SPOe 36.5%, FPOe 10.0%, Greens 9.5%; seats by party - OeVP
79, SPOe 69, FPOe 18, Greens 17

Azerbaijan
unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 4 November 2000 (next to be held NA November
2005)
note: 100 members of the current parliament were elected on the
basis of single mandate constituencies, while 25 were elected based
on proportional balloting; as a result of a 24 August 2002 national
referendum on changes to the constitution, all 125 members of the
next parliament will be elected from single mandate constituencies
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NAP and allies 108, APF "Reform" 6, CSP 3, PNIA 2, Musavat Party 2,
CPA 2, APF "Classic" 1, Compatriot Party 1
note: PNIA, Musavat, and APF "Classic" parties refused to take their
seats

Bahamas, The
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member
body appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime
minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the
House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote
to serve five-year terms); the government may dissolve the
parliament and call elections at any time
elections: last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%,
independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7, independents 4

Bahrain
bicameral Parliament consists of Shura Council (40 members
appointed by the King) and House of Deputies (40 members directly
elected to serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Deputies - last held 31 October 2002 (next
election to be held NA 2006)
election results: House of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - independents 21, Sunni Islamists 9, other 10
note: first elections since 7 December 1973; unicameral National
Assembly dissolved 26 August 1975; National Action Charter created
bicameral legislature on 23 December 2000; approved by referendum 14
February 2001; first legislative session of Parliament held on 25
December 2002

Bangladesh
unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300
seats elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies
(the constitutional amendment reserving 30 seats for women over and
above the 300 regular parliament seats expired in May 2001); members
serve five-year terms
elections: last held 1 October 2001 (next to be held before October
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliance
partners 47%, AL 40%; seats by party - BNP 195, AL 58, JI 17, JP
(Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 3, JP (Naziur) 4, other 9; note - the
election of October 2001 brought a majority BNP government aligned
with three other smaller parties - Jamaat-i-Islami, Islami Oikya
Jote, and Jatiya Party (Manzur)

Barbados
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body
appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (30
seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
elections: House of Assembly - last held 21 May 2003 (next to be
held by May 2008)
election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - BLP 23, DLP 7

Belarus
bicameral Parliament or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists of
the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats; 56
members elected by regional councils and 8 members appointed by the
president, all for 4-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives
or Palata Predstaviteliy (110 seats; members elected by universal
adult suffrage to serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held 18 March and 1 April 2001 and 17 and 31 October
2004 (bi-election will be held March 2005 to fill one unfilled seat
in the Palata Predstaviteliy); international observers widely
denounced the October 2004 elections as flawed and undemocratic,
based on massive government falsification; pro-Lukashenko candidates
won every seat, after many opposition candidates were disqualified
for technical reasons
election results: Soviet Respubliki - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - NA; Palata Pretsaviteley - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Belgium
bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in
Dutch, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by
popular vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year
terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van
Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants in
French (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on
the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 May 2003
(next to be held no later than May 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - SP.A-Spirit
15.5%, VLD 15.4%, CD & V 12.7%, PS 12.8%, MR 12.1%, VB 9.4%, CDH
5.6%; seats by party - SP.A-Spirit 7, VLD 7, CD & V 6, PS 6, MR 5,
VB 5, CDH 2, other 2 (note - there are also 31 indirectly elected
senators); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD
15.4%, SP.A-Spirit 14.9%, CD & V 13.3%, PS 13.0%, VB 11.6%, MR
11.4%, CDH 5.5%, Ecolo 3.1%; seats by party - VLD 25, SP.A-Spirit
23, CD & V 21, PS 25, VB 18, MR 24, CDH 8 Ecolo 4, other 2
note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered
devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of
government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a
complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six
governments each with its own legislative assembly; for other
acronyms of the listed parties see the Political parties and leaders
entry

Belize
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12
members appointed by the governor general - six on the advice of the
prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition,
and one each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and
Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce
and Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, and the National
Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee;
members are appointed for five-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (29 seats; members are elected by direct popular
vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 5 March 2003 (next
to be held NA March 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
PUP 21, UDP 8

Benin
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats;
members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 30 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
Presidential Movement 52, opposition (PRB, PRD, E'toile, and 5 other
small parties) 31

Bermuda
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member
body appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and
the House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote
to serve up to five-year terms)
elections: last general election held 24 July 2003 (next to be held
NA July 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 51.7%, UBP 48%;
seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14

Bhutan
unicameral National Assembly or Tshogdu (150 seats; 105
elected from village constituencies, 10 represent religious bodies,
and 35 are designated by the monarch to represent government and
other secular interests; members serve three-year terms)
elections: local elections last held November 2002 (next to be held
NA 2005)
election results: NA

Bolivia
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of
Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members are
elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve
five-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130
seats; 68 are directly elected from their districts and 62 are
elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve
five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held
30 June 2002 (next to be held NA June 2007)
election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - MNR 11, MAS 8, MIR 5, NFR 2, other 1; Chamber
of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MNR
36, MAS 27, MIR 26, NFR 25, others 16

Bosnia and Herzegovina
bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina
consists of the National House of Representatives or Predstavnicki
Dom (42 seats - elected by proportional representation, 28 seats
allocated from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 seats
from the Republika Srpska; members elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms) and the House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15 seats -
5 Bosniak, 5 Croat, 5 Serb; members elected by the Bosniak/Croat
Federation's House of Representatives and the Republika Srpska's
National Assembly to serve four-year terms); note - Bosnia's
election law specifies four-year terms for the state and first-order
administrative division entity legislatures
elections: National House of Representatives - elections last held 5
October 2002 (next to be held in NA 2006); House of Peoples - last
constituted NA January 2003 (next to be constituted in 2007)
election results: National House of Representatives - percent of
vote by party/coalition - SDA 21.9%, SDS 14.0%, SBiH 10.5%, SDP
10.4%, SNSD 9.8%, HDZ 9.5%, PDP 4.6%, others 19.3%; seats by
party/coalition - SDA 10, SDS 5, SBiH 6, SDP 4, SNSD 3, HDZ 5, PDP
2, others 7; House of Peoples - percent of vote by party/coalition -
NA; seats by party/coalition - NA
note: the Bosniak/Croat Federation has a bicameral legislature that
consists of a House of Representatives (98 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 5
October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006); percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party/coalition - SDA 32, HDZ-BiH 16, SDP 15,
SBiH 15, other 20; and a House of Peoples (60 seats - 30 Bosniak, 30
Croat); last constituted December 2002; the Republika Srpska has a
National Assembly (83 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms); elections last held 5 October 2002 (next to
be held in the fall of 2006); percent of vote by party - NA; seats
by party/coalition - SDS 26, SNSD 19, PDP 9, SDA 6, SRS 4, SPRS 3,
DNZ 3, SBiH 4, SDP 3, others 6; as a result of the 2002
constitutional reform process, a 28-member Republika Srpska Council
of Peoples (COP) was established in the Republika Srpska National
Assembly; each constituent nation and "others" will have eight
delegates

Botswana
bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a
largely advisory 15-member body consisting of the chiefs of the
eight principal tribes, four elected subchiefs, and three members
selected by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (44
seats, 40 members are directly elected by popular vote and 4 are
appointed by the majority party; members serve five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly elections last held 30 October 2004
(next to be held NA October 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
BDP 44, BNF 12, BCP 1

Brazil
bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of
the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; three members from
each state and federal district elected according to the principle
of majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third elected after a
four-year period, two-thirds elected after the next four-year
period) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513
seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve
four-year terms)
elections: Federal Senate - last held 6 October 2002 for two-thirds
of the Senate (next to be held NA October 2006 for one-third of the
Senate); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 October 2002 (next to be
held NA October 2006)
election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party PMBD 19, PFL 19, PT 14, PSDB 11, PDT 5, PSB 4, PL 3,
PTB 3, PPS 1, PSD 1, PP 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - PT 91, PFL 84, PMDB 74, PSDB 71, PP
49, PL 26, PTB 26, PSB 22, PDT 21, PPS 15, PCdoB 12, PRONA 6, PV 5,
other 11; note - many congressmen have changed party affiliation
since the most recent election

British Virgin Islands
unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats;
members are elected by direct popular vote, one member from each of
9 electoral districts, four at-large members; members serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 16 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NDP 8, VIP 5

Brunei
Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first time
in 20 years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; passed
constitutional amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15
elected members
elections: last held in March 1962; date of next election NA

Bulgaria
unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 June 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NMS2 42.74%, UDF
18.18%, CfB 17.15%, MRF 7.45%; seats by party - NMS2 120, UDF 51,
CfB 48, MRF 21; note - seating as of January 2005 - NMS2 98, CfB 49,
UtDF 28, MRF 20, UDF 14, New Time 13, BANU 11, independents 7

Burkina Faso
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
(111 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
elections: National Assembly election last held 5 May 2002 (next to
be held NA May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
CDP 57, RDA-ADF 17, PDP/PS 10, CFD 5, PAI 5, others 17

Burma
unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw (485 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never allowed by
junta to convene
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
NLD 392 (opposition), SNLD 23 (opposition), NUP 10 (pro-government),
other 60

Burundi
bicameral, consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale (expanded from 121 to approximately 140 seats under the
transitional government inaugurated 1 November 2001; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and a Senate (54
seats; term length is undefined, the current senators will likely
serve out the three-year transition period)
elections: last held 29 June 1993 (next was scheduled to be held in
1998, but was suspended by presidential decree in 1996; elections
are planned to follow the completion of the three-year transitional
government)
election results: percent of vote by party - FRODEBU 71.04%, UPRONA
21.4%, other 7.56%; seats by party - FRODEBU 65, UPRONA 16,
civilians 27, other parties 13

Cambodia
bicameral consists of the National Assembly (123 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the
Senate (61 seats; two members appointed by the monarch, two elected
by the National Assembly, and 57 elected by "functional
constituencies"; members serve five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly - last held 27 July 2003 (next to be
held in July 2008); Senate - last held 2 March 1999 (scheduled to be
held in 2004 but delayed)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP
47%, SRP 22%, FUNCINPEC 21%, other 10%; seats by party - CPP 73,
FUNCINPEC 26, SRP 24; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats
by party - CPP 31, FUNCINPEC 21, SRP 7, other 2 (July 2003)

Cameroon
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180
seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year
terms; note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term
of the legislature)
elections: last held 23 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
RDCP 133, SDF 21, UDC 5, other 21
note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the
legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established

Canada
bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or
Senat (members appointed by the governor general with the advice of
the prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age; its
normal limit is 105 senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre
des Communes (308 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to
serve for up to five-year terms)
elections: House of Commons - last held 28 June 2004 (next to be
held by NA 2009)
election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -
Liberal Party 36.7%, Conservative Party 29.6%, New Democratic Party
15.7%, Bloc Quebecois 12.4%, Greens 4.3%, independents 0.4%, other
0.9%; seats by party - Liberal Party 134, Conservative Party 99,
Bloc Quebecois 54, New Democratic Party 19, independent 2

Cape Verde
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA December
2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 47.3%, MPD 39.8%,
ADM 6%, other 6.9%; seats by party - PAICV 40, MPD 30, ADM 2

Cayman Islands
unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, three
appointed members from the Executive Council and 15 elected by
popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 8 November 2000 (next to be held 17 November
2004)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - NA

Central African Republic
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale (109 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms; note - there were 85 seats in the National Assembly
before the 1998 election)
elections: last held 22-23 November and 13 December 1998 (next to be
held NA 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - MLPC 43%, RDC 18%, MDD
9%, FPP 6%, PSD 5%, ADP 4%, PUN 3%, FODEM 2%, PLD 2%, UPR 1%, FC 1%,
independents 6%; seats by party - MLPC 47, RDC 20, MDD 8, FPP 7, PSD
6, ADP 5, PUN 3, FODEM 2, PLD 2, UPR 1, FC 1, independents 7

Chad
bicameral according to constitution, consists of a National
Assembly (155 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms) and a Senate (not yet created and size unspecified,
members to serve six-year terms, one-third of membership renewable
every two years)
elections: National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002 (next to be
held in NA April 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, URD 5, UNDR 3, others 11

Chile
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of
the Senate or Senado (48 seats, 38 elected by popular vote, 9
designated members, and 1 former president who has served a full
six-year term and is senator for life); elected members serve
eight-year terms (one-half elected every four years) and the Chamber
of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are elected
by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA
December 2005); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 December 2001
(next to be held NA December 2005)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - CPD 20 (PDC 12, PS 5, PPD 3), APC 16 (UDI 9, RN 7),
independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - CPD 62 (PDC 24, PPD 21, PS 11, PRSD 6), UDI 35, RN
22, independent 1

China
unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin
Daibiao Dahui (2,985 seats; members elected by municipal, regional,
and provincial people's congresses to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held December 2002-February 2003 (next to be held
late 2007-February 2008)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - NA

Christmas Island
unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for
election; last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2005)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire
Council (7 seats)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for
election; last held NA

Colombia
bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or
Senado (102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de
Representantes (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held NA
March 2006); House of Representatives - last held 10 March 2002
(next to be held NA March 2006)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PL 28, PSC 13, independents and smaller parties (many
aligned with conservatives) 61; House of Representatives - percent
of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL 54, PSC 21, independents
and other parties 91

Comoros
unicameral Assembly of the Union (30 seats; half the
deputies are selected by the individual islands' local assemblies
and the other half by universal suffrage; deputies serve for five
years); note - elections for the former legislature, the Federal
Assembly (dissolved in 1999) were held on 1 and 8 December 1996; the
next elections for the Assembly of the Union were scheduled to be
held on 18 and 25 April 2004

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
a 300-member Transitional
Constituent Assembly established in August 2000
elections: NA; members of the Transitional Constituent Assembly were
appointed by former President Laurent Desire KABILA

Congo, Republic of the
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate
(66 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms) and the National Assembly (137 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 11 July 2002 (next to be held NA July
2007); National Assembly - last held 27 May and 26 June 2002 (next
to be held by NA May 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - FDP 56, other 10; National Assembly - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - FDP 83, UDR 6, UPADS 3, other 45

Cook Islands
unicameral Parliament (25 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 7 September 2004 (next to be held by 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
CIP 10, DAP 9, Demo Tumu 4, independent 1; note - one seat undecided
pending by-election
note: the House of Ariki (chiefs) advises on traditional matters and
maintains considerable influence, but has no legislative powers

Costa Rica
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa
(57 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 3 February 2002 (next to be held 3 February
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
PUSC 19, PLN 17, PAC 14, PML 6, PRC 1; note - seats by party as of
January 2005 - PUSC 19, PLN 16, PAC 8, PML 5, PRC 1, Patriotic Union
3, Homeland First 1, Authentic Member from Heredia 1, Democratic
National Alliance 1, independent 2

Cote d'Ivoire
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
(225 seats; members are elected in single- and multi-district
elections by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: elections last held 10 December 2000 with by-elections on
14 January 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2
note: a Senate is scheduled to be created in the next full election
in 2005

Croatia
unicameral Assembly or Sabor (152 seats; note - one seat was
added in the November 2003 parliamentary elections; members elected
from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Assembly - last held 23 November 2003 (next to be held in
2007)
election results: Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; number
of seats by party - HDZ 66, SDP 34, HSS 10, HNS 10, HSP 8, IDS 4,
Libra 3, HSU 3, SDSS 3, other 11
note: minority government coalition - HDZ, DC, HSLS, HSU, SDSS

Cuba
unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea
Nacional del Poder Popular (609 seats, elected directly from slates
approved by special candidacy commissions; members serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 19 January 2003 (next to be held in NA 2008)
election results: percent of vote - PCC 97.6%; seats - PCC 609

Cyprus
unicameral - Republic of Cyprus: House of Representatives or
Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the Greek Cypriots, 24
to Turkish Cypriots; note - only those assigned to Greek Cypriots
are filled; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms); north Cyprus: Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi
(50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
elections: Republic of Cyprus: last held 27 May 2001 (next to be
held May 2006); north Cyprus: last held 14 December 2003 (next to be
held early 2005 because the government resigned)
election results: Republic of Cyprus: House of Representatives -
percent of vote by party - AKEL 34.71%, DISY 34%, DIKO 14.84%, KISOS
6.51%, others 9.94%; seats by party - AKEL (Communist) 20, DISY 19,
DIKO 9, KISOS 4, others 4; north Cyprus: Assembly of the Republic -
percent of vote by party - CTP 35.8%, UBP 32.3%, Peace and
Democratic Movement 13.4%, DP 12.3%; seats by party - CTP 19, UBP
18, Peace and Democratic Movement 6, DP 7

Czech Republic
bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the
Senate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the
Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held in two rounds 5-6 November and 12-13
November 2004 (next to be held NA November 2006); Chamber of
Deputies - last held 14-15 June 2002 (next to be held by NA June
2006)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - ODS 26, KDU-CSL 15, Open Democracy 15, CSSD 9, Caucus
"Independent" 5, US-DEU 1, European Democrats 1, Greens 1, KSCM 1,
independents 7; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party -
CSSD 30.2%, ODS 24.5%, KSCM 18.5%, KDU-CSL & US-DEU coalition 14.3%,
other minor 12.5%; seats by party - CSSD 70, ODS 58, KSCM 41,
KDU-CSL 21, US-DEU 10

Denmark
unicameral Parliament or Folketing (179 seats, including 2
from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members are elected by
popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 November 2001 (next to be held 8 February
2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 31%,
Social Democrats 29%, Danish People's Party 12%, Conservative Party
9%, Socialist People's Party 6%, Social Liberal Party 5%, Christian
People's Party (now Christian Democrats) 2%, Unity List 2%; seats by
party - Liberal Party 56, Social Democrats 52, Danish People's Party
22, Conservative Party 16, Socialist People's Party 12, Social
Liberal Party 9, Christian People's Party (now Christian Democrats)
4, Unity List 4; note - does not include the 2 seats from Greenland
and the 2 seats from the Faroe Islands

Djibouti
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65
seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: last held 10 January 2003 (next to be held NA January
2008)
election results: percent of vote - RPP 62.2%, FRUD 36.9%; seats -
RPP 65, FRUD 0; note - RPP (the ruling party) dominated the election

Dominica
unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed
senators, 21 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 31 January 2000 (next to be held by 17 July
2005); note - tradition dictates that the election will be held
within five years of the last election, but technically it is five
years from the first seating of parliament (17 April 2000) plus a 90
day grace period
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
DLP 10, UWP 9, DFP 2

Dominican Republic
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional
consists of the Senate or Senado (32 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies
or Camara de Diputados (150 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held NA May
2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held
NA May 2006)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PRD 29, PLD 2, PRSC 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 73, PLD 41, PRSC 36

East Timor
unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary,
minimum requirement of 52 and a maximum of 65 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - for its first term
of office, the National Parliament is comprised of 88 members on an
exceptional basis
elections: (next to be held August 2006); direct elections for
national parliament were never held; elected delegates to the
national convention named themselves legislators instead of having
elections; hence the exceptional numbers for this term of the
national parliament.
election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 57.37%, PD
8.72%, PSD 8.18%, ASDT 7.84%, UDT 2.36%, PNT 2.21%, KOTA 2.13%, PPT
2.01%, PDC 1.98%, PST 1.78%, independents/other 5.42%; seats by
party - FRETILIN 55, PD 7, PSD 6, ASDT 6, PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT
2, PPT 2, UDC/PDC 1, PST 1, PL 1, independent 1

Ecuador
unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100
seats; members are popularly elected by province to serve four-year
terms)
elections: last held 20 October 2002 (next to be held NA October
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
PSC 25, PRE 15, ID 16, PRIAN 10, PSP 9, Pachakutik Movement 6, MPD
5, DP 4, PS-FA 3, independents 7; note - defections by members of
National Congress are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in
the numbers of seats held by the various parties

Egypt
bicameral system consists of the People's Assembly or Majlis
al-Sha'b (454 seats; 444 elected by popular vote, 10 appointed by
the president; members serve five-year terms) and the Advisory
Council or Majlis al-Shura - which functions only in a consultative
role (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by the
president; members serve six-year terms)
elections: People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 19
October, 29 October, 8 November 2000 (next to be held NA
October-November 2005); Advisory Council - last held May-June 2004
(next to be held May-June 2007)
election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - NA; Advisory Council - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - NA

El Salvador
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa
(84 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
three-year terms)
elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
FMLN 31, ARENA 28, PCN 15, PDC 5, CD 5

Equatorial Guinea
unicameral House of People's Representatives or
Camara de Representantes del Pueblo (80 seats; members directly
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 7 March 1999 (next to be held 24 April 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - PDGE 80%, UP 6%, CPDS
5%; seats by party - PDGE 75, UP 4 and CPDS 1
note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests all
executive authority in the president

Eritrea
unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; term limits not
established)
elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new
constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old
Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member
Constituent Assembly, that had been established in 1997 to discuss
and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans
living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to
serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections
to a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of
the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution
stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the
National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible
voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were
postponed indefinitely

Estonia
unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 2 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - Center Party 25.4%, Res
Publica 24.6%, Reform Party 17.7%, Estonian People's Union 13%, Pro
Patria Union (Fatherland League) 7.3% People's Party Moodukad 7%;
seats by party - Center Party 28, Res Publica 28, Reform Party 19,
Estonian People's Union 13, Pro Patria Union 7, People's Party
Moodukad 6

Ethiopia
bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation or
upper chamber (108 seats; members are chosen by state assemblies to
serve five-year terms) and the House of People's Representatives or
lower chamber (548 seats; members are directly elected by popular
vote from single-member districts to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2005)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - OPDO 177,
ANDM 134, TPLF 38, WGGPDO 27, EPRDF 19, SPDO 18, GNDM 15, KSPDO 10,
ANDP 8, GPRDF 7, SOPDM 7, BGPDUF 6, BMPDO 5, KAT 4, other regional
political groupings 22, independents 8; note - 43 seats unconfirmed
note: irregularities and violence at some polling stations
necessitated the rescheduling of voting in certain constituencies;
voting postponed in Somali regional state because of severe drought

European Union
Council of the European Union (25 member-state
ministers having 321 votes; the number of votes is roughly
proportional to member-states' population); note - the Council is
the main decision-making body of the EU; European Parliament (732
seats; seats allocated among member states by proportion to
population); members elected by direct universal suffrage for a
five-year term
elections: last held 10-13 June 2004 (next to be held June 2009)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - EPP-ED
268, PES 202, ALDE 88, Greens/EFA 42, EUL/NGL 41, IND/DEM 36, UEN
27, independents 28

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
unicameral Legislative Council (10
seats - 2 ex officio, 8 elected by popular vote, members serve
four-year terms); presided over by the governor
elections: last held 22 November 2001 (next to be held NA November
2005)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 8; note
- 71% voter turnout

Faroe Islands
unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (32 seats;
members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the
seven constituencies to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than
January 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 23.7%,
Social Democrats 21.8%, Republican Party 21.7%, People's Party
20.6%, Center Party 5.2%, Independence Party 4.6%; seats by party -
Union Party 7, Social Democrats 7, Republican Party 8, People's
Party 7, Center Party 2, Independence Party 1
note: election of 2 seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on
20 November 2001 (next to be held 8 February 2005); results -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 1,
Union Party 1

Fiji
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (34 seats; 24
appointed by the President on the advice of the Great Council of
Chiefs, nine appointed by the president, and one appointed by the
council of Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71 seats; 23
reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic Indians, three
reserved for other ethnic groups, one reserved for the council of
Rotuma constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji, and 25 open
seats; members serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 25 August through 1
September, 19 September 2001 (next to be held not later than
September 2006)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - FLP 26.5%, SDL 27.5%, NFP 1.2%, MV 4.2%, NLUP 1.3%, UGP .3%,
independents 1.4%; seats by party - FLP 27, SDL 32, MV 6, NFP 1,
NLUP 2, UGP 1, independents 2

Finland
unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are
elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year
terms)
elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - Kesk 24.7%, SDP 24.5%,
Kok 18.5%, VAS 9.9%, VIHR 8%, KD 5.3%, SFP 4.6%; seats by party -
Kesk 55, SDP 53, Kok 40, VAS 19, VIHR 14, KD 7, SFP 8, others 4

France
bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or
Senat (321 seats - 296 for metropolitan France, 13 for overseas
departments and territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad;
members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve
nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years); note -
between now and 2010, 25 new seats will be added to the Senate for a
total of 346 seats - 326 for metropolitan France and overseas
departments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre
and Miquelon, 3 for overseas territories, and 12 for French
nationals abroad; members will be indirectly elected by an electoral
college to serve six-year terms, with one-half the seats being
renewed every three years; and the National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale (577 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a
single-member majoritarian system to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held
September 2007); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002 (next
to be held not later than June 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - UMP 156, PS 97, UDF 33, PCF 23, RDSE 15, other 7; National
Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 355,
PS 140, UDF 29, PCF 21, Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22

French Guiana
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be
held NA 2006); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to
be held NA 2004)
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7,
other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%,
various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari
Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6,
independents 3, Walwari Committee 2
note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998
(next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French
National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007);
results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1,
Walwari Committee 1

French Polynesia
unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee
Territoriale (57 seats - changed from 49 seats for May 2004
election; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held NA May 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Union for Democracy
27, New Star 1, This Country is Yours 1
note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on NA September 1998
(next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the
French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA
2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1

Gabon
bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats;
members elected by members of municipal councils and departmental
assemblies) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120
seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly - last held 9 and 23 December 2001
(next to be held NA December 2006); Senate - last held 26 January
and 9 February 2003 (next to be held by January 2009)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - PDG 86, RNB-RPG 8, PGP 3, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PUP 1,
PSD 1, independents 13, others 3; Senate - percent of vote by party
- NA; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, CLR 1,
independents 9

Gambia, The
unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 elected by
popular vote, five appointed by the president; members serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 17 January 2002 (next to be held NA January
2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
APRC 45, PDOIS 2, NRP 1,

Georgia
unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as
Parliament) or Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats - 150 elected by party
lists); members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held spring 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - National
Movement-Democrats 67.6%, Rightist Opposition 7.6%, all other
parties received less than 7% each; seats by party - National
Movement-Democrats 135, Rightist Opposition 15

Germany
bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Federal
Assembly or Bundestag (603 seats; elected by popular vote under a
system combining direct and proportional representation; a party
must win 5% of the national vote or three direct mandates to gain
representation; members serve four-year terms) and the Federal
Council or Bundesrat (69 votes; state governments are directly
represented by votes; each has 3 to 6 votes depending on population
and are required to vote as a block)
elections: Federal Assembly - last held 22 September 2002 (next to
be held NA September 2006); note - there are no elections for the
Bundesrat; composition is determined by the composition of the
state-level governments; the composition of the Bundesrat has the
potential to change any time one of the 16 states holds an election
election results: Federal Assembly - percent of vote by party - SPD
38.5%, CDU/CSU 38.5%, Alliance '90/Greens 8.6%, FDP 7.4%, PDS 4%;
seats by party - SPD 251, CDU/CSU 248, Alliance '90/Greens 55, FDP
47, PDS 2; Federal Council - current composition - NA

Ghana
unicameral Parliament (230 seats; note - increased from 200
seats in last election; members are elected by direct, popular vote
to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held December 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
NPP 128, NDC 92, other 10

Gibraltar
unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats - 15 elected by
popular vote, one appointed for the Speaker, and two ex officio
members; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 November 2003 (next to be held not later
than February 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%;
seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7

Greece
unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats;
members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: elections last held 7 March 2004 (next to be held by
March 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - ND 45.4%, PASOK 40.6%,
KKE 5.9%, Synaspismos 3.3%; seats by party - ND 165, PASOK 117, KKE
12, Synaspismos 6

Greenland
unicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; members
are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional
representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 3 December 2002 (next to be held by NA
December 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 28.7%, Inuit
Ataqatigiit 25.5%, Atassut Party 20.4%, Demokratiit 15.6%,
Katusseqatigiit 5.3%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Inuit Ataqatigiit
8, Atassut 7, Demokratiit 5, Katusseqatigiit 1
note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or
Folketing on 20 November 2001 (next to be held 8 February 2005);
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit
Ataqatigiit 1

Grenada
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 13-member
body, 10 appointed by the government and three by the leader of the
opposition) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 27 November 2003 (next to be held by NA
November 2008)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - NNP 8, NDC 7

Guadeloupe
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (42 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the
unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held 22 March 1998 (next to be
held by NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 28 March 2004 (next
to be held NA 2010)
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - left-wing candidates 11, PS 8, RPR 8, PPDG 6,
right-wing candidates 5, PCG 3, UDF 1; Regional Council (second
round) - percent of vote by party - PS 58.4%, UMP 41.6%; seats by
party - PS 29, UMP 12
note: Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate;
elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September
2004); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 1, FGPS
1; Guadeloupe elects four representatives to the French National
Assembly; elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held
NA 2007); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 2, PS
1, different right parties 1

Guam
unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November
2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
Democratic Party 9, Republican Party 6
note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of
Representatives; election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held
2 November 2004); results - Madeleine BORDALLO (Democratic Party)
was elected as delegate; percent of vote by party - Democratic Party
64.6%, Republican Party 35.4%; seats by party - Democratic Party 1

Guatemala
unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la
Republica (158 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 9 November 2003 (next to be held NA November
2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
GANA 49, FRG 41, UNE 33, PAN 17, other 18
note: for the 9 November 2003 election, the number of congressional
seats increased from 113 to 158

Guernsey
unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members are
elected by popular vote for 4 years); note - Alderney and Sark have
their own parliaments
elections: last held 21 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2008)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents

Guinea
unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 30 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%,
other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9

Guinea-Bissau
unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia
Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve a maximum of four years); note - President YALA dissolved the
National People's Assembly in November 2002, elections for a new
legislature were scheduled to fall in February 2003 but were then
postponed to April, then July, then September, and were last
scheduled to occur in March 2004
elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAIGC 31.5%, PRS 24.8%,
PUSD 16.1%, UE 4.1%, APU 1.3%, 13 other parties 22.2% ; seats by
party - PAIGC 45, PRS 35, PUSD 17, UE 2, APU 1

Guyana
unicameral National Assembly (68 seats, 65 elected by popular
vote, 1 elected Speaker of the National Assembly, and 2 nonvoting
members appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 19 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
PPP/C 34, PNC 27, GAP and WPA 2, ROAR 1, TUF 1

Haiti
bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of
the Senate (27 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber
of Deputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms); note - the National Assembly stopped functioning
in January 2004 when the terms of all Deputies and two-thirds of
sitting Senators expired; no replacements have been elected; the
Prime Minister is currently ruling by decree
elections: Senate - last held for two-thirds of seats 21 May 2000
with runoffs on 9 July boycotted by the opposition; seven seats
still disputed; election for remaining one-third held on 26 November
2000 (next to be held in 2004); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21
May 2000 with runoffs on 30 July boycotted by the opposition; one
vacant seat rerun 26 November 2000 (next to be held in November 2005)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - FL 26, independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
by party - NA%; seats by party - FL 73, MOCHRENA 3, PLB 2, OPL 1,
vacant 1, other minor parties and independents 3

Holy See (Vatican City)
unicameral Pontifical Commission

Honduras
unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128
seats; members are elected proportionally to the number of votes
their party's presidential candidate receives to serve four-year
terms)
elections: last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held 27 November
2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
PN 61, PL 55, PUD 5, PDC 4, PINU-SD 3

Hong Kong
unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; in 2004
30 seats indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected
by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 12 September 2004 (next to be held in September
2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - pro-democracy group
62%; seats by party - (pro-Beijing 34) DAB 12, Liberal Party 10,
independents 11, FTU 1; (pro-democracy 25) independents 11,
Democratic Party 9, CTU 2, ADPL 1, Frontier Party 1, NWSC 1

Hungary
unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats;
members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional
and direct representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 and 21 April 2002 (next to be held NA April
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote
required for parliamentary representation in the first round) -
Fidesz/MDF 48.70%, MSzP 46.11%, SzDSz 4.92%, other 0.27%; seats by
party - Fidesz 164, MSzP 178, MDF 24, SzDSz 20

Iceland
unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party
33.7%, Social Democratic Alliance 31.0%, Progressive Party 17.7%,
Left-Green Alliance 8.8%, Liberal Party 7.4%; seats by party -
Independence Party 22, Social Democratic Alliance 20, Progressive
Party 12, Left-Green Alliance 5, Liberal Party 4

India
bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of
States or Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than 250
members, up to 12 of which are appointed by the president, the
remainder are chosen by the elected members of the state and
territorial assemblies; members serve six-year terms) and the
People's Assembly or Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 elected by popular
vote, 2 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
elections: People's Assembly - last held 20 April through 10 May
2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - INC 145, BJP 138, CPI(M) 43, SP 36, RJD 21, BSP 19,
DMK 16, SS 12, BJD 11, CPI 10, NCP 9, JDU 8, SAD 8, PMK 6, TDP 5,
TRS 5, JMM 5, LJSP 4, MDMK 4, independents 5, other 30

Indonesia
unicameral House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan
Rakyat (DPR) (550 seats; members serve five-year terms); House of
Regional Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Daerah or DPD),
constitutionally mandated role includes providing legislative input
to DPR on issues affecting regions; People's Consultative Assembly
(Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) has role in inaugurating and
impeaching President and in amending constitution; consists of
popularly-elected members in DPR and DPD; MPR does not formulate
national policy
elections: last held 5 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - Golkar 21.6%, PDI-P
18.5%, PKB 10.6%, PPP 8.2%, PD 7.5%, PKS 7.3%, PAN 6.4%, others
19.9%; seats by party - Golkar 128, PDI-P 109, PPP 58, PD 55, PAN
53, PKB 52, PKS 45, others 50
note: because of election rules, the number of seats won does not
always follow the number of votes received by parties

Iran
unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or
Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (290 seats, note - changed from 270 seats
with the 18 February 2000 election; members elected by popular vote
to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 February 2004 with a runoff held 7 May 2004
(next to be held February 2008)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party -
conservatives/Islamists 190, reformers 50, independents 43,
religious minorities 5, and 2 seats unaccounted for

Iraq
Iraqi Interim National Council formed in July 2004

Ireland
bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or
Seanad Eireann (60 seats - 49 elected by the universities and from
candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated
by the prime minister; members serve five-year terms) and the House
of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected
by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 16 and 17 July 2002 (next to be held
by July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 17 May 2002
(next to be held by May 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - Fianna Fail 30, Fine Gael 15, Labor Party 5, Progressive
Democrats 4, independents and others 6; House of Representatives -
percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.5%, Fine Gael 22.5%, Labor
Party 10.8%, Sinn Fein 6.5%, Progressive Democrats 4.0%, Green Party
3.8%, others 10.9%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 81, Fine Gael 31,
Labor Party 21, Progressive Democrats 8, Green Party 6, Sinn Fein 5,
others 14

Israel
unicameral Knesset or parliament (120 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 28 January 2003 (next scheduled to be held fall
of 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - Likud Party 29.4%,
Labor 14.5%, Shinui 12.3%, Shas 8.2%, National Union 5.5%, Meretz
5.2%, United Torah Judaism 4.3%, National Religious Party 4.2%,
Democratic Front for Peace and Equality 3.0%, One Nation 2.8%,
National Democratic Assembly 2.3%, Yisra'el Ba'Aliya (YBA) 2.2%,
United Arab List 2.1%, Green Leaf Party 1.2%, Herut 1.2%, other
1.6%; seats by party - Likud 38, Labor 19, Shinui 15, Shas 11,
National Union 7, Meretz 6, National Religious Party 6, United Torah
Judaism 5, Democratic Front for Peace and Equality 3, One Nation 3,
National Democratic Assembly 3, YBA 2, United Arab List 2

Italy
bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or
Senato della Repubblica (315 seats elected by popular vote of which
232 are directly elected and 83 are elected by regional proportional
representation; in addition, there are a small number of
senators-for-life including former presidents of the republic;
members serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera
dei Deputati (630 seats; 475 are directly elected, 155 by regional
proportional representation; members serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held 2006);
Chamber of Deputies - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held May
2006)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - House of Liberties 172 (Forza Italia 77, National Alliance
47, UDC 31, Lega Padana 17), Olive Tree 108 (Democrats of the Left
63, Daisy Alliance 35, Greens 10), Per le Autonomie 10, other 25;
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party
- House of Liberties 337 (Forza Italia 176, National Alliance 97,
UDC 36, Northern League 28), Olive Tree 214 (Democrats of the Left
135, Daisy Alliance 79), Rifondazione Communista 11, other 68

Jamaica
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member
body appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the
prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is
allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated eight seats) and
the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 16 October 2002 (next to be held in October
2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - PNP 52%, JLP 47.3%;
seats by party - PNP 34, JLP 26

Japan
bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors
or Sangi-in (242 seats - members elected for six-year terms; half
reelected every three years; 144 members in multi-seat
constituencies and 98 by proportional representation); House of
Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - members elected for
four-year terms; 300 in single-seat constituencies; 180 members by
proportional representation in 11 regional blocs)
elections: House of Councillors - last held 11 July 2004 (next to be
held in July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 9 November
2003 (next election by November 2007)
election results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - LDP 115, DPJ 82, Komeito 24, JCP 9, SDP 5,
others 7; distribution of seats as of October 2004 - LDP 114, DPJ
84, Komeito 24, JCP 9, SDP 5, others 6
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - LDP 49.38%,
DPJ 36.88%, Komeito 7.09%, JCP 1.88%, SDP 1.25%, NCP .84%; seats by
party - LDP 237, DPJ 177, Komeito 34, JCP 9, SDP 6, NCP 4, others
13; distribution of seats as of December 2004: LDP 249, DPJ 177,
Komeito 34, JCP 9, SDP 6, others 3, vacant 2
note: Liberal Party merged with Democratic Party of Japan in
September 2003; Conservative New Party merged with Liberal
Democratic Party following election in November 2003 (2004)

Jersey
unicameral Assembly of the States (55 voting members - 12
senators (elected for 6-year terms), 12 constables or heads of
parishes (elected for 3-year terms), 29 deputies (elected for 3-year
terms); the bailiff and the deputy bailiff; and 3 non-voting members
- the Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor
General all appointed by the monarch)
elections: last held NA (next to be held NA)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 52

Jordan
bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of
the Senate, also called the House of Notables (Majlis al-Ayan) (55
seats; members appointed by the monarch from designated categories
of public figures; members serve four-year terms) and the House of
Representatives, also called the House of Deputies (Majlis
al-Nuwaab) (110 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis
of proportional representation to serve four-year terms; note - six
seats are reserved for women and are allocated by a special
electoral panel if no women are elected)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 17 June 2003 (next
to be held NA 2007)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - independents and others 89.6%, Islamic Action Front 10.4%;
seats by party - independents and others 92, Islamic Action Front
18; note - one of the six quota seats was given to a female IAF
candidate
note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved
by the monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989, the first
parliamentary elections in 22 years were held; political parties
were not legalized until 1992; King ABDALLAH delayed the 2001
elections until 2003

Kazakhstan
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (39 seats; 7
senators are appointed by the president; other members are popularly
elected, two from each of the 14 oblasts, the capital of Astana, and
the city of Almaty, to serve six-year terms; note - formerly
composed of 47 seats) and the Majilis (77 seats; 10 out of the 77
Majilis members are elected from the winning party's lists; members
are popularly elected to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - (indirect) last held 17 September 1999 (next to
be held December 2005); Majilis - last held 19 September and 3
October 2004 (next to be held September 2009)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - NA; candidates nominated by local councils; Majilis -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Otan 42, AIST 11,
ASAR (All Together) 4, Ak Zhol (Bright Path) 1, Democratic Party 1,
independent 18; note - most independent candidates are affiliated
with parastatal enterprises and other pro-government institutions

Kenya
unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (224 seats; 210 members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, 12 so-called
"nominated" members who are appointed by the president but selected
by the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals, 2
ex-officio members)
elections: last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held by early 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NARC 125, KANU 64, FORD-P 14, other 7; ex-officio 2; seats appointed
by the president - NARC 7, KANU 4, FORD-P 1

Kiribati
unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (42
seats; 39 elected by popular vote, one ex officio member - the
attorney general, one appointed to represent Banaba, and one other;
members serve four-year terms)
elections: first round elections last held 29 November 2002; second
round elections held 6 December 2002 (next to be held by November
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
BTK 17, MTM 16, independents 7, other 2 (includes attorney general)
note: new legislative elections were held in two rounds - the first
round on 9 May 2003 and the second round on 14 May 2003

Korea, North
unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin
Hoeui (687 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 3 August 2003 (next to be held in August 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NA; the KWP approves a list of candidates who are elected without
opposition; some seats are held by minor parties

Korea, South
unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats —
members elected for four-year terms; 243 in single-seat
constituencies, 56 by proportional representation
elections: last held 15 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2008;
by-elections scheduled for April 2005))
election results: percent of vote by party - Uri 51%, GNP 41%, DLP
3%, MDP 3%, others 2%; seats by party - Uri 152, GNP 121, DLP 10,
MDP 9, others 7 (2004)

Kuwait
unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 6 July 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - Islamists 21,
government supporters 14, liberals 3, and independents 12; note -
all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National
Assembly

Kyrgyzstan
bicameral Supreme Council or Jorgorku Kenesh consists of
the Assembly of People's Representatives (70 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the
Legislative Assembly (35 seats; members are elected by popular vote
to serve five-year terms); note - in accordance with a 2003
referendum, the Parliament is slated to become unicameral with 75
deputies after the 27 February 2005 elections
elections: Assembly of People's Representatives - last held 20
February and 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA February 2005);
Legislative Assembly - last held 20 February and 12 March 2000;
elections for the new unicameral body or Jorgorku Kenesh are to be
held 27 February 2005)
election results: Assembly of People's Representatives - percent of
vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; and Legislative Assembly -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - total
seats by party in the Supreme Council were as follows: Union of
Democratic Forces 12, Communists 6, My Country Party of Action 4,
independents 73, other 10
note: the legislature became bicameral for the 5 February 1995
elections; the 2000 election results include both the Assembly of
People's Representatives and the Legislative Assembly

Laos
unicameral National Assembly (109 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - total number of seats
increased from 99 to 109 for the 2002 election)
elections: last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held in 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
LPRP or LPRP-approved (independent, non-party members) 109

Latvia
unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are
elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 5 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - New Era 23.9%, PCTVL
18.9%, People's Party 16.7%, ZZS 9.5%, First Party 7.6%, LNNK 5.4%;
seats by party - New Era 26, PCTVL 24, People's Party 21, ZZS 12,
First Party 10, LNNK 7

Lebanon
unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) or
Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popular
vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 August and 3 September 2000 (next to be held
spring 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by sect -
Muslim 64 ( of which Sunnis 27, Shia 27, Druze 8, Alawite 2),
Christian 64 (of which Maronite 34)

Lesotho
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22
principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party)
and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by direct popular vote and 40 by
proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year
terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120
in the May 2002 election
elections: last held 25 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54%, BNP 21%, LPC
7%, other 18%; seats by party - LCD 76, BNP 21, LPC 5, other 18

Liberia
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (26
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and
the House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA
2006); House of Representatives - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be
held NA October 2005)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House of Representatives - percent of
vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPP 49, UP 7, ALCOP 3, Alliance
of Political Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1

Libya
unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members
elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)

Liechtenstein
unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members
are elected by direct, popular vote under proportional
representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 11 February 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 49.90%, VU 41.35%,
FL 8.71%; seats by party - FBP 13, VU 11, FL 1

Lithuania
unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats, 71 members are
directly elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional
representation; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 and 24 October 2004 (next to be held October
2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - Labor 28.6%, Working
for Lithuania (Social Democrats and Social Liberals) 20.7%, Homeland
Union (Conservatives) 14.6%, For Order and Justice (Liberal
Democrats and Lithuanian People's Union) 11.4%, Liberal and Center
Union 9.1%, Union of Farmers and New Democracy 6.6%; seats by
faction - Labor 39, Homeland Union 25, Social Democrats 20, Liberal
and Center Union 18, Social Liberals 11, Union of Farmers and New
Democracy Parties 10, Liberal Democrats 10, Electoral Action 2,
independents 6

Luxembourg
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60
seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 13 June 2004 (next to be held by June 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 36.1%, LSAP 23.4%,
DP 16.1%, Green Party 11.6%, ADR 10%; seats by party - CSV 24, LSAP
14, DP 10, Green Party 7, ADR 5
note: there is also a Council of State that serves as an advisory
body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21 members
appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister

Macau
unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (27 seats; 10 elected
by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and sevem appointed by the
chief executive; members serve four-year terms); number of
legislators will increase to 29 from September 2005
elections: last held 23 September 2001 (next to be September 2005)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by political bloc -
Entertainment Industry 3, pro-democracy 2, pro-Beijing Labor Union
2, pro-Beijing Neighborhood Association 2, pro-business 1

Macedonia
unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats - members
elected by popular vote from party lists based on the percentage of
the overall vote the parties gain in each of six electoral
districts; all serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
Together for Macedonia coalition 60 (SDSM 43, LDP 12, others 5),
VMRO-DPMNE 33 (VMRO 28 and LDT 5), Democratic Union for Integration
16, Democratic Party of Albanians 7, Party for Democratic Prosperity
2, National Democratic Party 1, Socialist Party of Macedonia 1

Madagascar
bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (160
seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms); Senate (100 seats; two-thirds of the seats filled
by regional assemblies whose members will be elected by popular
vote; the remaining one-third of the seats appointed by the
president; all members will serve four-year terms)
elections: National Assembly - last held 15 December 2002 (next to
be held NA 2006)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - TIM 103, FP 22, AREMA 3, LEADER/Fanilo 2, RPSD 5,
others 3, independents 22

Malawi
unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held NA May 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
MCP 56, UDF 49, Mgwirizano Coalition (MC) 25, independents 39,
others 24

Malaysia
bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of the Senate or
Dewan Negara (70 seats; 44 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26
appointed by the state legislatures) and the House of
Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (219 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 21 March 2004 (next
must be held by 2009)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - BN 91%, DAP 5%, PAS 3%, other 1%; seats by party - BN 199,
DAP 12, PAS 6, Keadilan 1, independent 1

Maldives
unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 elected
by popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 22 January 2005 (next to be held NA 2010)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 50

Mali
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 July and 28 July 2002 (next to be held NA
July 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
Hope 2002 coalition 66, ADEMA 51, other 30

Malta
unicameral House of Representatives (usually 65 seats; note -
additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular
vote to ensure a legislative majority; members are elected by
popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held by April 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - PN 51.7%, MLP 47.6%, AD
0.7%; seats by party - PN 34, MLP 31

Man, Isle of
bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council
(an 11-member body composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord
Bishop of Sodor and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and 8 others
named by the House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Keys - last held 22 November 2001 (next to be
held NA November 2006)
election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - Man
Labor Party 17.3%, Alliance for Progressive Government 14.6%; seats
by party - Man Labor Party 2, Alliance for Progressive Government 3,
independents 19

Marshall Islands
unicameral Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 November 2003 (next to be held not later
than November 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA
note: the Council of Chiefs is a 12-member body that advises on
matters affecting customary law and practice

Martinique
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (45 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a
unicameral Regional Assembly or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be
held NA 2006); Regional Assembly - last held on 28 March 2004 (next
to be held by March 2010)
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - left-wing candidates 13, PPM 11, RPR 6, right-wing
candidates 5, PCM 3, UDF 3, PMS 2, independents 2; note - the PPM
won a plurality; Regional Assembly (second round) - percent of vote
by party - MIM 53.8%, PPM 30.6%; seats by party - MIM 28, PPM 9,
other 4
note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last
held NA September 2001 (next to be held September 2004); results -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPM 2; Martinique
also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last
held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next
to be held not later than June 2007); results - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, PS 1, MIM 1, left-wing
candidate 1 (candidacy of the left-wing candidate was found invalid
by the Constitutional Council; new elections will be called)

Mauritania
bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis
al-Shuyukh (56 seats, a part of the seats up for election every two
years; members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms)
and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (81 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2002 (next to be held NA
April 2004); National Assembly - last held 19 and 26 October 2001
(next to be held NA 2006)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PRDS 54, RFD 1, UNDD 1; National Assembly - percent of vote
by party - PRDS 79%, RDU 3.5%, UDP 3.5%, AC 5%, UFP 3.5%, FP 1.5%;
seats by party - PRDS 64, UDP 3, RDU 3, AC 4, RFD 3, UFP 3, and FP 1

Mauritius
unicameral National Assembly (66 seats; 62 elected by
popular vote, 4 appointed by the election commission from the losing
political parties to give representation to various ethnic
minorities; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 11 September 2000 (next to be held NA
September 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - MSM/MMM 52.3%, MLP/PMSD
36.9%, OPR 10.8%; seats by party - MSM/MMM 54, MLP/PMSD 6, OPR 2

Mayotte
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 7 October 2000 (next to be held NA 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA
note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last
held 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007); results
- percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also
elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last
held 16 June 2002 (next to be held as a special election on NA June
2005); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.08%, UDF
44.92%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1

Mexico
bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists
of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 are elected by
popular vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 are allocated on the
basis of each party's popular vote) and the Federal Chamber of
Deputies or Camara Federal de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are
directly elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms;
remaining 200 members are allocated on the basis of each party's
popular vote, also for three-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 2 July 2000 for all of the seats (next
to be held 2 July 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 July 2003
(next to be held 2 July 2006)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - PRI 60, PAN 46, PRD 16, PVEM 5, unassigned 1; Chamber of
Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRI 222,
PAN 151, PRD 95, PVEM 17, PT 6, CD 5, unassigned 4; note - special
elections were held in December 2003; the PRI and the PRD each won
one seat and were each assigned one additional proportional
representation seat

Micronesia, Federated States of unicameral Congress (14 seats; four - one elected from each state to serve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-member districts delineated by population to serve two-year terms; members elected by popular vote) elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007); elections for two-year term seats last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 14

Moldova
unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and
electoral blocs elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - PCRM 50.1%, Braghis
Alliance (now Our Moldova Alliance) 13.4%, PPCD 8.2%, other parties
28.3%; seats by party - PCRM 71, Braghis Alliance (now Our Moldova
Alliance) 19, PPCD 11

Monaco
unicameral National Council or Conseil National (24 seats; 16
members elected by list majority system, 8 by proportional
representation; to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 9 February 2003 (next to be held NA February
2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
UNAM 21, UND 3

Mongolia
unicameral State Great Hural 76 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms
elections: last held 27 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - MPRP 48.78%, MDC 44.8%,
independents 3.5%, Republican Party 1.5%, others 1%; seats by party
- MPRP 36, MDC 34, others 4; note - following the June 2004
election, two seats in dispute and unoccupied

Montserrat
unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly
elected; members serve five-year terms)
note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney
general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members
elections: last held April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NPLM 7, NPP 2
note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single
constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast
ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council

Morocco
bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Chamber
of Counselors (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local
councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates for
nine-year terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three
years) and a lower house or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats;
295 by multi-seat constituencies and 30 from national lists of
women; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 6 October 2003 (next to
be held NA 2006); Chamber of Representatives - last held 27
September 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - RNI 42, MDS 33, UC 28, MP 27, PND 21, PI 21,
USFP 16, MNP 15, PA 13, FFD 12, other 42; Chamber of Representatives
- percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - USFP 50, PI 48,
PJD 42, RNI 41, MP 27, MNP 18, UC 16, PND 12, PPS 11, UD 10, other 50

Mozambique
unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da
Republica (250 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote
on a secret ballot to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held December
2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - Frelimo 62%, Renamo
29.7%; seats by party - Frelimo 160, Renamo 90

Namibia
bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26
seats; two members are chosen from each regional council to serve
six-year terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: National Council - elections for regional councils, to
determine members of the National Council, held 15-16 November 2004
(next to be held November 2009); National Assembly - last held 15-16
November 2004 (next to be held November 2009)
election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4, UDF 3, MAG 1, other 4
note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body

Nauru
unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held not later than May
2006)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - Nauru First Party 3,
independents 15

Nepal

bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35
appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15
elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected
every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 3 and 17 May 1999
(next election NA 2004)
note: Nepal's Parliament was dissolved on 22 May 2002
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP 10.4%, NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana
Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%, NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%;
seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP 11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana
Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP 1

Netherlands
bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of
the First Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly
elected by the country's 12 provincial councils for four-year terms)
and the Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: First Chamber - last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held
May 2007); Second Chamber - last held 22 January 2003 (next to be
held May 2007)
election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - CDA 23, PvdA 19, VVD 15, Green Party 5, Socialist
Party 4, D66 3, other 6; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party -
CDA 28.6%, PvdA 27.3%, VVD 12.9%, Socialist Party 6.3%, List Pim
Fortuyn 5.7%, Green Party 5.1%, D66 4.1%; seats by party - CDA 44,
PvdA 42, VVD 28, Socialist Party 9, List Pim Fortuyn 8, Green Party
8, D66 6, other 5

Netherlands Antilles
unicameral States or Staten (22 seats - Curacao
14, Bonaire 3, St. Maarten 3, St. Eustatius 1, Saba 1; members are
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held in 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
PAR 4, PNP 3, PLKP 2, DP St. M 2, UP Bonaire 2, WIPM 1, DP
note: the government of Prime Minister Etienne YS is a coalition of
several parties; current government formed after collapse of FOL led
government on 4 April 2004

New Caledonia
unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial
(54 seats; members are members of the three Provincial Assemblies or
Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 9 May 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
RPCR-UMP 16, AE 16, UNI-FLNKS 8, UE 7, FN 4, others 3
note: New Caledonia currently holds 1 seat in the French Senate;
elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held not later
than September 2007; between now and 2010 New Caledonia will gain a
second seat in the French Senate); results - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - NA; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats
to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 and 16 June
2002 (next to be held by June 2007); results - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2

New Zealand
unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called
Parliament (120 seats; 69 members elected by popular vote in
single-member constituencies including 7 Maori constituencies, and
51 proportional seats chosen from party lists, all to serve
three-year terms)
elections: last held 27 July 2002 (next to be held NA 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NZLP 52, NP 27, NZFP 13, ACT New Zealand 9, Green Party 9, UF 8,
other 2

Nicaragua
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92
seats; members are elected by proportional representation and party
lists to serve five-year terms; one seat for previous President, one
seat for runner-up in previous Presidential election
elections: last held 4 November 2001 (next to be held by November
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Alliance
(ruling party - includes PCCN, PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%,
FSLN 36.55%, PCN 2.12%; seats by party - Liberal Alliance 53, FSLN
38, PCN 1

Niger
unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; note - expanded from
83 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
MNSD 47, CDS 22, PNDS 17, Social Democratic Rally 7 RDP 6i ANDP 5,
Party for Socialism and Democarcy in Niger 1, other 8

Nigeria
bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (107 seats,
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and House
of Representatives (346 seats, members elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held NA
2007); House of Representatives - last held 12 April 2003 (next to
be held NA 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 53.6%,
ANPP 27.9%, AD 9.7%; seats by party - PDP 73, ANPP 28, AD 6; House
of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 54.5%, ANPP
27.4%, AD 9.3%, other 8.8%; seats by party - PDP 213, ANPP 95, AD
31, other 7; note - two constituencies are not reported

Niue
unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve three-year terms; six elected from a common
roll and 14 are village representatives)
elections: last held 21 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NPP 9, independents 11; note - all 20 seats were reelected

Norfolk Island
unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members
elected by electors who have nine equal votes each but only four
votes can be given to any one candidate; members serve three-year
terms)
elections: last held 29 November 2001 (next to be held by December
2004)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9

Northern Mariana Islands
bicameral Legislature consists of the
Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (18
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 1 November 2003 (next to be held 5
November 2005); House of Representatives - last held 1 November 2003
(next to be held 5 November 2005)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - Covenant Party 9, Republican Party 7,
Democratic Party 1, independent 1
note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting
delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or
"resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party
- Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO)

Norway
modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (165 seats;
members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation
to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 September 2001 (next to be held NA September
2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 24.3%,
Conservative Party 21.2%, Progress Party 14.6%, Socialist Left Party
12.5%, Christian People's Party 12.4%, Center Party 5.6%, Liberal
Party 3.9%, Coastal Party 1.7%, other 3.8%; seats by party - Labor
Party 43, Conservative Party 38, Progress Party 26, Socialist Left
Party 23, Christian People's Party 22, Center Party 10, Liberal
Party 2, Coastal Party 1
note: for certain purposes, the Parliament divides itself into two
chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house
or Lagting

Oman
bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis
al-Dawla (58 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory
powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 seats;
members elected by universal suffrage for four-year term; body has
some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only
advisory powers)
elections: last held 4 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: NA

Pakistan
bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the
Senate (100 seats - formerly 87; members indirectly elected by
provincial assemblies to serve four-year terms; and the National
Assembly (342 seats - formerly 217; 60 seats represent women; 10
seats represent minorities; members elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 24 and 27 February 2003 (next to be
held by February 2007); National Assembly - last held 10 October
2002 (next to be held by October 2006)
election results: Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - PML/Q 40, PPPP 11, MMA 21, MQM/A 6, PML/N 4, NA 3,
PML/F 1, PkMAP 2, ANP 2, PPP/S 2, JWP 1, BNP-Awami 1, BNP-Mengal 1,
BNM/H 1, independents 4; National Assembly results - percent of
votes by party - NA; seats by party - PML/Q 126, PPPP 81, MMA 63,
PML/N 19, MQM/A 17, NA 16, PML/F 5, PML/J 3, PPP/S 2, BNP 1, JWP 1,
PAT 1, PML/Z 1, PTI 1, MQM/H 1, PkMAP 1, independents 3

Palau
bicameral Parliament or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) consists of
the Senate (9 seats; members elected by popular vote on a population
basis to serve four-year terms) and the House of Delegates (16
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
November 2008); House of Delegates - last held 2 November 2004 (next
to be held November 2008)
election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA%; seats -
independents 9 (four new members elected); House of Delegates -
percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 16 (one new member
elected)

Panama
unicameral National Assembly (formerly called Legislative
Assembly) or Asamblea Nacional (78 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - In 2009, the number of
seats will change to 71)
elections: last held 2 May 2004 (next to be held 3 May 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
PRD 40, PA 17, PS 8, MOLIRENA 3, Democratic Change 2, PP 2, PLN 1,
other 5
note: legislators from outlying rural districts are chosen on a
plurality basis while districts located in more populous towns and
cities elect multiple legislators by means of a proportion-based
formula

Papua New Guinea
unicameral National Parliament - sometimes referred
to as the House of Assembly (109 seats, 89 elected from open
electorates and 20 from provincial electorates; members elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 15-29 June 2002 and April and May 2003;
completed in May 2003 (voting in the Southern Highlands was not
completed during the June 2002 election period); next to be held not
later than June 2007
election results: percent of vote by party - National Alliance 18%,
URP 13%, PDM 12%, PPP 8%, Pangu 6%, PAP 5%, PLP 4%, others 34%;
seats by party - National Alliance 19, UPR 14, PDM 13, PPP 8, Pangu
6, PAP 5, PLP 4, others 40; note - association with political
parties is fluid (2003)

Paraguay
bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of
Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies
or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 27 April 2003 (next to be
held NA April 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 27 April 2003
(next to be held NA April 2008)
election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 16, PLRA 12, UNACE 7, MPQ 7,
PPS 2, PEN 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - Colorado Party 37, PLRA 21, UNACE 10, PQ 10, PPS 2

Peru
unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la
Republica del Peru (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote
to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 8 April 2001 (next to be held 9 April 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - Peru Posible 26.3%,
APRA 19.7%, Unidad Nacional 13.8%, FIM 11.0%, others 29.2%; seats by
party - Peru Posible 47, APRA 28, Unidad Nacional 17, FIM 11, others
17

Philippines
bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or
Senado (24 seats - one-half elected every three years; members
elected at large by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the
House of Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (212 members
representing districts plus 24 sectoral party-list members; members
elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - the
Constitution prohibits the House of Representatives from having more
than 250 members)
elections: Senate - last held 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May
2007); House of Representatives - elections last held 10 May 2004
(next to be held in May 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - Lakas 30%, LP
13%, KNP 13%, independents 17%, others 27%; seats by party - Lakas
7, LP 3, KNP 3, independents 4, others 6; note - there are 23 rather
than 24 sitting senators because one senator was elected Vice
President; 14 senators are pro-government, 9 are in opposition;
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - Lakas 93, NPC 53, LP 34, LDP 11, others 20; party-listers
24; note - there are 211 rather than 212 sitting representatives
because one was appointed Secretary of Tourism (2004)

Pitcairn Islands
unicameral Island Council (10 seats - 5 elected by
popular vote, 1 nominated by the 5 elected members, 2 appointed by
the governor including 1 seat for the Island Secretary, the Island
Mayor, and a commissioner liaising between the governor and council;
elected members serve one-year terms)
elections: last held 24 December 2003 (next to be held 24 December
2004)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - all independents

Poland
bicameral legislature consisting of an upper house, the
Senate or Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote
on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms), and a lower house,
the Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of
proportional representation to serve four-year terms); the
designation of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only
used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly
elections: Sejm elections last held 23 September 2001 (next to be
held by September 2005); Senate - last held 23 September 2001 (next
to be held by September 2005)
election results: Sejm - percent of vote by party - SLD-UP 41%, PO
12.7%, Samoobrona 10.2%, PiS 9.5%, PSL 9%, LPR 7.9%, AWSP 5.6% UW
3.1%, other 1%; seats by party (as of 10 December 2004) - SLD 154,
PO 56, PiS 44, PSL 40, SDPL 33, SO 30, LPR 25, UP 15, PLD 11, SKL 6,
RKN 5, Dom Ojczysty 4, PP 3, ROP 3, German minorities 2,
independents 26; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party (as of 10 December 2004)- SLD-UP 74, Block Senate 2001 10, PSL
and unaffiliated 5, UW 4, SO 2, LPR 2, independents 2, PiS 1
note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm
only

Portugal
unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da
Republica (230 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 March 2002 (next to be held 20 February
2005); note - President SAMPAIO called for early elections after
dissolving Parliament on 10 December 2004 because he lacked
confidence in the four-month center-right government
election results: percent of vote by party - PSD 40.1%, PS 37.8%, PP
8.7%, PCP/PEV 6.9%, The Left Bloc 2.7%; seats by party - PSD 105, PS
96, PP 14, PCP/PEV 12, The Left Bloc 3

Puerto Rico
bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate
(at least 27 seats - currently 29; members are directly elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (51 seats; members are directly elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2
November 2004); House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2000
(next to be held 2 November 2004)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PPD 20, PNP 8, PIP 1; House of Representatives - percent of
vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPD 30, PNP 20, PIP 1
note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner
to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US
House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor,
he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last
held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004); results -
percent of vote by party - PPD 49.3%; seats by party - PPD 1; Anibal
ACEVEDO-VILA elected resident commissioner

Qatar
unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats;
members appointed)
note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there
were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their
terms extended every four years since; the new constitution, which
came into force on 8 June 2004, provides for a 45-member
Consultative Council, or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect
two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the Amir would appoint the
remaining members

Reunion
unicameral General Council (49 seats; members are elected by
direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral
Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct, popular
vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held 15 and 22 March 1998 (next to
be held NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 28 March 2004 (next
to be held NA 2010)
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - various right-wing candidates 13, PCR 10, PS 10,
UDF 8, RPR 6, other left-wing candidates 2; Regional Council (second
round) - percent of vote by party - PCR 44.9%, UMP 32.8%, PS-Greens
22.3%; seats by party - PCR 27, UMP 11, PS-Greens 7
note: Reunion elects three representatives to the French Senate;
elections last held NA 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); results -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Reunion also
elects five deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last
held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, UMP 1,
PCR 1

Romania
bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or
Senat (137 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a
proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) and the
Chamber of Deputies or Adunarea Deputatilor (332 seats; members are
elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation
basis to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 28 November 2004 (next to be held 28
November 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 28 November 2004
(next to be held 28 November 2008)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by alliance/party -
PSD-PUR 37.1%, PNL-PD 31.8%, PRM 13.6%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party -
PSD 46, PNL 28, PD 21, PRM 21, PUR 11, UMDR 10; Chamber of Deputies
- percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PUR 36.6%, PNL-PD 31.3%%,
PRM 12.9%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party - PSD 113, PNL 64, PD 48, PRM
48, UDMR 22, PUR 19, ethnic minorities 18

Russia
bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye consists
of the Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (178 seats; as of July
2000, members appointed by the top executive and legislative
officials in each of the 89 federal administrative units - oblasts,
krays, republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the federal
cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg; members serve four-year
terms) and the State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats;
currently 225 seats elected by proportional representation from
party lists winning at least 5% of the vote, and 225 seats from
single-member constituencies; members are elected by direct, popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: State Duma - last held 7 December 2003 (next to be held
NA December 2007)
election results: State Duma - percent of vote received by parties
clearing the 5% threshold entitling them to a proportional share of
the 225 party list seats - United Russia 37.1%, CPRF 12.7%, LDPR
11.6%, Motherland 9.1%; seats by party - United Russia 222, CPRF 53,
LDPR 38, Motherland 37, People's Party 19, Yabloko 4, Union of
Rightist Forces 2, other 7, independents 65, repeat election
required 3

Rwanda
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (53
seats; members elected by direct vote)
elections: last held 29 September 2003 (next to be held NA)
election results: seats by party under the Arusha peace accord - RPF
40, PSD 7, PL 6

Saint Helena
unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the
speaker, 3 ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 June 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 15

Saint Kitts and Nevis
unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3
appointed and 11 popularly elected from single-member
constituencies; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 25 October 2004 (next to be held by 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
SKNLP 7, CCM 2, NRP 1, PAM 1

Saint Lucia
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats;
six members appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on
the advice of the leader of the opposition, and two after
consultation with religious, economic, and social groups) and the
House of Assembly (17 seats; members are elected by popular vote
from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Assembly - last held 3 December 2001 (next to be
held in December 2006)
election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - SLP
55%, UWP 37%, NA 3.5%; seats by party - SLP 14, UWP 3

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
unicameral General Council or Conseil
General (19 seats - 15 from Saint Pierre and 4 from Miquelon;
members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: elections last held 19 and 26 March 2000 (next to be held
NA April 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PS
12, PRG 2, UDF-RPR 5
note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect 1 seat to the French Senate;
elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September
2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR
1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects 1 seat to the French
National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002,
second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UDF 1

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 28 March 2001 (next to be held by July 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ULP 12, NDP 3

Samoa
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected
by voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral
districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly Eurasian, voters who
cannot, (or choose not to) establish a village affiliation; only
chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono; members serve
five-year terms)
elections: election last held 3 March 2001 (next election to be held
not later than March 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
HRPP 30, SNDP 13, independents 6

San Marino
unicameral Grand and General Council or Consiglio Grande
e Generale (60 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 10 June 2001 (next to be held by June 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - PDCS 41.4%, PSS 24.2%,
PD 20.8%, APDS 8.2%, RC 3.4%, AN 1.9%; seats by party - PDCS 25, PSS
15, PD 12, APDS 5, RC 2, AN 1

Sao Tome and Principe
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia
Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 3 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - MLSTP 39.6%, Force for
Change Democratic Movement 39.4%, Ue-Kedadji coalition 16.2%; seats
by party - MLSTP 24, Force for Change Democratic Movement 23,
Ue-Kedadji coalition 8

Saudi Arabia
Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (120 members
and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms)

Senegal
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120
seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
note: the former National Assembly, dissolved in the spring of 2001,
had 140 seats
elections: last held 29 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
SOPI Coalition 89, AFP 11, PS 10, other 10

Serbia and Montenegro
unicameral Parliament (126 seats - 91 Serbian,
35 Montenegrin - filled by nominees of the two state parliaments for
the first two years, after which the Constitutional Charter calls
for direct elections
elections: last held 25 February 2003 (next to be held 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
Serbian parties: SRS 30, DSS 20, DS 13, G17 Plus 12, SPO-NS 8, SPS
8; Montenegrin parties: DPS 15, SNP 9, SDP 4, DSS 3, NS 2, LSCG 2

Seychelles
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34
seats - 25 elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional
basis to parties winning at least 10% of the vote; members serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 4-6 December 2002 (next held by 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 54.3%, SNP 42.6%,
DP 3.1%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11
note: the 9 awarded seats are apportioned according to the
percentage that each party won of the total vote

Sierra Leone
unicameral Parliament (124 seats - 112 elected by
popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate
elections; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - SLPP 70.06%, APC
22.35%, PLP 3%, others 4.59%; seats by party - SLPP 83, APC 27, PLP 2

Singapore
unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there
are up to nine nominated members; the losing opposition candidate
who came closest to winning a seat may be appointed as a
"nonconstituency" member
elections: last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held not later than
25 June 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 75.3% (in contested
constituencies), other 24.7%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SPP 1

Slovakia
unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or
Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on
the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20-21 September 2002 (next to be held NA
September 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - HZDS-LS 19.5%, SDKU
15.1%, SMER 13.5%, SMK 11.2%, KDH 8.3%, ANO 8%, KSS 6.3%; seats by
party - governing coalition 69 (SDKU 22, SMK 20, KDH 15, ANO 12),
opposition 81 (HZDS 26, Smer 25, KSS 9, Free Forum 6, People's Union
5, and independents 10)

Slovenia
bicameral Parliament consisting of a National Assembly or
Drzavni Zbor (90 seats; 40 are directly elected and 50 are selected
on a proportional basis; note - the numbers of directly elected and
proportionally elected seats varies with each election; members are
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the National
Council or Drzavni Svet (this is primarily an advisory body
organized on corporatist principles with limited legislative powers;
it may propose laws, ask to review any National Assembly decisions,
and call national referenda; members are indirectly elected to
five-year terms by an electoral college)
elections: National Assembly - last held 3 October 2004 (next to be
held October 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - SDS 29.1%, LDS 22.8%,
ZLSD 10.2%, NSi 9%, SLS 6.8%, SNS 6.3%, DeSUS 4.1%, other 11.7%;
seats by party - SDS 29, LDS 23, ZLSD 10, NSi 9, SLS 7, SNS 6, DeSUS
4, Hungarian and Italian minorities 1 each

Solomon Islands
unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members
elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 5 December 2001 (next to be held not later than
December 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 40%, SIACC 40%, PPP
20%; seats by party - PAP 16, SIACC 13, PPP 2, SILP 1, independents
18

Somalia
unicameral National Assembly
note: fledgling parliament; a 275-member Transitional Federal
Government replaced the Transitional National Government created in
2000; the new parliament consists of 61 seats assigned to each of
four large clan groups (Darod, Digil-Mirifle, Dir, and Hawiye) with
the remaining 31 seats divided between minority clans

South Africa
bicameral Parliament consisting of the National
Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a
system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and
the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by
each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has
special powers to protect regional interests, including the
safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic
minorities); note - following the implementation of the new
constitution on 3 February 1997 the former Senate was disbanded and
replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no
change in membership and party affiliations, although the new
institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new
constitution
elections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces -
last held 14 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC
69.7%, DA 12.4%, IFP 7%, UDM 2.3%, NNP 1.7%, ACDP 1.6%, other 5.3%;
seats by party - ANC 279, DA 50, IFP 28, UDM 9, NNP 7, ACDP 6, other
21; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - NA

Spain
bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes
Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 members
directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the
regional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of
Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members are
elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional
representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March
2008); Congress of Deputies - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be
held March 2008)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PP 49%, PSOE
38.9%, Entesa Catalona de Progress 5.7%, CiU 1.99%, PNV 2.8%, CC
1.4%; seats by party - PP 102, PSOE 81, Entesa Catalona de Progress
12, CiU 4, PNV 6, CC 3; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by
party - PSOE 43.3%, PP 37.8%, CiU 3.2%, ERC 2.5%, PNV 1.6%, IU 3.2%,
CC 0.9%; seats by party - PSOE 164, PP 148, CiU 10, ERC 8, PNV 7, IU
2, CC 3, other 8

Sri Lanka
unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by
popular vote on the basis of a modified proportional representation
system by district to serve six-year terms)
elections: last held 2 April 2004 (next to be held by 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance -
SLFP and JVP 45.6%, UNP 37.83%, TNA 6.84%, JHU 5.97%, SLMC 2.02%,
UPF 0.54%, EPDP 0.27%, others 0.93%; seats by party or electoral
alliance - SLFP and JVP 105, UNP 82, TNA 22, JHU 9, SLMC 5, UPF 1,
EPDP 1

Sudan
unicameral National Assembly (360 seats; 270 popularly
elected, 90 elected by supra assembly of interest groups known as
National Congress; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 13-22 December 2000 (next to be held NA
December 2004)
election results: NCP 355, others 5

Suriname
unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 5 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NF
33, MC 10, DNP 2000 3, DA '91 2, PVF 2, PALU 1
note: widespread demonstrations during the summer of 1999 led to the
call for elections a year early

Swaziland
bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body,
consists of the Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of
Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year
terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the
monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year
terms)
elections: House of Assembly - last held 18 October 2003 (next to be
held NA October 2008)
election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a
nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local
council of each constituency and for each constituency the three
candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are
narrowed to a single winner by a second round

Sweden
unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are
elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 39.8%,
Moderates 15.2%, Liberal Party 13.3%, Christian Democrats 9.1%, Left
Party 8.3%, Center Party 6.1%, Greens 4.6%; seats by party - Social
Democrats 144, Moderates 55, Liberal Party 48, Christian Democrats
33, Left Party 30, Center Party 22, Greens 17

Switzerland
bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in
German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in
Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German),
Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian)
(46 seats - members serve four-year terms) and the National Council
or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio
Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular
vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year
terms)
elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons 19 October
2003 (each canton determines when the next election will be held);
National Council - last held 19 October 2003 (next to be held NA
October 2007)
election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 14, SVP 8, SPS 6, other 3; National
Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 26.6%, SPS 23.3%, FDP
17.3%, CVP 14.4%, Greens 7.4%, other small parties all under 5%;
seats by party - SVP 55, SPS 54, FDP 36, CVP 28, Green Party 13,
other small parties 14

Syria
unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-shaab (250 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 2-3 March 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, independents
33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the
constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF
alliance) receives one-half of the seats

Taiwan
unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168 elected by
popular vote, 41 elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes
received by participating political parties, 8 elected from overseas
Chinese constituencies on basis of proportion of island-wide votes
received by participating political parties, 8 elected by popular
vote among aboriginal populations; members serve three-year terms)
and unicameral National Assembly (300 seat nonstanding body;
delegates nominated by parties and elected by proportional
representation six to nine months after Legislative Yuan calls to
amend Constitution, impeach president, or change national borders)
note: the number of seats in the legislature may be reduced from 225
to 113 beginning with the election in 2007 if a proposed
constitutional amendment is approved
elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 11 December 2004 (next to be
held in December 2007) according to proposed constitutional amendment
election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - DPP
38%, KMT 35%, PFP 15%, TSU 8%, other parties and independents 4%;
seats by party - DPP 89, KMT 79, PFP 34, TSU 12, other parties 7,
independents 4

Tajikistan
bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the
Assembly of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon
(63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms) and the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy
(33 seats; members are indirectly elected, 25 selected by local
deputies, 8 appointed by the president; all serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 27 February and 12 March 2000 for the Assembly
of Representatives (next to be held NA 2005) and 23 March 2000 for
the National Assembly (next to be held NA 2005)
election results: Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - PDPT 65%, Communist Party 20%, Islamic Revival Party 7.5%,
other 7.5%; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote
by party - NA; seats by party - NA

Tanzania
unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats - 232
elected by popular vote, 37 allocated to women nominated by the
president, five to members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives;
members serve five-year terms); note - in addition to enacting laws
that apply to the entire United Republic of Tanzania, the Assembly
enacts laws that apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar has its own
House of Representatives to make laws especially for Zanzibar (the
Zanzibar House of Representatives has 50 seats, directly elected by
universal suffrage to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 29 October 2000 (next to be held NA October
2005)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - CCM 244, CUF 16, CHADEMA 4, TLP 3, UDP 2, Zanzibar
representatives 5; Zanzibar House of Representatives - percent of
vote by party - NA; seats by party - CCM 34, CUF 16

Thailand
bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consists of the
Senate or Wuthisapha (200 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha
Phuthaen Ratsadon (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 4 March, 29 April, 4 June, 9 July, and
22 July 2000 (next to be held by March 2006); House of
Representatives - last held 6 January 2001 (next to be held 6
February 2005)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - TRT 248, DP 128, TNP 41, NDP 29, other 54

Togo
unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 27 October 2002 (next NA 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
RPT 72, RSDD 3, UDPS 2, Juvento 2, MOCEP 1, independents 1
note: two opposition parties boycotted the election, the Union of
the Forces for Change, and the Action Committee for Renewal

Tokelau
unicameral General Fono (48 seats; 15 members from each of
the three islands elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms
and the 3 island village mayors [pulenuku]); note - the Tokelau
Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the
General Fono

Tonga
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats - 12
reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles
selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular
vote; members serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 7 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2005)
election results: percent of vote - HRDMT 70%; seats - HRDMT 7,
traditionalist 2

Trinidad and Tobago
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31
seats; 16 members appointed by the ruling party, 9 by the President,
6 by the opposition party for a maximum term of five years) and the
House of Representatives (36 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 October 2002 (next
to be held by October 2007)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM
55.5%, UNC 44.5%; seats by party - PNM 20, UNC 16
note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly with 12 members
serving four-year terms

Tunisia
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (189
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 24 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
RCD 152, MDS 14, PUP 11, UDU 7, Al-Tajdid 3, PSL 2

Turkey
unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk
Millet Meclisi (550 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 3 November 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); note
- a special rerun of the General Election in the province of Siirt
on 9 March 2003 resulted in the election of Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN to
a seat in parliament, a prerequisite for becoming prime minister on
14 March 2003
election results: percent of vote by party - AKP 34.3%, CHP 19.4%,
DYP 9.6%, MHP 8.3%, ANAP 5.1%, DSP 1.1%, and others; seats by party
- AKP 363, CHP 178, independents 9; note - parties surpassing the
10% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats; seats by party as
of 1 December 2004 - AKP 368, CHP 171, DYP 4, LDP 1, independents 5,
vacant 1

Turkmenistan
under the 1992 constitution, there are two
parliamentary bodies, a unicameral People's Council or Halk
Maslahaty (supreme legislative body of up to 2,500 delegates, some
of which are elected by popular vote and some of which are
appointed; meets at least yearly) and a unicameral Parliament or
Mejlis (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: People's Council - last held in April 2003; Mejlis - last
held 19 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)
election results: Mejlis - DPT 100%; seats by party - DPT 50; note -
all 50 elected officials are members of the Democratic Party of
Turkmenistan and are preapproved by President NIYAZOV
note: in late 2003, a new law was adopted, reducing the powers of
the Mejlis and making the Halk Maslahaty the supreme legislative
organ; the Halk Maslahaty can now legally dissolve the Mejlis, and
the president is now able to participate in the Mejlis as its
supreme leader; the Mejlis can no longer adopt or amend the
constitution, or announce referendums or its elections; since the
president is both the "Chairman for Life" of the Halk Maslahaty and
the supreme leader of the Mejlis, the 2003 law has the effect of
making him the sole authority of both the executive and legislative
branches of government

Turks and Caicos Islands
unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats of
which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held in 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%;
seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August
2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM now
has 5

Tuvalu
unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of
Assembly (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 July 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 15

Uganda
unicameral National Assembly (303 members - 214 directly
elected by popular vote, 81 nominated by legally established special
interest groups [women 56, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5], 8
ex officio members; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 26 June 2001 (next to be held May or June 2006);
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
NA; note - election campaigning by party was not permitted

Ukraine
unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats;
under recent amendments to Ukraine's election law, the Rada's seats
are allocated on a proportional basis to those parties that gain 3%
or more of the national electoral vote; members serve four-year
terms)
elections: last held 31 March 2002 (next to be held March 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party/bloc - Our Ukraine 24%,
CPU 20%, United Ukraine 12%, SPU 7%, Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 7%,
United Social Democratic Party 6%, other 24%; seats by party/bloc -
Our Ukraine 101, Regions of Ukraine 61, CPU 59, Working Ukraine 14,
United Social Democratic Party 33, Agrarian Party 22, SPU 20, Yuliya
Tymoshenko Bloc 19, United Ukraine 19, People's Democratic
Party-Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs 16, Center Group 15,
Democratic Initiatives 14, unaffiliated 57 (December 2004)
note: following the election, United Ukraine splintered into the
Agrarian Party, European Choice, People's Choice, People's
Democratic Party, Regions of Ukraine, and Working
Ukraine-Industrialists and Entrepreneurs; these factions have since
undergone a number of changes

United Arab Emirates
unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or
Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the
rulers of the constituent states to serve two-year terms)
elections: none
note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto

United Kingdom
bicameral Parliament comprised of House of Lords
(consists of approximately 500 life peers, 92 hereditary peers and
26 clergy) and House of Commons (659 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms unless the House is dissolved
earlier)
elections: House of Lords - no elections (note - in 1999, as
provided by the House of Lords Act, elections were held in the House
of Lords to determine the 92 hereditary peers who would remain
there; pending further reforms, elections are held only as vacancies
in the hereditary peerage arise); House of Commons - last held 7
June 2001 (next to be held by NA May 2006)
election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -
Labor 42.1%, Conservative and Unionist 32.7%, Liberal Democrats
18.8%, other 6.4%; seats by party - Labor 412, Conservative and
Unionist 166, Liberal Democrat 52, other 29; note - seating as of 12
October 2004: Labor 407, Conservative 163, Liberal Democrats 55,
other 34
note: in 1998 elections were held for a Northern Ireland Assembly
(because of unresolved disputes among existing parties, the transfer
of power from London to Northern Ireland came only at the end of
1999 and has been suspended four times the latest occurring in
October 2002); in 1999 there were elections for a new Scottish
Parliament and a new Welsh Assembly

United States
bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats,
one-third are renewed every two years; two members are elected from
each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular
vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
November 2006); House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004
(next to be held November 2006)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - Republican Party 55, Democratic Party 44, independent 1;
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - Republican Party 231, Democratic Party 200, undecided 4

Uruguay
bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of
Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of
Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 31 October 2004 (next to
be held October 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31
October 2004 (next to be held October 2009)
election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - Encuentro Progresista 12, Colorado Party 10,
Blanco 7, New Sector/Space Coalition 1; Chamber of Representatives -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Encuentro
Progresista 40, Colorado Party 33, Blanco 22, New Sector/Space
Coalition 4

Uzbekistan
bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an
Upper House or Senate (100 seats; 84 members are elected by regional
governing councils to serve five-year terms and 16 are appointed by
the president) and a Lower House or Legislative Chamber (120 seats;
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 26 December 2004 and 9 January 2005 (next to be
held December 2009)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - NA; Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - LDPU 41, NDP 32, Fidokorlar 17, MTP 11, Adolat 9,
unaffiliated 10
note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President KARIMOV

Vanuatu
unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 6 July 2004 (next to be held 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
UMP 8, VP 8, NUP 10, VRP 4, MPP 3, VGP 3, other and independent 16;
note - political party associations are fluid
note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture
and language

Venezuela
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (165
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms;
three seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela)
elections: last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held July 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
pro-government 108 (MVR 92, MAS 6, indigenous 3, other 7),
opposition 57 (AD 33, COPEI 6, Justice First 5, other 13)

Vietnam
unicameral National Assembly or Quoc-Hoi (498 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 19 May 2002 (next to be held 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - CPV 90%, other 10% (the
10% are not CPV members but are approved by the CPV to stand for
election); seats by party - CPV 447, CPV-approved 51

Virgin Islands
unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November
2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
Democratic Party 10, ICM 2, independent 3
note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the
US House of Representatives; election last held 6 November 2002
(next to be held 2 November 2004); results - Donna M.
CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) reelected

Wallis and Futuna
unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee
Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 11 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and affiliates 7
note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and
one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate -
elections last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held by NA
September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats -
RPR (now UMP) 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 16
June 2002 (next to be held by NA 2007); results - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats - RPR (UMP) 1

Yemen
a new constitutional amendment ratified on 20 February 2001
created a bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111
seats; members appointed by the president) and a House of
Representatives (301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
six-year terms)
elections: last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held NA April 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
GPC 228, Islah 47, YSP 7, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab
Socialist Ba'th Party 2, independents 14

Zambia
unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members are elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held NA December
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - MMD 45.9%, UPND 32.4%,
UNIP 8.8%, FDD 8.1%, HP 2.7%, PF 0.7%, ZRP 0.7%, independents 0.7%;
seats by party - MMD 68, UPND 48, UNIP 13, FDD 12, HP 4, PF 1, ZRP
1, independents 1; seats not determined 2

Zimbabwe
unicameral House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by
popular vote for five-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10
occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied
by provincial governors appointed by the president)
elections: last held 24-25 June 2000 (next to be held NA 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 48.6%, MDC
47.0%, other 4.4%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 62, MDC 57, ZANU-Ndonga 1

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2102 Life expectancy at birth (years)

Afghanistan
total population: 42.46 years
male: 42.27 years
female: 42.66 years (2004 est.)

Albania
total population: 77.06 years
male: 74.37 years
female: 80.02 years (2004 est.)

Algeria
total population: 72.74 years
male: 71.22 years
female: 74.34 years (2004 est.)

American Samoa
total population: 75.62 years
male: 72.05 years
female: 79.41 years (2004 est.)

Andorra
total population: 83.5 years
male: 80.59 years
female: 86.59 years (2004 est.)

Angola
total population: 36.79 years
male: 36.06 years
female: 37.55 years (2004 est.)

Anguilla
total population: 76.9 years
male: 73.99 years
female: 79.91 years (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
total population: 71.6 years
male: 69.26 years
female: 74.07 years (2004 est.)

Argentina
total population: 75.7 years
male: 71.95 years
female: 79.65 years (2004 est.)

Armenia
total population: 71.23 years
male: 67.73 years
female: 75.36 years (2004 est.)

Aruba
total population: 78.98 years
male: 75.64 years
female: 82.49 years (2004 est.)

Australia
total population: 80.26 years
male: 77.4 years
female: 83.27 years (2004 est.)

Austria
total population: 78.87 years
male: 76 years
female: 81.89 years (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
total population: 63.25 years
male: 59.09 years
female: 67.62 years (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
total population: 65.63 years
male: 62.21 years
female: 69.11 years (2004 est.)

Bahrain
total population: 73.98 years
male: 71.52 years
female: 76.51 years (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
total population: 61.71 years
male: 61.8 years
female: 61.61 years (2004 est.)

Barbados
total population: 71.64 years
male: 69.51 years
female: 73.81 years (2004 est.)

Belarus
total population: 68.57 years
male: 62.79 years
female: 74.65 years (2004 est.)

Belgium
total population: 78.44 years
male: 75.26 years
female: 81.75 years (2004 est.)

Belize
total population: 67.43 years
male: 65.11 years
female: 69.86 years (2004 est.)

Benin
total population: 50.81 years
male: 50.25 years
female: 51.39 years (2004 est.)

Bermuda
total population: 77.6 years
male: 75.54 years
female: 79.7 years (2004 est.)

Bhutan
total population: 53.99 years
male: 54.27 years
female: 53.68 years (2004 est.)

Bolivia
total population: 65.14 years
male: 62.54 years
female: 67.86 years (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
total population: 72.57 years
male: 69.82 years
female: 75.51 years (2004 est.)

Botswana
total population: 30.76 years
male: 30.99 years
female: 30.53 years (2004 est.)

Brazil
total population: 71.41 years
male: 67.45 years
female: 75.57 years (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
total population: 76.27 years
male: 75.24 years
female: 77.36 years (2004 est.)

Brunei
total population: 74.54 years
male: 72.13 years
female: 77.09 years (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
total population: 71.75 years
male: 68.14 years
female: 75.59 years (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
total population: 44.2 years
male: 42.62 years
female: 45.83 years (2004 est.)

Burma
total population: 56.01 years
male: 54.22 years
female: 57.9 years (2004 est.)

Burundi
total population: 43.36 years
male: 42.73 years
female: 44 years (2004 est.)

Cambodia
total population: 58.41 years
male: 55.71 years
female: 61.23 years (2004 est.)

Cameroon
total population: 47.95 years
male: 47.1 years
female: 48.83 years (2004 est.)

Canada
total population: 79.96 years
male: 76.59 years
female: 83.5 years (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
total population: 70.14 years
male: 66.83 years
female: 73.54 years (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands
total population: 79.81 years
male: 77.21 years
female: 82.45 years (2004 est.)

Central African Republic
total population: 41.36 years
male: 39.7 years
female: 43.08 years (2004 est.)

Chad
total population: 48.24 years
male: 46.91 years
female: 49.63 years (2004 est.)

Chile
total population: 76.38 years
male: 73.09 years
female: 79.82 years (2004 est.)

China
total population: 71.96 years
male: 70.4 years
female: 73.72 years (2004 est.)

Christmas Island
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years (2004 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years (2004 est.)

Colombia
total population: 71.43 years
male: 67.58 years
female: 75.41 years (2004 est.)

Comoros
total population: 61.57 years
male: 59.29 years
female: 63.91 years (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
total population: 49.14 years
male: 47.06 years
female: 51.28 years (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
total population: 49.51 years
male: 48.51 years
female: 50.55 years (2004 est.)

Cook Islands
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years (2004 est.)

Costa Rica
total population: 76.63 years
male: 74.07 years
female: 79.33 years (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
total population: 42.48 years
male: 40.27 years
female: 44.76 years (2004 est.)

Croatia
total population: 74.14 years
male: 70.21 years
female: 78.29 years (2004 est.)

Cuba
total population: 77.04 years
male: 74.77 years
female: 79.44 years (2004 est.)

Cyprus
total population: 77.46 years
male: 75.11 years
female: 79.92 years (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
total population: 75.78 years
male: 72.52 years
female: 79.24 years (2004 est.)

Denmark
total population: 77.44 years
male: 75.17 years
female: 79.83 years (2004 est.)

Djibouti
total population: 43.12 years
male: 41.83 years
female: 44.44 years (2004 est.)

Dominica
total population: 74.38 years
male: 71.48 years
female: 77.43 years (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
total population: 67.63 years
male: 65.98 years
female: 69.35 years (2004 est.)

East Timor
total population: 65.56 years
male: 63.31 years
female: 67.92 years (2004 est.)

Ecuador
total population: 76.01 years
male: 73.15 years
female: 79 years (2004 est.)

Egypt
total population: 70.71 years
male: 68.22 years
female: 73.31 years (2004 est.)

El Salvador
total population: 70.92 years
male: 67.31 years
female: 74.7 years (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
total population: 55.15 years
male: 53 years
female: 57.36 years (2004 est.)

Eritrea
total population: 52.7 years
male: 51.32 years
female: 54.12 years (2004 est.)

Estonia
total population: 71.38 years
male: 65.78 years
female: 77.33 years (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
total population: 40.88 years
male: 40.03 years
female: 41.75 years (2004 est.)

European Union
total population: 78.1 years
male: 74.9 years
female: 81.4 years (July 2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years (2004 est.)

Faroe Islands
total population: 79.05 years
male: 75.6 years
female: 82.51 years (2004 est.)

Fiji
total population: 69.2 years
male: 66.74 years
female: 71.79 years (2004 est.)

Finland
total population: 78.24 years
male: 74.73 years
female: 81.89 years (2004 est.)

France
total population: 79.44 years
male: 75.8 years
female: 83.27 years (2004 est.)

French Guiana
total population: 76.89 years
male: 73.57 years
female: 80.38 years (2004 est.)

French Polynesia
total population: 75.67 years
male: 73.29 years
female: 78.18 years (2004 est.)

Gabon
total population: 56.46 years
male: 54.85 years
female: 58.12 years (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
total population: 54.79 years
male: 52.76 years
female: 56.87 years (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
total population: 71.59 years
male: 70.31 years
female: 72.94 years (2004 est.)

Georgia
total population: 75.62 years
male: 72.35 years
female: 79.44 years (2004 est.)

Germany
total population: 78.54 years
male: 75.56 years
female: 81.68 years (2004 est.)

Ghana
total population: 56.27 years
male: 55.36 years
female: 57.22 years (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
total population: 79.52 years
male: 76.65 years
female: 82.54 years (2004 est.)

Greece
total population: 78.94 years
male: 76.44 years
female: 81.59 years (2004 est.)

Greenland
total population: 69.32 years
male: 65.75 years
female: 72.98 years (2004 est.)

Grenada
total population: 64.52 years
male: 62.74 years
female: 66.31 years (2004 est.)

Guadeloupe
total population: 77.71 years
male: 74.56 years
female: 81.03 years (2004 est.)

Guam
total population: 78.12 years
male: 75.08 years
female: 81.34 years (2004 est.)

Guatemala
total population: 65.19 years
male: 64.3 years
female: 66.13 years (2004 est.)

Guernsey
total population: 80.17 years
male: 77.17 years
female: 83.27 years (2004 est.)

Guinea
total population: 49.7 years
male: 48.45 years
female: 50.99 years (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
total population: 46.98 years
male: 45.09 years
female: 48.92 years (2004 est.)

Guyana
total population: 62.43 years
male: 60.12 years
female: 64.84 years (2004 est.)

Haiti
total population: 51.78 years
male: 50.52 years
female: 53.12 years (2004 est.)

Honduras
total population: 66.15 years
male: 64.99 years
female: 67.37 years (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
total population: 81.39 years
male: 78.72 years
female: 84.3 years (2004 est.)

Hungary
total population: 72.25 years
male: 68.07 years
female: 76.69 years (2004 est.)

Iceland
total population: 80.18 years
male: 78.18 years
female: 82.27 years (2004 est.)

India
total population: 63.99 years
male: 63.25 years
female: 64.77 years (2004 est.)

Indonesia
total population: 69.26 years
male: 66.84 years
female: 71.8 years (2004 est.)

Iran
total population: 69.66 years
male: 68.31 years
female: 71.07 years (2004 est.)

Iraq
total population: 68.26 years
male: 67.09 years
female: 69.48 years (2004 est.)

Ireland
total population: 77.36 years
male: 74.74 years
female: 80.15 years (2004 est.)

Israel
total population: 79.17 years
male: 77.08 years
female: 81.37 years (2004 est.)

Italy
total population: 79.54 years
male: 76.61 years
female: 82.66 years (2004 est.)

Jamaica
total population: 76.07 years
male: 74.04 years
female: 78.21 years (2004 est.)

Japan
total population: 81.04 years
male: 77.74 years
female: 84.51 years (2004 est.)

Jersey
total population: 79.09 years
male: 76.63 years
female: 81.74 years (2004 est.)

Jordan
total population: 78.06 years
male: 75.59 years
female: 80.69 years (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
total population: 66.07 years
male: 60.72 years
female: 71.73 years (2004 est.)

Kenya
total population: 44.94 years
male: 44.79 years
female: 45.1 years (2004 est.)

Kiribati
total population: 61.32 years
male: 58.34 years
female: 64.44 years (2004 est.)

Korea, North
total population: 71.08 years
male: 68.38 years
female: 73.92 years (2004 est.)

Korea, South
total population: 75.58 years
male: 71.96 years
female: 79.54 years (2004 est.)

Kuwait
total population: 76.84 years
male: 75.86 years
female: 77.86 years (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
total population: 67.84 years
male: 63.84 years
female: 72.05 years (2004 est.)

Laos
total population: 54.69 years
male: 52.71 years
female: 56.75 years (2004 est.)

Latvia
total population: 70.86 years
male: 65.91 years
female: 76.09 years (2004 est.)

Lebanon
total population: 72.35 years
male: 69.91 years
female: 74.91 years (2004 est.)

Lesotho
total population: 36.81 years
male: 36.81 years
female: 36.81 years (2004 est.)

Liberia
total population: 47.93 years
male: 46.9 years
female: 48.99 years (2004 est.)

Libya
total population: 76.28 years
male: 74.1 years
female: 78.58 years (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
total population: 79.4 years
male: 75.8 years
female: 83.02 years (2004 est.)

Lithuania
total population: 73.46 years
male: 68.22 years
female: 79 years (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
total population: 78.58 years
male: 75.31 years
female: 82.07 years (2004 est.)

Macau
total population: 82.03 years
male: 79.2 years
female: 84.99 years (2004 est.)

Macedonia
total population: 74.73 years
male: 72.45 years
female: 77.2 years (2004 est.)

Madagascar
total population: 56.54 years
male: 54.19 years
female: 58.96 years (2004 est.)

Malawi
total population: 37.48 years
male: 37.08 years
female: 37.88 years (2004 est.)

Malaysia
total population: 71.95 years
male: 69.29 years
female: 74.81 years (2004 est.)

Maldives
total population: 63.68 years
male: 62.41 years
female: 65.01 years (2004 est.)

Mali
total population: 45.28 years
male: 44.7 years
female: 45.87 years (2004 est.)

Malta
total population: 78.68 years
male: 76.51 years
female: 80.98 years (2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
total population: 78.16 years
male: 74.8 years
female: 81.7 years (2004 est.)

Marshall Islands
total population: 69.7 years
male: 67.77 years
female: 71.73 years (2004 est.)

Martinique
total population: 78.88 years
male: 79.35 years
female: 78.4 years (2004 est.)

Mauritania
total population: 52.32 years
male: 50.15 years
female: 54.56 years (2004 est.)

Mauritius
total population: 72.09 years
male: 68.11 years
female: 76.13 years (2004 est.)

Mayotte
total population: 60.99 years
male: 58.85 years
female: 63.2 years (2004 est.)

Mexico
total population: 74.94 years
male: 72.18 years
female: 77.83 years (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
total population: 69.44 years
male: 67.68 years
female: 71.29 years (2004 est.)

Moldova
total population: 65.03 years
male: 60.88 years
female: 69.39 years (2004 est.)

Monaco
total population: 79.42 years
male: 75.53 years
female: 83.5 years (2004 est.)

Mongolia
total population: 64.17 years
male: 61.97 years
female: 66.48 years (2004 est.)

Montserrat
total population: 78.53 years
male: 76.39 years
female: 80.78 years (2004 est.)

Morocco
total population: 70.35 years
male: 68.06 years
female: 72.74 years (2004 est.)

Mozambique
total population: 37.1 years
male: 37.83 years
female: 36.34 years (2004 est.)

Namibia
total population: 40.53 years
male: 42.36 years
female: 38.64 years (2004 est.)

Nauru
total population: 62.33 years
male: 58.78 years
female: 66.06 years (2004 est.)

Nepal
total population: 59.4 years
male: 59.73 years
female: 59.06 years (2004 est.)

Netherlands
total population: 78.68 years
male: 76.15 years
female: 81.34 years (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
total population: 75.6 years
male: 73.37 years
female: 77.95 years (2004 est.)

New Caledonia
total population: 73.78 years
male: 70.82 years
female: 76.89 years (2004 est.)

New Zealand
total population: 78.49 years
male: 75.5 years
female: 81.61 years (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
total population: 70.02 years
male: 67.99 years
female: 72.16 years (2004 est.)

Niger
total population: 42.18 years
male: 42.38 years
female: 41.97 years (2004 est.)

Nigeria
total population: 50.49 years
male: 50.35 years
female: 50.63 years (2004 est.)

Niue
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years (2004 est.)

Norfolk Island
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years

Northern Mariana Islands
total population: 75.67 years
male: 73.11 years
female: 78.38 years (2004 est.)

Norway
total population: 79.25 years
male: 76.64 years
female: 82.01 years (2004 est.)

Oman
total population: 72.85 years
male: 70.66 years
female: 75.16 years (2004 est.)

Pakistan
total population: 62.61 years
male: 61.69 years
female: 63.58 years (2004 est.)

Palau
total population: 69.82 years
male: 66.67 years
female: 73.15 years (2004 est.)

Panama
total population: 72.14 years
male: 69.82 years
female: 74.56 years (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
total population: 64.56 years
male: 62.41 years
female: 66.81 years (2004 est.)

Paraguay
total population: 74.64 years
male: 72.12 years
female: 77.29 years (2004 est.)

Peru
total population: 69.22 years
male: 67.48 years
female: 71.03 years (2004 est.)

Philippines
total population: 69.6 years
male: 66.74 years
female: 72.61 years (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years

Poland
total population: 74.16 years
male: 70.04 years
female: 78.52 years (2004 est.)

Portugal
total population: 77.35 years
male: 74.06 years
female: 80.85 years (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
total population: 77.49 years
male: 73.49 years
female: 81.68 years (2004 est.)

Qatar
total population: 73.4 years
male: 70.9 years
female: 76.04 years (2004 est.)

Reunion
total population: 73.69 years
male: 70.29 years
female: 77.26 years (2004 est.)

Romania
total population: 71.12 years
male: 67.63 years
female: 74.82 years (2004 est.)

Russia
total population: 66.39 years
male: 59.91 years
female: 73.27 years (2004 est.)

Rwanda
total population: 39.18 years
male: 38.43 years
female: 39.96 years (2004 est.)

Saint Helena
total population: 77.57 years
male: 74.67 years
female: 80.61 years (2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
total population: 71.86 years
male: 69.03 years
female: 74.86 years (2004 est.)

Saint Lucia
total population: 73.34 years
male: 69.78 years
female: 77.16 years (2004 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
total population: 78.28 years
male: 75.97 years
female: 80.7 years (2004 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
total population: 73.35 years
male: 71.54 years
female: 75.21 years (2004 est.)

Samoa
total population: 70.41 years
male: 67.64 years
female: 73.33 years (2004 est.)

San Marino
total population: 81.53 years
male: 78.02 years
female: 85.34 years (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
total population: 66.63 years
male: 65.11 years
female: 68.21 years (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
total population: 75.23 years
male: 73.26 years
female: 77.3 years (2004 est.)

Senegal
total population: 56.56 years
male: 54.94 years
female: 58.23 years (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
total population: 74.4 years
male: 71.9 years
female: 77.12 years (2004 est.)

Seychelles
total population: 71.53 years
male: 66.1 years
female: 77.14 years (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
total population: 42.69 years
male: 40.23 years
female: 45.21 years (2004 est.)

Singapore
total population: 81.53 years
male: 78.96 years
female: 84.29 years (2004 est.)

Slovakia
total population: 74.19 years
male: 70.21 years
female: 78.37 years (2004 est.)

Slovenia
total population: 75.93 years
male: 72.18 years
female: 79.92 years (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
total population: 72.38 years
male: 69.9 years
female: 74.98 years (2004 est.)

Somalia
total population: 47.71 years
male: 46.02 years
female: 49.46 years (2004 est.)

South Africa
total population: 44.19 years
male: 44.39 years
female: 43.98 years (2004 est.)

Spain
total population: 79.37 years
male: 76.03 years
female: 82.94 years (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
total population: 72.89 years
male: 70.34 years
female: 75.57 years (2004 est.)

Sudan
total population: 58.13 years
male: 56.96 years
female: 59.36 years (2004 est.)

Suriname
total population: 69.1 years
male: 66.77 years
female: 71.55 years (2004 est.)

Svalbard
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years

Swaziland
total population: 37.54 years
male: 39.1 years
female: 35.94 years (2004 est.)

Sweden
total population: 80.3 years
male: 78.12 years
female: 82.62 years (2004 est.)

Switzerland
total population: 80.31 years
male: 77.51 years
female: 83.27 years (2004 est.)

Syria
total population: 69.71 years
male: 68.47 years
female: 71.02 years (2004 est.)

Taiwan
total population: 77.06 years
male: 74.31 years
female: 80.08 years (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
total population: 64.47 years
male: 61.53 years
female: 67.55 years (2004 est.)

Tanzania
total population: 44.39 years
male: 43.2 years
female: 45.61 years (2004 est.)

Thailand
total population: 71.41 years
male: 69.23 years
female: 73.71 years (2004 est.)

Togo
total population: 53.05 years
male: 51.07 years
female: 55.09 years (2004 est.)

Tokelau
total population: NA years
male: 68 years
female: 70 years (2004 est.)

Tonga
total population: 69.2 years
male: 66.74 years
female: 71.79 years (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
total population: 69.28 years
male: 66.86 years
female: 71.82 years (2004 est.)

Tunisia
total population: 74.66 years
male: 73 years
female: 76.44 years (2004 est.)

Turkey
total population: 72.08 years
male: 69.68 years
female: 74.61 years (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
total population: 61.29 years
male: 57.87 years
female: 64.88 years (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
total population: 74.25 years
male: 72.05 years
female: 76.57 years (2004 est.)

Tuvalu
total population: 67.66 years
male: 65.47 years
female: 69.96 years (2004 est.)

Uganda
total population: 45.28 years
male: 43.76 years
female: 46.83 years (2004 est.)

Ukraine
total population: 66.68 years
male: 61.35 years
female: 72.27 years (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
total population: 74.99 years
male: 72.51 years
female: 77.6 years (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
total population: 78.27 years
male: 75.84 years
female: 80.83 years (2004 est.)

United States
total population: 77.43 years
male: 74.63 years
female: 80.36 years (2004 est.)

Uruguay
total population: 75.92 years
male: 72.71 years
female: 79.24 years (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
total population: 64.09 years
male: 60.67 years
female: 67.69 years (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
total population: 62.1 years
male: 60.64 years
female: 63.63 years (2004 est.)

Venezuela
total population: 74.06 years
male: 71.02 years
female: 77.32 years (2004 est.)

Vietnam
total population: 70.35 years
male: 67.86 years
female: 73.02 years (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
total population: 78.75 years
male: 74.91 years
female: 82.82 years (2004 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years

West Bank
total population: 72.88 years
male: 71.14 years
female: 74.72 years (2004 est.)

Western Sahara
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years

World
total population: 64.05 years
male: 62.48 years
female: 65.7 years (2004 est.)

Yemen
total population: 61.36 years
male: 59.53 years
female: 63.29 years (2004 est.)

Zambia
total population: 35.18 years
male: 35.19 years
female: 35.17 years (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
total population: 37.82 years
male: 38.63 years
female: 36.99 years (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2103 Literacy (%)

Afghanistan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 36%
male: 51%
female: 21% (1999 est.)

Albania
definition: age 9 and over can read and write
total population: 86.5%
male: 93.3%
female: 79.5% (2003 est.)

Algeria
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70%
male: 78.8%
female: 61% (2003 est.)

American Samoa
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 98%
female: 97% (1980 est.)

Andorra
definition: NA
total population: 100%
male: NA
female: NA

Angola
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42%
male: 56%
female: 28% (1998 est.)

Anguilla
definition: age 12 and over can read and write
total population: 95%
male: 95%
female: 95% (1984 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
definition: age 15 and over has completed five
or more years of schooling
total population: 89%
male: 90%
female: 88% (1960 est.)

Argentina
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.1%
male: 97.1%
female: 97.1% (2003 est.)

Armenia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.6%
male: 99.4%
female: 98% (2003 est.)

Aruba
definition:
total population: 97%
male: NA
female: NA

Australia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (1980 est.)

Austria
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: NA
female: NA

Azerbaijan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 99%
female: 96% (1989 est.)

Bahamas, The
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.6%
male: 94.7%
female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Bahrain
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89.1%
male: 91.9%
female: 85% (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 43.1%
male: 53.9%
female: 31.8% (2003 est.)

Barbados
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97.4%
male: 98%
female: 96.8% (1995 est.)

Belarus
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.5% (2003 est.)

Belgium
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: NA
female: NA

Belize
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.1%
male: 94.1%
female: 94.1% (2003 est.)

Benin
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 40.9%
male: 56.2%
female: 26.5% (2000)

Bermuda
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 99% (1970 est.)

Bhutan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42.2%
male: 56.2%
female: 28.1% (1995 est.)

Bolivia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 87.2%
male: 93.1%
female: 81.6% (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
definition: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Botswana
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.8%
male: 76.9%
female: 82.4% (2003 est.)

Brazil
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.4%
male: 86.1%
female: 86.6% (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

Brunei
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.9%
male: 96.3%
female: 91.4% (2002)

Bulgaria
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.6%
male: 99.1%
female: 98.2% (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 26.6%
male: 36.9%
female: 16.6% (2003 est.)

Burma
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.3%
male: 89.2%
female: 81.4% (2002)

Burundi
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 51.6%
male: 58.5%
female: 45.2% (2003 est.)

Cambodia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 69.4%
male: 80.8%
female: 59.3% (2002)

Cameroon
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79%
male: 84.7%
female: 73.4% (2003 est.)

Canada
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97% (1986 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

Cape Verde
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.6%
male: 85.8%
female: 69.2% (2003 est.)

Cayman Islands
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1970 est.)

Central African Republic
definition: age 15 and over can read and
write
total population: 51%
male: 63.3%
female: 39.9% (2003 est.)

Chad
definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic
total population: 47.5%
male: 56%
female: 39.3% (2003 est.)

Chile
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.2%
male: 96.4%
female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

China
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.9%
male: 95.1%
female: 86.5% (2002)

Christmas Island
NA

Colombia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.5%
male: 92.4%
female: 92.6% (2003 est.)

Comoros
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 56.5%
male: 63.6%
female: 49.3% (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
definition: age 15 and over can
read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba
total population: 65.5%
male: 76.2%
female: 55.1% (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.8%
male: 89.6%
female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
definition: NA
total population: 95%
male: NA
female: NA

Costa Rica
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: 95.9%
female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 50.9%
male: 57.9%
female: 43.6% (2003 est.)

Croatia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.5%
male: 99.4%
female: 97.8% (2003 est.)

Cuba
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 97.2%
female: 96.9% (2003 est.)

Cyprus
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.6%
male: 98.9%
female: 96.3% (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
definition: NA
total population: 99.9% (1999 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

Denmark
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: NA
female: NA

Djibouti
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 67.9%
male: 78%
female: 58.4% (2003 est.)

Dominica
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 94%
male: 94%
female: 94% (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84.7%
male: 84.6%
female: 84.8% (2003 est.)

East Timor
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58.6% (2002)

Ecuador
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.5%
male: 94%
female: 91% (2003 est.)

Egypt
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.7%
male: 68.3%
female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

El Salvador
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 80.2%
male: 82.8%
female: 77.7% (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.7%
male: 93.3%
female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Eritrea
definition: NA
total population: 58.6%
male: 69.9%
female: 47.6% (2003 est.)

Estonia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42.7%
male: 50.3%
female: 35.1% (2003 est.)

Faroe Islands definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA note: probably the same as Denmark proper

Fiji
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.7%
male: 95.5%
female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

Finland
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% (2000 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

France
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1980 est.)

French Guiana
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83%
male: 84%
female: 82% (1982 est.)

French Polynesia
definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1977 est.)

Gabon
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 63.2%
male: 73.7%
female: 53.3% (1995 est.)

Gambia, The
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 40.1%
male: 47.8%
female: 32.8% (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
definition: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Georgia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 100%
female: 98% (1999 est.)

Germany
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1997 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

Ghana
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.8%
male: 82.7%
female: 67.1% (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
definition: NA
total population: above 80%
male: NA
female: NA

Greece
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.5%
male: 98.6%
female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Greenland definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA note: similar to Denmark proper

Grenada
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1970 est.)

Guadeloupe
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90%
male: 90%
female: 90% (1982 est.)

Guam
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1990 est.)

Guatemala
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70.6%
male: 78%
female: 63.3% (2003 est.)

Guernsey
definition: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Guinea
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 35.9%
male: 49.9%
female: 21.9% (1995 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42.4%
male: 58.1%
female: 27.4% (2003 est.)

Guyana
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98.8%
male: 99.1%
female: 98.5% (2003 est.)

Haiti
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 52.9%
male: 54.8%
female: 51.2% (2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
definition: NA
total population: 100%
male: NA
female: NA

Honduras
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.2%
male: 76.1%
female: 76.3% (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 93.5%
male: 96.9%
female: 89.6% (2002)

Hungary
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.4%
male: 99.5%
female: 99.3% (2003 est.)

Iceland
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.9% (1997 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

India
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 59.5%
male: 70.2%
female: 48.3% (2003 est.)

Indonesia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 87.9%
male: 92.5%
female: 83.4% (2002)

Iran
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.4%
male: 85.6%
female: 73% (2003 est.)

Iraq
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 40.4%
male: 55.9%
female: 24.4% (2003 est.)

Ireland
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98% (1981 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

Israel
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.4%
male: 97.3%
female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Italy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.6%
male: 99%
female: 98.3% (2003 est.)

Jamaica
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 87.9%
male: 84.1%
female: 91.6% (2003 est.)

Japan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2002)

Jersey
definition: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Jordan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.3%
male: 95.9%
female: 86.3% (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.4%
male: 99.1%
female: 97.7% (1999 est.)

Kenya
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.1%
male: 90.6%
female: 79.7% (2003 est.)

Kiribati
definition: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Korea, North
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99%

Korea, South
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.9%
male: 99.2%
female: 96.6% (2002)

Kuwait
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.5%
male: 85.1%
female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 99%
female: 96% (1989 est.)

Laos
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 66.4%
male: 77.4%
female: 55.5% (2002)

Latvia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Lebanon
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 87.4%
male: 93.1%
female: 82.2% (2003 est.)

Lesotho
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84.8%
male: 74.5%
female: 94.5% (2003 est.)

Liberia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.5%
male: 73.3%
female: 41.6%
note: (2003 est.)

Libya
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.6%
male: 92.4%
female: 72% (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100%

Lithuania
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (2000 est.)

Macau
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.5%
male: 97.2%
female: 92% (2003 est.)

Macedonia
definition: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Madagascar
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 68.9%
male: 75.5%
female: 62.5% (2003 est.)

Malawi
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 62.7%
male: 76.1%
female: 49.8% (2003 est.)

Malaysia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.7%
male: 92%
female: 85.4% (2002)

Maldives
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.2%
male: 97.1%
female: 97.3% (2003 est.)

Mali
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 46.4%
male: 53.5%
female: 39.6% (2003 est.)

Malta
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 92.8%
male: 92%
female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
definition: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Marshall Islands
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.7%
male: 93.6%
female: 93.7% (1999)

Martinique
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.7%
male: 97.4%
female: 98.1% (2003 est.)

Mauritania
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 41.7%
male: 51.8%
female: 31.9% (2003 est.)

Mauritius
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.6%
male: 88.6%
female: 82.7% (2003 est.)

Mayotte
definition: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Mexico
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.2%
male: 94%
female: 90.5% (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 89%
male: 91%
female: 88% (1980 est.)

Moldova
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.1%
male: 99.6%
female: 98.7% (2003 est.)

Monaco
definition: NA
total population: 99%
male: NA
female: NA

Mongolia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8%
male: 98%
female: 97.5% (2002)

Montserrat
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 97% (1970 est.)

Morocco
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 51.7%
male: 64.1%
female: 39.4% (2003 est.)

Mozambique
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 47.8%
male: 63.5%
female: 32.7% (2003 est.)

Namibia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84%
male: 84.4%
female: 83.7% (2003 est.)

Nauru
definition: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Nepal
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 45.2%
male: 62.7%
female: 27.6% (2003 est.)

Netherlands
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (2000 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

Netherlands Antilles
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.7%
male: 96.7%
female: 96.8% (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91%
male: 92%
female: 90% (1976 est.)

New Zealand
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1980 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

Nicaragua
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 67.5%
male: 67.2%
female: 67.8% (2003 est.)

Niger
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 17.6%
male: 25.8%
female: 9.7% (2003 est.)

Nigeria
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 68%
male: 75.7%
female: 60.6% (2003 est.)

Niue
definition: NA
total population: 95%
male: NA
female: NA

Norfolk Island
NA

Northern Mariana Islands
definition: age 15 and over can read and
write
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 96% (1980 est.)

Norway
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: NA
female: NA

Oman
definition: NA
total population: 75.8%
male: 83.1%
female: 67.2% (2003 est.)

Pakistan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 45.7%
male: 59.8%
female: 30.6% (2003 est.)

Palau
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92%
male: 93%
female: 90% (1980 est.)

Panama
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.6%
male: 93.2%
female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 64.6%
male: 71.1%
female: 57.7% (2002)

Paraguay
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94%
male: 94.9%
female: 93% (2003 est.)

Peru
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.9%
male: 95.2%
female: 86.8% (2003 est.)

Philippines
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.6%
male: 92.5%
female: 92.7% (2002)

Pitcairn Islands
NA

Poland
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

Portugal
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.3%
male: 95.5%
female: 91.3% (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.1%
male: 93.7%
female: 94.4% (2002)

Qatar
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.5%
male: 81.4%
female: 85% (2003 est.)

Reunion
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.9%
male: 87%
female: 90.8% (2003 est.)

Romania
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.4%
male: 99.1%
female: 97.7% (2003 est.)

Russia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.5% (2003 est.)

Rwanda
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70.4%
male: 76.3%
female: 64.7% (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
definition: age 20 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 98% (1987 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended
school
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 98% (1980 est.)

Saint Lucia
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 67%
male: 65%
female: 69% (1980 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
definition: age 15 and over can read and
write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1982 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
definition: age 15 and over has
ever attended school
total population: 96%
male: 96%
female: 96% (1970 est.)

Samoa
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.6%
female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

San Marino
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: 97%
female: 95% (1976 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.3%
male: 85%
female: 62% (1991 est.)

Saudi Arabia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 78.8%
male: 84.7%
female: 70.8% (2003 est.)

Senegal
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 40.2%
male: 50%
female: 30.7% (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93%
male: 97.2%
female: 88.9% (1991)

Seychelles
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58%
male: 56%
female: 60% (1971 est.)

Sierra Leone
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English,
Mende, Temne, or Arabic
total population: 31.4%
male: 45.4%
female: 18.2% (1995 est.)

Singapore
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.5%
male: 96.6%
female: 88.6% (2002)

Slovakia
definition: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Slovenia
definition: NA
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
definition: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Somalia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37.8%
male: 49.7%
female: 25.8% (2001 est.)

South Africa
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.4%
male: 87%
female: 85.7% (2003 est.)

Spain
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.9%
male: 98.7%
female: 97.2% (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.3%
male: 94.8%
female: 90% (2003 est.)

Sudan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 61.1%
male: 71.8%
female: 50.5% (2003 est.)

Suriname
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93%
male: 95%
female: 91% (1995 est.)

Svalbard
NA

Swaziland
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 81.6%
male: 82.6%
female: 80.8% (2003 est.)

Sweden
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1979 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

Switzerland
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1980 est.)
male:
female:

Syria
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.9%
male: 89.7%
female: 64% (2003 est.)

Taiwan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.1% (2003)

Tajikistan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.4%
male: 99.6%
female: 99.1% (2003 est.)

Tanzania
definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili
(Swahili), English, or Arabic
total population: 78.2%
male: 85.9%
female: 70.7% (2003 est.)

Thailand
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.6%
male: 94.9%
female: 90.5% (2002)

Togo
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 60.9%
male: 75.4%
female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

Tokelau
NA

Tonga
definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English
total population: 98.5%
male: 98.4%
female: 98.7% (1996 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.6%
male: 99.1%
female: 98% (2003 est.)

Tunisia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.2%
male: 84%
female: 64.4% (2003 est.)

Turkey
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.5%
male: 94.3%
female: 78.7% (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 97% (1989 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
definition: age 15 and over has ever
attended school
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 98% (1970 est.)

Tuvalu
definition: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Uganda
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 69.9%
male: 79.5%
female: 60.4% (2003 est.)

Ukraine
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 77.9%
male: 76.1%
female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
definition: age 15 and over has completed five or
more years of schooling
total population: 99% (2000 est.)
male: NA
female: NA

United States
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 97% (1999 est.)

Uruguay
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 97.6%
female: 98.4% (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.3%
male: 99.6%
female: 99% (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 53%
male: 57%
female: 48% (1979 est.)

Venezuela
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.4%
male: 93.8%
female: 93.1% (2003 est.)

Vietnam
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.3%
male: 93.9%
female: 86.9% (2002)

Virgin Islands
definition: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Wallis and Futuna
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 50%
male: 50%
female: 50% (1969 est.)

West Bank
definition: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Western Sahara
definition: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

World
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 77%
male: 83%
female: 71% (1995 est.)

Yemen
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 50.2%
male: 70.5%
female: 30% (2003 est.)

Zambia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
total population: 80.6%
male: 86.8%
female: 74.8% (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
total population: 90.7%
male: 94.2%
female: 87.2% (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2105 Military manpower - availability

Afghanistan
males age 15-49: 6,785,414 (2004 est.)

Albania
males age 15-49: 956,107 (2004 est.)

Algeria
males age 15-49: 9,311,747 (2004 est.)

Angola
males age 15-49: 2,620,219 (2004 est.)

Argentina
males age 15-49: 9,901,352 (2004 est.)

Armenia
males age 15-49: 812,140 (2004 est.)

Australia
males age 15-49: 5,061,810 (2004 est.)

Austria
males age 15-49: 2,066,467 (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
males age 15-49: 2,187,847 (2004 est.)

Bahrain
males age 15-49: 221,661 (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
males age 15-49: 39,523,128 (2004 est.)

Barbados
males age 15-49: 77,714 (2004 est.)

Belarus
males age 15-49: 2,764,856 (2004 est.)

Belgium
males age 15-49: 2,509,538 (2004 est.)

Belize
males age 15-49: 68,518 (2004 est.)

Benin
males age 15-49: 1,638,010
females age 15-49: 1,647,850 (2004 est.)

Bhutan
males age 15-49: 544,560 (2004 est.)

Bolivia
males age 15-49: 2,175,384 (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
males age 15-49: 1,133,847 (2004 est.)

Botswana
males age 15-49: 381,801 (2004 est.)

Brazil
males age 15-49: 52,100,042 (2004 est.)

Brunei
males age 15-49: 112,630 (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
males age 15-49: 1,829,203 (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
males age 15-49: 3,047,306 (2004 est.)

Burma
males age 15-49: 12,450,884
females age 15-49: 12,457,077 (2004 est.)

Burundi
males age 15-49: 1,419,755 (2004 est.)

Cambodia
males age 15-49: 3,402,703 (2004 est.)

Cameroon
males age 15-49: 3,898,944 (2004 est.)

Canada
males age 15-49: 8,417,314 (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
males age 15-49: 98,394 (2004 est.)

Central African Republic
males age 15-49: 878,980 (2004 est.)

Chad
males age 15-49: 2,008,825 (2004 est.)

Chile
males age 15-49: 4,207,066 (2004 est.)

China
males age 15-49: 379,524,688 (2004 est.)

Colombia
males age 15-49: 11,252,027 (2004 est.)

Comoros
males age 15-49: 154,843 (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the males age 15-49: 12,706,971 (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
males age 15-49: 773,790 (2004 est.)

Costa Rica
males age 15-49: 1,101,887 (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
males age 15-49: 4,135,309 (2004 est.)

Croatia
males age 15-49: 1,100,132 (2004 est.)

Cuba
males age 15-49: 3,134,622
females age 15-49: 3,075,534 (2004 est.)

Cyprus
males age 15-49: 202,966 (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
males age 15-49: 2,623,386 (2004 est.)

Denmark
males age 15-49: 1,276,087 (2004 est.)

Djibouti
males age 15-49: 108,771 (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
males age 15-49: 2,354,800 (2004 est.)

East Timor
NA (2004 est.)

Ecuador
males age 15-49: 3,440,371 (2004 est.)

Egypt
males age 15-49: 20,340,716 (2004 est.)

El Salvador
males age 15-49: 1,571,299 (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
males age 15-49: 120,463 (2004 est.)

Estonia
males age 15-49: 326,803 (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
males age 15-49: 15,748,632 (2004 est.)

Fiji
males age 15-49: 239,221 (2004 est.)

Finland
males age 15-49: 1,226,890 (2004 est.)

France
males age 15-49: 14,487,165 (2004 est.)

French Guiana
males age 15-49: 52,294 (2004 est.)

Gabon
males age 15-49: 314,434 (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
males age 15-49: 350,256 (2004 est.)

Georgia
males age 15-49: 1,156,302 (2004 est.)

Germany
males age 15-49: 20,468,942 (2004 est.)

Ghana
males age 15-49: 5,391,378 (2004 est.)

Greece
males age 15-49: 2,638,949 (2004 est.)

Guatemala
males age 15-49: 3,421,682 (2004 est.)

Guinea
males age 15-49: 2,108,948 (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
males age 15-49: 326,864 (2004 est.)

Guyana
males age 15-49: 209,545 (2004 est.)

Haiti
males age 15-49: 1,792,112 (2004 est.)

Honduras
males age 15-49: 1,642,029 (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
males age 15-49: 1,878,574 (2004 est.)

Hungary
males age 15-49: 2,519,052 (2004 est.)

Iceland
males age 15-49: 75,568 (2004 est.)

India
males age 15-49: 293,677,117 (2004 est.)

Indonesia
males age 15-49: 66,458,805 (2004 est.)

Iran
males age 15-49: 20,937,348 (2004 est.)

Iraq
males age 15-49: 6,547,762 (2004 est.)

Ireland
males age 15-49: 1,029,525 (2004 est.)

Israel
males age 15-49: 1,581,883
females age 15-49: 1,532,234 (2004 est.)

Italy
males age 15-49: 14,408,392 (2004 est.)

Jamaica
males age 15-49: 764,266 (2004 est.)

Japan
males age 15-49: 29,179,095 (2004 est.)

Jordan
males age 15-49: 1,636,537 (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
males age 15-49: 4,233,623 (2004 est.)

Kenya
males age 15-49: 8,313,051 (2004 est.)

Korea, North
males age 15-49: 6,181,038 (2004 est.)

Korea, South
males age 15-49: 14,233,895 (2004 est.)

Kuwait
males age 15-49: 880,461 (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
males age 15-49: 1,347,312 (2004 est.)

Laos
males age 15-49: 1,456,500 (2004 est.)

Latvia
males age 15-49: 594,596 (2004 est.)

Lebanon
males age 15-49: 1,049,097 (2004 est.)

Lesotho
males age 15-49: 465,827 (2004 est.)

Liberia
males age 15-49: 752,943 (2004 est.)

Libya
males age 15-49: 1,588,533 (2004 est.)

Lithuania
males age 15-49: 943,063 (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
males age 15-49: 115,721 (2004 est.)

Macau
males age 15-49: 125,060 (2004 est.)

Macedonia
males age 15-49: 555,611 (2004 est.)

Madagascar
males age 15-49: 4,004,242 (2004 est.)

Malawi
males age 15-49: 2,691,881 (2004 est.)

Malaysia
males age 15-49: 6,193,587 (2004 est.)

Maldives
males age 15-49: 81,221 (2004 est.)

Mali
males age 15-49: 2,529,147 (2004 est.)

Malta
males age 15-49: 99,324 (2004 est.)

Mauritania
males age 15-49: 686,629 (2004 est.)

Mauritius
males age 15-49: 342,482 (2004 est.)

Mexico
males age 15-49: 27,374,153 (2004 est.)

Moldova
males age 15-49: 1,186,818 (2004 est.)

Mongolia
males age 15-49: 818,977 (2004 est.)

Morocco
males age 15-49: 8,788,971 (2004 est.)

Mozambique
males age 15-49: 4,335,294 (2004 est.)

Namibia
males age 15-49: 468,934 (2004 est.)

Nauru
males age 15-49: 3,275 (2004 est.)

Nepal
males age 15-49: 6,865,849 (2004 est.)

Netherlands
males age 15-49: 4,070,043 (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
males age 15-49: 55,536 (2004 est.)

New Zealand
males age 15-49: 1,033,464 (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
males age 15-49: 1,399,356 (2004 est.)

Niger
males age 15-49: 2,460,637 (2004 est.)

Nigeria
males age 15-49: 32,665,407 (2004 est.)

Norway
males age 15-49: 1,106,484 (2004 est.)

Oman
males age 15-49: 796,792 (2004 est.)

Pakistan
males age 15-49: 39,793,586 (2004 est.)

Panama
males age 15-49: 810,341 (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
males age 15-49: 1,403,467 (2004 est.)

Paraguay
males age 15-49: 1,504,407 (2004 est.)

Peru
males age 15-49: 7,374,187 (2004 est.)

Philippines
males age 15-49: 22,435,982 (2004 est.)

Poland
males age 15-49: 10,291,628 (2004 est.)

Portugal
males age 15-49: 2,628,892 (2004 est.)

Qatar
males age 15-49: 324,001
note: includes non-nationals (2004 est.)

Reunion
males age 15-49: 202,385 (2004 est.)

Romania
males age 15-49: 5,952,834 (2004 est.)

Russia
males age 15-49: 39,127,169 (2004 est.)

Rwanda
males age 15-49: 1,973,713 (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
males age 15-49: 38,347 (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
males age 15-49: 8,240,714 (2004 est.)

Senegal
males age 15-49: 2,490,290 (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
males age 15-49: 2,718,234 (2004 est.)

Seychelles
males age 15-49: 23,661 (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
males age 15-49: 1,265,140 (2004 est.)

Singapore
males age 15-49: 1,292,471 (2004 est.)

Slovakia
males age 15-49: 1,477,017 (2004 est.)

Slovenia
males age 15-49: 525,983 (2004 est.)

Somalia
males age 15-49: 2,010,152 (2004 est.)

South Africa
males age 15-49: 11,924,500 (2004 est.)

Spain
males age 15-49: 10,482,753 (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
males age 15-49: 5,418,496 (2004 est.)

Sudan
males age 15-49: 9,339,775 (2004 est.)

Suriname
males age 15-49: 124,260 (2004 est.)

Swaziland
males age 15-49: 289,985 (2004 est.)

Sweden
males age 15-49: 2,082,776 (2004 est.)

Switzerland
males age 15-49: 1,890,091 (2004 est.)

Syria
males age 15-49: 4,876,040 (2004 est.)

Taiwan
males age 15-49: 6,556,484 (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
males age 15-49: 1,762,730 (2004 est.)

Tanzania
males age 15-49: 8,687,477 (2004 est.)

Thailand
males age 15-49: 17,944,151 (2004 est.)

Togo
males age 15-49: 1,316,455 (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
males age 15-49: 326,447 (2004 est.)

Tunisia
males age 15-49: 2,918,524 (2004 est.)

Turkey
males age 15-49: 19,828,702 (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
males age 15-49: 1,272,436 (2004 est.)

Uganda
males age 15-49: 5,678,649 (2004 est.)

Ukraine
males age 15-49: 12,196,319 (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates males age 15-49: 764,413 note: includes non-nationals (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
males age 15-49: 14,943,016 (2004 est.)

United States
males age 15-49: 73,597,731 (2004 est.)

Uruguay
males age 15-49: 838,195 (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
males age 15-49: 7,126,325 (2004 est.)

Venezuela
males age 15-49: 6,886,775 (2004 est.)

Vietnam
males age 15-49: 23,438,858 (2004 est.)

Yemen
males age 15-49: 4,617,064 (2004 est.)

Zambia
males age 15-49: 2,477,494 (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
males age 15-49: 3,285,007 (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2106 Maritime claims

Afghanistan
none (landlocked)

Albania
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Algeria
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm

American Samoa
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Andorra
none (landlocked)

Angola
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Anguilla
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Antarctica
Australia, Chile, and Argentina claim Exclusive Economic
Zone (EEZ) rights or similar over 200 nm extensions seaward from
their continental claims, but like the claims themselves, these
zones are not accepted by other countries; 20 of 27 Antarctic
consultative nations have made no claims to Antarctic territory
(although Russia and the US have reserved the right to do so) and do
not recognize the claims of the other nations; also see the Disputes
- international entry

Antigua and Barbuda
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Argentina
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Armenia
none (landlocked)

Aruba
territorial sea: 12 nm

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Australia
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Austria
none (landlocked)

Bahamas, The
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Bahrain
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined

Baker Island
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Bangladesh
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 18 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin

Barbados
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Bassas da India
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Belarus
none (landlocked)

Belgium
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit
continental shelf: median line with neighbors

Belize
territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south; note
- from the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's
territorial sea is 3 nm; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act,
1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for
the negotiation of a definitive agreement on territorial differences
with Guatemala
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Benin
territorial sea: 200 nm

Bermuda
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Bhutan
none (landlocked)

Bolivia
none (landlocked)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
No data available

Botswana
none (landlocked)

Bouvet Island
territorial sea: 4 nm

Brazil
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

British Indian Ocean Territory
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

British Virgin Islands
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Brunei
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line

Bulgaria
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Burkina Faso
none (landlocked)

Burma
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Burundi
none (landlocked)

Cambodia
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm

Cameroon
territorial sea: 50 nm

Canada
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Cape Verde
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Cayman Islands territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Central African Republic
none (landlocked)

Chad
none (landlocked)

Chile
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200/350 nm

China
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Christmas Island territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Clipperton Island
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Colombia
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Comoros
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors

Congo, Republic of the
territorial sea: 200 nm

Cook Islands territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Coral Sea Islands territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Costa Rica
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm

Cote d'Ivoire
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm

Croatia
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Cuba
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Cyprus
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Czech Republic
none (landlocked)

Denmark
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Djibouti
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Dominica
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Dominican Republic territorial sea: 6 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

East Timor
territorial sea: NA nm
exclusive economic zone: NA nm
continental shelf: NA nm
exclusive fishing zone: NA nm
extended fishing zone: NA nm

Ecuador
territorial sea: 200 nm
continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500 meter isobath

Egypt
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

El Salvador
territorial sea: 200 nm

Equatorial Guinea territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Eritrea
territorial sea: 12 nm

Estonia
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with
neighboring states

Ethiopia
none (landlocked)

Europa Island
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

European Union
NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Faroe Islands
territorial sea: 3 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Fiji
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation;
rectilinear shelf claim added

Finland
territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary
with Sweden

France
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean)
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

French Guiana
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

French Polynesia
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen (does not
include the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands)

Gabon
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Gambia, The
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 18 nm
continental shelf: not specified
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Gaza Strip
Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the
Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be
determined through further negotiation

Georgia
No data available

Germany
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Ghana
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm

Gibraltar
territorial sea: 3 nm

Glorioso Islands
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Greece
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Greenland
territorial sea: 3 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Grenada
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Guadeloupe
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Guam
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Guatemala
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Guernsey
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Guinea
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Guinea-Bissau
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Guyana
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental
margin

Haiti
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Heard Island and McDonald Islands territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Holy See (Vatican City)
none (landlocked)

Honduras
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm

Hong Kong
territorial sea: 3 nm

Howland Island territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Hungary
none (landlocked)

Iceland
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

India
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Indonesia
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Iran
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the
Persian Gulf
continental shelf: natural prolongation

Iraq
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: not specified

Ireland
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Israel
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Italy
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Jamaica
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

Jan Mayen
territorial sea: 4 nm
contiguous zone: 10 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Japan
territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the
international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and
Eastern and Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Jarvis Island
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Jersey
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Johnston Atoll
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Jordan
territorial sea: 3 nm

Juan de Nova Island
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Kenya
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Kingman Reef
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Kiribati
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Korea, North
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
note: military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the
exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign
vessels and aircraft without permission are banned

Korea, South
territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the
Korea Strait
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: not specified

Kuwait
territorial sea: 12 nm

Kyrgyzstan
none (landlocked)

Laos
none (landlocked)

Latvia
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Lebanon
territorial sea: 12 nm

Lesotho
none (landlocked)

Liberia
territorial sea: 200 nm

Libya
territorial sea: 12 nm
note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north

Liechtenstein
none (landlocked)

Lithuania
territorial sea: 12 nm

Luxembourg
none (landlocked)

Macau
not specified

Macedonia
none (landlocked)

Madagascar
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m deep isobath

Malawi
none (landlocked)

Malaysia
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation;
specified boundary in the South China Sea

Maldives
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Mali
none (landlocked)

Malta
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm

Man, Isle of territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Marshall Islands territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Martinique territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Mauritania
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Mauritius
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Mayotte
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Mexico
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Micronesia, Federated States of
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Midway Islands
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Moldova
none (landlocked)

Monaco
territorial sea: 12 nm

Mongolia
none (landlocked)

Montserrat
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Morocco
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Mozambique
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Namibia
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Nauru
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Navassa Island territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Nepal none (landlocked)

Netherlands
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Netherlands Antilles
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

New Caledonia
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

New Zealand
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Nicaragua territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: natural prolongation

Niger
none (landlocked)

Nigeria
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Niue
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Norfolk Island
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Northern Mariana Islands
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Norway
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 10 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm

Oman
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Pakistan
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Palau
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
extended fishing zone: 200 nm

Palmyra Atoll
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Panama
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Papua New Guinea
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Paracel Islands
NA

Paraguay
none (landlocked)

Peru
territorial sea: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm

Philippines
territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100
nm from coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has
also claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 nm
in breadth
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Pitcairn Islands
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Poland
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties

Portugal
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Puerto Rico
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Qatar
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or
the median line

Reunion
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Romania
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Russia
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Rwanda
none (landlocked)

Saint Helena territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Saint Kitts and Nevis
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Saint Lucia
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Saint Pierre and Miquelon territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Samoa
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

San Marino
none (landlocked)

Sao Tome and Principe
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Saudi Arabia
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 18 nm
continental shelf: not specified

Senegal
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Serbia and Montenegro
NA

Seychelles
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Sierra Leone
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm

Singapore
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as
defined in treaties and practice

Slovakia
none (landlocked)

Slovenia
NA

Solomon Islands measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Somalia territorial sea: 200 nm

South Africa territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Spain
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)

Spratly Islands
NA

Sri Lanka
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Sudan
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 18 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Suriname
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Svalbard
territorial sea: 4 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but
not recognized by Russia

Swaziland
none (landlocked)

Sweden
territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion
of straits to high seas)
exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Switzerland
none (landlocked)

Syria
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 41 nm

Taiwan
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Tajikistan
none (landlocked)

Tanzania
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Thailand
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Togo
territorial sea: 30 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Tokelau
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Tonga
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Trinidad and Tobago measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin

Tromelin Island territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Tunisia
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm

Turkey
territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea; 12 nm in Black Sea
and in Mediterranean Sea
exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundary
agreed upon with the former USSR

Turks and Caicos Islands
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Tuvalu
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Uganda
none (landlocked)

Ukraine
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m or to the depth of exploitation

United Arab Emirates
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

United Kingdom
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in
accordance with agreed upon boundaries

United States
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: not specified

Uruguay
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Uzbekistan
none (doubly landlocked)

Vanuatu
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Venezuela
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 15 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Vietnam
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Virgin Islands
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Wake Island
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Wallis and Futuna
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

West Bank
none (landlocked)

Western Sahara
contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue

World
a variety of situations exist, but in general, most countries
make the following claims measured from the mean low-tide baseline
as described in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea:
territorial sea - 12 nm, contiguous zone - 24 nm, and exclusive
economic zone - 200 nm; additional zones provide for exploitation of
continental shelf resources and an exclusive fishing zone; boundary
situations with neighboring states prevent many countries from
extending their fishing or economic zones to a full 200 nm

Yemen
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Zambia
none (landlocked)

Zimbabwe
none (landlocked)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2107 International organization participation

Afghanistan
AsDB, CP, ECO, FAO, G-77, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU,
MIGA, NAM, NATO, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO (observer), WToO

Albania
ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OIC, OPCW, OSCE,
PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO

Algeria
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-24,
G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
ITU, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC,
OSCE (partner), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

American Samoa
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU

Andorra
CE, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE,
UN, UNESCO, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Angola
ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), SADC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Anguilla
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS
(associate), UPU

Antigua and Barbuda
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
ISO (subscriber), ITU, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU,
WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Argentina
AfDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, FAO, G-6, G-15, G-24,
G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES,
LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Armenia
BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE,
PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO

Aruba
ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WToO
(associate)

Australia
ANZUS, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
Australia Group, BIS, C, CP, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD,
OPCW, Paris Club, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNMEE, UNMISET, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO, ZC

Austria
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI,
CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK,
UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO, ZC

Azerbaijan
AsDB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE,
PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO (observer)

Bahamas, The
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOM,
IOC, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Bahrain
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Bangladesh
AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
ONUB, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Barbados
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Belarus
CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM,
NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Belgium
ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN,
EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG,
OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB
(nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Belize
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Benin
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH,
MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary),
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Bermuda
Caricom (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU,
WCO, Egmont Group, Caribbean Financial Action Task Force

Bhutan
AsDB, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IOC,
IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC, SACEP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
(observer)

Bolivia
CAN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA,
MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Bosnia and Herzegovina
BIS, CE, CEI, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OIC
(observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Botswana
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,
MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Brazil
AfDB, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINUSTAH,
NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security
Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK,
UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO

British Virgin Islands
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol
(subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate), UPU

Brunei
APEC, ARF, ASEAN, C, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Bulgaria
ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC,
EBRD, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer),
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK,
UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Burkina Faso
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WADB
(regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Burma
ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW
(signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Burundi
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Cambodia
ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Cameroon
ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, MONUC,
NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Canada
ACCT, AfDB, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ESA
(cooperating state), FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM
(guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN,
UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Cape Verde
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Cayman Islands
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC,
UNESCO (associate), UPU

Central African Republic
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ,
G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OPCW
(signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO

Chad
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Chile
APEC, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate),
MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO

China
AfDB, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, CDB,
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA
(observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), ONUB,
OPCW, PCA, SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Christmas Island
none

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
none

Colombia
BCIE, CAN, CDB, FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate),
MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Comoros
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF,
IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, FAO,
G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW (signatory), PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Congo, Republic of the
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO

Cook Islands
ACP, AsDB, FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC, OPCW,
PIF, Sparteca, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Costa Rica
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS,
OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Cote d'Ivoire
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24,
G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM,
OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional),
WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Croatia
ABEDA, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM
(observer), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UPU,
WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Cuba
ACP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS
(excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO

Cyprus
Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OAS (observer),
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WEU (observer affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Czech Republic
ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN,
EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU
(member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Denmark
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC,
EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG,
OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN Security
Council (temporary), UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE,
UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU
(observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Djibouti
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Dominica
ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Dominican Republic
ACP, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer),
MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

East Timor
ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS
(observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO

Ecuador
CAN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM,
OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL,
UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Egypt
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU,
EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC,
OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

El Salvador
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Equatorial Guinea
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77,
IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Eritrea
ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), IGAD, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Estonia
Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new
member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA,
NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Ethiopia
ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO (observer)

European Union
European Union: ASEAN (dialogue member), ARF
(dialogue member), EBRD, IDA, OAS (observer), OECD, WTO
European Commission: Australian Group, CBSS, CERN, FAO, G-10, NSG
(observer), UN (observer)
European Central Bank: BIS
European Investment Bank: WADB (nonregional member)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
ICFTU, UPU

Faroe Islands
IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UPU

Fiji
ACP, AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTO

Finland
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC,
EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG,
OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNTSO,
UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

France
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC
(observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FZ, G- 5,
G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO,
NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN
Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR,
UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB
(nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

French Guiana
UPU, WCL, WFTU

French Polynesia
FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), UPU, WMO

Gabon
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Gambia, The
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO

Georgia
BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Germany
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS,
CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8,
G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE,
Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE,
UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCO, WEU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Ghana
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,
OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Gibraltar
Interpol (subbureau), UPU

Greece
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU,
EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Greenland
NC, NIB, UPU

Grenada
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW
(signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Guadeloupe
WCL, WFTU

Guam
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU

Guatemala
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA,
MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Guernsey
UPU

Guinea
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, ONUB,
OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Guinea-Bissau
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory),
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Guyana
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO

Haiti
ACCT, ACP, Caricom, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, MIGA, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Holy See (Vatican City)
CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer),
ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD,
UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WToO (observer), WTrO (observer)

Honduras
ABEDA, BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO,
NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Hong Kong
APEC, AsDB, BIS, ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate),
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO,
WToO (associate), WTO

Hungary
Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA
(cooperating state), EU (new member), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member
affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Iceland
Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, FAO, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD,
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO

India
AfDB, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, C, CERN
(observer), CP, FAO, G- 6, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS
(observer), ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Indonesia
APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM,
OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOMIG,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Iran
CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO

Iraq
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,
LAS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), WToO

Ireland
Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU,
FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO,
MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE,
Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNIFIL, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Israel
BIS, BSEC (observer), CE (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD,
FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
ITU, MIGA, OAS (observer), OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Italy
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CDB, CE,
CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G- 8, G-10,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA
(observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Jamaica
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM,
OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Japan
AfDB, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia
Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EBRD, FAO, G-5, G-7,
G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA,
MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE
(partner), Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary),
UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UNRWA, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Jordan
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Kazakhstan
AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MIGA, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP,
SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO (observer)

Kenya
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,
ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK,
UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Kiribati
ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNESCO,
UPU, WHO, WMO

Korea, North
ARF, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC,
ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO

Korea, South
AfDB, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
Australia Group, BIS, CP, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Kuwait
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC,
OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Kyrgyzstan
AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK,
UNMIL, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Laos
ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
(observer)

Latvia
Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new
member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA,
NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Lebanon
ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS
(observer), OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Lesotho
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU,
MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Liberia
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Libya
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
(observer), WToO

Liechtenstein
CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol,
IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO

Lithuania
ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC,
EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NIB, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate),
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Luxembourg
ACCT, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD,
EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Macau
IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (sub-bureau), ISO
(correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WToO
(associate), WTO

Macedonia
ACCT, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Madagascar
ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO

Malawi
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SADC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO

Malaysia
ABEDA, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,
OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE,
UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Maldives
AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Mali
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Malta
Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer affiliate), WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO

Man, Isle of
UPU

Marshall Islands
ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA,
IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, WHO

Martinique
UPU, WCL, WFTU

Mauritania
ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO
(pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAS, MIGA,
NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO

Mauritius
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Mayotte
UPU

Mexico
APEC, BCIE, BIS, CDB, CE (observer), EBRD, FAO, G-3, G-6,
G-15, G-19, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory),
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM (observer), NEA, OAS, OECD,
OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR,
UNMOVIC, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Micronesia, Federated States of
ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Moldova
ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OPCW,
OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Monaco
ACCT, CE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM,
IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Mongolia
ARF, AsDB, CP, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SCO
(observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO

Montserrat
Caricom, CDB, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU

Morocco
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA,
MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner),
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Mozambique
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA,
MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNMISET, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Namibia
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SACU,
SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Nauru
ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF,
Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Nepal
AsDB, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MICAH, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SAARC,
SACEP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK,
UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
WToO, WTrO (observer)

Netherlands
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN,
EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Netherlands Antilles
ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate),
UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate)

New Caledonia
FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), UPU, WFTU, WMO

New Zealand
ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11
August 1986), APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia
Group, BIS, C, CP, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca,
SPC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET,
UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Nicaragua
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL,
OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Niger
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB,
OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional),
WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Nigeria
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
ONUB, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Niue
ACP, FAO, PIF, Sparteca, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Norfolk Island
UPU

Northern Mariana Islands
Interpol (subbureau)

Norway
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNMEE, UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
ZC

Oman
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO

Pakistan
ARF, AsDB, C (reinstated 2004), CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC,
NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN,
UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK, UNMIL,
UNMISET, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTO

Palau
ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF,
IOC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Panama
FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Papua New Guinea
ACP, APEC, ARF, AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF,
Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO

Paraguay
FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC,
NAM (observer), OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO

Peru
APEC, CAN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur
(associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Philippines
APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA,
MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council
(temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET,
UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Pitcairn Islands
UPU

Poland
ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS,
CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest),
NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI,
UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO, ZC

Portugal
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG,
OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO, ZC

Puerto Rico
ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WToO
(associate)

Qatar
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC,
OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO

Reunion
InOC, UPU, WFTU

Romania
ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU
(applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer),
ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UN Security Council (temporary),
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Russia
APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, BSEC, CBSS, CE,
CERN (observer), CIS, EAPC, EBRD, G- 8, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA,
MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE,
Paris Club, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOVIC, UNOCI,
UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
(observer), ZC

Rwanda
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Saint Helena
ICFTU, UPU

Saint Kitts and Nevis
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
MIGA, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO,
WIPO, WTO

Saint Lucia
ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
UPU, WFTU

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Samoa
ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

San Marino
CE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU,
WHO, WIPO, WToO

Sao Tome and Principe
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Saudi Arabia
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BIS, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC,
OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Senegal
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC,
NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL,
UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Serbia and Montenegro
BSEC, CE, CEI, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer),
ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL,
UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Seychelles
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC,
Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
(observer)

Sierra Leone
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Singapore
APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Slovakia
Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU
(new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA,
NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP,
UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Slovenia
Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new
member), FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM
(guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Solomon Islands
ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU,
OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Somalia
ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

South Africa
ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS, C, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, NSG, ONUB,
OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR,
UNMEE, UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Spain
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,
EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NATO,
NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Sri Lanka
AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS
(observer), ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Sudan
ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Suriname
ACP, Caricom, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES,
MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Svalbard
none

Swaziland
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Sweden
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA,
NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP,
UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK,
UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer),
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Switzerland
ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC,
EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA,
NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNTSO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Syria
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Taiwan
APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, ICFTU, IOC, WCL, WTO

Tajikistan
AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, MIGA, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Tanzania
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EADB, FAO, G- 6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UN Security
Council (temporary), UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Thailand
APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS
(observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO

Togo
ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Tokelau
UNESCO (associate), UPU

Tonga
ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Trinidad and Tobago
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Tunisia
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer),
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA,
MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner),
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Turkey
AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN (observer), EAPC,
EBRD, ECO, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC,
OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNOMIG,
UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Turkmenistan
AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Turks and Caicos Islands
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol
(subbureau), UPU

Tuvalu
ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IFRCS (observer), IMO, ITU, OPCW, PIF,
Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Uganda
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTO

Ukraine
BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer),
NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer), ZC

United Arab Emirates
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC,
OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

United Kingdom
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE, CERN,
EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM
(guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris
Club, PCA, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA,
UPU, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

United States
AfDB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue
partner), Australia Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP,
EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-5, G-7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM (guest),
NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN
Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK,
UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO, ZC

Uruguay
FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES,
LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS,
ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP,
UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Uzbekistan
AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Vanuatu
ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, PIF, Sparteca, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Venezuela
CAN, CDB, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate),
MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Vietnam
ACCT (observer), APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, FAO, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTO (observer)

Virgin Islands
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU

Wallis and Futuna
FZ, UPU

Western Sahara
none

Yemen
AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS
(observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Zambia
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN,
UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Zimbabwe
ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2108 Merchant marine

Albania
total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 40,878 GRT/62,676 DWT
by type: bulk 1, cargo 19, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: Denmark 1, Honduras 1, Netherlands 1
registered in other countries: 7 (2004 est.)

Algeria
total: 59 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 837,676 GRT/929,847 DWT
by type: bulk 9, cargo 16, chemical tanker 6, liquefied gas 10,
petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea/passenger 4,
specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: United Kingdom 4
registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)

American Samoa
none

Angola
total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 26,123 GRT/42,879 DWT
by type: cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1
registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)

Anguilla
none

Antigua and Barbuda
total: 867 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,873,626
GRT/7,683,143 DWT
by type: bulk 25, cargo 477, chemical tanker 13, container 284,
liquefied gas 10, multi-functional large load carrier 15,
refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 32, vehicle carrier 1
foreign-owned: Australia 1, Bahamas 1, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 3,
Colombia 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 1, Estonia 3, France 1, Germany 818,
Greece 2, Iceland 5, Latvia 1, Lebanon 1, Lithuania 2, Malaysia 1,
Netherlands 19, New Zealand 1, Norway 2, Portugal 1, Slovenia 5,
Sweden 2, Switzerland 5, Turkey 3, United States 10
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)

Argentina
total: 45 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 149,007 GRT/212,620 DWT
by type: cargo 9, petroleum tanker 9, rail car carrier 1,
refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 1,
specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: Uruguay 1
registered in other countries: 26 (2004 est.)

Aruba
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,772 GRT/7,068 DWT
by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2
foreign-owned: Germany 1, Russia 1
registered in other countries: 1 (2003 est.)

Australia
total: 52 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,531,461
GRT/1,999,409 DWT
by type: bulk 20, cargo 5, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 2,
container 3, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 7, roll
on/roll off 6
foreign-owned: United Kingdom 2, United States 12
registered in other countries: 60 (2004 est.)

Austria
total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 29,624 GRT/37,425 DWT
by type: cargo 4, container 2
foreign-owned: Netherlands 1
registered in other countries: 34 (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 253,004 GRT/318,922
DWT
by type: cargo 14, petroleum tanker 40, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: Russia 1 (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
total: 1,035 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 31,631,252
GRT/43,025,977 DWT
by type: bulk 165, cargo 188, chemical tanker 45, combination bulk
10, combination ore/oil 17, container 97, liquefied gas 27,
livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large load carrier 4,
passenger 108, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 163, refrigerated
cargo 133, roll on/roll off 34, short-sea/passenger 18, specialized
tanker 3, vehicle carrier 20
foreign-owned: Algeria 1, Australia 7, Belgium 14, Bermuda 1, Canada
4, Chile 1, China 4, Croatia 1, Cuba 3, Cyprus 14, Denmark 49,
Estonia 1, Faroe Islands 1, Finland 9, France 21, Germany 13,
Gibraltar 1, Greece 163, Hong Kong 9, India 1, Indonesia 3, Ireland
1, Israel 3, Italy 7, Japan 35, Kenya 2, South Korea 1, Latvia 1,
Liberia 1, Malaysia 11, Malta 1, Monaco 68, Netherlands 29, New
Zealand 1, Norway 231, Panama 2, Philippines 3, Poland 14, Reunion
1, Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 9, Singapore 13, Slovenia 1, Spain 6,
Sweden 9, Switzerland 1, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 2
registered in other countries: 11 (2004 est.)

Bahrain
total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 219,083 GRT/312,638 DWT
by type: bulk 3, container 2, petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned: Hong Kong 1, Kuwait 1
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 319,897 GRT/440,575
DWT
by type: bulk 2, cargo 24, container 10, passenger 1, petroleum
tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1
foreign-owned: China 1, Singapore 9
registered in other countries: 10 (2004 est.)

Barbados
total: 42 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 427,465 GRT/668,195 DWT
by type: bulk 11, cargo 20, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 3,
petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: Australia 1, Bahamas 1, Bangladesh 1, Canada 5,
Greece 7, Hong Kong 7, Italy 2, Lebanon 1, Norway 9, United Kingdom
10
registered in other countries: 3 (2004 est.)

Belgium
total: 50 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,146,301 GRT/1,588,184
DWT
by type: bulk 1, cargo 8, chemical tanker 11, container 6, liquefied
gas 18, petroleum tanker 6
foreign-owned: Denmark 6, Finland 1, France 2, Netherlands 3
registered in other countries: 69 (2004 est.)

Belize
total: 336 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,015,270 GRT/1,336,890
DWT
by type: bulk 13, cargo 240, chemical tanker 11, combination bulk 4,
combination ore/oil 1, container 10, multi-functional large load
carrier 1, petroleum tanker 27, refrigerated cargo 18, roll on/roll
off 8, short-sea/passenger 1, specialized tanker 2
foreign-owned: Bahamas 2, Belgium 1, British Virgin Islands 11,
Cambodia 6, China 67, Cuba 2, Cyprus 1, Ecuador 1, Estonia 8,
Germany 5, Greece 2, Grenada 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 27, Indonesia
4, Italy 2, Japan 5, Jordan 1, South Korea 13, Latvia 5, Liberia 2,
Malaysia 4, Malta 1, Isle of Man 1, Marshall Islands 16, Mexico 1,
Netherlands 1, Nigeria 2, Panama 15, Philippines 4, Portugal 1,
Russia 9, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Singapore 9, Spain 6,
Switzerland 2, Taiwan 1, Thailand 3, Tunisia 1, Turkey 2, Ukraine 3,
United Kingdom 1, United States 3, Yemen 1
registered in other countries: 25 (2004 est.)

Benin
none

Bermuda
total: 94 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,845,326 GRT/6,501,782
DWT
by type: bulk 25, cargo 4, container 17, liquefied gas 9, passenger
6, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 10,
short-sea/passenger 3
foreign-owned: Croatia 5, Germany 2, Greece 21, Hong Kong 9,
Indonesia 1, Sweden 6, Switzerland 1, United Kingdom 33, United
States 12
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)

Bolivia
total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 413,407 GRT/699,901 DWT
by type: bulk 3, cargo 26, chemical tanker 4, container 3, livestock
carrier 1, multi-functional large load carrier 1, petroleum tanker
10, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 3,
specialized tanker 2
foreign-owned: Argentina 1, British Virgin Islands 1, Cambodia 1,
China 1, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Eritrea 1, Germany 2, Greece 1, Hong
Kong 1, Indonesia 1, Iran 1, Italy 2, Latvia 2, Panama 3, Romania 1,
Russia 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
1, Saudi Arabia 2, Singapore 3, Syria 1, Turkey 1, United Kingdom 1,
United States 3, Yemen 2
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
none

Brazil
total: 151 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,961,431 GRT/4,725,267
DWT
by type: bulk 29, cargo 22, chemical tanker 7, combination ore/oil
6, container 12, liquefied gas 12, multi-functional large load
carrier 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 48, roll on/roll off
8, short-sea/passenger 1
foreign-owned: Chile 2, Germany 7, Monaco 9, Panama 1, Spain 7
registered in other countries: 11 (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 83,825 GRT/155,909 DWT by type: cargo 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1 foreign-owned: Norway 1 registered in other countries: 32 (2004 est.)

Brunei
total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 465,937 GRT/413,393 DWT
by type: liquefied gas 8
foreign-owned: United Kingdom 8 (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
total: 60 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 757,972 GRT/1,115,238
DWT
by type: bulk 37, cargo 7, chemical tanker 4, container 2, petroleum
tanker 3, rail car carrier 2, roll on/roll off 3,
short-sea/passenger 1, specialized tanker 1
registered in other countries: 45 (2004 est.)

Burma
total: 31 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 384,529 GRT/608,609 DWT
by type: bulk 8, cargo 18, container 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum
tanker 1
foreign-owned: Germany 6, Japan 4 (2004 est.)

Cambodia
total: 467 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,913,910
GRT/2,713,967 DWT
by type: bulk 42, cargo 360, chemical tanker 6, combination bulk 3,
container 13, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 4, multi-functional
large load carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 16,
refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 5, short-sea/passenger 2
foreign-owned: Algeria 2, Angola 1, Aruba 1, Bahamas 1, Belize 10,
British Virgin Islands 7, Bulgaria 1, Canada 4, China 35, Cyprus 14,
Egypt 8, Finland 1, France 1, Georgia 1, Germany 1, Gibraltar 1,
Greece 9, Honduras 8, Hong Kong 12, Indonesia 2, Iran 1, Italy 2,
Japan 1, Jordan 1, North Korea 2, South Korea 31, Lebanon 2, Liberia
7, Malaysia 1, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 11, Netherlands 2, Nigeria
2, Norway 1, Panama 8, Romania 1, Russia 81, Saint Kitts and Nevis
2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Samoa 2, Singapore 7, Spain
1, Syria 19, Taiwan 1, Turkey 11
registered in other countries: 19 (2004 est.)

Cameroon
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 169,593 GRT/357,023 DWT
by type: petroleum tanker 1 (2004 est.)

Canada
total: 119 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,784,229 GRT/2,657,499
DWT
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 59, cargo 13, chemical tanker 6,
combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 1, passenger 2,
passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 18, rail car carrier 1, roll
on/roll off 11, short-sea/passenger 3, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: Germany 3, Hong Kong 2, Monaco 18, United Kingdom 3,
United States 2
registered in other countries: 43 (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,395 GRT/6,614 DWT
by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 1
foreign-owned: United Kingdom 1 (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands
total: 137 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,827,837
GRT/4,555,974 DWT
by type: bulk 27, cargo 7, chemical tanker 36, container 2,
liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 25, refrigerated cargo 33, roll
on/roll off 4, short-sea/passenger 1, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: Germany 9, Greece 25, Hong Kong 3, Italy 14, Norway
4, Singapore 1, Spain 11, Sweden 13, Switzerland 1, United Kingdom
18, United States 43
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)

Chile
total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 725,216 GRT/954,519 DWT
by type: bulk 10, cargo 5, chemical tanker 9, container 3, liquefied
gas 1, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 4,
short-sea/passenger 1, vehicle carrier 4
foreign-owned: Argentina 1
registered in other countries: 28 (2004 est.)

China
total: 1,850 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 18,724,653
GRT/27,749,784 DWT
by type: barge carrier 2, bulk 355, cargo 822, chemical tanker 28,
combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 2, container 165, liquefied
gas 28, multi-functional large load carrier 8, passenger 6,
passenger/cargo 46, petroleum tanker 272, rail car carrier 1,
refrigerated cargo 27, roll on/roll off 25, short-sea/passenger 39,
specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 4
foreign-owned: Cambodia 1, Greece 2, Hong Kong 12, Japan 1, South
Korea 2, Liberia 1, Malaysia 1, Panama 1, Taiwan 2, Tanzania 1
registered in other countries: 790 (2004 est.)

Colombia
total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 35,427 GRT/46,301 DWT
by type: bulk 4, cargo 5, container 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum
tanker 2
registered in other countries: 16 (2004 est.)

Comoros
total: 62 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 452,801 GRT/681,343 DWT
by type: bulk 9, cargo 31, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1,
livestock carrier 1, passenger 4, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated
cargo 3, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 2, specialized
tanker 4
foreign-owned: Bahamas 1, Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 1, Greece 7, Honduras
1, India 1, Kenya 1, Lebanon 7, Liberia 1, Marshall Islands 3,
Pakistan 4, Panama 2, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1,
Saudi Arabia 2, Syria 4, Turkey 21, United Kingdom 1, United States
1, Yemen 2 (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
none

Cook Islands
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,074 GRT/7,520 DWT
by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned: Australia 1, United Kingdom 1 (2004 est.)

Costa Rica
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT
by type: passenger 1
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Croatia
total: 51 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 750,579 GRT/1,178,786 DWT
by type: bulk 16, cargo 14, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 5,
multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker
2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea/passenger 3
foreign-owned: Hong Kong 3, Russia 1
registered in other countries: 44 (2004 est.)

Cuba
total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 54,818 GRT/81,850 DWT
by type: bulk 3, cargo 4, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 3,
refrigerated cargo 2
registered in other countries: 35 (2004 est.)

Cyprus
total: 1,066 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 22,016,374
GRT/35,760,004 DWT
by type: bulk 403, cargo 276, chemical tanker 28, combination bulk
21, combination ore/oil 2, container 145, liquefied gas 1,
multi-functional large load carrier 2, passenger 8, passenger/cargo
1, petroleum tanker 109, refrigerated cargo 30, roll on/roll off 29,
short-sea/passenger 5, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 3
foreign-owned: Austria 11, Belgium 1, Bulgaria 1, Canada 6, China
13, Croatia 2, Cuba 8, Egypt 2, Estonia 2, Germany 210, Greece 499,
Guam 1, Hong Kong 5, India 6, Iran 3, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Italy 2,
Japan 20, South Korea 6, Latvia 11, Malta 1, Mexico 1, Monaco 3,
Netherlands 18, Norway 7, Panama 1, Philippines 2, Poland 20,
Portugal 2, Russia 51, Singapore 2, Slovenia 4, Spain 5, Sudan 2,
Sweden 6, Switzerland 1, Ukraine 2, United Kingdom 16, United States
4, Vietnam 1
registered in other countries: 100 (2004 est.)

Denmark
total: 276 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,952,473 GRT/9,030,444
DWT
by type: bulk 4, cargo 77, chemical tanker 36, container 83,
liquefied gas 15, livestock carrier 5, petroleum tanker 27, rail car
carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 8, roll on/roll off 11,
short-sea/passenger 5, specialized tanker 4
foreign-owned: Germany 1, Greece 1, Indonesia 2, Norway 5
registered in other countries: 284 (2004 est.)

Djibouti
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,369 GRT/3,030 DWT
by type: cargo 1 (2004 est.)

Dominica
total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 13,771 GRT/19,736 DWT
by type: cargo 3, container 2, petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned: Bahamas 1, Cyprus 1, Estonia 1, Greece 1, Panama 1,
Singapore 1 (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 11,230 GRT/17,011 DWT by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2 foreign-owned: Pakistan 1, Singapore 1 registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

East Timor
none

Ecuador
total: 34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 241,403 GRT/391,898 DWT
by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger 5,
petroleum tanker 21, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: Greece 1, Paraguay 1, Peru 1
registered in other countries: 3 (2004 est.)

Egypt
total: 159 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,194,696 GRT/1,754,815
DWT
by type: bulk 18, cargo 41, container 5, passenger 64, petroleum
tanker 14, roll on/roll off 13, short-sea/passenger 4
foreign-owned: China 2, Cyprus 1, Denmark 1, Greece 6, Lebanon 2,
Turkey 1
registered in other countries: 50 (2004 est.)

El Salvador
none

Equatorial Guinea
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,556 GRT/9,704
DWT
by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 1
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Eritrea
total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 16,069 GRT/19,549 DWT
by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll
on/roll off 1
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Estonia
total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 212,998 GRT/177,488 DWT
by type: bulk 2, cargo 12, container 4, petroleum tanker 2, roll
on/roll off 7, short-sea/passenger 5
foreign-owned: Netherlands 1
registered in other countries: 45 (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 81,933 GRT/101,287 DWT
by type: cargo 5, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off
2 (2004 est.)

Faroe Islands
total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 24,051 GRT/11,998
DWT
by type: cargo 3, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off
1, short-sea/passenger 1
foreign-owned: Denmark 2, Norway 1, United Kingdom 1
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Fiji
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,372 GRT/7,453 DWT
by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger 1
foreign-owned: Australia 1, Singapore 1 (2004 est.)

Finland
total: 90 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,152,175 GRT/1,053,906
DWT
by type: bulk 9, cargo 26, chemical tanker 5, container 1, passenger
2, petroleum tanker 9, roll on/roll off 28, short-sea/passenger 10
foreign-owned: Estonia 1
registered in other countries: 39 (2004 est.)

France
total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 703,639 GRT/889,705 DWT
by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 6, container 2, liquefied gas 4,
passenger 1, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 2,
short-sea/passenger 4
foreign-owned: Germany 1, Monaco 2, New Caledonia 1, Sweden 5
registered in other countries: 118 (2004 est.)

French Polynesia
total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 17,537
GRT/15,150 DWT
by type: cargo 3, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, refrigerated cargo
1, roll on/roll off 1 (2004 est.)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
total: 70 ships (1,000 GRT or
over) 3,092,387 GRT/5,056,658 DWT
by type: bulk 4, cargo 2, chemical tanker 19, container 11,
liquefied gas 7, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 11, vehicle
carrier 2
foreign-owned: Denmark 2, France 49, Japan 4, Monaco 5, Norway 5,
Sweden 5 (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
none (2004 est.)

Georgia
total: 144 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 855,908 GRT/1,288,812
DWT
by type: bulk 20, cargo 95, chemical tanker 1, container 11,
liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 1,
petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2,
short-sea/passenger 1, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: Albania 2, Belize 2, British Virgin Islands 2,
Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 5, Ecuador 1, Egypt 3, Estonia 1, Germany 1,
Gibraltar 1, Greece 13, Israel 1, Italy 1, Latvia 4, Lebanon 3,
Liberia 2, Madagascar 1, Malta 1, Netherlands 2, Norway 1, Panama 8,
Romania 6, Russia 10, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines 4, Saudi Arabia 1, Syria 31, Turkey 10, Ukraine 16,
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Germany
total: 278 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,721,495 GRT/6,810,631
DWT
by type: cargo 71, chemical tanker 14, container 169, liquefied gas
3, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 3, petroleum
tanker 5, rail car carrier 2, roll on/roll off 3,
short-sea/passenger 7
foreign-owned: Finland 4, Iceland 1, Netherlands 3
registered in other countries: 2,295 (2004 est.)

Ghana
total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 19,086 GRT/26,185 DWT
by type: petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 5
foreign-owned: Brazil 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Spain 1
(2004 est.)

Gibraltar
total: 133 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 980,636 GRT/1,254,661
DWT
by type: bulk 3, cargo 69, chemical tanker 14, container 27,
multi-functional large load carrier 3, passenger 2, petroleum tanker
13, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: Belgium 1, Cyprus 3, Denmark 1, Estonia 1, France 1,
Germany 92, Greece 11, Hong Kong 2, Iceland 1, Monaco 4, Norway 6,
Spain 1, United Kingdom 6, United States 2
registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)

Greece
total: 793 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 30,186,624
GRT/52,943,968 DWT
by type: bulk 298, cargo 57, chemical tanker 38, combination bulk 5,
combination ore/oil 3, container 49, liquefied gas 5, passenger 10,
petroleum tanker 267, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 19,
short-sea/passenger 38, specialized tanker 3
foreign-owned: Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, Israel 1, Italy 1, Liberia 3,
Malta 1, Marshall Islands 1, Norway 2, Panama 3, Singapore 1, Sweden
1, United Kingdom 2, United States 5
registered in other countries: 2,443 (2004 est.)

Greenland
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,593 GRT/3,640 DWT
by type: cargo 2, passenger 1
foreign-owned: Denmark 1 (2004 est.)

Grenada
none

Guadeloupe
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,240 GRT/109 DWT
by type: passenger 1
foreign-owned: France 1
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Guam
none

Guatemala
none

Guernsey
none

Guinea
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,344 GRT/5,003 DWT
by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: Iraq 1 (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
none

Guyana
total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,475 GRT/8,758 DWT
by type: cargo 3, container 1, refrigerated cargo 1
foreign-owned: Barbados 1, Panama 1
registered in other countries: 8 (2004 est.)

Haiti
none

Honduras
total: 238 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 598,600 GRT/616,158 DWT
by type: bulk 12, cargo 139, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 1,
container 5, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 3,
passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 54, refrigerated cargo 8, roll
on/roll off 4, short-sea/passenger 3
foreign-owned: Argentina 1, Bahrain 1, British Virgin Islands 1,
Bulgaria 1, Cayman Islands 1, China 4, Costa Rica 1, Cyprus 1, Egypt
5, El Salvador 1, Greece 16, Hong Kong 3, Indonesia 2, Israel 1,
Italy 1, Japan 2, Jordan 1, South Korea 9, Lebanon 4, Liberia 4,
Maldives 2, Marshall Islands 3, Mexico 1, Nigeria 2, Panama 10,
Philippines 1, Russia 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines 1, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 22, Spain 1, Taiwan 2,
Tanzania 1, Thailand 1, Turkey 2, Turks and Caicos Islands 1, United
States 7, Vanuatu 1, Vietnam 1
registered in other countries: 16 (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
total: 663 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,478,042
GRT/34,554,455 DWT
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 364, cargo 78, chemical tanker 23,
combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 3, container 97, liquefied
gas 20, multi-functional large load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 60,
refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea/passenger 1,
specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 4
foreign-owned: Australia 2, Belgium 1, British Virgin Islands 1,
China 178, Cyprus 1, Denmark 3, France 2, Germany 14, Greece 4,
India 9, Indonesia 2, Japan 22, South Korea 2, Malaysia 3, Monaco 9,
Norway 16, Panama 4, Philippines 17, Singapore 22, Taiwan 3,
Thailand 1, United Kingdom 22, United States 1
registered in other countries: 569 (2004 est.)

Hungary
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,568 GRT/10,025 DWT
by type: cargo 2
registered in other countries: 8 (2004 est.)

Iceland
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,341 GRT/6,019 DWT
by type: petroleum tanker 1
registered in other countries: 26 (2004 est.)

India
total: 306 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,555,507 GRT/11,069,791
DWT
by type: bulk 90, cargo 77, chemical tanker 14, combination bulk 1,
combination ore/oil 2, container 10, liquefied gas 10,
passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 93, roll on/roll off 1,
short-sea/passenger 2, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: China 2, Portugal 1
registered in other countries: 63 (2004 est.)

Indonesia
total: 718 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,192,847
GRT/4,319,739 DWT
by type: bulk 47, cargo 398, chemical tanker 13, container 57,
liquefied gas 6, livestock carrier 1, passenger 10, passenger/cargo
13, petroleum tanker 128, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 15,
short-sea/passenger 9, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 7
foreign-owned: France 1, Germany 1, Greece 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong
2, Japan 3, Malaysia 1, Monaco 2, Panama 1, Philippines 2, Singapore
12, Switzerland 1, United Kingdom 2, United States 1
registered in other countries: 109 (2004 est.)

Iran
total: 134 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,715,242 GRT/8,240,069 DWT
by type: bulk 40, cargo 36, chemical tanker 3, container 7,
liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large load carrier 5, petroleum
tanker 33, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea/passenger 1
registered in other countries: 10 (2004 est.)

Iraq
total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 83,221 GRT/125,255 DWT
by type: cargo 6, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 5, roll
on/roll off 1
registered in other countries: 3 (2004 est.)

Ireland
total: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 288,401 GRT/383,628 DWT
by type: bulk 7, cargo 22, chemical tanker 1, container 3, roll
on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 1
foreign-owned: Germany 3, Italy 7, Norway 2
registered in other countries: 18 (2004 est.)

Israel
total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 752,873 GRT/881,711 DWT
by type: container 18
registered in other countries: 40 (2004 est.)

Italy
total: 475 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 8,970,017 GRT/10,354,685
DWT
by type: bulk 39, cargo 40, chemical tanker 106, combination ore/oil
2, container 23, liquefied gas 43, livestock carrier 2,
multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 13, passenger/cargo
1, petroleum tanker 74, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 62,
short-sea/passenger 31, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 23
foreign-owned: Denmark 4, France 3, Greece 5, Japan 1, Isle of Man
1, Monaco 22, Netherlands 4, Panama 2, Switzerland 2, Taiwan 10,
United Kingdom 5, United States 13
registered in other countries: 144 (2004 est.)

Jamaica
total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 74,881 GRT/100,682 DWT
by type: bulk 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2,
short-sea/passenger 1
foreign-owned: Greece 2, Iceland 1, Latvia 1, United States 2 (2004
est.)

Japan
total: 568 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 10,149,196 GRT/12,680,544
DWT
by type: bulk 113, cargo 39, chemical tanker 18, combination bulk
31, combination ore/oil 1, container 14, liquefied gas 53, passenger
8, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 170, refrigerated cargo 6,
roll on/roll off 58, short-sea/passenger 7, vehicle carrier 49
foreign-owned: China 1, Panama 1, Philippines 1, Singapore 1
registered in other countries: 1,989 (2004 est.)

Jordan
total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 78,814 GRT/92,695 DWT
by type: cargo 2, container 1, roll on/roll off 5,
short-sea/passenger 1
foreign-owned: Greece 6
registered in other countries: 11 (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,064 GRT/646 DWT
by type: roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 26 Netherlands 1 (2004 est.)

Kenya
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,049 GRT/7,082 DWT
by type: petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2
registered in other countries: 9 (2004 est.)

Kiribati
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,291 GRT/1,295 DWT
by type: passenger 1 (2004 est.)

Korea, North
total: 203 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 921,577
GRT/1,339,929 DWT
by type: bulk 6, cargo 166, combination bulk 2, container 3,
liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large load
carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated
cargo 6, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea/passenger 1
foreign-owned: Albania 1, Belize 1, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 3, Cyprus 1,
Egypt 3, Germany 1, Greece 4, Italy 1, Lebanon 2, Marshall Islands
1, Pakistan 1, Portugal 1, Romania 8, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Syria
9, Tanzania 1, Tunisia 1, Turkey 5, Ukraine 2, United States 3
registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)

Korea, South
total: 535 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,978,949
GRT/9,761,699 DWT
by type: bulk 97, cargo 174, chemical tanker 61, combination bulk
10, container 60, liquefied gas 19, passenger 3, petroleum tanker
73, refrigerated cargo 20, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea/passenger
2, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier 3
foreign-owned: Bahrain 1, China 1, Gibraltar 1, Honduras 1,
Indonesia 1, Japan 3, Malaysia 1, Panama 1, Philippines 1, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines 1, United Kingdom 1, United States 1
registered in other countries: 442 (2004 est.)

Kuwait
total: 38 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,319,082 GRT/3,768,828
DWT
by type: bulk 1, container 6, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 4,
petroleum tanker 21, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: India 1, Saudi Arabia 1
registered in other countries: 5 (2004 est.)

Laos
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT
by type: cargo 1 (2004 est.)

Latvia
total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 53,153 GRT/37,414 DWT
by type: cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll
on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 1
foreign-owned: Germany 1, Greece 1, Ukraine 1
registered in other countries: 96 (2004 est.)

Lebanon
total: 49 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 198,602 GRT/248,313 DWT
by type: bulk 5, cargo 23, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1,
container 2, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 8, refrigerated
cargo 1, roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 3
foreign-owned: Greece 7, India 1, Netherlands 4, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines 1, Spain 1, Syria 2
registered in other countries: 52 (2004 est.)

Liberia
total: 1,449 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 50,555,752
GRT/79,125,329 DWT
by type: bulk 278, cargo 67, chemical tanker 161, combination bulk
10, combination ore/oil 20, container 388, liquefied gas 77,
multi-functional large load carrier 3, passenger 3, petroleum tanker
317, refrigerated cargo 62, roll on/roll off 14, short-sea/passenger
3, specialized tanker 13, vehicle carrier 33
foreign-owned: Argentina 9, Australia 3, Austria 16, Belgium 8,
Bermuda 1, Brazil 5, Chile 7, China 40, Croatia 11, Cyprus 4,
Denmark 4, Estonia 1, France 3, Germany 510, Greece 142, Hong Kong
56, Iceland 1, India 3, Indonesia 1, Israel 4, Italy 8, Japan 81,
South Korea 7, Latvia 22, Isle of Man 5, Mexico 1, Monaco 59,
Netherlands 11, Nigeria 2, Norway 54, Panama 1, Poland 2, Portugal
6, Russia 68, Saudi Arabia 23, Singapore 43, Slovenia 1, Spain 1,
Sri Lanka 1, Sweden 9, Switzerland 7, Taiwan 36, Turkey 3, Ukraine
3, United Kingdom 36, United States 95, Uruguay 3
registered in other countries: 35 (2004 est.)

Libya
total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 129,627 GRT/105,110 DWT
by type: cargo 8, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll
off 4, short-sea/passenger 4
foreign-owned: Algeria 1, Kuwait 1 (2004 est.)

Lithuania
total: 49 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 296,856 GRT/317,731 DWT
by type: cargo 20, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 8, petroleum
tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 2,
short-sea/passenger 4
foreign-owned: Denmark 12, Netherlands 1
registered in other countries: 11 (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 652,454 GRT/805,101
DWT
by type: chemical tanker 11, container 8, liquefied gas 4, passenger
4, petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 7
foreign-owned: Belgium 7, Denmark 1, Finland 3, France 3, Germany
10, Monaco 1, Netherlands 5, Switzerland 1, United Kingdom 7, United
States 3
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Macau
none

Madagascar
total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT
by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)

Malaysia
total: 360 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,389,397
GRT/7,539,178 DWT
by type: bulk 59, cargo 100, chemical tanker 38, container 66,
liquefied gas 25, livestock carrier 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker
56, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 8
foreign-owned: China 1, Germany 2, Hong Kong 8, Indonesia 2, Japan
2, South Korea 1, Liberia 1, Monaco 1, Norway 1, Philippines 2,
Singapore 81, Vietnam 1
registered in other countries: 75 (2004 est.)

Maldives
total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 54,164 GRT/68,973 DWT
by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1,
short-sea/passenger 1
foreign-owned: North Korea 1
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)

Malta
total: 1,176 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 25,102,401
GRT/41,176,791 DWT
by type: bulk 468, cargo 251, chemical tanker 46, combination bulk
8, combination ore/oil 8, container 74, liquefied gas 4, livestock
carrier 2, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 7,
passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 210, refrigerated cargo 40, roll
on/roll off 35, short-sea/passenger 6, vehicle carrier 15
foreign-owned: Australia 4, Austria 6, Bangladesh 3, Belgium 13,
Bulgaria 19, Canada 8, China 14, Croatia 9, Cyprus 6, Denmark 4,
Estonia 1, Finland 1, France 1, Germany 52, Greece 603, Hong Kong 3,
Iceland 5, India 4, Indonesia 2, Iran 4, Israel 20, Italy 24, Japan
3, South Korea 2, Latvia 25, Lebanon 6, Madagascar 1, Monaco 14,
Netherlands 5, Nigeria 1, Norway 32, Pakistan 1, Poland 30, Portugal
3, Romania 8, Russia 69, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 2, Slovenia 3,
Switzerland 30, Syria 4, Taiwan 1, Turkey 108, Ukraine 22, United
Kingdom 2, United States 8
registered in other countries: 18 (2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
total: 226 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,055,436
GRT/9,972,459 DWT
by type: bulk 25, cargo 40, chemical tanker 25, combination bulk 2,
container 19, liquefied gas 31, multi-functional large load carrier
1, petroleum tanker 59, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 17,
specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 5
foreign-owned: Australia 3, Cyprus 4, Denmark 30, Estonia 3, France
1, Germany 57, Greece 8, Hong Kong 11, Iceland 1, Italy 6, Monaco 4,
Netherlands 2, New Zealand 1, Norway 10, Singapore 2, Sweden 3,
United Kingdom 80, United States 1
registered in other countries: 9 (2004 est.)

Marshall Islands
total: 420 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 16,954,092
GRT/28,176,762 DWT
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 81, cargo 25, chemical tanker 41,
combination bulk 4, combination ore/oil 7, container 77, liquefied
gas 9, multi-functional large load carrier 5, passenger 6, petroleum
tanker 149, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 7, vehicle
carrier 4
foreign-owned: Australia 2, Chile 3, Croatia 2, Cyprus 10, Denmark
2, Germany 119, Greece 82, Hong Kong 12, India 2, Japan 16, Monaco
18, Netherlands 6, New Zealand 1, Norway 5, Poland 11, Singapore 1,
Slovenia 1, Switzerland 4, Thailand 2, Turkey 8, United Kingdom 10,
United States 92
registered in other countries: 50 (2004 est.)

Martinique
none

Mauritania
none

Mauritius
total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 22,946 GRT/27,102 DWT
by type: cargo 1, combination bulk 4, passenger/cargo 1,
refrigerated cargo 2
foreign-owned: Belgium 1, India 4, Switzerland 2 (2004 est.)

Mayotte
none

Mexico
total: 50 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 649,389 GRT/942,766 DWT
by type: bulk 1, cargo 3, chemical tanker 3, combination ore/oil 1,
liquefied gas 5, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 9,
short-sea/passenger 3
foreign-owned: Denmark 1, Germany 1, Greece 1, Marshall Islands 1,
Netherlands 2
registered in other countries: 13 (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
none (2004 est.)

Moldova
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,636 GRT/1,088 DWT
by type: cargo 1
foreign-owned: 2 Russia 1
registered in other countries: 4

Monaco
none

Mongolia
total: 65 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 339,423 GRT/533,853 DWT
by type: bulk 4, cargo 53, chemical tanker 1, container 2, liquefied
gas 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: Belize 1, Cambodia 1, China 4, Cuba 1, Hong Kong 2,
Indonesia 1, Japan 1, North Korea 1, Lebanon 1, Malaysia 1, Malta 1,
Marshall Islands 5, Moldova 1, Panama 3, Romania 1, Russia 14,
Singapore 13, Syria 4, Thailand 1, Turkey 1, Ukraine 1, United
States 3, Vietnam 4 (2004 est.)

Montserrat
none

Morocco
total: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 236,131 GRT/252,367 DWT
by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 7, container 7, petroleum tanker
1, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 5, short-sea/passenger 2
foreign-owned: France 1, Germany 2, Greece 1, Hong Kong 1,
Netherlands 2, Norway 2, United Kingdom 1 (2004 est.)

Mozambique
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,125 GRT/7,024 DWT
by type: cargo 3
foreign-owned: Belgium 2 (2004 est.)

Namibia
none (2004 est.)

Nauru
none

Netherlands
total: 635 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,796,460
GRT/5,212,557 DWT
by type: bulk 1, cargo 375, chemical tanker 59, combination bulk 1,
container 71, liquefied gas 13, multi-functional large load carrier
15, passenger 12, petroleum tanker 28, refrigerated cargo 37, roll
on/roll off 14, short-sea/passenger 2, specialized tanker 7
foreign-owned: Belgium 2, Denmark 4, Finland 9, Germany 54, Ireland
14, Norway 9, Singapore 1, Sweden 19, Thailand 1, United Kingdom 31,
United States 16
registered in other countries: 241 (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
total: 162 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,317,007
GRT/1,668,499 DWT
by type: bulk 4, cargo 59, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1,
combination ore/oil 3, container 28, liquefied gas 6,
multi-functional large load carrier 22, passenger 1, petroleum
tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 28, roll on/roll off 7, specialized
tanker 1
foreign-owned: Belgium 3, Denmark 1, Germany 57, Monaco 4,
Netherlands 70, New Zealand 1, Norway 5, Peru 1, Spain 1, Sweden 5,
Turkey 2, United Kingdom 6
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

New Caledonia
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,261 GRT/1,600 DWT
by type: cargo 1
foreign-owned: Malaysia 1
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

New Zealand
total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 77,523 GRT/108,352
DWT
by type: bulk 3, cargo 2, container 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll
on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: Australia 1, Isle of Man 1
registered in other countries: 8 (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
none

Nigeria
total: 45 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 327,808 GRT/608,076 DWT
by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 5, petroleum tanker 30,
refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: Norway 2, Pakistan 1, Togo 1, United States 1
registered in other countries: 26 (2004 est.)

Niue
none

Norfolk Island
none

Northern Mariana Islands
none

Norway
total: 693 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 18,820,495
GRT/27,449,456 DWT
by type: bulk 62, cargo 128, chemical tanker 124, combination bulk
7, combination ore/oil 32, container 15, liquefied gas 84,
multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 6, petroleum tanker
113, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 48, short-sea/passenger
22, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 43
foreign-owned: Cyprus 3, Denmark 23, Estonia 2, Germany 12, Greece
15, Hong Kong 1, Iceland 2, Japan 10, Lithuania 1, Malta 1, Marshall
Islands 1, Monaco 33, Poland 1, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 12, Sweden
31, United Kingdom 4, United States 5
registered in other countries: 695 (2004 est.)

Oman
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 15,430 GRT/6,360 DWT
by type: passenger 2
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Pakistan
total: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 329,486 GRT/512,506 DWT
by type: cargo 11, container 2, petroleum tanker 4
registered in other countries: 16 (2004 est.)

Palau
none

Panama
total: 4,833 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 122,960,929
GRT/183,615,337 DWT
by type: barge carrier 3, bulk 1,434, cargo 819, chemical tanker
388, combination bulk 73, combination ore/oil 18, container 613,
liquefied gas 190, livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large load
carrier 15, passenger 36, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 514,
rail car carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 281, roll on/roll off 125,
short-sea/passenger 37, specialized tanker 36, vehicle carrier 242
foreign-owned: Albania 2, Angola 1, Antigua and Barbuda 2, Argentina
7, Australia 11, Austria 1, Bahamas 3, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 5,
Belize 4, Brazil 4, British Virgin Islands 8, Cambodia 2, Canada 6,
Cayman Islands 1, Chile 13, China 286, Colombia 14, Croatia 3, Cuba
17, Cyprus 6, Denmark 4, Dominican Republic 1, Ecuador 1, Egypt 16,
Equatorial Guinea 1, France 7, Germany 89, Greece 549, Haiti 1,
Honduras 2, Hong Kong 288, India 22, Indonesia 44, Iran 1, Ireland
2, Israel 4, Italy 7, Japan 1630, Jordan 8, Kenya 1, South Korea
349, Kuwait 1, Latvia 11, Liberia 3, Lithuania 2, Luxembourg 1,
Malaysia 12, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 3, Mexico 7, Monaco 29,
Netherlands 14, Netherlands Antilles 1, New Zealand 1, Nigeria 6,
Norway 86, Oman 1, Pakistan 1, Peru 17, Philippines 41, Poland 12,
Portugal 6, Puerto Rico 3, Romania 9, Russia 8, Saint Kitts and
Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Saudi Arabia 6,
Singapore 105, South Africa 3, Spain 52, Sri Lanka 3, Sudan 1,
Sweden 4, Switzerland 93, Syria 1, Taiwan 348, Thailand 14, Trinidad
and Tobago 1, Turkey 12, Ukraine 2, United Kingdom 51, United States
99, Venezuela 4
registered in other countries: 85 (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 47,586
GRT/60,934 DWT
by type: bulk 1, cargo 12, chemical tanker 1, combination ore/oil 2,
container 1, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: Singapore 2, United Kingdom 6
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Paraguay
total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 31,667 GRT/30,826 DWT
by type: cargo 14, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll
on/roll off 3
foreign-owned: Argentina 2, Japan 1
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Peru
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 13,666 GRT/17,611 DWT
by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned: United States 1
registered in other countries: 19 (2004 est.)

Philippines
total: 385 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,524,259
GRT/6,437,171 DWT
by type: bulk 99, cargo 103, chemical tanker 7, combination bulk 7,
container 8, liquefied gas 9, livestock carrier 10, passenger 4,
passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 45, refrigerated cargo 21, roll
on/roll off 16, short-sea/passenger 26, specialized tanker 1,
vehicle carrier 19
foreign-owned: Australia 2, Canada 1, Germany 2, Greece 11, Hong
Kong 15, Japan 50, Malaysia 5, Netherlands 15, Norway 6, Panama 1,
United Kingdom 2, United States 4
registered in other countries: 87 (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,313 GRT/5,651
DWT
by type: cargo 1 (2003 est.)

Poland
total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 154,710 GRT/228,132 DWT
by type: bulk 7, cargo 3, chemical tanker 3, roll on/roll off 1
registered in other countries: 100 (2004 est.)

Portugal
total: 122 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 872,557 GRT/1,236,025
DWT
by type: bulk 12, cargo 49, chemical tanker 19, container 8,
liquefied gas 7, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 6,
petroleum tanker 7, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 5,
short-sea/passenger 5, vehicle carrier 2
foreign-owned: Australia 1, Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, Denmark 7, Germany
21, Greece 2, Guadeloupe 1, Iceland 1, Italy 16, Japan 1, Malta 1,
Norway 7, Panama 1, Spain 18, Switzerland 7, Ukraine 1, United
Kingdom 1
registered in other countries: 24 (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 36,728 GRT/37,048 DWT
by type: container 1, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: United States 2
registered in other countries: 5 (2004 est.)

Qatar
total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 525,051 GRT/772,635 DWT
by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 4, container 8, petroleum tanker
5, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: Cambodia 1, Kuwait 1 (2004 est.)

Reunion
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 28,264 GRT/44,885 DWT
by type: chemical tanker 1
foreign-owned: Sweden 1
registered in other countries: 1

Romania
total: 45 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 395,350 GRT/510,232 DWT
by type: bulk 7, cargo 26, container 1, passenger 1, petroleum
tanker 4, rail car carrier 2, roll on/roll off 4
foreign-owned: Greece 1, Italy 2
registered in other countries: 39 (2004 est.)

Russia
total: 958 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,521,472 GRT/5,505,118
DWT
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 20, cargo 562, chemical tanker 13,
combination bulk 21, combination ore/oil 36, container 28,
multi-functional large load carrier 2, passenger 35, passenger/cargo
4, petroleum tanker 179, rail car carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 27,
roll on/roll off 21, short-sea/passenger 6, specialized tanker 2
foreign-owned: Belize 2, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 9, Denmark 1, Estonia 3,
Germany 1, Greece 3, Hong Kong 1, South Korea 1, Latvia 2, Lithuania
3, Malta 2, Moldova 3, Netherlands 2, Panama 2, Switzerland 4,
Turkey 18, Turkmenistan 2, Ukraine 7, United Kingdom 3, United
States 4
registered in other countries: 350 (2004 est.)

Saint Helena
none

Saint Kitts and Nevis
none

Saint Lucia
none

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
none

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines total: 704 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,967,418 GRT/9,041,023 DWT by type: bulk 120, cargo 346, chemical tanker 19, combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 1, container 51, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 4, multi-functional large load carrier 4, passenger 8, petroleum tanker 31, refrigerated cargo 45, roll on/roll off 42, short-sea/passenger 9, specialized tanker 8, vehicle carrier 1 foreign-owned: Albania 1, Angola 2, Argentina 1, Australia 3, Bangladesh 3, Barbados 2, Belgium 3, Bulgaria 16, China 114, Colombia 1, Croatia 7, Cyprus 2, Denmark 13, Egypt 5, Estonia 13, France 17, Germany 10, Greece 134, Guyana 8, Hong Kong 15, Iceland 7, India 5, Indonesia 1, Israel 3, Italy 21, Kenya 5, South Korea 4, Latvia 7, Lebanon 9, Liberia 5, Lithuania 3, Malta 4, Isle of Man 1, Marshall Islands 3, Mexico 2, Monaco 6, Netherlands 9, Nigeria 8, Norway 32, Pakistan 6, Panama 3, Poland 3, Portugal 1, Puerto Rico 2, Romania 2, Russia 21, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Lucia 1, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 5, Slovenia 7, Spain 1, Sweden 9, Switzerland 8, Syria 6, Taiwan 1, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Turkey 23, Ukraine 8, United Kingdom 11, United States registered in other countries: 25 (2004 est.)

Samoa
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,091 GRT/8,127 DWT
by type: cargo 1
foreign-owned: Germany 1
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
total: 24 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 79,490
GRT/97,077 DWT
by type: bulk 2, cargo 14, chemical tanker 2, livestock carrier 1,
petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3
foreign-owned: British Virgin Islands 1, Egypt 1, Greece 1, Lebanon
1, Portugal 1, Ukraine 2 (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
total: 66 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,306,706
GRT/1,963,191 DWT
by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 11, container 4, livestock carrier
2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 4, roll
on/roll off 10, short-sea/passenger 6
foreign-owned: Egypt 3, Greece 4, Norway 2, Sudan 1, United Kingdom 3
registered in other countries: 54 (2004 est.)

Seychelles
total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 42,223 GRT/63,538 DWT
by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 3, container 1
foreign-owned: Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 1, Nigeria 1, South Africa 2 (2004
est.)

Sierra Leone
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,435 GRT/8,750 DWT
by type: cargo 2 (2004 est.)

Singapore
total: 900 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 23,065,290
GRT/36,393,317 DWT
by type: bulk 136, cargo 84, chemical tanker 96, combination bulk 4,
combination ore/oil 8, container 186, liquefied gas 41, livestock
carrier 3, multi-functional large load carrier 2, petroleum tanker
290, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 5, short-sea/passenger
1, specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 32
foreign-owned: Australia 6, China 15, Denmark 32, Germany 18, Greece
12, Hong Kong 31, India 3, Indonesia 33, Japan 58, South Korea 13,
Malaysia 31, Monaco 19, Norway 53, Papua New Guinea 1, Philippines
9, Russia 2, Slovenia 1, Sweden 12, Switzerland 5, Taiwan 44,
Tanzania 1, Thailand 16, United Kingdom 15, United States 1
registered in other countries: 383 (2004 est.)

Slovakia
total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 41,891 GRT/63,185 DWT
by type: bulk 4, cargo 4
foreign-owned: Bulgaria 3, Estonia 1, Greece 1, India 1, Liberia 1,
Panama 1 (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
none

Somalia
none

South Africa
total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 31,505 GRT/37,091 DWT
by type: container 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 2
foreign-owned: Denmark 1, Netherlands 1
registered in other countries: 7 (2004 est.)

Spain
total: 149 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,740,974 GRT/2,157,551
DWT
by type: bulk 9, cargo 29, chemical tanker 13, container 17,
liquefied gas 6, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker
21, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 32, short-sea/passenger
7, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 7
foreign-owned: Chile 1, Cuba 1, Denmark 1, Germany 9, Italy 2,
Netherlands 1, Norway 6, Sweden 1, Uruguay 1
registered in other countries: 115 (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 120,924 GRT/173,604 DWT
by type: cargo 14, container 2, petroleum tanker 2
foreign-owned: Germany 8, Singapore 1
registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)

Sudan
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,466 GRT/26,973 DWT
by type: livestock carrier 1, roll on/roll off 2
registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)

Suriname
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,421 GRT/2,990 DWT
by type: cargo 1, container 1 (2004 est.)

Svalbard
none

Sweden
total: 178 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,702,763 GRT/1,884,570
DWT
by type: bulk 7, cargo 36, chemical tanker 31, combination bulk 1,
combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 39,
short-sea/passenger 8, specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 23
foreign-owned: Denmark 12, Finland 10, Germany 3, Italy 7, Japan 2,
Netherlands 1, Norway 12, Russia 1
registered in other countries: 154 (2004 est.)

Switzerland
total: 30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 604,843
GRT/1,050,914 DWT
by type: bulk 15, cargo 6, chemical tanker 3, container 3, petroleum
tanker 2, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: Belgium 1, Netherlands 1, United Kingdom 6, United
States 1
registered in other countries: 182 (2004 est.)

Syria
total: 122 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 446,981 GRT/636,620 DWT
by type: bulk 12, cargo 101, container 2, livestock carrier 4,
petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: Egypt 1, Germany 1, Greece 1, Italy 1, Lebanon 10,
Romania 1
registered in other countries: 83 (2004 est.)

Taiwan
total: 130 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,417,768 GRT/5,617,318
DWT
by type: bulk 36, cargo 23, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 3,
container 37, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 10, roll
on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: Cuba 1, Hong Kong 4
registered in other countries: 457 (2004 est.)

Tanzania
total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 25,481 GRT/31,011 DWT
by type: cargo 3, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, roll
on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 1
registered in other countries: 5 (2004 est.)

Thailand
total: 339 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,038,597
GRT/3,104,712 DWT
by type: bulk 40, cargo 135, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 2,
combination ore/oil 1, container 19, liquefied gas 22,
multi-functional large load carrier 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker
79, refrigerated cargo 22, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea/passenger
2, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier 1
foreign-owned: Egypt 1, Germany 3, Indonesia 1, Japan 4, Norway 38,
Panama 2, Singapore 3
registered in other countries: 43 (2004 est.)

Togo
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,918 GRT/3,852 DWT
by type: cargo 1, specialized tanker 1
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Tokelau
none

Tonga
total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 136,977 GRT/200,751 DWT
by type: bulk 3, cargo 21, chemical tanker 2, container 1, liquefied
gas 4, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1,
specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1
foreign-owned: Albania 1, Australia 4, Brazil 1, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1,
Greece 1, Lebanon 1, Liberia 1, Marshall Islands 1, Norway 1, Panama
2, Romania 1, Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 1, Switzerland 3, Syria 1,
United (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,178
GRT/3,633 DWT
by type: cargo 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker
1, short-sea/passenger 1
foreign-owned: United States 1
registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)

Tunisia
total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 124,733 GRT/122,664 DWT
by type: bulk 2, cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, liquefied gas 1,
short-sea/passenger 3
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)

Turkey
total: 508 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,666,895 GRT/7,311,504
DWT
by type: bulk 111, cargo 229, chemical tanker 46, combination bulk
1, combination ore/oil 2, container 34, liquefied gas 6, passenger
1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 36, refrigerated cargo 4,
roll on/roll off 26, short-sea/passenger 8, specialized tanker 3
foreign-owned: Belize 1, Cambodia 1, China 1, Cyprus 4, Greece 1,
Italy 3, Liberia 1, Monaco 1, Switzerland 1, Thailand 1, United
Kingdom 9
registered in other countries: 243 (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,873 GRT/8,345 DWT
by type: combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 1
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
none

Tuvalu
total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 54,993 GRT/86,048 DWT
by type: cargo 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, specialized
tanker 1
foreign-owned: Germany 4, Singapore 1, Thailand 1 (2004 est.)

Uganda
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,091 GRT/5,943 DWT
by type: roll on/roll off 3 (2003 est.)

Ukraine
total: 140 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 675,904 GRT/709,802 DWT
by type: bulk 7, cargo 92, container 7, liquefied gas 2, passenger
11, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 10, rail car carrier 2,
refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 3, short-sea/passenger 1
foreign-owned: Belize 2, Canada 1, Cyprus 1, Hungary 2, Italy 1,
Russia 4, Turkey 3
registered in other countries: 87 (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
total: 59 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 578,477
GRT/739,823 DWT
by type: cargo 12, chemical tanker 5, container 7, liquefied gas 1,
petroleum tanker 21, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea/passenger 4,
specialized tanker 1 (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
total: 384 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 9,181,284
GRT/9,566,275 DWT
by type: bulk 20, cargo 50, chemical tanker 28, combination ore/oil
1, container 130, liquefied gas 23, livestock carrier 1,
multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 20, petroleum
tanker 45, refrigerated cargo 18, roll on/roll off 34,
short-sea/passenger 11, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1
foreign-owned: Australia 2, Croatia 4, Cyprus 1, Denmark 42, Finland
1, Germany 52, Greece 36, Hong Kong 16, Italy 3, Japan 1, Monaco 13,
Nigeria 1, Norway 32, South Africa 2, Sweden 13, Taiwan 7, United
registered in other countries: 522 (2004 est.)

United States
total: 466 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 12,436,658
GRT/14,630,116 DWT
by type: barge carrier 8, bulk 69, cargo 75, chemical tanker 12,
combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 1, container 100,
multi-functional large load carrier 3, passenger 12, passenger/cargo
2, petroleum tanker 81, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 83,
short-sea/passenger 3, vehicle carrier 12
foreign-owned: Australia 2, Canada 7, Denmark 17, Malaysia 1,
Netherlands 1, Norway 6, Singapore 3, United Kingdom 5
registered in other countries: 670 (2004 est.)

Uruguay
total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 10,918 GRT/10,342 DWT
by type: chemical tanker 1, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll
on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: Argentina 4, Greece 1
registered in other countries: 6 (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
total: 51 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,192,474 GRT/1,560,828
DWT
by type: bulk 28, cargo 2, combination bulk 3, container 2,
liquefied gas 2, multi-functional large load carrier 1, refrigerated
cargo 6, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 5
foreign-owned: Australia 2, Canada 1, Estonia 1, Germany 1, Japan
25, Monaco 4, New Zealand 2, Panama 1, Poland 7, Switzerland 3,
United Kingdom 5, United States 2
registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Venezuela
total: 48 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 740,919 GRT/1,191,483
DWT
by type: bulk 6, cargo 7, container 2, liquefied gas 5,
multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo
1, petroleum tanker 16, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea/passenger 1
foreign-owned: Belgium 1, Denmark 2, Greece 2, Spain 1, United
States 2
registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)

Vietnam
total: 194 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,170,621 GRT/1,798,376
DWT
by type: bulk 16, cargo 135, chemical tanker 1, container 8,
liquefied gas 4, petroleum tanker 25, refrigerated cargo 3, roll
on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: Cambodia 1, Germany 1, Japan 2, South Korea 1, United
Kingdom 3
registered in other countries: 11 (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
none

Wallis and Futuna
total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 134,037
GRT/14,271 DWT
by type: passenger 6
foreign-owned: France 3, Greece 1, Monaco 1, United States 1 (2004
est.)

Yemen
total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 19,766 GRT/24,794 DWT
by type: cargo 1, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll
on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: Hong Kong 2, Lebanon 1
registered in other countries: 5 (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2109 National holiday

Afghanistan
Independence Day, 19 August (1919)

Albania
Independence Day, 28 November (1912)

Algeria
Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)

American Samoa
Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Andorra
Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)

Angola
Independence Day, 11 November (1975)

Anguilla
Anguilla Day, 30 May

Antigua and Barbuda
Independence Day (National Day), 1 November
(1981)

Argentina
Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)

Armenia
Independence Day, 21 September (1991)

Aruba
Flag Day, 18 March

Australia
Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Austria
National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the
State Treaty restoring national sovereignty and the end of
occupation and the passage of the law on permanent neutrality

Azerbaijan
Founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaidzhan, 28
May (1918)

Bahamas, The
Independence Day, 10 July (1973)

Bahrain
National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 is
the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 is the date
of independence from British protection

Bangladesh
Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971
is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is
Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of
Bangladesh

Barbados
Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

Belarus
Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the
date Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the
date of independence from the Soviet Union

Belgium
21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I

Belize
Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Benin
National Day, 1 August (1960)

Bermuda
Bermuda Day, 24 May

Bhutan
National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king),
17 December (1907)

Bolivia
Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
National Day, 25 November (1943)

Botswana
Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)

Brazil
Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

British Virgin Islands
Territory Day, 1 July

Brunei
National Day, 23 February (1984); note - 1 January 1984 was
the date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date
of independence from British protection

Bulgaria
Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)

Burkina Faso
Republic Day, 11 December (1958)

Burma
Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February
(1947)

Burundi
Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Cambodia
Independence Day, 9 November (1953)

Cameroon
Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)

Canada
Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Cape Verde
Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Cayman Islands
Constitution Day, first Monday in July

Central African Republic
Republic Day, 1 December (1958)

Chad
Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

Chile
Independence Day, 18 September (1810)

China
Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China,
1 October (1949)

Christmas Island
Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Colombia
Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

Comoros
Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Independence Day, 30 June (1960)

Congo, Republic of the
Independence Day, 15 August (1960)

Cook Islands
Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)

Costa Rica
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Cote d'Ivoire
Independence Day, 7 August (1960)

Croatia
Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Cuba
Independence Day, 10 December (1898); note - 10 December 1898
is the date of independence from Spain, 20 May 1902 is the date of
independence from US administration; Rebellion Day, 26 July (1953)

Cyprus
Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriots
celebrates 15 November (1983) as Independence Day

Czech Republic
Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918)

Denmark
none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June is generally
viewed as the National Day

Djibouti
Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Dominica
Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

Dominican Republic
Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

East Timor
Independence Day, 28 November (1975)

Ecuador
Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)

Egypt
Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)

El Salvador
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Equatorial Guinea
Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Eritrea
Independence Day, 24 May (1993)

Estonia
Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February
1918 is the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet
Russia; 20 August 1991 is the date it declared its independence from
the Soviet Union

Ethiopia
National Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991)

European Union
Europe Day 9 May (1950); note - a Union-wide holiday,
the day that Robert Schuman proposed the creation of an organized
Europe

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)

Faroe Islands
Olaifest, 29 July

Fiji
Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970)

Finland
Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

France
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

French Guiana
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

French Polynesia
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Gabon
Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March
(1968)

Gambia, The
Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Georgia
Independence Day, 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918 is the
date of independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 is the date of
independence from the Soviet Union

Germany
Unity Day, 3 October (1990)

Ghana
Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

Gibraltar
National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the
national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go
with Spain

Greece
Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

Greenland
June 21 (longest day)

Grenada
Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Guadeloupe
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Guam
Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)

Guatemala
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Guernsey
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Guinea
Independence Day, 2 October (1958)

Guinea-Bissau
Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

Guyana
Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Haiti
Independence Day, 1 January (1804)

Holy See (Vatican City)
Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22
October (1978)

Honduras
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Hong Kong
National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's
Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is
celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment
Day

Hungary
Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August

Iceland
Independence Day, 17 June (1944)

India
Republic Day, 26 January (1950)

Indonesia
Independence Day, 17 August (1945)

Iran
Republic Day, 1 April (1979)
note: additional holidays celebrated widely in Iran include
Revolution Day, 11 February (1979); Noruz (New Year's Day), 21
March; Constitutional Monarchy Day, 5 August (1925)

Iraq
Revolution Day, 17 July (1968); note - this holiday was
celebrated under the SADDAM Husayn regime but the Iraqi Interim
Government has yet to declare a new national holiday

Ireland
Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March

Israel
Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declared
independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and
the holiday may occur in April or May

Italy
Republic Day, 2 June (1946)

Jamaica
Independence Day, first Monday in August (1962)

Japan
Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)

Jersey
Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Jordan
Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

Kazakhstan
Independence Day, 16 December (1991)

Kenya
Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

Kiribati
Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Korea, North
Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(DPRK), 9 September (1948)

Korea, South
Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

Kuwait
National Day, 25 February (1950)

Kyrgyzstan
Independence Day, 31 August (1991)

Laos
Republic Day, 2 December (1975)

Latvia
Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918
is the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4
May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August
1991 is the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union

Lebanon
Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

Lesotho
Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Liberia
Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

Libya
Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

Liechtenstein
Assumption Day, 15 August

Lithuania
Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note - 16 February
1918 is the date Lithuania declared its independence from Soviet
Russia and established its statehood; 11 March 1990 is the date it
declared its independence from the Soviet Union

Luxembourg
National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June

Macau
National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's
Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is
celebrated as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Macedonia
Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint
Elijah's Day and Ilinden

Madagascar
Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

Malawi
Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)

Malaysia
Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)

Maldives
Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Mali
Independence Day, 22 September (1960)

Malta
Independence Day, 21 September (1964)

Man, Isle of
Tynwald Day, 5 July

Marshall Islands
Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)

Martinique
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Mauritania
Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Mauritius
Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

Mayotte
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Mexico
Independence Day, 16 September (1810)

Micronesia, Federated States of
Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

Moldova
Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

Monaco
National Day (Prince of Monaco Holiday), 19 November

Mongolia
Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)

Montserrat
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June
(1926)

Morocco
Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30
July (1999)

Mozambique
Independence Day, 25 June (1975)

Namibia
Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

Nauru
Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

Nepal
Birthday of King GYANENDRA, 7 July (1946)

Netherlands
Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909
and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980),
30 April

Netherlands Antilles
Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA
in 1909 and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX
in 1980), 30 April

New Caledonia
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

New Zealand
Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British
sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Nicaragua
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Niger
Republic Day, 18 December (1958)

Nigeria
Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960)

Niue
Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British
sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Norfolk Island
Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn
Islanders), 8 June (1856)

Northern Mariana Islands
Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)

Norway
Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)

Oman
Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)

Pakistan
Republic Day, 23 March (1956)

Palau
Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)

Panama
Independence Day, 3 November (1903)

Papua New Guinea
Independence Day, 16 September (1975)

Paraguay
Independence Day, 14 May (1811) (observed 15 May annually)

Peru
Independence Day, 28 July (1821)

Philippines
Independence Day, 12 June (1898)
note: 12 June 1898 was date of declaration of independence from
Spain; 4 July 1946 was date of independence from US

Pitcairn Islands
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in
June (1926)

Poland
Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)

Portugal
Portugal Day, 10 June (1580); note - also called Camoes
Day, the day that revered national poet Luis de Camoes (1524-80) died

Puerto Rico
US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico
Constitution Day, 25 July (1952)

Qatar
Independence Day, 3 September (1971)

Reunion
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Romania
Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December
(1918)

Russia
Russia Day, 12 June (1990)

Rwanda
Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Saint Helena
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June
(1926)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
Independence Day, 19 September (1983)

Saint Lucia
Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Samoa
Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January
1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered
UN trusteeship, 1 June 1962 is the date that independence is
celebrated

San Marino
Founding of the Republic, 3 September (301)

Sao Tome and Principe
Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Saudi Arabia
Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)

Senegal
Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

Serbia and Montenegro
National Day, 27 April

Seychelles
Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)

Sierra Leone
Independence Day, 27 April (1961)

Singapore
Independence Day, 9 August (1965)

Slovakia
Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)

Slovenia
Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Solomon Islands
Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

Somalia
Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26
June (1960) in Somaliland

South Africa
Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Liberation Day, 14 June
(1982)

Spain
National Day, 12 October

Sri Lanka
Independence Day, 4 February (1948)

Sudan
Independence Day, 1 January (1956)

Suriname
Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Svalbard
NA

Swaziland
Independence Day, 6 September (1968)

Sweden
Flag Day, 6 June

Switzerland
Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)

Syria
Independence Day, 17 April (1946)

Taiwan
Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10
October (1911)

Tajikistan
Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)

Tanzania
Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)

Thailand
Birthday of King PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927)

Togo
Independence Day, 27 April (1960)

Tokelau
Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British
sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Tonga
Independence Day, 4 June (1970)

Trinidad and Tobago
Independence Day, 31 August (1962)

Tunisia
Independence Day, 20 March (1956)

Turkey
Republic Day, 29 October (1923)

Turkmenistan
Independence Day, 27 October (1991)

Turks and Caicos Islands
Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Tuvalu
Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

Uganda
Independence Day, 9 October (1962)

Ukraine
Independence Day, 24 August (1991); the date of 22 January
(1918), the day Ukraine first declared its independence (from Soviet
Russia), is now celebrated as Unity Day

United Arab Emirates
Independence Day, 2 December (1971)

United Kingdom
the UK does not celebrate one particular national
holiday

United States
Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Uruguay
Independence Day, 25 August (1825)

Uzbekistan
Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

Vanuatu
Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

Venezuela
Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

Vietnam
Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

Virgin Islands
Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)

Wallis and Futuna
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Yemen
Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

Zambia
Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

Zimbabwe
Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2110 Nationality

Afghanistan
noun: Afghan(s)
adjective: Afghan

Albania
noun: Albanian(s)
adjective: Albanian

Algeria
noun: Algerian(s)
adjective: Algerian

American Samoa
noun: American Samoan(s)
adjective: American Samoan

Andorra
noun: Andorran(s)
adjective: Andorran

Angola
noun: Angolan(s)
adjective: Angolan

Anguilla
noun: Anguillan(s)
adjective: Anguillan

Antigua and Barbuda
noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)
adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan

Argentina
noun: Argentine(s)
adjective: Argentine

Armenia
noun: Armenian(s)
adjective: Armenian

Aruba
noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch

Australia
noun: Australian(s)
adjective: Australian

Austria
noun: Austrian(s)
adjective: Austrian

Azerbaijan
noun: Azerbaijani(s)
adjective: Azerbaijani

Bahamas, The
noun: Bahamian(s)
adjective: Bahamian

Bahrain
noun: Bahraini(s)
adjective: Bahraini

Bangladesh
noun: Bangladeshi(s)
adjective: Bangladeshi

Barbados
noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)
adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)

Belarus
noun: Belarusian(s)
adjective: Belarusian

Belgium
noun: Belgian(s)
adjective: Belgian

Belize
noun: Belizean(s)
adjective: Belizean

Benin
noun: Beninese (singular and plural)
adjective: Beninese

Bermuda
noun: Bermudian(s)
adjective: Bermudian

Bhutan
noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Bhutanese

Bolivia
noun: Bolivian(s)
adjective: Bolivian

Bosnia and Herzegovina
noun: Bosnian(s), Herzegovinian(s)
adjective: Bosnian, Herzegovinian

Botswana
noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Brazil
noun: Brazilian(s)
adjective: Brazilian

British Virgin Islands
noun: British Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: British Virgin Islander

Brunei
noun: Bruneian(s)
adjective: Bruneian

Bulgaria
noun: Bulgarian(s)
adjective: Bulgarian

Burkina Faso
noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural)
adjective: Burkinabe

Burma
noun: Burmese (singular and plural)
adjective: Burmese

Burundi
noun: Burundian(s)
adjective: Burundian

Cambodia
noun: Cambodian(s)
adjective: Cambodian

Cameroon
noun: Cameroonian(s)
adjective: Cameroonian

Canada
noun: Canadian(s)
adjective: Canadian

Cape Verde
noun: Cape Verdean(s)
adjective: Cape Verdean

Cayman Islands
noun: Caymanian(s)
adjective: Caymanian

Central African Republic
noun: Central African(s)
adjective: Central African

Chad
noun: Chadian(s)
adjective: Chadian

Chile
noun: Chilean(s)
adjective: Chilean

China
noun: Chinese (singular and plural)
adjective: Chinese

Christmas Island
noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
noun: Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander

Colombia
noun: Colombian(s)
adjective: Colombian

Comoros
noun: Comoran(s)
adjective: Comoran

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
noun: Congolese (singular and
plural)
adjective: Congolese or Congo

Congo, Republic of the
noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Congolese or Congo

Cook Islands
noun: Cook Islander(s)
adjective: Cook Islander

Costa Rica
noun: Costa Rican(s)
adjective: Costa Rican

Cote d'Ivoire
noun: Ivoirian(s)
adjective: Ivoirian

Croatia
noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s)
adjective: Croatian

Cuba
noun: Cuban(s)
adjective: Cuban

Cyprus
noun: Cypriot(s)
adjective: Cypriot

Czech Republic
noun: Czech(s)
adjective: Czech

Denmark
noun: Dane(s)
adjective: Danish

Djibouti
noun: Djiboutian(s)
adjective: Djiboutian

Dominica
noun: Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican

Dominican Republic
noun: Dominican(s)
adjective: Dominican

East Timor
noun: Timorese
adjective: Timorese

Ecuador
noun: Ecuadorian(s)
adjective: Ecuadorian

Egypt
noun: Egyptian(s)
adjective: Egyptian

El Salvador
noun: Salvadoran(s)
adjective: Salvadoran

Equatorial Guinea
noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)
adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean

Eritrea
noun: Eritrean(s)
adjective: Eritrean

Estonia
noun: Estonian(s)
adjective: Estonian

Ethiopia
noun: Ethiopian(s)
adjective: Ethiopian

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
noun: Falkland Islander(s)
adjective: Falkland Island

Faroe Islands
noun: Faroese (singular and plural)
adjective: Faroese

Fiji
noun: Fijian(s)
adjective: Fijian

Finland
noun: Finn(s)
adjective: Finnish

France
noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French

French Guiana
noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)
adjective: French Guianese

French Polynesia
noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian

Gabon
noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
adjective: Gabonese

Gambia, The
noun: Gambian(s)
adjective: Gambian

Gaza Strip
noun: NA
adjective: NA

Georgia
noun: Georgian(s)
adjective: Georgian

Germany
noun: German(s)
adjective: German

Ghana
noun: Ghanaian(s)
adjective: Ghanaian

Gibraltar
noun: Gibraltarian(s)
adjective: Gibraltar

Greece
noun: Greek(s)
adjective: Greek

Greenland
noun: Greenlander(s)
adjective: Greenlandic

Grenada
noun: Grenadian(s)
adjective: Grenadian

Guadeloupe
noun: Guadeloupian(s)
adjective: Guadeloupe

Guam
noun: Guamanian(s)
adjective: Guamanian

Guatemala
noun: Guatemalan(s)
adjective: Guatemalan

Guernsey
noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander

Guinea
noun: Guinean(s)
adjective: Guinean

Guinea-Bissau
noun: Guinean(s)
adjective: Guinean

Guyana
noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Guyanese

Haiti
noun: Haitian(s)
adjective: Haitian

Holy See (Vatican City)
noun: none
adjective: none

Honduras
noun: Honduran(s)
adjective: Honduran

Hong Kong
noun: Chinese/Hong Konger
adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong

Hungary
noun: Hungarian(s)
adjective: Hungarian

Iceland
noun: Icelander(s)
adjective: Icelandic

India
noun: Indian(s)
adjective: Indian

Indonesia
noun: Indonesian(s)
adjective: Indonesian

Iran
noun: Iranian(s)
adjective: Iranian

Iraq
noun: Iraqi(s)
adjective: Iraqi

Ireland
noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective
plural)
adjective: Irish

Israel
noun: Israeli(s)
adjective: Israeli

Italy
noun: Italian(s)
adjective: Italian

Jamaica
noun: Jamaican(s)
adjective: Jamaican

Japan
noun: Japanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Japanese

Jersey
noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander

Jordan
noun: Jordanian(s)
adjective: Jordanian

Kazakhstan
noun: Kazakhstani(s)
adjective: Kazakhstani

Kenya
noun: Kenyan(s)
adjective: Kenyan

Kiribati
noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)
adjective: I-Kiribati

Korea, North
noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean

Korea, South
noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean

Kuwait
noun: Kuwaiti(s)
adjective: Kuwaiti

Kyrgyzstan
noun: Kyrgyzstani(s)
adjective: Kyrgyzstani

Laos
noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
adjective: Lao or Laotian

Latvia
noun: Latvian(s)
adjective: Latvian

Lebanon
noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Lebanese

Lesotho
noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)
adjective: Basotho

Liberia
noun: Liberian(s)
adjective: Liberian

Libya
noun: Libyan(s)
adjective: Libyan

Liechtenstein
noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective: Liechtenstein

Lithuania
noun: Lithuanian(s)
adjective: Lithuanian

Luxembourg
noun: Luxembourger(s)
adjective: Luxembourg

Macau
noun: Chinese
adjective: Chinese

Macedonia
noun: Macedonian(s)
adjective: Macedonian

Madagascar
noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)
adjective: Malagasy

Malawi
noun: Malawian(s)
adjective: Malawian

Malaysia
noun: Malaysian(s)
adjective: Malaysian

Maldives
noun: Maldivian(s)
adjective: Maldivian

Mali
noun: Malian(s)
adjective: Malian

Malta
noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective: Maltese

Man, Isle of
noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)
adjective: Manx

Marshall Islands
noun: Marshallese (singular and plural)
adjective: Marshallese

Martinique
noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural)
adjective: Martiniquais

Mauritania
noun: Mauritanian(s)
adjective: Mauritanian

Mauritius
noun: Mauritian(s)
adjective: Mauritian

Mayotte
noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective: Mahoran

Mexico
noun: Mexican(s)
adjective: Mexican

Micronesia, Federated States of
noun: Micronesian(s)
adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese

Moldova
noun: Moldovan(s)
adjective: Moldovan

Monaco
noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s)
adjective: Monegasque or Monacan

Mongolia
noun: Mongolian(s)
adjective: Mongolian

Montserrat
noun: Montserratian(s)
adjective: Montserratian

Morocco
noun: Moroccan(s)
adjective: Moroccan

Mozambique
noun: Mozambican(s)
adjective: Mozambican

Namibia
noun: Namibian(s)
adjective: Namibian

Nauru
noun: Nauruan(s)
adjective: Nauruan

Nepal
noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)
adjective: Nepalese

Netherlands
noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)
adjective: Dutch

Netherlands Antilles
noun: Dutch Antillean(s)
adjective: Dutch Antillean

New Caledonia
noun: New Caledonian(s)
adjective: New Caledonian

New Zealand
noun: New Zealander(s)
adjective: New Zealand

Nicaragua
noun: Nicaraguan(s)
adjective: Nicaraguan

Niger
noun: Nigerien(s)
adjective: Nigerien

Nigeria
noun: Nigerian(s)
adjective: Nigerian

Niue
noun: Niuean(s)
adjective: Niuean

Norfolk Island
noun: Norfolk Islander(s)
adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)

Northern Mariana Islands
noun: NA
adjective: NA

Norway
noun: Norwegian(s)
adjective: Norwegian

Oman
noun: Omani(s)
adjective: Omani

Pakistan
noun: Pakistani(s)
adjective: Pakistani

Palau
noun: Palauan(s)
adjective: Palauan

Panama
noun: Panamanian(s)
adjective: Panamanian

Papua New Guinea
noun: Papua New Guinean(s)
adjective: Papua New Guinean

Paraguay
noun: Paraguayan(s)
adjective: Paraguayan

Peru
noun: Peruvian(s)
adjective: Peruvian

Philippines
noun: Filipino(s)
adjective: Philippine

Pitcairn Islands
noun: Pitcairn Islander(s)
adjective: Pitcairn Islander

Poland
noun: Pole(s)
adjective: Polish

Portugal
noun: Portuguese (singular and plural)
adjective: Portuguese

Puerto Rico
noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Puerto Rican

Qatar
noun: Qatari(s)
adjective: Qatari

Reunion
noun: Reunionese (singular and plural)
adjective: Reunionese

Romania
noun: Romanian(s)
adjective: Romanian

Russia
noun: Russian(s)
adjective: Russian

Rwanda
noun: Rwandan(s)
adjective: Rwandan

Saint Helena
noun: Saint Helenian(s)
adjective: Saint Helenian

Saint Kitts and Nevis
noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s)
adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian

Saint Lucia
noun: Saint Lucian(s)
adjective: Saint Lucian

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or
Vincentian(s)
adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

Samoa
noun: Samoan(s)
adjective: Samoan

San Marino
noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural)
adjective: Sammarinese

Sao Tome and Principe
noun: Sao Tomean(s)
adjective: Sao Tomean

Saudi Arabia
noun: Saudi(s)
adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian

Senegal
noun: Senegalese (singular and plural)
adjective: Senegalese

Serbia and Montenegro
noun: Serb(s); Montenegrin(s)
adjective: Serbian; Montenegrin

Seychelles
noun: Seychellois (singular and plural)
adjective: Seychellois

Sierra Leone
noun: Sierra Leonean(s)
adjective: Sierra Leonean

Singapore
noun: Singaporean(s)
adjective: Singapore

Slovakia
noun: Slovak(s)
adjective: Slovak

Slovenia
noun: Slovene(s)
adjective: Slovenian

Solomon Islands
noun: Solomon Islander(s)
adjective: Solomon Islander

Somalia
noun: Somali(s)
adjective: Somali

South Africa
noun: South African(s)
adjective: South African

Spain
noun: Spaniard(s)
adjective: Spanish

Sri Lanka
noun: Sri Lankan(s)
adjective: Sri Lankan

Sudan
noun: Sudanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Sudanese

Suriname
noun: Surinamer(s)
adjective: Surinamese

Swaziland
noun: Swazi(s)
adjective: Swazi

Sweden
noun: Swede(s)
adjective: Swedish

Switzerland
noun: Swiss (singular and plural)
adjective: Swiss

Syria
noun: Syrian(s)
adjective: Syrian

Taiwan
noun: Chinese/Taiwanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Chinese/Taiwanese

Tajikistan
noun: Tajikistani(s)
adjective: Tajikistani

Tanzania
noun: Tanzanian(s)
adjective: Tanzanian

Thailand
noun: Thai (singular and plural)
adjective: Thai

Togo
noun: Togolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Togolese

Tokelau
noun: Tokelauan(s)
adjective: Tokelauan

Tonga
noun: Tongan(s)
adjective: Tongan

Trinidad and Tobago
noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)
adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian

Tunisia
noun: Tunisian(s)
adjective: Tunisian

Turkey
noun: Turk(s)
adjective: Turkish

Turkmenistan
noun: Turkmen(s)
adjective: Turkmen

Turks and Caicos Islands
noun: none
adjective: none

Tuvalu
noun: Tuvaluan(s)
adjective: Tuvaluan

Uganda
noun: Ugandan(s)
adjective: Ugandan

Ukraine
noun: Ukrainian(s)
adjective: Ukrainian

United Arab Emirates
noun: Emirati(s)
adjective: Emirati

United Kingdom
noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural)
adjective: British

United States
noun: American(s)
adjective: American

Uruguay
noun: Uruguayan(s)
adjective: Uruguayan

Uzbekistan
noun: Uzbekistani
adjective: Uzbekistani

Vanuatu
noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)
adjective: Ni-Vanuatu

Venezuela
noun: Venezuelan(s)
adjective: Venezuelan

Vietnam
noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural)
adjective: Vietnamese

Virgin Islands
noun: Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: Virgin Islander

Wallis and Futuna noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander

West Bank
noun: NA
adjective: NA

Western Sahara
noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
adjective: Sahrawi,Sahrawian, Sahraouian

Yemen
noun: Yemeni(s)
adjective: Yemeni

Zambia
noun: Zambian(s)
adjective: Zambian

Zimbabwe
noun: Zimbabwean(s)
adjective: Zimbabwean

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2111 Natural resources

Afghanistan
natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc,
barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and
semiprecious stones

Albania
petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper,
iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower

Algeria
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead,
zinc

American Samoa
pumice, pumicite

Andorra
hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead

Angola
petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar,
gold, bauxite, uranium

Anguilla
salt, fish, lobster

Antarctica
iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and
other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small
uncommercial quantities; none presently exploited; krill, finfish,
and crab have been taken by commercial fisheries

Antigua and Barbuda
NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Arctic Ocean
sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits,
polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals
(seals and whales)

Argentina
fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper,
iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium

Armenia
small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina

Aruba
NEGL; white sandy beaches

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
fish

Atlantic Ocean
oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and
whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic
nodules, precious stones

Australia
bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver,
uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds,
natural gas, petroleum

Austria
oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc,
antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower

Azerbaijan
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals,
alumina

Bahamas, The
salt, aragonite, timber, arable land

Bahrain
oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls

Baker Island
guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and
aquatic wildlife

Bangladesh
natural gas, arable land, timber, coal

Barbados
petroleum, fish, natural gas

Bassas da India
none

Belarus
forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural
gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay

Belgium
coal, natural gas, construction materials, silica sand,
carbonates

Belize
arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

Benin
small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Bermuda
limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism

Bhutan
timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide

Bolivia
tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony,
silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower

Bosnia and Herzegovina
coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc,
chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand,
forests, hydropower

Botswana
diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal,
iron ore, silver

Bouvet Island
none

Brazil
bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates,
platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber

British Indian Ocean Territory
coconuts, fish, sugarcane

British Virgin Islands
NEGL

Brunei
petroleum, natural gas, timber

Bulgaria
bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land

Burkina Faso
manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold,
antimony, copper, nickel, bauxite, lead, phosphates, zinc, silver

Burma
petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten,
lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas,
hydropower

Burundi
nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper,
platinum (not yet exploited), vanadium, arable land, hydropower

Cambodia
oil and gas, timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese,
phosphates, hydropower potential

Cameroon
petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Canada
iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum,
potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum,
natural gas, hydropower

Cape Verde
salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish

Cayman Islands
fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

Central African Republic diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower

Chad
petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad)

Chile
copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals,
molybdenum, hydropower

China
coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin,
tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite,
aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest)

Christmas Island
phosphate, beaches

Clipperton Island
fish

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
fish

Colombia
petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold,
copper, emeralds, hydropower

Comoros
NEGL

Congo, Democratic Republic of the cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower, timber

Congo, Republic of the petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas, hydropower

Cook Islands
NEGL

Coral Sea Islands
NEGL

Costa Rica
hydropower

Cote d'Ivoire
petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore,
cobalt, bauxite, copper, hydropower

Croatia
oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium,
gypsum, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower

Cuba
cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber,
silica, petroleum, arable land

Cyprus
copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay
earth pigment

Czech Republic
hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber

Denmark
petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone,
gravel and sand

Djibouti
geothermal areas

Dominica
timber, hydropower, arable land

Dominican Republic
nickel, bauxite, gold, silver

East Timor
gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble

Ecuador
petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Egypt
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese,
limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc

El Salvador
hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

Equatorial Guinea
oil, petroleum, timber, small unexploited deposits
of gold, manganese, uranium, titanium, iron ore

Eritrea
gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural
gas, fish

Estonia
oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand,
dolomite, arable land, sea mud

Ethiopia
small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural
gas, hydropower

Europa Island
NEGL

European Union
iron ore, arable land, natural gas, petroleum, coal,
copper, lead, zinc, hydropower, uranium, potash, fish

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
fish, squid, wildlife, calcified
seaweed, sphagnum moss

Faroe Islands
fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Fiji
timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower

Finland
timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel,
gold, silver, limestone

France
coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic,
potash, feldspar, fluorospar, gypsum, timber, fish

French Guiana
bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), petroleum,
kaolin, fish, niobium, tantalum, clay

French Polynesia
timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
fish, crayfish

Gabon
petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore,
hydropower

Gambia, The
fish

Gaza Strip
arable land, natural gas

Georgia
forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper,
minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for
important tea and citrus growth

Germany
coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel,
uranium, potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land

Ghana
gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish,
rubber, hydropower

Gibraltar
none

Glorioso Islands
guano, coconuts

Greece
lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel,
magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential

Greenland
coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, gold, platinum,
uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Grenada
timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

Guadeloupe
cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism

Guam
fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)

Guatemala
petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Guernsey
cropland

Guinea
bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish

Guinea-Bissau
fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, unexploited
deposits of petroleum

Guyana
bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish

Haiti
bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
fish

Holy See (Vatican City)
none

Honduras
timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore,
antimony, coal, fish, hydropower

Hong Kong
outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

Howland Island
guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial
and aquatic wildlife

Hungary
bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land

Iceland
fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

India
coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore,
manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas,
diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land

Indian Ocean
oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel
aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules

Indonesia
petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite,
copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver

Iran
petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead,
manganese, zinc, sulfur

Iraq
petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur

Ireland
natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite,
gypsum, limestone, dolomite

Israel
timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock,
magnesium bromide, clays, sand

Italy
coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice,
fluorospar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil
reserves, fish, arable land

Jamaica
bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Jan Mayen
none

Japan
negligible mineral resources, fish

Jarvis Island
guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial
and aquatic wildlife

Jersey
arable land

Johnston Atoll
guano deposits worked until depletion about 1890,
terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Jordan
phosphates, potash, shale oil

Juan de Nova Island
guano deposits and other fertilizers

Kazakhstan
major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore,
manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead,
zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium

Kenya
gold, limestone, soda ash, salt, rubies, fluorspar, garnets,
wildlife, hydropower

Kingman Reef
terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Kiribati
phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Korea, North
coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron
ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower

Korea, South
coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower
potential

Kuwait
petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Kyrgyzstan
abundant hydropower; significant deposits of gold and
rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas;
other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc

Laos
timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Latvia
peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable
land

Lebanon
limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a
water-deficit region, arable land

Lesotho
water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and
other minerals

Liberia
iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower

Libya
petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Liechtenstein
hydroelectric potential, arable land

Lithuania
peat, arable land

Luxembourg
iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land

Macau
NEGL

Macedonia
low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite,
manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber,
arable land

Madagascar
graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar
sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower

Malawi
limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of
uranium, coal, and bauxite

Malaysia
tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas,
bauxite

Maldives
fish

Mali
gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, hydropower
note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are
known but not exploited

Malta
limestone, salt, arable land

Man, Isle of
none

Marshall Islands coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Martinique
coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land

Mauritania
iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil,
fish

Mauritius
arable land, fish

Mayotte
NEGL

Mexico
petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas,
timber

Micronesia, Federated States of
forests, marine products,
deep-seabed minerals

Midway Islands
wildlife, terrestrial and aquatic

Moldova
lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone

Monaco
none

Mongolia
oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin,
nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron

Montserrat
negligible

Morocco
phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt

Mozambique
coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum,
graphite

Namibia
diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium,
cadmium, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, hydropower, fish
note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Nauru
phosphates, fish

Navassa Island
guano

Nepal
quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small
deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

Netherlands
natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and
gravel, arable land

Netherlands Antilles
phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

New Caledonia
nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold,
lead, copper

New Zealand
natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower,
gold, limestone

Nicaragua
gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish

Niger
uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, petroleum

Nigeria
natural gas, petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal,
limestone, lead, zinc, arable land

Niue
fish, arable land

Norfolk Island
fish

Northern Mariana Islands
arable land, fish

Norway
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc,
titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower

Oman
petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium,
gypsum, natural gas

Pacific Ocean
oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and
gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish

Pakistan
land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum,
poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

Palau
forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products,
deep-seabed minerals

Palmyra Atoll
terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Panama
copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower

Papua New Guinea
gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil,
fisheries

Paracel Islands
none

Paraguay
hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

Peru
copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal,
phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas

Philippines
timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt,
copper

Pitcairn Islands
miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish
note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been
discovered offshore

Poland
coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber,
arable land

Portugal
fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin,
tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable
land, hydropower

Puerto Rico
some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and
offshore oil

Qatar
petroleum, natural gas, fish

Reunion
fish, arable land, hydropower

Romania
petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal,
iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower

Russia
wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil,
natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber
note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder
exploitation of natural resources

Rwanda
gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore),
methane, hydropower, arable land

Saint Helena
fish

Saint Kitts and Nevis
arable land

Saint Lucia
forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral
springs, geothermal potential

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
fish, deepwater ports

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
hydropower, cropland

Samoa
hardwood forests, fish, hydropower

San Marino
building stone

Sao Tome and Principe
fish, hydropower

Saudi Arabia
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Senegal
fish, phosphates, iron ore

Serbia and Montenegro
oil, gas, coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper,
lead, zinc, antimony, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, magnesium,
pyrite, limestone, marble, salt, hydropower, arable land

Seychelles
fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Sierra Leone
diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold,
chromite

Singapore
fish, deepwater ports

Slovakia
brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper
and manganese ore; salt; arable land

Slovenia
lignite coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, silver,
hydropower, forests

Solomon Islands
fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead,
zinc, nickel

Somalia
uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin,
gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves

South Africa
gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese,
nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper,
vanadium, salt, natural gas

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
fish

Southern Ocean
probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields
on the continental margin, manganese nodules, possible placer
deposits, sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; squid, whales,
and seals - none exploited; krill, fishes

Spain
coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium,
tungsten, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite,
kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land

Spratly Islands
fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas
potential

Sri Lanka
limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates,
clay, hydropower

Sudan
petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore,
zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower

Suriname
timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold,
and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore

Svalbard
coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish

Swaziland
asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests,
small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Sweden
iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten,
uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower

Switzerland
hydropower potential, timber, salt

Syria
petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt,
iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower

Taiwan
small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and
asbestos

Tajikistan
hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal,
lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold

Tanzania
hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds,
gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel

Thailand
tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead,
fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

Togo
phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

Tokelau
NEGL

Tonga
fish, fertile soil

Trinidad and Tobago
petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Tromelin Island
fish

Tunisia
petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt

Turkey
coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold,
barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone,
magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable
land, hydropower

Turkmenistan
petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt

Turks and Caicos Islands
spiny lobster, conch

Tuvalu
fish

Uganda
copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land

Ukraine
iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur,
graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber,
arable land

United Arab Emirates
petroleum, natural gas

United Kingdom
coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc,
gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica
sand, slate, arable land

United States
coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium,
bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten,
zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber

Uruguay
arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries

Uzbekistan
natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver,
copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum

Vanuatu
manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Venezuela
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other
minerals, hydropower, diamonds

Vietnam
phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil
and gas deposits, forests, hydropower

Virgin Islands
sun, sand, sea, surf

Wake Island
none

Wallis and Futuna
NEGL

West Bank
arable land

Western Sahara
phosphates, iron ore

World
the rapid depletion of nonrenewable mineral resources, the
depletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal and
plant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality
(especially in Eastern Europe, the former USSR, and China) pose
serious long-term problems that governments and peoples are only
beginning to address

Yemen
petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble, small deposits of coal,
gold, lead, nickel, and copper, fertile soil in west

Zambia
copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver,
uranium, hydropower

Zimbabwe
coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron
ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2112 Net migration rate (migrant(s)/1,000 population)

Afghanistan
23.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Albania
-4.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Algeria
-0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

American Samoa
-20.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Andorra
6.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Angola
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Anguilla
10.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
-6.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Argentina
0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Armenia
-6.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Aruba
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Australia
3.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Austria
2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
-4.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
-2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bahrain
1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
-0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Barbados
-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Belarus
2.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Belgium
1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Belize
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Benin
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bermuda
2.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bhutan
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bolivia
-1.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Botswana
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Brazil
-0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
10.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Brunei
3.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
-4.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Burma
-1.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Burundi
-0.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cambodia
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cameroon
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Canada
5.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
-12.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands
18.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2004
est.)

Central African Republic
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Chad
-0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Chile
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

China
-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Christmas Island
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Colombia
-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Comoros
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the -0.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: fighting between the Congolese Government and Uganda- and Rwanda-backed Congolese rebels spawned a regional war in DROC in August 1998, which left 1.8 million Congolese internally displaced and caused 300,000 Congolese refugees to flee to surrounding countries (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Costa Rica
0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
-0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Croatia
1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cuba
-1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Cyprus
0.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Denmark
2.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Djibouti
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Dominica
-13.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
-3.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

East Timor
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ecuador
-8.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Egypt
-0.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

El Salvador
-3.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Eritrea
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: UNHCR began repatriating about 150,000 Eritrean refugees from
Sudan in 2001 following the restoration of diplomatic relations
between the two countries in 2000 (2004 est.)

Estonia
-3.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: repatriation of Ethiopians who fled to Sudan for refuge from
war and famine in earlier years is expected to continue for several
years; some Sudanese and Somali refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from
the fighting or famine in their own countries, continue to return to
their homes (2004 est.)

European Union
1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (July 2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2004 est.)

Faroe Islands
1.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Fiji
-3.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Finland
0.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

France
0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

French Guiana
6.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

French Polynesia
2.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Gabon
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
1.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Georgia
-4.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Germany
2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ghana
-0.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Greece
2.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Greenland
-8.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Grenada
-13.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Guadeloupe
-0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Guam
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Guatemala
-1.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Guernsey
3.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Guinea
-3.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: as a result of conflict in neighboring countries, Guinea is
host to approximately 150,000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees
(2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
-1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Guyana
-2.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Haiti
-3.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Honduras
-1.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
5.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Hungary
0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Iceland
2.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

India
-0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Indonesia
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Iran
-0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Iraq
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ireland
4.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Israel
0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Italy
2.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Jamaica
-4.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Japan
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Jersey
2.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Jordan
6.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
-3.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Kenya
-0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: according to UNHCR, by the end of 2001 Kenya was host to
220,000 refugees from neighboring countries, including: Somalia
145,000 and Sudan 68,000 (2004 est.)

Kiribati
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Korea, North
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Korea, South
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Kuwait
14.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
-2.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Laos
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Latvia
-2.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Lebanon
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Lesotho
-0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Liberia
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: at least 200,000 Liberian refugees are in surrounding
countries; the uncertain security situation has hindered their
ability to return (2004 est.)

Libya
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
4.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Lithuania
-0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
8.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Macau
4.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Macedonia
-1.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Madagascar
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Malawi
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Malaysia
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal
immigrants from other countries in the region (2004 est.)

Maldives
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Mali
-0.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Malta
2.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
5.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Marshall Islands
-6.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Martinique
-0.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Mauritania
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Mauritius
-0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Mayotte
6.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Mexico
-4.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of -20.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Moldova
-0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Monaco
7.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Mongolia
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Montserrat
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Morocco
-0.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Mozambique
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Namibia
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Nauru
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Nepal
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Netherlands
2.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
-0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

New Caledonia
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

New Zealand
4.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
-1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Niger
-0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Nigeria
0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Niue
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Norfolk Island
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Northern Mariana Islands
9.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Norway
1.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Oman
0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Pakistan
-2.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Palau
2.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Panama
-0.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Paraguay
-0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Peru
-1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Philippines
-1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Poland
-0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Portugal
3.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
-1.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Qatar
16.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Reunion
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Romania
-0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Russia
1.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Rwanda
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Saint Helena
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
-7.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Saint Lucia
-2.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
-4.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004
est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
-7.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2004 est.)

Samoa
-11.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

San Marino
10.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
-2.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
-2.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Senegal
0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
-1.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Seychelles
-5.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly
returning (2004 est.)

Singapore
11.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Slovakia
0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Slovenia
1.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Somalia
5.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

South Africa
-0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Spain
0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
-1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sudan
-0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Suriname
-8.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Svalbard
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Swaziland
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sweden
1.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Switzerland
4.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Syria
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Taiwan
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
-2.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Tanzania
-2.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Thailand
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Togo
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Tokelau
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Tonga
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
-10.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Tunisia
-0.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Turkey
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
-0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands 11.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Tuvalu
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Uganda
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: according to the UNHCR, by the end of 2001, Uganda was host to
178,815 refugees from a number of neighboring countries, including:
Sudan 155,996, Rwanda 14,375, and Democratic Republic of the Congo
7,459 (2004 est.)

Ukraine
-0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
2.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

United States
3.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Uruguay
-0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
-1.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Venezuela
-0.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Vietnam
-0.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
-8.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New
Caledonia (2004 est.)

West Bank
2.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Yemen
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Zambia
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
negligible migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa
and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2113 Geography - note

Afghanistan
landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast
to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the
country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan
Corridor)

Akrotiri
British extraterritorial rights also extended to several
small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus

Albania
strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic
Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

Algeria
second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)

American Samoa
Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater
harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough
seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds;
strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean

Andorra
landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in
the Pyrenees

Angola
the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the
rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Anguilla
the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser
Antilles

Antarctica
the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest
continent; during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface
at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent
period; mostly uninhabitable

Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with
many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western
harbor

Arctic Ocean
major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern
access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic
location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link
between the extremes of eastern and western Russia; floating
research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover
in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean;
snow cover lasts about 10 months

Argentina
second-largest country in South America (after Brazil);
strategic location relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic
and the South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel,
Drake Passage); Cerro Aconcagua is South America's tallest mountain,
while Laguna del Carbon is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere

Armenia
landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich
(Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range

Aruba
a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches;
its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the
Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27
degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve
established in August 1983

Atlantic Ocean
major chokepoints include the Dardanelles, Strait of
Gibraltar, access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits
include the Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The
Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides the
Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean

Australia
world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country;
population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts;
regular, tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor"
occurs along the west coast in the summer

Austria
landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central
Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major
river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands
because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere

Azerbaijan
both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan
exclave are landlocked

Bahamas, The
strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive
island chain of which 30 are inhabited

Bahrain
close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic
location in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world's
petroleum must transit to reach open ocean

Baker Island
treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting
of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a
nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds,
and marine wildlife

Bangladesh
most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers
flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main
channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually
empty into the Bay of Bengal

Barbados
easternmost Caribbean island

Bassas da India
the islands emerge from a circular reef that sits
atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano

Belarus
landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of
Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes; the country is
geologically well endowed with extensive deposits of granite,
dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, and clay

Belgium
crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European
capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European
Union and NATO

Belize
only country in Central America without a coastline on the
North Pacific Ocean

Benin
sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural
harbors, river mouths, or islands

Bermuda
consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample
rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by
US Government from 1941 to 1995

Bhutan
landlocked; strategic location between China and India;
controls several key Himalayan mountain passes

Bolivia
landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest
navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru

Bosnia and Herzegovina
within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized
borders, the country is divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat
Federation (about 51% of the territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led
Republika Srpska or RS (about 49% of the territory); the region
called Herzegovina is contiguous to Croatia and Serbia and
Montenegro (Montenegro), and traditionally has been settled by an
ethnic Croat majority in the west and an ethnic Serb majority in the
east

Botswana
landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the
country

Bouvet Island
covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve

Brazil
largest country in South America; shares common boundaries
with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador

British Indian Ocean Territory archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility

British Virgin Islands
strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and
Puerto Rico

Brunei
close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking
Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by
Malaysia; almost an enclave of Malaysia

Bulgaria
strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land
routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia

Burkina Faso
landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of
the Black, Red, and White Voltas

Burma
strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes

Burundi
landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the
Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote
headstream of the White Nile

Cambodia
a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River
and Tonle Sap

Cameroon
sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout
the country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of
current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest
mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano

Canada
second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic
location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately
90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border

Cape Verde
strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near
major north-south sea routes; important communications station;
important sea and air refueling site

Cayman Islands
important location between Cuba and Central America

Central African Republic
landlocked; almost the precise center of
Africa

Chad
landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the
Sahel

Chile
strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage);
Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions

China
world's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US);
Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak;

Christmas Island
located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean

Clipperton Island
reef 12 km in circumference

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
islands are thickly covered with coconut
palms and other vegetation

Colombia
only South American country with coastlines on both North
Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea

Comoros
important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

Congo, Democratic Republic of the straddles equator; has very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands

Congo, Republic of the
about 70% of the population lives in
Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them

Cook Islands
the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely
populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands consist of eight
elevated, fertile, volcanic isles where most of the populace lives

Coral Sea Islands
important nesting area for birds and turtles

Costa Rica
four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital
of San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes,
Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65

Cote d'Ivoire
most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal
region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is
sparsely populated

Croatia
controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea
and Turkish Straits

Cuba
largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the
Greater Antilles

Cyprus
the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after
Sicily and Sardinia)

Czech Republic
landlocked; strategically located astride some of
oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is
a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and
the Danube in central Europe

Denmark
controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking
Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in
greater Copenhagen

Dhekelia
British extraterritorial rights also extended to several
small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus

Djibouti
strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and
close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia;
mostly wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in
Africa

Dominica
known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its
spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected
by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the
Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and
include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in
the world

Dominican Republic
shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti

East Timor
Timor comes from the Malay word for "East;" the island of
Timor is part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and
easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands

Ecuador
Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

Egypt
controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and
remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea link
between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition
to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics;
dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues;
prone to influxes of refugees

El Salvador
smallest Central American country and only one without a
coastline on Caribbean Sea

Equatorial Guinea
insular and continental regions rather widely
separated

Eritrea
strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest
shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia
along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May
1993

Estonia
the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded;
offshore lie more than 1,500 islands

Ethiopia
landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost
with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the Blue
Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in
T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are
believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and
castor bean

Europa Island
wildlife sanctuary

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
deeply indented coast provides
good natural harbors; short growing season

Faroe Islands
archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one
uninhabited island, and a few uninhabited islets; strategically
located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic;
precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands

Fiji
includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited

Finland
long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national
capital on European continent; population concentrated on small
southwestern coastal plain

France
largest West European nation

French Guiana
mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only
non-independent portion of the South American continent

French Polynesia
includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral);
Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock
islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island)
in Kiribati and Nauru

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
islands component is widely
scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean

Gabon
a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped
Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these
circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its
pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity

Gambia, The
almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the
continent of Africa

Gaza Strip
there are 25 Israeli settlements and civilian land use
sites in the Gaza Strip (February 2002 est.)

Georgia
strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia
controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them

Germany
strategic location on North European Plain and along the
entrance to the Baltic Sea

Ghana
Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

Gibraltar
strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the
North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

Glorioso Islands
the islands and rocks are surrounded by an
extensive reef system

Greece
strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern
approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an
archipelago of about 2,000 islands

Greenland
dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and
Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast,
but close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital,
Nuuk; world's second largest ice cap

Grenada
the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is
divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

Guadeloupe
a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe
proper into two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the
smaller, eastern Grande-Terre

Guam
largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands
archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

Guatemala
no natural harbors on west coast

Guernsey
large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

Guinea
the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their
sources in the Guinean highlands

Guinea-Bissau
this small country is swampy along its western coast
and low-lying further inland

Guyana
the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname
and Uruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern
territories are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively

Haiti
shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western
one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)

Holy See (Vatican City)
urban; landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy;
world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in
Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy
extraterritorial rights

Honduras
has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean
shoreline, including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast

Hong Kong
more than 200 islands

Howland Island
almost totally covered with grasses, prostrate vines,
and low-growing shrubs; small area of trees in the center; primarily
a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds,
and marine wildlife

Hungary
landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes
between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between
Ukraine and Mediterranean basin; the north-south flowing Duna
(Danube) and Tisza Rivers divide the country into three large regions

Iceland
strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost
European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in
the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental
Europe

India
dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian
Ocean trade routes

Indian Ocean
major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of
Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and
the Lombok Strait

Indonesia
archipelago of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles
equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from
Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean

Iran
strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz,
which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport

Iraq
strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of
the Persian Gulf

Ireland
strategic location on major air and sea routes between North
America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides
within 97 km of Dublin

Israel
there are 242 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites
in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 25 in
the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (February 2002 est.); Sea
of Galilee is an important freshwater source

Italy
strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as
southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe

Jamaica
strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica
Channel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal

Jan Mayen
barren volcanic island with some moss and grass

Japan
strategic location in northeast Asia

Jarvis Island
sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing
shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for
seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife

Jersey
largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of
population concentrated in Saint Helier

Johnston Atoll
strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean;
Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands, which have been
expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island
(Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; the
egg-shaped reef is 34 km in circumference; closed to the public; a
former US nuclear weapons test site; site of now-closed Johnston
Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS); most facilities
dismantled and cleanup complete in 2004; some low-growing vegetation

Jordan
strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as
the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the
occupied West Bank

Juan de Nova Island
wildlife sanctuary

Kazakhstan
landlocked; Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of
territory enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome; in January 2004,
Kazakhstan and Russia extended the lease to 2050

Kenya
the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful
agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on
Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography
supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic
value

Kingman Reef
barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to
the public

Kiribati
21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island)
in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru

Korea, North
strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and
Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated

Korea, South
strategic location on Korea Strait

Kuwait
strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

Kyrgyzstan
landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien
Shan range; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

Laos
landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly
forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western
boundary with Thailand

Latvia
most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains,
with some hills in the east

Lebanon
Nahr el Litani only major river in Near East not crossing an
international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate,
protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion,
clan, and ethnicity

Lesotho
landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa;
mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea
level

Liberia
facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by
lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland
grassy plateau supports limited agriculture

Libya
more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert

Liechtenstein
along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly
landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic
variations based on elevation

Lithuania
fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that
are ancient glacial deposits

Luxembourg
landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world

Macau
essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the
two islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland

Macedonia
landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and
Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe

Madagascar
world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along
Mozambique Channel

Malawi
landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's
most prominent physical feature

Malaysia
strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern
South China Sea

Maldives
1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited
islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with
strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

Mali
landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern,
cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the
northern, arid Saharan

Malta
the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three
largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino)
being inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and
Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the
continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil
exploration

Man, Isle of
one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the
southwest, and is a bird sanctuary

Marshall Islands
two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and
1,152 islands; Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites;
Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US
missile test range

Martinique
the island is dominated by Mount Pelee, which on 8 May
1902 erupted and completely destroyed the city of Saint Pierre,
killing 30,000 inhabitants

Mauritania
most of the population concentrated in the cities of
Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the
southern part of the country

Mauritius
the main island, from which the country derives its name,
is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral
reefs

Mayotte
part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands

Mexico
strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize),
one of the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated
in Mexico

Micronesia, Federated States of
four major island groups totaling
607 islands

Midway Islands
a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge
and open to the public for wildlife-related recreation in the form
of wildlife observation and photography, sport fishing, snorkeling,
and scuba diving; the refuge is temporarily closed for
reorganization at present (2004)

Moldova
landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and
minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

Monaco
second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy
See); almost entirely urban

Mongolia
landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

Montserrat
the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains
seven active volcanoes

Morocco
strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

Mozambique
the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most
fertile part of the country

Namibia
first country in the world to incorporate the protection of
the environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is
protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip

Nauru
Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and
Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator

Navassa Island
strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base
at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock but with enough
grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees,
scattered cactus

Nepal
landlocked; strategic location between China and India;
contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest
- the world's tallest - on the border with China

Netherlands
located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine,
Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)

Netherlands Antilles
the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles
are divided geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group
(Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands
(southern) group (Bonaire and Curacao)

New Caledonia
consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of
the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute,
and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls

New Zealand
about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington
is the southernmost national capital in the world

Nicaragua
largest country in Central America; contains the largest
freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua

Niger
landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world:
northern four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna,
suitable for livestock and limited agriculture

Nigeria
the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows
southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in
the Gulf of Guinea

Niue
one of world's largest coral islands

Norfolk Island
most of the 32-km coastline consists of almost
inaccessible cliffs, but the land slopes down to the sea in one
small southern area on Sydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston is
situated

Northern Mariana Islands
strategic location in the North Pacific
Ocean

Norway
about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much
indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air
routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines
in world

Oman
strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of
Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

Pacific Ocean
the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama
Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides
the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific
Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in
the southwestern Pacific Ocean

Pakistan
controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion
routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

Palau
westernmost archipelago in the Caroline chain, consists of six
island groups totaling more than 300 islands; includes World War II
battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands

Palmyra Atoll
about 50 islets covered with dense vegetation, coconut
trees, and balsa-like trees up to 30 meters tall

Panama
strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land
bridge connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal
that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific
Ocean

Papua New Guinea
shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of
world's largest swamps along southwest coast

Paracel Islands
composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs
divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent
Group

Paraguay
landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil;
population concentrated in southern part of country

Peru
shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable
lake, with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak,
is the ultimate source of the Amazon River

Philippines
the Philippine archipelago is made up of 7,107 islands;
favorably located in relation to many of Southeast Asia's main water
bodies: the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea,
and Luzon Strait

Pitcairn Islands
Britain's most isolated dependency; only the larger
island of Pitcairn is inhabited but it has no port or natural
harbor; supplies must be transported by rowed longboat from larger
ships stationed offshore

Poland
historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and
the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain

Portugal
Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along
western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

Puerto Rico
important location along the Mona Passage - a key
shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest
and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and
high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast
relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north

Qatar
strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major
petroleum deposits

Reunion
this mountainous, volcanic island has an active volcano,
Piton de la Fournaise; there is a tropical cyclone center at
Saint-Denis, which is the monitoring station for the whole of the
Indian Ocean

Romania
controls most easily traversable land route between the
Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine

Russia
largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably
located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its
size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either
too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount El'brus is Europe's
tallest peak

Rwanda
landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the
population predominantly rural

Saint Helena
harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere
else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles
and sooty terns

Saint Kitts and Nevis
with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat
and ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a three-km-wide
channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball
bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in
the center of its almost circular namesake island and its ball shape
complements that of its sister island

Saint Lucia
the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking
cone-shaped peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural
highlights of the Caribbean

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
vegetation scanty

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays

Samoa
occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

San Marino
landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after
the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines

Sao Tome and Principe
the smallest country in Africa; the two main
islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are
fairly mountainous

Saudi Arabia
extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea
provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through
Persian Gulf and Suez Canal

Senegal
westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is
almost an enclave within Senegal

Serbia and Montenegro
controls one of the major land routes from
Western Europe to Turkey and the Near East; strategic location along
the Adriatic coast

Seychelles
40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands

Sierra Leone
rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches)
a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western
Africa

Singapore
focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

Slovakia
landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous;
the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic
lakes and valleys

Slovenia
despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country
controls some of Europe's major transit routes

Solomon Islands
strategic location on sea routes between the South
Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea

Somalia
strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern
approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal

South Africa
South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost
completely surrounds Swaziland

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
the north coast of
South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage;
reindeer, introduced early in the 20th century, live on South Georgia

Southern Ocean
the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between
South America and Antarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic
Convergence) is the best natural definition of the northern extent
of the Southern Ocean; it is a distinct region at the middle of the
Antarctic Circumpolar Current that separates the very cold polar
surface waters to the south from the warmer waters to the north; the
Front and the Current extend entirely around Antarctica, reaching
south of 60 degrees south near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south
in the far South Atlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum
westerly winds

Spain
strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

Spratly Islands
strategically located near several primary shipping
lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small
islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs

Sri Lanka
strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

Sudan
largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its
tributaries

Suriname
smallest independent country on South American continent;
mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna
that, for the most part, is increasingly threatened by new
development; relatively small population, mostly along the coast

Svalbard
northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of
nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total
area

Swaziland
landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

Sweden
strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and
North Seas

Switzerland
landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe;
along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern
Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps

Syria
there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites
in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (February 2002 est.)

Taiwan
strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the
Luzon Strait

Tajikistan
landlocked; mountainous region dominated by the
Trans-Alay Range in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast;
highest point, Qullai Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was
the tallest mountain in the former USSR

Tanzania
Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by three
of the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's
second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the
world's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest

Thailand
controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore

Togo
the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct
geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna

Tokelau
consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded by a
number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over
three meters above sea level

Tonga
archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)

Trinidad and Tobago
Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is
the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt

Tromelin Island
climatologically important location for forecasting
cyclones; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)

Tunisia
strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and
Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the
continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil
exploration

Turkey
strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus,
Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount
Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's Ark, is in the far
eastern portion of the country

Turkmenistan
landlocked; the western and central low-lying, desolate
portions of the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert,
which occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau

Turks and Caicos Islands
about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

Tuvalu
one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six
of the coral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti,
and Nukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutao
have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon

Uganda
landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and
rivers

Ukraine
strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and
Asia; second-largest country in Europe

United Arab Emirates
strategic location along southern approaches to
Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

United Kingdom
lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km
from France and now linked by tunnel under the English Channel;
because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125
km from tidal waters

United States
world's third-largest country by size (after Russia
and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley
is highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest point
on the continent

Uruguay
second-smallest South American country (after Suriname);
most of the low-lying landscape (three-quarters of the country) is
grassland, ideal for cattle and sheep raising

Uzbekistan
along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly
landlocked countries in the world

Vanuatu
a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller
islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes

Venezuela
on major sea and air routes linking North and South
America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest
waterfall

Vietnam
extending 1,650 km north to south, the country is only 50 km
across at its narrowest point

Virgin Islands
important location along the Anegada Passage - a key
shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best
natural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean

Wake Island
strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency
landing location for transpacific flights

Wallis and Futuna
both island groups have fringing reefs

West Bank
landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's
coastal aquifers; there are 244 West Bank settlements and 29 East
Jerusalem settlements in addition to at least 20 occupied
outposts(August 2003 est.)

Western Sahara
the waters off the coast are particularly rich
fishing areas

World
the world is now thought to be about 4.55 billion years old,
just about one-third of the 13-billion-year age estimated for the
universe

Yemen
strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the
Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping
lanes

Zambia
landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary
with Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe
landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary
with Zambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria
Falls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@2115 Political pressure groups and leaders

Afghanistan
Jamiat-e Islami (Society of Islam), [former President
Burhanuddin RABBANI]; Ittihad-e Islami (Islamic Union for the
Liberation of Afghanistan), [Abdul Rasul SAYYAF]; there are also
small monarchist, communist, and democratic groups

Albania
Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania or KSSH [Kastriot
MUCO]; Front for Albanian National Unification or FBKSH [Gafur
ADILI]; Omonia [Jani JANI]; Union of Independent Trade Unions of
Albania or BSPSH [Gezim KALAJA]

Algeria
The Algerian Human Rights League or LADH or LADDH [Yahia Ali
ABDENOUR]; SOS Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR]; Somoud [Ali MERABET]

American Samoa
NA

Andorra
NA

Angola
Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC
[N'zita Henriques TIAGO; Antonio Bento BEMBE]
note: FLEC is waging a small-scale, highly factionalized, armed
struggle for the independence of Cabinda Province

Anguilla
NA

Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William
ROBINSON]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL]

Argentina
Argentine Association of Pharmaceutical Labs (CILFA);
Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine
Rural Society (large landowners' association); business
organizations; General Confederation of Labor or CGT
(Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization); Central of Argentine
Workers or CTA (a radical union for employed and unemployed
workers); Peronist-dominated labor movement; Roman Catholic Church;
students

Armenia
Yerkrapah Union [Manvel GRIGORIAN]

Aruba
NA

Australia
Australian Monarchist League [leader NA]; Australian
Republican Movement [leader NA]

Austria
Austrian Trade Union Federation (nominally independent but
primarily Socialist) or OeGB; Federal Economic Chamber;
OeVP-oriented League of Austrian Industrialists or VOeI; Roman
Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic
Action; three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or
OeVP representing business, labor, and farmers and other
non-government organizations in the areas of environment and human
rights

Azerbaijan
Sadval, Lezgin movement; self-proclaimed Armenian
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; Talysh independence movement; Union of
Pro-Azerbaijani Forces (UPAF)

Bahamas, The
NA

Bahrain
Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97,
demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to
unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic
fundamentalist groups are active

Bangladesh
NA

Barbados
Barbados Workers Union [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor
Union [David COMMISSIONG]; People's Progressive Movement [Eric
SEALY]; Worker's Party of Barbados [Dr. George BELLE]

Belarus
NA

Belgium
Christian, Socialist, and Liberal Trade Unions; Federation
of Belgian Industries; numerous other associations representing
bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and
medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural
interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax
Christi and groups representing immigrants

Belize
Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR
[Adele CATZIM]

Benin
NA

Bermuda
Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial
Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Union or
BPSU [Ed BALL]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES]

Bhutan
Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading
militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United
Front for Democracy (exiled)

Bolivia
Cocalero Groups; indigenous organizations; labor unions;
Sole Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB [Roman
LOAYZA]

Bosnia and Herzegovina
NA

Botswana
NA

Brazil
Landless Worker's Movement; large farmers' associations;
labor unions and federations; religious groups including evangelical
christian churches and the Catholic Church

British Virgin Islands
NA

Brunei
NA

Bulgaria
Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or
CITUB; Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous regional, ethnic, and
national interest groups with various agendas

Burkina Faso
Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB;
Burkinabe Movement for Human Rights or MBDHP; Group of 14 February;
National Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB; National
Organization of Free Unions or ONSL; watchdog/political action
groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities

Burma
National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB
(self-proclaimed government in exile) ["Prime Minister" Dr. SEIN
WIN] consists of individuals, some legitimately elected to the
People's Assembly in 1990 (the group fled to a border area and
joined insurgents in December 1990 to form parallel government in
exile); Kachin Independence Army or KIA; Karen National Union or
KNU; several Shan factions; United Wa State Army or UWSA; Union
Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (progovernment, a
social and political organization) [THAN AUNG, general secretary]

Burundi
loosely organized Hutu and Tutsi militias, often affiliated
with Hutu and Tutsi extremist parties or subordinate to government
security forces

Cambodia
NA

Cameroon
Southern Cameroon National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN];
Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]

Canada
NA

Cape Verde
NA

Cayman Islands
NA

Central African Republic
NA

Chad
NA

Chile
revitalized university student federations at all major
universities; Roman Catholic Church; United Labor Central or CUT
includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor
confederations

China
no substantial political opposition groups exist, although the
government has identified the Falungong spiritual movement and the
China Democracy Party as subversive groups

Christmas Island
none

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
none

Colombia
two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia -
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC and National
Liberation Army or ELN; largest anti-insurgent paramilitary group is
United Self-Defense Groups of Colombia or AUC

Comoros
NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
NA

Congo, Republic of the
Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC;
General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC;
Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC; Union of Congolese
Socialist Youth or UJSC

Cook Islands
NA

Costa Rica
Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD
(Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated
Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican
Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party
affiliate); Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National
Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association
of Educators or ANDE; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert
Brown]

Cote d'Ivoire
NA

Croatia
NA

Cuba
NA

Cyprus
Confederation of Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West);
Confederation of Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is; Federation of
Turkish Cypriot Labor Unions or Turk-Sen; Pan-Cyprian Labor
Federation or PEO (Communist controlled)

Czech Republic
Bohemian and Moravian Trade Union Confederation
[Milan STECH]

Denmark
NA

Djibouti
Union for Presidential Majority UMP (coalition includes
RPP, FRUD, PPSD and PND); Union for Democratic Changeover or UAD
(opposition coalition includes ARD, MRDD, UDJ, and PDD) [Ahmed Dini
AHMED]

Dominica
Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)

Dominican Republic
Collective of Popular Organizations or COP;
Citizen Participation Group (Participacion Ciudadania); Foundation
for Institution-Building (FINJUS)

East Timor
Popular Council for the Defense of the Democratic
Republic of East Timor or CPD-RDTL [leader Antonio-Aitahan MATAK] is
largest political pressure group; it rejects current government and
claims to be rightful government; Kolimau 2000 [leader Dr. Bruno
MAGALHAES] is another opposition group; dissatisfied veterans of
struggle against Indonesia, led by one-time government advisor
Cornelio GAMA (also known as L-7), also play an important role in
pressuring government

Ecuador
Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or
CONAIE [Luis MACAS, president]; Coordinator of Social Movements or
CMS [F. Napoleon SANTOS]; Federation of Indigenous Evangelists of
Ecuador or FEINE [Marco MURILLO, president]; National Federation of
Indigenous Afro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or FENOCIN [Pedro DE LA
CRUZ, president]; Popular Front or FP [Luis VILLACIS]

Egypt
despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties,
the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes MUBARAK's
potentially most significant political opposition; MUBARAK tolerated
limited political activity by the Brotherhood for his first two
terms, but moved more aggressively since then to block its
influence; civic society groups are sanctioned, but constrained in
practical terms; trade unions and professional associations are
officially sanctioned

El Salvador
labor organizations - Electrical Industry Union of El
Salvador or SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar
Transport and other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National
Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of
Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or
SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or
USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of
Electrical Corporation or STCEL; business organizations - National
Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly
Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or
ASI

Equatorial Guinea
NA

Eritrea
Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ [leader NA] (also including
Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement or EIJM (also known as the Abu Sihel
Movement) [leader NA]); Eritrean Islamic Salvation or EIS (also
known as the Arafa Movement) [leader NA]; Eritrean Liberation Front
or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean National Alliance or ENA (a
coalition including EIJ, EIS, ELF, and a number of ELF factions)
[HERUY Tedla Biru]; Eritrean Public Forum or EPF [ARADOM Iyob]

Estonia
NA

Ethiopia
Afar Revolutionary Democratic Union Front or ARDUF [leader
NA]; Council of Alternative Forces for Peace and Democracy in
Ethiopia or CAFPDE [BEYANE Petros]; Southern Ethiopia People's
Democratic Coalition or SEPDC [BEYANE Petros]

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
none

Faroe Islands
NA

Fiji
NA

France
historically-Communist labor union (Confederation Generale du
Travail) or CGT, approximately 700,000 members (claimed);
left-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du
Travail) or CFDT, approximately 889,000 members (claimed);
independent labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail - Force
Ouvriere) or FO, 300,000 members (est.); independent white-collar
union (Confederation Generale des Cadres) or CGC, 196,000 members
(claimed); employers' union (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) or
MEDEF, 750,000 companies as members (claimed)

French Guiana
NA

French Polynesia
NA

Gabon
NA

Gambia, The
NA

Georgia
Georgian independent deputies from Abkhaz government in
exile; separatists in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia; supporters of the late ousted President Zviad GAMSAKHURDYA

Germany
business associations, employers' organizations; expellee,
refugee, trade unions, and veterans groups

Ghana
NA

Gibraltar
Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives
Organization; Women's Association

Greece
General Confederation of Greek Workers or GSEE [Khristos
POLYZOGOPOLOS]; Federation of Greek Industries or SEV [Odysseas
KYRIAKOPOULOS]; Civil Servants Confederation or ADEDY [Spyros
PAPASPYROS]

Greenland
NA

Grenada
NA

Guadeloupe
Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or
KLPG; General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General
Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement for Independent
Guadeloupe or MPGI; The Socialist Renewal Movement

Guam
NA

Guatemala
Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity
or AAI; Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee
of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations
or CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM

Guernsey
none

Guinea
NA

Guinea-Bissau
NA

Guyana
Civil Liberties Action Committee or CLAC; Guyana Council of
Indian Organizations or GCIO; Trades Union Congress or TUC
note: the GCIO and the CLAC are small and active but not well
organized

Haiti
Autonomous Organizations of Haitian Workers or CATH [Fignole
ST-CYR]; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation of
Workers Trade Unions or FOS; Group of 184 Civil Society
Organization, or G-184 [Andy APAID]; National Popular Assembly or
APN; Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP [Chavannes JEAN-BAPTISTE];
Popular Organizations Gathering Power or PROP; Roman Catholic Church

Holy See (Vatican City)
none (exclusive of influence exercised by
church officers)

Honduras
Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or
CODEH; Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; Coordinating
Committee of Popular Organizations or CCOP; General Workers
Confederation or CGT; Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or
COHEP; National Association of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH;
National Union of Campesinos or UNC; Popular Bloc or BP; United
Federation of Honduran Workers or FUTH

Hong Kong
Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese
Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade
Unions (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE Cheuk-yan,
general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation
of Trade Unions (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong, executive councilor];
Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement
in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union
Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong
Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG Man-kwong, president]; The
Alliance [Bernard CHAN, exco member]

Hungary
NA

Iceland
NA

India
numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations,
including Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh; various separatist groups seeking greater
communal and/or regional autonomy, including the All Parties
Hurriyat Conference

Indonesia
NA

Iran
political pressure groups conduct most of Iran's political
activities; groups that generally support the Islamic Republic
include Ansar-e Hizballah, Muslim Students Following the Line of the
Imam, Tehran Militant Clergy Association (Ruhaniyat), Islamic
Coalition Party (Motalefeh), and Islamic Engineers Society; active
pro-reform student groups include the Organization for Strengthening
Unity; opposition groups include Freedom Movement of Iran, the
National Front, Marz-e Por Gohar, and various ethnic and Monarchist
organizations; armed political groups that have been almost
completely repressed by the government include Mujahidin-e Khalq
Organization (MEK), People's Fedayeen, Democratic Party of Iranian
Kurdistan, and Komala

Iraq
an insurgency against the Iraqi Interim Government and
Coalition forces is primarily concentrated in Baghdad and in areas
west and north of the capital; the diverse, multigroup insurgency is
led principally by Sunni Arabs whose only common denominator is a
shared desire to oust the Coalition and end US influence in Iraq

Ireland
NA

Israel
Israeli nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West
Bank and Gaza Strip; Peace Now supports territorial concessions in
the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Yesha (settler) Council promotes
settler interests and opposes territorial compromise; B'Tselem
monitors human rights abuses

Italy
Italian manufacturers and merchants associations
(Confindustria, Confcommercio); organized farm groups
(Confcoltivatori, Confagricoltura); Roman Catholic Church; three
major trade union confederations (Confederazione Generale Italiana
del Lavoro or CGIL [Guglielmo EPIFANI] which is left wing,
Confederazione Italiana dei Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Savino
PEZZOTTA], which is Roman Catholic centrist, and Unione Italiana del
Lavoro or UIL [Luigi ANGELETTI] which is lay centrist)

Jamaica
New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black
religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)

Japan
NA

Jersey
none

Jordan
Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice
chairman]; Jordanian Bar Association [Saleh ARMOUTI, president];
Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim
Brotherhood [Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT, secretary general]

Kazakhstan
Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]; Almaty Helsinki Group [Ninel
FOKINA]; Confederation of Free Trade Unions [Sergei BELKIN];
Kazakhstan International Bureau on Human Rights [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS,
executive director]; Pensioners Movement or Pokoleniye [Irina
SAVOSTINA, chairwoman]; Republican Network of International Monitors
[Dos KUSHIM]; Transparency International [Sergei ZLOTNIKOV]

Kenya
human rights groups; labor unions; Muslim organizations;
National Convention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition
of political parties and nongovernment organizations [Kivutha
KIBWANA]; Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK
[Mutava MUSYIMI]; Roman Catholic and other Christian churches;
Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur
al-BUSAIDY]

Kiribati
NA

Korea, North
none

Korea, South
Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean
Trade Unions; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National
Council of Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans'
Association; National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic
Alliance of Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations;
National Federation of Student Associations

Kuwait
several political groups act as de facto parties: Bedouins,
merchants, Sunni and Shi'a activists, and secular leftists and
nationalists

Kyrgyzstan
Council of Free Trade Unions; Kyrgyz Committee on Human
Rights [Ramazan DYRYLDAYEV]; National Unity Democratic Movement;
Union of Entrepreneurs

Laos
noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition
leaders fled the country in 1975

Latvia
Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB)
[Aleksandr KAZAKOV]

Lebanon
NA

Lesotho
NA

Liberia
NA

Libya
various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible
memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some
Islamic elements; an anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile movement exists,
primarily based in London, but has little influence

Liechtenstein
NA

Lithuania
NA

Luxembourg
ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector
trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural
producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union
representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of
Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL
(federation of industrialists); LCGP (center-right trade union);
OGBL (center-left trade union)

Macau
Catholic Church [LAI Hung-sing, bishop]; Macau Society of
Tourism and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO, managing director];
Union for Democracy Development [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong, leader]

Macedonia
Civic Movement of Macedonia [Gordana SILJANOVSKA];
Movement for Macedonia's Euro-Atlantic Integration [Dosta DIMOVSKA]

Madagascar
Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR;
Committee for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert Zafy]; National
Council of Christian Churches or FFKM

Malawi
NA

Malaysia
NA

Maldives
none

Mali
Patriotic Movement of the Ghanda Koye or MPGK; United Movement
and Fronts of Azawad or MFUA

Malta
NA

Man, Isle of
none

Marshall Islands
NA

Martinique
Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union
for Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR]; Frantz Fanon Circle;
League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP

Mauritania
Arab nationalists; Ba'athists; General Confederation of
Mauritanian Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould MOHAMED, secretary
general]; Independent Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM
[Samory Ould BEYE]; Islamists; Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM
[Mohamed Ely Ould BRAHIM, secretary general]

Mauritius
various labor unions

Mayotte
NA

Mexico
Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or
COPARMEX; Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN;
Confederation of Mexican Workers or CTM; Confederation of National
Chambers of Commerce or CONCANACO; Coordinator for Foreign Trade
Business Organizations or COECE; Federation of Unions Providing
Goods and Services or FESEBES; National Chamber of Transformation
Industries or CANACINTRA; National Peasant Confederation or CNC;
National Union of Workers or UNT; Regional Confederation of Mexican
Workers or CROM; Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants
or CROC; Roman Catholic Church

Moldova
NA

Monaco
NA

Mongolia
NA

Montserrat
NA

Morocco
Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI];
General Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL];
Moroccan Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National
Labor Union of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan
Workers or UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK]

Mozambique
Institute for Peace and Democracy (Instituto para Paz e
Democracia) or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS, president]; Etica [Abdul CARIMO
Issa, chairman]; Movement for Peace and Citizenship (Movimento para
Paz e Cidadania); Mozambican League of Human Rights (Liga
Mocambicana dos Direitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president];
Human Rights and Development (Direitos Humanos e Desenvolvimento) or
DHD [Artemisia FRANCO, secretary general]

Namibia
NA

Nauru
NA

Nepal
Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, also
known as PRAHANDA, chairman; Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI, from Communist
Party of Nepal/Maoist, chief negotiator]; numerous small,
left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical
Nepalese antimonarchist groups

Netherlands
Netherlands Trade Union Federation (FNV) (consisting of
a merger of Socialist and Catholic trade unions); Christian Trade
Union Federation (CNV); Trade Union Federation of Middle and High
Personnel (MHP); Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers
Associations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinational
firms; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises

Netherlands Antilles
NA

New Caledonia
NA

New Zealand
NA

Nicaragua
National Workers Front or FNT is a Sandinista umbrella
group of eight labor unions including - Farm Workers Association or
ATC, Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes and Martyrs
Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO, National
Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of
Employees or UNE, National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG,
Sandinista Workers Central or CST, and Union of Journalists of
Nicaragua or UPN; Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT is an
umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions including -
Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A, Confederation of
Labor Unification or CUS, Independent General Confederation of Labor
or CGT-I, and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS; Nicaraguan
Workers' Central or CTN is an independent labor union; Superior
Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP is a confederation of
business groups

Niger
NA

Nigeria
Nigerian Labor Congress or NLC [Adams OSHIOMOLE]

Niue
NA

Norfolk Island
none

Northern Mariana Islands
NA

Norway
NA

Oman
none

Pakistan
military remains most important political force; ulema
(clergy), landowners, industrialists, and small merchants also
influential

Palau
NA

Panama
Chamber of Commerce; National Civic Crusade; National Council
of Organized Workers or CONATO; National Union of Construction and
Similar Workers (SUNTRACS); National Council of Private Enterprise
or CONEP; Panamanian Association of Business Executives or APEDE;
Panamanian Industrialists Society or SIP; Workers Confederation of
the Republic of Panama or CTRP

Papua New Guinea
NA

Paraguay
Ahorristas Estafados or AE; Coordinating Table of National
Campesino Organizations or MCNOC; National Federation of Campesinos
or FNC; National Workers Central or CNT; Paraguayan Workers
Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central
or CUT;;

Peru
leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path [Abimael GUZMAN
Reynoso (imprisoned), Gabriel MACARIO (top leader at-large)]; Tupac
Amaru Revolutionary Movement or MRTA [Victor POLAY (imprisoned),
Hugo AVALLENEDA Valdez (top leader at-large)]

Philippines
AKBAYAN [Reps. Etta ROSALES, Mario AGUJA, and Risa
HONTIVEROS-BARAQUIEL]; ANAKPAWIS [Reps. Crispin BELTRAN and Rafael
MARIANO]; Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC)
[Reps. Edgar VALDEZ, Ernesto PABLO, and Sunny Rose MADAMBA]; Bayan
Muna [Reps. Satur OCAMPO, Joel VIRADOR, and Teodoro CASINO, Jr.];
BUHAY [Reps. Rene VELARDE and Hans Christian SENERES]; BUTIL [Rep.
Benjamin CRUZ]; CIBAC [Rep. Emmanuel Joel VILLANUEVA]; GABRIELA
[Rep. Liza MAZA}; PARTIDO NG MANGGAGAWA [Rep. Renato MAGTUBO] (2003)

Pitcairn Islands
none

Poland
All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Maciej
MANICKI]; Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Jozef GLEMP]; Solidarity
Trade Union [Janusz SNIADEK]

Portugal
NA

Puerto Rico
Armed Forces for National Liberation or FALN; Armed
Forces of Popular Resistance; Boricua Popular Army (also known as
the Macheteros); Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution

Qatar
none

Reunion
NA

Romania
various human rights and professional associations

Russia
NA

Rwanda
IBUKA - association of genocide survivors

Saint Helena
none

Saint Kitts and Nevis
NA

Saint Lucia
NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
NA

Samoa
NA

San Marino
NA

Sao Tome and Principe
NA

Saudi Arabia
none

Senegal
labor; Muslim brotherhoods; students; teachers

Serbia and Montenegro
Political Council for Presevo, Medvedja and
Bujanovac or PCPMB [leader NA]; Group for Changes of Montenegro or
GZP [Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC]

Seychelles
Roman Catholic Church; trade unions

Sierra Leone
Trade Unions and Student Unions

Singapore
NA

Slovakia
Association of Employers of Slovakia; Association of Towns
and Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ; Metal
Workers Unions or KOVO and METALURG

Slovenia
NA

Solomon Islands
NA

Somalia
numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for
power

South Africa
Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU
[Zwelinzima VAVI, general secretary]; South African Communist Party
or SACP [Blade NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National
Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national
president]; note - COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the
ANC

Spain
business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; free labor
unions (authorized in April 1977); Socialist General Union of
Workers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union or
USO; university students; Workers Confederation or CC.OO; Nunca Mas
(Galician for "Never Again"; formed in response to the oil tanker
Prestige oil spill)

Sri Lanka
Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam or LTTE [Velupillai PRABHAKARAN](insurgent group fighting for
a separate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the
National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups

Sudan
Democratic Unionist Party [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI];
National Congress Party [Ibrahim Ahmed UMAR]; National Democratic
Alliance [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI, chairman]; Sudan People's
Liberation Movement/Army [Dr. John GARANG]; Umma Party [Sadiq
al-MAHDI]

Suriname
General Liberation and Development Party or ABOP [Ronnie
BRUNSWIJK]; Mandela Bushnegro Liberation Movement [Leendert ADAMS];
Tucayana Amazonica [Alex JUBITANA, Thomas SABAJO]; Union for
Liberation and Democracy [Kofi AFONGPONG]

Swaziland
NA

Sweden
NA

Switzerland
NA

Syria
conservative religious leaders; Kurdish Democratic Alliance
[leader NA]; Kurdish Democratic Front [lader NA]; Muslim Brotherhood
(operates in exile in London) [Ali Badr Eddine al-BAYANOUNI];
National Democratic Front [Hassan Abd al-AZIM]

Taiwan
Taiwan independence movement, various business and
environmental groups
note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the
mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization
and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's
legislature have opened public debate on the island's national
identity; a broad popular consensus has developed that Taiwan
currently enjoys de facto independence and - whatever the ultimate
outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's
people must have the deciding voice; advocates of Taiwan
independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify
with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement
include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the
UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the
World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for
Taiwan Nation Building

Tajikistan
there are three unregistered political parties: Agrarian
Party or APT [Hikmatullo Nasriddinov]; Progressive Party [Sulton
QUVVATOV]; Unity Party [Hikmatullo SAIDOV]

Tanzania
NA

Thailand
NA

Togo
NA

Tokelau
none

Tonga
Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev.
Simote VEA, chair]

Trinidad and Tobago
Jamaat-al Muslimeen [Yasin BAKR]

Tunisia
the Islamic fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is
outlawed

Turkey
Confederation of Public Sector Unions or KESK [Sami EVREN];
Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions or DISK [Suleyman
CELEBI]; Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association
or MUSIAD [Omer BOLAT]; Moral Rights Workers Union or Hak-Is [Salim
USLU]; Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association or
TUSIAD [Omer SABANCI]; Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions or
TISK [Refik BAYDUR]; Turkish Confederation of Labor or Turk-Is
[Salih KILIC]; Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and Craftsmen or
TESK [Dervis GUNDAY]; Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce and
Commodity Exchanges or TOBB [M. Rifat HISARCIKLIOGLU]

Turkmenistan
NA

Turks and Caicos Islands
NA

Tuvalu
none

Uganda
Popular Resistance Against a Life President or PRALP

Ukraine
NA

United Arab Emirates
NA

United Kingdom
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; Confederation of
British Industry; National Farmers' Union; Trades Union Congress

United States
NA

Uruguay
Agrupacion UTE (powerful state worker's union), Rural
Association of Uruguay (rancher's association), Uruguayan
Construction League, Chamber of Uruguayan Industries (manufacturer's
association), Chemist and Pharmaceutical Association (professional
organization), Architect's Society of Uruguay (professional
organization), the Catholic Church, students

Uzbekistan
Agrarian and Entrepreneurs' Party [Marat ZAHIDOV]; Birlik
(Unity) Movement [Abdurakhim POLAT, chairman]; Erk (Freedom)
Democratic Party [Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December
1992; Ezgulik Human Rights Society [Vasilia INOYATOVA]; Free
Farmers' Party or Ozod Dehqonlar [Nigara KHIDOYATOVA]; Human Rights
Society of Uzbekistan [Tolib YAKUBOV, chairman]; Independent Human
Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Mikhail ARDZINOV, chairman]; Mazlum
[leader NA]

Vanuatu
NA

Venezuela
FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; VECINOS
groups; Venezuelan Confederation of Workers or CTV (labor
organization dominated by the Democratic Action)

Vietnam
none

Virgin Islands
NA

Wallis and Futuna
NA

Western Sahara
none

Yemen
NA

Zambia
NA

Zimbabwe
National Constitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU];
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition [Brian KAGORO]; Zimbabwe Congress of
Trade Unions or ZCTU [Lovemore MATOMBO]

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2116 Economy - overview

Afghanistan
Afghanistan's economic outlook has improved
significantly over the past two years because of the infusion of
over $2 billion in international assistance, dramatic improvements
in agricultural production, and the end of a four-year drought in
most of the country. However, Afghanistan remains extremely poor,
landlocked, and highly dependent on foreign aid, farming, and trade
with neighboring countries. It will probably take the remainder of
the decade and continuing donor aid and attention to raise
Afghanistan's living standards up from its current status among the
lowest in the world. Much of the population continues to suffer from
shortages of housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and
jobs, but the Afghan government and international donors remain
committed to improving access to these basic necessities by
prioritizing infrastructure development, education, housing
development, jobs programs, and economic reform over the next year.
Growing political stability and continued international commitment
to Afghan reconstruction create an optimistic outlook for
maintaining improvements to the Afghan economy in 2004. The
replacement of the opium trade - which may account for one-third of
GDP - is one of several potential spoilers for the economy over the
long term.

Akrotiri
Economic activity is limited to providing services to the
military and their families located in Akrotiri. All food and
manufactured goods must be imported.

Albania
Poor and backward by European standards, Albania is making
the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The
government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to spur
economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by remittances
from abroad of $400-$600 million annually, mostly from Greece and
Italy; this helps offset the sizable trade deficit. Agriculture,
which accounts for one-half of GDP, is held back because of frequent
drought and the need to modernize equipment and consolidate small
plots of land. Severe energy shortages and antiquated and inadequate
infrastructure make it difficult to attract and sustain foreign
investment. The government plans to boost energy imports to relieve
the shortages and is moving slowly to improve the poor national road
and rail network, a long-standing barrier to sustained economic
growth.

Algeria
The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy,
accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over
95% of export earnings. Algeria has the seventh-largest reserves of
natural gas in the world and is the second-largest gas exporter; it
ranks 14th in oil reserves. Economic policy reforms supported by the
IMF and debt rescheduling from the Paris Club in the past decade
have helped improve Algeria's financial and macroeconomic
indicators. Because of sustained high oil prices in the past three
years, Algeria's finances have further benefited from substantial
trade surpluses and record foreign exchange reserves. Real GDP has
risen due to higher oil output and increased government spending.
The government's continued efforts to diversify the economy by
attracting foreign and domestic investment outside the energy
sector, however, has had little success in reducing high
unemployment and improving living standards. Structural reform
within the economy moves ahead slowly.

American Samoa
This is a traditional Polynesian economy in which
more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is
strongly linked to the US, with which American Samoa conducts most
of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are
the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary
export. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to
American Samoa's economic well-being. Attempts by the government to
develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's
remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating
hurricanes. Tourism is a promising developing sector.

Andorra
Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy,
accounts for roughly 80% of GDP. An estimated 9 million tourists
visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status and by its
summer and winter resorts. Andorra's comparative advantage has
recently eroded as the economies of neighboring France and Spain
have been opened up, providing broader availability of goods and
lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its "tax haven" status, also
contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural production is
limited - only 2% of the land is arable - and most food has to be
imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep raising.
Manufacturing output consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars, and
furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is
treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs)
and as a non-EU member for agricultural products.

Angola
Angola has been an economy in disarray because of a quarter
century of nearly continuous warfare. An apparently durable peace
was established after the death of rebel leader Jonas SAVIMBI on
February 22, 2002, but consequences from the conflict continue
including the impact of wide-spread land mines. Subsistence
agriculture provides the main livelihood for 85% of the population.
Oil production and the supporting activities are vital to the
economy, contributing about 45% to GDP and more than half of
exports. Much of the country's food must still be imported. To fully
take advantage of its rich natural resources - gold, diamonds,
extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits -
Angola will need to continue reforming government policies and to
reduce corruption. While Angola made progress in bringing inflation
down further, from 325% in 2000 to about 106% in 2002, the
government has failed to make sufficient progress on reforms
recommended by the IMF such as increasing foreign exchange reserves
and promoting greater transparency in government spending. Increased
oil production supported 7% GDP growth in 2003.

Anguilla
Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends
heavily on luxury tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and
remittances from emigrants. Increased activity in the tourism
industry, which has spurred the growth of the construction sector,
has contributed to economic growth. Anguillan officials have put
substantial effort into developing the offshore financial sector,
which is small, but growing. In the medium term, prospects for the
economy will depend largely on the tourism sector and, therefore, on
revived income growth in the industrialized nations as well as on
favorable weather conditions.

Antarctica
Fishing off the coast and tourism, both based abroad,
account for the limited economic activity. Antarctic fisheries in
2000-01 (1 July-30 June) reported landing 112,934 metric tons.
Unregulated fishing, particularly of Patagonian toothfish, is a
serious problem. The Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic
Marine Living Resources determines the recommended catch limits for
marine species. A total of 13,571 tourists visited in the 2002-03
antarctic summer, up from the 11,588 who visited the previous year.
Nearly all of them were passengers on commercial (nongovernmental)
ships and several yachts that make trips during the summer. Most
tourist trips last approximately two weeks.

Antigua and Barbuda
Tourism continues to dominate the economy,
accounting for more than half of GDP. Weak tourist arrival numbers
since early 2000 have slowed the economy, however, and pressed the
government into a tight fiscal corner. The dual-island nation's
agricultural production is focused on the domestic market and
constrained by a limited water supply and a labor shortage stemming
from the lure of higher wages in tourism and construction.
Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major
products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components.
Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to
depend on income growth in the industrialized world, especially in
the US, which accounts for slightly more than one-third of tourist
arrivals.

Arctic Ocean
Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of
natural resources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals.

Argentina
Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly
literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a
diversified industrial base. Over the past decade, however, the
country has suffered recurring economic problems of inflation,
external debt, capital flight, and budget deficits. Growth in 2000
was a negative 0.8%, as both domestic and foreign investors remained
skeptical of the government's ability to pay debts and maintain the
peso's fixed exchange rate with the US dollar. The economic
situation worsened in 2001 with the widening of spreads on Argentine
bonds, massive withdrawals from the banks, and a further decline in
consumer and investor confidence. Government efforts to achieve a
"zero deficit," to stabilize the banking system, and to restore
economic growth proved inadequate in the face of the mounting
economic problems. The peso's peg to the dollar was abandoned in
January 2002, and the peso was floated in February; the exchange
rate plunged and inflation picked up rapidly, but by mid-2002 the
economy had stabilized, albeit at a lower level. Strong demand for
the peso compelled the Central Bank to intervene in foreign exchange
markets to curb its appreciation in 2003. Led by record exports, the
economy began to recover with output up 8% in 2003, unemployment
falling, and inflation reduced to under 4% at year-end.

Armenia
Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had
developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools,
textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics in
exchange for raw materials and energy. Since the implosion of the
USSR in December 1991, Armenia has switched to small-scale
agriculture away from the large agroindustrial complexes of the
Soviet era. The agricultural sector has long-term needs for more
investment and updated technology. The privatization of industry has
been at a slower pace, but has been given renewed emphasis by the
current administration. Armenia is a food importer, and its mineral
deposits (copper, gold, bauxite) are small. The ongoing conflict
with Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of
Nagorno-Karabakh and the breakup of the centrally directed economic
system of the former Soviet Union contributed to a severe economic
decline in the early 1990s. By 1994, however, the Armenian
Government had launched an ambitious IMF-sponsored economic
liberalization program that resulted in positive growth rates in
1995-2003. Armenia joined the WTrO in January 2003. Armenia also has
managed to slash inflation, stabilize the local currency (the dram),
and privatize most small- and medium-sized enterprises. The chronic
energy shortages Armenia suffered in the early and mid-1990s have
been offset by the energy supplied by one of its nuclear power
plants at Metsamor. Armenia is now a net energy exporter, although
it does not have sufficient generating capacity to replace Metsamor,
which is under international pressure to close. The electricity
distribution system was privatized in 2002. Armenia's severe trade
imbalance has been offset somewhat by international aid and foreign
direct investment. Economic ties with Russia remain close,
especially in the energy sector.

Aruba
Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy,
with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important.
The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has
resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities.
Construction has boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985
level. In addition, the reopening of the country's oil refinery in
1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings,
has further spurred growth. Aruba's small labor force and low
unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job
vacancies, despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years.
Tourist arrivals have declined in the aftermath of the 11 September
2001 terrorist attacks on the US. The government now must deal with
a budget deficit and a negative trade balance.

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
no economic activity

Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean provides some of the world's most
heavily trafficked sea routes, between and within the Eastern and
Western Hemispheres. Other economic activity includes the
exploitation of natural resources, e.g., fishing, the dredging of
aragonite sands (The Bahamas), and production of crude oil and
natural gas (Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Sea).

Australia
Australia has an enviable Western-style capitalist
economy, with a per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West
European economies. Rising output in the domestic economy has been
offsetting the global slump, and business and consumer confidence
remains robust. Australia's emphasis on reforms, low inflation, and
growing ties with China are other key factors behind the economy's
strength. The impact of drought, weak foreign demand, and strong
import demand pushed the trade deficit up to $18 billion in 2003 and
to $20 billion in 2004 from $8 billion in 2002. One other concern is
the domestic housing bubble.

Austria
Austria, with its well-developed market economy and high
standard of living, is closely tied to other EU economies,
especially Germany's. Membership in the EU has drawn an influx of
foreign investors attracted by Austria's access to the single
European market and proximity to EU aspirant economies. Slow growth
in Germany and elsewhere in the world held the economy to 0.7%
growth in 2001, 1.4% in 2002, and again less than 1% in 2003.
However, recent data signal that the recovery has started. The
government estimates economic growth in 2004 of 1.7-2.1% and of 2.5%
in 2005. The government is planning a EURO 500 billion income tax
cut in 2004, though some economists doubt it will have stimulative
effects in 2004, because it will be offset by higher health
insurance contributions and higher taxes on energy. For 2005,
Austria plans a tax cut of EURO 2.5 billion and harmonization of the
various pension schemes. To meet increased competition from both EU
and Central European countries, particularly the new EU members,
Austria will need to emphasize knowledge-based sectors of the
economy, continue to deregulate the service sector, and lower its
tax burden. A key issue is the encouragement of much greater
participation in the labor market by its aging population.

Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan's number one export is oil. Azerbaijan's oil
production declined through 1997 but has registered an increase
every year since. Negotiation of production-sharing arrangements
(PSAs) with foreign firms, which have thus far committed $60 billion
to long-term oilfield development, should generate the funds needed
to spur future industrial development. Oil production under the
first of these PSAs, with the Azerbaijan International Operating
Company, began in November 1997. Azerbaijan shares all the
formidable problems of the former Soviet republics in making the
transition from a command to a market economy, but its considerable
energy resources brighten its long-term prospects. Baku has only
recently begun making progress on economic reform, and old economic
ties and structures are slowly being replaced. One obstacle to
economic progress is the need for stepped up foreign investment in
the non-energy sector. A second obstacle is the continuing conflict
with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Trade with Russia and
the other former Soviet republics is declining in importance while
trade is building with Turkey and the nations of Europe. Long-term
prospects will depend on world oil prices, the location of new
pipelines in the region, and Azerbaijan's ability to manage its oil
wealth.

Bahamas, The
The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an
economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism
alone accounts for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly
employs half of the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in
tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts,
and residences had led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but the
slowdown in the US economy and the attacks of 11 September 2001 held
back growth in these sectors in 2001-03. Financial services
constitute the second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy,
accounting for about 15% of GDP. However, since December 2000, when
the government enacted new regulations on the financial sector, many
international businesses have left The Bahamas. Manufacturing and
agriculture together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and
show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those
sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on
the fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the
US, the source of more than 80% of the visitors. In addition to
tourism and banking, the government supports the development of a
"third pillar," e-commerce.

Bahrain
In well-to-do Bahrain, petroleum production and refining
account for about 60% of export receipts, 60% of government
revenues, and 30% of GDP. With its highly developed communication
and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational
firms with business in the Gulf. Bahrain is dependent on Saudi
Arabia for oil granted as aid. A large share of exports consist of
petroleum products made from refining imported crude. Construction
proceeds on several major industrial projects. Unemployment,
especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground
water resources are major long-term economic problems.

Baker Island
no economic activity

Bangladesh
Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to
improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a
poor, overpopulated, and ill-governed nation. Although half of GDP
is generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of
Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as
the single-most-important product. Major impediments to growth
include frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned
enterprises, inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing labor
force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting
energy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, and
slow implementation of economic reforms. Economic reform is stalled
in many instances by political infighting and corruption at all
levels of government. Progress also has been blocked by opposition
from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested
interest groups. The BNP government, led by Prime Minister Khaleda
ZIA, has the parliamentary strength to push through needed reforms,
but the party's political will to do so has been lacking in key
areas. One encouraging note: growth has been a steady 5% for the
past several years.

Barbados
Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on
sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but production in
recent years has diversified into light industry and tourism.
Offshore finance and information services are important foreign
exchange earners. The government continues its efforts to reduce
unemployment, to encourage direct foreign investment, and to
privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. The economy contracted
in 2002-03 mainly due to a decline in tourism. Growth should be
positive in 2004, the precise level largely dependent on economic
conditions in the US and Europe.

Bassas da India
no economic activity

Belarus
Belarus' economy in 2003 posted 6.1 percent growth and is
likely to continue expanding through 2004, albeit at a slower growth
rate. The Belarusian economy in 2004 is likely to be hampered by
high inflation, persistent trade deficits, and ongoing rocky
relations with Russia, Belarus' largest trading partner and energy
supplier. Belarus has seen little structural reform since 1995, when
President LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of "market
socialism." In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKO reimposed
administrative controls over prices and currency exchange rates and
expanded the state's right to intervene in the management of private
enterprises. In addition, businesses have been subject to pressure
on the part of central and local governments, e.g., arbitrary
changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, retroactive
application of new business regulations, and arrests of "disruptive"
businessmen and factory owners. A wide range of redistributive
policies has helped those at the bottom of the ladder. For the time
being, Belarus remains self-isolated from the West and its
open-market economies.

Belgium
This modern private enterprise economy has capitalized on
its central geographic location, highly developed transport network,
and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is
concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. With
few natural resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of
raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its
economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. Roughly
three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debt
is about 100% of GDP, and the government has succeeded in balancing
its budget. Belgium, together with 11 of its EU partners, began
circulating the euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth in
2001-03 dropped sharply because of the global economic slowdown.
Prospects for 2004 again depend largely on recovery in the EU and
the US.

Belize
In this small, essentially private enterprise economy the
tourism industry is the number one foreign exchange earner followed
by cane sugar, citrus, marine products, bananas, and garments. The
government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in
September 1998, led to GDP growth of 6.5% in 1999, 10.8% in 2000,
4.6% in 2001, and 3.7% in 2002. Major concerns continue to be the
sizable trade deficit and foreign debt. A key short-term objective
remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international
donors.

Benin
The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on
subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade.
Growth in real output has averaged a stable 5% in the past six
years, but rapid population rise has offset much of this increase.
Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to
raise growth still further, Benin plans to attract more foreign
investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the
development of new food processing systems and agricultural
products, and encourage new information and communication
technology. The 2001 privatization policy should continue in
telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of
initial government reluctance. The Paris Club and bilateral
creditors have eased the external debt situation, while pressing for
speeded-up structural reforms.

Bermuda
Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the
world, equal to that of the US. Its economy is primarily based on
providing financial services for international business and luxury
facilities for tourists. The effects of 11 September 2001 have had
both positive and negative ramifications for Bermuda. On the
positive side, a number of new reinsurance companies have located on
the island, contributing to the expansion of an already robust
international business sector. On the negative side, Bermuda's
tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the
US - was severely hit as American tourists chose not to travel.
Tourism rebounded somewhat in 2002-03. Most capital equipment and
food must be imported. Bermuda's industrial sector is small,
although construction continues to be important; the average cost of
a house in June 2003 had risen to $976,000. Agriculture is limited,
only 6% of the land being arable.

Bhutan
The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed,
is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main
livelihood for more than 90% of the population. Agriculture consists
largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged
mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and
other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely
aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links and
dependence on India's financial assistance. The industrial sector is
technologically backward, with most production of the cottage
industry type. Most development projects, such as road construction,
rely on Indian migrant labor. Bhutan's hydropower potential and its
attraction for tourists are key resources. Model education, social,
and environment programs are underway with support from multilateral
development organizations. Each economic program takes into account
the government's desire to protect the country's environment and
cultural traditions. For example, the government in its cautious
expansion of the tourist sector encourages the visits of upscale,
environmentally conscientious visitors. Detailed controls and
uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor,
and finance continue to hamper foreign investment.

Bolivia
Bolivia, long one of the poorest and least developed Latin
American countries, made considerable progress in the 1990s toward
the development of a market-oriented economy. Successes under
President SANCHEZ DE LOZADA (1993-97) included the signing of a free
trade agreement with Mexico and becoming an associate member of the
Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur), as well as the privatization
of the state airline, telephone company, railroad, electric power
company, and oil company. Growth slowed in 1999, in part due to
tight government budget policies, which limited needed
appropriations for anti-poverty programs, and the fallout from the
Asian financial crisis. In 2000, major civil disturbances held down
growth to 2.5%. Bolivia's GDP failed to grow in 2001 due to the
global slowdown and laggard domestic activity. Growth picked up
slightly in 2002, but the first quarter of 2003 saw extensive civil
riots and looting and loss of confidence in the government. Bolivia
will remain highly dependent on foreign aid unless and until it can
develop its substantial natural resources.

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ranked next to The
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as the poorest republic in the
old Yugoslav federation. Although agriculture is almost all in
private hands, farms are small and inefficient, and the republic
traditionally is a net importer of food. Industry has been greatly
overstaffed, one reflection of the socialist economic structure of
Yugoslavia. TITO had pushed the development of military industries
in the republic with the result that Bosnia hosted a number of
Yugoslavia's defense plants. The interethnic warfare in Bosnia
caused production to plummet by 80% from 1992 to 1995 and
unemployment to soar. With an uneasy peace in place, output
recovered in 1996-99 at high percentage rates from a low base; but
output growth slowed in 2000-02. Part of the lag in output was made
up in 2003-04. National-level statistics are limited. Moreover,
official data do not capture the large share of black market
activity. The konvertibilna marka (convertible mark or BAM)- the
national currency introduced in 1998 - is now pegged to the euro,
and the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina has dramatically
increased its reserve holdings. Implementation of privatization,
however, has been slow, and local entities only reluctantly support
national-level institutions. Banking reform accelerated in 2001 as
all the Communist-era payments bureaus were shut down. The country
receives substantial amounts of reconstruction assistance and
humanitarian aid from the international community but will have to
prepare for an era of declining assistance.

Botswana
Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest growth
rates since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline and
sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the
poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per
capita GDP of $8,800 in 2003. Two major investment services rank
Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has
fueled much of the expansion and currently accounts for more than
one-third of GDP and for nine-tenths of export earnings. Tourism,
subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. On
the downside, the government must deal with high rates of
unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially is 21%, but
unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection
rates are the highest in the world and threaten Botswana's
impressive economic gains. Long-term prospects are overshadowed by
the expected leveling off in diamond mining production.

Bouvet Island
no economic activity; declared a nature reserve

Brazil
Possessing large and well-developed agricultural, mining,
manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy outweighs that
of all other South American countries and is expanding its presence
in world markets. From 2001-03 real wages fell and Brazil's economy
grew, on average, only 1.1% per year, as the country absorbed a
series of domestic and international economic shocks. That Brazil
absorbed these shocks without financial collapse is a tribute to the
resiliency of the Brazilian economy and the economic program put in
place by former President CARDOSO and strengthened by President Lula
DA SILVA. The three pillars of the economic program are a floating
exchange rate, an inflation-targeting regime, and tight fiscal
policy, which have been reinforced by a series of IMF programs. The
currency depreciated sharply in 2001 and 2002, which contributed to
a dramatic current account adjustment: in 2003, Brazil ran a record
trade surplus and recorded the first current account surplus since
1992. While economic management has been good, there remain
important economic vulnerabilities. The most significant are
debt-related: the government's largely domestic debt increased
steadily from 1994 to 2003, straining government finances, while
Brazil's foreign debt (a mix of private and public debt) is large in
relation to Brazil's modest (but growing) export base. Another
challenge is maintaining economic growth over a period of time to
generate employment and make the government debt burden more
manageable.

British Indian Ocean Territory All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.

British Virgin Islands
The economy, one of the most stable and
prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism,
generating an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated
350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1998.
Tourism suffered in 2002 because of the lackluster US economy. In
the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration
to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and
incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly
400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The
adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which
provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory
gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, is expected to make
the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international
business. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural
activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic
food requirements. Because of traditionally close links with the US
Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the dollar as
its currency since 1959.

Brunei
This small, wealthy economy encompasses a mixture of foreign
and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare
measures, and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas
production account for nearly half of GDP. Per capita GDP is far
above most other Third World countries, and substantial income from
overseas investment supplements income from domestic production. The
government provides for all medical services and subsidizes rice and
housing. Brunei's leaders are concerned that steadily increased
integration in the world economy will undermine internal social
cohesion, although it became a more prominent player by serving as
chairman for the 2000 APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation)
forum. Plans for the future include upgrading the labor force,
reducing unemployment, strengthening the banking and tourist
sectors, and, in general, further widening the economic base beyond
oil and gas.

Bulgaria
Bulgaria, a former communist country striving to enter the
European Union, has experienced macroeconomic stability and strong
growth since a major economic downturn in 1996 led to the fall of
the then socialist government. As a result, the government became
committed to economic reform and responsible fiscal planning. A $300
million stand-by agreement negotiated with the IMF at the end of
2001 has supported government efforts to overcome high rates of
poverty and unemployment.

Burkina Faso
One of the poorest countries in the world, landlocked
Burkina Faso has few natural resources, a fragile soil, and a highly
unequal distribution of income. About 90% of the population is
engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture, which is vulnerable to
variations in rainfall. Cotton is the key crop. Industry remains
dominated by unprofitable government-controlled corporations.
Following the African franc currency devaluation in January 1994 the
government updated its development program in conjunction with
international agencies, and exports and economic growth have
increased. Maintenance of macroeconomic progress depends on
continued low inflation, reduction in the trade deficit, and reforms
designed to encourage private investment. The internal crisis in
neighboring Cote d'Ivoire continues to hurt trade and industrial
prospects and deepens the need for international assistance.

Burma
Burma is a resource-rich country that suffers from government
controls and abject rural poverty. The military regime took steps in
the early 1990s to liberalize the economy after decades of failure
under the "Burmese Way to Socialism", but those efforts have since
stalled. Burma has been unable to achieve monetary or fiscal
stability, resulting in an economy that suffers from serious
macroeconomic imbalances - including a steep inflation rate and an
official exchange rate that overvalues the Burmese kyat by more than
100 times the market rate. In addition, most overseas development
assistance ceased after the junta suppressed the democracy movement
in 1988 and subsequently ignored the results of the 1990 election. A
crisis in the private banking sector in early 2003 followed by
economic moves against Burma by the United States, the European
Union, and Japan - including a US ban on imports from Burma and a
Japanese freeze on new bilateral economic aid - further weakened the
Burmese economy. Burma is data poor, and official statistics are
often dated and inaccurate. Published estimates of Burma's foreign
trade are greatly understated because of the size of the black
market and border trade - often estimated to be one to two times the
official economy. Better relations with foreign countries and
relaxed controls at home are needed to promote foreign investment,
exports, and tourism. In February 2003, a major banking crisis hit
the country's 20 private banks, shutting them down and disrupting
the economy. In July and August 2003, the United States imposed a
ban on all Burmese imports and a ban on provision of financial
services, hampering Burma's ability to obtain foreign exchange. As
of January 2004, the largest private banks remained moribund,
leaving the private sector with little formal access to credit
outside of government contracts.

Burundi
Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an
underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly
agricultural with roughly 90% of the population dependent on
subsistence agriculture. Economic growth depends on coffee and tea
exports, which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings. The
ability to pay for imports, therefore, rests primarily on weather
conditions and international coffee and tea prices. The Tutsi
minority, 14% of the population, dominates the government and the
coffee trade at the expense of the Hutu majority, 85% of the
population. Since October 1993 an ethnic-based war has resulted in
more than 200,000 deaths, forced 800,000 refugees into Tanzania, and
displaced 525,000 others internally. Doubts about the prospects for
sustainable peace continue to impede development. Only one in two
children go to school, and approximately one in ten adults has
HIV/AIDS. Food, medicine, and electricity remain in short supply.

Cambodia
Cambodia's economy slowed dramatically in 1997-1998 due to
the regional economic crisis, civil violence, and political
infighting. Foreign investment and tourism fell off. In 1999, the
first full year of peace in 30 years, progress was made on economic
reforms. Growth resumed and has remained about 5.0% during
2000-2003. Tourism was Cambodia's fastest growing industry, with
arrivals up 34% in 2000 and up another 40% in 2001 before the 11
September 2001 terrorist attacks in the US. Cambodia expects 1
million foreign tourists in 2004. Economic growth has been largely
driven by expansion in the clothing sector and tourism. Clothing
exports were fostered by the U.S.-Cambodian Bilateral Textile
Agreement signed in 1999. Even given Cambodia's recent growth, the
long-term development of the economy after decades of war remains a
daunting challenge. The population lacks education and productive
skills, particularly in the poverty-ridden countryside, which
suffers from an almost total lack of basic infrastructure. Fear of
renewed political instability and a dysfunctional legal system
coupled with government corruption discourage foreign investment.
The Cambodian government continues to work with bilateral and
multilateral donors to address the country's many pressing needs.
The major economic challenge for Cambodia over the next decade will
be fashioning an economic environment in which the private sector
can create enough jobs to handle Cambodia's demographic imbalance.
About 60% of the population is 20 years or younger; most of these
citizens will seek to enter the workforce over the course of the
next 10 years.

Cameroon
Because of its oil resources and favorable agricultural
conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity
economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious
problems facing other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy
civil service and a generally unfavorable climate for business
enterprise. Since 1990, the government has embarked on various IMF
and World Bank programs designed to spur business investment,
increase efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize
the nation's banks. In June 2000, the government completed an
IMF-sponsored, three-year structural adjustment program; however,
the IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget
transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs.
International oil and cocoa prices have considerable impact on the
economy.

Canada
As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today
closely resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system,
pattern of production, and high living standards. Since World War
II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service
sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into
one primarily industrial and urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade
Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in
trade and economic integration with the US. As a result of the close
cross-border relationship, the economic sluggishness in the United
States in 2001-02 had a negative impact on the Canadian economy.
Real growth averaged nearly 3% during 1993-2000, but declined in
2001, with moderate recovery in 2002-03. Unemployment is up, with
contraction in the manufacturing and natural resource sectors.
Nevertheless, given its great natural resources, skilled labor
force, and modern capital plant Canada enjoys solid economic
prospects. Solid fiscal management has produced a long-term budget
surplus which is substantially reducing the national debt, although
public debate continues over how to manage the rising cost of the
publicly funded healthcare system. Trade accounts for roughly a
third of GDP. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with its
principal trading partner, the United States, which absorbs more
than 85% of Canadian exports. Roughly 90% of the population lives
within 160 kilometers of the US border.

Cape Verde
This island economy suffers from a poor natural resource
base, including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of
long-term drought. The economy is service-oriented, with commerce,
transport, tourism, and public services accounting for 72% of GDP.
Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the
share of agriculture in GDP in 2001 was only 11%, of which fishing
accounted for 1.5%. About 82% of food must be imported. The fishing
potential, mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. Cape
Verde annually runs a high trade deficit, financed by foreign aid
and remittances from emigrants; remittances supplement GDP by more
than 20%. Economic reforms are aimed at developing the private
sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy.
Prospects for 2004 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows,
tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the government's
development program.

Cayman Islands
With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving
offshore financial center. More than 40,000 companies were
registered in the Cayman Islands as of 1998, including almost 600
banks and trust companies; banking assets exceed $500 billion. A
stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay,
accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency
earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and
caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals
exceeded 1.2 million in 1997, with 600,000 from the US. About 90% of
the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The
Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of
the highest standards of living in the world.

Central African Republic
Subsistence agriculture, together with
forestry, remains the backbone of the economy of the Central African
Republic (CAR), with more than 70% of the population living in
outlying areas. The agricultural sector generates half of GDP.
Timber has accounted for about 16% of export earnings and the
diamond industry for 54%. Important constraints to economic
development include the CAR's landlocked position, a poor
transportation system, a largely unskilled work force, and a legacy
of misdirected macroeconomic policies. Factional fighting between
the government and its opponents remains a drag on economic
revitalization, with GDP likely to contract in 2004. Distribution of
income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the
international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs.

Chad
Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to be
boosted by major oilfield and pipeline projects that began in 2000.
Over 80% of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and
stock raising for its livelihood. Cotton, cattle, and gum arabic
provide the bulk of Chad's export earnings, but Chad will begin to
export oil in 2004. Chad's economy has long been handicapped by its
landlocked position, high energy costs, and a history of
instability. Chad relies on foreign assistance and foreign capital
for most public and private sector investment projects. A consortium
led by two US companies has been investing $3.7 billion to develop
oil reserves estimated at 1 billion barrels in southern Chad. Oil
production came on stream in late 2003.

Chile
Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high
level of foreign trade. During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation
as a role model for economic reform was strengthened when the
democratic government of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the
military in 1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the
military government. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97,
but fell to half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary
policies implemented to keep the current account deficit in check
and because of lower export earnings - the latter a product of the
global financial crisis. A severe drought exacerbated the recession
in 1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls
and electricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economic
growth for the first time in more than 15 years. Despite the effects
of the recession, Chile maintained its reputation for strong
financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the
strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. By the end of
1999, exports and economic activity had begun to recover, and growth
rebounded to 4.2% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.1% in 2001 and 2.1%
in 2002, largely due to lackluster global growth and the devaluation
of the Argentine peso, but recovered to 3.2% in 2003. Unemployment,
although declining over the past year, remains stubbornly high,
putting pressure on President LAGOS to improve living standards. One
bright spot was the signing of a free trade agreement with the US,
which took effect on 1 January 2004. In 2004, GDP growth is set to
accelerate to more than 4% as copper prices rise, export earnings
grow, and foreign direct investment picks up.

China In late 1978 the Chinese leadership began moving the economy from a sluggish, inefficient, Soviet-style centrally planned economy to a more market-oriented system. Whereas the system operates within a political framework of strict Communist control, the economic influence of non-state organizations and individual citizens has been steadily increasing. The authorities switched to a system of household and village responsibility in agriculture in place of the old collectivization, increased the authority of local officials and plant managers in industry, permitted a wide variety of small-scale enterprises in services and light manufacturing, and opened the economy to increased foreign trade and investment. The result has been a quadrupling of GDP since 1978. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis, China in 2003 stood as the second-largest economy in the world after the US, although in per capita terms the country is still poor. Agriculture and industry have posted major gains especially in coastal areas near Hong Kong, opposite Taiwan, and in Shanghai, where foreign investment has helped spur output of both domestic and export goods. The leadership, however, often has experienced - as a result of its hybrid system - the worst results of socialism (bureaucracy and lassitude) and of capitalism (growing income disparities and rising unemployment). China thus has periodically backtracked, retightening central controls at intervals. The government has struggled to (a) sustain adequate jobs growth for tens of millions of workers laid off from state-owned enterprises, migrants, and new entrants to the work force; (b) reduce corruption and other economic crimes; and (c) keep afloat the large state-owned enterprises, many of which had been shielded from competition by subsidies and had been losing the ability to pay full wages and pensions. From 80 to 120 million surplus rural workers are adrift between the villages and the cities, many subsisting through part-time, low-paying jobs. Popular resistance, changes in central policy, and loss of authority by rural cadres have weakened China's population control program, which is essential to maintaining long-term growth in living standards. Another long-term threat to growth is the deterioration in the environment, notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table especially in the north. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and economic development. Beijing says it will intensify efforts to stimulate growth through spending on infrastructure - such as water supply and power grids - and poverty relief and through rural tax reform. Accession to the World Trade Organization helps strengthen its ability to maintain strong growth rates but at the same time puts additional pressure on the hybrid system of strong political controls and growing market influences. China has benefited from a huge expansion in computer internet use. Foreign investment remains a strong element in China's remarkable economic growth. Growing shortages of electric power and raw materials will hold back the expansion of industrial output in 2004.

Christmas Island
Phosphate mining had been the only significant
economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government
closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of
the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino
closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support
the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island,
projected to begin operations in mid-2004

Clipperton Island
Although 115 species of fish have been identified
in the territorial waters of Clipperton Island, the only economic
activity is tuna fishing.

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are
the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to
the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must
be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry.

Colombia
Colombia's economy suffers from weak domestic and foreign
demand, austere government budgets, and serious internal armed
conflict, but seems poised for recovery. Other economic problems
facing President URIBE range from reforming the pension system to
reducing high unemployment. Two of Colombia's leading exports, oil
and coffee, face an uncertain future; new exploration is needed to
offset declining oil production, while coffee harvests and prices
are depressed. On the positive side, several international financial
institutions have praised the economic reforms introduced by URIBE,
which includes measures designed to reduce the public-sector deficit
below 2.5% of GDP in 2004. The government's economic policy and
democratic security strategy have engendered a growing sense of
confidence in the economy, particularly within the business sector,
and GDP growth in 2003 was among the highest in Latin America.

Comoros
One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of
three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and
rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low
educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence
level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy
dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture,
including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP,
employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports.
The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the
main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government -
which is hampered by internal political disputes - is struggling to
upgrade education and technical training, to privatize commercial
and industrial enterprises, to improve health services, to diversify
exports, to promote tourism, and to reduce the high population
growth rate. Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of
4% annual GDP growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans
abroad help supplement GDP.

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
The economy of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth
- has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. The war, which began
in August 1998, has dramatically reduced national output and
government revenue, has increased external debt, and has resulted in
the deaths from war, famine, and disease of perhaps 3.5 million
people. Foreign businesses have curtailed operations due to
uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict, lack of
infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment. The war has
intensified the impact of such basic problems as an uncertain legal
framework, corruption, inflation, and lack of openness in government
economic policy and financial operations. Conditions improved in
late 2002 with the withdrawal of a large portion of the invading
foreign troops. Several IMF and World Bank missions have met with
the government to help it develop a coherent economic plan, and
President KABILA has begun implementing reforms. Much economic
activity lies outside the GDP data. Economic stability, aided by
international donors, improved in 2003. New mining contracts have
been approved, which - combined with high mineral and metal prices -
could improve Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth.

Congo, Republic of the
The economy is a mixture of village
agriculture and handicrafts, an industrial sector based largely on
oil, support services, and a government characterized by budget
problems and overstaffing. Oil has supplanted forestry as the
mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government
revenues and exports. In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil
revenues enabled the government to finance large-scale development
projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest
rates in Africa. The government has mortgaged a substantial portion
of its oil earnings, contributing to a shortage of revenues. The 12
January 1994 devaluation of Franc Zone currencies by 50% resulted in
inflation of 61% in 1994, but inflation has subsided since. Economic
reform efforts continued with the support of international
organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF. The reform
program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. Denis
SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power when the war ended in October
1997, publicly expressed interest in moving forward on economic
reforms and privatization and in renewing cooperation with
international financial institutions. However, economic progress was
badly hurt by slumping oil prices and the resumption of armed
conflict in December 1998, which worsened the republic's budget
deficit. The current administration presides over an uneasy internal
peace and faces difficult economic problems of stimulating recovery
and reducing poverty.

Cook Islands
Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook
Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the
country from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets,
lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural
disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture provides the
economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit.
Manufacturing activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing,
and handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from
emigrants and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In
the 1980s and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining
a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt.
Subsequent reforms, including the sale of state assets, the
strengthening of economic management, the encouragement of tourism,
and a debt restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and
growth.

Coral Sea Islands
no economic activity

Costa Rica
Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism,
agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially
reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has
been put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by the
country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism
continues to bring in foreign exchange. Low prices for coffee and
bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continues
to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal debt. The
reduction of inflation remains a difficult problem because of rises
in the price of imports, labor market rigidities, and fiscal
deficits. Costa Rica recently concluded negotiations to participate
in the US - Central American Free Trade Agreement, which, if
ratified by the Costa Rican Legislature, would result in economic
reforms and an improved investment climate.

Cote d'Ivoire
Cote d'Ivoire is among the world's largest producers
and exporters of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm oil. Consequently,
the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international
prices for these products and to weather conditions. Despite
government attempts to diversify the economy, it is still heavily
dependent on agriculture and related activities, which engage
roughly 68% of the population. After several years of lagging
performance, the Ivorian economy began a comeback in 1994, due to
the 50% devaluation of the CFA franc and improved prices for cocoa
and coffee, growth in nontraditional primary exports such as
pineapples and rubber, limited trade and banking liberalization,
offshore oil and gas discoveries, and generous external financing
and debt rescheduling by multilateral lenders and France. Moreover,
government adherence to donor-mandated reforms led to a jump in
growth to 5% annually during 1996-99. Growth was negative in 2000-03
because of the difficulty of meeting the conditions of international
donors, continued low prices of key exports, and severe civil war.
Political uncertainty will continue to cloud the economic outlook in
2004, but rising world prices for cocoa will help both the current
account and the government balances.

Croatia
Before the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the Republic of
Croatia, after Slovenia, was the most prosperous and industrialized
area, with a per capita output perhaps one-third above the Yugoslav
average. The economy emerged from a mild recession in 2000 with
tourism, banking, and public investments leading the way.
Unemployment remains high, at over 13 percent, with structural
factors slowing its decline. While macroeconomic stabilization has
largely been achieved, structural reforms lag because of deep
resistance on the part of the public and lack of strong support from
politicians. Growth, while impressively over 4% for the last several
years, has been achieved through high fiscal and current account
deficits. The government is gradually reducing a heavy back log of
civil cases, many involving land tenure. The EU accession process
should accelerate fiscal and structural reform.

Cuba
The government continues to balance the need for economic
loosening against a desire for firm political control. It has
undertaken limited reforms to increase enterprise efficiency and
alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services. A
major feature of the economy is the dichotomy between relatively
efficient export enclaves and inefficient domestic sectors. The
average Cuban's standard of living remains at a lower level than
before the depression of the 1990s, which was caused by the loss of
Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. The government reluctantly
allows a large dollar market sector, fueled by tourism and
remittances from Cubans abroad.

Cyprus
The Greek Cypriot economy is prosperous but highly
susceptible to external shocks. Erratic growth rates over the past
decade reflect the economy's vulnerability to swings in tourist
arrivals, caused by political instability in the region and
fluctuations in economic conditions in Western Europe. Economic
policy is focused on meeting the criteria for admission to the EU.
EU-driven tax reforms in 2003 have introduced fiscal imbalances,
which, coupled with a sluggish tourism sector, have resulted in
growing fiscal deficits. As in the Turkish sector, water shortages
are a perennial problem; a few desalination plants are now on-line.
After 10 years of drought, the country received substantial rainfall
from 2001-03, alleviating immediate concerns. The Turkish Cypriot
economy has roughly one-third of the per capita GDP of the south.
Because it is recognized only by Turkey, it has had much difficulty
arranging foreign financing and investment. It remains heavily
dependent on agriculture and government service, which together
employ about half of the work force. To compensate for the economy's
weakness, Turkey provides grants and loans to support economic
development. Ankara provided $200 million in 2002 and pledged $450
million for the 2003-05 period. Future events throughout the island
will be highly influenced by the outcome of negotiations on the
UN-sponsored agreement to unite the Greek and Turkish areas.

Czech Republic
One of the most stable and prosperous of the
post-Communist states, the Czech Republic has been recovering from
recession since mid-1999. Growth in 2000-03 was supported by exports
to the EU, primarily to Germany, and a near doubling of foreign
direct investment. Domestic demand is playing an ever more important
role in underpinning growth as interest rates drop and the
availability of credit cards and mortgages increases. High current
account deficits - averaging around 5% of GDP in the last several
years - could be a persistent problem. Inflation is under control.
The EU put the Czech Republic just behind Poland and Hungary in
preparations for accession, which will give further impetus and
direction to structural reform. Moves to complete banking,
telecommunications, and energy privatization will encourage
additional foreign investment, while intensified restructuring among
large enterprises and banks, and improvements in the financial
sector, should strengthen output growth. Nonetheless, revival in the
European economies remains essential to stepped-up growth.

Denmark
This thoroughly modern market economy features high-tech
agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry,
extensive government welfare measures, comfortable living standards,
a stable currency, and high dependence on foreign trade. Denmark is
a net exporter of food and energy and enjoys a comfortable balance
of payments surplus. Government objectives include streamlining the
bureaucracy and further privatization of state assets. The
government has been successful in meeting, and even exceeding, the
economic convergence criteria for participating in the third phase
(a common European currency) of the European Economic and Monetary
Union (EMU), but Denmark has decided not to join 12 other EU members
in the euro; even so, the Danish Krone remains pegged to the euro.
Given the sluggish state of the European economy, growth in 2003 was
a mere 0.3%.

Dhekelia
Economic activity is limited to providing services to the
military and their families located in Dhekelia. All food and
manufactured goods must be imported.

Djibouti
The economy is based on service activities connected with
the country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone in
northeast Africa. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live in the capital
city, the remainder being mostly nomadic herders. Scanty rainfall
limits crop production to fruits and vegetables, and most food must
be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for
the region and an international transshipment and refueling center.
It has few natural resources and little industry. The nation is,
therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to help support
its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An
unemployment rate of 50% continues to be a major problem. Inflation
is not a concern, however, because of the fixed tie of the franc to
the US dollar. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over
the last seven years because of recession, civil war, and a high
population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Faced
with a multitude of economic difficulties, the government has fallen
in arrears on long-term external debt and has been struggling to
meet the stipulations of foreign aid donors.

Dominica
The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily
bananas, and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions and
international economic developments. Production of bananas dropped
precipitously in 2003, a major reason for the 1% decline in GDP.
Tourism increased in 2003 as the government sought to promote
Dominica as an "ecotourism" destination. Development of the tourism
industry remains difficult, however, because of the rugged
coastline, lack of beaches, and the absence of an international
airport. The government began a comprehensive restructuring of the
economy in 2003 - including elimination of price controls,
privatization of the state banana company, and tax increases - to
address Dominica's economic crisis and to meet IMF targets. In order
to diversify the island's production base the government is
attempting to develop an offshore financial sector and is planning
to construct an oil refinery on the eastern part of the island.

Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean
representative democracy which enjoyed GDP growth of more than 7% in
1998-2000. Growth subsequently plummeted as part of the global
economic slowdown. Although the country has long been viewed
primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent
years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's
largest employer, due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. The
country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of
the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the
richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of national income. Growth turned
negative in 2003 with reduced tourism, a major bank fraud, and
limited growth in the US economy, the source of 87% of export
revenues. Resumption of a badly needed IMF loan was slowed due to
government repurchase of electrical power plants.

East Timor
In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of
East Timor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence
militias, and 260,000 people fled westward. Over the next three
years, however, a massive international program, manned by 5,000
peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led to
substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By
mid-2002, all but about 50,000 of the refugees had returned. Growth
was held back in 2003 by extensive drought and the gradual winding
down of the international presence. The country faces great
challenges in continuing the rebuilding of infrastructure,
strengthening the infant civil administration, and generating jobs
for young people entering the workforce. One promising long-term
project is the planned development of oil and gas resources in
nearby waters, but the government faces a substantial financing gap
over the next several years before these revenues start flowing into
state coffers.

Ecuador
Ecuador has substantial petroleum resources, which have
accounted for 40% of the country's export earnings and one-fourth of
public sector revenues in recent years. Consequently, fluctuations
in world market prices can have a substantial domestic impact. In
the late 1990s, Ecuador suffered its worst economic crisis, with
natural disasters and sharp declines in world petroleum prices
driving Ecuador's economy into free fall in 1999. Real GDP
contracted by more than 6%, with poverty worsening significantly.
The banking system also collapsed, and Ecuador defaulted on its
external debt later that year. The currency depreciated by some 70%
in 1999, and, on the brink of hyperinflation, the MAHAUD government
announced it would dollarize the economy. A coup, however, ousted
MAHAUD from office in January 2000, and after a short-lived junta
failed to garner military support, Vice President Gustavo NOBOA took
over the presidency. In March 2000, Congress approved a series of
structural reforms that also provided the framework for the adoption
of the US dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized the
economy, and growth returned to its pre-crisis levels in the years
that followed. Under the administration of Lucio GUTIERREZ, who took
office in January 2003, Ecuador benefited from higher world
petroleum prices, but the government has made little progress on
fiscal reforms and reforms of state-owned enterprises necessary to
reduce Ecuador's vulnerability to petroleum price swings and
financial crises.

Egypt
Lack of substantial progress on economic reform since the mid
1990s has limited foreign direct investment in Egypt and kept annual
GDP growth in the range of 2-3 percent in 2001-03. Egyptian
officials in late 2003 and early 2004 proposed new privatization and
customs reform measures, but the government is likely to pursue
these initiatives cautiously and gradually to avoid a public
backlash over potential inflation or layoffs associated with the
reforms. Monetary pressures on an overvalued Egyptian pound led the
government to float the currency in January 2003, leading to a sharp
drop in its value and consequent inflationary pressure. The
existence of a black market for hard currency is evidence that the
government continues to influence the official exchange rate offered
in banks. In September 2003, Egyptian officials increased subsidies
on basic foodstuffs, helping to calm a frustrated public but
widening an already deep budget deficit. Egypt's balance-of-payments
position was not hurt by the war in Iraq in 2003, as tourism and
Suez Canal revenues fared well. The development of an export market
for natural gas is a bright spot for future growth prospects, but
improvement in the capital-intensive hydrocarbons sector does little
to reduce Egypt's persistent unemployment.

El Salvador
With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency, El
Salvador has lost control over monetary policy and must concentrate
on maintaining a disciplined fiscal policy. GDP per capita is
roughly only half that of Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, and the
distribution of income is highly unequal. The trade deficit has been
offset by annual remittances of almost $2 billion from Salvadorans
living abroad and external aid. The government is striving to open
new export markets, encourage foreign investment, modernize the tax
and healthcare systems, and stimulate the sluggish economy.

Equatorial Guinea
The discovery and exploitation of large oil
reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent
years. Forestry, farming, and fishing are also major components of
GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. Although pre-independence
Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency
earnings, the neglect of the rural economy under successive regimes
has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth (the government
has stated its intention to reinvest some oil revenue into
agriculture). A number of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank
and the IMF have been cut off since 1993 because of corruption and
mismanagement. No longer eligible for concessional financing because
of large oil revenues, the government has been unsuccessfully trying
to agree on a "shadow" fiscal management program with the World Bank
and IMF. Businesses, for the most part, are owned by government
officials and their family members. Undeveloped natural resources
include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold.
Growth will remain strong in 2004, led by oil.

Eritrea
Since independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993, Eritrea has
faced the economic problems of a small, desperately poor country.
Like the economies of many African nations, the economy is largely
based on subsistence agriculture, with 80% of the population
involved in farming and herding. The Ethiopian-Eritrea war in
1998-2000 severely hurt Eritrea's economy. GDP growth fell to zero
in 1999 and to -12.1% in 2000. The May 2000 Ethiopian offensive into
northern Eritrea caused some $600 million in property damage and
loss, including losses of $225 million in livestock and 55,000
homes. The attack prevented planting of crops in Eritrea's most
productive region, causing food production to drop by 62%. Even
during the war, Eritrea developed its transportation infrastructure,
asphalting new roads, improving its ports, and repairing war damaged
roads and bridges. Since the war ended, the government has
maintained a firm grip on the economy, expanding the use of the
military and party-owned businesses to complete Eritrea's
development agenda. Erratic rainfall and the delayed demobilization
of agriculturalists from the military kept cereal production well
below normal, holding down growth in 2002. Eritrea's economic future
depends upon its ability to master social problems such as
illiteracy, unemployment, and low skills, and to open its economy to
private enterprise so the diaspora's money and expertise can foster
economic growth.

Estonia
Estonia, as a new member of the World Trade Organization, is
steadily moving toward a modern market economy with increasing ties
to the West, including the pegging of its currency to the euro. The
economy benefits from strong electronics and telecommunications
sectors. Estonia has been invited to join the European Union and
will do so in May 2004. The economy is greatly influenced by
developments in Finland, Sweden, Russia, and Germany, four major
trading partners. The high current account deficit remains a
concern. However, the state budget enjoyed a surplus of $130 million
in 2003.

Ethiopia
Ethiopia's poverty-stricken economy is based on
agriculture, which accounts for half of GDP, 60% of exports, and 80%
of total employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent
drought and poor cultivation practices. Coffee is critical to the
Ethiopian economy with exports of some $156 million in 2002, but
historically low prices have seen many farmers switching to qat to
supplement income. The war with Eritrea in 1998-2000 and recurrent
drought have buffeted the economy, in particular coffee production.
In November 2001 Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from the Highly
Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Under Ethiopia's land
tenure system, the government owns all land and provides long-term
leases to the tenants; the system continues to hamper growth in the
industrial sector as entrepreneurs are unable to use land as
collateral for loans. Drought struck again late in 2002, leading to
a 2% decline in GDP in 2003. Return to normal weather patterns late
in 2003 should help agricultural and GDP growth recover in 2004. The
government estimates that annual growth of 7% is needed to reduce
poverty.

Europa Island
no economic activity

European Union
Domestically, the European Union attempts to lower
trade barriers, adopt a common currency, and move toward convergence
of living standards. Internationally, the EU aims to bolster
Europe's trade position and its political and economic power.
Because of the great differences in per capita income (from $10,000
to $28,000) and historic national animosities, the European
Community faces difficulties in devising and enforcing common
policies. For example, both Germany and France since 2003 have
flouted the member states' treaty obligation to prevent their
national budgets from running more than a 3% deficit. In 2004, the
EU admitted 10 central and eastern European countries that are, in
general, less advanced technologically and economically than the
existing 15. The Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), an associated
organization, introduced the euro as the common currency on 1
January 1999. The UK, Sweden, and Denmark do not now participate;
the 10 new countries may choose to join the EMU when they meet its
fiscal and monetary criteria and the member states so agree.

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic activity. In 1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands exclusive fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which goes to support the island's health, education, and welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Exports feature shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for defense. The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day; to date no exploitable site has been identified. An agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism, especially eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in 2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on money the government has in the bank. The British military presence also provides a sizeable economic boost.

Faroe Islands
The Faroese economy has had a strong performance since
1994, mostly as a result of increasing fish landings and high and
stable export prices. Unemployment is falling and there are signs of
labor shortages in several sectors. The positive economic
development has helped the Faroese Home Rule Government produce
increasing budget surpluses, which in turn help to reduce the large
public debt, most of it owed to Denmark. However, the total
dependence on fishing makes the Faroese economy extremely
vulnerable, and the present fishing efforts appear in excess of what
is a sustainable level of fishing in the long term. Oil finds close
to the Faroese area give hope for deposits in the immediate Faroese
area, which may eventually lay the basis for a more diversified
economy and thus lessen dependence on Danish economic assistance.
Aided by a substantial annual subsidy (15% of GDP) from Denmark, the
Faroese have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other
Scandinavians.

Fiji
Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one
of the most developed of the Pacific island economies, though still
with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports and a growing tourist
industry - with 300,000 to 400,000 tourists annually - are the major
sources of foreign exchange. Sugar processing makes up one-third of
industrial activity. Long-term problems include low investment,
uncertain land ownership rights, and the government's ability to
manage its budget. Yet short-run economic prospects are good,
provided tensions do not again erupt between indigenous Fijians and
Indo-Fijians.

Finland
Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market
economy, with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France,
Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing -
principally the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and
electronics industries. Trade is important, with exports equaling
one-third of GDP. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland
depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for
manufactured goods. Because of the climate, agricultural development
is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products.
Forestry, an important export earner, provides a secondary
occupation for the rural population. Rapidly increasing integration
with Western Europe - Finland was one of the 12 countries joining
the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) - will dominate the
economic picture over the next several years. Growth in 2003 was
held back by the global slowdown but will pick up in 2004 provided
the world economy suffers no further blows.

France
France is in the midst of transition, from a well-to-do
modern economy that has featured extensive government ownership and
intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The
Socialist-led government partially or fully privatized many large
companies, banks, and insurers, but the government retains
controlling stakes in several leading firms, including Air France,
France Telecom, Renault, and Thales, and is dominant in some
sectors, particularly power, public transport, and defense
industries. The telecommunications sector is gradually being opened
to competition. France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism in
which they maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies,
and social spending that reduce income disparity and the impact of
free markets on public health and welfare. The current government
has lowered income taxes and introduced measures to boost
employment. The government is focusing on the problems of the high
cost of labor and labor market inflexibility resulting from the
35-hour workweek and restrictions on lay-offs. The government is
also pushing for pension reforms and simplification of
administrative procedures. The tax burden remains one of the highest
in Europe (43.8% of GDP in 2003). The current economic slowdown and
inflexible budget items have pushed the 2003 deficit to 4% of GDP,
above the EU's 3% debt limit. Business investment remains listless
because of low rates of capital utilization, sluggish demand, high
debt, and the steep cost of capital.

French Guiana
The economy is tied closely to the larger French
economy through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space
center at Kourou (which accounts for 25% of GDP), fishing and
forestry are the most important economic activities. Forest and
woodland cover 90% of the country. The large reserves of tropical
hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an expanding sawmill
industry that provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops is
limited to the coastal area, where the population is largely
concentrated; rice and manioc are the major crops. French Guiana is
heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a
serious problem, particularly among younger workers.

French Polynesia
Since 1962, when France stationed military
personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a
subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion
of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the
tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996,
the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism
accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard
currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and
deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector
primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefits
substantially from development agreements with France aimed
principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social
services.

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Economic activity is limited to
servicing meteorological and geophysical research stations and
French and other fishing fleets. The fish catches landed on Iles
Kerguelen by foreign ships are exported to France and Reunion.

Gabon
Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most
nations of sub-Saharan Africa. This has supported a sharp decline in
extreme poverty; yet because of high income inequality a large
proportion of the population remains poor. Gabon depended on timber
and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s.
The oil sector now accounts for 50% of GDP. Gabon continues to face
fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports.
Despite the abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management
hobbles the economy. Devaluation of its Francophone currency by 50%
on 12 January 1994 sparked a one-time inflationary surge, to 35%;
the rate dropped to 6% in 1996. The IMF provided a one-year standby
arrangement in 1994-95, a three-year Enhanced Financing Facility
(EFF) at near commercial rates beginning in late 1995, and stand-by
credit of $119 million in October 2000. Those agreements mandate
progress in privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided
additional financial support in January 1997 after Gabon had met IMF
targets for mid-1996. In 1997, an IMF mission to Gabon criticized
the government for overspending on off-budget items, overborrowing
from the central bank, and slipping on its schedule for
privatization and administrative reform. The rebound of oil prices
in 1999-2000 helped growth, but drops in production hampered Gabon
from fully realizing potential gains. In December 2000, Gabon signed
a new agreement with the Paris Club to reschedule its official debt.
A follow-up bilateral repayment agreement with the US was signed in
December 2001. Short-term progress depends on an upbeat world
economy and fiscal and other adjustments in line with IMF policies.

Gambia, The
The Gambia has no important mineral or other natural
resources and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the
population depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood.
Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of
peanuts, fish, and hides. Reexport trade normally constitutes a
major segment of economic activity, but a 1999 government-imposed
preshipment inspection plan, and instability of the Gambian dalasi
(currency) have drawn some of the reexport trade away from The
Gambia. The government's 1998 seizure of the private peanut firm
Alimenta eliminated the largest purchaser of Gambian groundnuts; the
following two marketing seasons have seen substantially lower prices
and sales. A decline in tourism in 2000 has also held back growth.
Unemployment and underemployment rates are extremely high. Shortrun
economic progress remains highly dependent on sustained bilateral
and multilateral aid, on responsible government economic management
as forwarded by IMF technical help and advice, and on expected
growth in the construction sector.

Gaza Strip
Economic output in the Gaza Strip - under the
responsibility of the Palestinian Authority since the Cairo
Agreement of May 1994 - declined by about one-third between 1992 and
1996. The downturn was largely the result of Israeli closure
policies - the imposition of generalized border closures in response
to security incidents in Israel - which disrupted previously
established labor and commodity market relationships between Israel
and the WBGS (West Bank and Gaza Strip). The most serious negative
social effect of this downturn was the emergence of high
unemployment; unemployment in the WBGS during the 1980s was
generally under 5%; by 1995 it had risen to over 20%. Israel's use
of comprehensive closures decreased during the next few years and,
in 1998, Israel implemented new policies to reduce the impact of
closures and other security procedures on the movement of
Palestinian goods and labor. These changes fueled an almost
three-year-long economic recovery in the West Bank and Gaza Strip;
real GDP grew by 5% in 1998 and 6% in 1999. Recovery was upended in
the last quarter of 2000 with the outbreak of violence, triggering
tight Israeli closures of Palestinian self-rule areas and a severe
disruption of trade and labor movements. In 2001, and even more
severely in 2002, Israeli military measures in Palestinian Authority
areas resulted in the destruction of capital plant and
administrative structure, widespread business closures, and a sharp
drop in GDP. Including West Bank, the UN estimates that more than
100,000 Palestinians out of the 125,000 who used to work in Israel,
in Israeli settlements, or in joint industrial zones have lost their
jobs. In addition, about 80,000 Palestinian workers inside the
Territories are losing their jobs. International aid of $2 billion
in 2001-02 to the West Bank and Gaza Strip prevented the complete
collapse of the economy and allowed Finance Minister Salam FAYYAD to
implement several financial and economic reforms. Budgetary support,
however, was not as forthcoming in 2003.

Georgia
Georgia's main economic activities include the cultivation
of agricultural products such as citrus fruits, tea, hazelnuts, and
grapes; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small
industrial sector producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages,
metals, machinery, and chemicals. The country imports the bulk of
its energy needs, including natural gas and oil products. Its only
sizable internal energy resource is hydropower. Despite the severe
damage the economy has suffered due to civil strife, Georgia, with
the help of the IMF and World Bank, has made substantial economic
gains since 1995, achieving positive GDP growth and curtailing
inflation. However, the Georgian Government suffers from limited
resources due to a chronic failure to collect tax revenues. Georgia
also suffers from energy shortages; it privatized the T'bilisi
distribution network in 1998, but collection rates are low, making
the venture unprofitable. The country is pinning its hopes for
long-term growth on its role as a transit state for pipelines and
trade. The start of construction on the Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan oil
pipeline and the Baku-T'bilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline will bring
much-needed investment and job opportunities.

Germany
Germany's affluent and technologically powerful economy- the
fifth largest national economy in the world - has become one of the
slowest growing economies in the entire euro zone, and a quick
turnaround is not in the offing in the foreseeable future. Growth in
2001-03 fell short of 1%. The modernization and integration of the
eastern German economy continues to be a costly long-term process,
with annual transfers from west to east amounting to roughly $70
billion. Germany's ageing population, combined with high
unemployment, has pushed social security outlays to a level
exceeding contributions from workers. Structural rigidities in the
labor market - including strict regulations on laying off workers
and the setting of wages on a national basis - have made
unemployment a chronic problem. Corporate restructuring and growing
capital markets are setting the foundations that could allow Germany
to meet the long-term challenges of European economic integration
and globalization, particularly if labor market rigidities are
further addressed. The government is also starting long-needed
structural reforms designed to revitalize the country's economy. In
the short run, however, the fall in government revenues and the rise
in expenditures have raised the deficit above the EU's 3% debt limit.

Ghana
Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice
the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Even
so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and
technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major
sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to
revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 35% of
GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders.
Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country
(HIPC) program in 2002. Policy priorities include tighter monetary
and fiscal policies, accelerated privatization, and improvement of
social services. Receipts from the gold sector should help sustain
GDP growth in 2004. Inflation should ease, but remain a major
internal problem.

Gibraltar
Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade,
offshore banking, and its position as an international conference
center. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and
now contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in
1984. The financial sector, tourism (almost 5 million visitors in
1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also
generate revenue. The financial sector, the shipping sector, and
tourism each contribute 25%-30% of GDP. Telecommunications accounts
for another 10%. In recent years, Gibraltar has seen major
structural change from a public to a private sector economy, but
changes in government spending still have a major impact on the
level of employment.

Glorioso Islands
no economic activity

Greece
Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector
accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP 70% of the
leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants
make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in menial jobs.
Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of
annual GDP. The Greek economy grew by about 4.0% for the past two
years, largely because of an investment boom and infrastructure
upgrades for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Despite strong growth,
Greece has failed to meet the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget
deficit criteria of 3% of GDP since 2000; public debt, inflation,
and unemployment are also above the eurozone average. Further
restructuring of the economy include privatizing several state
enterprises, undertaking pension and other reforms, and minimizing
bureaucratic inefficiencies.

Greenland
The economy remains critically dependent on exports of
fish and substantial support from the Danish Government, which
supplies about half of government revenues. The public sector,
including publicly-owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays
the dominant role in the economy. Despite several interesting
hydrocarbon and minerals exploration activities, it will take
several years before production can materialize. Tourism is the only
sector offering any near-term potential, and even this is limited
due to a short season and high costs.

Grenada
Grenada relies on tourism as its main source of foreign
exchange, especially since the construction of an international
airport in 1985. Strong performances in construction and
manufacturing, together with the development of an offshore
financial industry, have also contributed to growth in national
output.

Guadeloupe
The Caribbean economy depends on agriculture, tourism,
light industry, and services. It also depends on France for large
subsidies and imports. Tourism is a key industry, with most tourists
from the US; an increasingly large number of cruise ships visit the
islands. The traditional sugarcane crop is slowly being replaced by
other crops, such as bananas (which now supply about 50% of export
earnings), eggplant, and flowers. Other vegetables and root crops
are cultivated for local consumption, although Guadeloupe is still
dependent on imported food, mainly from France. Light industry
features sugar and rum production. Most manufactured goods and fuel
are imported. Unemployment is especially high among the young.
Hurricanes periodically devastate the economy.

Guam
The economy depends on US military spending, tourism, and the
export of fish and handicrafts. Total US grants, wage payments, and
procurement outlays amounted to $1 billion in 1998. Over the past 20
years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a
construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones.
More than 1 million tourists visit Guam each year. The industry had
recently suffered setbacks because of the continuing Japanese
slowdown; the Japanese normally make up almost 90% of the tourists.
Most food and industrial goods are imported. Guam faces the problem
of building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of
military downsizing.

Guatemala
Guatemala is the largest and most populous of the Central
American countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of
Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for
about one-fourth of GDP, two-thirds of exports, and half of the
labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. The
1996 signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war,
removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, but widespread
political violence and corruption scandals continue to dampen
investor confidence. The distribution of income remains highly
unequal, with perhaps 75% of the population below the poverty line.
Ongoing challenges include increasing government revenues,
negotiating further assistance from international donors, upgrading
both government and private financial operations, curtailing drug
trafficking, and narrowing the trade deficit.

Guernsey
Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance,
etc. - account for about 55% of total income in this tiny Channel
Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly
tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and death
duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic
integration of the EU nations is changing the environment under
which Guernsey operates.

Guinea
Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural
resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country
possesses over 30% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the
second-largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for
about 75% of exports in 1999. Long-run improvements in government
fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if
the country is to move out of poverty. Fighting along the Sierra
Leonean and Liberian borders, as well as refugee movements, have
caused major economic disruptions, including a loss in investor
confidence. Foreign mining companies have reduced expatriate staff,
while panic buying has created food shortages and inflation in local
markets. Guinea is not receiving multilateral aid. The IMF and World
Bank cut off most assistance in 2003. Growth should strengthen in
2004, however, because of a slowly improving security situation and
increased investor confidence.

Guinea-Bissau
One of the 10 poorest countries in the world,
Guinea-Bissau depends mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops
have increased remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks
sixth in cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood
along with small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice
is the major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting
between Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta
destroyed much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread
damage to the economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in
GDP that year, with partial recovery in 1999-2002. Before the war,
trade reform and price liberalization were the most successful part
of the country's structural adjustment program under IMF
sponsorship. The tightening of monetary policy and the development
of the private sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy.
Because of high costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and
other mineral resources is not a near-term prospect. However,
unexploited offshore oil reserves could provide much-needed revenue
in the long run. The inequality of income distribution is one of the
most extreme in the world. The government and international donors
continue to work out plans to forward economic development from a
lamentably low base. Government drift and indecision, however, have
resulted in low growth in 2002-03 and dim prospects for 2004.

Guyana
The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in
2001-02, based on expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors,
a more favorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more
realistic exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continued
support of international organizations. Growth then slowed in 2003.
Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficient
infrastructure. The government is juggling a sizable external debt
against the urgent need for expanded public investment. The bauxite
mining sector should benefit in the near term by restructuring and
partial privatization.

Haiti
In this poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, 80% of the
population lives in abject poverty. Two-thirds of all Haitians
depend on the agriculture sector, which consists mainly of
small-scale subsistence farming. Following legislative elections in
May 2000, fraught with irregularities, international donors -
including the US and EU - suspended almost all aid to Haiti. The
economy shrank an estimated 1.2% in 2001 and an estimated 0.9% in
2002. Suspended aid and loan disbursements totaled more than $500
million at the start of 2003. Haiti also suffers from rampant
inflation, a lack of investment, and a severe trade deficit. The
resumption of aid flows from all donors will alleviate but not end
the nation's bitter economic problems. Extensive civil strife in
early 2004, marked by the flight of President ARISTIDE, further
impoverished Haiti.

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
No indigenous economic activity,
but the Australian Government allows limited fishing around the
islands.

Holy See (Vatican City)
This unique, noncommercial economy is
supported financially by an annual contribution from Roman Catholic
dioceses throughout the world, as well as by special collections
(known as Peter's Pence); the sale of postage stamps, coins, medals,
and tourist mementos; fees for admission to museums; and the sale of
publications. Investments and real estate income also account for a
sizable portion of revenue. The incomes and living standards of lay
workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city
of Rome.

Honduras
Honduras, one of the poorest countries in the Western
Hemisphere with an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income
and massive unemployment, is banking on expanded trade privileges
under the Enhanced Caribbean Basin Initiative and on debt relief
under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. While
the country has met most of its macroeconomic targets, it has failed
to meet the IMF's goals to liberalize its energy and
telecommunications sectors. Growth remains dependent on the status
of the US economy, its major trading partner, on commodity prices,
particularly coffee, and on reduction of the high crime rate.

Hong Kong
Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on
international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw
materials must be imported. Imports and exports, including
reexports, each exceed GDP in dollar value. Even before Hong Kong
reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997 it had extensive
trade and investment ties with China. Hong Kong has been further
integrating its economy with China because China's growing openness
to the world economy has increased competitive pressure on Hong
Kong's service industries, and Hong Kong's re-export business from
China is a major driver of growth. Per capita GDP compares with the
level in the four big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth
averaged a strong 5% in 1989-1997, but Hong Kong suffered two
recessions in the past 6 years because of the Asian financial crisis
in 1998 and the global downturn of 2001-2002. The Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak also battered Hong Kong's
economy, but a boom in tourism from the mainland because of China's
easing of travel restrictions, a return of consumer confidence, and
a solid rise in exports resulted in the resumption of strong growth
in late 2003.

Howland Island
no economic activity

Hungary
Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to
a market economy, with a per capita income one-half that of the Big
Four European nations. Hungary continues to demonstrate strong
economic growth and joined the European Union in May 2004. The
private sector accounts for over 80% of GDP. Foreign ownership of
and investment in Hungarian firms are widespread, with cumulative
foreign direct investment totaling more than $23 billion since 1989.
Hungarian sovereign debt was upgraded in 2000 to the second-highest
rating among all the Central European transition economies.
Inflation has declined substantially, from 14% in 1998 to 4.7% in
2003; unemployment has persisted around the 6% level. Germany is by
far Hungary's largest economic partner. Short-term issues include
the reduction of the public sector deficit and further increasing
the flexibility of the labor markets.

Iceland
Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically
capitalistic, yet with an extensive welfare system (including
generous housing subsidies), low unemployment, and remarkably even
distribution of income. In the absence of other natural resources
(except for abundant geothermal power), the economy depends heavily
on the fishing industry, which provides 70% of export earnings and
employs 12% of the work force. The economy remains sensitive to
declining fish stocks as well as to fluctuations in world prices for
its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and
ferrosilicon. Government policies include reducing the budget and
current account deficits, limiting foreign borrowing, containing
inflation, revising agricultural and fishing policies, diversifying
the economy, and privatizing state-owned industries. The government
remains opposed to EU membership, primarily because of Icelanders'
concern about losing control over their fishing resources. Iceland's
economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service
industries in the last decade, and new developments in software
production, biotechnology, and financial services are taking place.
The tourism sector is also expanding, with the recent trends in
ecotourism and whale watching. Growth had been remarkably steady in
1996-2001 at 3%-5%, but could not be sustained in 2002 in an
environment of global recession. Growth resumed in 2003, and
inflation dropped back from 5% to 2%.

India
India's economy encompasses traditional village farming,
modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries,
and a multitude of support services. Government controls have been
reduced on foreign trade and investment, and privatization of
domestic output has proceeded slowly. The economy has posted an
excellent average growth rate of 6% since 1990, reducing poverty by
about 10 percentage points. India is capitalizing on its large
numbers of well-educated people skilled in the English language to
become a major exporter of software services and software workers.
Despite strong growth, the World Bank and others worry about the
continuing public-sector budget deficit, running at approximately
60% of GDP.

Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting
the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas.
It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum
products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its
fish are of great and growing importance to the bordering countries
for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia,
Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly
for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped
in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western
Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production
comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and
offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering
countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka,
and Thailand.

Indonesia
Indonesia, a vast polyglot nation, faces economic
development problems stemming from recent acts of terrorism, unequal
resource distribution among regions, endemic corruption, the lack of
reliable legal recourse in contract disputes, weaknesses in the
banking system, and a generally poor climate for foreign investment.
Indonesia withdrew from its IMF program at the end of 2003, but
issued a "White Paper" that commits the government to maintaining
fundamentally sound macroeconomic policies previously established
under IMF guidelines. Investors, however, continued to face a host
of on-the-ground microeconomic problems and an inadequate judicial
system. Keys to future growth remain internal reform, building up
the confidence of international and domestic investors, and strong
global economic growth.

Iran
Iran's economy is marked by a bloated, inefficient state
sector, over reliance on the oil sector, and statist policies that
create major distortions throughout. Most economic activity is
controlled by the state. Private sector activity is typically
small-scale - workshops, farming, and services. President KHATAMI
has continued to follow the market reform plans of former President
RAFSANJANI, with limited progress. Relatively high oil prices in
recent years have enabled Iran to amass some $22 billion in foreign
exchange reserves, but have not eased economic hardships such as
high unemployment and inflation. In December 2003 a major earthquake
devastated the city of Bam in southeastern Iran, killing more than
30,000 people.

Iraq
Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which has
traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. In
the 1980s financial problems caused by massive expenditures in the
eight-year war with Iran and damage to oil export facilities by Iran
led the government to implement austerity measures, borrow heavily,
and later reschedule foreign debt payments; Iraq suffered economic
losses from that war of at least $100 billion. After hostilities
ended in 1988, oil exports gradually increased with the construction
of new pipelines and restoration of damaged facilities. Iraq's
seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent international economic
sanctions, and damage from military action by an international
coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically reduced economic
activity. Although government policies supporting large military and
internal security forces and allocating resources to key supporters
of the regime have hurt the economy, implementation of the UN's
oil-for-food program beginning in December 1996 helped improve
conditions for the average Iraqi citizen. Iraq was allowed to export
limited amounts of oil in exchange for food, medicine, and some
infrastructure spare parts. In December 1999, the UN Security
Council authorized Iraq to export under the program as much oil as
required to meet humanitarian needs. The drop in GDP in 2001-02 was
largely the result of the global economic slowdown and lower oil
prices. Per capita food imports increased significantly, while
medical supplies and health care services steadily improved. Per
capita output and living standards were still well below the
pre-1991 level, but any estimates have a wide range of error. The
military victory of the US-led coalition in March-April 2003
resulted in the shutdown of much of the central economic
administrative structure, but with the loss of a comparatively small
amount of capital plant. The rebuilding of oil, electricity, and
other production is proceeding steadily at the start of 2004 with
foreign support and despite the continuation of severe internal
strife. A joint UN and World Bank report released in the fall of
2003 estimated that Iraq's key reconstruction needs through 2007
would cost $55 billion. In October 2003, international donors
pledged assistance worth more than $33 billion toward this
rebuilding effort.

Ireland
Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with
growth averaging a robust 8% in 1995-2002. The global slowdown,
especially in the information technology sector, pressed growth down
to 2.1% in 2003. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now
dwarfed by industry and services. Industry accounts for 46% of GDP
and about 80% of exports and employs 28% of the labor force.
Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's growth, the
economy has also benefited from a rise in consumer spending,
construction, and business investment. Per capita GDP is 10% above
that of the four big European economies and the second highest in
the sEU, behind Luxembourg. Over the past decade, the Irish
Government has implemented a series of national economic programs
designed to curb price and wage inflation, reduce government
spending, increase labor force skills, and promote foreign
investment. Ireland joined in launching the euro currency system in
January 1999 along with 10 other EU nations.

Israel
Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with
substantial government participation. It depends on imports of crude
oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited
natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural
and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Israel imports
substantial quantities of grain but is largely self-sufficient in
other agricultural products. Cut diamonds, high-technology
equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are the
leading exports. Israel usually posts sizable current account
deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad
and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debt
is owed to the US, which is its major source of economic and
military aid. The bitter Israeli-Palestinian conflict; difficulties
in the high-technology, construction, and tourist sectors; and
fiscal austerity in the face of growing inflation led to small
declines in GDP in 2001 and 2002. The economy grew at 1% in 2003,
with improvements in tourism and foreign direct investment. In 2004,
rising business and consumer confidence - as well as higher demand
for Israeli exports - boosted GDP by 2.7%.

Italy
Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly the
same total and per capita output as France and the UK. This
capitalistic economy remains divided into a developed industrial
north, dominated by private companies, and a less developed,
welfare-dependent agricultural south, with 20% unemployment. Most
raw materials needed by industry and more than 75% of energy
requirements are imported. Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a
tight fiscal policy in order to meet the requirements of the
Economic and Monetary Unions and has benefited from lower interest
and inflation rates. The current government has enacted numerous
short-term reforms aimed at improving competitiveness and long-term
growth. Italy has moved slowly, however, on implementing needed
structural reforms, such as lightening the high tax burden and
overhauling Italy's rigid labor market and over-generous pension
system, because of the current economic slowdown and opposition from
labor unions.

Jamaica
The Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on services, which
now account for 70% of GDP. The country continues to derive most of
its foreign exchange from tourism, remittances, and bauxite/alumina.
The global economic slowdown, particularly after the terrorist
attacks in the US on 11 September 2001, stunted economic growth; the
economy rebounded moderately in 2003, with one of the best tourist
seasons on record. But the economy faces serious long-term problems:
high interest rates; increased foreign competition; a pressured,
sometimes sliding, exchange rate; a sizable merchandise trade
deficit; large-scale unemployment; and a growing internal debt, the
result of government bailouts to ailing sectors of the economy. The
ratio of debt to GDP is close to 150%. Inflation, previously a
bright spot, is expected to remain in the double digits. Depressed
economic conditions have led to increased civil unrest, including
gang violence fueled by the drug trade. In 2004, the government
faces the difficult prospect of having to achieve fiscal discipline
in order to maintain debt payments while simultaneously attacking a
serious and growing crime problem that is hampering economic growth.

Jan Mayen
Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural
resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for
employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations on the
island.

Japan
Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery
of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1%
of GDP) helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank
of second most technologically-powerful economy in the world after
the US and third-largest economy after the US and China. One notable
characteristic of the economy is the working together of
manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in closely-knit groups
called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee of
lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor
force. Both features are now eroding. Industry, the most important
sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw
materials and fuels. The much smaller agricultural sector is highly
subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the
world. Usually self-sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 50%
of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains
one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly
15% of the global catch. For three decades overall real economic
growth had been spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5%
average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed
markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of the
after effects of overinvestment during the late 1980s and
contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative
excesses from the stock and real estate markets. Government efforts
to revive economic growth have met with little success and were
further hampered in 2000-2003 by the slowing of the US, European,
and Asian economies. Japan's huge government debt, which totals more
than 150% of GDP, and the ageing of the population are two major
long-run problems. Robotics constitutes a key long-term economic
strength with Japan possessing 410,000 of the world's 720,000
"working robots." Internal conflict over the proper way to reform
the ailing banking system continues.

Jarvis Island
no economic activity

Jersey
The economy is based largely on international financial
services, agriculture, and tourism. Potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes,
and especially flowers are important export crops, shipped mostly to
the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is known worldwide and
represents an important export income earner. Milk products go to
the UK and other EU countries. In 1996 the finance sector accounted
for about 60% of the island's output. Tourism, another mainstay of
the economy, accounts for 24% of GDP. In recent years, the
government has encouraged light industry to locate in Jersey, with
the result that an electronics industry has developed alongside the
traditional manufacturing of knitwear. All raw material and energy
requirements are imported, as well as a large share of Jersey's food
needs. Light taxes and death duties make the island a popular tax
haven.

Johnston Atoll
Economic activity is limited to providing services to
US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All
food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Jordan
Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of
water and other natural resources such as oil. Debt, poverty, and
unemployment are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH, since
assuming the throne in 1999, has undertaken some broad economic
reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. 'Amman in
the past three years has worked closely with the IMF, practiced
careful monetary policy, and made substantial headway with
privatization. The government also has liberalized the trade regime
sufficiently to secure Jordan's membership in the WTrO (2000), a
free trade accord with the US (2000), and an association agreement
with the EU (2001). These measures have helped improve productivity
and have put Jordan on the foreign investment map. The US-led war in
Iraq in 2003 dealt an economic blow to Jordan, which was dependent
on Iraq for discounted oil (worth $300-$600 million a year). Several
Gulf nations have provided temporary aid to compensate for the loss
of this oil; when this foreign aid expires, the Jordanian government
has pledged to raise retail petroleum product prices and the sales
tax base. Other ongoing challenges include fiscal adjustment to
reduce the budget deficit, broader investment incentives to promote
job-creating ventures, and the encouragement of tourism.

Juan de Nova Island
Up to 12,000 tons of guano are mined per year.

Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, the largest of the former Soviet republics in
territory, excluding Russia, possesses enormous fossil fuel reserves
as well as plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It also
is a large agricultural - livestock and grain - producer.
Kazakhstan's industrial sector rests on the extraction and
processing of these natural resources and also on a growing
machine-building sector specializing in construction equipment,
tractors, agricultural machinery, and some defense items. The
breakup of the USSR in December 1991 and the collapse in demand for
Kazakhstan's traditional heavy industry products resulted in a
short-term contraction of the economy, with the steepest annual
decline occurring in 1994. In 1995-97, the pace of the government
program of economic reform and privatization quickened, resulting in
a substantial shifting of assets into the private sector. Kazakhstan
enjoyed double-digit growth in 2000-01 - and a solid 9.5% in 2002 -
thanks largely to its booming energy sector, but also to economic
reform, good harvests, and foreign investment. The opening of the
Caspian Consortium pipeline in 2001, from western Kazakhstan's
Tengiz oilfield to the Black Sea, substantially raised export
capacity. The country has embarked upon an industrial policy
designed to diversify the economy away from overdependence on the
oil sector, by developing light industry. Additionally, the policy
aims to reduce the influence of foreign investment and foreign
personnel; the government has engaged in several disputes with
foreign oil companies over the terms of production agreements, and
tensions continue.

Kenya
The regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, Kenya
has been hampered by corruption, notably in the judicial system, and
by reliance upon several primary goods whose prices have remained
low. In 1997, the IMF suspended Kenya's Enhanced Structural
Adjustment Program due to the government's failure to maintain
reforms and curb corruption. A severe drought from 1999 to 2000
compounded Kenya's problems, causing water and energy rationing and
reducing agricultural output. As a result, GDP contracted by 0.2% in
2000. The IMF, which had resumed loans in 2000 to help Kenya through
the drought, again halted lending in 2001 when the government failed
to institute several anticorruption measures. Despite the return of
strong rains in 2001, weak commodity prices, endemic corruption, and
low investment limited Kenya's economic growth to 1.2%. Growth
lagged at 1.1% in 2002 because of erratic rains, low investor
confidence, meager donor support, and political infighting up to the
elections. In the key 27 December 2002 elections, Daniel Arap MOI's
24-year-old reign ended, and a new opposition government took on the
formidable economic problems facing the nation. In 2003, progress
was made in rooting out corruption, and encouraging donor support,
with GDP growth edging up to 1.7%.

Kingman Reef
no economic activity

Kiribati
A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has
few natural resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were
exhausted at the time of independence from the UK in 1979. Copra and
fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy
has fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic development is
constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure,
and remoteness from international markets. Tourism provides more
than one-fifth of GDP. The financial sector is at an early stage of
development as is the expansion of private sector initiatives.
Foreign financial aid from UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and
China equals 25%-50% of GDP. Remittances from workers abroad account
for more than $5 million each year.

Korea, North
North Korea, one of the world's most centrally planned
and isolated economies, faces desperate economic conditions.
Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of
years of underinvestment and spare parts shortages. Industrial and
power output have declined in parallel. The nation has suffered its
tenth year of food shortages because of a lack of arable land,
collective farming, weather-related problems, and chronic shortages
of fertilizer and fuel. Massive international food aid deliveries
have allowed the regime to escape mass starvation since 1995-96, but
the population remains the victim of prolonged malnutrition and
deteriorating living conditions. Large-scale military spending eats
up resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. In
2003, heightened political tensions with key donor countries and
general donor fatigue threatened the flow of desperately needed food
aid and fuel aid as well. Black market prices continued to rise
following the increase in official prices and wages in the summer of
2002, leaving some vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and
unemployed, less able to buy goods. The regime, however, relaxed
restrictions on farmers' market activities in spring 2003, leading
to an expansion of market activity.

Korea, South
Since the early 1960s, South Korea has achieved an
incredible record of growth and integration into the high-tech
modern world economy. Four decades ago GDP per capita was comparable
with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. Today its
GDP per capita is 18 times North Korea's and equal to the lesser
economies of the European Union. This success through the late 1980s
was achieved by a system of close government/business ties,
including directed credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of
specific industries, and a strong labor effort. The government
promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense
of consumer goods and encouraged savings and investment over
consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-99 exposed
longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model,
including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an
undisciplined financial sector. Growth plunged to a negative 6.6% in
1998, then strongly recovered to 10.8% in 1999 and 9.2% in 2000.
Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001 because of the slowing global
economy, falling exports, and the perception that much-needed
corporate and financial reforms had stalled. Led by consumer
spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an impressive 6.2%, despite
anemic global growth, followed by moderate 2.8% growth in 2003. In
2003 the National Assembly approved legislation reducing the six-day
work week to five days.

Kuwait
Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with proved
crude oil reserves of about 98 billion barrels - 10% of world
reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export
revenues, and 80% of government income. Kuwait's climate limits
agricultural development. Consequently, with the exception of fish,
it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water
must be distilled or imported. Kuwait continues its discussions with
foreign oil companies to develop fields in the northern part of the
country.

Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan is a poor, mountainous country with a
predominantly agricultural economy. Cotton, tobacco, wool, and meat
are the main agricultural products, although only tobacco and cotton
are exported in any quantity. Industrial exports include gold,
mercury, uranium, and natural gas and electricity. Kyrgyzstan has
been fairly progressive in carrying out market reforms, such as an
improved regulatory system and land reform. Kyrgyzstan was the first
CIS country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. With
fits and starts, inflation has been lowered to an estimated 7% in
2001, 2.1% in 2002, and 4.0% in 2003. Much of the government's stock
in enterprises has been sold. Drops in production had been severe
after the breakup of the Soviet Union in December 1991, but by
mid-1995 production began to recover and exports began to increase.
Kyrgyzstan has distinguished itself by adopting relatively liberal
economic policies. The drop in output at the Kumtor gold mine
sparked a 0.5% decline in GDP in 2002, but GDP growth bounced back
to 6% in 2003. The government has made steady strides in controlling
its substantial fiscal deficit and aims to reduce the deficit to 4.4
percent of GDP in 2004. The government and the international
financial institutions have been engaged in a comprehensive
medium-term poverty reduction and economic growth strategy. Further
restructuring of domestic industry and success in attracting foreign
investment are keys to future growth.

Laos
The government of Laos - one of the few remaining official
Communist states - began decentralizing control and encouraging
private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely
low base, were striking - growth averaged 7% in 1988-2001 except
during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis
beginning in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a
country with a primitive infrastructure; it has no railroads, a
rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal
telecommunications. Electricity is available in only a few urban
areas. Subsistence agriculture accounts for half of GDP and provides
80% of total employment. The economy will continue to benefit from
aid from the IMF and other international sources and from new
foreign investment in food processing and mining.

Latvia
Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian
financial crisis, largely due to the SKELE government's budget
stringency and a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU
countries, lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. The
majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized,
although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large
enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization
in February 1999. Preparing for EU membership continues as a top
foreign policy goal. The current account and internal government
deficits remain major concerns, but the government's efforts to
increase efficiency in revenue collection may lessen the budget
deficit.

Lebanon
The 1975-91 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic
infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended
Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub.
Peace enabled the central government to restore control in Beirut,
begin collecting taxes, and regain access to key port and government
facilities. Economic recovery was helped by a financially sound
banking system and resilient small- and medium-scale manufacturers.
Family remittances, banking services, manufactured and farm exports,
and international aid provided the main sources of foreign exchange.
Lebanon's economy made impressive gains since the launch in 1993 of
"Horizon 2000," the government's $20 billion reconstruction program.
Real GDP grew 8% in 1994, 7% in 1995, 4% in 1996 and in 1997, but
slowed to 1.2% in 1998, -1.6% in 1999, -0.6% in 2000, 0.8% in 2001,
1.5% in 2002, and 3% in 2003. During the 1990s, annual inflation
fell to almost 0% from more than 100%. Lebanon has rebuilt much of
its war-torn physical and financial infrastructure. The government
nonetheless faces serious challenges in the economic arena. It has
funded reconstruction by borrowing heavily - mostly from domestic
banks. In order to reduce the ballooning national debt, the
re-installed HARIRI government began an economic austerity program
to rein in government expenditures, increase revenue collection, and
privatize state enterprises. The HARIRI government met with
international donors at the Paris II conference in November 2002 to
seek bilateral assistance restructuring its domestic debt at lower
rates of interest. While privatization of state-owned enterprises
had not occurred by the end of 2003, massive receipts from donor
nations stabilized government finances in 2002-04.

Lesotho
Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on
remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties
from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of
government revenue, but the government has strengthened its tax
system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major
hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to
South Africa, also generating royalties for Lesotho. As the number
of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a
small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that
support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries and a
rapidly growing apparel-assembly sector. The economy is still
primarily based on subsistence agriculture, especially livestock,
although drought has decreased agricultural activity. The extreme
inequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback.
Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility
with the IMF.

Liberia
Civil war and misgovernment have destroyed much of Liberia's
economy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Many
businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and expertise with
them. Some have returned, many will not. Richly endowed with water,
mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture,
Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products -
primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign
owned, had been small in scope. The departure of the former
president, Charles TAYLOR, to Nigeria in August 2003, the
establishment of the all-inclusive National Transition Government of
Liberia (NTGL), and the arrival of a UN mission are all encouraging
signs that the political crisis is coming to an end. The restoration
of infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy
depend on the implementation of sound macro- and micro-economic
policies, including the encouragement of foreign investment, and
generous support from donor countries.

Libya
The Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the
oil sector, which contribute practically all export earnings and
about one-quarter of GDP. These oil revenues and a small population
give Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little
of this income flows down to the lower orders of society. Libyan
officials in the past three years have made progress on economic
reforms as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate the country
into the international fold. This effort picked up steam after UN
sanctions were lifted in September 2003 and as Libya announced in
December 2003 that it would abandon programs to build weapons of
mass destruction. Libya faces a long road ahead in liberalizing the
socialist-oriented economy, but initial steps - including applying
for WTO membership, reducing some subsidies, and announcing plans
for privatization - are laying the groundwork for a transition to a
more market-based economy. The non-oil manufacturing and
construction sectors, which account for about 20% of GDP, have
expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include the
production of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Climatic
conditions and poor soils severely limit agricultural output, and
Libya imports about 75% of its food.

Liechtenstein
Despite its small size and limited natural resources,
Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly
industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial
service sector and living standards on a par with its large European
neighbors. The Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a
large number of small businesses. Low business taxes - the maximum
tax rate is 20% - and easy incorporation rules have induced many
holding or so-called letter box companies to establish nominal
offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. The
country participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses
the Swiss franc as its national currency. It imports more than 90%
of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the
European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between
the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the EU) since May
1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies
with those of an integrated Europe.

Lithuania
Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most
trade with Russia, has slowly rebounded from the 1998 Russian
financial crisis. Unemployment remains high, still 10.7% in 2003,
but is improving. Growing domestic consumption and increased
investment have furthered recovery. Trade has been increasingly
oriented toward the West. Lithuania has gained membership in the
World Trade Organization and has moved ahead with plans to join the
EU. Privatization of the large, state-owned utilities, particularly
in the energy sector, is nearing completion. Overall, more than 80%
of enterprises have been privatized. Foreign government and business
support have helped in the transition from the old command economy
to a market economy.

Luxembourg
This stable, high-income economy features solid growth,
low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector,
initially dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to
include chemicals, rubber, and other products. Growth in the
financial sector, which now accounts for about 22% of GDP, has more
than compensated for the decline in steel. Most banks are
foreign-owned and have extensive foreign dealings. Agriculture is
based on small family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign
and trans-border workers for more than 30% of its labor force.
Although Luxembourg, like all EU members, has suffered from the
global economic slump, the country has maintained a fairly strong
growth rate and enjoys an extraordinarily high standard of living.

Macau
Macau's well-to-do economy has remained one of the most open
in the world since its reversion to China in 1999. The territory's
net exports of goods and services account for roughly 41% of GDP
with tourism and apparel exports as the mainstays. Although the
territory was hit hard by the 1998 Asian financial crisis and the
global downturn in 2001, its economy grew 9.5% in 2002. A rapid rise
in the number of mainland visitors because of China's easing of
restrictions on travel drove the recovery. The budget also returned
to surplus in 2002 because of the surge in visitors from China and a
hike in taxes on gambling profits, which generated about 70% of
government revenue. The liberalization of Macao's gambling monopoly
contributes to GDP growth, as the three companies awarded gambling
licenses have pledged to invest $2.2 billion in the territory. Much
of Macau's textile industry may move to the mainland as the
Multi-Fiber Agreement is phased out. The territory may have to rely
more on gambling and trade-related services to generate growth. The
government estimated GDP growth at 4% in 2003 with the drop in large
measure due to concerns over the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS), but private sector analysts think the figure may have been
higher because of the continuing boom in tourism.

Macedonia
At independence in September 1991, Macedonia was the least
developed of the Yugoslav republics, producing a mere 5% of the
total federal output of goods and services. The collapse of
Yugoslavia ended transfer payments from the center and eliminated
advantages from inclusion in a de facto free trade area. An absence
of infrastructure, UN sanctions on Yugoslavia, one of its largest
markets, and a Greek economic embargo over a dispute about the
country's constitutional name and flag hindered economic growth
until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year through 2000. However,
the leadership's commitment to economic reform, free trade, and
regional integration was undermined by the ethnic Albanian
insurgency of 2001. The economy shrank 4.5% because of decreased
trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit spending on
security needs, and investor uncertainty. Growth barely recovered in
2002 to 0.9%, then rose to 2.8% in 2003. Unemployment at one-third
of the workforce remains the most critical economic problem. The
gray economy is estimated at around 40% of GDP. Politically, the
country is more stable than in 2002.

Madagascar
Having discarded past socialist economic policies,
Madagascar has since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank and IMF led
policy of privatization and liberalization. This strategy has placed
the country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low
level. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of
the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and
employing four-fifths of the population. Exports of apparel have
boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the
United States. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of
firewood as the primary source of fuel are serious concerns.
President RAVALOMANANA has worked aggressively to revive the economy
following the 2002 political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in
GDP that year. Poverty reduction and combating corruption will be
the centerpieces of economic policy for the next few years.

Malawi
Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed
countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 90%
of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounted for
nearly 40% of GDP and 88% of export revenues in 2001. The economy
depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF,
the World Bank, and individual donor nations. In late 2000, Malawi
was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
(HIPC) program. In November 2002 the World Bank approved a $50
million drought recovery package, which is to be used for famine
relief. The government faces strong challenges, e.g., to fully
develop a market economy, to improve educational facilities, to face
up to environmental problems, to deal with the rapidly growing
problem of HIV/AIDS, and to satisfy foreign donors that fiscal
discipline is being tightened. The performance of the tobacco sector
is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for over 50% of
exports.

Malaysia
Malaysia, a middle-income country, transformed itself from
1971 through the late 1990s from a producer of raw materials into an
emerging multi-sector economy. Growth was almost exclusively driven
by exports - particularly of electronics. As a result Malaysia was
hard hit by the global economic downturn and the slump in the
information technology (IT) sector in 2001 and 2002. GDP in 2001
grew only 0.5% due to an estimated 11% contraction in exports, but a
substantial fiscal stimulus package equal to US $1.9 billion
mitigated the worst of the recession and the economy rebounded in
2002 with a 4.1% increase. The economy grew 4.9% in 2003,
notwithstanding a difficult first half, when external pressures from
SARS and the Iraq War led to caution in the business community.
Healthy foreign exchange reserves and a relatively small external
debt make it unlikely that Malaysia will experience a crisis similar
to the one in 1997, but the economy remains vulnerable to a more
protracted slowdown in Japan and the US, top export destinations and
key sources of foreign investment. The Malaysian ringgit is pegged
to the dollar, and the Japanese central bank continues to intervene
and prop up the yen against the dollar.

Maldives
Tourism, Maldives' largest industry, accounts for 20% of
GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts.
Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and
tourism-related taxes. Fishing is a second leading sector. The
Maldivian Government began an economic reform program in 1989
initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the
private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to
allow more foreign investment. Agriculture and manufacturing
continue to play a lesser role in the economy, constrained by the
limited availability of cultivable land and the shortage of domestic
labor. Most staple foods must be imported. Industry, which consists
mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts,
accounts for about 18% of GDP. Maldivian authorities worry about the
impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying
country; 80% of the area is one meter or less above sea level.

Mali
Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with 65% of
its land area desert or semidesert and with a highly unequal
distribution of income. Economic activity is largely confined to the
riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population is
nomadic and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and
fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm
commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable
to fluctuations in world prices for cotton, its main export, along
with gold. The government has continued its successful
implementation of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program
that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign
investment. Mali's adherence to economic reform and the 50%
devaluation of the African franc in January 1994 have pushed up
economic growth to a sturdy 5% average in 1996-2002. Worker
remittances and external trade routes have been jeopardized by
continued unrest in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire.

Malta
Major resources are limestone, a favorable geographic
location, and a productive labor force. Malta produces only about
20% of its food needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has no
domestic energy sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade,
manufacturing (especially electronics and textiles), and tourism.
Malta is privatizing state-controlled firms and liberalizing markets
in order to prepare for membership in the European Union. The island
remains divided politically, however, over the question of joining
the EU. Continued sluggishness in the global economy is holding back
exports, tourism, and overall growth.

Man, Isle of
Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key
sectors of the economy. The government's policy of offering
incentives to high-technology companies and financial institutions
to locate on the island has paid off in expanding employment
opportunities in high-income industries. As a result, agriculture
and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in
their shares of GDP. Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man
enjoys free access to EU markets.

Marshall Islands
US Government assistance is the mainstay of this
tiny island economy. Agricultural production is primarily
subsistence and is concentrated on small farms; the most important
commercial crops are coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale industry
is limited to handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. The tourist
industry, now a small source of foreign exchange employing less than
10% of the labor force, remains the best hope for future added
income. The islands have few natural resources, and imports far
exceed exports. Under the terms of the Compact of Free Association,
the US has provided more than $1 billion in aid since 1986.
Negotiations have continued for an extended agreement. Government
downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline in tourism
and foreign investment due to the Asian financial difficulties, and
less income from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have held
GDP growth to an average of 1% over the past decade.

Martinique
The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and
light industry. Agriculture accounts for about 6% of GDP and the
small industrial sector for 11%. Sugar production has declined, with
most of the sugarcane now used for the production of rum. Banana
exports are increasing, going mostly to France. The bulk of meat,
vegetable, and grain requirements must be imported, contributing to
a chronic trade deficit that requires large annual transfers of aid
from France. Tourism, which employs more than 11,000 people, has
become more important than agricultural exports as a source of
foreign exchange.

Mauritania
Half the population still depends on agriculture and
livestock for a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and
subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent
droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits
of iron ore, which account for nearly 40% of total exports. The
decline in world demand for this ore, however, has led to cutbacks
in production. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest
fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation by foreigners
threatens this key source of revenue. The country's first deepwater
port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. In the past, drought and
economic mismanagement resulted in a buildup of foreign debt. In
February 2000, Mauritania qualified for debt relief under the
Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and in December
2001 received strong support from donor and lending countries at a
triennial Consultative Group review. In 2001, exploratory oil wells
in tracts 80 km offshore indicated potential extraction at current
world oil prices. A new investment code approved in December 2001
improved the opportunities for direct foreign investment. Ongoing
negotiations with the IMF involve problems of economic reforms and
fiscal discipline. Substantial oil production and exports probably
will not begin until 2005. Meantime the government emphasizes
reduction of poverty, improvement of health and education, and
promoting privatization of the economy.

Mauritius
Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a
low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income
diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist
sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order
of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more
equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered
infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is
grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25%
of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on
expanding local financial institutions and building a domestic
information telecommunications industry. Mauritius has attracted
more than 9,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India
and South Africa, and investment in the banking sector alone has
reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector
and responsible fiscal management, has been well poised to take
advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

Mayotte
Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural
sector, including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not
self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food
requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development
of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance,
an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an
obstacle to the development of tourism.

Mexico
Mexico has a free market economy with a mixture of modern and
outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the
private sector. Recent administrations have expanded competition in
seaports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity generation,
natural gas distribution, and airports. Per capita income is
one-fourth that of the US; income distribution remains highly
unequal. Trade with the US and Canada has tripled since the
implementation of NAFTA in 1994. Real GDP growth was a weak -0.3% in
2001, 0.9% in 2002, and 1.2% in 2003, with the US slowdown the
principal cause. Mexico implemented free trade agreements with
Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and the European Free Trade Area
in 2001, putting more than 90% of trade under free trade agreements.
The government is cognizant of the need to upgrade infrastructure,
modernize the tax system and labor laws, and provide incentives to
invest in the energy sector, but progress is slow.

Micronesia, Federated States of
Economic activity consists primarily
of subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few mineral
deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The
potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remote location, a
lack of adequate facilities, and limited air connections hinder
development. In November 2002, the country experienced a further
reduction in future revenues from the Compact of Free Association -
the agreement with the US in which Micronesia received $1.3 billion
in financial and technical assistance over a 15-year period until
2001. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due
not only to the reduction in US assistance but also to the slow
growth of the private sector. Geographical isolation and a poorly
developed infrastructure remain major impediments to long-term
growth.

Midway Islands
The economy is based on providing support services
for the national wildlife refuge activities located on the islands.
All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Moldova
Moldova remains the poorest country in Europe despite recent
progress from its small economic base. It enjoys a favorable climate
and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result,
the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits,
vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import almost all of its
energy supplies from Russia. Energy shortages contributed to sharp
production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.
As part of an ambitious reform effort, Moldova introduced a
convertible currency, freed prices, stopped issuing preferential
credits to state enterprises, backed steady land privatization,
removed export controls, and freed interest rates. The government
entered into agreements with the World Bank and the IMF to promote
growth and reduce poverty. The economy returned to positive growth,
of 2.1% in 2000, 6.1% in 2001, 7.2% in 2002, and 6.3% in 2003.
Further reforms will come slowly because of strong political forces
backing government controls. The economy remains vulnerable to
higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of
foreign investors.

Monaco
Monaco, bordering France on the Mediterranean coast, is a
popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant
climate. In 2001, a major construction project extended the pier
used by cruise ships in the main harbor. The principality has
successfully sought to diversify into services and small,
high-value-added, nonpolluting industries. The state has no income
tax and low business taxes and thrives as a tax haven both for
individuals who have established residence and for foreign companies
that have set up businesses and offices. The state retains
monopolies in a number of sectors, including tobacco, the telephone
network, and the postal service. Living standards are high, roughly
comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas. Monaco
does not publish national income figures; the estimates below are
extremely rough.

Mongolia
Economic activity traditionally has been based on
agriculture and breeding of livestock. Mongolia also has extensive
mineral deposits; copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold
account for a large part of industrial production. Soviet
assistance, at its height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost
overnight in 1990-91 at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR.
Mongolia was driven into deep recession, prolonged by the Mongolian
People's Revolutionary Party's (MPRP) reluctance to undertake
serious economic reform. The Democratic Union Coalition (DUC)
government embraced free-market economics, eased price controls,
liberalized domestic and international trade, and attempted to
restructure the banking system and the energy sector. Major domestic
privatization programs were undertaken, as well as the fostering of
foreign investment through international tender of the oil
distribution company, a leading cashmere company, and banks. Reform
was held back by the ex-Communist MPRP opposition and by the
political instability brought about through four successive
governments under the DUC. Economic growth picked up in 1997-99
after stalling in 1996 due to a series of natural disasters and
declines in world prices of copper and cashmere. In August and
September 1999, the economy suffered from a temporary Russian ban on
exports of oil and oil products, and Mongolia remains vulnerable in
this sector. Mongolia joined the World Trade Organization (WTrO) in
1997. The international donor community pledged over $300 million
per year at the Consultative Group Meeting, held in Ulaanbaatar in
June 1999. The MPRP government, elected in July 2000, was anxious to
improve the investment climate; it also had to deal with a heavy
burden of external debt. Falling prices for Mongolia's mainly
primary sector exports, widespread opposition to privatization, and
adverse effects of weather on agriculture in early 2000 and 2001
restrained real GDP growth. Despite drought problems in 2002, GDP
rose 4.0%, followed by a solid 5.0% increase in 2003. The first
applications under the land privatization law have been marked by a
number of disputes over particular sites. Russia claims Mongolia
owes it $11 billion from the Soviet period; any settlement could
substantially increase Mongolia's foreign debt burden.

Montserrat
Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has
put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in
June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic
and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled
the island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing
limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected
by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of
crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in
relation to the volcano and on public sector construction activity.
The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help
reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain
uninhabitable for another decade.

Morocco
Morocco faces the problems typical of developing countries -
restraining government spending, reducing constraints on private
activity and foreign trade, and achieving sustainable economic
growth. Despite structural adjustment programs supported by the IMF,
the World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is only fully
convertible for current account transactions. Reforms of the
financial sector are being contemplated. Droughts depressed activity
in the key agricultural sector and contributed to a stagnant economy
in 2002. Morocco reported large foreign exchange inflows from the
sale of a mobile telephone license, and partial privatization of the
state-owned telecommunications company and the state tobacco
company. Favorable rainfall in 2003 led to a growth of 6%.
Formidable long-term challenges include: preparing the economy for
freer trade with the EU and US, improving education, and attracting
foreign investment to boost living standards and job prospects for
Morocco's youth.

Mozambique
At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the
world's poorest countries. Socialist mismanagement and a brutal
civil war from 1977-92 exacerbated the situation. In 1987, the
government embarked on a series of macroeconomic reforms designed to
stabilize the economy. These steps, combined with donor assistance
and with political stability since the multi-party elections in
1994, have led to dramatic improvements in the country's growth
rate. Inflation was reduced to single digits during the late 1990s
although it returned to double digits in 2000-03. Fiscal reforms,
including the introduction of a value-added tax and reform of the
customs service, have improved the government's revenue collection
abilities. In spite of these gains, Mozambique remains dependent
upon foreign assistance for much of its annual budget, and the
majority of the population remains below the poverty line.
Subsistence agriculture continues to employ the vast majority of the
country's workforce. A substantial trade imbalance persists although
the opening of the MOZAL aluminum smelter, the country's largest
foreign investment project to date has increased export earnings.
Additional investment projects in titanium extraction and processing
and garment manufacturing should further close the import/export
gap. Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt has been reduced
through forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily
Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives, and is
now at a manageable level.

Namibia
The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and
processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP.
Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for
gem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of
nonfuel minerals in Africa, the world's fifth-largest producer of
uranium, and the producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin,
silver, and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the
population while about half of the population depends on subsistence
agriculture for its livelihood. Namibia normally imports about 50%
of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are a
major problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the
region, hides the great inequality of income distribution; nearly
one-third of Namibians had annual incomes of less than $1,400 in
constant 1994 dollars, according to a 1993 study. The Namibian
economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar
pegged to the South African rand. Privatization of several
enterprises in coming years may stimulate long-run foreign
investment. Mining of zinc, copper, and silver and increased fish
production led growth in 2003.

Nauru
Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come from
exports of phosphates, but reserves are now depleted. Few other
resources exist with most necessities being imported, mainly from
Australia, its former occupier and later major source of support.
The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from
phosphates are serious long-term problems. In anticipation of the
exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits, substantial amounts of
phosphate income have been invested in trust funds to help cushion
the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. As a result
of heavy spending from the trust funds, the government faces virtual
bankruptcy. To cut costs the government has called for a freeze on
wages, a reduction of over-staffed public service departments,
privatization of numerous government agencies, and closure of some
overseas consulates. In recent years Nauru has encouraged the
registration of offshore banks and corporations. In 2004 the
deterioration in housing, hospitals, and other capital plant
continued, and the cost to Australia of keeping the government and
economy afloat has substantially mounted. Few comprehensive
statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's GDP
varying widely.

Navassa Island
Subsistence fishing and commercial trawling
activities within refuge waters.

Nepal
Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in
the world with 42% of its population living below the poverty line.
Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood
for over 80% of the population and accounting for 40% of GDP.
Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural
produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Security
concerns in the wake of the Maoist conflict and the 11 September
2001 terrorist attacks in the US have led to a decrease in tourism,
a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has considerable scope for
exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent
foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or
investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of
the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its
remoteness, its landlocked geographic location, its civil strife,
and its susceptibility to natural disaster. The international
community's role of funding more than 60% of Nepal's development
budget and more than 28% of total budgetary expenditures will likely
continue as a major ingredient of growth.

Netherlands
The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy, which
depends heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable
industrial relations, moderate unemployment and inflation, a sizable
current account surplus, and an important role as a European
transportation hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food
processing, chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery.
A highly mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 4% of
the labor force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing
industry and for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU
partners, began circulating the euro currency on 1 January 2002. The
country continues to be one of the leading European nations for
attracting foreign direct investment. Economic growth slowed
considerably in 2001-03, as part of the global economic slowdown,
but for the four years before that, annual growth averaged nearly
4%, well above the EU average. The government is wrestling with a
deteriorating budget position, and is moving toward the EU 3% of GDP
budget deficit limit.

Netherlands Antilles
Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore
finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely
tied to the outside world. Although GDP has declined or grown
slightly in each of the past seven years, the islands enjoy a high
per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared with
other countries in the region. Almost all consumer and capital goods
are imported, the US and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor
soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of
agriculture. Budgetary problems hamper reform of the health and
pension systems of an aging population.

New Caledonia
New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known
nickel resources. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for
cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition
to nickel, substantial financial support from France - equal to more
than one-fourth of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the
economy. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined
with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic
outlook for the next several years.

New Zealand
Over the past 20 years the government has transformed
New Zealand from an agrarian economy dependent on concessionary
British market access to a more industrialized, free market economy
that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real
incomes (but left behind many at the bottom of the ladder),
broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the
industrial sector, and contained inflationary pressures. Per capita
income has been rising and is now 80% of the level of the four
largest EU economies. New Zealand is heavily dependent on trade -
particularly in agricultural products - to drive growth, and it has
been affected by the global economic slowdown and the slump in
commodity prices. Thus far the economy has been resilient, and
growth should continue at the same level in 2004. Expenditures on
health, education, and pensions will increase proportionately.

Nicaragua
Nicaragua, one of the hemisphere's poorest countries,
faces low per capita income, massive unemployment, and huge external
debt. Distribution of income is one of the most unequal on the
globe. While the country has made progress toward macroeconomic
stability over the past few years, GDP annual growth of 1.5% - 2.5%
has been far too low to meet the country's need. Nicaragua will
continue to be dependent on international aid and debt relief under
the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Nicaragua has
undertaken significant economic reforms that are expected to help
the country qualify for more than $4 billion in debt relief under
HIPC in early 2004. Donors have made aid conditional on the openness
of government financial operation, poverty alleviation, and human
rights. A three-year poverty reduction and growth plan, agreed to
with the IMF in December 2002, guides economic policy.

Niger
Niger is a poor, landlocked Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy
centers on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, and reexport
trade, and increasingly less on uranium, because of declining world
demand. The 50% devaluation of the West African franc in January
1994 boosted exports of livestock, cowpeas, onions, and the products
of Niger's small cotton industry. The government relies on bilateral
and multilateral aid - which was suspended following the April 1999
coup d'etat - for operating expenses and public investment. In
2000-01, the World Bank approved a structural adjustment loan of
$105 million to help support fiscal reforms. However, reforms could
prove difficult given the government's bleak financial situation.
The IMF approved a $73 million poverty reduction and growth facility
for Niger in 2000 and announced $115 million in debt relief under
the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Further
disbursements of aid occurred in 2002. Future growth may be
sustained by exploitation of oil, gold, coal, and other mineral
resources.

Nigeria
Oil-rich Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability,
corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic
management, is undertaking some reforms under the new civilian
administration. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify
the economy away from overdependence on the capital-intensive oil
sector, which provides 20% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings,
and about 65% of budgetary revenues. The largely subsistence
agricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid population
growth - Nigeria is Africa's most populous country - and the
country, once a large net exporter of food, now must import food.
Following the signing of an IMF stand-by agreement in August 2000,
Nigeria received a debt-restructuring deal from the Paris Club and a
$1 billion credit from the IMF, both contingent on economic reforms.
Nigeria pulled out of its IMF program in April 2002, after failing
to meet spending and exchange rate targets, making it ineligible for
additional debt forgiveness from the Paris Club. The government has
lacked the political will to implement the market-oriented reforms
urged by the IMF, such as to modernize the banking system, to curb
inflation by blocking excessive wage demands, and to resolve
regional disputes over the distribution of earnings from the oil
industry. During 2003, however, the government deregulated fuel
prices and announced the privatization of the country's four oil
refineries. GDP growth probably will rise marginally in 2004, led by
oil and natural gas exports.

Niue
The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island problems of
geographic isolation, few resources, and a small population.
Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall
is made up by critically needed grants from New Zealand that are
used to pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut government
expenditures by reducing the public service by almost half. The
agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening,
although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists
primarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil,
honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign
collectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recent
years has suffered a serious loss of population because of migration
of Niueans to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include the
promotion of tourism and a financial services industry, although
Premier LAKATANI announced in February 2002 that Niue will shut down
the offshore banking industry. Economic aid from New Zealand in 2002
was about $2.6 million.

Norfolk Island
Tourism, the primary economic activity, has steadily
increased over the years and has brought a level of prosperity
unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific islands. The agricultural
sector has become self-sufficient in the production of beef,
poultry, and eggs.

Northern Mariana Islands
The economy benefits substantially from
financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined
as locally generated government revenues have grown. The key tourist
industry employs about 50% of the work force and accounts for
roughly one-fourth of GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual
tourist entries have exceeded one-half million in recent years, but
financial difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown.
The agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms
producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment
production is by far the most important industry with employment of
17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under
duty and quota exemptions.

Norway
The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of welfare
capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and
government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as
the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises).
The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum,
hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on
its oil production and international oil prices, with oil and gas
accounting for one-third of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia
export more oil than Norway. Norway opted to stay out of the EU
during a referendum in November 1994. The government has moved ahead
with privatization. With arguably the highest quality of life
worldwide, Norwegians still worry about that time in the next two
decades when the oil and gas begin to run out. Accordingly, Norway
has been saving its oil-boosted budget surpluses in a Government
Petroleum Fund, which is invested abroad and now is valued at more
than $43 billion. GDP growth was a lackluster 1% in 2002 and 0.5% in
2003 against the background of a faltering European economy.

Oman
Oman is a small, well-off middle Eastern economy with large oil
and gas resources, a substantial trade surplus, and low inflation.
The government is moving ahead with privatization of its utilities,
the development of a body of commercial law to facilitate foreign
investment, and increased budgetary outlays. Oman continues to
liberalize its markets and joined the World Trade Organization (WTO)
in November 2000. In order to reduce unemployment and limit
dependence on foreign countries, the government is encouraging the
replacement of expatriate workers with local people, i.e., the
process of Omanization. Training in information technology, business
management, and English support this objective. Industrial
development plans focus on gas resources.

Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world
economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly touch.
It provides low-cost sea transportation between East and West,
extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals,
and sand and gravel for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60%
of the world's fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation
of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role
in the energy supplies of the US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru.
The high cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the
wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has led to
fluctuations in new drillings.

Pakistan
Pakistan, an impoverished and underdeveloped country, has
suffered from decades of internal political disputes, low levels of
foreign investment, and a costly, ongoing confrontation with
neighboring India. However, IMF-approved government policies,
bolstered by generous foreign assistance and renewed access to
global markets since late 2001, have generated solid macroeconomic
recovery the last two years. The government has made substantial
inroads in macroeconomic reform since 2000, although progress on
more politically sensitive reforms has slowed. For example, in the
third and final year of its $1.3 billion IMF Poverty Reduction and
Growth Facility, Islamabad has continued to require waivers for
energy sector reforms. While long-term prospects remain uncertain,
given Pakistan's low level of development, medium-term prospects for
job creation and poverty reduction are the best in nearly a decade.
Islamabad has raised development spending from about 2% of GDP in
the 1990s to 4% in 2003, a necessary step towards reversing the
broad underdevelopment of its social sector. GDP growth is heavily
dependent on rain-fed crops, and last year's end to a four-year
drought should support moderate agricultural growth for the next few
years. Foreign exchange reserves continued to reach new levels in
2003, supported by robust export growth and steady worker
remittances.

Palau
The economy consists primarily of tourism, subsistence
agriculture and fishing. The government is the major employer of the
work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the US.
Business and tourist arrivals numbered 50,000 in FY00/01. The
population enjoys a per capita income twice that of the Philippines
and much of Micronesia. Long-run prospects for the key tourist
sector have been greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in
the Pacific, the rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries,
and the willingness of foreigners to finance infrastructure
development.

Palmyra Atoll
no economic activity

Panama
Panama's dollarised economy rests primarily on a
well-developed services sector that accounts for three-fourths of
GDP. Services include operating the Panama Canal, banking, the Colon
Free Zone, insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and
tourism. A slump in Colon Free Zone and agricultural exports, the
global slowdown, and the withdrawal of US military forces held back
economic growth in 2000-03. The government has been backing public
works programs, tax reforms, new regional trade agreements, and
development of tourism in order to stimulate growth. Unemployment
remains at an unacceptably high level.

Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural
resources, but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain and
the high cost of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a
subsistence livelihood for 85% of the population. Mineral deposits,
including oil, copper, and gold, account for 72% of export earnings.
The economy has faltered over the past four years. Former Prime
Minister Mekere MORAUTA had tried to restore integrity to state
institutions, to stabilize the kina, restore stability to the
national budget, to privatize public enterprises where appropriate,
and to ensure ongoing peace on Bougainville. The government has had
considerable success in attracting international support,
specifically gaining the backing of the IMF and the World Bank in
securing development assistance loans. Challenges face Prime
Minister Michael SOMARE, including curbing inflation, gaining
further investor confidence, continuing efforts to privatize
government assets, maintaining the support of members of Parliament,
and balancing relations with Australia, the former colonial ruler.

Paracel Islands
China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands
for tourism.

Paraguay
Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal
sector. The informal sector features both reexport of imported
consumer goods to neighboring countries as well as the activities of
thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. Because of
the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures
are difficult to obtain. A large percentage of the population
derives their living from agricultural activity, often on a
subsistence basis. The formal economy grew by an average of about 3%
annually in 1995-97; but GDP declined slightly in 1998, 1999, and
2000, rose slightly in 2001, only to fall again in 2002. On a per
capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most
observers attribute Paraguay's poor economic performance to
political uncertainty, corruption, lack of progress on structural
reform, substantial internal and external debt, and deficient
infrastructure.

Peru
Peru's economy reflects its varied geography - an arid coastal
region, the Andes further inland, and tropical lands bordering
Colombia and Brazil. Abundant mineral resources are found in the
mountainous areas, and Peru's coastal waters provide excellent
fishing grounds. However, overdependence on minerals and metals
subjects the economy to fluctuations in world prices, and a lack of
infrastructure deters trade and investment. After several years of
inconsistent economic performance, the Peruvian economy was one of
the fastest growing in Latin America in 2002 and 2003, growing by 5%
and 4%, respectively, with the exchange rate stable and an annual
inflation lower than 2%. Foreign direct investment also was strong,
thanks to the ongoing Camisea natural gas pipeline project
(scheduled to begin operations in 2004) and investments in gold
mining. Risk premiums on Peruvian bonds on secondary markets reached
historically low levels in late 2003, reflecting investor optimism
and the government's fiscal restraint. Despite the strong
macroeconomic performance, political intrigue and allegations of
corruption continued to swirl in 2003, with the TOLEDO
administration growing increasingly unpopular, and local and foreign
concern rising that the political turmoil could place the country's
hard-won fiscal and financial stability at risk. Moreover, as of
late 2003, unemployment had yet to respond to the strong growth in
economic activity, owing in part to rigid labor market regulations
that act as an impediment to hiring.

Philippines
The Philippines was less severely affected by the Asian
financial crisis of 1998 than its neighbors, aided in part by annual
remittances of $6-7 billion from overseas workers. From a 0.6%
decline in 1998, GDP expanded by 2.4% in 1999, and 4.4% in 2000, but
slowed to 3.2% in 2001 in the context of a global economic slowdown,
an export slump, and political and security concerns. GDP growth
accelerated to 4.4% in 2002 and 4.2% in 2003, reflecting the
continued resilience of the service sector, gains in industrial
output, and improved exports. Nonetheless, it will take a higher,
sustained growth path to make appreciable progress in poverty
alleviation given the Philippines' high annual population growth
rate and unequal distribution of income. The MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
Administration has promised to continue economic reforms to help the
Philippines match the pace of development in the newly
industrialized countries of East Asia. The strategy includes
improving the infrastructure, strengthening tax collection to
bolster government revenues, furthering deregulation and
privatization of the economy, enhancing the viability of the
financial system, and increasing trade integration with the region.
Prospects for 2004 will depend on the economic performance of two
major trading partners, the US and Japan, and on increased
confidence on the part of the international investment community.

Pitcairn Islands
The inhabitants of this tiny isolated economy exist
on fishing, subsistence farming, handicrafts, and postage stamps.
The fertile soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of fruits
and vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas,
yams, and beans. Bartering is an important part of the economy. The
major sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to
collectors and the sale of handicrafts to passing ships.

Poland
Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic
liberalization throughout the 1990s and today stands out as a
success story among transition economies. Even so, much remains to
be done. The privatization of small and medium state-owned companies
and a liberal law on establishing new firms has encouraged the
development of the private business sector, but legal and
bureaucratic obstacles alongside persistent corruption are hampering
its further development. Poland's agricultural sector remains
handicapped by structural problems, surplus labor, inefficient small
farms, and lack of investment. Restructuring and privatization of
"sensitive sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, railroads, and energy),
while recently initiated, have stalled. Reforms in health care,
education, the pension system, and state administration have
resulted in larger than expected fiscal pressures. Further progress
in public finance depends mainly on privatization of Poland's
remaining state sector, the reduction of state employment, and an
overhaul of the tax code to incorporate the growing gray economy and
farmers, most of whom pay no tax. The government's determination to
enter the EU has shaped most aspects of its economic policy and new
legislation; in a nationwide referendum in November 2003, 77% of the
voters voted in favor of Poland's EU accession, now scheduled for
May 2004. Improving Poland's export competitiveness and containing
the internal budget deficit are top priorities. Due to political
uncertainty, the zloty has recently depreciated in relation to the
euro, while currencies of the other euro-zone aspirants have been
appreciating. GDP per capita equals that of the three Baltic states.

Portugal
Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly
service-based economy since joining the European Community in 1986.
Over the past decade, successive governments have privatized many
state-controlled firms and liberalized key areas of the economy,
including the financial and telecommunications sectors. The country
qualified for the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and
began circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU
member economies. Economic growth has been above the EU average for
much of the past decade, but fell back in 2001-03. GDP per capita
stands at 70% of that of the leading EU economies. A poor
educational system, in particular, has been an obstacle to greater
productivity and growth. Portugal has been increasingly overshadowed
by lower-cost producers in Central Europe and Asia as a target for
foreign direct investment. The coalition government faces tough
choices in its attempts to boost Portugal's economic competitiveness
and to keep the budget deficit within the 3% EU ceiling.

Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the
Caribbean region. A diverse industrial sector has far surpassed
agriculture as the primary locus of economic activity and income.
Encouraged by duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US
firms have invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US
minimum wage laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy
production and other livestock products as the main source of income
in the agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an
important source of income, with estimated arrivals of nearly 5
million tourists in 1999. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to
the slowdown in the US economy.

Qatar
Oil and gas account for more than 55% of GDP, roughly 85% of
export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have
given Qatar a per capita GDP about 80% of that of the leading West
European industrial countries. Proved oil reserves of 14.5 billion
barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23
years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 17.9 trillion
cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total and third largest in
the world. Long-term goals feature the development of offshore
natural gas reserves to offset the ultimate decline in oil
production. Since 2000, Qatar has consistently posted trade
surpluses largely because of high oil prices and increased natural
gas exports.

Reunion
The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture, but
services now dominate. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more
than a century, and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports.
The government has been pushing the development of a tourist
industry to relieve high unemployment, which amounts to one-third of
the labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the
poor is extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social
tensions. The white and Indian communities are substantially better
off than other segments of the population, often approaching
European standards, whereas minority groups suffer the poverty and
unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the African continent.
The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrates the
seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of
Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from
France.

Romania
Romania began the transition from Communism in 1989 with a
largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to
the country's needs. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing
three-year recession thanks to strong demand in EU export markets.
Despite the global slowdown in 2001-02, strong domestic activity in
construction, agriculture, and consumption have kept growth above
4%. An IMF standby agreement, signed in 2001, was accompanied by
slow but palpable gains in privatization, deficit reduction, and the
curbing of inflation. The IMF Board approved Romania's completion of
the standby agreement in October 2003, the first time Romania had
successfully concluded an IMF agreement since the 1989 revolution.
In July 2004, the Executive Board of the IMF approved a 24-month
standby arrangement for $367 million. The Romanian authorities do
not intend to draw on this arrangement, viewing it as a precaution.
Meanwhile, recent macroeconomic gains have done little to address
Romania's widespread poverty, and corruption and red tape handicap
the business environment.

Russia
Russia ended 2003 with its fifth straight year of growth,
averaging 6.5% annually since the financial crisis of 1998. Although
high oil prices and a relatively cheap ruble are important drivers
of this economic rebound, since 2000 investment and consumer-driven
demand have played a noticeably increasing role. Real fixed capital
investments have averaged gains greater than 10% over the last four
years and real personal incomes have averaged increases over 12%.
Russia has also improved its international financial position since
the 1998 financial crisis, with its foreign debt declining from 90%
of GDP to around 28%. Strong oil export earnings have allowed Russia
to increase its foreign reserves from only $12 billion to some $80
billion. These achievements, along with a renewed government effort
to advance structural reforms, have raised business and investor
confidence in Russia's economic prospects. Nevertheless, serious
problems persist. Oil, natural gas, metals, and timber account for
more than 80% of exports, leaving the country vulnerable to swings
in world prices. Russia's manufacturing base is dilapidated and must
be replaced or modernized if the country is to achieve broad-based
economic growth. Other problems include a weak banking system, a
poor business climate that discourages both domestic and foreign
investors, corruption, local and regional government intervention in
the courts, and widespread lack of trust in institutions. In
addition, a string of investigations launched against a major
Russian oil company, culminating with the arrest of its CEO in the
fall of 2003, have raised concerns by some observers that President
PUTIN is granting more influence to forces within his government
that desire to reassert state control over the economy.

Rwanda
Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the
population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the
most densely populated country in Africa; landlocked with few
natural resources and minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange
earners are coffee and tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's
fragile economic base, severely impoverished the population,
particularly women, and eroded the country's ability to attract
private and external investment. However, Rwanda has made
substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy
to pre-1994 levels, although poverty levels are higher now. GDP has
rebounded, and inflation has been curbed. Export earnings, however,
have been hindered by low beverage prices, depriving the country of
much needed hard currency. Attempts to diversify into
non-traditional agriculture exports such as flowers and vegetables
have been stymied by a lack of adequate transportation
infrastructure. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food production
often does not keep pace with population growth, requiring food to
be imported. Rwanda continues to receive substantial aid money and
was approved for IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC)
initiative debt relief in late 2000. But Kigali's high defense
expenditures cause tension between the government and international
donors and lending agencies.

Saint Helena
The economy depends largely on financial assistance
from the UK, which amounted to about $5 million in 1997 or almost
one-half of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns
income from fishing, the raising of livestock, and sales of
handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has
left to seek employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and
in the UK.

Saint Kitts and Nevis
Sugar was the traditional mainstay of the
Saint Kitts economy until the 1970s. Although the crop still
dominates the agricultural sector, activities such as tourism,
export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking have assumed
larger roles in the economy. As tourism revenues are now the chief
source of the islands' foreign exchange, a decline in stopover
tourist arrivals following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks
has eroded government finances. The opening of a 1,000+ bed Marriott
hotel in February 2003 was expected to bring in much-needed revenue.

Saint Lucia
Changes in the EU import preference regime and the
increased competition from Latin American bananas have made economic
diversification increasingly important in Saint Lucia. The island
nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment,
especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries. The
manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean
area, and the government is trying to revitalize the banana
industry. Economic fundamentals remain solid.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
The inhabitants have traditionally earned
their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets
operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been
declining, however, because of disputes with Canada over fishing
quotas and a steady decline in the number of ships stopping at Saint
Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration panel awarded the islands an
exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km to settle a longstanding
territorial dispute with Canada, although it represents only 25% of
what France had sought. The islands are heavily subsidized by France
to the great betterment of living standards. The government hopes an
expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects. Recent test
drilling for oil may pave the way for development of the energy
sector.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Economic growth in this
lower-middle-income country hinges upon seasonal variations in the
agricultural and tourism sectors. Tropical storms wiped out
substantial portions of crops in 1994, 1995, and 2002, and tourism
in the Eastern Caribbean has suffered low arrivals following 11
September 2001. Saint Vincent is home to a small offshore banking
sector and has moved to adopt international regulatory standards.
Saint Vincent is also a large producer of marijuana and is being
used as a transshipment point for illegal narcotics from South
America.

Samoa
The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on
development aid, family remittances from overseas, and agriculture
and fishing. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms.
Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force, and furnishes 90%
of exports, featuring coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. The
manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. The
decline of fish stocks in the area is a continuing problem. Tourism
is an expanding sector, accounting for 25% of GDP; about 88,000
tourists visited the islands in 2001. The Samoan Government has
called for deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement of
investment, and continued fiscal discipline, meantime protecting the
environment. Observers point to the flexibility of the labor market
as a basic strength for future economic advances. Foreign reserves
are in a relatively healthy state, the external debt is stable, and
inflation is low.

San Marino
The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 2000
more than 3 million tourists visited San Marino. The key industries
are banking, wearing apparel, electronics, and ceramics. Main
agricultural products are wine and cheeses. The per capita level of
output and standard of living are comparable to those of the most
prosperous regions of Italy, which supplies much of its food.

Sao Tome and Principe
This small poor island economy has become
increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence 29 years ago.
Cocoa production has substantially declined in recent years because
of drought and mismanagement, but strengthening prices helped boost
export earnings in 2003. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most
manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of
food. Over the years, it has been unable to service its external
debt and has had to depend on concessional aid and debt
rescheduling. Sao Tome benefited from $200 million in debt relief in
December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)
program. Sao Tome's success in implementing structural reforms has
been rewarded by international donors, who pledged increased
assistance in 2001. Considerable potential exists for development of
a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand
facilities in recent years. The government also has attempted to
reduce price controls and subsidies. Sao Tome is optimistic about
the development of petroleum resources in its territorial waters in
the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea; production could begin as early as 2004.

Saudi Arabia
This is an oil-based economy with strong government
controls over major economic activities. Saudi Arabia has the
largest reserves of petroleum in the world (25% of the proved
reserves), ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a
leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75%
of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About
40% of GDP comes from the private sector. Roughly five and a half
million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy,
for example, in the oil and service sectors. The government in 1999
announced plans to begin privatizing the electricity companies,
which follows the ongoing privatization of the telecommunications
company. The government is encouraging private sector growth to
lessen the kingdom's dependence on oil and increase employment
opportunities for the swelling Saudi population. Priorities for
government spending in the short term include additional funds for
education and for the water and sewage systems. Economic reforms
proceed cautiously because of deep-rooted political and social
conservatism.

Senegal
In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious
economic reform program with the support of the international donor
community. This reform began with a 50% devaluation of Senegal's
currency, the CFA franc, which was linked at a fixed rate to the
French franc. Government price controls and subsidies have been
steadily dismantled. After seeing its economy contract by 2.1% in
1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to the reform
program, with real growth in GDP averaging 5% annually during
1995-2003. Annual inflation had been pushed down to the low single
digits. As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union
(WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with
a unified external tariff. Senegal also realized full Internet
connectivity in 1996, creating a miniboom in information
technology-based services. Private activity now accounts for 82% of
GDP. On the negative side, Senegal faces deep-seated urban problems
of chronic unemployment, trade union militancy, juvenile
delinquency, and drug addiction.

Serbia and Montenegro
MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy, an
extended period of economic sanctions, and the damage to
Yugoslavia's infrastructure and industry during the NATO airstrikes
in 1999 have left the economy only half the size it was in 1990.
After the ousting of former Federal Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC in
October 2000, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition
government implemented stabilization measures and embarked on an
aggressive market reform program. After renewing its membership in
the IMF in December 2000, Yugoslavia continued to reintegrate into
the international community by rejoining the World Bank (IBRD) and
the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A World
Bank-European Commission sponsored Donors' Conference held in June
2001 raised $1.3 billion for economic restructuring. An agreement
rescheduling the country's $4.5 billion Paris Club government debts
was concluded in November 2001; it wrote off 66% of the debt. The
smaller republic of Montenegro severed its economy from federal
control and from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC era and continues to
maintain its own central bank, uses the euro instead of the Yugoslav
dinar as official currency, collects customs tariffs, and manages
its own budget. Kosovo, while technically still part of the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia (now Serbia and Montenegro) according to
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, is largely
autonomous under United Nations Interim Administration Mission in
Kosovo (UNMIK) and is greatly dependent on the international
community and the diaspora for financial and technical assistance.
The euro and the Yugoslav dinar are official currencies, and UNMIK
collects taxes and manages the budget. The complexity of Serbia and
Montenegro political relationships, slow progress in privatization,
legal uncertainty over property rights, and scarcity of
foreign-investment are holding back Serbia and Montenegro's economy.
Arrangements with the IMF, especially requirements for fiscal
discipline, are an important element in policy formation. Severe
unemployment remains a key political economic problem.

Seychelles
Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this
Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the old
near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector,
which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than
70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years
the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade
hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has
moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the
development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. A
sharp drop illustrated the vulnerability of the tourist sector in
1991-92 due largely to the Gulf war, and once again following the 11
September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Other issues facing the
government are the curbing of the budget deficit, including the
containment of social welfare costs, and further privatization of
public enterprises. Growth slowed in 1998-2002, due to sluggish
tourist and tuna sectors. Also, tight controls on exchange rates and
the scarcity of foreign exchange have impaired short-term economic
prospects. The black market value of the Seychelles rupee is half
the official exchange rate; without a devaluation of the currency
the tourist sector should remain sluggish as vacationers seek
cheaper destinations such as Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar.

Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is an extremely poor African nation with
tremendous inequality in income distribution. It does have
substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources. However,
the economic and social infrastructure is not well developed, and
serious social disorders continue to hamper economic development,
following a 11-year civil war. About two-thirds of the working-age
population engages in subsistence agriculture. Manufacturing
consists mainly of the processing of raw materials and of light
manufacturing for the domestic market. Plans continue to reopen
bauxite and rutile mines shut down during the conflict. The major
source of hard currency consists of the mining of diamonds. The fate
of the economy depends upon the maintenance of domestic peace and
the continued receipt of substantial aid from abroad, which is
essential to offset the severe trade imbalance and to supplement
government revenues.

Singapore
Singapore, a highly developed and successful free market
economy, enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment,
stable prices, and a high per capita GDP. The economy depends
heavily on exports, particularly in electronics and manufacturing.
It was hard hit in 2001-03 by the global recession and the slump in
the technology sector. The government hopes to establish a new
growth path that will be less vulnerable to the external business
cycle but is unlikely to abandon efforts to establish Singapore as
Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub. Fiscal stimulus, low
interest rates, and global economic recovery should lead to much
improved growth in 2004.

Slovakia
Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult transition from
a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The DZURINDA
government made excellent progress during 2001-03 in macroeconomic
stabilization and structural reform. Major privatizations are nearly
complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands,
and foreign investment has picked up. Slovakia's economy exceeded
expectations in 2001-03, despite the general European slowdown.
Unemployment, at an unacceptable 15% in 2003, remains the economy's
Achilles heel. The government faces other strong challenges in 2004,
especially cutting the budget deficit, containing inflation, and
strengthening the health care system.

Slovenia
Slovenia, with its historical ties to Western Europe,
enjoys a GDP per capita substantially higher than that of the other
transitioning economies of Central Europe. In March 2004, Slovenia
became the first transition country to graduate from borrower status
to donor partner at the World Bank. Privatization of the economy
proceeded at an accelerated pace in 2002-03, and the budget deficit
dropped from 3.0% of GDP in 2002 to 1.6% in 2003. Despite the
economic slowdown in Europe in 2001-03, Slovenia maintained 3%
growth. Structural reforms to improve the business environment allow
for greater foreign participation in Slovenia's economy and help to
lower unemployment. Further measures to curb inflation are also
needed. Corruption and the high degree of coordination between
government, business, and central bank policy are issues of concern
in the run-up to Slovenia's scheduled 1 May 2004 accession to the
European Union.

Solomon Islands
The bulk of the population depends on agriculture,
fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most
manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The
islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead,
zinc, nickel, and gold. However, severe ethnic violence, the closing
of key business enterprises, and an empty government treasury have
led to serious economic disarray, indeed near collapse. Tanker
deliveries of crucial fuel supplies (including those for electrical
generation) have become sporadic due to the government's inability
to pay and attacks against ships. Telecommunications are threatened
by the nonpayment of bills and by the lack of technical and
maintenance staff many of whom have left the country. The
disintegration of law and order left the economy in tatters by
mid-2003, and on 24 July 2003 more than 2000 Australian soldiers
entered the Solomon Islands to restore order and to facilitate the
restoration of basic services.

Somalia
Somalia's economic fortunes are being driven by its deep
political divisions. The northern area has declared its independence
as "Somaliland"; the central area, Puntland, is a self-declared
autonomous state; and the remaining southern portion is riddled with
the struggles of rival factions. Economic life continues, in part
because much activity is local and relatively easily protected.
Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock normally
accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings,
but Saudi Arabia's recent ban on Somali livestock, because of Rift
Valley Fever concerns, has severely hampered the sector. Nomads and
semi-nomads, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood,
make up a large portion of the population. Livestock, hides, fish,
charcoal, and bananas are Somalia's principal exports, while sugar,
sorghum, corn, qat, and machined goods are the principal imports.
Somalia's small industrial sector, based on the processing of
agricultural products, has largely been looted and sold as scrap
metal. Despite the seeming anarchy, Somalia's service sector has
managed to survive and grow. Telecommunication firms provide
wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest
international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a
formal banking sector, money exchange services have sprouted
throughout the country, handling between $200 million and $500
million in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main market offers a
variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. Hotels
continue to operate, and militias provide security. The ongoing
civil disturbances and clan rivalries, however, have interfered with
any broad-based economic development and international aid
arrangements. In 2002 Somalia's overdue financial obligations to the
IMF continued to grow. Statistics on Somalia's GDP, growth, per
capita income, and inflation should be viewed skeptically.

South Africa
South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with
an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial,
legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock
exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world; and a modern
infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to
major urban centers throughout the region. However, growth has not
been strong enough to lower South Africa's high unemployment rate;
and daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era,
especially poverty and lack of economic empowerment among the
disadvantaged groups. High crime and HIV/AIDS infection rates also
deter investment. South African economic policy is fiscally
conservative, but pragmatic, focusing on targeting inflation and
liberalizing trade as means to increase job growth and household
income.

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Some fishing takes
place in adjacent waters. Fees from fishing licenses and related
activities traditionally account for around 90% of South Georgia's
revenue (about $5.6 million in 2004). There is a potential source of
income from harvesting finfish and krill. The islands receive income
from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of fishing licenses,
and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels. Tourism from
specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly. Annual tourist
volume hovers around 3,000 arrivals.

Southern Ocean
Fisheries in 2000-01 (1 July to 30 June) landed
112,934 metric tons, of which 87% was krill and 11% Patagonian
toothfish. International agreements were adopted in late 1999 to
reduce illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, which in the
2000-01 season landed, by one estimate, 8,376 metric tons of
Patagonian and antarctic toothfish. In the 2000-01 antarctic summer
12,248 tourists, most of them seaborne, visited the Southern Ocean
and Antarctica, compared to 14,762 the previous year.

Spain
Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per
capita basis is 80% that of the four leading West European
economies. The center-right government of former President AZNAR
successfully worked to gain admission to the first group of
countries launching the European single currency (the euro) on 1
January 1999. The AZNAR administration continued to advocate
liberalization, privatization, and deregulation of the economy and
introduced some tax reforms to that end. Unemployment fell steadily
under the AZNAR administration but remains high at 11.7%. Growth of
2.4% in 2003 was satisfactory given the background of a faltering
European economy. Incoming President RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO, whose party
won the election three days after the Madrid train bombings in
March, plans to reduce government intervention in business, combat
tax fraud, and support innovation, research and development, but
also intends to reintroduce labor market regulations that had been
scrapped by the AZNAR government. Adjusting to the monetary and
other economic policies of an integrated Europe - and reducing
unemployment - will pose challenges to Spain over the next few years.

Spratly Islands
Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing.
The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins
suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is
largely unexplored; there are no reliable estimates of potential
reserves; commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.

Sri Lanka
In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and
its import substitution trade policy for market-oriented policies
and export-oriented trade. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are
food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages,
telecommunications, and insurance and banking. In 2003, plantation
crops made up only 15% of exports (compared with 93% in 1970), while
textiles and garments accounted for 63%. GDP grew at an average
annual rate of 5.5% in the early 1990s until a drought and a
deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The
economy rebounded in 1997-2000 with average growth of 5.3%, but 2001
saw the first contraction in the country's history, -1.4%, due to a
combination of power shortages, severe budgetary problems, the
global slowdown, and continuing civil strife. Growth recovered to
4.0% in 2002 and 5.2% in 2003. About 800,000 Sri Lankans work
abroad, 90% in the Middle East. They send home about $1 billion a
year. The struggle by the Tamil Tigers of the north and east for a
largely independent homeland continues to cast a shadow over the
economy.

Sudan
Sudan has turned around a struggling economy with sound
economic policies and infrastructure investments, yet it still faces
formidable economic problems, starting from its low level of per
capita output and extending to its devastating civil stife. From
1997 to date, Sudan has been implementing IMF macroeconomic reforms.
In 1999, Sudan began exporting crude oil and in the last quarter of
1999 recorded its first trade surplus, which, along with monetary
policy, has stabilized the exchange rate. Increased oil production,
revived light industry, and expanded export processing zones helped
sustain GDP growth at 6.1% in 2003 and 7% in 2004. Agriculture
production remains Sudan's most important sector, employing 80% of
the work force and contributing 39% of GDP, but most farms remain
rain-fed and susceptible to drought. Chronic instability - including
the long-standing civil war between the Muslim north and the
Christian/pagan south, the ethnic purges in Darfur, adverse weather,
and weak world agricultural prices - ensure that much of the
population will remain at or below the poverty line for years.

Suriname
The economy is dominated by the bauxite industry, which
accounts for more than 15% of GDP and 70% of export earnings.
Suriname's economic prospects for the medium term will depend on
renewed commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and
to the introduction of structural reforms to liberalize markets and
promote competition. The government of Ronald VENETIAAN has begun an
austerity program, raised taxes, and attempted to control spending.
However, in 2002, President VENETIAAN agreed to a large pay raise
for civil servants, which threatens his earlier gains in stabilizing
the economy. The Dutch Government has agreed to restart the aid
flow, which will allow Suriname to access international development
financing. The short-term economic outlook depends on the
government's ability to control inflation and on the development of
projects in the bauxite and gold mining sectors.

Svalbard
Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The
treaty of 9 February 1920 gives the 41 signatories equal rights to
exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although
US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past,
the only companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The
settlements on Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian
state-owned coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian
population on the island, runs many of the local services, and
provides most of the local infrastructure. There is also some
hunting of seal, reindeer, and fox.

Swaziland
In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture
occupies more than 80% of the population. The manufacturing sector
has diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain
important foreign exchange earners. Mining has declined in
importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines
remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short
border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South
Africa from which it receives about nine-tenths of its imports and
to which it sends nearly three-quarters of its exports. Customs
duties from the Southern African Customs Union and worker
remittances from South Africa substantially supplement domestically
earned income. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere
for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and
sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. More than
one-fourth of the population needed emergency food aid in 2002
because of drought, and more than one-third of the adult population
was infected by HIV/AIDS.

Sweden
Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole 20th century,
Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed
system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It
has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external
communications, and a skilled labor force. Timber, hydropower, and
iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented
toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of
industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50%
of output and exports. Agriculture accounts for only 2% of GDP and
2% of the jobs. The government's commitment to fiscal discipline
resulted in a substantial budgetary surplus in 2001, which was cut
by more than half in 2002, due to the global economic slowdown,
declining revenue, and increased spending. The Swedish central bank
(the Riksbank) is focusing on price stability with its inflation
target of 2%. Growth remained sluggish in 2003. On September 14,
2003, Swedish voters turned down entry into the euro system,
concerned about the impact on democracy and sovereignty.

Switzerland
Switzerland is a prosperous and stable modern market
economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a
per capita GDP larger than that of the big Western European
economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic
practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their
international competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safe haven for
investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and
has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the
anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth dropped in 2001 to
about 0.8%, to 0.2% in 2002, and to -0.3% in 2003.

Syria
Syria's predominantly statist economy lately has been growing
more slowly than its 2.4% annual population growth rate. Recent
legislation allows private banks to operate in Syria, although a
private banking sector will take years and further government
cooperation to develop. Factors, including the war between the
US-led coalition and Iraq, probably drove real annual GDP growth
levels back below 1% in 2003 following growth of 3.5% in 2001 and
4.5% in 2002. A long-run economic constraint is the pressure on
water supplies caused by rapid population growth, industrial
expansion, and increased water pollution.

Taiwan
Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually
decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by government
authorities. In keeping with this trend, some large government-owned
banks and industrial firms are being privatized. Exports have
provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The trade
surplus is substantial, and foreign reserves are the world's third
largest. Agriculture contributes 2% to GDP, down from 32% in 1952.
While Taiwan is a major investor throughout Southeast Asia, China
has become the largest destination for investment and has overtaken
the US to become Taiwan's largest export market. Because of its
conservative financial approach and its entrepreneurial strengths,
Taiwan suffered little compared with many of its neighbors from the
Asian financial crisis in 1998. The global economic downturn,
combined with problems in policy coordination by the administration
and bad debts in the banking system, pushed Taiwan into recession in
2001, the first year of negative growth ever recorded. Unemployment
also reached record levels. Output recovered moderately in 2002 in
the face of continued global slowdown, fragile consumer confidence,
and bad bank loans. Growing economic ties with China are a dominant
long-term factor. Exports to China - mainly parts and equipment for
the assembly of goods for export to developed countries - drove
Taiwan's economic recovery in 2002. Although the SARS epidemic,
Typhoon Maemi, corporate scandals, and a drop in consumer spending
caused GDP growth to contract to 3.2% in 2003, increasingly strong
export performance kept Taiwan's economy on track, and the
government expects Taiwan's economy to grow 4.1% in 2004.

Tajikistan
Tajikistan has the lowest per capita GDP among the 15
former Soviet republics. Only 5% to 6% of the land area is arable.
Cotton is the most important crop. Mineral resources, varied but
limited in amount, include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten.
Industry consists only of a large aluminum plant, hydropower
facilities, and small obsolete factories mostly in light industry
and food processing. The civil war (1992-97) severely damaged the
already weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in
industrial and agricultural production. Even though 60% of its
people continue to live in abject poverty, Tajikistan has
experienced steady economic growth since 1997. Continued
privatization of medium and large state-owned enterprises will
further increase productivity. Tajikistan's economic situation,
however, remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural
reforms, weak governance, widespread unemployment, and the external
debt burden. A debt restructuring agreement was reached with Russia
in December 2002, including an interest rate of 4%, a 3-year grace
period, and a US $49.8 million credit to the Central Bank of
Tajikistan.

Tanzania
Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The
economy depends heavily on agriculture, which accounts for about
half of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 80% of the work
force. Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated
crops to only 4% of the land area. Industry traditionally featured
the processing of agricultural products and light consumer goods.
The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and bilateral
donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's out-of-date
economic infrastructure and to alleviate poverty. Growth in
1991-2002 featured a pickup in industrial production and a
substantial increase in output of minerals, led by gold. Oil and gas
exploration and development played an important role in this growth.
Recent banking reforms have helped increase private sector growth
and investment. Continued donor assistance and solid macroeconomic
policies supported real GDP growth of more than 5.2% in 2004.

Thailand
Thailand has a free-enterprise economy and welcomes foreign
investment. Exports feature textiles and footwear, fishery products,
rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical
appliances. Thailand has recovered from the 1997-98 Asian Financial
Crisis and was one of East Asia's best performers in 2002. Increased
consumption and investment spending and strong export growth pushed
GDP growth up to 6.3% in 2003 despite a sluggish global economy. The
highly popular government has pushed an expansionist policy,
including major support of village economic development.

Togo
This small sub-Saharan economy is heavily dependent on both
commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment
for 65% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be
imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate about 40% of export
earnings, with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo is
the world's fourth-largest producer of phosphate, but production
fell an estimated 22% in 2002 due to power shortages and the cost of
developing new deposits. The government's decade-long effort,
supported by the World Bank and the IMF, to implement economic
reform measures, encourage foreign investment, and bring revenues in
line with expenditures has moved slowly. Progress depends on
following through on privatization, increased openness in government
financial operations, progress toward legislative elections, and
continued support from foreign donors.

Tokelau
Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack
of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine
agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid
from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public
services, with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The
principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage
stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to
families from relatives in New Zealand.

Tonga
Tonga, a small, open, South Pacific island economy, has a
narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas,
and vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make
up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high
proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. Tourism is the
second-largest source of hard currency earnings following
remittances. The country remains dependent on external aid and
remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade
deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the
private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is
committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a
reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social
services. High unemployment among the young and the continuing
upturn in inflation are major issues facing the government.

Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago, the leading Caribbean
producer of oil and gas, has earned a reputation as an excellent
investment site for international businesses. Tourism is a growing
sector, although not proportionately as important as in many other
Caribbean islands. The economy benefits from low inflation and a
growing trade surplus. Prospects for growth in 2004 are good as
prices for oil, petrochemicals, and liquified natural gas are
expected to remain high, and foreign direct investment continues to
grow to support expanded capacity in the energy sector. The
government is coping with a rise in violent crime.

Tromelin Island
no economic activity

Tunisia
Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural,
mining, energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental
control of economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened
over the past decade with increasing privatization, simplification
of the tax structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Real growth,
averaging 5% for the latter half of the last decade, slowed to a
15-year low of 1.9% in 2002 because of agricultural drought, slow
investment, and lackluster tourism. Better rains in 2003, however,
pushed GDP growth up to an estimated 6 percent, and tourism also
recovered after the end of combat operations in Iraq. GDP growth
remained at 6% in 2004. Tunisia has agreed to gradually remove
barriers to trade with the European Union over the next decade.
Broader privatization, further liberalization of the investment code
to increase foreign investment, improvements in government
efficiency, and reduction of the trade deficit are among the
challenges for the future.

Turkey
Turkey's dynamic economy is a complex mix of modern industry
and commerce along with a traditional agriculture sector that in
2001 still accounted for 40% of employment. It has a strong and
rapidly growing private sector, yet the state still plays a major
role in basic industry, banking, transport, and communication. The
largest industrial sector is textiles and clothing, which accounts
for one-third of industrial employment; it faces stiff competition
in international markets with the end of the global quota system.
However, other sectors, notably the automotive and electonics
industries, are rising in importance within Turkey's export mix. In
recent years the economic situation has been marked by erratic
economic growth and serious imbalances. Real GNP growth has exceeded
6% in many years, but this strong expansion has been interrupted by
sharp declines in output in 1994, 1999, and 2001. Meanwhile, the
public sector fiscal deficit has regularly exceeded 10% of GDP - due
in large part to the huge burden of interest payments, which
accounted for more than 40% of central government spending in 2003.
Inflation, in recent years in the high double-digit range, fell to
11.3% in 2004. Perhaps because of these problems, foreign direct
investment in Turkey remains low - less than $1 billion annually.
Results in 2002-04 improved, because of strong financial support
from the IMF and tighter fiscal policy. A major political and
economic issue over the next decade is whether or not Turkey will
become a member of the EU.

Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan is largely desert country with intensive
agriculture in irrigated oases and large gas and oil resources.
One-half of its irrigated land is planted in cotton, making it at
one time the world's tenth-largest producer. Poor harvests in recent
years have led to a nearly 46% decline in cotton exports. With an
authoritarian ex-Communist regime in power and a tribally based
social structure, Turkmenistan has taken a cautious approach to
economic reform, hoping to use gas and cotton sales to sustain its
inefficient economy. Privatization goals remain limited. In
1998-2003, Turkmenistan suffered from the continued lack of adequate
export routes for natural gas and from obligations on extensive
short-term external debt. At the same time, however, total exports
rose by 38% in 2003, largely because of higher international oil and
gas prices. Overall prospects in the near future are discouraging
because of widespread internal poverty, the burden of foreign debt,
and the unwillingness of the government to adopt market-oriented
reforms. However, Turkmenistan's cooperation with the international
community in transporting humanitarian aid to Afghanistan may
foreshadow a change in the atmosphere for foreign investment, aid,
and technological support. Turkmenistan's economic statistics are
state secrets, and GDP and other figures are subject to wide margins
of error. In particular, the 20% rate of GDP growth is a guess.

Turks and Caicos Islands
The Turks and Caicos economy is based on
tourism, fishing, and offshore financial services. Most capital
goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the
leading source of tourists, accounting for more than half of the
93,000 visitors in the late 1990s. Major sources of government
revenue include fees from offshore financial activities and customs
receipts. Tourism fell by 6% in 2002.

Tuvalu
Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of
nine coral atolls with poor soil. The country has no known mineral
resources and few exports. Subsistence farming and fishing are the
primary economic activities. Fewer than 1,000 tourists, on average,
visit Tuvalu annually. Government revenues largely come from the
sale of stamps and coins and worker remittances. About 1,000
Tuvaluans work in Nauru in the phosphate mining industry. Nauru has
begun repatriating Tuvaluans, however, as phosphate resources
decline. Substantial income is received annually from an
international trust fund established in 1987 by Australia, NZ, and
the UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea. Thanks to wise
investments and conservative withdrawals, this Fund has grown from
an initial $17 million to over $35 million in 1999. The US
government is also a major revenue source for Tuvalu, because of
payments from a 1988 treaty on fisheries. In an effort to reduce its
dependence on foreign aid, the government is pursuing public sector
reforms, including privatization of some government functions and
personnel cuts of up to 7%. In 1998, Tuvalu began deriving revenue
from use of its area code for "900" lines and in 2000, from the
lease of its ".tv" Internet domain name. Royalties from these new
technology sources could increase substantially over the next
decade. With merchandise exports only a fraction of merchandise
imports, continued reliance must be placed on fishing and
telecommunications license fees, remittances from overseas workers,
official transfers, and investment income from overseas assets.

Uganda
Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile
soils, regular rainfall, and sizable mineral deposits of copper and
cobalt. Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy,
employing over 80% of the work force. Coffee accounts for the bulk
of export revenues. Since 1986, the government - with the support of
foreign countries and international agencies - has acted to
rehabilitate and stabilize the economy by undertaking currency
reform, raising producer prices on export crops, increasing prices
of petroleum products, and improving civil service wages. The policy
changes are especially aimed at dampening inflation and boosting
production and export earnings. During 1990-2001, the economy turned
in a solid performance based on continued investment in the
rehabilitation of infrastructure, improved incentives for production
and exports, reduced inflation, gradually improved domestic
security, and the return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs.
Corruption within the government and slippage in the government's
determination to press reforms raise doubts about the continuation
of strong growth. In 2000, Uganda qualified for enhanced Highly
Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief worth $1.3 billion and
Paris Club debt relief worth $145 million. These amounts combined
with the original HIPC debt relief added up to about $2 billion.
Growth for 2001-02 was solid despite continued decline in the price
of coffee, Uganda's principal export. Solid growth in 2003 reflected
an upturn in Uganda's export markets.

Ukraine
After Russia, the Ukrainian republic was far and away the
most important economic component of the former Soviet Union,
producing about four times the output of the next-ranking republic.
Its fertile black soil generated more than one-fourth of Soviet
agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities
of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise,
its diversified heavy industry supplied the unique equipment (for
example, large diameter pipes) and raw materials to industrial and
mining sites (vertical drilling apparatus) in other regions of the
former USSR. Ukraine depends on imports of energy, especially
natural gas, to meet some 85% of its annual energy requirements.
Shortly after independence in December 1991, the Ukrainian
Government liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework for
privatization, but widespread resistance to reform within the
government and the legislature soon stalled reform efforts and led
to some backtracking. Output by 1999 had fallen to less than 40% of
the 1991 level. Loose monetary policies pushed inflation to
hyperinflationary levels in late 1993. Ukraine's dependence on
Russia for energy supplies and the lack of significant structural
reform have made the Ukrainian economy vulnerable to external
shocks. President KUCHMA had pledged to reduce the number of
government agencies, streamline the regulatory process, create a
legal environment to encourage entrepreneurs, and enact a
comprehensive tax overhaul. Reforms in the more politically
sensitive areas of structural reform and land privatization are
still lagging. Outside institutions - particularly the IMF - have
encouraged Ukraine to quicken the pace and scope of reforms. GDP in
2000 showed strong export-based growth of 6% - the first growth
since independence - and industrial production grew 12.9%. The
economy continued to expand in 2001 as real GDP rose 9% and
industrial output grew by over 14%. Growth of 4.6% in 2002 was more
moderate, in part a reflection of faltering growth in the developed
world. In general, growth has been undergirded by strong domestic
demand, low inflation, and solid consumer and investor confidence.
Growth was a sturdy 9.3% in 2003 and a remarkable 12% in 2004,
despite a loss of momentum in needed economic reforms.

United Arab Emirates
The UAE has an open economy with a high per
capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is
based on oil and gas output (about 33% of GDP), and the fortunes of
the economy fluctuate with the prices of those commodities. Since
1973, the UAE has undergone a profound transformation from an
impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state
with a high standard of living. At present levels of production, oil
and gas reserves should last for more than 100 years. The government
has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion
and is opening up its utilities to greater private sector
involvement.

United Kingdom
The UK, a leading trading power and financial center,
is one of the quartet of trillion dollar economies of Western
Europe. Over the past two decades the government has greatly reduced
public ownership and contained the growth of social welfare
programs. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient
by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with only
1% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil
reserves; primary energy production accounts for 10% of GDP, one of
the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services, particularly
banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the
largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in
importance. GDP growth slipped in 2001-03 as the global downturn,
the high value of the pound, and the bursting of the "new economy"
bubble hurt manufacturing and exports. Still, the economy is one of
the strongest in Europe; inflation, interest rates, and unemployment
remain low. The relatively good economic performance has complicated
the BLAIR government's efforts to make a case for Britain to join
the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Critics point out,
however, that the economy is doing well outside of EMU, and they
point to public opinion polls that continue to show a majority of
Britons opposed to the euro. Meantime, the government has been
speeding up the improvement of education, transport, and health
services, at a cost in higher taxes. The war in March-April 2003
between a US-led coalition and Iraq, together with the subsequent
problems of restoring the economy and the polity, involve a heavy
commitment of British military forces.

United States
The US has the largest and most technologically
powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $37,800. In
this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms
make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments
buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private
marketplace. US business firms enjoy considerably greater
flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in
decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and
to develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers
to entry in their rivals' home markets than the barriers to entry of
foreign firms in US markets. US firms are at or near the forefront
in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical,
aerospace, and military equipment; their advantage has narrowed
since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely
explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in
which those at the bottom lack the education and the
professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and
more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage,
and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in
household income have gone to the top 20% of households. The years
1994-2000 witnessed solid increases in real output, low inflation
rates, and a drop in unemployment to below 5%. The year 2001 saw the
end of boom psychology and performance, with output increasing only
0.3% and unemployment and business failures rising substantially.
The response to the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 showed
the remarkable resilience of the economy. Moderate recovery took
place in 2002 with the GDP growth rate rising to 2.4%. A major
short-term problem in first half 2002 was a sharp decline in the
stock market, fueled in part by the exposure of dubious accounting
practices in some major corporations. The war in March/April 2003
between a US-led coalition and Iraq shifted resources to the
military. In 2003, growth in output and productivity and the
recovery of the stock market to above 10,000 for the Dow Jones
Industrial Average were promising signs. Unemployment stayed at the
6% level, however, and began to decline only at the end of the year.
Long-term problems include inadequate investment in economic
infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging
population, sizable trade and budget deficits, and stagnation of
family income in the lower economic groups.

Uruguay
Uruguay's well-to-do economy is characterized by an
export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated workforce, and
high levels of social spending. After averaging growth of 5%
annually during 1996-98, in 1999-2002 the economy suffered a major
downturn, stemming largely from the spillover effects of the
economic problems of its large neighbors, Argentina and Brazil. For
instance, in 2001-02 massive withdrawals by Argentina of dollars
deposited in Uruguayan banks led to a plunge in the Uruguyan peso
and a massive rise in unemployment. Total GDP in these four years
dropped by nearly 20%, with 2002 the worst year due to the serious
banking crisis. Unemployment rose to nearly 20% in 2002, inflation
surged, and the burden of external debt doubled. Cooperation with
the IMF and the US has limited the damage. The debt swap with
private creditors carried out in 2003, which extended the maturity
dates on nearly half of Uruguay's $11.3 billion in public debt,
substantially alleviated the country's amortization burden in the
coming years and restored public confidence. The economy is expected
to resume growth in 2004 (perhaps 4% or more) as a result of high
commodity prices for Uruguayan exports, the weakness of the dollar
against the euro, growth in the region, low international interest
rates, and greater export competitiveness. On the negative side, in
December 2003 the electorate voted to repeal the law permitting a
cautious liberalization of the energy industry.

Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 11%
consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than
60% of its population lives in densely populated rural communities.
Uzbekistan is now the world's second-largest cotton exporter, a
large producer of gold and oil, and a regionally significant
producer of chemicals and machinery. Following independence in
December 1991, the government sought to prop up its Soviet-style
command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production and
prices. Uzbekistan responded to the negative external conditions
generated by the Asian and Russian financial crises by emphasizing
import substitute industrialization and by tightening export and
currency controls within its already largely closed economy. The
government, while aware of the need to improve the investment
climate, sponsors measures that often increase, not decrease, the
government's control over business decisions. A sharp increase in
the inequality of income distribution has hurt the lower ranks of
society since independence. In 2003, the government accepted the
obligations of Article VIII under the International Monetary Fund
(IMF), providing for full currency convertibility. However, strict
currency controls and tightening of borders have lessened the
effects of convertibility and have also lead to some shortages which
have further stifled economic activity.

Vanuatu
This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on
small-scale agriculture, which provides a living for 65% of the
population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with
about 50,000 visitors in 1997, are other mainstays of the economy.
Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum
deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the local market.
Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Economic development is
hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports,
vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main
markets and between constituent islands. A severe earthquake in
November 1999 followed by a tsunami, caused extensive damage to the
northern island of Pentecote and left thousands homeless. Another
powerful earthquake in January 2002 caused extensive damage in the
capital, Port-Vila, and surrounding areas, and also was followed by
a tsunami. GDP growth rose less than 3% on average in the 1990s. In
response to foreign concerns, the government has promised to tighten
regulation of its offshore financial center. In mid-2002 the
government stepped up efforts to boost tourism. Agriculture,
especially livestock farming, is a second target for growth.
Australia and New Zealand are the main suppliers of tourists and
foreign aid. Growth expanded moderately in 2003.

Venezuela
Venezuela continues to be highly dependent on the
petroleum sector, which accounts for roughly one-third of GDP,
around 80% of export earnings, and more than half of government
operating revenues. Despite higher oil prices at the end of 2002 and
into 2003, domestic political instability, culminating in a
disastrous two-month national oil strike from December 2002 to
February 2003, temporarily halted economic activity. The economy
remained in depression in 2003, declining by 9.2% after an 8.9% fall
in 2002. In late 2003, President CHAVEZ committed himself to $1
billion in new social programs, money the government does not have.

Vietnam
Vietnam is a poor, densely-populated country that has had to
recover from the ravages of war, the loss of financial support from
the old Soviet Bloc, and the rigidities of a centrally-planned
economy. Substantial progress was achieved from 1986 to 1996 in
moving forward from an extremely low starting point - growth
averaged around 9% per year from 1993 to 1997. The 1997 Asian
financial crisis highlighted the problems in the Vietnamese economy,
but rather than prompting reform, reaffirmed the government's belief
that shifting to a market-oriented economy would lead to disaster.
GDP growth of 8.5% in 1997 fell to 6% in 1998 and 5% in 1999. Growth
then rose to 6% to 7% in 2000-02 even against the background of
global recession. These numbers mask some major difficulties in
economic performance. Many domestic industries, including coal,
cement, steel, and paper, have reported large stockpiles of
inventory and tough competition from more efficient foreign
producers. Since the Party elected new leadership in 2001,
Vietnamese authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to economic
liberalization and have moved to implement the structural reforms
needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive,
export-driven industries. The US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement
entered into force near the end of 2001 and is expected to
significantly increase Vietnam's exports to the US. The US is
assisting Vietnam with implementing the legal and structural reforms
called for in the agreement.

Virgin Islands
Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting
for 80% of GDP and employment. The islands normally host 2 million
visitors a year. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum
refining, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch
assembly. The agricultural sector is small, with most food being
imported. International business and financial services are a small
but growing component of the economy. One of the world's largest
petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The islands are subject to
substantial damage from storms. The government is working to improve
fiscal discipline, to support construction projects in the private
sector, to expand tourist facilities, to reduce crime, and to
protect the environment.

Wake Island
Economic activity is limited to providing services to
contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods
must be imported.

Wallis and Futuna
The economy is limited to traditional subsistence
agriculture, with about 80% labor force earnings from agriculture
(coconuts and vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing.
About 4% of the population is employed in government. Revenues come
from French Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to
Japan and South Korea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate
workers in New Caledonia.

West Bank
Real per capita GDP for the West Bank and Gaza Strip
(WBGS) declined by about one-third between 1992 and 1996 due to the
combined effect of falling aggregate incomes and rapid population
growth. The downturn in economic activity was largely the result of
Israeli closure policies - the imposition of border closures in
response to security incidents in Israel - which disrupted labor and
commodity market relationships between Israel and the WBGS. The most
serious social effect of this downturn was rising unemployment,
which in the WBGS during the 1980s was generally under 5%; by 1995
it had risen to over 20%. Israel's use of comprehensive closures
during the next three years decreased and, in 1998, Israel
implemented new policies to reduce the impact of closures and other
security procedures on the movement of Palestinian goods and labor.
These changes fueled an almost three-year-long economic recovery in
the West Bank and Gaza Strip; real GDP grew by 5% in 1998 and 6% in
1999. Recovery was upended in the last quarter of 2000 with the
outbreak of violence, which triggered tight Israeli closures of
Palestinian self-rule areas and severely disrupted trade and labor
movements. In 2001, and even more severely in 2002, Israeli military
measures in Palestinian Authority areas resulted in the destruction
of much capital plant and administrative structure, widespread
business closures, and a sharp drop in GDP. Including Gaza Strip,
the UN estimates that more than 100,000 Palestinians out of the
125,000 who used to work in Israel, in Israeli settlements, or in
joint industrial zones have lost their jobs. In addition, about
80,000 Palestinian workers inside the Territories are losing their
jobs. International aid of $2 billion in 2001-02 to the West Bank
and Gaza Strip prevented the complete collapse of the economy. In
2004, on-going border issues and the death of Yasser ARAFAT
continued to complicate the economic situation.

Western Sahara
Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing,
and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the
population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable
agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban
population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities
are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests
in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western
Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of
living in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level.

World
Global output rose by 3.7% in 2003, led by China (9.1%), India
(7.6%), and Russia (7.3%). The other 14 successor nations of the
USSR and the other old Warsaw Pact nations again experienced widely
divergent growth rates; the three Baltic nations continued as strong
performers, in the 5%-7% range of growth. Growth results posted by
the major industrial countries varied from a loss by Germany (-0.1%)
to a strong gain by the United States (3.1%). The developing nations
also varied in their growth results, with many countries facing
population increases that erode gains in output. Externally, the
nation-state, as a bedrock economic-political institution, is
steadily losing control over international flows of people, goods,
funds, and technology. Internally, the central government often
finds its control over resources slipping as separatist regional
movements - typically based on ethnicity - gain momentum, e.g., in
many of the successor states of the former Soviet Union, in the
former Yugoslavia, in India, in Iraq, in Indonesia, and in Canada.
Externally, the central government is losing decision-making powers
to international bodies. In Western Europe, governments face the
difficult political problem of channeling resources away from
welfare programs in order to increase investment and strengthen
incentives to seek employment. The addition of 80 million people
each year to an already overcrowded globe is exacerbating the
problems of pollution, desertification, underemployment, epidemics,
and famine. Because of their own internal problems and priorities,
the industrialized countries devote insufficient resources to deal
effectively with the poorer areas of the world, which, at least from
the economic point of view, are becoming further marginalized. The
introduction of the euro as the common currency of much of Western
Europe in January 1999, while paving the way for an integrated
economic powerhouse, poses economic risks because of varying levels
of income and cultural and political differences among the
participating nations. The terrorist attacks on the US on 11
September 2001 accentuate a further growing risk to global
prosperity, illustrated, for example, by the reallocation of
resources away from investment to anti-terrorist programs. The
opening of war in March 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq
added new uncertainties to global economic prospects. After the
coalition victory, the complex political difficulties and the high
economic cost of establishing domestic order in Iraq became major
global problems that continue into 2004.

Yemen
Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world,
reported strong growth in the mid-1990s with the onset of oil
production. It has been harmed by periodic declines in oil prices,
but now benefits from current high prices. Yemen has embarked on an
IMF-supported structural adjustment program designed to modernize
and streamline the economy, which has led to substantial foreign
debt relief and restructuring. International donors, meeting in
Paris in October 2002, agreed on a further $2.3 billion economic
support package. Yemen has worked to maintain tight control over
spending and to implement additional components of the IMF program.
A markedly high population growth rate and internal political
dissension complicate the government's task. Plans include a
diversification of the economy, encouragement of tourism, and more
efficient use of scarce water resources.

Zambia
Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform,
Zambia's economic growth remains below the 5% to 7% necessary to
reduce poverty significantly. Privatization of government-owned
copper mines relieved the government from covering mammoth losses
generated by the industry and greatly improved the chances for
copper mining to return to profitability and spur economic growth.
Copper output increased in 2003 and is expected to increase again in
2004, due to higher copper prices. The maize harvest doubled in
2003, helping boost GDP by 4.0%. Cooperation continues with
international bodies on programs to reduce poverty, including a new
lending arrangement with the IMF expected in the second quarter,
2004. A tighter monetary policy will help cut inflation, but Zambia
still has a serious problem with fiscal discipline.

Zimbabwe
The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of
difficult economic problems as it struggles with an unsustainable
fiscal deficit, an overvalued exchange rate, soaring inflation, and
bare shelves. Its 1998-2002 involvement in the war in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, for example, drained hundreds of millions of
dollars from the economy. Badly needed support from the IMF has been
suspended because of the country's failure to meet budgetary goals.
Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to 383% in 2003,
and is expected to reach 700% in 2004. The government's land reform
program, characterized by chaos and violence, has badly damaged the
commercial farming sector, the traditional source of exports and
foreign exchange and the provider of 400,000 jobs.

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2117 Pipelines (km)

Afghanistan
gas 387 km (2004)

Albania
gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2004)

Algeria
condensate 1,344 km; gas 85,946 km; liquid petroleum gas
2,213 km; oil 6,496 km (2004)

Angola
gas 214 km; liquid natural gas 14 km; liquid petroleum gas 30
km; oil 837 km; refined products 56 km (2004)

Argentina
gas 27,166 km; liquid petroleum gas 41 km; oil 3,668 km;
refined products 2,945 km; unknown (oil/water) 13 km (2004)

Armenia
gas 1,871 km (2004)

Australia
condensate/gas 492 km; gas 28,680 km; liquid petroleum gas
240 km; oil 4,773 km; oil/gas/water 110 km (2004)

Austria
gas 2,722 km; oil 663 km; refined products 149 km (2004)

Azerbaijan
gas 4,451 km; oil 1,518 km (2004)

Bahrain
gas 20 km; oil 53 km (2004)

Bangladesh
gas 2,012 km (2004)

Belarus
gas 5,223 km; oil 2,443 km; refined products 1,686 km (2004)

Belgium
gas 1,485 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2004)

Bolivia
gas 4,860 km; liquid petroleum gas 47 km; oil 2,457 km;
refined products 1,589 km; unknown (oil/water) 247 km (2004)

Brazil
condensate/gas 244 km; gas 10,739 km; liquid petroleum gas
341 km; oil 5,212 km; refined products 4,755 km (2004)

Brunei
gas 665 km; oil 439 km (2004)

Bulgaria
gas 2,425 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2004)

Burma
gas 2,056 km; oil 558 km (2004)

Cameroon
gas 90 km; liquid petroleum gas 9 km; oil 1,120 km (2004)

Canada
crude and refined oil 23,564 km; liquid petroleum gas 74,980
km (2003)

Chad
oil 205 km (2004)

Chile
gas 2,583 km; gas/lpg 42 km; liquid petroleum gas 539 km; oil
1,003 km; refined products 757 km (2004)

China
gas 15,890 km; oil 14,478 km; refined products 3,280 km (2004)

Colombia
gas 4,360 km; oil 6,134 km; refined products 3,140 km (2004)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
gas 54 km; oil 71 km (2004)

Congo, Republic of the
gas 53 km; oil 646 km (2004)

Costa Rica
refined products 242 km (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire
condensate 107 km; gas 223 km; oil 104 km (2004)

Croatia
gas 1,340 km; oil 583 km (2004)

Cuba
gas 49 km; oil 230 km (2004)

Czech Republic
gas 7,020 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km
(2004)

Denmark
condensate 12 km; gas 3,892 km; oil 455 km; oil/gas/water 2
km; unknown (oil/water) 64 km (2004)

Ecuador
extra heavy crude 578 km; gas 71 km; oil 1,386 km; refined
products 1,185 km (2004)

Egypt
condensate 289 km; condensate/gas 94 km; gas 6,115 km; liquid
petroleum gas 852 km; oil 5,032 km; oil/gas/water 36 km; refined
products 246 km (2004)

Equatorial Guinea condensate 37 km; gas 39 km; liquid natural gas 4 km; oil 24 km (2004)

Estonia
gas 859 km (2004)

Finland
gas 694 km (2004)

France
gas 14,232 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2004)

Gabon
gas 210 km; oil 1,385 km (2004)

Georgia
gas 1,697 km; oil 1,027 km; refined products 232 km (2004)

Germany
condensate 325 km; gas 25,293 km; oil 3,540 km; refined
products 3,827 km (2004)

Ghana
refined products 74 km (2004)

Greece
gas 1,166 km; oil 94 km (2004)

Guatemala
oil 480 km (2004)

Hungary
gas 4,397 km; oil 990 km; refined products 335 km (2004)

India
gas 6,171 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,195 km; oil 5,613 km;
refined products 5,567 km (2004)

Indonesia
condensate 850 km; condensate/gas 128 km; gas 8,506 km;
oil 7,472 km; oil/gas/water 66 km; refined products 1,329 km (2004)

Iran
condensate/gas 212 km; gas 16,998 km; liquid petroleum gas 570
km; oil 8,256 km; refined products 7,808 km (2004)

Iraq
gas 1,739 km; oil 5,418 km; refined products 1,343 km (2004)

Ireland
gas 1,795 km (2004)

Israel
gas 140 km; oil 1,509 km (2004)

Italy
gas 17,335 km; oil 1,136 km (2004)

Japan
gas 2,719 km; oil 170 km; oil/gas/water 60 km (2004)

Jordan
gas 10 km; oil 743 km (2004)

Kazakhstan
condensate 18 km; gas 10,370 km; oil 10,158 km; refined
products 1,187 km (2004)

Kenya
refined products 752 km (2004)

Korea, North
oil 154 km (2004)

Korea, South
gas 1,433 km; refined products 827 km (2004)

Kuwait
gas 169 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2004)

Kyrgyzstan
gas 367 km; oil 13 km (2004)

Laos
refined products 540 km (2004)

Latvia
gas 1,097 km; oil 409 km; refined products 415 km (2004)

Lebanon
oil 209 km (2004)

Libya
condensate 225 km; gas 3,611 km; oil 7,252 km (2004)

Liechtenstein
gas 20 km (2004)

Lithuania
gas 1,696 km; oil 331 km; refined products 109 km (2004)

Luxembourg
gas 155 km (2004)

Macedonia
gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2004)

Malaysia
condensate 279 km; gas 5,047 km; oil 1,841 km; refined
products 114 km (2004)

Mexico
crude oil 28,200 km; petroleum products 10,150 km; natural
gas 13,254 km; petrochemical 1,400 km (2003)

Moldova
gas 606 km (2004)

Morocco
gas 695 km; oil 285 km (2004)

Mozambique
gas 649 km; refined products 292 km (2004)

Netherlands
condensate 325 km; gas 6,998 km; oil 590 km; refined
products 716 km (2004)

New Zealand
gas 2,213 km; liquid petroleum gas 79 km; oil 160 km;
refined products 304 km (2004)

Nicaragua
oil 54 km (2004)

Nigeria
condensate 105 km; gas 1,896 km; oil 3,638 km; refined
products 3,626 km (2004)

Norway
condensate 411 km; gas 6,199 km; oil 2,213 km; oil/gas/water
746 km; unknown (oil/water) 38 km (2004)

Oman
gas 3,754 km; oil 3,212 km (2004)

Pakistan
gas 9,945 km; oil 1,821 km (2004)

Papua New Guinea
oil 264 km (2004)

Peru
gas 388 km; oil 1,557 km; refined products 13 km (2004)

Philippines
gas 565 km; oil 135 km; refined products 100 km (2004)

Poland
gas 13,552 km; oil 1,772 km (2004)

Portugal
gas 1,099 km; oil 8 km; refined products 174 km (2004)

Qatar
condensate 319 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 1,024 km; liquid
petroleum gas 87 km; oil 702 km; oil/gas/water 41 km (2004)

Romania
gas 3,508 km; oil 2,427 km (2004)

Russia
condensate 122 km; gas 150,007 km; oil 75,539 km; refined
products 13,771 km (2004)

Saudi Arabia
condensate 212 km; gas 1,780 km; liquid petroleum gas
1,191 km; oil 5,068 km; refined products 1,162 km (2004)

Senegal
gas 564 km (2004)

Serbia and Montenegro
gas 3,177 km; oil 393 km (2004)

Singapore
gas 139 km (2004)

Slovakia
gas 6,769 km; oil 449 km (2004)

Slovenia
gas 2,526 km; oil 11 km (2004)

South Africa
condensate 100 km; gas 1,052 km; oil 847 km; refined
products 1,354 km (2004)

Spain
gas 7,306 km; oil 730 km; refined products 3,512 km (2004)

Sudan
gas 156 km; oil 2,365 km; refined products 810 km (2004)

Suriname
oil 51 km (2004)

Sweden
gas 798 km (2004)

Switzerland
gas 1,831 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2004)

Syria
gas 2,300 km; oil 2,183 km (2004)

Taiwan
condensate 25 km; gas 435 km (2004)

Tajikistan
gas 541 km; oil 38 km (2004)

Tanzania
gas 29 km; oil 866 km (2004)

Thailand
gas 3,112 km; refined products 265 km (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago condensate 253 km; gas 1,117 km; oil 478 km (2004)

Tunisia
gas 3,059 km; oil 1,203 km; refined products 345 km (2004)

Turkey
gas 3,177 km; oil 3,562 km (2004)

Turkmenistan
gas 6,549 km; oil 1,395 km (2004)

Ukraine
gas 20,069 km; oil 4,540 km; refined products 4,169 km (2004)

United Arab Emirates
condensate 469 km; gas 2,655 km; liquid
petroleum gas 300 km; oil 2,936 km; oil/gas/water 5 km (2004)

United Kingdom
condensate 370 km; gas 21,446 km; liquid petroleum
gas 59 km; oil 6,420 km; oil/gas/water 63 km; refined products 4,474
km (2004)

United States
petroleum products 244,620 km; natural gas 548,665 km
(2003)

Uruguay
gas 192 km (2004)

Uzbekistan
gas 9,149 km; oil 869 km; refined products 33 km (2004)

Venezuela
extra heavy crude 992 km; gas 5,262 km; oil 7,360 km;
refined products 1,681 km; unknown (oil/water) 141 km (2004)

Vietnam
condensate/gas 432 km; gas 210 km; oil 3 km; refined
products 206 km (2004)

Yemen
gas 88 km; oil 1,174 km (2004)

Zambia
oil 771 km (2004)

Zimbabwe
refined products 261 km (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2118 Political parties and leaders

Afghanistan
note - includes only political parties approved by the
Ministry of Justice: Afghan Millat [Anwarul Haq AHADI]; De
Afghanistan De Solay Ghorzang Gond [Shahnawaz TANAI]; De Afghanistan
De Solay Mili Islami Gond [Shah Mahmood Polal ZAI]; Harakat-e-Islami
Afghanistan [Mohammad Asif MOHSINEE];
Hezb-e-Aarman-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Iihaj Saraj-u-din ZAFAREE];
Hezb-e-Aazadee Afghanistan [Abdul MALIK]; Hezb-e-Adalat-e-Islami
Afghanistan [Mohammad Kabeer MARZBAN]; Hezb-e-Afghanistan-e-Wahid
[Mohammad Wasil RAHEEMEE]; Hezb-e-Afghan Watan Islami Gond [NA
leader]; Hezb-e-Congra-e-Mili Afghanistan [Lateef PIDRAM];
Hezb-e-Falah-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad ZAREEF];
Hezb-e-Libral-e-Aazadee Khwa-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ajmal SOHAIL];
Hezb-e-Hambastagee Mili Jawanan-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Jamil
KARZAI]; Hezb-e-Hamnbatagee-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Khaleq NEMAT];
Hezb-e-Harakat-e-Mili Wahdat-e-Afghanistan [Moahammad Nadir AATASH];
Hezb-e-Harak-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ilhaj Said Hssain
ANWARY]; Hezb-e-Ifazat Az Uqoq-e-Bashar Wa Inkishaf-e-Afghanistan
[Baryalai NASRATEE]; Hezb-e-Istiqlal-e-Afghanistan [Dr. Gh. Farooq
NIJZRABEE]; Hezb-e-Jamhoree Khwahan [Sibghatullah SANJAR];
Hezb-e-Kar Wa Tawsiha-e-Afghanistan [Zulfiar OMID]; Hezb-e-Mili
Afghanistan [Abdul Rasheed AARYAN]; Hezb-e-Mili
Wahdat-e-Aqwam-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Shah KHOGYANEE];
Hezb-e-Nuhzhat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Ahmad Wali MASOUD];
Hezb-e-Paiwand-e-Mili Afghanistan [Said Mansoor NADIRI];
Hezb-e-Rastakhaiz-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Said ZAHIR];
Hezb-e-Refah-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mia Gul WASEEQ];
Hezb-e-Risalat-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Noor Aqa ROEEN];
Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Zubair PAIROZ];
Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mili Wa Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Usman
SALIGZADA]; Hezb-e-Sulh-e-Mili Islami Aqwam-e-Afghanistan [Abdul
Qahir SHARYATEE]; Hezb-e-Sulh Wa Wahdat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul
Qadir IMAMEE]; Hezb-e-Tafahum-e-Wa Democracy Afghanistan [Ahamad
SHAHEEN]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Karim
KHALILI]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Haji Mohammad
MUHAQIQ]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul Rasheed Jalili];
Jamahat-ul-Dahwat ilal Qurhan-wa-Sunat-ul-Afghanistan [Mawlawee
Samiullah NAJEEBEE]; Jombesh-e Milli [Abdul Rashjid DOSTUM];
Mahaz-e-Mili Islami Afghanistan [Said Ahmad GAILANEE]; Majmah-e-Mili
Fahaleen-e-Sulh-e-Afghanistan [Shams ul Haq Noor SHAMS];
Nuhzat-e-Aazadee Wa democracy Afghanistan [Abdul Raqeeb Jawid
KUHISTANEE]; Nuhzat-e-Hambastagee Mili Afghanistan [Peer Said Ishaq
GAILANEE]; Sazman-e-Islami Afghanistan-e-Jawan [Siad Jawad
HUSSAINEE]; Tahreek Wahdat-e-Mili [Sultan Mahmood DHAZI] (30 Sep
2004)

Albania
Agrarian Environmentalist Party or PAA [Lufter XHUVELI];
Christian Democratic Party or PDK [Nikolle LESI]; Communist Party of
Albania or PKSH [Hysni MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance Party or PAD
[Neritan CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Legality
Movement Party or PLL [Ekrem SPAHIU]; Liberal Union Party or PBL
[Arjan STAROVA]; National Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK
[Adriatik ALIMADHI]; New Democratic Party or PDR [Genc POLLO]; Party
of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQIRI]; Renewed Democratic Party
or PDR [Dashamir SHEHI]; Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU];
Social Democracy Party or PDS [Paskal MILO]; Social Democratic Party
or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI
[Ilir META]; Socialist Party or PS (formerly the Albanian Party of
Labor) [Fatos NANO]; Union for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vangjel
DULE]

Algeria
Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI]; Democratic
National Rally or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA, chairman]; Islamic Salvation
Front or FIS (outlawed April 1992) [Ali BELHADJ and Dr. Abassi
MADANI, Rabeh KEBIR (self-exiled in Germany)]; National Entente
Movement or MEN [Ali BOUKHAZNA]; National Liberation Front or FLN
[Abdelaziz BELKHADEM, secretary general (also serves as Foreign
Minister)]; National Reform Movement or Islah (formerly MRN)
[Abdellah DJABALLAH]; National Renewal Party or PRA [Yacine
TERKMANE]; Progressive Republican Party [Khadir DRISS]; Rally for
Culture and Democracy or RCD [Said SAADI, secretary general];
Renaissance Movement or EnNahda Movement [Fatah RABEI]; Social
Liberal Party or PSL [Ahmed KHELIL]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS
[Hocine Ait AHMED, secretary general (self-exiled in Switzerland)];
Society of Peace Movement or MSP [Boujerra SOLTANI]; Workers Party
or PT [Louisa HANOUN]
note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted
in March 1997

American Samoa
Democratic Party [leader NA]; Republican Party
[leader NA]

Andorra
Andorran Democratic Center Party or CDA (formerly Democratic
Party or PD) [leader NA]; Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA (formerly
Liberal Union or UL) [Albert PINTAT]; Social Democratic Party or PS
(formerly part of National Democratic Group or AND) [leader NA]

Angola
Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Analia de Victoria PEREIRA];
National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [disputed
leadership: Lucas NGONDA, Holden ROBERTO]; National Union for the
Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Isaias SAMAKUVA], largest
opposition party has engaged in years of armed resistance; Popular
Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Jose Eduardo DOS
SANTOS], ruling party in power since 1975; Social Renewal Party or
PRS [disputed leadership: Eduardo KUANGANA, Antonio MUACHICUNGO]
note: about a dozen minor parties participated in the 1992 elections
but only won a few seats and have little influence in the National
Assembly

Anguilla
Anguilla United Movement or AUM [Hubert HUGHES]; The United
Front or UF [Osbourne FLEMING, Victor BANKS], a coalition of the
Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla National Alliance
or ANA; Anguilla Patriotic Movement or APM [Quincy GUMBS]; Movement
for Grassroots Democracy or MFGD [Joyce KENTISH, John BENJAMIN]

Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD];
Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Thomas H. FRANK]; United
Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a coalition of three
opposition parties - United National Democratic Party or UNDP,
Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM, and Progressive Labor
Movement or PLM)

Argentina
Action for the Republic or AR [Domingo CAVALLO];
Alternative for a Republic of Equals or ARI [Elisa CARRIO]; Front
for a Country in Solidarity or Frepaso (a four-party coalition)
[Dario Pedro ALESSANDRO]; Interbloque Federal or IF (a broad
coalition of approximately 12 parties including RECREAR) [leader
NA]; Justicialist Party or PJ [leader NA] (Peronist umbrella
political organization); Radical Civic Union or UCR [Angel ROZAS];
Federal Recreate Movement or RECREAR [Ricardo LOPEZ MURPHY];
Socialist Party or PS [Ruben GIUSTINIANI]; Union For All [Patricia
BULLRICH]; several provincial parties

Armenia
Agro-Industrial Party [Vladimir BADALIAN]; Armenia Party
[Myasnik MALKHASYAN]; Armenian National Movement or ANM [Alex
ARZUMANYAN, chairman]; Armenian Ramkavar Liberal Party or HRAK
[Harutyun MIRZAKHANYAN, chairman]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation
("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Vahan HOVHANISSIAN]; Democratic Party
[Aram SARKISYAN]; Justice Bloc (comprised of the Democratic Party,
National Democratic Party, National Democratic Union, and the
People's Party); National Democratic Party [Shavarsh KOCHARIAN];
National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN]; National Unity
Party [Artashes GEGAMIAN, chairman]; People's Party of Armenia
[Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; Republic Party [Albert BAZEYAN and Aram
SARKISYAN, chairmen]; Republican Party or RPA [Andranik MARKARYAN];
Rule of Law Party [Artur BAGDASARIAN, chairman]; Union of
Constitutional Rights [Hrant KHACHATURYAN]; United Labor Party
[Gurgen ARSENIAN]

Aruba
Aruba Solidarity Movement or MAS [leader NA]; Aruban
Democratic Alliance or Aliansa [leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Party
or PDA [Leo BERLINSKI]; Aruban Liberal Party or OLA [Glenbert
CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban
People's Party or AVP [Jan (Henny) H. EMAN]; Concentration for the
Liberation of Aruba or CLA [leader NA]; People's Electoral Movement
Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; For a Restructured Aruba Now or
PARA [Urbana LOPEZ]; National Democratic Action or ADN [Pedro Charro
KELLY]

Australia
Australian Democrats [Andrew BARTLETT]; Australian Labor
Party [Mark LATHAM]; Australian Progressive Alliance [Meg LEES];
Country Liberal Party [Terry MILLS]; Australian Greens [Bob BROWN];
Liberal Party [John Winston HOWARD]; The Nationals [John ANDERSON];
One Nation Party [Len HARRIS]

Austria
Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Wolfgang SCHUESSEL];
Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Ursula HAUBNER]; Social Democratic
Party of Austria or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER]; The Greens [Alexander
VAN DER BELLEN]

Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan Popular Front or APF [Ali KARIMLI, leader of
"Reform" faction; Mirmahmud MIRALI-OGLU, leader of "Classic"
faction]; Civic Solidarity Party or CSP [Sabir RUSTAMKHANLY]; Civic
Union Party [Ayaz MUTALIBOV]; Communist Party of Azerbaijan or CPA
[Ramiz AHMADOV]; Compatriot Party [Mais SAFARLI]; Democratic Party
for Azerbaijan or DPA [Rasul QULIYEV, chairman]; Justice Party
[Ilyas ISMAILOV]; Liberal Party of Azerbaijan [Lala Shovkat
HACIYEVA]; Musavat [Isa GAMBAR, chairman]; New Azerbaijan Party or
NAP [vacant]; Party for National Independence of Azerbaijan or PNIA
[Etibar MAMMADLI, chairman]; Social Democratic Party of Azerbaijan
or SDP [Araz ALIZADE and Ayaz MUTALIBOV]
note: opposition parties regularly factionalize and form new parties

Bahamas, The
Free National Movement or FNM [Tommy TURNQUEST];
Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]

Bahrain
political parties prohibited but politically oriented
societies are allowed

Bangladesh
Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist
Party or BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party
or BNP [Khaleda ZIA, chairperson]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti
Fazlul Haq AMINI]; Jamaat-e-Islami or JI [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI];
Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD];
Jatiya Party (Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR]

Barbados
Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor
Party or DLP [Clyde Mascoll]

Belarus
Pro-government parties: Agrarian Party or AP; Belarusian
Communist Party or KPB; Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian
Patriotic Party) or BPR [Anatoliy BARANKEVICH, chairman]; Liberal
Democratic Party of Belarus [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH]; Social-Sports
Party; Opposition parties: Belarusian Popular Front or BNF [Vintsuk
VYACHORKA]; Belarusian Social-Democrat Party Narodnaya Gromada or
BSDP NG [Nikolay STATKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian Social-Democratic
Party Hromada [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH, chairman]; United Civic Party
or UCP [Anatol LEBEDKO]; Party of Communists Belarusian or PKB
[Sergei KALYAKIN, chairman]; Women's Party "Nadezhda" [Valentina
MATUSEVICH, chairperson]
note: the opposition Belarusian Party of Labor [Aleksandr
BUKHVOSTOV] was liquidated in August 2004, but remains active

Belgium
Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V [Jo VANDEURZEN];
Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX, Evelyne HUYTEBROECK,
Claude BROUIR]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Bart SOMERS];
Flemish Socialist Party.Alternative or SP.A [Steve STEVAERT];
Francophone Humanist and Democratic Center of CDH [Joelle MILQUET];
Francophone Reformist Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Francophone
Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; GROEN! (formerly AGALEV,
Flemish Greens) [Vera DUA]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; New
Flemish Alliance or NVA [Bart DE WEVER]; Spirit [Els VAN WEERT];
note - new party now associated with SP.A; Vlaams Belang or VB
[Frank VANHECKE]; other minor parties

Belize
People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic
Party or UDP [Dean BARROW, party leader; Douglas SINGH, party
chairman]

Benin
African Congress for Renewal or DUNYA [Saka SALEY]; African
Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN];
Alliance of the Social Democratic Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU];
Coalition of Democratic Forces [Gatien HOUNGBEDJI]; Democratic
Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Front for Renewal and
Development or FARD-ALAFIA [Jerome Sakia KINA]; Impulse for Progress
and Democracy or IPD [Bertin BORNA]; Key Force or FC [leader NA];
Presidential Movement (UBF, MADEP, FC, IDP, and 4 other small
parties); Renaissance Party du Benin or PRB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The
Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]; Union of Tomorrow's
Benin or UBF [Bruno AMOUSSOU]
note: approximately 20 additional minor parties

Bermuda
Gombey Liberation Party or GLP [Gavin Sundjata SMITH];
National Liberal Party or NLP [Dessaline WALDRON]; Progressive Labor
Party or PLP [William Alexander SCOTT]; United Bermuda Party or UBP
[Grant GIBBONS];

Bhutan
no legal parties

Bolivia
Bolivian Socialist Falange or FSB [Romel PANTOJA]; Civic
Solidarity Union or UCS [Johnny FERNANDEZ]; Free Bolivia Movement or
MBL [Franz BARRIOS]; Marshal of Ayacucho Institutional Vanguard or
VIMA [Freddy ZABALA]; Movement of the Revolutionary Left or MIR
[Jaime PAZ Zamora]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Evo MORALES];
Movement Without Fear or MSM [Juan DEL GRANADO]; Nationalist
Democratic Action or ADN [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez];
Nationalist Revolutionary Movement or MNR [leader NA]; New
Republican Force or NFR [Manfred REYES-VILLA]; Pachakuti Indigenous
Movement or MIP [Felipe QUISPE]; Socialist Party or PS [Jeres
JUSTINIANO]

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or
SNSD [Milorad DODIK]; Bosnian Party or BOSS [Mirnes AJANOVIC]; Civic
Democratic Party or GDS [Ibrahim SPAHIC]; Croatian Democratic Union
of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDZ-BH [Barisa COLAK]; Croat Christian
Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HKDU [Mijo
IVANIC-LONIC]; Croat Party of Rights or HSP [Zdravko HRISTIC]; Croat
Peasants Party or HSS [Marko TADIC]; Democratic National Union or
DNZ [Fikret ABDIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Rasim KADIC];
New Croat Initiative or NHI [Kresimir ZUBAK]; Party for Bosnia and
Herzegovina or SBiH [Safet HALILOVIC]; Party of Democratic Action or
SDA [Sulejman TIHIC]; Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [Mladen
IVANIC]; Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Dragan CAVIC - acting]; Serb
Radical Party of the Republika Srpska or SRS-RS [Milanko MIHAJLICA];
Serb Radical Party-Dr. Vojislav Seselj or SRS-VS [Radislav
KANJERIC]; Social Democratic Party of BIH or SDP [Zlatko
LAGUMDZIJA]; Social Democratic Union or SDU [Miro LAZOVIC];
Socialist Party of Republika Srpska or SPRS [Petar DJOKIC]

Botswana
Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Seretse Ian KHAMA];
Botswana National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Congress
Party or BCP [Mokgweetsi KGOSIPULA]; Botswana Alliance Movement or
BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]
note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the
BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats; the BAM parties
are: the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO], the
Independence Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO], and the Botswana
Progressive Union [D. K. KWELE]

Brazil
Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Federal Deputy
Michel TEMER]; Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Federal Deputy Roberto
JEFFERSON]; Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Senator
Eduardo AZAREDO]; Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Federal Deputy
Miguel ARRAES]; Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Renato RABELO];
Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Carlos LUPI]; Green Party or PV [Jose
Luiz de Franca PENNA]; Liberal Front Party or PFL [Senator Jorge
BORNHAUSEN]; Liberal Party or PL [Federal Deputy Valdemar COSTA
Neto]; National Order Reconstruction Party or PRONA [Federal Deputy
Dr. Eneas CARNEIRO]; Popular Socialist Party or PPS [Federal Deputy
Roberto FREIRE]; Progressive Party or PP [Federal Deputy Pedro
CORREA]; Worker's Party or PT [Jose GENOINO]; Social Christian Party
or PSC [Vitor Jorge ABDALA NOSSEIS]

British Virgin Islands
Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn
SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United
Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T.
O'NEAL]

Brunei
other parties include Brunei People's Party or PRB (banned in
1962) and Brunei National Democratic Party (registered in May 1965,
deregistered by the Brunei Government in 1988)

Bulgaria
Bulgarian Agrarian National Union-People's Union or BANU
[Anastasia MOZER]; Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei
STANISHEV]; Coalition for Bulgaria or CfB (coalition of parties
dominated by BSP) [Sergei STANISHEV]; Democrats for a Strong
Bulgaria or DSB [Ivan KOSTOV]; Movement for Rights and Freedoms or
MRF [Ahmed DOGAN]; National Movement for Simeon II or NMS2 [Simeon
SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA]; New Time [Emil KOSHLUKOV]; Union of Democratic
Forces or UDF [Nadezhda MIKHAYLOVA]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD
[Stefan SOFIYANSKI]; United Democratic Forces or UtDF (a coalition
of center-right parties dominated by DSB)

Burkina Faso
African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and
Federation or RDA-ADF [Herman YAMEOGO]; Confederation for Federation
and Democracy or CFD [Amadou Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for
Democracy and Progress or CDP [Roch Marc-Christian KABORE]; Movement
for Tolerance and Progress or MTP [Nayabtigungou Congo KABORE];
Party for African Independence or PAI [Philippe OUEDRAOGO]; Party
for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Joseph KI-ZERBO]; Union of Greens
for the Development of Burkina Faso or UVDB [Ram OVEDRAGO]

Burma
National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SHWE, chairman,
AUNG SAN SUU KYI, general secretary]; National Unity Party or NUP
(progovernment) [THA KYAW]; Shan Nationalities League for Democracy
or SNLD [KHUN HTUN OO]; and other smaller parties

Burundi
the two national, mainstream, governing parties are: Unity
for National Progress or UPRONA [Alphonse KADEGE, president];
Burundi Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Jean MINANI, president]
note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998, included are:
Burundi African Alliance for the Salvation or ABASA [Terrence
NSANZE]; Rally for Democracy and Economic and Social Development or
RADDES [Joseph NZEYIMANA]; Party for National Redress or PARENA
[Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]; People's Reconciliation Party or PRP
[Mathias HITIMANA]

Cambodia
Cambodian Pracheachon Party (Cambodian People's Party) or
CPP [CHEA SIM]; National United Front for an Independent, Neutral,
Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia or FUNCINPEC [Prince NORODOM
Ranariddh]; Sam Rangsi Party or SRP [SAM RANGSI]

Cameroon
Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou NDAM NJOYA];
Democratic Rally of the Cameroon People or RDCP [Paul BIYA];
Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA];
Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC
[leader Marcel YONDO]; Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MYC
[Dieudonne TINA]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP
[Maigari BELLO BOUBA]; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU
NDI]; Union of Cameroonian Populations or UPC [Augustin Frederic
KODOCK]

Canada
Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Conservative Party of Canada
(a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative
Party) [Stephen HARPER]; Liberal Party [Paul MARTIN]; New Democratic
Party [Jack LAYTON]

Cape Verde
African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV
[Jose Maria Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Alliance for Change
or ADM [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO] (a coalition of PCD, PTS, and UCID);
Democratic Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES, chairman];
Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Jacinto SANTOS, president];
Movement for Democracy or MPD [Agostinho LOPES, president]; Party
for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO, president];
Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Isaias RODRIGUES, president];
Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president]

Cayman Islands
no national teams (loose groupings of political
organizations) were formed for the 2000 elections; United Democratic
Party or UDP [leader McKeeva BUSH]; People's Progressive Movement or
PPM [leader Kurt TIBBETTS]

Central African Republic
Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP
[Jacques MBOLIEDAS]; Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC
[Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA];
Democratic Forum for Modernity or FODEM [Charles MASSI]; Liberal
Democratic Party or PLD [Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON]; Movement for
Democracy and Development or MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the
Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [the party of
deposed president, Ange-Felix PATASSE]; Patriotic Front for Progress
or FPP [Abel GOUMBA]; People's Union for the Republic or UPR [Pierre
Sammy MAKFOY]; National Unity Party or PUN [Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE];
Social Democratic Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE]

Chad
Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarlejy YORONGAR];
National Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Mamadou BISSO];
National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO];
Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat Saleh AHMAT, chairman]
(originally in opposition but now the party in power and the party
of the president); Rally for Democracy and Progress or RPD [leader
NA]; Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal Abdelkader
KAMOUGUE]; Viva Rally for Development and Progress or Viva RNDP
[Delwa Kassire COUMAKOYE]

Chile
Alliance for Chile ("Alianza") or APC - including RN and UDI;
Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Adolfo ZALDIVAR]; Coalition of
Parties for Democracy ("Concertacion") or CPD - including PDC, PS,
PPD, PRSD; Communist Party or PC [Gladys MARIN]; Independent
Democratic Union or UDI [Pablo LONGUEIRA]; National Renewal or RN
[Sebastian PINERA]; Party for Democracy or PPD [Victor BARRUETO];
Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD [Orlando CANTUARIAS];
Socialist Party or PS [Gonzalo MARTNER]

China
Chinese Communist Party or CCP [HU Jintao, General Secretary
of the Central Committee]; eight registered small parties controlled
by CCP

Christmas Island
none

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
none

Colombia
Conservative Party or PSC [Carlos HOLGUIN Sardi]; Liberal
Party or PL [Camilo SANCHEZ]; Colombian Communist Party or PCC
[Jaime CAICEDO]; Democratic Pole or PDI [Antonio NAVARRO Wolff]
note: Colombia has about 60 formally recognized political parties,
most of which do not have a presence in either house of Congress

Comoros
Forces pour l'Action Republicaine or FAR [Col. Abdourazak
ABDULHAMID]; Forum pour la Redressement National or FRN (alliance of
12 parties); Front Democratique or FD [Moustoifa Said CHEIKH]; Front
National pour la Justice or FNJ (Islamic party in opposition) [Ahmed
RACHID]; Movement des Citoyens pour la Republique or MCR [Mahamoud
MRADABI]; Mouvement Populaire Anjouanais or MPA (Anjouan separatist
movement) [leader NA]; Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress
or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Movement pour le Socialisme et la
Democratie or MSD (splinter group of FD) [Abdou SOEFOU]; Parti
Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE];
Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND (party of the
government) [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE]

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Democratic Social Christian Party
or PDSC [Andre BO-BOLIKO]; Forces for Renovation for Union and
Solidarity or FONUS [Joseph OLENGHANKOY]; National Congolese
Lumumbist Movement or MNC [Francois LUMUMBA]; Popular Movement of
the Revolution or MPR (three factions: MPR-Fait Prive [Catherine
NZUZI wa Mbombo]; MPR/Vunduawe [Felix VUNDUAWE]; MPR/Mananga
[MANANGA Dintoka Mpholo]); Unified Lumumbast Party or PALU [Antoine
GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne
TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba]; Union of Federalists and Independent
Republicans or UFERI (two factions: UFERI [Lokambo OMOKOKO];
UFERI/OR [Adolph Kishwe MAYA])

Congo, Republic of the
the most important of the many parties are
the Democratic and Patriotic Forces or FDP (an alliance of
Convention for Alternative Democracy, Congolese Labor Party or PCT,
Liberal Republican Party, National Union for Democracy and Progress,
Patriotic Union for the National Reconstruction, and Union for the
National Renewal) [Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, president]; Congolese
Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel
MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin
MBERI]; Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre
Thystere TCHICAYA, president]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic
or RDR [Raymond Damasge NGOLLO]; Union for Democracy and Republic or
UDR [leader NA]; Union of Democratic Forces or UFD [Sebastian EBAO]

Cook Islands
Cook Islands People's Party or CIP [Geoffrey HENRY];
Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Terepai MAOATE]; New Alliance
Party or NAP [Norman GEORGE]; Cook Islands National Party or CIN
[Teariki HEATHER]; Demo Party Tumu [Robert WOONTON]

Costa Rica
Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen
Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or
PRC [Justo OROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Juan Carlos
CHAVES Mora]; Democratic National Alliance [Emilia RODRIGUEZ];
General Union Party or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega];
Homeland First [Juan Jose VARGAS]; Independent Worker Party or PIO
[Jose Alberto CUBERO Carmona]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML
[Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC
[Victor GONZALEZ]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ
Cespedes]; National Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio
PACHECO]; National Patriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique REYNOLDS
Vargas]; National Rescue Party or PRN [Carlos VARGAS Solano];
Patriotic Union [Humberto ARCE]; Popular Vanguard [Trino BARRANTES
Araya]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Lorena VASQUEZ Badilla]

Cote d'Ivoire
Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire-African Democratic
Rally or PDCI-RDA [Aime Henri Konan BEDIE]; Ivorian Popular Front or
FPI [Laurent GBAGBO]; Ivorian Worker's Party or PIT [Francis WODIE];
Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Alassane OUATTARA]; Union for
Democracy and Peace or UDPCI [leader NA]; over 20 smaller parties

Croatia
Croatian Bloc or HB [Ivic PASALIC]; Croatian Christian
Democratic Union or HKDU [Anto KOVACEVIC]; Croatian Democratic Union
or HDZ [Ivo SANADER]; Croatian Party of Rights or HSP [Anto DJAPIC];
Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Zlatko TOMCIC]; Croatian Pensioner
Party or HSU [Vladimir JORDAN]; Croatian People's Party or HNS
[Vesna PUSIC]; Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Ivan CEHOK];
Croatian True Revival Party or HIP [Miroslav TUDJMAN]; Democratic
Centre or DC [Vesna SKARE-OZBOLT]; Independent Democratic Serb Party
or SDSS [Vojislav STRANIMIROVIC]; Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS
[Ivan JAKOVCIC]; Liberal Party or LS [Zlatko BENASIC]; Party of
Liberal Democrats or Libra [Jozo RADOS]; Social Democratic Party of
Croatia or SDP [Ivica RACAN]

Cuba
only party - Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz,
first secretary]

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: Democratic Party or DIKO [Tassos
PAPADOPOULOS]; Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADHIS];
Fighting Democratic Movement or ADIK [Dinos MIKHAILIDIS]; Green
Party of Cyprus [George PERDIKIS]; New Horizons [Nikolaus KOUTSOU];
Restorative Party of the Working People or AKEL (Communist Party)
[Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS]; Social Democrats Movement or KISOS
(formerly United Democratic Union of Cyprus or EDEK) [Yiannakis
OMIROU]; United Democrats Movement or EDE [George VASSILIOU]; north
Cyprus: Democratic Party or DP [Serder DENKTASH]; National Birth
Party or UDP [Enver EMIN]; National Unity Party or UBP [Dervis
EROGLU]; Our Party or BP [Okyay SADIKOGLU]; Patriotic Unity Movement
or YBH [Alpay DURDURAN]; Peace and Democratic Movement [Mustafa
AKINCI]; Republican Turkish Party or CTP [Mehmet ALI TALAT]

Czech Republic
Christian and Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's
Party or KDU-CSL [Miroslav KALOUSEK, chairman]; Civic Democratic
Alliance or ODA [Jirina NOVAKOVA, chairman]; Civic Democratic Party
or ODS [Mirek TOPOLANEK, chairman]; Communist Party of Bohemia and
Moravia or KSCM [Miroslav GREBENICEK, chairman]; Communist Party of
Czechoslovakia or KSC [Miroslav STEPAN, chairman]; Czech National
Social Party of CSNS [Jaroslav ROVNY, chairman]; Czech Social
Democratic Party or CSSD [Stanislav GROSS, acting chairman];
European Democrats [Jan KASL]; Freedom Union-Democratic Union or
US-DEU [Pavel NEMEC, chairman]; Green Party; Open Democracy

Denmark
Center Democratic Party [Mimi JAKOBSEN]; Christian Democrats
(was Christian People's Party) [Marianne KARLSMOSE]; Conservative
Party (sometimes known as Conservative People's Party) [Bendt
BENDTSEN]; Danish People's Party [Pia KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Party
[Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN]; Social Democratic Party [Mogens LYKKETOFT];
Social Liberal Party (sometimes called the Radical Left) [Marianne
JELVED, leader; Soren BALD, chairman]; Socialist People's Party
[Holger K. NIELSEN]; Red-Green Unity List (bloc includes Left
Socialist Party, Communist Party of Denmark, Socialist Workers'
Party) [collective leadership]

Djibouti
Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh];
Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; Djibouti
Development Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]; Front pour la
Restauration de l'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD];
People's Progress Assembly or RPP (governing party) [Ismail Omar
GUELLEH]; Peoples Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon
FARAH]; Republican Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed Dini AHMED];
Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ [leader NA]

Dominica
Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica
Labor Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT]; United Workers Party or UWP
[Edison JAMES]

Dominican Republic
Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel
FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Vicente
Sanchez BARET]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique
ATUN]

East Timor
Associacao Social-Democrata Timorense or ASDT [Francisco
Xavier do AMARAL]; Christian Democratic Party of Timor or PDC
[Antonio XIMENES]; Christian Democratic Union of Timor or UDC
[Vicente da Silva GUTERRES]; Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de
ARAUJO]; Liberal Party or PL [leader NA]; Maubere Democratic Party
or PDM [leader NA]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER];
Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor or FRETILIN [Lu OLO];
Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario CARRASCALAO];
Socialist Party of Timor or PST [leader Avelino COELHO]; Sons of the
Mountain Warriors (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes) or
KOTA [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL]; Timor Democratic Union or UDT
[Joao CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor Party or PTT [Paulo Freitas DA
SILVA]; Timorese Nationalist Party or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO]; Timorese
Popular Democratic Association or APODETI [Frederico Almeida-Santos
DA COSTA]

Ecuador
Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP [Averroes BUCARAM];
Democratic Left or ID [Guillermo LANDAZURI]; National Action
Institutional Renewal Party or PRIAN [Alvaro NOBOA]; Pachakutik
Movement [Gilberto TALAHUA]; Patriotic Society Party or PSP [Lucio
GUTIERREZ Borbua]; Popular Democracy or DP [Dr. Juan Manuel
FUERTES]; Popular Democratic Movement or MPD [Gustavo TERAN Acosta];
Radical Alfarista Front or FRA [Fabian ALARCON, director]; Roldosist
Party or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director]; Social Christian
Party or PSC [Leon FEBRES CORDERO]; Socialist Party - Broad Front or
PS-FA [Victor GRANDA]

Egypt
Nasserist Arab Democratic Party or Nasserists [Dia' al-din
DAWUD]; National Democratic Party or NDP [President Mohammed Hosni
MUBARAK] - governing party; National Progressive Unionist Grouping
or Tagammu [Rifaat EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP [No'man GOMA];
Socialist Liberal Party or Al-Ahrar [Hilmi SALIM]; Tomorrow Party or
Al-Ghad [Ayman NOUR]
note: formation of political parties must be approved by the
government

El Salvador
Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER];
United Democratic Center or CDU [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general];
Democratic Party or PD [Jorge MELENDEZ]; Farabundo Marti National
Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ]; Liberal Democratic
Party or PLD [Kirio Waldo SALGADO, president]; National Action Party
or PAN [Gustavo Rogelio SALINAS, secretary general]; National
Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA, president]; National
Republican Alliance or ARENA [Elias Antonio SACA]; Social Christian
Union or USC (formed by the merger of Christian Social Renewal Party
or PRSC and Unity Movement or MU) [Abraham RODRIGUEZ, president];
Social Democratic Party or PSD [Juan MEDRANO]

Equatorial Guinea
Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS
[Placido MIKO Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE
(ruling party) [Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO]; Party for Progress
of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action of
Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Miguel Esono EMAN]; Popular Union or UP
[Andres Moises Bda ADA]; Progressive Democratic Alliance or ADP
[Victorino Bolekia BONAY]; Union of Independent Democrats of UDI
[Daniel OYONO]

Eritrea
People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, the only
party recognized by the government [ISAIAS Afworki]; note - a
National Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in
January 2001, but the full National Assembly has not yet debated or
voted on it

Estonia
Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR,
chairman]; Estonian People's Union (Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN,
chairman]; Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) [Andrus ANSIP];
Estonian United Russian People's Party or EUVRP [Yevgeniy TOMBERG,
chairman]; Pro Patria Union (Isamaaliit) [Tunne KELAM, chairman];
Res Publica [Juhan PARTS, chairman]; Social Democratic Party
(formerly People's Party Moodukad or Moderates) [Ivari PADAR,
chairman]; Social Liberals (group of 8 parliamentarians, former
Center Party members) [Peeter Kreitzberg]

Ethiopia
Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP [leader NA]; Amhara
National Democratic Movement or ANDM [ADDISU Legesse]; Bench Madji
People's Democratic Organization or BMPDO [leader NA]; Benishangul
Gumuz People's Democratic Unity Front or BGPDUF [leader NA];
Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF [MELES
Zenawi] (an alliance of ANDM, OPDO, SEPDF, and TPLF); Gedeyo
People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or GPRDF [leader NA]; Gurage
Nationalities' Democratic Movement or GNDM [leader NA]; Kafa Shaka
People's Democratic Organization or KSPDO [leader NA]; Kembata,
Alabaa and Tembaro or KAT [leader NA]; Oromo People's Democratic
Organization or OPDO [JUNEDI Sado]; Sidamo People's Democratic
Organization or SPDO [leader NA]; South Omo People's Democratic
Movement or SOPDM [leader NA]; Tigrayan People's Liberation Front or
TPLF [MELES Zenawi]; Walayta, Gamo, Gofa, Dawro, and Konta People's
Democratic Organization or WGGPDO [leader NA]; dozens of small
parties

European Union
Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for
Europe or ALDE [Graham R. WATSON]; Independence/Democracy Group or
IND/DEM [Jens-Peter BONDE and Nigel FARAGE]; Group of
Greens/European Free Alliance or Greens/EFA [Monica FRASSONI and
Daniel Marc COHN-BENDIT]; Socialist Group in the European Parliament
or PES [Martin SCHULZ]; Confederal Group of the European United
Left-Nordic Green Left or EUL/NGL [Francis WURTZ]; European People's
Party-European Democrats or EPP-ED [Hans-Gert POETTERING]; Union for
Europe of the Nations Group or UEN [Brian CROWLEY and Cristiana
MUSCARDINI]

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
none; all independents

Faroe Islands
Center Party [Jenis A. RANA]; Independence Party
[Helena Dam a NEYSTABO]; People's Party [Anfinn KALLSBERG];
Republican Party [Hogni HOYDAL]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes
EIDESGAARD]; Union Party [Lisbeth PETERSEN]

Fiji
Bai Kei Viti Party or BKV [Ratu Tevita MOMOEDONU]; Conservative
Alliance Party/Matanitu Vanua or MV [Ratu Rakuita VAKALALABURE];
Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic
Party or FDP [Felipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat
Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian Association Party or
FAP [Adi Kuini SPEED], Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily
Fijian) [Felipe BOLE], and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Tupeni
BABA]); Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDRHRY]; General Voters
Party or GVP [leader NA] (became part of United General Party);
Girmit Heritage Party or GHP [leader NA]; Justice and Freedom Party
or AIM [leader NA]; Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR [leader NA];
National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Pramond RAE];
Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of
National Unity or PANU [Meli BOGILEKA]; Party of the Truth or POTT
[leader NA]; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or
SDL [Laisenia QARASE]; United General Party or UGP [Millis Mick
BEDDOES]

Finland
Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats
or KD [Paivi RASANEN]; Green League or VIHR [Osmo SOININVAARA]; Left
Alliance or VAS composed of People's Democratic League and
Democratic Alternative [Suvi-Anne SIIMES]; National Coalition
(conservative) Party or Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic
Party or SDP [Paavo LIPPONEN]; Swedish People's Party or SFP
[Jan-Erik ENESTAM]

France
Citizen and Republican Movement or MCR [Jean Pierre
CHEVENEMENT]; Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly
RAD. and PRG) [Jacques PELLETIER]; French Communist Party or PCF
[Marie-George BUFFET]; Left Radical Party or PRG (previously Radical
Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG)
[Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE
VILLIERS]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Socialist Party
or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; Greens [Gilles LEMAIRE, Francine BAVAY,
Jean DESESSARD, Christophe PORQUIER, Maud LELIEVRE]; Union for
French Democracy or UDF [Francois BAYROU]; Union for a Popular
Movement or UMP (including RPR, DL, and a part of UDF) [Nicolas
SARKOZY]

French Guiana
Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE];
Guyanese Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Guyana
Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Popular National Guyanese
Party or PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Socialist Party or PS [Paul DEBRIETTE];
Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [Muriel ICARE]; Walwari
Committee (aligned with the PRG in France) [Christine
TAUBIRA-DELANON]

French Polynesia
Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia
(Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api)
[Emile VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or
RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; The New Star (Te Fetia
Api) [Philippe SHYLE]; This Country is Yours (No Oe E Te Nunaa)
[Nicle BOUTEAU]; Union for Democracy or UPD [Oscar TEMARU]

Gabon
Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface
ASSELE]; Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE
[Divungui-di-Ndinge DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG,
former sole party [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA]; Gabonese Party for
Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE,]; National Rally of
Woodcutters-Rally for Gabon or RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul
M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA];
Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Pierre EMBONI]; Social
Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]

Gambia, The
Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or
APRC [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; Gambian People's Party-Progressive
People's Party-United Democratic Party or GPP-PPP-UDP Coalition
[Ousainou DARBOE]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sheriff DIBBA];
National Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People's
Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS
[Sidia JATTA]
note: in August 2001, an independent electoral commission allowed
the reregistration of the GPP, NCP, and PPP, three parties banned
since 1996

Georgia
Burjanadze-Democrats [Nino BURJANADZE]; Georgian People's
Front [Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian United Communist Party or UCPG
[Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Greens [Giorgi GACHECHILADZE]; Industry
Will Save Georgia (Industrialists) or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE]; Labor
Party [Shalva NATELASHVILI]; National Democratic Party or NDP
[Bachuki KARDAVA]; National Movement Democratic Front [Mikheil
SAAKASHVILI] bloc composed of National Movement and
Burjanadze-Democrats; National Movement [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI]; New
Right [Levaii GACHECHILADZE]; Republican Party [David
BERDZENISHVILI]; Rightist Opposition [Davit GAMKRELIDZE] bloc
composed of Industrialists and New Right Party; Socialist Party or
SPG [Irakli MINDELI]; Traditionalists [Akaki ASATIANI]; Union of
National Forces-Conservatives [Koba DAVITASHVILI and Zviad
DZIDZIGURI]

Germany
Alliance '90/Greens [Angelika BEER and Reinhard BUETIKOFER];
Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Angela MERKEL]; Christian Social
Union or CSU [Edmund STOIBER, chairman]; Free Democratic Party or
FDP [Guido WESTERWELLE, chairman]; Party of Democratic Socialism or
PDS [Lothar BISKY]; Social Democratic Party or SPD [Franz
MUENTEFERING]

Ghana
Convention People's Party or CPP [Nii Noi DOWUONA, general
secretary]; Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE [Owuraku AMOFA,
chairman]; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan LARTY];
National Convention Party or NCP [Sarpong KUMA-KUMA]; National
Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Huudu YAHAYA, general secretary];
New Patriotic Party or NPP [Samuel Arthur ODOI-SYKES]; People's
Convention Party or PCP [P. K. DONKOH-AYIFI, acting chairman];
People's Heritage Party or PHP [Emmanuel Alexander ERSKINE];
People's National Convention or PNC [Edward MAHAMA]; Reform Party
[Kyeretwie OPUKU, general secretary]

Gibraltar
Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social
Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or
GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO]

Greece
Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Alekos
ALAVANOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New
Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS];
Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Yiorgos PAPANDREOU];
Popular Orthodox Rally [Yeoryios KARATZAFERIS]

Greenland
Atassut Party (Solidarity, a conservative party favoring
continuing close relations with Denmark) [Augusta SALLING];
Demokratiit [Per BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo
Brotherhood, a leftist party favoring complete independence from
Denmark rather than home rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT]; Issituup (Polar
Party) [Nicolai HEINRICH]; Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List, an
independent right-of-center party with no official platform [leader
NA]; Siumut (Forward Party, a social democratic party advocating
more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from
Denmark) [Hans ENOKSEN]

Grenada
Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Herbert PREUDHOMME];
National Democratic Congress or NDC [leader vacant]; New National
Party or NNP [George McGUIRE]; People Labor Movement or PLM [leader
NA]

Guadeloupe
Communist Party of Guadeloupe or PCG [Mona CADOCE]; FGPS
[Dominique LARIFLA]; Left Radical Party or PRG [Flavien FERRANT];
Progressive Democratic Party or PPDG [Henri BANGOU]; Socialist Party
or PS [Marlene MELISSE and Favrot DAVRAIN]; Union for French
Democracy or UDF [Marcel ESDRAS]; Union for a Popular Movement or
UMP [Robert JOYEUX]

Guam
Democratic Party (controls the legislature) [speaker, Vicente
(Ben) PANGELINAN]; Republican Party (party of Governor CAMACHO)
[leader NA]

Guatemala
Authentic Integral Development or DIA [Eduardo SUGER];
Democratic Union or UD [Rodolfo PAIZ Andrade]; Grand National
Alliance or GANA [Oscar BERGER Perdomo]; Green Party or LOV [Rodolfo
ROSALES Garcis-Salaz]; Guatemalan Christian Democracy or DCG
[Vinicio CEREZO Arevalo]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or
URNG [Alba ESTELA Maldonado, secretary general]; Guatemalan
Republican Front or FRG [Efrain RIOS Montt]; Movement for Guatemalan
Unity or MGU [Jacobo ARBENZ Villanueva]; Movement for Principals and
Values or MPV [Francisco BIANCHI]; National Advancement Party or PAN
[Leonel LOPEZ Rodas, secretary general]; National Unity for Hope or
UNE [Alvarado COLOM Caballeros]; New Nation Alliance or ANN, formed
by an alliance of DIA, URNG, and several splinter groups most of
whom subsequently defected [led by three co-equal partners - Nineth
Varenca MONTENEGRO Cottom, Rodolfo BAUER Paiz, and Jorge Antonio
BALSELLS TUT]; Patriot Party or PP [retired General Otto PEREZ
Molina]; Progressive Liberator Party or PLP [Acisclo VALLADARES
Molina]; Reform Movement or MR [Alfredo SKINNER-KLEE, secretary
general]; Unionista Party [leader NA]

Guernsey
none; all independents

Guinea
Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or
PDG-RDA [El Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; National Union for
Progress or UPN [Mamadou Bhoye BARRY]; Party for Unity and Progress
or PUP [Lansana CONTE] - the governing party; People's Party of
Guinea or PPG [Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People or RPG
[Alpha CONDE]; Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR [Siradiou
DIALLO]; Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE,
secretary-general]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]

Guinea-Bissau
African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau
and Cape Verde or PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Front for the
Liberation and Independence of Guinea or FLING [Francois MENDY];
Guinea-Bissau Resistance-Ba Fata Movement or RGB-MB [Helder Vaz
LOPES]; Guinean Civic Forum or FCG [Antonieta Rosa GOMES];
International League for Ecological Protection or LIPE [Alhaje
Bubacar DJALO, president]; National Union for Democracy and Progress
or UNDP [Abubacer BALDE, secretary general]; Party for Democratic
Convergence or PCD [Victor MANDINGA]; Social Renovation Party or PRS
[Kumba YALA]; Union for Change or UM [Jorge MANDINGA, president, Dr.
Anne SAAD, secretary general]; United Platform or UP [coalition
formed by PCD, FDS, FLING, and RGB-MB]; United Social Democratic
Party or PUSD [Francisco Jose FADUL]

Guyana
Alliance for Guyana or AFG (includes Guyana Labor Party or
GLP and Working People's Alliance or WPA) [Rupert ROOPNARAINE];
Guyana Action Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Guyana Labor Party or GLP
[leader NA]; People's National Congress or PNC/R [Robert Herman
Orlando CORBIN]; People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat
JAGDEO]; Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi DEV]; The United
Force or TUF [Manzoor NADIR]; Working People's Alliance or WPA
[Rupert ROOPNARAINE]

Haiti
Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or ALAH
[Reynold GEORGES]; Assembly of Progressive National Democrats or
RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Convention for Democratic Unity or KID
[leader Evans PAUL]; Democratic Convergence (opposition coalition
composed of KID, KONAKOM, OPL, PANPRA, RNDP, MIDH, and MOCHRENA)
[Evans PAUL, Victor BENOIT, Edgard LEBLANC, Serge GILLES, Leslie
MANIGAT, Marc BAZIN, Luc MESADIEU]; Democratic Movement for the
Liberation of Haiti or MODELH [Francois LATORTUE]; Grand Center
Right Front coalition (composed of MDN, MRN, and PDCH) [Hubert de
RONCERAY, Jean BUTEAU, Osner FEVRY and Marie-Denise CLAUDE]; Haitian
Christian Democratic Party or PDCH [Osner FEVRY and Marie-Denise
CLAUDE]; Haitian Democratic Party or PADEMH [Clark PARENT]; Haitian
Democratic and Reform Movement or MODEREH [Dany TOUSSAINT and Pierre
Soncon PRINCE]; Heads Together [Dr. Gerard BLOT]; Lavalas Family or
FL [Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE]; Liberal Party of Haiti or PLH [Michael
MADSEN]; Mobilization for National Development or MDN [Hubert DE
RONCERAY]; Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN [Jean
BUTEAU]; Movement for the Installation of Democracy in Haiti or MIDH
[Marc BAZIN]; National Front for the Reconstruction of Haiti or FRON
[Guy PHILIPPE and Winter ETIENNE]; National Progressive Democratic
Party or PNDPH [Turneb DELPE]; New Christian Movement for a New
Haiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Popular Party for the Renewal of
Haiti, or Generation 2000 [Claude ROMAIN and Daniel SUPPLICE];
Struggling People's Organization or OPL [Edgard LEBLANC]

Holy See (Vatican City)
none

Honduras
Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Juan Ramon VELAZQUEZ
Nassar]; Democratic Unification Party or PUD [Matias FUNES]; Liberal
Party or PL [Roberto MICHELETTI Bain]; National Innovation and Unity
Party-Social Democratic Party or PINU-SD [Olban F. VALLADARES];
National Party of Honduras or PN [Jose Celin DISCUA Elvir]; United
Confederation of Honduran Workers or CUTH

Hong Kong
Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL
[Frederick FUNG Kin-kee, chairman]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN
Kai-chung]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong or
DAB [MA Lik, chairman]; Democratic Party [LEE Wing-tat, chairman];
Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing, chairwoman]; Liberal Party
[James TIEN Pei-chun, chairman]
note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - Association for
Democracy and People's Livelihood, Democratic Party, Frontier Party;
pro-Beijing - Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong,
Hong Kong Progressive Alliance, Liberal Party

Hungary
Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Gabor KUNCZE];
Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz-MPP [Viktor ORBAN, chairman];
Hungarian Democratic Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian
Democratic People's Party or MDNP [Erzsebet PUSZTAI, chairman];
Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP [Istvan HILLER, chairman];
Hungarian Workers' Party or MMP [Gyula THURMER, chairman]

Iceland
Independence Party or IP [David ODDSSON]; Left-Green
Alliance or LGP [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon
KRISTJANSSON]; Progressive Party or PP [Halldor ASGRIMSSON]; Social
Democratic Alliance (includes People's Alliance or PA, Social
Democratic Party or SDP, Women's List) or SDA [Ossur SKARPHEDINSSON]

India
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or AIADMK [C.
Jayalalitha JAYARAM]; All India Forward Bloc or AIFB, [D. BISWAS,
general secretary]; Asom Gana Parishad [Brindaban GOSWAMI]; Bahujan
Samaj Party or BSP [MAYAWATI]; Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP
[Venkaiah NAIDU]; Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen PATNAIK]; Communist
Party of India or CPI [Ardhendu Bhushan BARDHAN]; Communist Party of
India/Marxist-Leninist or CPI/ML [Dipankar BHATTACHARYA]; Congress
(I) Party [Sonia GANDHI]; Dravida Munnetra Kazagham or DMK (a
regional party in Tamil Nadu) [M. KARUNANIDHI]; Indian National
Congress or INC [leader NA]; Indian National League [Suliaman
SAITH]; Janata Dal (Secular) [H. D. Deve GOWDA]; Janata Dal (United)
or JDU [Sharad YADAV]; Jharkhand Mukti Morcha or JMM [leader NA];
Kerala Congress (Mani faction) [K. M. MANI]; Lok Jan Shakti Party or
LSP [leader NA]; Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or MDMK
[VAIKO]; Muslim League [G. M. BANATWALA]; Nationalist Congress Party
or NCP [Sharad PAWAR]; Pattali Makkal Katchi or PMK [leader NA];
Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD [Laloo Prasad YADAV]; Revolutionary
Socialist Party or RSP [Abani ROY]; Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam
Singh YADAV]; Shiromani Akali Dal or SAD [G. S. TOHRA]; Shiv Sena or
SS [Bal THACKERAY]; Tamil Maanila Congress [G. K. VASAN]; Telangana
Rashtra Samithi or TRS [leader NA]; Telugu Desam Party or TDP
[Chandrababu NAIDU]; Trinamool Congress [Mamata BANERJEE]

Indonesia
Crescent Moon and Star Party or PBB [Yusril Ihza MAHENDRA,
chairman]; Democratic Party or PD [Subur BUDHISANTOSO, chairman];
Functional Groups Party or Golkar [Yusuf KALLA, chairman]; Indonesia
Democratic Party-Struggle or PDI-P [MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri,
chairperson]; National Awakening Party or PKB [Alwi SHIHAB,
chairman]; National Mandate Party or PAN [Amien RAIS, chairman];
Prosperous Justice Party or PKS [MAHFUD, acting chairman]; United
Development Party or PPP [Hamzah HAZ, chairman]

Iran
formal political parties are a relatively new phenomenon in the
Islamic Republic and most conservatives still prefer to work through
political pressure groups rather than parties; a loose pro-reform
coalition called the 2nd Khordad front, which includes political
parties as well as less formal pressure groups and organizations,
achieved considerable success at elections to the sixth Majles in
early 2000; groups in the coalition include: Islamic Iran
Participation Front (IIPF); Executives of Construction Party
(Kargozaran); Solidarity Party; Islamic Labor Party; Mardom Salari;
Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization (MIRO); and
Militant Clerics Society (Ruhaniyun); the coalition is expected to
participate in the seventh Majles elections in early 2004; a new
apparently conservative group, the Builders of Islamic Iran, took a
leading position in the new Majles afte winning a majority of the
seats in February 2004

Iraq
note - the Iraqi political parties included below reflect only
the major groups; new political parties continue to emerge,
indicative of a rapidly changing political landscape; Al-Sadr
Movement [Muqtada Al-SADR]; Da'wa Party [Ibrahim al-JA'FARI]; Iraqi
Hizballah [Karim Mahud al-MUHAMMADAWI]; Iraqi National Accord or INA
[Ayad ALLAWI]; Iraqi National Congress or INC [Ahmad CHALABI];
Jama'at al Fadilah or JAF [Ayatollah Muhammad ' Ali al-YAQUBI]; The
Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq or SCIRI [Abd
al-Aziz al-HAKIM]; Constitutional Monarchy Movement or CMM [Sharif
Ali Bin al-HUSAYN]; Independent Iraqi Alliance or IIA [Falah
al-NAQIB]; Iraqi Independent Democrats or IID [Adnan PACHACHI, Mahdi
al-HAFIZ]; Iraqi Islamic Party or IIP [Muhsin Abd al-HAMID, Hajim
al-HASSANI]; Iraqi National Unity Movement or INUM [Ahmad
al-KUBAYSI, chariman]; Muslim Ulama Council or MUC [Harith Sulayman
al-DARI, secretary general]; Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP
[Masud BARZANI]; Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [Jalal TALABANI]

Ireland
Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green
Party [Trevor SARGENT]; Labor Party [Pat RABITTE]; Progressive
Democrats [Mary HARNEY]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party
[Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Sean GARLAND]

Israel
Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash) [Muhammad
BARAKA]; Green Leaf Party (no longer active) [Boaz WACHTEL and
Shlomi SANDAK]; Herut (no longer active) [Michael KLEINER]; Labor
Party [Shimon PERES]; Likud Party [Ariel SHARON]; Meretz (merged
with YAHAD) [Zahava GALON]; National Democratic Assembly (Balad)
[Azmi BISHARA]; National Religious Party [Ephraim "Efie" EITAM];
National Union (Haichud Haleumi) [Avigdor LIBERMAN] (includes Tekuma
Moledet and Yisra'el Beiteinu); One Nation [David TAL]; Shas
[Eliyahu YISHAI]; Shinui [Yosef "Tommy" LAPID]; United Arab List
[Abd al-Malik DAHAMSHAH]; United Torah Judaism [Yaakov LITZMAN];
YAHAD [Yossi BEILIN]; Yisra'el Ba'Aliya or YBA (merged with Likud)
[Natan SHARANSKY]

Italy
Center-Left Olive Tree Coalition [Francesco RUTELLI] -
Democrats of the Left, Daisy Alliance (including Italian Popular
Party, Italian Renewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The
Democrats), Sunflower Alliance (including Green Federation, Italian
Democratic Socialists), Italian Communist Party; Center-Right
Freedom House Coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI] (formerly House of
Liberties and Freedom Alliance) - Forza Italia, National Alliance,
The Whiteflower Alliance (includes Christian Democratic Center,
United Christian Democrats), Northern League; Democrats of the Left
or DS [Piero FASSINO]; Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; Green
Federation [Alfonso Pecoraro SCANIO]; Italian Communist Party or
PdCI [Armando COSSUTTA]; Italian Renewal or RI [Lamberto DINI];
merged with PPI and I Democratici to form La Margherita (or The
Daisy Alliance); Italian Social Democrats or SDI [Enrico BOSELLI];
Lega Padana [Roberto BERNARDELLI]; National Alliance or AN
[Gianfranco FINI]; Northern League or NL [Umberto BOSSI]; Socialist
Movement-Tricolor Flame or MS-Fiamma [Luca ROMAGNOLI]; South Tyrol
People's Party or SVP (German speakers) [Elmar Pichler ROLLE];
Sunflower Alliance (includes Green Federation, Italian Social
Democrats); The Daisy Alliance (includes Italian Popular Party,
Italian Renewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The Democrats)
[Francesco RUTELLI]; The Democrats [Arturo PARISI]; The Radicals
(formerly Pannella Reformers and Autonomous List) [Marco PANNELLA];
Union of Democrats for Europe or UDEUR [Clemente MASTELLA]; Union of
Christian and Center Democrats or UDC [Marco FOLLINI]

Jamaica
Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Edward SEAGA]; National
Democratic Movement or NDM [Hyacinth BENNETT]; People's National
Party or PNP [Percival James PATTERSON]

Japan
Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Katsuya OKADA, leader;
Tatsuo KAWABATA, secretary general]; Japan Communist Party or JCP
[Kazuo SHII, chairman; Tadayoshi ICHIDA, secretary general]; Komeito
[Takenori KANZAKI, president; Tetsuzo FUYUSHIBA, secretary general];
Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Junichiro KOIZUMI, president;
Tsutomu TAKEBE, secretary general]; Social Democratic Party or SDP
[Mizuho FUKUSHIMA, chairperson; Seiji MATAICHI, secretary general]

Jersey
none; all independents

Jordan
Al-Ahed Party [Khaldoun al-NASSER, secretary general];
Al-Ajyal [Muhammad KHALAYLEH, secretary general]; Ba'th Arab
Progressive Party [Mahmood MA'AYTEH, secretary general]; Al-Umma
(Nation) Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary general]; Arab Land
Party [Dr. Muhammad al-'ORAN, secretary general]; Communist Party
[Munir HAMARINAH, secretary general]; Constitutional Front [Mahdi
al-TALL, secretary general]; Democratic Arab Islamic Movement [Yusuf
ABU BAKR, president]; Green Party [Muhammad BATAYNEH, secretary
general]; Jordanian Democratic Left Party [Musa MA'AYTEH, secretary]
general; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id Dhiyab Ali
MUSTAFA, secretary general]; Jordanian Progressive Party [Fawwaz
al-ZUBI, secretary general]; Jordanian People's Democratic (Hashd)
Party [Salim al-NAHHAS, secretary general]; Islamic Action Front
[Hazma MANSOUR, secretary general]; Muslim Centrist Party [NA
leader]; National Action (Haqq) Party [Muhammad al-ZUBI, secretary
general]; National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI,
secretary general]; (Arab) Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysir al-HIMSI,
secretary general]; Pan-Arab (Democratic) Movement [Mahmud
al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]

Kazakhstan
Agrarian Party [Romin MADINOV]; AIST (Agrarian
Party-Civic Party Bloc); Ak Zhol Party "Bright Path" [Bulat ABILOV,
Uraz ZHANDOSOV, Lyudmila ZHULANOVA, Alikhan BAYMENOV, Altynbek
SARSENBAYEV, co-chairs]; ASAR "All Together" [Dariga NAZARBAYEVA,
chairwoman]; AUL "Village" [Gani KALIYEV]; Civic Party [Azat
PERUASHEV, first secretary]; Communist Party or KPK [Serikbolsyn
ABDILDIN, first secretary]; Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan
[Vladislav KOSAREV]; Democratic Choice Party of Kazakhstan
[Galiymzhan ZHAKIYANOV]; Democratic Party of Kazakhstan [Maksut
NARIKBAEV]; Otan "Fatherland" [Nursultan NAZARBAYEV, chairman];
Patriots' Party [Gani KASYMOV]; Rukhaniyat [Altynshash JAGANOVA]
note: twelve parties in Kazakhstan were registered for the elections
in the fall of 2004

Kenya
Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People
[Kimaniwa NYOIKE, chairman]; Kenya African National Union or KANU
[Uhuru KENYATTA]; National Rainbow Coalition or NARC [Mwai KIBAKI] -
the governing party

Kiribati
Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taberannang TIMEON];
Maneaban Te Mauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO]; Maurin Kiribati Pati
or MKP [leader NA]; National Progressive Party or NPP [Dr. Harry
TONG]
note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties
in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups
because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party
structures

Korea, North
major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong
Il, general secretary]; minor parties - Chondoist Chongu Party [RYU
Mi Yong, chairwoman] (under KWP control); Social Democratic Party
[KIM Yong Dae, chairman] (under KWP control)

Korea, South
Democratic Labor Party or DLP [KIM Hye-kyung,
chairwoman]; Grand National Party or GNP [PARK Geun-hye,
chairwoman]; Millennium Democratic Party or MDP [HAHN Hwa-kap,
chairman]; United Liberal Democrats or ULD [KIM Hak-won, chairman];
Uri Party [LIM Chae-jung, interim chairman]

Kuwait
none; formation of political parties is illegal

Kyrgyzstan
Adilet (Justice) Party [Toychubek KASYMOV]; Agrarian
Labor Party of Kyrgyzstan [Uson SYDYKOV]; Agrarian Party of
Kyrgyzstan [Erkin ALIYEV]; Alga, Kyrgyzstan (Forward, Kyrgyzstan)
[Bolot BEGALIYEV]; Ar-Namys (Dignity) Party [Emil ALIYEV]; Asaba
(Banner National Revival Party) [Azimbek BEKNAZAROV]; Ata-Meken
(Fatherland) [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV]; Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan
[Klara ADZHIBEKOVA]; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Jypar
JEKSHEYEV]; Erkin Kyrgyzstan Progressive and Democratic Party
[Bektur ASANOV]; Erkindik (Freedom) Party [Topchubek TURGUNALIYEV];
Future of Kyrgyzstan [Balbak TULEBAYEV]; Jany Kyrgyzstan (New
Kyrgyzstan) [Dosbol NUR UULU]; Kairan El [Dooronbek SADYKOV]; Kyrgyz
National Party [Bakyt BESHIMOV]; Kyrgyzstan Kelechegi [Ruslan
CHYNYBAYEV]; Manas El (Party of Spiritual Restoration) [Chingiz
AITMATOV]; Moya Strana (My Country Party of Action) [Joomart
OTORBAYEV]; Party of Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Bakytbek
BEKBOYEV]; Party of Justice and Progress [Muratbek IMANALIEV]; Party
of Peasants [Esengul ISAKOV]

Laos
Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphandon,
party president]; other parties proscribed

Latvia
Alliance of the Greens and Farmers Union or ZZS [Augusts
BRIGMANIS (Farmer's Union); Indulis EMSIS (Green Party)]; First
Party of Latvia [Ainars SLESERS]; For Human Rights in a United
Latvia or PCTVL [Jakovs PLINERS]; For Our Latvia or ML [Rihards
Jablokovs]; Latvian National Democratic Party or LNDP [Jevgenijs
Osiopovs]; Latvian National Front [Aivars GARDA]; Latvian
Social-Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Alfred
RUBIKS]; Latvia's Way Union or LC; Light of Latgale or LG; New Era
Party or JL [Einars REPSE]; New Politics Party or JP [Sergejs
DOLGOPOLOVS]; People's Harmony Party or TSP [Janis JURKANS];
People's Party or TP [Atis SLAKTERIS]; Social Democratic Union or
SDS [Egils BALDZENS]; Union for the Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK or
TB/LNNK [Janis STRAUME]; United Social Democratic Welfare Party or
SLP [Juris ZURAVLOVS]; United Republican Party of Latvia or LARP

Lebanon
political activity is organized along largely sectarian
lines; numerous political groupings exist, consisting of individual
political figures and followers motivated by religious, ethnic,
clan, and economic considerations

Lesotho
Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Tseliso MAKHAKHE]; Basotho
National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; Lesotho
Congress for Democracy or LCD [Phebe MOTEBANO, chairwoman; Pakalitha
MOSISILI, leader] - the governing party; Lesotho People's Congress
or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Charles
MOFELI]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP and Setlamo Alliance
[Vincent MALEBO]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Chief Peete
Nkoebe PEETE]; Sefate Democratic Party or SDP [Bofihla NKUEBE]

Liberia
Alliance of Political Parties (a coalition of LAP and LUP)
[leader NA]; All Liberia Coalition Party or ALCOP [Peter KERBAY];
Liberian Action Party or LAP [C. Gyude BRYANT]; Liberian People's
Party or LPP [Koffa NAGBE]; Liberia Unification Party or LUP [leader
NA]; National Patriotic Party or NPP [Cyril ALLEN] - governing
party; United People's Party or UPP [Wesley JOHNSON]; Unity Party or
UP [Charles CLARKE]

Libya
none

Liechtenstein
Patriotic Union (was Fatherland Union) or VU [Heinz
FROMMELT]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Johannes MATT]; The
Free List or FL [Dr. Pepo FRICK, Elisabeth TELLENBACH-FRICK, Adolf
RITTER]

Lithuania
Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles [Valdemar
TOMASZEVSKI, chairman]; Homeland Union/Conservative Party or TS
[Andrius KUBILIUS, chairman]; Labor Party [Viktor USPASKICH,
chairman]; Liberal and Center Union [Arturas ZUOKAS, chairman];
Liberal Democratic Party [Valentinas MAZURONIS, chairman];
Lithuanian Christian Democrats or LKD [Valentinas STUNDYS,
chairman]; Lithuanian People's Union for a Fair Lithuania;
Lithuanian Social Democratic Coalition [Algirdas BRAZAUSKAS,
chairman] consists of the Lithuanian Democratic Labor Party or LDDP
and the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party or LSDP; New Democracy
and Farmer's Union or VNDPS [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE, chairman]; Social
Liberals (New Union) [Arturas PAULAUSKAS, chairman]; Social Union of
Christian Conservatives [Gediminas VAGNORIUS, chairman]; Young
Lithuania and New Nationalists

Luxembourg
Action Committee for Democracy and Justice or ADR [Gast
GIBERYOEN]; Christian Social People's Party or CSV (known also as
Christian Social Party or PCS) [Francois BILTGEN]; Democratic Party
or DP [Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois BAUSCH]; Luxembourg
Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; Marxist and Reformed
Communist Party DEI LENK (the Left) [no formal leadership]; other
minor parties

Macau
Some civic associations operate as de facto political parties:
Electoral Union; Pro-Macao and Flower of Friendship and Development
of Macao; Associacao para a Defesa dos Interesses de Macao; Centro
Democratico de Macao; Grupo Independente de Macao; Macau Economic
Promotion Association; Progress Promotion Union; Development Union

Macedonia
Democratic Alliance [Pavle TRAJANOV]; Democratic
Alternative or DA [Vasil TUPURKOVSKI, president]; Democratic League
of the Bosniaks [Rafet MUMINOVIC]; Democratic Party of Albanians or
PDSH/DPA [Arben XHAFERI, president]; Democratic Party of Serbs [Ivan
STOILJKOVIC]; Democratic Party of Turks [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic
Republican Union of Macedonia or DRUM [Dosta DIMOVSKA]; Democratic
Union of Vlachs for Macedonia [leader NA]; Democratic Union for
Integration or BDI/DUI [Ali AHMETI]; Internal Macedonian
Revolutionary Organization-Agrarian Party or VMRO-Agrarian Party
[Marjan GJORCEV]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary
Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or
VMRO-DPMNE (including VMRO and LDT) [Nikola GRUEVSKI]; Internal
Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-True Macedonian Option or
VMRO-Vistinska [Boris ZMEJKOVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary
Organization-Macedonian [Boris STOJMENOV]; Internal Macedonian
Revolutionary Organization-People's Party or VMRO-Narodna [Vesna
JANEVSKA]; League for Democracy [Gjorgi MARJANOVIC]; Liberal
Democratic Party or LDP [Risto PENOV]; Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV];
National Democratic Party or PDK [Basri HALITI]; National Farmers'
Party [VejljoTANTAROV]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD/PDP
[Abduljhadi VEJSELI]; Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or
SDSM [Vlado BUCKOVSKI, president]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or
SP [Ljubisav IVANOV, president]; Together for Macedonia coalition
(including the SDSM and LDP) [Vlado BUCKOVSI]; United Party for
Emancipation or OPE [Nezdet MUSTAFA]

Madagascar
Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA
[Pierrot RAJAONARIVO]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for
National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana
Party or FP [Guy-Willy RAZANAMASY]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [Marc
RAVALOMANANA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD
[Evariste MARSON]

Malawi
Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Chakufwa CHIHANA]; Malawi
Congress Party or MCP [John TEMBO]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP
[Kampelo KALUA]; Malawi Forum for Unity and Development or MAFUNDE
[George MNESA]; Mgwirizano Coalition or MC (coalition of MAFUNDE,
MDP, MGODE, NUP, PETRA, PPM, RP) [Gwandaguluwe Chakuamba]; Movement
for Genuine Democratic Change or MGODE [Sam Kandodo BANDA]; National
Democratic Alliance or NDA [Brown MPINGANJIRA]; National Unity Party
or NUP [Harry CHIUME]; New Congress for Democracy or NCD [Hetherwick
NTABA]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Aleke BANDA]; People's
Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu CHIBAMBO]; Republican Party
or RP [Gwandaguluwe Chakuamba]; United Democratic Front or UDF
[Bingu wa MUTHARIKA] - governing party

Malaysia
ruling-coalition National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN,
consisting of the following parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party
or PGRM [LIM Keng Yaik]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal
Demokratik - Sabah) or LDP [CHONG Kah Kiat]; Malaysian Chinese
Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [ONG Ka Ting];
Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongresi India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Samy
VELLU]; Parti Bersatu Pakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]; Parti
Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka
Bumiputra Bersatu or PBB [Patinggi Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Parti
Rakyat Sarawak or PRS [James MASING]; Sabah Progressive Party (Parti
Progresif Sabah) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]; Sarawak United People's
Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam];
United Malays National Organization or UMNO [ABDULLAH Ahmad Badawi];
United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Pertubuhan
Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Bernard DOMPOK];
People's Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Penduduk Malaysia) or
PPP [M.Keyveas]; Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party or SPDP
[William MAWANI]; opposition parties: Democratic Action Party (Parti
Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KARPAL Singh]; Islamic Party of
Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang];
People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN AZIZAH
Wan Ismael]; Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Edwin DANDUNG];
opposition coalition Alternative Front (Barisan Alternatif) or BA
consists of PAS and PKR

Maldives
although political parties are not banned, none exist

Mali
Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda TRAORE, party
chairman]; Block of Alternative for the Renewal of Africa or BARA
[Yoro DIAKITE]; Democratic and Social Convention or CDS [Mamadou
Bakary SANGARE, chairman]; Hope 2002 [leader NA]; Movement for the
Independence, Renaissance and Integration of Africa or MIRIA
[Mohamed Lamine TRAORE, Mouhamedou DICKO]; National Congress for
Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL, chairman]; Party for
Democracy and Progress or PDP [Me Idrissa TRAORE]; Party for
National Renewal or PARENA [Yoro DIAKITE, chairman; Tiebile DRAME,
secretary general]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Ali
GNANGADO]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Almamy SYLLA,
chairman]; Rally for Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Bonbasor KEITA, chairman];
Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou
TOURE, secretary general]; Union of Democratic Forces for Progress
or UFDP [Youssouf TOURE, secretary general]; Union for Democracy and
Development or UDD [Moussa Balla COULIBALY]

Malta
Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD
[Harry VASSALLO]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred SANT];
Nationalist Party or PN [Lawrence GONZI]

Man, Isle of
Man Labor Party [leader NA]; Alliance for Progressive
Government [leader NA]; Man Nationalist Party [leader NA]
note: most members sit as independents

Marshall Islands
traditionally there have been no formally organized
political parties; what has existed more closely resembles factions
or interest groups because they do not have party headquarters,
formal platforms, or party structures; the following two "groupings"
have competed in legislative balloting in recent years - Kabua Party
[Imata KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa TOMEING]

Martinique
Martinique Communist Party or PCM [Georges ERICHOT];
Martinique Independence Movement or MIM [Alfred MARIE-JEANNE];
Martinique Progressive Party or PPM [Pierre SUEDILE]; Martinique
Socialist Party or PMS [Ernest WAN-AJOUHU]; Movement of Democrats
and Ecologists for a Sovereign Martinique or Modemas [Garcin MALSA];
Rally for the Republic or RPR [Michel CHARLONE]; Socialist
Revolution Group or GRS [Philippe PIERRE-CHARLES]; Union for French
Democracy or UDF [Jean MAREN]

Mauritania
Action for Change or AC [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR];
Alliance for Justice and Democracy or AJD [Kebe ABDOULAYE];
Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS (ruling party)
[President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA]; Mauritanian Party for
Renewal and Concorde or PMRC [Molaye El Hassen Ould JIYID]; National
Union for Democracy and Development or UNDD [Tidjane KOITA]; Party
for Liberty, Equality and Justice or PLEJ [Daouda M'BAGNIGA];
Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progress
Alliance or APP [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Popular Social and
Democratic Union or UPSD [Mohamed Mahmoud Ould MAH]; Progress Force
Union or UFP [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD]; Rally of Democratic Forces or
RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH]; Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed
Ould SIDI BABA]; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint
MOUKNASS]
note: the Action for Change party was banned in January 2002
although its members were permitted to keep their seats in the
National Assembly; parties legalized by constitution ratified 12
July 1991, however, politics continue to be tribally based

Mauritius
Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH]; Mauritian Labor Party
or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM
[Paul BERENGER] - in coalition with MSM; Mauritian Social Democrat
Party or PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL]; Militant Socialist
Movement or MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH] - governing party; Rodrigues
Movement or MR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples
Organization or OPR [Serge CLAIR]

Mayotte
Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular
Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or RPR [Mansour
KAMARDINE]; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar
SALIM]; Socialist Party or PS (local branch of French Parti
Socialiste) [Ibrahim ABUBACAR]; Union for French Democracy or UDF
[Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE]

Mexico
Convergence for Democracy or CD [Dante DELGADO Ranauro];
Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Roberto MADRAZO Pintado];
Mexican Green Ecological Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio GONZALEZ
Martinez]; National Action Party or PAN [Luis Felipe BRAVO Mena];
Party of the Democratic Revolution or PRD [Leonel GODOY]; Workers
Party or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]

Micronesia, Federated States of
no formal parties

Moldova
Democratic Modova Bloc [Serafim URECHEANU] includes:
Democratic Party [Dumitru DIACOV], Our Moldova Alliance [Dumitru
BRAGHIS, Serafim URECHEANU], Social Liberal Party [Oleg SEREBRIAN];
Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir
VORONIN, first chairman]; Popular Christian Democratic Party or PPCD
[Iurie ROSCA]

Monaco
National and Democratic Union or UND [Jean-Louis CAMPORA];
Union for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of
Monaco or UNAM [leader NA]

Mongolia
Citizens' Will Republican Party or CWRP (also called Civil
Courage Republican Party or CCRP) [Sanjaasurengiin OYUN]; Democratic
Party or DP [R. GONCHIKDORJ]; Motherland-Mongolian New Socialist
Democratic Party or M-MNSDP [B. ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian People's
Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR]; Mongolian
Republican Party or MRP [B. JARGALSAIKHAN]
note: DP and M-MNSDP formed Motherland-Democracy Coalition (MDC) in
2003 and with CWRP contested June 2004 elections as single party;
MDC's leadership dissolved coalition in December 2004

Montserrat
National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New
People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]

Morocco
Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Alliance of
Liberties or ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or Annahj
[Abdellah EL HARIF]; Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS
[Ahmed BENJELLOUN]; Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI];
Citizen's Initiatives for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU];
Constitutional Union or UC [Mohamed ABIED (interim)]; Democratic and
Independence Party or PDI [Abdelwahed MAACH]; Democratic and Social
Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD
[Aissa OUARDIGHI]; Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN];
Environment and Development Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of
Democratic Forces or FFD [Thami EL KHYARI]; Istiqlal Party
(Independence Party) or PI [Abbas El FASSI]; Justice and Development
Party or PJD [Saad Eddine OTHMANI]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML
[Mohamed ZIANE]; National Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI];
National Ittihadi Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA];
National Popular Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally
of Independents or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; National Union of Popular
Forces or UNFP [Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd or Al Ahd [Najib EL
OUAZZANI, chairman]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail
ALAOUI]; Party of Renewal and Equity or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Party
of the Unified Socialist Left or GSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER];
Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Reform and Development
Party or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Social Center Party or PSC
[Lahcen MADIH]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Mohammed
El-YAZGHI]

Mozambique
Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de
Liberatacao de Mocambique) or Frelimo [Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO,
president]; Mozambique National Resistance-Electoral Union
(Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana-Uniao Eleitoral) or Renamo-UE
[Afonso DHLAKAMA, president]

Namibia
Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic
Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA, president];
Monitor Action Group or MAG [Kosie PRETORIUS]; South West Africa
People's Organization or SWAPO [Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA]; United
Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]

Nauru
loose multiparty system; Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG];
Nauru Party (informal) [leader NA]; Naoero Amo (Nauru First) Party
[leader NA]

Nepal
Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML
[Madhav Kumar NEPAL, general secretary]; National Democratic Party
or NDP (also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP) [Surya Bahadur
THAPA, chairman]; People's Front Nepal (Rastriya Jana Morcha)
[Chitra BAHADUR, chairman]; Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party or NSP
[Bhadri Prasad MANDAL, acting party president]; Nepal Workers and
Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE, party chairman];
Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA, party president;
Sushil KOIRALA, general secretary]; Nepali Congress-Democratic [Sher
Bahadur DEUBA, president]; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [NA leader]

Netherlands
Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Maxime Jacques
Marcel VERHAGEN]; Christian Union Party [Andre ROUVOET]; Democrats
66 or D66 [Boris DITTRICH]; Green Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party
or PvdA [Wouter BOS]; List Pim Fortuyn [Gerard van AS]; People's
Party for Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Jozias VAN
AARTSEN]; Socialist Party [Jan MARIJNISSEN]; plus a few minor parties

Netherlands Antilles
Antillean Restructuring Party or PAR [Etienne
YS]; C 93 [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi
ABRAHAM]; Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ];
Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY];
Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah
WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Foundation Energetic Management Anti-Narcotics or
FAME [Eric LODEWIJKS]; Labor Party People's Crusade or PLKP [Errol
COVA]; National Alliance [William MARLIN]; National People's Party
or PNP [Susanne F. C. CAMELIA-ROMER]; New Antilles Movement or MAN
[Kenneth GIJSBERTHA]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramonsito
BOOI]; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten or SPA [Vance JAMES, Jr.];
People's Party or PAPU [Richard HODI]; Pro Curacao Party or PPK
[Winston LOURENS]; Saba Democratic Labor Movement [Steve HASSELL];
Saba Unity Party [Carmen SIMMONDS]; St. Eustatius Alliance or SEA
[Kenneth VAN PUTTEN]; Serious Alternative People's Party or Sapp
[Julian ROLLOCKS]; Social Action Cause or KAS [Benny DEMEI];
Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Will JOHNSTON]; Workers'
Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT, Rignald LAK, Editha WRIGHT]
note: political parties are indigenous to each island

New Caledonia
Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX];
Caleonian Union or UC [leader NA]; Federation des Comites de
Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front
National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK
[Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS
[leader NA] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation
Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for
Caledonia in the Republic (anti independent) or RPCR-UMP [Jacques
LAFLEUR]; The Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; Union Nationale
pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer
exist, but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de
Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM
[Victor TUTUGORO]

New Zealand
ACT New Zealand [Richard PREBBLE]; Green Party [Jeanette
FITZSIMONS and Rod DONALD]; National Party or NP [Don BRASH]; New
Zealand First Party or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New Zealand Labor
Party or NZLP [Helen CLARK]; Progressive Coalition [James (Jim)
ANDERTON]; United Future or UF [Peter DUNNE]

Nicaragua
Conservative Party of Nicaragua or PCN [Mario
RAPPACCIOLI]; Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Anibal MARTINEZ
Nunez, Pedro REYES Vallejos]; Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path
or PCCN [Guillermo OSORNO Molina]; Nicaraguan Resistance Party or
PRN [Salvador TALAVERA]; Sandinista National Liberation Front or
FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS
[leader NA]; Unity Alliance or AU [leader NA]; Liberal
Constitutional Party or PLC [Jorge CASTILLO Quant]; Alliance for the
Republic or APRE [Miguel LOPEZ Baldizon, Oscar WENDOLYN Vargas,
Karla WHITE]; Liberal Salvation Movement or MSL [Eliseo NUNEZ
Hernandez]; Christian Alternative Party or AC [Orlando TARDENCILLA
Espinoza]

Niger
Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ANDP [leader NA];
Democratic Rally of the People-Jama'a or RDP-Jama'a [Hamid ALGABID];
Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane
OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing Society-Nassara or
MNSD-Nassara [Mamadou TANDJA, chairman]; Nigerien Alliance for
Democracy and Social Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya
[Moumouni Adamou DJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Party for Democracy and
Socialism-Tarayya or PNDS-Tarayya [Mahamadou ISSOUFOU]; Party for
Socialism and Democracy in Niger [leader NA]; Rally for Democracy
and Progress or RDP [leader NA]; Union of Democratic Patriots and
Progressives-Chamoua or UPDP-Chamoua [Professor Andre' SALIFOU,
chairman]

Nigeria
Alliance for Democracy or AD [Alhaji Adamu ABDULKADIR]; All
Nigeria Peoples' Party or ANPP [Don ETIEBET]; All Progressives Grand
Alliance or APGA [Chekwas OKORIE]; National Democratic Party or NDP
[Aliyu Habu FARI]; Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Audu OGBEH];
Peoples Redemption Party or PRP [Abdulkadir Balarabe MUSA]; Peoples
Salvation Party or PSP [Lawal MAITURARE]; United Nigeria Peoples
Party or UNPP [Saleh JAMBO]

Niue
Niue People's Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN]; Alliance of
Independents or AI [leader NA]

Norfolk Island
none

Northern Mariana Islands
Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO];
Republican Party [NA]; Covenant Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]

Norway
Center Party [Aslaug Marie HAGA]; Christian People's Party
[Dagfinn HOYBRATEN]; Coastal Party [Steinar BASTESEN]; Conservative
Party [Erna SOLBERG]; Labor Party [Jens STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party
[Lars SPONHEIM]; Progress Party [Carl I. HAGEN]; Socialist Left
Party [Kristin HALVORSEN]

Oman
none

Pakistan
Awami National Party or ANP [Wali KHAN]; Balochistan
National Movement/Hayee Group or BNM/H [Dr. Hayee BALUCH]; Baluch
National Party-Mengal or BNP/M [Sardar Ataullah MENGAL]; Baluch
National Party/Awami or BNP/Awami [Moheem Khan BALOCH]; Jamhoori
Watan Party or JWP [Akbar Khan BUGTI]; Jamiat-al-Hadith or JAH
[Sajid MIR]; Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Fazlur Rehman faction or JUI/F
[Fazlur REHMAN]; Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Sami ul-HAQ faction or JUI/S
[Sami ul-HAQ]; Jamiat-i-Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Jamiat
Ulema-i-Pakistan or JUP [Shah Faridul HAQ]]; Millat Party or MP
[Farooq LEGHARI]; Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf faction or MQM/A
[Altaf HUSSAIN]; Muttahida Quami Movement, Haqiqi faction or MQM/H
[Afaq AHMAD]; Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal Pakistan or MMA [Qazi Hussain
AHMED]; National People's Party or NPP [Ghulam Mustapha JATOI];
Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PkMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI];
Pakhtun Quami Party or PQP [Mohammed Afzal KHAN]; Pakistan Awami
Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan Democratic Party or PDP
[Mehbooba Mufti SAYEED]; Pakistan Muslim League, Functional Group or
PML/F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif faction or
PML/N [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan Muslim League or PML [Chaudhry
Shujaat HUSSAIN]; note - as of May 2004, the PML/Q changed its name
to PML and absorbed the PML/J, PML/Z, and NA; Pakistan National
Party or PNP [Hasil BIZENJO]; Pakistan People's Party or PPP [Aftab
Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]; Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians or
PPPP [Benazir BHUTTO]; Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN];
Tehrik-i-Islami [Allama Sajid NAQVI]
note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently

Palau
none

Panama
Democratic Change or CD [Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic
Revolutionary Party or PRD [Martin TORRIJOS]; National Liberal Party
or PLN [Anibal GALINDO]; Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or
MOLIRENA [Jesus ROSAS]; Panamenista Party or PA (formerly the
Arnulfista Party) [Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez]; Popular Party or
PP (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC) [Ruben AROSEMENA];
Solidarity Party or PS [Jose Raul MULINO]

Papua New Guinea
Christian Democratic Party [Dr.Banare BUN, party
leader]; Melanesian Alliance Party or MAP [Sir Moi AVEL, party
leader]; National Alliance Party or NA [Michael SOMARE, party
leader; George MANOA, party president]; National Party [Melchior
PEP, party leader]; Papua and Niugini Union Party or PANGU [Chris
HAIVETA, party leader]; Papua New Guinea First Party [Cecilking
DORUBA, party leader]; Papua New Guinea Labor Party [Bob DANAYA,
party leader]; Papua New Guinea Party [Sir Mekere MORAUTA, party
leader]; People's Action Party or PAP [Moses MALADINA, party
leader]; People's Labor Party or PLP [Ekis ROPENU, party leader];
People's National Congress or PNC [Peter O'NEILL, party leader];
People's Progressive Party or PPP [Andrew BAING, party leader];
Pipol First Party [Luther WENGE, party leader]; Rural People's Party
[Peter NAMUS, party leader]; United Party [Bire KIMASOPA, party
leader]; United Resources Party or URP [Tim NEVILLE, party leader]
(2004)

Paraguay
Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR
[Herminio CACERES, interim president]; Patria Querida (Beloved
Fatherland Party) or PQ [Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella];
Movimiento Union Nacional de Ciudadanos Eticos or UNACE [Enrique
GONZALEZ Quintana, acting chairman]; Partido Encuentro Nacional or
PEN [Luis TORALES Kenney]; Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA
[Julio Cesar FRANCO]; Partido Pais Solidario or PPS [Carlos Alberto
FILIZZOLA Pallares]; note - Nicanor DUARTE Frutos on leave as party
leader of the Colorado Party or ANR while serving as President of
Paraguay; Lino Cesar OVIEDO Silva, leader of UNACE, is currently
serving a ten-year prison term

Peru
Peruvian Aprista Party or PAP (also referred to by its original
name Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana or APRA) [Alan
GARCIA]; Independent Moralizing Front or FIM [Fernando OLIVERA
Vega]; National Unity (Unidad Nacional) or UN [Lourdes FLORES Nano];
Peru Posible or PP [David WAISMAN]; Popular Action or AP [Javier
DIAZ Orihuela]; Solucion Popular [Carlos BOLANA]; Somos Peru or SP
[Alberto ANDRADE]; Union for Peru or UPP [Roger GUERRA Garcia]

Philippines
Laban Ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino
Democrats) or LDP [Edgardo ANGARA, president]; Lakas Ng Edsa
(National Union of Christian Democrats) or Lakas [Jose DE VENECIA,
president; Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, chairperson]; Liberal Party or
LP [Franklin DRILON, president; Jose ATIENZA, JR., chairman];
National People's Coalition or NPC [Eduardo COJUANGCO, chairman
emeritus; Frisco SAN JUAN, president]; PDP-Laban [Aquilino PIMENTEL,
president]; Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (Party of the Philippine
Masses) or PMP [Joseph ESTRADA, president; Juan Ponce ENRILE,
chairman]; Aksyon Demokratiko Party [Raul ROCO, president]; Reporma
[Renato DE VILLA, chairman]; PROMDI [Emilio OSMENA, president];
Nacionalista [Manuel VILLAR, president]; People's Reform Party
[Miriam Defensor SANTIAGO, president}

Pitcairn Islands
none

Poland
Catholic-National Movement or RKN [Antoni MACIEREWICZ];
Citizens Platform or PO [Donald TUSK]; Coalition Electoral Action
Solidarity of the Right or AWSP; Conservative Peasants Party or
SKL-RNP [Artur BALAZS]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Krzysztof
JANIK]; Freedom Union or UW [Wladyslaw FRASYNIUK]; German Minority
of Lower Silesia or MNSO [Henryk KROLL]; Law and Justice or PiS
[Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI]; League of Polish Families or LPR [Marek
KOTLINOWSKI]; Movement for the Reconstruction of Poland or ROP [Jan
OLSZEWSKI]; Peasant-Democratic Party or PLD [Roman JAGIELINSKI];
Polish Accord or PP [Jan LOPUSZANSKI]; Polish Peasant Bloc or PBL
[Wojciech MOJZESOWICZ]; Polish Peasant Party or PSL [Janusz
WOJCIECHOWSKI]; Polish Raison d'Etat or PRS [Piotr MUSIAL];
Samoobrona or SO [Andrzej LEPPER]; Social Democratic Party of Poland
or SDPL [Marek BOROWSKI]; Social Movement or RS [Krzysztof
PIESIEWICZ]; Union of Labor or UP [Izabela JARUAGA-NOWACKA]

Portugal
Green Ecologist Party or PEV [Heloisa APOLONIA]; Popular
Party or PP [Paulo PORTAS]; Portuguese Communist Party or PCP
[Jeronimo de SOUSA]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Jose SOCRATES
Carvalho Pinto de Sousa]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pedro
Miguel SANTANA LOPES]; The Left Bloc or BE [Franciso Anacleto LOUCA]

Puerto Rico
National Democratic Party [Celeste BENITEZ]; National
Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Luis FERRE]; New Progressive Party
or PNP (pro-US statehood) [Pedro ROSSELLO]; Popular Democratic Party
or PPD (pro-commonwealth) [Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA]; Puerto Rican
Independence Party or PIP (pro-independence) [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez]

Qatar
none

Reunion
Communist Party of Reunion or PCR [Paul VERGES]; Rally for
the Republic or RPR [Andre Maurice PIHOUEE]; Socialist Party or PS
[Jean-Claude FRUTEAU]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Gilbert
GERARD]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [leader NA]

Romania
Democratic Party or PD [Emil BOC]; Democratic Union of
Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; Humanist Party or PUR
[Dan VOICULESCU]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Calin Popescu
TARICEANU]; Romania Mare Party (Greater Romanian Party) or PRM
[Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Adrian
NASTASE], formerly known as the Party of Social Democracy in Romania
or PDSR

Russia
Communist Party of the Russian Federation or CPRF [Gennadiy
Andreyevich ZYUGANOV]; Liberal Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR
[Vladimir Volfovich ZHIRINOVSKIY]; Motherland Bloc (Rodina) [Dmitriy
ROGOZIN]; People's Party [Gennadiy RAYKOV]; Union of Rightist Forces
or SPS [Anatoliy Borisovich CHUBAYS, Yegor Timurovich GAYDAR, Irina
Mutsuovna KHAKAMADA, Boris Yefimovich NEMTSOV]; United Russia [Boris
Vyacheslavovich GRYZLOV]; Yabloko Party [Grigoriy Alekseyevich
YAVLINSKIY]

Rwanda
Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Alfred MUKEZAMFURA]; Social
Democratic Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]; Democratic Popular Union
of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA ]; Democratic Republican Movement
or MDR (officially banned) [Celestin KABANDA]; Islamic Democratic
Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL [Prosper HIGIRO];
Party for Democratic Renewal (officially banned) [Pasteur BIZIMUNGU
and Charles NTAKARUTINKA]; Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul
KAGAME]

Saint Helena
none

Saint Kitts and Nevis
Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance
AMORY]; Nevis Reformation Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY]; People's
Action Movement or PAM [Lindsey GRANT]; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor
Party or SKNLP [Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS]

Saint Lucia
National Alliance or NA [George ODLUM]; Saint Lucia
Freedom Party or SFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or
SLP [Kenneth ANTHONY]; Sou Tout Apwe Fete Fini or STAFF [Christopher
HUNTE]; United Workers Party or UWP [Dr. Morella JOSEPH]

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
PRG [leader NA]; Rassemblement pour la
Republique or RPR (now UMP) [leader NA]; Socialist Party or PS
[leader NA]; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF [leader NA]

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
National Reform Party or NRP [Joel
MIGUEL]; New Democratic Party or NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; People's
Progressive Movement or PPM [Ken BOYEA]; Progressive Labor Party or
PLP [leader NA]; United People's Movement or UPM [Adrian SAUNDERS];
Unity Labor Party or ULP [Ralph GONSALVES] (formed by the coalition
of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National
Unity or MNU)

Samoa
Christian Democratic Party [leader NA]; Human Rights
Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA, chairman];
Samoa All People's Party or SAPP [Matatumua MAIMOANA]; Samoan
National Development Party or SNDP [LE MAMEA Ropati, chairman]
(opposition); Samoa National Party [FETU Tiatia, party secretary];
Samoan Progressive Conservative Party [LEOTA Ituau Ale]; Samoan
United Independents Party or SUIP [Dr. Saleimoa VAAI]

San Marino
Communist Refoundation or RC [Ivan FOSHI]; Ideas in
Movement or IM [Alessandro ROSSI]; National Alliance or AN [leader
NA]; Party of Democrats or PD [Claudio FELICI]; San Marino Christian
Democratic Party or PDCS [Giovanni LONFERNINI]; San Marino Popular
Alliance of Democrats or APDS [Roberto GIORGETTI]; San Marino
Socialist Party or PSS [Alberto CECCHETTI]; Socialists for Reform or
SR [Renzo GIARDI]

Sao Tome and Principe
Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo GRACA];
Force for Change Democratic Movement [leader NA]; Independent
Democratic Action or ADI [Carlos NEVES]; Movement for the Liberation
of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD
[Manuel Pinto Da COSTA]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD
[Aldo BANDEIRA]; Ue-Kedadji coalition [leader NA]; other small
parties

Saudi Arabia
none

Senegal
African Party for Democracy and Socialism or And Jef (also
known as PADS/AJ) [Landing SAVANE, secretary general]; African Party
of Independence [Majhemout DIOP]; Alliance of Forces of Progress or
AFP [Moustapha NIASSE]; Democratic and Patriotic Convention or CDP
(also known as Garab-Gi) [Dr. Iba Der THIAM]; Democratic
League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT [Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY]; Front
for Socialism and Democracy or FSD [Cheikh Abdoulaye DIEYE]; Gainde
Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS]; Independence and Labor Party
or PIT [Amath DANSOKHO]; National Democratic Rally or RND [Madier
DIOUF]; Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE];
Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG]; SOPI Coalition (a
coalition led by the PDS) [Abdoulaye WADE]; Union for Democratic
Renewal or URD [Djibo Leyti KA]; other small parties

Serbia and Montenegro
Democratic Party or DS [Boris TADIC];
Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS [Vojislav KOSTUNICA]; Democratic
Party of Socialists of Montenegro or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC];
Democratic Serbian Party of Montenegro or DSS [Bozidar BOJOVIC]; G17
Plus [Miroljub LABUS]; New Serbia or NS [Velimir ILIC]; Liberal
Party of Montenegro or LSCG [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC]; People's Party of
Montenegro or NS [Dragan SOC]; Power of Serbia Movement or PSS
[Bogoljub KARIC]; Serbian Radical Party or SRS [Tomislav NIKOLIC];
Serbian Renewal Movement or SPO [Vuk DRASKOVIC]; Serbian Socialist
Party or SPS (former Communist Party and party of Slobodan
MILOSEVIC) [Ivica DACIC, president of Main Board]; Social Democratic
Party of Montenegro or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC]; Socialist People's
Party of Montenegro or SNP [Predrag BULATOVIC]
note: the following political parties participate in elections and
institutions only in Kosovo, which has been governed by the UN under
UNSCR 1244 since 1999: Albanian Christian Democratic Party or PSHDK
[Mark KRASNIQI]; Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush
HARADINAJ]; Citizens' Initiative of Serbia or GIS [Slavisa
PETKOVIC]; Democratic Ashkali Party of Kosovo or PDAK [Sabit
RRAHMANI]; Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Ibrahim RUGOVA];
Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Hashim THACI]; Justice Party of
PD [Sylejman CERKEZI]; Kosovo Democratic Turkish Party of KDTP
[Mahir YAGCILAR]; Liberal Party of Kosovo or PLK [Gjergj DEDAJ]; Ora
[Veton SURROI]; New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDK [Bislim
HOTI]; Party of Democratic Action or SDA [Numan BALIC]; Popular
Movement of Kosovo or LPK [Emrush XHEMAJLI]; Prizren-Dragas
Initiative or PDI [Ismajl KARADOLAMI]; Serb List for Kosovo and
Metohija or SLKM [Oliver IVANOVIC]; United Roma Party of Kosovo or
PREBK [Haxhi Zylfi MERXHA]; Vakat [leader NA]

Seychelles
Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Daniel BELLE];
Mouvement Seychellois pour la Democratie [Jacques HODOUL];
Seychelles National Party or SNP (formerly the United Opposition or
UO) [Wavel RAMKALAWAN]; Seychelles People's Progressive Front or
SPPF [France Albert RENE, James MICHEL] - the governing party

Sierra Leone
All People's Congress or APC [Ben KANU]; Peace and
Liberation Party or PLP [Darlington MORRISON, interim chairman];
Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP [Sama BANYA]; numerous others

Singapore
governing party: People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien
Loong]; opposition parties: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP
[LING How Dong]; National Solidarity Party or NSP [vacant] (SDA
group); Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong]
(includes SPP, PKMS, NSP, SJP); Singapore Democratic Party or SDP
[CHEE Soon Juan]; Singapore Justice Party or SJP [Desmond LIM] (SDA
group); Singapore National Malay Organization or PKMS [Malik ISMAIL]
(SDA group); Singapore People's Party or SPP [CHIAM See Tong] (SDA
group); Workers' Party or WP [Sylvia Lim Swee LIAN]

Slovakia
Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY];
Direction (Smer) [Robert FICO]; Free Forum [Zuzana MARTINAKOVA];
Movement for Democracy or HZD [Jozef GRAPA]; Movement for a
Democratic Slovakia-People's Party or HZDS-LS [Vladimir MECIAR]; New
Citizens Alliance or ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Party of the Hungarian
Coalition or SMK [Bela BUGAR]; People's Union or LU [Gustav KRAJCI];
Slovak Communist Party or KSS [Jozef SEVC]; Slovak Democratic and
Christian Union or SDKU [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or
SNS [Peter SULOVSKY]

Slovenia
Democratic Party of Retired (Persons) of Slovenia or DeSUS
[Anton ROUS]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Anton ROP]; New
Slovenia or NSi [Andrej BAJUK]; Slovene Democratic Party or SDS
[Janez Jansa]; Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC];
Slovene People's Party or SLS [Janez PODOBNIK]; Slovene Youth Party
or SMS [Darko KRANJC]; United List of Social Democrats or ZLSD
[Borut PAHOR]

Solomon Islands
Association of Independents [Snyder RINI]; People's
Alliance Party or PAP [Allan KEMAKEZA]; People's Progressive Party
or PPP [Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Alliance for
Change Coalition or SIACC [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands
Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]
note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid
coalitions

Somalia
none

South Africa
African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth
MESHOE, president]; African National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI,
president]; Democratic Alliance or DA (formed from the merger of the
Democratic Party or DP and the Freedom Alliance or FA) [Anthony
LEON]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI,
president]; New National Party or NNP [Marthinus VAN SCHALKWYK];
Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA, president]; United
Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]

Spain
Basque Nationalist Party or PNV [Josu Jon IMAZ]; Canarian
Coalition or CC (a coalition of five parties) [Paulino RIVERO
Baute]; Convergence and Union or CiU [Artur MAS i Gavarro] (a
coalition of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or CDC [Artur
MAS i Gavarro] and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC [Josep
Antoni DURAN y LLEIDA]); Entesa Catalonia de Progress (a Senate
coalition grouping four Catalan parties - PSC, ERC, ICV, EUA)
[leader NA]; Galician Nationalist Bloc or BNG [Anxo Manuel
QUINTANA]; Party of Independents from Lanzarote or PIL [Dimas MARTIN
Martin]; Popular Party or PP [Mariano RAJOY]; Republican Left of
Catalonia or ERC [Josep-Lluis CAROD-ROVIRA]; Spanish Socialist
Workers Party or PSOE [Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO]; United Left or
IU (a coalition of parties including the PCE and other small
parties) [Gaspar LLAMAZARES]

Sri Lanka
All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [KUMARGURUPARAM]; Ceylon
Workers Congress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP
[D. GUNASEKERA]; Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF
[Shrimani ATULATHMUDALI]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP
[Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Perumuna or JVP
[Tilvan SILVA]; National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF];
National Heritage Party or JHU [Tilak KARUNARATNE]; People's
Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [leader NA]; Sihala
Urumaya or SU [leader NA]; Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP
[Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or
SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM]; Sri Lanka Progressive Front or SLPF [P. Nelson
PERERA]; Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO [SABARATNAM];
Tamil National Alliance or TNA [R.SAMPANTHAN]; Tamil United
Liberation Front or TULF [V. ANANDASANGAREE]; United National Party
or UNP [Ranil WICKREMASINGHE]; Up-country People's Front or UPF [P.
CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties,
represented in either Parliament or provincial councils

Sudan
the government allows political "associations" under a 1998
law revised in 2000; to obtain government approval parties must
accept the constitution and refrain from advocating or using
violence against the regime; approved parties include the National
Congress Party or NCP [Ibrahim Ahmed UMAR], Popular National
Congress or PNC [Hassan al-TURABI], and over 20 minor,
pro-government parties

Suriname
Democratic Alternative '91 or DA '91 (a coalition of the
Alternative Forum or AF and Party for Brotherhood and Unity in
Politics or BEP, formed in January 1991) [Winston JESSURUN];
Democratic National Platform 2000 or DNP 2000 (coalition of two
parties, Democratic Party and Democrats of the 21st Century) [Jules
WIJDENBOSCH]; Independent Progressive Democratic Alternative or OPDA
[Joginder RAMKHILAWAN]; Millennium Combination or MC (a coalition of
three parties, Democratic Alternative, Party for National Unity and
Solidarity, and National Democratic Party) [leader NA]; National
Democratic Party or NDP [Desire BOUTERSE]; Naya Kadam or NK [leader
NA]; Party for Renewal and Democracy or BVD [Tjan GOBARDHAN]; Party
of National Unity and Solidarity or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA]; Pertjaja
Luhur [Paul SOMOHARDJO]; Progressive Workers' and Farm Laborers'
Union or PALU [Ir Iwan KROLIS]; The New Front or NF (a coalition of
four parties Suriname National Party or NPS, Progressive Reform
Party or VHP, Suriname Labor Party or SPA, and Pertjaja Luhur)
[Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN]; The Progressive Development Alliance (a
combination of three parties, Renewed Progressive Party or HPP,
Party of the Federation of Land Workers or PVF, and Suriname
Progressive People's Party or PSV) [Harry KISOENSINGH]

Swaziland
political parties are banned by the constitution - the
following are considered political associations; Imbokodvo National
Movement or INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or
NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement
or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]; Swaziland National Front or
SWANAFRO [Elmond SHONGWE, president]

Sweden
Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian Democratic Party
[Goran HAGGLUND]; Green Party [no formal leader but party
spokespersons are Maria WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left Party
or V (formerly Communist) [Lars OHLY]; Liberal People's Party [Lars
LEIJONBORG]; Moderate Party (conservative) [Fredrik REINFELDT];
Social Democratic Party [Goran PERSSON]

Switzerland
Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti
Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I
Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER];
Christian Democratic People's Party (Christichdemokratische
Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or
PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida
Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Doris LEUTHARD,
president]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische
Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD,
Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Marianne
KLEINER-SCHLAEPFER, president]; Social Democratic Party
(Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist
Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida
Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Hans-Juerg FEHR, president];
Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union
Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC,
Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, president]; and
other minor parties

Syria
National Progressive Front or NPF (includes Arab Socialist
Renaissance (Ba'th) Party; the governing party) [President Bashar
al-ASAD, secretary general]; Socialist Unionist Democratic Party
[Fadlallal Nasr Al-DIN]; Syrian Communist Party (two branches)
[Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yuusuf Rashid FAYSAL]; Unionist Socialist
Party [Fayez ISMAIL]; Arab Socialist Unionist Movement [Ahmed
al-AHMED]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan QUDSI]);
Syrian Social National Party [Jubran URAYJI]

Taiwan
Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [SU Tseng-chang,
chairman]; Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [LIEN Chan,
chairman]; People First Party or PFP [James SOONG (SOONG Chu-yu),
chairman]; Taiwan Solidarity Union or TSU [SU Chin-chiang,
chairman]; other minor parties including the Chinese New Party or CNP

Tajikistan
Democratic Party or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV]; Islamic
Revival Party [Said Abdullo NURI]; People's Democratic Party of
Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMONOV]; Social Democratic Party or
SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOIROV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Mirhuseyn
NAZRIYEV]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]

Tanzania
Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Party of Democracy and
Development) or CHADEMA [Bob MAKANI]; Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM
(Revolutionary Party) [Benjamin William MKAPA]; Civic United Front
or CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA]; Democratic Party (unregistered)
[Christopher MTIKLA]; Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Augustine
Lyatonga MREMA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO]

Thailand
Democrat Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [BANYAT
Bantadtan]; People's Party or PP (Mahachon Party) [ANEK
Laothamatas]; Thai Nation Party or TNP (Chat Thai Party) [BARNHARN
SILPA-ARCHA]; Thai Rak Thai Party or TRT [THAKSIN Chinnawat]

Togo
Juvento [Monsilia DJATO]; Movement of the Believers of Peace
and Equality or MOCEP [leader NA]; Rally for the Support for
Development and Democracy or RSDD [Harryy OLYMPIO]; Rally of the
Togolese People or RPT [President Gnassingbe EYADEMA]; Union for
Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Gagou KOKOU]
note: Rally of the Togolese People or RPT, led by President EYADEMA,
was the only party until the formation of multiple parties was
legalized 12 April 1991

Tokelau
none

Tonga
there are no political parties

Trinidad and Tobago
National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR
[Lennox SANKERSINGH]; People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick
MANNING]; Team Unity or TU [Ramesh MAHARAJ]; United National
Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY]; Democratic Action Committee or DAC
[Hochoy CHARLES], note - only active in Tobago

Tunisia
Al-Tajdid Movement [Ali HALOUANI]; Constitutional Democratic
Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD
[President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (official ruling party)]; Liberal
Social Party or PSL [Mounir BEJI]; Movement of Socialist Democrats
or MDS [Ismail BOULAHYA]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed
BOUCHIHA]; Progressive Democratic Party [Nejib CHEBBI]; Unionist
Democratic Union or UDU [Abderrahmane TLILI]

Turkey
Democratic Left Party or DSP [Mehmet Zeki SEZER]; Democratic
People's Party or DEHAP [Tuncer BAKIRHAN]; Justice and Development
Party or AKP [Recep Tayip ERDOGAN]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP
[Emin SIRIN]; Motherland Party or ANAP [leader NA]; Nationalist
Action Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI]; Republican People's Party or
CHP (includes the New Turkey Party) [Deniz BAYKAL]; Felicity Party
(sometimes translated as Contentment Party) or SP [Necmettin
ERBEKAN]; Social Democratic People's Party or SHP [Murat
KARAYALCIN]; True Path Party (sometimes translated as Correct Way
Party) or DYP [Mehmet AGAR]
note: the parties listed above are some of the more significant of
the 49 parties that Turkey had on 1 December 2004

Turkmenistan
Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Saparmurat
NIYAZOV]
note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small
opposition movements exist underground or in foreign countries; the
two most prominent opposition groups-in-exile have been Gundogar and
Erkin; Gundogar was led by former Foreign Minister Boris
SHIKHMURADOV until his arrest and imprisonment in the wake of the 25
November 2002 assassination attempt on President NIYAZOV; Erkin is
led by former Foreign Minister Abdy KULIEV and is based out of
Moscow; the Union of Democratic Forces, a coalition of
opposition-in-exile groups, is based in Europe

Turks and Caicos Islands
People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek
H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene
MISICK]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Wendal SWANN]

Tuvalu
there are no political parties but members of Parliament
usually align themselves in informal groupings

Uganda
only one political organization, the Movement (formerly the
NRM)[President MUSEVENI, chairman] is allowed to operate unfettered;
note - the president maintains that the Movement is not a political
party, but a mass organization, which claims the loyalty of all
Ugandans
note: the constitution requires the suspension of political parties
while the Movement organization is in governance; of the political
parties that exist but are prohibited from sponsoring candidates,
the most important are the Ugandan People's Congress or UPC [Milton
OBOTE]; Democratic Party or DP [Paul SSEMOGERERE]; Conservative
Party or CP [Ken LUKYAMUZI]; Justice Forum [Muhammad Kibirige
MAYANJA]; and National Democrats Forum [Chapaa KARUHANGA]

Ukraine
Agrarian Party [Volodymyr LYTVYN]; Communist Party of
Ukraine or CPU [Petro SYMONENKO]; Democratic Initiatives [Stepan
HAVRYSH]; Industrialists and Entrepreneurs [Anatoliy KINAKH]; Our
Ukraine bloc (comprised of several parties the most prominent of
which are Rukh, the Ukrainian People's Party, Reforms and Order, and
Solidarity) [Viktor YUSHCHENKO]; People's Democratic Party or PDP
[Valeriy PUSTOVOYTENKO]; Regions of Ukraine [Viktor YANUKOVYCH];
Socialist Party of Ukraine or SPU [Oleksandr MOROZ, chairman];
United Social Democratic Party [Viktor MEDVEDCHUK]; Working Ukraine
[Serhiy TYHYPKO]; Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc [Yuliya TYMOSHENKO]
note: as well as numerous smaller parties; United Ukraine and Center
Group are not actual political parties, but rather deputy groups
(factions not based on a party)

United Arab Emirates
none

United Kingdom
Conservative and Unionist Party [Michael HOWARD];
Democratic Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [Rev. Ian PAISLEY];
Labor Party [Anthony (Tony) BLAIR]; Liberal Democrats [Charles
KENNEDY]; Party of Wales (Plaid Cymru) [Dafydd IWAN]; Scottish
National Party or SNP [Alex SALMOND]; Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland)
[Gerry ADAMS]; Social Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern
Ireland) [Mark DURKAN]; Ulster Unionist Party (Northern Ireland)
[David TRIMBLE]

United States
Democratic Party [Terence McAULIFFE]; Green Party
[leader NA]; Libertarian Party [Steve DASBACH]; Republican Party
[Edward GILLESPIE]

Uruguay
Colorado Party [Jorge BATLLE Ibanez]; National Party or
Blanco [Luis Alberto LACALLE Herrera]; New Sector/Space Coalition or
Nuevo Espacio [Rafael MICHELINI]; Progressive Encounter/Broad Front
Coalition or Encuentro Progresista/Frente Amplio [Tabare VAZQUEZ]

Uzbekistan
Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Dilorom
TOSHMUHAMMADOVA, chairman]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly
Tiklanish) or MTP [Xurshid DOSTMUHAMMADOV, chief]; Liberal
Democratic Party of Uzbekistan or LDPU [Adham SHODMONOV, chairman];
People's Democratic Party or NDP (formerly Communist Party)
[Asliddin RUSTAMOV, first secretary]; Self-Sacrificers Party or
Fidokorlar National Democratic Party [Ahtam TURSUNOV, chief]; note -
Fatherland Progress Party merged with Self-Sacrificers Party

Vanuatu
Jon Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive
Party or MPP [Barak SOPE]; National United Party or NUP [NA]; Union
of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land
Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP
[Maxime Carlot KORMAN]; Greens (Vanuatu) [Moana CARCASSES]

Venezuela
Democratic Action or AD [Henry RAMOS Allup]; Fifth
Republic Movement or MVR [Hugo CHAVEZ]; Homeland for All or PPT
[Jose ALBORNOZ]; Justice First [Julio BORGES]; Movement Toward
Socialism or MAS [Hector MUJICA]; National Convergence or
Convergencia [Juan Jose CALDERA]; Radical Cause or La Causa R
[Andres VELASQUEZ]; Social Christian Party or COPEI [Eduardo
FERNANDEZ]; Venezuela Project or PV [Henrique SALAS Romer]

Vietnam
only party - Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Nong Duc
Manh, general secretary]

Virgin Islands
Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent
Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary
SPRAUVE]

Wallis and Futuna
Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians) [leader NA]; Mouvement
des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG [leader NA]; Rally for the Republic or
RPR [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]; Union
Populaire Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratie
Francaise or UDF [leader NA]

Yemen
there are more than 12 political parties active in Yemen, some
of the more prominent are: General People's Congress or GPC
[President Ali Abdallah SALIH]; Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah
[Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR]; National Arab Socialist Ba'th
Party [Dr. Qassim SALAAM]; Nasserite Unionist Party [Abdel Malik
al-MAKHLAFI]; Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Ali Salih MUQBIL]
note: President SALIH's General People's Congress or GPC won a
landslide victory in the April 1997 legislative election and no
longer governs in coalition with Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn
al-AHMAR's Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah - the two parties had
been in coalition since the end of the civil war in 1994; the YSP, a
loyal opposition party, represents the remnants of the former South
Yemeni leadership; leaders of the 1994 secessionist movement have
been pardoned by President SALIH and some are now returning to Yemen
from exile

Zambia
Agenda for Zambia or AZ [Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA]; Forum
for Democracy and Development or FDD [Christon TEMBO]; Heritage
Party or HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF
[Roger CHONGWE, president]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD
[Levy MWANAWASA, acting president]; National Leadership for
Development or NLD [Yobert SHAMAPANDE]; National Party or NP [Dr.
Sam CHIPUNGU]; Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; Zambian
Republican Party or ZRP [Benjamin MWILA]; Social Democratic Party or
SDP [Gwendoline KONIE]; United National Independence Party or UNIP
[Francis NKHOMA, president]; United Party for National Development
or UPND [Anderson MAZOKA]

Zimbabwe
Movement for Democratic Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI];
National Alliance for Good Governance or NAGG [Shakespeare MAYA];
United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; Zimbabwe African National
Union-Ndonga or ZANU-Ndonga [Wilson KUMBULA]; Zimbabwe African
National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE];
Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Agrippa MADLELA]

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2119 Population

Afghanistan
28,513,677 (July 2004 est.)

Akrotiri
no indigenous inhabitants
note: approximately 1,300 military personnel are on the base; note -
there are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of
military personnel or civilian staff on both Akrotiri and Dhekelia;
Cyprus citizens work on the base, but do not live there

Albania
3,544,808 (July 2004 est.)

Algeria
32,129,324 (July 2004 est.)

American Samoa
57,902 (July 2004 est.)

Andorra
69,865 (July 2004 est.)

Angola
10,978,552 (July 2004 est.)

Anguilla
13,008 (July 2004 est.)

Antarctica
no indigenous inhabitants, but there are both permanent
and summer-only staffed research stations
note: 26 nations, all signatory to the Antarctic Treaty, operate
seasonal (summer) and year-round research stations on the continent
and in its surrounding oceans; the population of persons doing and
supporting science on the continent and its nearby islands south of
60 degrees south latitude (the region covered by the Antarctic
Treaty) varies from approximately 4,000 in summer to 1,000 in
winter; in addition, approximately 1,000 personnel including ship's
crew and scientists doing onboard research are present in the waters
of the treaty region; summer (January) population - 3,687 total;
Argentina 302, Australia 201, Belgium 13, Brazil 80, Bulgaria 16,
Chile 352, China 70, Finland 11, France 100, Germany 51, India 60,
Italy 106, Japan 136, South Korea 14, Netherlands 10, NZ 60, Norway
40, Peru 28, Poland 70, Russia 254, South Africa 80, Spain 43,
Sweden 20, UK 192, US 1,378 (1998-99); winter (July) population -
964 total; Argentina 165, Australia 75, Brazil 12, Chile 129, China
33, France 33, Germany 9, India 25, Japan 40, South Korea 14, NZ 10,
Poland 20, Russia 102, South Africa 10, UK 39, US 248 (1998-99);
research stations operated within the Antarctic Treaty area (south
of 60 degrees south) by members of the Council of Managers of
National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP): year-round stations - 37
total; Argentina 6, Australia 3, Brazil 1, Chile 4, China 2, France
1, Germany 1, India 1, Japan 1, South Korea 1, NZ 1, Poland 1,
Russia 6, South Africa 1, Ukraine 1, UK 2, US 3, Uruguay 1 (2004);
summer-only stations - 36 total; Argentina 8, Australia 2, Bulgaria
1, Chile 5, Ecuador 1, Finland 1, Germany 1, India 1, Italy 1, Japan
3, Norway 2, Peru 1, Russia 2, South Africa 1, Spain 2, Sweden 2, UK
1, Italy and France jointly 1 (2003-2004); in addition, during the
austral summer some nations have numerous occupied locations such as
tent camps, summer-long temporary facilities, and mobile traverses
in support of research

Antigua and Barbuda
68,320 (July 2004 est.)

Argentina
39,144,753 (July 2004 est.)

Armenia
2,991,360
note: Armenia's first census since independence was conducted in
October 2001 (July 2004 est.)

Aruba
71,218 (July 2004 est.)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands no indigenous inhabitants note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Island (July 2004 est.)

Australia
19,913,144 (July 2004 est.)

Austria
8,174,762 (July 2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
7,868,385 (July 2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
299,697
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Bahrain
677,886
note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2004 est.)

Baker Island
uninhabited
note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and
naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during
World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by
special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and
generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and
remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the
middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife
Service (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
141,340,476 (July 2004 est.)

Barbados
278,289 (July 2004 est.)

Bassas da India
uninhabited (July 2004 est.)

Belarus
10,310,520 (July 2004 est.)

Belgium
10,348,276 (July 2004 est.)

Belize
272,945 (July 2004 est.)

Benin
7,250,033
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Bermuda
64,935 (July 2004 est.)

Bhutan 2,185,569 note: other estimates range as low as 810,000 (July 2004 est.)

Bolivia
8,724,156 (July 2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
4,007,608 (July 2004 est.)

Botswana
1,561,973
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Bouvet Island
uninhabited (July 2004 est.)

Brazil
184,101,109
note: Brazil took a count in August 2000, which reported a
population of 169,799,170; that figure was about 3.3% lower than
projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied
underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census; estimates for this
country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality
due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant
mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and
changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would
otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.)

British Indian Ocean Territory
no indigenous inhabitants
note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in
the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois,
were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and
1970s, in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a
British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in
2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel
and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia
(July 2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
22,187 (July 2004 est.)

Brunei
365,251 (July 2004 est.)

Bulgaria
7,517,973 (July 2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
13,574,820
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Burma
42,720,196
note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of
excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life
expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Burundi
6,231,221
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Cambodia
13,363,421
note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of
excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life
expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Cameroon
16,063,678
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Canada
32,507,874 (July 2004 est.)

Cape Verde
415,294 (July 2004 est.)

Cayman Islands
43,103 (July 2004 est.)

Central African Republic
3,742,482
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Chad
9,538,544 (July 2004 est.)

Chile
15,823,957 (July 2004 est.)

China
1,298,847,624 (July 2004 est.)

Christmas Island
396 (July 2004 est.)

Clipperton Island
uninhabited (July 2004 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
629 (July 2004 est.)

Colombia
42,310,775 (July 2004 est.)

Comoros
651,901 (July 2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
58,317,930
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
2,998,040
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Cook Islands
21,200 (July 2004 est.)

Coral Sea Islands
no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological
station (2004 est.)

Costa Rica
3,956,507 (July 2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
17,327,724
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Croatia
4,496,869 (July 2004 est.)

Cuba
11,308,764 (July 2004 est.)

Cyprus
775,927 (July 2004 est.)

Czech Republic
10,246,178 (July 2004 est.)

Denmark
5,413,392 (July 2004 est.)

Dhekelia
no indigenous personnel
note: approximately 2,200 military personnel are on the base; there
are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of military
personnel or civilian staff on both the bases of Akrotiri and
Dhekelia; Cyprus citizens work on the base, but do not live there

Djibouti
466,900 (July 2004 est.)

Dominica
69,278 (July 2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
8,833,634 (July 2004 est.)

East Timor 1,019,252 note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2004 est.)

Ecuador
13,212,742 (July 2004 est.)

Egypt
76,117,421 (July 2004 est.)

El Salvador
6,587,541 (July 2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
523,051 (July 2004 est.)

Eritrea
4,447,307 (July 2004 est.)

Estonia
1,341,664 (July 2004 est.)

Ethiopia
67,851,281
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Europa Island
no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a small French military garrison and a few
meteorologists; visited by scientists (July 2004 est.)

European Union
456,285,839 (July 2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
2,967 (July 2004 est.)

Faroe Islands
46,662 (July 2004 est.)

Fiji
880,874 (July 2004 est.)

Finland
5,214,512 (July 2004 est.)

France
60,424,213 (July 2004 est.)

French Guiana
191,309 (July 2004 est.)

French Polynesia
266,339 (July 2004 est.)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
no indigenous inhabitants (July
2002 est.)
note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary from
winter (July) to summer (January) (July 2004 est.)

Gabon
1,355,246
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Gambia, The
1,546,848 (July 2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
1,324,991
note: in addition, there are more than 5,000 Israeli settlers in the
Gaza Strip (July 2004 est.)

Georgia
4,693,892 (July 2004 est.)

Germany
82,424,609 (July 2004 est.)

Ghana
20,757,032
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Gibraltar
27,833 (July 2004 est.)

Glorioso Islands
no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a small French military garrison along with a few
meteorologists; visited by scientists (July 2004 est.)

Greece
10,647,529 (July 2004 est.)

Greenland
56,384 (July 2004 est.)

Grenada
89,357 (July 2004 est.)

Guadeloupe
444,515 (July 2004 est.)

Guam
166,090 (July 2004 est.)

Guatemala
14,280,596 (July 2004 est.)

Guernsey
65,031 (July 2004 est.)

Guinea
9,246,462 (July 2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
1,388,363 (July 2004 est.)

Guyana
705,803
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Haiti
7,656,166
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
uninhabited (July 2004 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
921 (July 2004 est.)

Honduras
6,823,568
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Hong Kong
6,855,125 (July 2004 est.)

Howland Island
uninhabited
note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and
naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during
World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by
special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and
generally restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually
by US Fish and Wildlife Service (July 2004 est.)

Hungary
10,032,375 (July 2004 est.)

Iceland
293,966 (July 2004 est.)

India
1,065,070,607 (July 2004 est.)

Indonesia
238,452,952 (July 2004 est.)

Iran
69,018,924 (July 2004 est.)

Iraq
25,374,691 (July 2004 est.)

Ireland
3,969,558 (July 2004 est.)

Israel
6,199,008
note: includes about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank,
about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, more than 5,000
in the Gaza Strip, and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July
2004 est.)

Italy
58,057,477 (July 2004 est.)

Jamaica
2,713,130 (July 2004 est.)

Jan Mayen
no indigenous inhabitants
note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and
the weather and coastal services radio station (July 2004 est.)

Japan
127,333,002 (July 2004 est.)

Jarvis Island
uninhabited
note: Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally
used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was
abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical
Year by scientists who left in 1958; public entry is by special-use
permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally
restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually by US Fish
and Wildlife Service (July 2004 est.)

Jersey
90,502 (July 2004 est.)

Johnston Atoll
396 no indigenous inhabitants
note: in previous years, there was an average of 1,100 US military
and civilian contractor personnel present; as of September 2001,
population had decreased significantly when US Army Chemical
Activity Pacific (USACAP) departed; as of January 2004 the island
population was just above 200 personnel, including US Air Force, US
Fish and Wildlife Service, and civilian contractor personnel (July
2004 est.)

Jordan
5,611,202 (July 2004 est.)

Juan de Nova Island no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a small French military garrison along with a few meteorologists; occasionally visited by scientists (July 2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
15,143,704 (July 2004 est.)

Kenya
32,021,856
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Kingman Reef
uninhabited (July 2004 est.)

Kiribati
100,798 (July 2004 est.)

Korea, North
22,697,553 (July 2004 est.)

Korea, South
48,598,175 (July 2004 est.)

Kuwait 2,257,549 note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
5,081,429 (July 2004 est.)

Laos
6,068,117 (July 2004 est.)

Latvia
2,306,306 (July 2004 est.)

Lebanon
3,777,218 (July 2004 est.)

Lesotho
1,865,040
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Liberia
3,390,635 (July 2004 est.)

Libya 5,631,585 note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
33,436 (July 2004 est.)

Lithuania
3,607,899 (July 2004 est.)

Luxembourg
462,690 (July 2004 est.)

Macau
445,286 (July 2004 est.)

Macedonia
2,071,210 (July 2004 est.)

Madagascar
17,501,871 (July 2004 est.)

Malawi
11,906,855
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Malaysia
23,522,482 (July 2004 est.)

Maldives
339,330 (July 2004 est.)

Mali
11,956,788 (July 2004 est.)

Malta
396,851 (July 2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
74,655 (July 2004 est.)

Marshall Islands
57,738 (July 2004 est.)

Martinique
429,510 (July 2004 est.)

Mauritania
2,998,563 (July 2004 est.)

Mauritius
1,220,481 (July 2004 est.)

Mayotte
186,026 (July 2004 est.)

Mexico
104,959,594 (July 2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
108,155 (July 2004 est.)

Midway Islands
no indigenous inhabitants; approximately 40 people
make up the staff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services
contractor living at the atoll (July 2004 est.)

Moldova
4,446,455 (July 2004 est.)

Monaco
32,270 (July 2004 est.)

Mongolia
2,751,314 (July 2004 est.)

Montserrat
9,245
note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the
resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned
(July 2004 est.)

Morocco
32,209,101 (July 2004 est.)

Mozambique
18,811,731
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected; the 1997
Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2004
est.)

Namibia
1,954,033
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Nauru
12,809 (July 2004 est.)

Navassa Island
uninhabited
note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island
(July 2004 est.)

Nepal
27,070,666 (July 2004 est.)

Netherlands
16,318,199 (July 2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
218,126 (July 2004 est.)

New Caledonia
213,679 (July 2004 est.)

New Zealand
3,993,817 (July 2004 est.)

Nicaragua
5,359,759 (July 2004 est.)

Niger
11,360,538 (July 2004 est.)

Nigeria
137,253,133
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Niue
2,156 (July 2004 est.)

Norfolk Island
1,841 (July 2004 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
78,252 (July 2004 est.)

Norway
4,574,560 (July 2004 est.)

Oman 2,903,165 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2004 est.)

Pakistan
159,196,336 (July 2004 est.)

Palau
20,016 (July 2004 est.)

Palmyra Atoll
no indigenous inhabitants; 4 to 20 Nature Conservancy
staff, US Fish and Wildlife staff (July 2004 est.)

Panama
3,000,463 (July 2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
5,420,280 (July 2004 est.)

Paracel Islands no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2004 est.)

Paraguay
6,191,368 (July 2004 est.)

Peru
27,544,305 (July 2004 est.)

Philippines
86,241,697 (July 2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
46 (July 2004 est.)

Poland
38,626,349 (July 2004 est.)

Portugal
10,524,145 (July 2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
3,897,960 (July 2004 est.)

Qatar
840,290 (July 2004 est.)

Reunion
766,153 (July 2004 est.)

Romania
22,355,551 (July 2004 est.)

Russia
143,782,338 (July 2004 est.)

Rwanda
7,954,013
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Saint Helena
7,415 (July 2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
38,836 (July 2004 est.)

Saint Lucia
164,213 (July 2004 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
6,995 (July 2004 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
117,193 (July 2004 est.)

Samoa
177,714 (July 2004 est.)

San Marino
28,503 (July 2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
181,565 (July 2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia 25,795,938 note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2004 est.)

Senegal
10,852,147 (July 2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
10,825,900 (July 2004 est.)

Seychelles
80,832 (July 2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
5,883,889 (July 2004 est.)

Singapore
4,353,893 (July 2004 est.)

Slovakia
5,423,567 (July 2004 est.)

Slovenia
2,011,473 (July 2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
523,617 (July 2004 est.)

Somalia
8,304,601
note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in
1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is
complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements
in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2004 est.)

South Africa
42,718,530
note: South Africa took a census October 1996 that showed a
population of 40,583,611 (after an official adjustment for a 6.8%
underenumeration based on a postenumeration survey); estimates for
this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess
mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy,
higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth
rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex
than would otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
no indigenous
inhabitants
note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March
2001, to be replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the
British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on
Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited (July 2004
est.)

Spain
40,280,780 (July 2004 est.)

Spratly Islands
no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several
claimant states (July 2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
19,905,165
note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and
armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand
Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of yearend 2000,
approximately 65,000 were housed in 131 refugee camps in south
India, another 40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than
200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2004 est.)

Sudan
39,148,162 (July 2004 est.)

Suriname
436,935 (July 2004 est.)

Svalbard
2,756 (July 2004 est.)

Swaziland
1,169,241
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Sweden
8,986,400 (July 2004 est.)

Switzerland
7,450,867 (July 2004 est.)

Syria
18,016,874
note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied
Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and
about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2004 est.)

Taiwan
22,749,838 (July 2004 est.)

Tajikistan
7,011,556 (July 2004 est.)

Tanzania
36,588,225
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Thailand
64,865,523
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Togo
5,556,812
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Tokelau
1,405 (July 2004 est.)

Tonga
110,237 (July 2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
1,096,585 (July 2004 est.)

Tromelin Island
uninhabited, except for visits by scientists (July
2004 est.)

Tunisia
9,974,722 (July 2004 est.)

Turkey
68,893,918 (July 2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
4,863,169 (July 2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
19,956 (July 2004 est.)

Tuvalu
11,468 (July 2004 est.)

Uganda
26,404,543
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Ukraine
47,732,079 (July 2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
2,523,915
note: includes an estimated 1,606,079 non-nationals; the 17 December
1995 census presents a total population figure of 2,377,453, and
there are estimates of 3.44 million for 2002 (July 2004 est.)

United Kingdom
60,270,708 (July 2004 est.)

United States
293,027,571 (July 2004 est.)

Uruguay
3,399,237 (July 2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
26,410,416 (July 2004 est.)

Vanuatu
202,609 (July 2004 est.)

Venezuela
25,017,387 (July 2004 est.)

Vietnam
82,689,518 (July 2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
108,775 (July 2004 est.)

Wake Island
no indigenous inhabitants
note: US military personnel have left the island, but contractor
personnel remain; as of October 2001, 200 contractor personnel were
present (July 2004 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
15,880 (July 2004 est.)

West Bank
2,311,204
note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the
West Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2004 est.)

Western Sahara
267,405 (July 2004 est.)

World
6,379,157,361 (July 2004 est.)

Yemen
20,024,867 (July 2004 est.)

Zambia
10,462,436
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
12,671,860
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2120 Ports and harbors

Afghanistan
Kheyrabad, Shir Khan

Albania
Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore

Algeria
Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Beni Saf, Dellys, Djendjene,
Ghazaouet, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda, Tenes

American Samoa
Aunu'u (new construction), Auasi, Faleosao, Ofu, Pago
Pago, Ta'u

Andorra
none

Angola
Ambriz, Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Malongo, Namibe (Mocamedes),
Porto Amboim, Soyo

Anguilla
Blowing Point, Road Bay

Antarctica
there are no developed ports and harbors in Antarctica;
most coastal stations have offshore anchorages, and supplies are
transferred from ship to shore by small boats, barges, and
helicopters; a few stations have a basic wharf facility; US coastal
stations include McMurdo (77 51 S, 166 40 E), Palmer (64 43 S, 64 03
W); government use only except by permit (see Permit Office under
"Legal System"); all ships at port are subject to inspection in
accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; offshore anchorage is
sparse and intermittent

Antigua and Barbuda
Saint John's

Arctic Ocean
Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US)

Argentina
Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Comodoro Rivadavia, Concepcion
del Uruguay, La Plata, Mar del Plata, Necochea, Rio Gallegos,
Rosario, Santa Fe, Ushuaia

Armenia
none

Aruba
Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
none; offshore anchorage only

Atlantic Ocean
Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp
(Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca
(Morocco), Colon (Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal),
Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas
(Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal),
London (UK), Marseille (France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal
(Canada), Naples (Italy), New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran
(Algeria), Oslo (Norway), Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Rio de
Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Saint Petersburg
(Russia), Stockholm (Sweden)

Australia
Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport (Tasmania),
Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart (Tasmania), Launceston (Tasmania),
Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville

Austria
Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna

Azerbaijan
Baku (Baki)

Bahamas, The
Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau

Bahrain
Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Baker Island
none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one
small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast

Bangladesh
Chittagong, Dhaka, Mongla Port, Narayanganj

Barbados
Bridgetown, Speightstown (Port Charles Marina)

Bassas da India
none; offshore anchorage only

Belarus
Mazyr

Belgium
Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent,
Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge

Belize
Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda

Benin
Cotonou, Porto-Novo

Bermuda
Hamilton, Saint George's, Dockyard

Bhutan
none

Bolivia
Puerto Aguirre (on the Paraguay/Parana waterway, at the
Bolivia/Brazil border); also, Bolivia has free port privileges in
maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski
Samac, and Brcko (all inland waterway ports on the Sava), Orasje

Botswana
none

Bouvet Island
none; offshore anchorage only

Brazil
Belem, Fortaleza, Ilheus, Imbituba, Manaus, Paranagua, Porto
Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Salvador, Santos, Vitoria

British Indian Ocean Territory
Diego Garcia

British Virgin Islands
Road Town

Brunei
Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Muara, Seria, Tutong

Bulgaria
Burgas, Lom, Nesebur, Ruse, Varna, Vidin

Burkina Faso
none

Burma
Bhamo, Chauk, Mandalay, Moulmein, Myitkyina, Pathein, Rangoon,
Sittwe, Tavoy

Burundi
Bujumbura

Cambodia
Kampong Som (Sihanoukville), Kampot, Krong Kaoh Kong, Phnom
Penh, Sre Ambol, Keo Phoh Port (privately owned) (2003)

Cameroon
Bonaberi, Douala, Garoua, Kribi, Tiko

Canada
Becancour (Quebec), Churchill, Halifax, Hamilton, Montreal,
New Westminster, Prince Rupert, Quebec, Saint John (New Brunswick),
St. John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Sydney, Trois-Rivieres,
Thunder Bay, Toronto, Vancouver, Windsor

Cape Verde
Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal

Cayman Islands
Cayman Brac, George Town

Central African Republic
Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga

Chad
none

Chile
Antofagasta, Arica, Chanaral, Coquimbo, Iquique, Puerto Montt,
Punta Arenas, San Antonio, San Vicente, Talcahuano, Valparaiso

China
Dalian, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Haikou, Huangpu, Lianyungang,
Nanjing, Nantong, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shantou,
Shenzhen, Tianjin, Wenzhou, Xiamen, Xingang, Yantai, Zhanjiang (2001)

Christmas Island
Flying Fish Cove

Clipperton Island
none; offshore anchorage only

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
none; lagoon anchorage only

Colombia
Bahia de Portete, Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena,
Leticia, Puerto Bolivar, San Andres, Santa Marta, Tumaco, Turbo

Comoros
Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudou

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma,
Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka

Congo, Republic of the
Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo,
Pointe-Noire

Cook Islands
Avarua, Avatiu

Coral Sea Islands
none; offshore anchorage only

Costa Rica
Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos,
Puntarenas

Cote d'Ivoire
Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro

Croatia
Dubrovnik, Dugi Rat, Omisalj, Ploce, Pula, Rijeka, Sibenik,
Split, Vukovar (inland waterway port on Danube), Zadar

Cuba
Cienfuegos, Havana, Manzanillo, Mariel, Matanzas, Nuevitas,
Santiago de Cuba

Cyprus
Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos, Vasilikos

Czech Republic
Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem

Denmark
Aabenraa, Aalborg, Aarhus, Copenhagen, Esbjerg, Fredericia,
Frederikshavn, Hirtshals, Kolding, Odense, Roenne (Bornholm), Vejle

Djibouti
Djibouti

Dominica
Portsmouth, Roseau

Dominican Republic
Barahona, La Romana, Manzanillo, Puerto Plata,
San Pedro de Macoris, Santo Domingo

East Timor
NA

Ecuador
Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar,
San Lorenzo

Egypt
Alexandria, Al Ghardaqah, Aswan, Asyut, Bur Safajah, Damietta,
Marsa Matruh, Port Said, Suez

El Salvador
Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco, La Libertad, La Union, Puerto
El Triunfo

Equatorial Guinea
Bata, Luba, Malabo

Eritrea
Assab (Aseb), Massawa (Mits'iwa)

Estonia
Haapsalu, Kunda, Muuga, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn

Ethiopia
none; Ethiopia is landlocked and was by agreement with
Eritrea using the ports of Assab and Massawa; since the border
dispute with Eritrea flared, Ethiopia has used the port of Djibouti
for nearly all of its imports

Europa Island
none; offshore anchorage only

European Union
Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Bremen
(Germany), Copenhagen (Denmark), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany),
Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre
(France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille (France), Naples
(Italy), Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Riga (Latvia), Rotterdam
(Netherlands), Stockholm (Sweden), Talinn (Estonia)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Stanley
note: the primary port is located in Stanley Harbour and known
locally as FIPASS (Falkland Interim Port and Storage System); the
facility consists of seven permanently moored barges providing 300
meters of berthing space; it was installed by the military after
1982 and handed over to the Falkland Islands Government in 1988

Faroe Islands
Torshavn, Klaksvik, Tvoroyri, Runavik, Fuglafjordhur

Fiji
Lambasa, Lautoka, Levuka, Malau, Savusavu, Suva, Vuda

Finland
Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa, Oulu, Pori,
Rauma, Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus

France
Bordeaux, Boulogne, Cherbourg, Dijon, Dunkerque, La Pallice,
Le Havre, Lyon, Marseille, Mulhouse, Nantes, Paris, Rouen, Saint
Nazaire, Saint Malo, Strasbourg (2003)

French Guiana
Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni

French Polynesia
Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
none; offshore anchorage only

Gabon
Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo,
Port-Gentil

Gambia, The
Banjul

Gaza Strip
Gaza

Georgia
Bat'umi, P'ot'i, Sokhumi

Germany
Berlin, Bonn, Brake, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Cologne, Dresden,
Duisburg, Emden, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Kiel, Luebeck, Magdeburg,
Mannheim, Rostock, Stuttgart

Ghana
Takoradi, Tema

Gibraltar
Gibraltar

Glorioso Islands
none; offshore anchorage only

Greece
Alexandroupolis, Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkyra,
Chalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs (Piraeus),
Thessaloniki, Volos

Greenland
Aasiaat (Egedesminde), Ilulissat (Jakobshavn),
Kangerlussuaq, Nanortalik, Narsarsuaq, Nuuk (Godthab), Qaqortoq
(Julianehab), Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Tasiilaq

Grenada
Grenville, Saint George's

Guadeloupe
Basse-Terre, Gustavia (on Saint Barthelemy), Marigot,
Pointe-a-Pitre

Guam
Apra Harbor

Guatemala
Champerico, Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, San Jose,
Santo Tomas de Castilla

Guernsey
Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Guinea
Boke, Conakry, Kamsar

Guinea-Bissau
Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim

Guyana
Bartica, Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Parika

Haiti
Cap-Haitien, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Les Cayes, Miragoane,
Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
none; offshore anchorage only

Holy See (Vatican City)
none

Honduras
La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo,
Tela, Puerto Lempira

Hong Kong
Hong Kong

Howland Island
none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one
small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast

Hungary
Budapest, Dunaujvaros, Gyor-Gonyu, Csepel, Baja, Mohacs
(2003)

Iceland
Akureyri, Hornafjordhur, Isafjordhur, Keflavik, Raufarhofn,
Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur, Straumsvik, Vesttmannaeyjar

India
Chennai (Madras), Cochin, Jawaharal Nehru, Kandla, Kolkata
(Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay), Vishakhapatnam

Indian Ocean
Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban
(South Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kolkata (Calcutta; India)
Melbourne (Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richards Bay (South
Africa)

Indonesia
Cilacap, Cirebon, Jakarta, Kupang, Makassar, Palembang,
Semarang, Surabaya

Iran
Abadan (largely destroyed in fighting during 1980-88 war),
Ahvaz, Bandar 'Abbas, Bandar-e Anzali, Bushehr, Bandar-e Emam
Khomeyni, Bandar-e Lengeh, Bandar-e Mahshahr, Bandar-e Torkaman,
Chabahar (Bandar Beheshti), Jazireh-ye Khark, Jazireh-ye Lavan,
Jazireh-ye Sirri, Khorramshahr (limited operation since November
1992), Now Shahr

Iraq
Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al Basrah have limited
functionality

Ireland
Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick,
New Ross, Waterford

Israel
Ashdod, Ashqelon, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa, Tel Aviv-Yafo

Italy
Augusta (Sicily), Bagnoli, Bari, Brindisi, Gela (Sicily),
Genoa, La Spezia, Livorno, Milazzo (Sicily), Naples, Porto Foxi,
Porto Torres (Sardinia), Salerno, Savona, Taranto, Trieste, Venice

Jamaica
Alligator Pond, Discovery Bay, Kingston, Montego Bay, Ocho
Rios, Port Antonio, Rocky Point, Port Esquivel (Longswharf)

Jan Mayen
none; offshore anchorage only

Japan
Akita, Amagasaki, Chiba, Hachinohe, Hakodate, Higashi-Harima,
Himeji, Hiroshima, Kawasaki, Kinuura, Kobe, Kushiro, Mizushima,
Moji, Nagoya, Osaka, Sakai, Sakaide, Shimizu, Tokyo, Tomakomai

Jarvis Island
none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one
small boat landing area in the middle of the west coast and another
near the southwest corner of the island

Jersey
Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

Johnston Atoll
Johnston Island

Jordan
Al 'Aqabah

Juan de Nova Island
none; offshore anchorage only

Kazakhstan
Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen
(Ust-Kamenogorsk), Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk)

Kenya
Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa

Kingman Reef
none; offshore anchorage only

Kiribati
Banaba, Betio, English Harbour, Kanton

Korea, North
Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong,
Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang,
Wonsan

Korea, South
Chinhae, Inch'on, Kunsan, Masan, Mokp'o, P'ohang,
Pusan, Tonghae-hang, Ulsan, Yosu

Kuwait
Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina'
al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud

Kyrgyzstan
Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)

Laos
none

Latvia
Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils

Lebanon
Antilyas, Batroun, Beirut, Chekka, El Mina, Ez Zahrani,
Jbail, Jounie, Naqoura, Sidon, Tripoli, Tyre

Lesotho
none

Liberia
Buchanan, Greenville, Harper, Monrovia, Robertsport

Libya
Al Khums, Banghazi, Darnah, Marsa al Burayqah, Misratah, Ra's
Lanuf, Tobruk, Tripoli, Zuwarah

Liechtenstein
none

Lithuania
Butinge, Kaunas, Klaipeda

Luxembourg
Mertert

Macau
Macau

Macedonia
none

Madagascar
Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina,
Toliara

Malawi
Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba

Malaysia
Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Kuching, Kudat, Labuan,
Lahad Datu, Lumut, Miri, Pasir Gudang, George Town (Penang), Port
Dickson, Port Kelang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tanjung Berhala, Tanjung
Kidurong, Tawau

Maldives
Gan, Male

Mali
Koulikoro

Malta
Marsaxlokk, Valletta

Man, Isle of
Castletown, Douglas, Peel, Ramsey

Marshall Islands
Majuro

Martinique
Fort-de-France, La Trinite

Mauritania
Bogue, Kaedi, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Rosso

Mauritius
Port Louis

Mayotte
Dzaoudzi

Mexico
Acapulco, Altamira, Bahias de Huatulco, Cabo San Lucas,
Coatzacoalcos, Dos Bocas, Ensenada, Guaymas, Lazaro Cardenas,
Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Puerto Progreso, Puerto Madero, Puerto
Vallarta, Salina Cruz, Tampico, Topolobampo, Tuxpan, Veracruz (2003)

Micronesia, Federated States of
Colonia (Yap), Kolonia (Pohnpei),
Lele, Moen

Midway Islands
Sand Island

Moldova
none

Monaco
Monaco

Mongolia
none

Montserrat
Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry
landing), Carr's Bay

Morocco
Agadir, El Jadida, Casablanca, El Jorf Lasfar, Kenitra,
Mohammedia, Nador, Rabat, Safi, Tangier; also Spanish-controlled
Ceuta and Melilla

Mozambique
Beira, Inhambane, Maputo, Nacala, Pemba, Quelimane

Namibia
Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Nauru
Nauru

Navassa Island
none; offshore anchorage only

Nepal
none

Netherlands
Amsterdam, Delfzijl, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Groningen,
Haarlem, IJmuiden, Maastricht, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Utrecht,
Vlissingen

Netherlands Antilles
Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad

New Caledonia
Mueo, Noumea, Thio

New Zealand
Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Tauranga, Wellington

Nicaragua
Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto
Sandino, Rama, San Juan del Sur

Niger
none

Nigeria
Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt, Sapele, Warri

Niue
none; offshore anchorage only

Norfolk Island
none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade

Northern Mariana Islands
Saipan, Tinian

Norway
Bergen, Drammen, Floro, Hammerfest, Harstad, Haugesund,
Kristiansand, Larvik, Narvik, Oslo, Porsgrunn, Stavanger, Tromso,
Trondheim

Oman
Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut

Pacific Ocean
Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong, Kao-hsiung (Taiwan),
Los Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South Korea), San
Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney
(Australia), Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)

Pakistan
Karachi, Port Muhammad bin Qasim

Palau
Koror

Palmyra Atoll
West Lagoon

Panama
Balboa, Cristobal, Coco Solo, Manzanillo (part of Colon
area), Vacamonte

Papua New Guinea
Kieta, Lae, Madang, Port Moresby, Rabaul

Paracel Islands
small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and
Duncan Island being expanded

Paraguay
Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion

Peru
Callao, Chimbote, Ilo, Matarani, Paita, Puerto Maldonado,
Salaverry, San Martin, Talara, Iquitos, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas
note: Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are all on the upper reaches
of the Amazon and its tributaries

Philippines
Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras Island,
Iligan, Iloilo, Jolo, Legaspi, Manila, Masao, Puerto Princesa, San
Fernando, Subic Bay, Zamboanga

Pitcairn Islands
Adamstown (on Bounty Bay)

Poland
Gdansk, Gdynia, Gliwice, Kolobrzeg, Szczecin, Swinoujscie,
Ustka, Warsaw, Wroclaw

Portugal
Aveiro, Funchal (Madeira Islands), Horta (Azores), Leixoes,
Lisbon, Porto, Ponta Delgada (Azores), Praia da Vitoria (Azores),
Setubal, Viana do Castelo

Puerto Rico
Aguadilla, Arecibo, Fajardo, Guanica, Guayanilla,
Guayama, Mayaguez, Playa de Ponce, San Juan

Qatar
Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id)

Reunion
Le Port, Pointe des Galets

Romania
Braila, Constanta, Galati, Mangalia, Sulina, Tulcea

Russia
Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinskiy, Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan',
De-Kastri, Indigirskiy, Kaliningrad, Kandalaksha, Kazan',
Khabarovsk, Kholmsk, Krasnoyarsk, Lazarev, Mago, Mezen', Moscow,
Murmansk, Nakhodka, Nevel'sk, Novorossiysk, Onega,
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Rostov, Shakhtersk, Saint Petersburg,
Sochi, Taganrog, Tuapse, Uglegorsk, Vanino, Vladivostok, Volgograd,
Vostochnyy, Vyborg

Rwanda
Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye

Saint Helena
Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown

Saint Kitts and Nevis
Basseterre, Charlestown

Saint Lucia
Castries, Vieux Fort

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Saint Pierre

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Kingstown

Samoa
Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa

San Marino
none

Sao Tome and Principe
Santo Antonio, Sao Tome

Saudi Arabia
Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Duba, Jiddah, Jizan, Rabigh, Ra's
al Khafji, Mishab, Ras Tanura, Yanbu' al Bahr, Madinat Yanbu' al
Sinaiyah

Senegal
Dakar, Kaolack, Matam, Podor, Richard Toll, Saint-Louis,
Ziguinchor

Serbia and Montenegro
Bar, Belgrade, Kotor, Novi Sad, Pancevo,
Tivat, Zelenika

Seychelles
Victoria

Sierra Leone
Bonthe, Freetown, Pepel

Singapore
Singapore

Slovakia
Bratislava, Komarno

Slovenia
Izola, Koper, Piran

Solomon Islands
Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina

Somalia
Boosaaso, Berbera, Chisimayu (Kismaayo), Merca, Mogadishu

South Africa
Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mossel Bay, Port
Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Grytviken

Southern Ocean
McMurdo, Palmer, and offshore anchorages in Antarctica
note: few ports or harbors exist on the southern side of the
Southern Ocean; ice conditions limit use of most of them to short
periods in midsummer; even then some cannot be entered without
icebreaker escort; most antarctic ports are operated by government
research stations and, except in an emergency, are not open to
commercial or private vessels; vessels in any port south of 60
degrees south are subject to inspection by Antarctic Treaty
observers (see Article 7)

Spain
Aviles, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cadiz, Cartagena, Castellon de la
Plana, Ceuta, Huelva, A Coruna, Las Palmas (Canary Islands), Malaga,
Melilla, Pasajes, Gijon, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands),
Santander, Tarragona, Valencia, Vigo

Spratly Islands
none; offshore anchorage only

Sri Lanka
Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee

Sudan
Juba, Khartoum, Kusti, Malakal, Nimule, Port Sudan, Sawakin

Suriname
Albina, Moengo, New Nickerie, Paramaribo, Paranam,
Wageningen

Svalbard
Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden

Swaziland
none

Sweden
Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Hudiksvall, Kalmar,
Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Solvesborg, Stockholm, Sundsvall

Switzerland
Basel

Syria
Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus

Taiwan
Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung

Tajikistan
none

Tanzania
Bukoba, Dar es Salaam, Kigoma, Kilwa Masoko, Lindi, Mtwara,
Mwanza, Pangani, Tanga, Wete, Zanzibar

Thailand
Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Pattani, Phuket, Sattahip, Si Racha,
Songkhla

Togo
Kpeme, Lome

Tokelau
none; offshore anchorage only

Tonga
Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai

Trinidad and Tobago
Pointe-a-Pierre, Point Fortin, Point Lisas,
Port-of-Spain, Scarborough, Tembladora

Tromelin Island
none; offshore anchorage only

Tunisia
Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Sfax, Sousse, Tunis, Zarzis

Turkey
Gemlik, Hopa, Iskenderun, Istanbul, Izmir, Kocaeli (Izmit),
Icel (Mersin), Samsun, Trabzon

Turkmenistan
Turkmenbasy

Turks and Caicos Islands
Grand Turk, Providenciales

Tuvalu
Funafuti, Nukufetau

Uganda
Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell

Ukraine
Berdyans'k, Feodosiya, Illichivs'k, Izmayil, Kerch, Kherson,
Kiev (Kyyiv), Kiliya, Mariupol', Mykolayiv, Odesa, Reni,
Sevastopol', Yalta, Yuzhnyy

United Arab Emirates
'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan,
Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina'
Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn

United Kingdom
Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Dover, Falmouth,
Felixstowe, Glasgow, Grangemouth, Hull, Leith, Liverpool, London,
Manchester, Peterhead, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Ramsgate, Scapa Flow,
Southampton, Sullom Voe, Teesport, Tyne

United States
Anchorage, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Chicago,
Duluth, Hampton Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles,
New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Port Canaveral, Portland
(Oregon), Prudhoe Bay, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, Tampa,
Toledo

Uruguay
Colonia, Fray Bentos, Juan La Caze, La Paloma, Montevideo,
Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Punta del Este, Piriapolis

Uzbekistan
Termiz (Amu Darya)

Vanuatu
Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)

Venezuela
Amuay, Bajo Grande, El Tablazo, La Guaira, La Salina,
Maracaibo, Matanzas, Palua, Puerto Cabello, Puerto la Cruz, Puerto
Ordaz, Puerto Sucre, Punta Cardon

Vietnam
Cam Ranh, Da Nang, Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Long, Quy
Nhon, Nha Trang, Vinh, Vung Tau

Virgin Islands
Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port
Alucroix

Wake Island
none; two offshore anchorages for large ships

Wallis and Futuna
Leava, Mata-Utu

West Bank
none

Western Sahara
Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)

World
Chiba, Houston, Kawasaki, Kobe, Marseille, Mina' al Ahmadi
(Kuwait), New Orleans, New York, Rotterdam, Yokohama

Yemen
Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Mukalla, As Salif, Ras Issa, Mocha,
Nishtun

Zambia
Mpulungu

Zimbabwe
Binga, Kariba

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2121 Railways (km)

Albania total: 447 km standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Algeria
total: 3,973 km
standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2003)

Angola
total: 2,761 km
narrow gauge: 2,638 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2003)

Argentina
total: 34,091 km (167 km electrified)
broad gauge: 20,594 km 1.676-m gauge (141 km electrified)
standard gauge: 2,885 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 10,375 km 1.000-m gauge; 237 km 0.750-m gauge (2003)

Armenia
total: 845 km
broad gauge: 845 km 1.520-m gauge (828 km electrified)
note: some lines are out of service (2003)

Australia
total: 44,015 km (5,290 km electrified)
broad gauge: 1,957 km 1.600-m gauge
standard gauge: 27,095 km 1.435-m gauge (2,828 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 14,957 km 1.067-m gauge (2,462 km electrified)
dual gauge: 213 km dual gauge (2003)

Austria
total: 6,021 km (3,552 km electrified)
standard gauge: 5,565 km 1.435-m gauge (3,430 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 34 km 1.000-m gauge (28 km electrified); 422 km
0.760-m gauge (94 km electrified) (2003)

Azerbaijan
total: 2,957 km
broad gauge: 2,957 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (2003)

Bangladesh
total: 2,706 km
broad gauge: 884 km 1.676-m gauge
narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Belarus
total: 5,523 km
broad gauge: 5,523 km 1.520-m gauge (875 km electrified) (2003)

Belgium
total: 3,518 km
standard gauge: 3,518 km 1.435-m gauge (2,631 km electrified) (2003)

Benin
total: 578 km
narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Bolivia
total: 3,519 km
narrow gauge: 3,519 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
total: 1,021 km (795 km electrified)
standard gauge: 1,021 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Botswana
total: 888 km
narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Brazil
total: 29,412 km (1,610 km electrified)
broad gauge: 4,907 km 1.600-m gauge (942 km electrified)
standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge
narrow gauge: 23,915 km 1.000-m gauge (581 km electrified)
dual gauge: 396 km 1.000-m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (78 km
electrified) (2003)

Bulgaria
total: 4,294 km
standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2003)

Burkina Faso
total: 622 km
narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge
note:: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote D'Ivoire
(2003)

Burma
total: 3,955 km
narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Cambodia
total: 602 km
narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Cameroon
total: 1,008 km
narrow gauge: 1,008 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Canada
total: 48,909 km
standard gauge: 48,909 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Chile
total: 6,585 km
broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

China
total: 70,058 km
standard gauge: 68,000 km 1.435-m gauge (18,668 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 3,600 km 1.000-m and 0.750-m gauge local industrial
lines
dual gauge: 22,640 km (not included in total) (2003)

Colombia
total: 3,304 km
standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
total: 5,138 km
narrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km
1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge (2003)

Congo, Republic of the
total: 894 km
narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Costa Rica
total: 950 km
narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2003)

Cote d'Ivoire
total: 660 km
narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000-meter gauge
note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina
Faso (2003)

Croatia
total: 2,726 km
standard gauge: 2,726 km 1.435-m gauge (984 km electrified) (2003)

Cuba
total: 4,226 km
standard gauge: 4,226 km 1.435-m gauge (140 km electrified)
note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations;
about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge
(2003)

Czech Republic
total: 9,520 km
standard gauge: 9,421 km 1.435-m gauge (2,893 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 99 km 0.760-m gauge (2003)

Denmark
total: 3,002 km
standard gauge: 3,002 km 1.435-m gauge (595 km electrified) (2003)

Djibouti
total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti
railway)
narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge
note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2003)

Dominican Republic
total: 1,743 km
standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge
note: additional 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076-m,
0.889-m, and 0.762-m gauges (2003)

Ecuador
total: 966 km
narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Egypt
total: 5,063 km
standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2003)

El Salvador
total: 283 km
narrow gauge: 283 km 0.914-m gauge
note: length of operational route reduced from 562 km to 283 km by
disuse and lack of maintenance (2003)

Eritrea
total: 306 km
narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge
note: railway is being rebuilt; 117 km open (2003)

Estonia
total: 958 km
broad gauge: 958 km 1.520-m/1.524-m gauge (132 km electrified)
note: gauge being increased from 1.520-m to 1.524-m to reduce wear
on wheels and rail as lines are modernized (2003)

Ethiopia
total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis
Ababa-Djibouti railroad)
narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge
note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2003)

European Union total: 222,293 km broad gauge: 28,438 km standard gauge: 186,405 km narrow gauge: 7,427 km other: 23 km (2003)

Fiji
total: 597 km
narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge
note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used
to haul sugarcane during harvest season (May to December) (2003)

Finland
total: 5,851 km
broad gauge: 5,851 km 1.524-m gauge (2,400 km electrified) (2003)

France
total: 32,175 km
standard gauge: 32,008 km 1.435-m gauge (14,320 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Gabon
total: 814 km
standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Georgia
total: 1,612 km (1,612 km electrified)
broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified)
narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified) (2003)

Germany
total: 46,039 km (20,100 km electrified)
standard gauge: 45,801 km 1.435-m gauge (20,084 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 214 km 1.000-m gauge (16 km electrified); 24 km
0.750-m gauge (2003)

Ghana
total: 953 km
narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Greece
total: 2,571 km (764 km electrified)
standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge
dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail
system) (2003)

Guatemala
total: 886 km
narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)

Guinea
total: 837 km
standard gauge: 175 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 662 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Guyana
total: 187 km
standard gauge: 139 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge
note: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.)

Honduras
total: 699 km
narrow gauge: 279 km 1.067-m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)

Hungary
total: 7,937 km
broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge
standard gauge: 7,682 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge (2003)

India
total: 63,140 km (15,994 km electrified)
broad gauge: 45,099 km 1.676-m gauge
narrow gauge: 14,776 km 1.000-m gauge; 3,265 km 0.762-m gauge and
0.610-m gauge (2003)

Indonesia
total: 6,458 km
narrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (125 km electrified); 497 km
0.750-m gauge (2003)

Iran
total: 7,203 km
broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge
standard gauge: 7,109 km 1.435-m gauge (189 km electrified) (2003)

Iraq
total: 1,963 km
standard gauge: 1,963 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Ireland
total: 3,312 km
broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (46 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat
Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants)
(2003)

Israel
total: 640 km
standard gauge: 640 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Italy
total: 19,507 km (11,651 km electrified)
standard gauge: 18,070 km 1.435-m gauge (11,375 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 123 km 1.000-m gauge (88 km electrified); 1,314 km
0.950-m gauge (188 km electrified) (2003)

Jamaica
total: 272 km
standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge
note: 207 of these km belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation
had been in common carrier service until 1992 but are no longer
operational; 57 km of the remaining track is privately owned and
used by ALCAN to transport bauxite (2003)

Japan
total: 23,705 km (16,519 km electrified)
standard gauge: 3,204 km 1.435-m gauge (3,204 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge (77 km electrified); 20,393 km
1.067-m gauge (13,227 km electrified); 11 km 0.762-m gauge (11 km
electrified) (2003)

Jordan
total: 505 km
narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2003)

Kazakhstan
total: 13,601 km
broad gauge: 13,601 km 1.520-m gauge (3,661 km electrified) (2003)

Kenya
total: 2,778 km
narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Korea, North
total: 5,214 km
standard gauge: 5,214 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) (2003)

Korea, South
total: 3,125 km
standard gauge: 3,125 km 1.435-m gauge (661 km electrified) (2003)

Kyrgyzstan
total: 470 km
broad gauge: 470 km 1.520-m gauge (2003)

Latvia
total: 2,303 km
broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2003)

Lebanon
total: 401 km
standard gauge: 319 km 1.435-m
narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050-m
note: rail system was unusable because of damage during the civil
war in the 1980s; short sections are operable (2003)

Liberia
total: 490 km
standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge
note: none of the railways are in operation (2003)

Libya
0 km
note: Libya is working on 7 lines totaling 2,757 km of 1.435-m gauge
track; it hopes to open a 191 km line by the end of 2004 (2003)

Lithuania
total: 1,998 km
broad gauge: 1,807 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified)
standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 169 km 0.750-m gauge (all service suspended) (2003)

Luxembourg
total: 274 km
standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (242 km electrified) (2003)

Macedonia
total: 699 km
standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2003)

Madagascar
total: 732 km
narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Malawi
total: 797 km
narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Malaysia
total: 2,418 km (207 km electrified)
standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 2,361 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2003)

Mali
total: 729 km
narrow gauge: 729 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Man, Isle of
total: 61 km (35 km electrified) (2003)

Mauritania
717 km
standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Mexico
total: 19,510 km
standard gauge: 19,510 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Moldova
total: 1,138 km
broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge
standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Mongolia
1,810 km
broad gauge: 1,810 km 1.524-m gauge (2004)

Morocco
total: 1,907 km
standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2003)

Mozambique
total: 3,123 km
narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2003)

Namibia
total: 2,382 km
narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Nepal
total: 59 km
narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2003)

Netherlands
total: 2,808 km
standard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km electrified) (2003)

New Zealand
total: 3,898 km
narrow gauge: 3,898 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2003)

Nicaragua
total: 6 km
narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Nigeria
total: 3,557 km
narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge
standard gauge: 52 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Norway
total: 4,077 km
standard gauge: 4,077 km 1.435-m gauge (2,518 km electrified) (2003)

Pakistan
total: 8,163 km
broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Panama
total: 355 km
standard gauge: 76 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)

Paraguay
total: 441 km
standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Peru
total: 3,462 km
standard gauge: 2,962 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 500 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)

Philippines
total: 897 km
narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067-m gauge (492 km are in operation) (2003)

Poland
total: 23,852 km
broad gauge: 629 km 1.524-m gauge
standard gauge: 23,223 km 1.435-m gauge (11,962 km electrified)
(2003)

Portugal
total: 2,850 km
broad gauge: 2,576 km 1.668-m gauge (623 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 274 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Puerto Rico
total: 96 km
narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Romania
total: 11,385 km (3,888 km electrified)
standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge
broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge
narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2003)

Russia
total: 87,157 km
broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge (40,300 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (on Sakhalin Island)
note: an additional 30,000 km of non-common carrier lines serve
industries (2003)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
total: 50 km
narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane
plantations during harvest season (2003)

Saudi Arabia
total: 1,392 km
standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and
sidings) (2003)

Senegal
total: 906 km
narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000-meter gauge (2003)

Serbia and Montenegro
total: 4,380 km
standard gauge: 4,380 km 1.435-m gauge (1,445 km electrified) (2003)

Slovakia
total: 3,661 km
broad gauge: 100 km 1.520-m gauge
standard gauge: 3,512 km 1.435-m gauge (1,588 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 49 km (1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge) (2003)

Slovenia
total: 1,201 km
standard gauge: 1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (499 km electrified) (2003)

South Africa
total: 22,298 km
narrow gauge: 21,984 km 1.065-m gauge (10,436 km electrified); 314
km 0.610-m gauge
note: includes a 2,228 km commuter rail system (2003)

Spain
total: 14,268 km (7,718 km electrified)
broad gauge: 11,804 km 1.668-m gauge (6,409 km electrified)
standard gauge: 526 km 1.435-m gauge (526 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,910 km 1.000-m gauge (755 km electrified); 28 km
0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2003)

Sri Lanka
total: 1,449 km
broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge (2003)

Sudan
total: 5,978 km
narrow gauge: 4,595 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km .600-m gauge for
cotton plantations (2003)

Swaziland
total: 301 km
narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Sweden
total: 11,481 km
standard gauge: 11,481 km 1.435-m gauge (7,527 km electrified) (2003)

Switzerland
total: 4,533 km
standard gauge: 3,483 km 1.435-m gauge (3,472 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,004 km 1.000-m gauge (974 km electrified); 46 km
0.800-m gauge (46 km electrified) (2003)

Syria
total: 2,711 km
standard gauge: 2,460 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2003)

Taiwan
total: 2,544 km
narrow gauge: 1,108 km 1.067-m gauge (519 km electrified)
note: 1,400 km .762-m gauge (belonging to the Taiwan Sugar
Corporation and to the Taiwan Forestry Bureau used to haul products
and limited numbers of passengers (2003)

Tajikistan
total: 482 km
broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2003)

Tanzania
total: 3,690 km
narrow gauge: 969 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,721 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Thailand
total: 4,071 km
narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Togo
total: 568 km
narrow gauge: 568 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Tunisia
total: 2,152 km
standard gauge: 468 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified)
dual gauge: 10 km 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2003)

Turkey
total: 8,671 km
standard gauge: 8,671 km 1.435-m gauge (2,122 km electrified) (2003)

Turkmenistan
total: 2,440 km
broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2003)

Uganda
total: 1,241 km
narrow gauge: 1,241 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Ukraine
total: 22,473 km
broad gauge: 22,473 km 1.524-m gauge (9,250 km electrified) (2003)

United Kingdom
total: 17,186 km
standard gauge: 16,726 km 1.435-m gauge (5,243 km electrified)
broad gauge: 460 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland) (2003)

United States
total: 228,464 km
standard gauge: 228,464 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Uruguay
total: 2,073 km
standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge
note: 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in
partial use (2003)

Uzbekistan
total: 3,950 km
broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2003)

Venezuela
total: 682 km
standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Vietnam
total: 2,600 km
standard gauge: 178 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 2,169 km 1.000-m gauge
dual gauge: 253 km three-rail track combining 1.435-m and 1.000-m
gauges (2003)

World
total: 1,115,205 km
broad gauge: 257,481 km
standard gauge: 671,413 km
narrow gauge: 186,311 km (2003)

Zambia
total: 2,173 km
narrow gauge: 2,173 km 1.067-m gauge
note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority
(TAZARA) (2003)

Zimbabwe total: 3,077 km narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2003)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2122 Religions (%)

Afghanistan
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 19%, other 1%

Albania
Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%
note: percentages are estimates; there are no available current
statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were
closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November
1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice

Algeria
Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%

American Samoa
Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%,
Protestant and other 30%

Andorra
Roman Catholic (predominant)

Angola
indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15%
(1998 est.)

Anguilla
Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%,
Baptist 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, other 12%

Antigua and Barbuda
Christian, (predominantly Anglican with other
Protestant, and some Roman Catholic)

Argentina
nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing),
Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%

Armenia
Armenian Apostolic 94%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi
(Zoroastrian/animist) 2%

Aruba
Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian,
Jewish

Australia
Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%,
non-Christian 11%, other 12.6%

Austria
Roman Catholic 73.6%, Protestant 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other
0.1%, none 17.4%

Azerbaijan
Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox
2.3%, other 1.8% (1995 est.)
note: religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan;
percentages for actual practicing adherents are much lower

Bahamas, The
Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%,
Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or
unknown 3%, other 2%

Bahrain
Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30%

Bangladesh
Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)

Barbados
Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%,
other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%

Belarus
Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic,
Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)

Belgium
Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%

Belize
Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Anglican 5.3%,
Methodist 3.5%, Mennonite 4.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%,
Pentecostal 7.4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), none 9.4%, other 14%
(2000)

Benin
indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Bermuda
non-Anglican Protestant 39%, Anglican 27%, Roman Catholic
15%, other 19%

Bhutan
Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced
Hinduism 25%

Bolivia
Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%,
other 14%

Botswana
indigenous beliefs 85%, Christian 15%

Brazil
Roman Catholic (nominal) 80%

British Virgin Islands
Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%,
Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's
Witnesses 2%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2%
(1991)

Brunei
Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%,
indigenous beliefs and other 10%

Bulgaria
Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, Roman Catholic
1.7%, Jewish 0.1%, Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 3.4%
(1998)

Burkina Faso
indigenous beliefs 40%, Muslim 50%, Christian (mainly
Roman Catholic) 10%

Burma
Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%),
Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2%

Burundi
Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%),
indigenous beliefs 23%, Muslim 10%

Cambodia
Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5%

Cameroon
indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Canada
Roman Catholic 46%, Protestant 36%, other 18%
note: based on the 1991 census

Cape Verde
Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs);
Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)

Cayman Islands
United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational),
Anglican, Baptist, Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Central African Republic
indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%,
Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%
note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the
Christian majority

Chad
Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other 7%

Chile
Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish negligible

China
Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Muslim 1%-2%, Christian 3%-4%
note: officially atheist (2002 est.)

Christmas Island
Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21%
(1997)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)

Colombia
Roman Catholic 90%

Comoros
Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant
20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and
indigenous beliefs 10%

Congo, Republic of the
Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%

Cook Islands
Christian (majority of populace are members of the Cook
Islands Christian Church)

Costa Rica
Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's
Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%

Cote d'Ivoire
Christian 20-30%, Muslim 35-40%, indigenous 25-40%
(2001)
note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim
(70%) and Christian (20%)

Croatia
Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, Muslim 1.3%, Protestant
0.3%, others and unknown 6.2% (2001)

Cuba
nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power;
Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also
represented

Cyprus
Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic,
and other 4%

Czech Republic
Roman Catholic 39.2%, Protestant 4.6%, Orthodox 3%,
other 13.4%, atheist 39.8%

Denmark
Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Protestant and Roman
Catholic 3%, Muslim 2%

Djibouti
Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Dominica
Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%,
Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%),
none 2%, other 6%

Dominican Republic
Roman Catholic 95%

East Timor
Roman Catholic 90%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 3%, Hindu 0.5%,
Buddhist, Animist (1992 est.)

Ecuador
Roman Catholic 95%

Egypt
Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94%, Coptic Christian and other 6%

El Salvador
Roman Catholic 83%
note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout
the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million
Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea
nominally Christian and predominantly Roman
Catholic, pagan practices

Eritrea
Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Estonia
Evangelical Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Estonian Orthodox,
Baptist, Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic,
Pentecostal, Word of Life, Jewish

Ethiopia
Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist 12%,
other 3%-8%

European Union
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
primarily Anglican, Roman
Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's
Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist

Faroe Islands
Evangelical Lutheran

Fiji
Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%,
Muslim 8%, other 2%
note: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu, and there is
a Muslim minority (1986)

Finland
Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Russian Orthodox 1%, none 9%,
other 1%

France
Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim
5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%

French Guiana
Roman Catholic

French Polynesia
Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no
religion 6%

Gabon
Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%

Gambia, The
Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Gaza Strip
Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 98.7%, Christian 0.7%,
Jewish 0.6%

Georgia
Georgian Orthodox 65%, Muslim 11%, Russian Orthodox 10%,
Armenian Apostolic 8%, unknown 6%

Germany
Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%,
unaffiliated or other 28.3%

Ghana
Christian 63%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 21%

Gibraltar
Roman Catholic 76.9%, Church of England 6.9%, Muslim 6.9%,
Jewish 2.3%, none or other 7% (1991)

Greece
Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Greenland
Evangelical Lutheran

Grenada
Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%

Guadeloupe
Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%,
Protestant 1%

Guam
Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)

Guatemala
Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs

Guernsey
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist,
Congregational, Methodist

Guinea
Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%

Guinea-Bissau
indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%

Guyana
Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5%

Haiti
Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal
4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982)
note: roughly half of the population practices Voodoo

Holy See (Vatican City)
Roman Catholic

Honduras
Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority

Hong Kong
eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%

Hungary
Roman Catholic 67.5%, Calvinist 20%, Lutheran 5%, atheist
and other 7.5%

Iceland
Evangelical Lutheran 87.1%, other Protestant 4.1%, Roman
Catholic 1.7%, other 7.1% (2002)

India
Hindu 81.3%, Muslim 12%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other
groups including Buddhist, Jain, Parsi 2.5% (2000)

Indonesia
Muslim 88%, Protestant 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%,
Buddhist 1%, other 1% (1998)

Iran
Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 9%, Zoroastrian, Jewish,
Christian, and Baha'i 2%

Iraq
Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%

Ireland
Roman Catholic 91.6%, Church of Ireland 2.5%, other 5.9%
(1998)

Israel
Jewish 80.1%, Muslim 14.6% (mostly Sunni Muslim), Christian
2.1%, other 3.2% (1996 est.)

Italy
predominately Roman Catholic with mature Protestant and Jewish
communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community

Jamaica
Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Baptist 8.8%,
Anglican 5.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 9%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Methodist
2.7%, United Church 2.7%, Brethren 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%,
Moravian 1.1%), Roman Catholic 4%, other including some spiritual
cults 34.7%

Japan
observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including
Christian 0.7%)

Jersey
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church,
Methodist, Presbyterian

Jordan
Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but
some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox,
Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several
small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%

Kenya
Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%,
Muslim 10%, other 2%
note: a large majority of Kenyans are Christian, but estimates for
the percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenous
beliefs vary widely

Kiribati
Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, some
Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, and Church
of God (1999)

Korea, North
traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian
and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)
note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent;
government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of
religious freedom

Korea, South
no affiliation 46%, Christian 26%, Buddhist 26%,
Confucianist 1%, other 1%

Kuwait
Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi,
and other 15%

Kyrgyzstan
Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%

Laos
Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various
Christian denominations 1.5%)

Latvia
Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox

Lebanon
Muslim 59.7% (Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or
Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Melkite Catholic,
Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Roman
Catholic, Protestant), other 1.3%
note: seventeen religious sects recognized

Lesotho
Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%

Liberia
indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Libya
Sunni Muslim 97%

Liechtenstein
Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%,
other 6.2% (June 2002)

Lithuania
Roman Catholic (primarily), Lutheran, Russian Orthodox,
Protestant, Evangelical Christian Baptist, Muslim, Jewish

Luxembourg
87% Roman Catholic, 13% Protestants, Jews, and Muslims
(2000)

Macau
Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997
est.)

Macedonia
Macedonian Orthodox 70%, Muslim 29%, other 1%

Madagascar
indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Malawi
Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, indigenous
beliefs 3%, other 2%

Malaysia
Muslim, Buddhist, Daoist, Hindu, Christian, Sikh; note - in
addition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia

Maldives
Sunni Muslim

Mali
Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%

Malta
Roman Catholic 98%

Man, Isle of
Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist,
Presbyterian, Society of Friends

Marshall Islands
Christian (mostly Protestant)

Martinique
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 10.5%, Muslim 0.5%, Hindu
0.5%, other 3.5% (1997)

Mauritania
Muslim 100%

Mauritius
Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant
2.3%), Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%

Mayotte
Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)

Mexico
nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%

Micronesia, Federated States of
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%

Moldova
Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5%
(2000)

Monaco
Roman Catholic 90%

Mongolia
Buddhist Lamaist 50%, none 40%, Shamanist and Christian 6%,
Muslim 4% (2004)

Montserrat
Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal,
Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations

Morocco
Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Mozambique
indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Namibia
Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous
beliefs 10% to 20%

Nauru
Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)

Nepal
Hinduism 86.2%, Buddhism 7.8%, Islam 3.8%, other 2.2%
note: only official Hindu state in the world (1995)

Netherlands
Roman Catholic 31%, Protestant 21%, Muslim 4.4%, other
3.6%, unaffiliated 40% (1998)

Netherlands Antilles
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day
Adventist

New Caledonia
Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

New Zealand
Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%,
Methodist 5%, Baptist 2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none
33% (1986)

Nicaragua
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant

Niger
Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christian

Nigeria
Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%

Niue
Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely
related to the London Missionary Society) 75%, Latter-Day Saints
10%, other 15% (mostly Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses,
Seventh-Day Adventist)

Norfolk Island
Anglican 37.4%, Uniting Church in Australia 14.5%,
Roman Catholic 11.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.1%, none 12.2%,
unknown 17.4%, other 3.9% (1996)

Northern Mariana Islands
Christian (Roman Catholic majority,
although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)

Norway
Evangelical Lutheran 86% (state church), other Protestant and
Roman Catholic 3%, other 1%, none and unknown 10% (1997)

Oman
Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu

Pakistan
Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and
other 3%

Palau
Christian (Roman Catholics 49%, Seventh-Day Adventists,
Jehovah's Witnesses, the Assembly of God, the Liebenzell Mission,
and Latter-Day Saints), Modekngei religion (one-third of the
population observes this religion, which is indigenous to Palau)

Panama
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Papua New Guinea
Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%,
Presbyterian/Methodist/London Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%,
Evangelical Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant
10%, indigenous beliefs 34%

Paraguay
Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and other Protestant

Peru
Roman Catholic 90%

Philippines
Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 5%, Buddhist
and other 3%

Pitcairn Islands
Seventh-Day Adventist 100%

Poland
Roman Catholic 95% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox,
Protestant, and other 5%

Portugal
Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)

Puerto Rico
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

Qatar
Muslim 95%

Reunion
Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist (1995)

Romania
Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 87%,
Protestant 6.8%, Catholic 5.6%, other (mostly Muslim) 0.4%,
unaffiliated 0.2% (2002)

Russia
Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other

Rwanda
Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim
4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)

Saint Helena
Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist,
Roman Catholic

Saint Kitts and Nevis
Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Saint Lucia
Roman Catholic 90%, Anglican 3%, other Protestant 7%

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Roman Catholic 99%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman
Catholic 13%, Hindu Seventh-Day Adventist, other Protestant

Samoa
Christian 99.7% (about one-half of population associated with
the London Missionary Society; includes Congregational, Roman
Catholic, Methodist, Latter-Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventist)

San Marino
Roman Catholic

Sao Tome and Principe
Christian 80% (Roman Catholic, Evangelical
Protestant, Seventh-Day Adventist)

Saudi Arabia
Muslim 100%

Senegal
Muslim 94%, indigenous beliefs 1%, Christian 5% (mostly
Roman Catholic)

Serbia and Montenegro
Orthodox 65%, Muslim 19%, Roman Catholic 4%,
Protestant 1%, other 11%

Seychelles
Roman Catholic 86.6%, Anglican 6.8%, other Christian
2.5%, other 4.1%

Sierra Leone
Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%

Singapore
Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu,
Sikh, Taoist, Confucianist

Slovakia
Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%,
Orthodox 4.1%, other 17.5%

Slovenia
Roman Catholic (Uniate 2%) 70.8%, Lutheran 1%, Muslim 1%,
atheist 4.3%, other 22.9%

Solomon Islands
Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United
(Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%,
other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4%

Somalia
Sunni Muslim

South Africa
Christian 68% (includes most whites and Coloreds, about
60% of blacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60%
of Indians), indigenous beliefs and animist 28.5%

Spain
Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Sri Lanka
Buddhist 70%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 7% (1999)

Sudan
Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian
5% (mostly in south and Khartoum)

Suriname
Hindu 27.4%, Muslim 19.6%, Roman Catholic 22.8%, Protestant
25.2% (predominantly Moravian), indigenous beliefs 5%

Swaziland
Zionist (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral
worship) 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai,
Methodist, Mormon, Jewish and other 30%

Sweden
Lutheran 87%, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim,
Jewish, Buddhist

Switzerland
Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none
8.9% (1990)

Syria
Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%,
Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus,
Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Taiwan
mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian
4.5%, other 2.5%

Tajikistan
Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi'a Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)

Tanzania
mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs
35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim

Thailand
Buddhism 95%, Muslim 3.8%, Christianity 0.5%, Hinduism
0.1%, other 0.6% (1991)

Togo
indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 29%, Muslim 20%

Tokelau
Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%,
other 2%
note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on
Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with
the Congregational Christian Church predominant

Tonga
Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)

Trinidad and Tobago
Roman Catholic 29.4%, Hindu 23.8%, Anglican
10.9%, Muslim 5.8%, Presbyterian 3.4%, other 26.7%

Tunisia
Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Turkey
Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians
and Jews)

Turkmenistan
Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%

Turks and Caicos Islands
Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%,
Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)

Tuvalu
Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day
Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%

Uganda
Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous
beliefs 18%

Ukraine
Ukrainian Orthodox - Kiev Patriarchate 19%, Ukrainian
Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate 9%, Ukrainian Greek Catholic 6%,
Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox 1.7%, Protestant, Jewish, none 38%
(2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and
other 4%

United Kingdom
Anglican and Roman Catholic 40 million, Muslim 1.5
million, Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 500,000,
Hindu 500,000, Jewish 350,000

United States
Protestant 52%, Roman Catholic 24%, Mormon 2%, Jewish
1%, Muslim 1%, other 10%, none 10% (2002 est.)

Uruguay
Roman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult population
attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessing
or other 31%

Uzbekistan
Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%

Vanuatu
Presbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Roman Catholic 15%,
indigenous beliefs 7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of
Christ 3.8%, other 15.7% (including Jon Frum Cargo cult)

Venezuela
nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%

Vietnam
Buddhist, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, Christian (predominantly Roman
Catholic, some Protestant), indigenous beliefs, Muslim

Virgin Islands
Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%,
other 7%

Wallis and Futuna
Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

West Bank
Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian
and other 8%

Western Sahara
Muslim

World
Christians 32.71% (of which Roman Catholics 17.28%,
Protestants 5.61%, Orthodox 3.49%, Anglicans 1.31%), Muslims 19.67%,
Hindus 13.28%, Buddhists 5.84%, Sikhs 0.38%, Jews 0.23%, other
religions 13.05%, non-religious 12.43%, atheists 2.41% (2002 est.)

Yemen
Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a), small
numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu

Zambia
Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous
beliefs 1%

Zimbabwe
syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%,
Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2123 Suffrage

Afghanistan
18 years of age; universal

Albania
18 years of age; universal

Algeria
18 years of age; universal

American Samoa
18 years of age; universal

Andorra
18 years of age; universal

Angola
18 years of age; universal

Anguilla
18 years of age; universal

Antigua and Barbuda
18 years of age; universal

Argentina
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Armenia
18 years of age; universal

Aruba
18 years of age; universal

Australia
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Austria
18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential
elections

Azerbaijan
18 years of age; universal

Bahamas, The
18 years of age; universal

Bahrain
18 years of age; universal

Bangladesh
18 years of age; universal

Barbados
18 years of age; universal

Belarus
18 years of age; universal

Belgium
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Belize
18 years of age; universal

Benin
18 years of age; universal

Bermuda
18 years of age; universal

Bhutan
each family has one vote in village-level elections; note -
in late 2003 Bhutan's legislature passed a new election law

Bolivia
18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21
years of age, universal and compulsory (single)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
18 years of age, universal

Botswana
18 years of age; universal

Brazil
voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70;
compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age; note - military
conscripts do not vote

British Virgin Islands
18 years of age; universal

Brunei
none

Bulgaria
18 years of age; universal

Burkina Faso
universal

Burma
18 years of age; universal

Burundi
NA years of age; universal adult

Cambodia
18 years of age; universal

Cameroon
20 years of age; universal

Canada
18 years of age; universal

Cape Verde
18 years of age; universal

Cayman Islands
18 years of age; universal

Central African Republic
21 years of age; universal

Chad
18 years of age; universal

Chile
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

China
18 years of age; universal

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA

Colombia
18 years of age; universal

Comoros
18 years of age; universal

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Congo, Republic of the
18 years of age; universal

Cook Islands
NA years of age; universal adult

Costa Rica
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Cote d'Ivoire
18 years of age; universal

Croatia
18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Cuba
16 years of age; universal

Cyprus
18 years of age; universal

Czech Republic
18 years of age; universal

Denmark
18 years of age; universal

Djibouti
18 years of age; universal adult

Dominica
18 years of age; universal

Dominican Republic 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age note: members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote

East Timor
17 years of age; universal

Ecuador
18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons
ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Egypt
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

El Salvador
18 years of age; universal

Equatorial Guinea
18 years of age; universal adult

Eritrea
18 years of age; universal

Estonia
18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens

Ethiopia
18 years of age; universal

European Union
18 years of age; universal

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
18 years of age; universal

Faroe Islands
18 years of age; universal

Fiji
21 years of age; universal

Finland
18 years of age; universal

France
18 years of age; universal

French Guiana
18 years of age; universal

French Polynesia
18 years of age; universal

Gabon
21 years of age; universal

Gambia, The
18 years of age; universal

Georgia
18 years of age; universal

Germany
18 years of age; universal

Ghana
18 years of age; universal

Gibraltar
18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who
have been residents six months or more

Greece
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Greenland
18 years of age; universal

Grenada
18 years of age; universal

Guadeloupe
18 years of age; universal

Guam
18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US
presidential elections

Guatemala
18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the
armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on
election day)

Guernsey
18 years of age; universal

Guinea
18 years of age; universal

Guinea-Bissau
18 years of age; universal

Guyana
18 years of age; universal

Haiti
18 years of age; universal

Holy See (Vatican City)
limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Honduras
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Hong Kong
direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent
residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven
years; indirect election limited to about 200,000 members of
functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn
from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central
government bodies

Hungary
18 years of age; universal

Iceland
18 years of age; universal

India
18 years of age; universal

Indonesia
17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless
of age

Iran
15 years of age; universal

Iraq
formerly 18 years of age; universal

Ireland
18 years of age; universal

Israel
18 years of age; universal

Italy
18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections,
where minimum age is 25)

Jamaica
18 years of age; universal

Japan
20 years of age; universal

Jersey
NA years of age; universal adult

Jordan
18 years of age; universal

Kazakhstan
18 years of age; universal

Kenya
18 years of age; universal

Kiribati
18 years of age; universal

Korea, North
17 years of age; universal

Korea, South
20 years of age; universal

Kuwait
adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more or
have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendants
at age 21
note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996,
naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but
have been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for the
first time

Kyrgyzstan
18 years of age; universal

Laos
18 years of age; universal

Latvia
18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens

Lebanon
21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for
women at age 21 with elementary education

Lesotho
18 years of age; universal

Liberia
18 years of age; universal

Libya
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Liechtenstein
18 years of age; universal

Lithuania
18 years of age; universal

Luxembourg
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Macau
direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent
residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect
election limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters"
(257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committee
drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and
central government bodies

Macedonia
18 years of age; universal

Madagascar
18 years of age; universal

Malawi
18 years of age; universal

Malaysia
21 years of age; universal

Maldives
21 years of age; universal

Mali
18 years of age; universal

Malta
18 years of age; universal

Man, Isle of
18 years of age; universal

Marshall Islands
18 years of age; universal

Martinique
18 years of age; universal

Mauritania
18 years of age; universal

Mauritius
18 years of age; universal

Mayotte
18 years of age; universal

Mexico
18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)

Micronesia, Federated States of
18 years of age; universal

Moldova
18 years of age; universal

Monaco
21 years of age; universal

Mongolia
18 years of age; universal

Montserrat
18 years of age; universal

Morocco
18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)

Mozambique
18 years of age; universal

Namibia
18 years of age; universal

Nauru
20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Nepal
18 years of age; universal

Netherlands
18 years of age; universal

Netherlands Antilles
18 years of age; universal

New Caledonia
18 years of age; universal

New Zealand
18 years of age; universal

Nicaragua
16 years of age; universal

Niger
18 years of age; universal

Nigeria
18 years of age; universal

Niue
18 years of age; universal

Norfolk Island
18 years of age; universal

Northern Mariana Islands 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Norway
18 years of age; universal

Oman
in Oman's most recent Majlis al-Shura elections in 2003,
suffrage was universal for all Omanis over age 21 except for members
of the military and security forces; the next Majlis al-Shura
elections are scheduled for 2007

Pakistan
18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved
parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims

Palau
18 years of age; universal

Panama
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Papua New Guinea
18 years of age; universal

Paraguay
18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75

Peru
18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70;
note - members of the military may not vote

Philippines
18 years of age; universal

Pitcairn Islands 18 years of age; universal with three years residency

Poland
18 years of age; universal

Portugal
18 years of age; universal

Puerto Rico
18 years of age; universal; island residents are US
citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Qatar
18 years of age; universal

Reunion
18 years of age; universal

Romania
18 years of age; universal

Russia
18 years of age; universal

Rwanda
18 years of age; universal adult

Saint Helena
NA years of age

Saint Kitts and Nevis
18 years of age; universal

Saint Lucia
18 years of age; universal

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
18 years of age; universal

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
18 years of age; universal

Samoa
21 years of age; universal

San Marino
18 years of age; universal

Sao Tome and Principe
18 years of age; universal

Saudi Arabia
none adult male citizens age 21 or older
note: voter registration began in November 2004 for partial
municipal council elections scheduled nationwide for February
through April 2005

Senegal
18 years of age; universal

Serbia and Montenegro 16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal

Seychelles
17 years of age; universal

Sierra Leone
18 years of age; universal

Singapore
21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Slovakia
18 years of age; universal

Slovenia
18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Solomon Islands
21 years of age; universal

Somalia
18 years of age; universal

South Africa
18 years of age; universal

Spain
18 years of age; universal

Sri Lanka
18 years of age; universal

Sudan
17 years of age; universal, but noncompulsory

Suriname
18 years of age; universal

Swaziland
18 years of age

Sweden
18 years of age; universal

Switzerland
18 years of age; universal

Syria
18 years of age; universal

Taiwan
20 years of age; universal

Tajikistan
18 years of age; universal

Tanzania
18 years of age; universal

Thailand
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Togo
NA years of age; universal adult

Tokelau
21 years of age; universal

Tonga
21 years of age; universal

Trinidad and Tobago
18 years of age; universal

Tunisia
20 years of age; universal

Turkey
18 years of age; universal

Turkmenistan
18 years of age; universal

Turks and Caicos Islands
18 years of age; universal

Tuvalu
18 years of age; universal

Uganda
18 years of age; universal

Ukraine
18 years of age; universal

United Arab Emirates
none

United Kingdom
18 years of age; universal

United States
18 years of age; universal

Uruguay
18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Uzbekistan
18 years of age; universal

Vanuatu
18 years of age; universal

Venezuela
18 years of age; universal

Vietnam
18 years of age; universal

Virgin Islands
18 years of age; universal; note - island residents
are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Wallis and Futuna
18 years of age; universal

Western Sahara
none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign
not yet completed

Yemen
18 years of age; universal

Zambia
18 years of age; universal

Zimbabwe
18 years of age; universal

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2124 Telephone system

Afghanistan
general assessment: very limited telephone and telegraph
service
domestic: telephone service is improving with the establishment of
two mobile phone operators by 2003; telephone main lines remain weak
with only .1 line per 10 people
international: country code - 93; five VSAT's installed in Kabul,
Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kandahar, and Jalalabad provide international
and domestic voice and data connectivity

Albania
general assessment: Despite new investment in fixed lines,
the density of main lines remains the lowest in Europe with roughly
8 lines per 100 people. However, cellular telephone use is
widespread and generally effective.
domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile
phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003 two companies
were providing mobile services at a greater density than some of
Albania's Balkan neighbors
international: country code - 355; inadequate fixed main lines;
adequate cellular connections; international traffic carried by
microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece
(2003)

Algeria
general assessment: telephone density in Algeria is very
low, not exceeding five telephones per 100 persons; the number of
fixed main lines increased in the last few years to a little more
than 2,000,000, but only about two-thirds of these have subscribers;
much of the infrastructure is outdated and inefficient
domestic: good service in north but sparse in south; domestic
satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic
earth stations are planned)
international: country code - 213; 5 submarine cables; microwave
radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial
cable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1
Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat (1998)

American Samoa
general assessment: NA
domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone
services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
international: country code - 1-684; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Andorra
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections
between exchanges
international: country code - 376; landline circuits to France and
Spain

Angola
general assessment: telephone service limited mostly to
government and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for
military links
domestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and
tropospheric scatter
international: country code - 244; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Anguilla
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern internal telephone system
international: country code - 1-264; microwave radio relay to island
of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)

Antarctica
general assessment: local systems at some research
stations
domestic: NA
international: country code - 672; via satellite (mobile Inmarsat
and Iridium system) from some research stations

Antigua and Barbuda
general assessment: NA
domestic: good automatic telephone system
international: country code - 1-268; 1 coaxial submarine cable;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric
scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe

Argentina
general assessment: by opening the telecommunications
market to competition and foreign investment with the
"Telecommunications Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentina
encouraged the growth of modern telecommunication technology;
fiber-optic cable trunk lines are being installed between all major
cities; the major networks are entirely digital and the availability
of telephone service is being improved; however, telephone density
is presently minimal, and making telephone service universally
available will take time
domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic
satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network;
more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile telephone
use is rapidly expanding
international: country code - 54; satellite earth stations - 8
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Atlantis II and Unisur submarine cables;
two international gateways near Buenos Aires (1999)

Armenia
general assessment: system inadequate; now 90% privately
owned and undergoing modernization and expansion
domestic: the majority of subscribers and the most modern equipment
are in Yerevan (this includes paging and mobile cellular service)
international: country code - 374; Yerevan is connected to the
Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional
international service is available by microwave radio relay and
landline connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of
Independent States and through the Moscow international switch and
by satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (2000)

Aruba
general assessment: NA
domestic: more than adequate
international: country code - 297; 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten
(Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay
links

Australia
general assessment: excellent domestic and international
service
domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in
areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular
telephones
international: country code - 61; submarine cables to New Zealand,
Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 10
Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian
and Pacific Ocean regions) (1998)

Austria
general assessment: highly developed and efficient
domestic: there are 48 main lines for every 100 persons; the fiber
optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet
services are available
international: country code - 43; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat; in
addition, there are about 600 VSAT (very small aperture terminals)
(2002)

Azerbaijan
general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable
expansion and modernization; teledensity of 10 main lines per 100
persons is low (2002)
domestic: the majority of telephones are in Baku and other
industrial centers - about 700 villages still without public
telephone service; satellite service connects Baku to a modern
switch in its exclave of Naxcivan
international: country code - 994; the old Soviet system of cable
and microwave is still serviceable; a satellite connection to Turkey
enables Baku to reach about 200 additional countries, some of which
are directly connected to Baku by satellite providers other than
Turkey (1997)

Bahamas, The
general assessment: modern facilities
domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed
international: country code - 1-242; tropospheric scatter and
submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)

Bahrain
general assessment: modern system
domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network
with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones
international: country code - 973; tropospheric scatter to Qatar and
UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to
Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
(1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (1997)

Bangladesh
general assessment: totally inadequate for a modern
country
domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems
include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some
fiber-optic cable in cities
international: country code - 880; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications
and landline service to neighboring countries (2000)

Barbados
general assessment: NA
domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system
international: country code - 1-246; satellite earth stations - 4
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and
Saint Lucia

Belarus
general assessment: the Ministry of Telecommunications
controls all telecommunications through its carrier (a joint stock
company) Beltelcom which is a monopoly
domestic: local - Minsk has a digital metropolitan network and a
cellular NMT-450 network; waiting lists for telephones are long;
local service outside Minsk is neglected and poor; intercity -
Belarus has a partly developed fiber-optic backbone system presently
serving at least 13 major cities (1998); Belarus' fiber optics form
synchronous digital hierarchy rings through other countries'
systems; an inadequate analog system remains operational
international: country code - 375; Belarus is a member of the
Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line,
and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); three fiber-optic
segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and
Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this
infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat,
Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations

Belgium
general assessment: highly developed, technologically
advanced, and completely automated domestic and international
telephone and telegraph facilities
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable
network; limited microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 32; 5 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat

Belize
general assessment: above-average system
domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay
international: country code - 501; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Benin
general assessment: NA
domestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and
cellular connections
international: country code - 229; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Bermuda
general assessment: good
domestic: modern, fully automatic telephone system
international: country code - 1-441; 3 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Bhutan
general assessment: NA
domestic: domestic telephone service is very poor with few
telephones in use
international: country code - 975; international telephone and
telegraph service is by landline through India; a satellite earth
station was planned (1990)

Bolivia
general assessment: new subscribers face bureaucratic
difficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other
cities; mobile cellular telephone use expanding rapidly
domestic: primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employs
digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic
cable; mobile cellular systems are being expanded
international: country code - 591; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
general assessment: telephone and telegraph
network needs modernization and expansion; many urban areas are
below average as contrasted with services in other former Yugoslav
republics
domestic: NA
international: country code - 387; no satellite earth stations

Botswana
general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth
of mobile cellular service and participation in regional development
domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile
cellular service is growing fast
international: country code - 267; two international exchanges;
digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Brazil
general assessment: good working system
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic
satellite system with 64 earth stations
international: country code - 55; 3 coaxial submarine cables;
satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat
(Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system to
Mercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station

British Indian Ocean Territory general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)

British Virgin Islands
general assessment: worldwide telephone
service
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-284; submarine cable to Bermuda

Brunei
general assessment: service throughout the country is
excellent; international service is good to East Asia, Europe, and
the US
domestic: every service available
international: country code - 673; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine
cable links to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore (2001)

Bulgaria
general assessment: extensive but antiquated
domestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential;
telephone service is available in most villages; a fairly modern
digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of
the regions, the others are connected by digital microwave radio
relay
international: country code - 359; direct dialing to 58 countries;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2
Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)

Burkina Faso
general assessment: all services only fair
domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone
communication stations
international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Burma
general assessment: barely meets minimum requirements for
local and intercity service for business and government;
international service is fair
domestic: NA
international: country code - 95; satellite earth station - 2,
Intelsat (Indian Ocean), and ShinSat

Burundi
general assessment: primitive system
domestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications,
and low-capacity microwave radio relay
international: country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Cambodia
general assessment: adequate landline and/or cellular
service in Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; mobile phone
coverage is rapidly expanding in rural areas
domestic: NA
international: country code - 855; adequate but expensive landline
and cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh and
major provincial cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
(Indian Ocean region)

Cameroon
general assessment: available only to business and
government
domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter
international: country code - 237; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Canada
general assessment: excellent service provided by modern
technology
domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations
international: country code - 1-xxx; 5 coaxial submarine cables;
satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1
Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Cape Verde
general assessment: effective system, being improved
domestic: interisland microwave radio relay system with both analog
and digital exchanges; work is in progress on a submarine
fiber-optic cable system which is scheduled for completion in 2003
international: country code - 238; 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF
radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station
- 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Cayman Islands
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-345; 1 submarine coaxial cable;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Central African Republic
general assessment: fair system
domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and
low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication
international: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Chad
general assessment: primitive system
domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations
international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Chile
general assessment: modern system based on extensive microwave
radio relay facilities
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite
system with 3 earth stations
international: country code - 56; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

China
general assessment: domestic and international services are
increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed
domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and
many towns
domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular
telephone systems have been installed; a domestic satellite system
with 55 earth stations is in place
international: country code - 86; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
(Indian Ocean region) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean
regions); several international fiber-optic links to Japan, South
Korea, Hong Kong, Russia, and Germany (2000)

Christmas Island
general assessment: service provided by the
Australian network
domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available
international: country code - 61-891; satellite earth stations - one
Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
general assessment: connected within
Australia's telecommunication system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 61-891; telephone, telex, and
facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite;
1 satellite earth station of NA type (2002)

Colombia
general assessment: modern system in many respects
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic
satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking
50 cities
international: country code - 57; satellite earth stations - 6
Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching
centers; 8 submarine cables

Comoros
general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay
and HF radiotelephone communication stations
domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications
to Madagascar and Reunion

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
general assessment: poor
domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in
and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth
stations
international: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Congo, Republic of the
general assessment: services barely adequate
for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire,
and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of order
domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and
coaxial cable
international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Cook Islands
general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers
international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex
domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of
satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF
radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small
exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and
fiber-optic cable
international: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Costa Rica
general assessment: good domestic telephone service in
terms of breadth of coverage; restricted cellular telephone service
domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave,
fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is
available
international: country code - 506; connected to Central American
Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)

Cote d'Ivoire
general assessment: well developed by African
standards but operating well below capacity
domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized
international: country code - 225; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 submarine cables
(June 1999)

Croatia
general assessment: NA
domestic: reconstruction plan calls for replacement of all analog
circuits with digital and enlarging the network; a backup will be
included in the plan for the main trunk
international: country code - 385; digital international service is
provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in
the Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists of
two fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic
trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; Croatia is also
investing in ADRIA 1, a joint fiber-optic project with Germany,
Albania, and Greece (2000)

Cuba
general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and
the establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and
Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system;
cellular service, initially restricted, was opened to public access
in 2003
domestic: national fiber-optic system scheduled to be completed by
end of 2003; 85% of switches digitized by end of 2002 with entire
system by end 2003; telephone line density remains low; cellular
service expanding
international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not
linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region)

Cyprus
general assessment: excellent in both Republic of Cyprus and
north Cyprus areas
domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 357; tropospheric scatter; 3 coaxial
and 5 fiber-optic submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2 Eutelsat, 2
Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat

Czech Republic
general assessment: privatization and modernization
of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is
advancing steadily; growth in the use of mobile cellular telephones
is particularly vigorous
domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber
systems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
(ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals;
trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 2
Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1
Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar

Denmark
general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph
services
domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form
trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems
international: country code - 45; 18 submarine fiber-optic cables
linking Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earth
stations - 6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat
(Blaavand-Atlantic-East); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark,
Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station
and the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access (1997)

Djibouti
general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of
Djibouti are adequate as are the microwave radio relay connections
to outlying areas of the country
domestic: microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 253; submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez,
Sicily, Marseilles, Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations
- 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional
microwave radio relay telephone network

Dominica
general assessment: NA
domestic: fully automatic network
international: country code - 1-767; microwave radio relay and SHF
radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF
radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia

Dominican Republic
general assessment: NA
domestic: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave
radio relay network
international: country code - 1-809; 1 coaxial submarine cable;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

East Timor
NA

Ecuador
general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded
domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable
international: country code - 593; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Egypt
general assessment: large system; underwent extensive
upgrading during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Internet access and
cellular service are available
domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah,
Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and
microwave radio relay
international: country code - 20; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1
Inmarsat; 5 coaxial submarine cables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan;
microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel and a
signatory to Project Oxygen (a global submarine fiber-optic cable
system)

El Salvador
general assessment: NA
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system
international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave
System

Equatorial Guinea
general assessment: poor system with adequate
government services
domestic: NA
international: country code - 240; international communications from
Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Eritrea
general assessment: inadequate
domestic: very inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government
is seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)
international: country code - 291; note - international connections
exist

Estonia
general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint
business ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial
fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in
the digital mode; Internet services are available throughout most of
the country - only about 11,000 subscriber requests were unfilled by
September 2000
domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and Internet
services is available throughout the country
international: country code - 372; fiber-optic cables to Finland,
Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched
service; two international switches are located in Tallinn (2001)

Ethiopia
general assessment: open-wire and microwave radio relay
system; adequate for government use
domestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in
the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; two domestic satellites provide
the national trunk service
international: country code - 251; open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti;
microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth
stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)

European Union
note - see individual country entries of member states

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
general assessment: NA
domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB
radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all
points on both islands
international: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other
countries

Faroe Islands
general assessment: good international communications;
good domestic facilities
domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog)
and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed
international: country code - 298; satellite earth stations - 1
Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands,
linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic
submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable

Fiji
general assessment: modern local, interisland, and
international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose
telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio
communications center
domestic: NA
international: country code - 679; access to important cable links
between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Finland
general assessment: modern system with excellent service
domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive
cellular network provide domestic needs
international: country code - 358; 1 submarine cable (Finland
Estonia Connection); satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat
transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1
Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares
the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark,
Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)

France
general assessment: highly developed
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive
introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system
international: country code - 33; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for
Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF
radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries

French Guiana
general assessment: NA
domestic: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system
international: country code - 594; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

French Polynesia
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Gabon
general assessment: adequate service by African standards and
improving with the help of the growing mobile cell system
domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay,
tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a
domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations
international: country code - 241; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Gambia, The
general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data
network is available
domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire
international: country code - 220; microwave radio relay links to
Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean)

Gaza Strip
general assessment: NA
domestic: rudimentary telephone services provided by an open-wire
system
international: NA

Georgia
general assessment: NA
domestic: local - T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi have cellular telephone
networks; urban telephone density is about 20 per 100 people; rural
telephone density is about 4 per 100 people; intercity facilities
include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi;
nationwide pager service is available
international: country code - 995; Georgia and Russia are working on
a fiber-optic line between P'ot'i and Sochi (Russia); present
international service is available by microwave, landline, and
satellite through the Moscow switch; international electronic mail
and telex service are available

Germany
general assessment: Germany has one of the world's most
technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of
intensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerly
backward system of the eastern part of the country, dating back to
World War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of the
western part
domestic: Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic
telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic
cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic
satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available,
expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign
countries
international: country code - 49; Germany's international service is
excellent worldwide, consisting of extensive land and undersea cable
facilities as well as earth stations in the INMARSAT, INTELSAT,
EUTELSAT, and INTERSPUTNIK satellite systems (2001)

Ghana
general assessment: poor to fair system; Internet accessible;
many rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services is
underway
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has
been installed
international: country code - 233; satellite earth stations - 4
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel
system connects Ghana to its neighbors; fiber optic submarine cable
(SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Gibraltar
general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system
and adequate international facilities
domestic: automatic exchange facilities
international: country code - 350; radiotelephone; microwave radio
relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Greece
general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all
areas; good mobile telephone and international service
domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire
connections; submarine cable to offshore islands
international: country code - 30; tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine
cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and
1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Greenland
general assessment: adequate domestic and international
service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay;
totally digitalized in 1995
domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite
international: country code - 299; satellite earth stations - 12
Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)

Grenada
general assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone system
domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links
international: country code - 1-473; new SHF radiotelephone links to
Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to
Trinidad

Guadeloupe
general assessment: domestic facilities inadequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 590; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and
Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique

Guam
general assessment: modern system, integrated with US
facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers
domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service
and local access to the Internet
international: country code - 1-671; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is
a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and
GTE, linking the US and Asia)

Guatemala
general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the
city of Guatemala
domestic: NA
international: country code - 502; connected to Central American
Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean)

Guernsey
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: 1 submarine cable

Guinea
general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines,
small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio
relay system
domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication
international: country code - 224; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Guinea-Bissau
general assessment: small system
domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines,
radiotelephone, and cellular communications
international: country code - 245

Guyana
general assessment: fair system for long-distance calling
domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines
international: country code - 592; tropospheric scatter to Trinidad;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Haiti
general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate;
international facilities slightly better
domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service
international: country code - 509; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Holy See (Vatican City)
general assessment: automatic exchange
domestic: tied into Italian system
international: country code - 39; uses Italian system

Honduras
general assessment: inadequate system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 504; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave
System

Hong Kong
general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent
domestic and international services
domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic
network
international: country code - 852; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to
Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables
providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan,
Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe

Hungary
general assessment: the telephone system has been modernized
and is capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication
service
domestic: the system is digitalized and highly automated; trunk
services are carried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave
radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was
initiated in 1996; heavy use is made of mobile cellular telephones
international: country code - 36; Hungary has fiber-optic cable
connections with all neighboring countries; the international switch
is in Budapest; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture
terminal (VSAT) system of ground terminals

Iceland
general assessment: extensive domestic service
domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic
cables and microwave radio relay links
international: country code - 354; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the
other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)

India
general assessment: recent deregulation and liberalization of
telecommunications laws and policies have prompted rapid change;
local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of
the country, with services primarily concentrated in the urban
areas; steady improvement is taking place with the recent admission
of private and private-public investors, but telephone density
remains low at about seven for each 100 persons nationwide but only
one per 100 persons in rural areas and a national waiting list of
over 1.7 million; fastest growth is in cellular service with modest
growth in fixed lines
domestic: expansion of domestic service, although still weak in
rural areas, resulted from increased competition and dramatic
reductions in price led in large part by wireless service; mobile
cellular service (both CDMA and GSM) introduced in 1994 and
organized nationwide into four metropolitan cities and 19 telecom
circles each with about three private service providers and one
state-owned service provider; in recent years significant trunk
capacity added in the form of fiber-optic cable and one of the
world's largest domestic satellite systems, the Indian National
Satellite system (INSAT), with 5 satellites supporting 33,000 very
small aperture terminals (VSAT)
international: country code - 91; satellite earth stations - 8
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); nine
gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata
(Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gandhinagar,
Hyderabad, and Ernakulam; 5 submarine cables, including Sea-Me-We-3
with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay), Fiber-Optic Link
Around the Globe (FLAG) with landing site at Mumbai (Bombay), South
Africa - Far East (SAFE) with landing site at Cochin, i2icn linking
to Singapore with landing sites at Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai
(Madras), and Tata Indicom linking Singapore and Chennai (Madras),
provide a significant increase in the bandwidth available for both
voice and data traffic (2004)

Indonesia
general assessment: domestic service fair, international
service good
domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net;
domestic satellite communications system
international: country code - 62; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Iran
general assessment: inadequate but currently being modernized
and expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and
increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing
telephone service to several thousand villages, not presently
connected
domestic: as a result of heavy investing in the telephone system
since 1994, the number of long-distance channels in the microwave
radio relay trunk has grown substantially; many villages have been
brought into the net; the number of main lines in the urban systems
has approximately doubled; and thousands of mobile cellular
subscribers are being served; moreover, the technical level of the
system has been raised by the installation of thousands of digital
switches
international: country code - 98; HF radio and microwave radio relay
to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria,
Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable to
UAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG);
Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan
through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion
to Georgia and Azerbaijan; satellite earth stations - 9 Intelsat and
4 Inmarsat

Iraq
general assessment: the 2003 war severely disrupted
telecommunications throughout Iraq including international
connections; USAID is overseeing the repair of switching capability
and the construction of mobile and satellite communications
facilities
domestic: repairs to switches and lines destroyed in the recent
fighting continue but sabotage remains a problem; cellular service
is expected to be in place within two years
international: country code - 964; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable
and microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey;
Kuwait line is probably nonoperational

Ireland
general assessment: modern digital system using cable and
microwave radio relay
domestic: microwave radio relay
international: country code - 353; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Israel
general assessment: most highly developed system in the
Middle East although not the largest
domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay;
all systems are digital
international: country code - 972; 3 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Italy
general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully
automated telephone, telex, and data services
domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks
international: country code - 39; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2
for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA
Eutelsat; 21 submarine cables

Jamaica
general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone
network
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-876; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables

Japan
general assessment: excellent domestic and international
service
domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of
every kind
international: country code - 81; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
(Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean
regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US
(via Guam) (1999)

Jersey
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: 3 submarine cables

Johnston Atoll
general assessment: NA
domestic: 512 KB satellite link to Hawaii teleport; 20 (POTS) voice
and data lines
international: NA (2002)

Jordan
general assessment: service has improved recently with
increased use of digital switching equipment, but better access to
the telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access
to pay telephones is needed by the urban public
domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and
fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of
mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available
international: country code - 962; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals;
fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link
with Egypt and Syria; connection to international submarine cable
FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL;
international links total about 4,000

Kazakhstan
general assessment: service is poor; equipment antiquated
domestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; mobile
cellular systems are available in most of Kazakhstan
international: country code - 7; international traffic with other
former Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwave
radio relay and with other countries by satellite and by the
Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations
- 2 Intelsat

Kenya
general assessment: unreliable; little attempt to modernize
except for service to business
domestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data
commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system
international: country code - 254; satellite earth stations - 4
Intelsat

Kiribati
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
note: country code - 686; Kiribati is being linked to the Pacific
Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should improve
telephone service

Korea, North
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 850; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); other
international connections through Moscow and Beijing

Korea, South
general assessment: excellent domestic and
international services
domestic: NA
international: country code - 82; fiber-optic submarine cable to
China; the Russia-Korea-Japan submarine cable; satellite earth
stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1
Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

Kuwait
general assessment: the quality of service is excellent
domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new
subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay,
coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular
telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well
supplied with pay telephones
international: country code - 965; coaxial cable and microwave radio
relay to Saudi Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the
Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat
(1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and
2 Arabsat

Kyrgyzstan
general assessment: poorly developed; about 100,000
unsatisfied applications for household telephones
domestic: principally microwave radio relay; one cellular provider,
probably limited to Bishkek region
international: country code - 996; connections with other CIS
countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other
countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway
switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik
and 1 Intelsat; connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe
(TAE) fiber-optic line

Laos
general assessment: service to general public is poor but
improving with over 20,000 telephones currently in service and an
additional 48,000 expected by 2001; the government relies on a
radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas
domestic: radiotelephone communications
international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1
Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Latvia
general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to
provide an international capability independent of the Moscow
international switch; more facilities are being installed for
individual use
domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections,
rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied
subscriber applications
international: country code - 371; international connections are now
available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling
direct connections for most calls (1998)

Lebanon
general assessment: telecommunications system severely
damaged by civil war; rebuilding well underway
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay and cable
international: country code - 961; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations);
coaxial cable to Syria; microwave radio relay to Syria but
inoperable beyond Syria to Jordan; 3 submarine coaxial cables

Lesotho
general assessment: rudimentary system
domestic: consists of a few landlines, a small microwave radio relay
system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system; a cellular
mobile telephone system is growing
international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Liberia
general assessment: telephone and telegraph service via
microwave radio relay network; main center is Monrovia
domestic: NA
international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Libya
general assessment: telecommunications system is being
modernized; mobile cellular telephone system became operational in
1996
domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular,
tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth
stations
international: country code - 218; satellite earth stations - 4
Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to
France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt;
tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (1999)

Liechtenstein
general assessment: automatic telephone system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable
and microwave radio relay

Lithuania
general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to
provide an improved international capability and better residential
access
domestic: a national, fiber-optic cable, interurban, trunk system is
nearing completion; rural exchanges are being improved and expanded;
mobile cellular systems are being installed; access to the Internet
is available; still many unsatisfied telephone subscriber
applications
international: country code - 370; landline connections to Latvia
and Poland; major international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and
Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite

Luxembourg
general assessment: highly developed, completely
automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable
international: country code - 352; 3 channels leased on TAT-6
coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America)

Macau
general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities
maintained for domestic and international services
domestic: NA
international: country code - 853; HF radiotelephone communication
facility; access to international communications carriers provided
via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Indian Ocean)

Macedonia
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 389

Madagascar
general assessment: system is above average for the region
domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay,
and tropospheric scatter links connect regions
international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1
Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Malawi
general assessment: NA
domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
links, and radiotelephone communications stations
international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Malaysia
general assessment: modern system; international service
excellent
domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia
mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio
relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic
satellite system with 2 earth stations
international: country code - 60; submarine cables to India, Hong
Kong, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian
Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2001)

Maldives
general assessment: minimal domestic and international
facilities
domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all
inhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax service
international: country code - 960; satellite earth station - 3
Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Mali
general assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving;
provides only minimal service
domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open-wire, and
radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio
relay in progress
international: country code - 223; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Malta
general assessment: automatic system satisfies normal
requirements
domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands
international: country code - 356; 2 submarine cables; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Man, Isle of
general assessment: NA
domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system
international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite
earth station, submarine cable

Marshall Islands
general assessment: digital switching equipment;
modern services include telex, cellular, internet, international
calling, caller ID, and leased data circuits
domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular,
seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by
shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes)
international: country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications
system on Kwajalein (2001)

Martinique
general assessment: domestic facilities are adequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 596; microwave radio relay to
Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Mauritania
general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire
lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone
communications stations (improvements being made)
domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed
domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with
regional capitals
international: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat

Mauritius
general assessment: small system with good service
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system
international: country code - 230; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF
radiotelephone links to several countries; fiber optic submarine
cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Mayotte
general assessment: small system administered by French
Department of Posts and Telecommunications
domestic: NA
international: country code - 269; microwave radio relay and HF
radiotelephone communications to Comoros (2001)

Mexico
general assessment: low telephone density with about 15.2
main lines per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; the opening
to competition in January 1997 improved prospects for development,
but Telemex remains dominant
domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government,
but the population is poorly served; mobile subscribers far
outnumber fixed-line subscribers; domestic satellite system with 120
earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network;
considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable
international: country code - 52; satellite earth stations - 32
Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South
America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing
domestic communications), numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations;
linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections;
high capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to
the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, and Italy
(1997)

Micronesia, Federated States of
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used
mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground
stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; cellular service
available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap
international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)

Moldova
general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service
outside Chisinau; some effort to modernize is under way
domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile
cellular telephone service being introduced
international: country code - 373; service through Romania and
Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat,
and Intersputnik

Monaco
general assessment: modern automatic telephone system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 377; no satellite earth stations;
connected by cable into the French communications system

Mongolia
general assessment: very low density: about 3.5 telephones
for each thousand persons
domestic: NA
international: country code - 976; satellite earth station - 1
Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)

Montserrat
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-664

Morocco
general assessment: modern system with all important
capabilities; however, density is low with only 4.6 main lines
available for each 100 persons
domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and
microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive;
principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national
network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural
service employs microwave radio relay
international: country code - 212; 7 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat;
microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara;
coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in
Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and
Tunisia (1998)

Mozambique
general assessment: fair system but not available
generally (telephone density is only 16 telephones for each 1,000
persons)
domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunk
connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter
international: country code - 258; satellite earth stations - 5
Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)

Namibia
general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each
100 persons
domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio
relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are
by open wire; 100% digital
international: country code - 264; fiber-optic cable to South
Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to
other neighboring countries; connected to Africa ONE and South
African Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa;
satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2002)

Nauru
general assessment: adequate local and international
radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities
domestic: NA
international: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Nepal
general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair
radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone
network
domestic: NA
international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications;
microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Indian Ocean)

Netherlands
general assessment: highly developed and well maintained
domestic: extensive fixed-line fiber-optic network; cellular
telephone system is one of the largest in Europe with five major
network operators utilizing the third generation of the Global
System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
international: country code - 31; 9 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1
Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2004)

Netherlands Antilles
general assessment: generally adequate
facilities
domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
international: country code - 599; submarine cables - 2; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

New Caledonia
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

New Zealand
general assessment: excellent domestic and international
systems
domestic: NA
international: country code - 64; submarine cables to Australia and
Fiji; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Nicaragua
general assessment: inadequate system being upgraded by
foreign investment
domestic: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being
expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System
international: country code - 505; satellite earth stations - 1
Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Niger
general assessment: small system of wire, radio telephone
communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in the
southwestern area of Niger
domestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio
relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned
international: country code - 227; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Nigeria
general assessment: an inadequate system, further limited by
poor maintenance; major expansion is required and a start has been
made
domestic: intercity traffic is carried by coaxial cable, microwave
radio relay, a domestic communications satellite system with 19
earth stations, and a coastal submarine cable; mobile cellular
facilities and the Internet are available
international: country code - 234; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); fiber optic
submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Niue
domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on
island
international: country code - 683

Norfolk Island
general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with
Australia, New Zealand, and Canada; satellite service planned for
near future

Northern Mariana Islands
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-670; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Norway
general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most
advanced telecommunications networks in Europe
domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover, the
prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular mobile
systems instead of fixed-wire systems
international: country code - 47; 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4
coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the
other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999)

Oman
general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire,
microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited
coaxial cable
domestic: open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a
domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations
international: country code - 968; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Pakistan
general assessment: the domestic system is mediocre, but
improving; service is adequate for government and business use, in
part because major businesses have established their own private
systems; since 1988, the government has promoted investment in the
national telecommunications system on a priority basis,
significantly increasing network capacity; despite major
improvements in trunk and urban systems, telecommunication services
are still not readily available to the majority of the rural
population
domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable,
cellular, and satellite networks
international: country code - 92; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational
international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad);
microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (1999)

Palau
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Panama
general assessment: domestic and international facilities
well developed
domestic: NA
international: country code - 507; 1 coaxial submarine cable;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to
the Central American Microwave System

Papua New Guinea
general assessment: services are adequate;
facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio,
aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services
domestic: mostly radiotelephone
international: country code - 675; submarine cables to Australia and
Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean);
international radio communication service

Paraguay
general assessment: meager telephone service; principal
switching center is Asuncion
domestic: fair microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 595; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Peru
general assessment: adequate for most requirements
domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic
satellite system with 12 earth stations
international: country code - 51; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Pan American submarine cable

Philippines
general assessment: good international radiotelephone
and submarine cable services; domestic and inter-island service
adequate
domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations
international: country code - 63; 9 international gateways;
satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific
Ocean); submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and
Japan

Pitcairn Islands
general assessment: only party line telephone
service is available for this small, closely related community
domestic: party line service only
international: country code - 672; satellite earth station (Inmarsat)

Poland
general assessment: underdeveloped and outmoded system in the
process of being overhauled; partial privatization of the
state-owned telephone monopoly is underway; the long waiting list
for main line telephone service has resulted in a boom in mobile
cellular telephone use
domestic: cable, open-wire, and microwave radio relay; 3 cellular
networks; local exchanges 56.6% digital
international: country code - 48; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
regions), and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Portugal
general assessment: Portugal's telephone system has
achieved a state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed
capabilities and a main line telephone density of 53%
domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave
radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations
international: country code - 351; 6 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean),
NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores; note - an earth station
for Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region) is planned

Puerto Rico
general assessment: modern system integrated with that
of the US by high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with
high-speed data capability
domestic: digital telephone system; cellular telephone service
international: country code - 1-787, 939; satellite earth station -
1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US

Qatar
general assessment: modern system centered in Doha
domestic: NA
international: country code - 974; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;
microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to
Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Reunion
general assessment: adequate system; principal center is
Saint-Denis
domestic: modern open-wire and microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 262; radiotelephone communication to
Comoros, France, Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); fiber optic
submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe
and Asia

Romania
general assessment: poor domestic service, but improving
domestic: 90% of telephone network is automatic; trunk network is
mostly microwave radio relay, with some fiber-optic cable; about
one-third of exchange capacity is digital; roughly 3,300 villages
have no service
international: country code - 40; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat; new digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate
in Bucharest; note - Romania is an active participant in several
international telecommunication network projects (1999)

Russia
general assessment: the telephone system underwent
significant changes in the 1990s; there are more than 1,000
companies licensed to offer communication services; access to
digital lines has improved, particularly in urban centers; Internet
and e-mail services are improving; Russia has made progress toward
building the telecommunications infrastructure necessary for a
market economy; however, a large demand for main line service
remains unsatisfied
domestic: cross-country digital trunk lines run from Saint
Petersburg to Khabarovsk, and from Moscow to Novorossiysk; the
telephone systems in 60 regional capitals have modern digital
infrastructures; cellular services, both analog and digital, are
available in many areas; in rural areas, the telephone services are
still outdated, inadequate, and low density
international: country code - 7; Russia is connected internationally
by three undersea fiber-optic cables; digital switches in several
cities provide more than 50,000 lines for international calls;
satellite earth stations provide access to Intelsat, Intersputnik,
Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Orbita systems

Rwanda
general assessment: telephone system primarily serves
business and government
domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the
prefectures by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular
telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF
radiotelephone
international: country code - 250; international connections employ
microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite
communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations -
1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax
service)

Saint Helena
general assessment: can communicate worldwide
domestic: automatic network
international: country code - 290; HF radiotelephone from Saint
Helena to Ascension Island, which is a major coaxial submarine cable
relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
general assessment: good interisland and
international connections
domestic: inter-island links to Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin
(Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) are handled by VHF/UHF/SHF
radiotelephone
international: country code - 1-869; international calls are carried
by radiotelephone to Antigua and Barbuda and switched there to
submarine cable or to Intelsat; or carried to Saint Martin
(Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) by radiotelephone and switched
to Intelsat

Saint Lucia
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: system is automatically switched
international: country code - 1-758; direct microwave radio relay
link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines;
tropospheric scatter to Barbados; international calls beyond these
countries are carried by Intelsat from Martinique

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 508; radiotelephone communication with
most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic
satellite system

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF
radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the
Grenadines
international: country code - 1-784; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from
Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to
Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through
Saint Lucia

Samoa
general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 685; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

San Marino
general assessment: adequate connections
domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into
Italian system
international: country code - 378; connected to Italian
international network

Sao Tome and Principe
general assessment: adequate facilities
domestic: minimal system
international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Saudi Arabia
general assessment: modern system
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and
fiber-optic cable systems
international: country code - 966; microwave radio relay to Bahrain,
Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to
Kuwait and Jordan; submarine cable to Djibouti, Egypt and Bahrain;
satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian
Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Senegal
general assessment: good system
domestic: above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial
cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system
international: country code - 221; 4 submarine cables; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Serbia and Montenegro
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 381; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Seychelles
general assessment: effective system
domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the
archipelago
international: country code - 248; direct radiotelephone
communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal
countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Sierra Leone
general assessment: marginal telephone and telegraph
service
domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects
Freetown to Bo and Kenema
international: country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Singapore
general assessment: excellent service
domestic: excellent domestic facilities
international: country code - 65; submarine cables to Malaysia
(Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific
Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

Slovakia
general assessment: a modernization and privatization
program is increasing accessibility to telephone service, reducing
the waiting time for new subscribers, and generally improving
service quality
domestic: predominantly an analog system that is now receiving
digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable,
especially in the larger cities; mobile cellular capability has been
added
international: country code - 421; three international exchanges
(one in Bratislava and two in Banska Bystrica) are available;
Slovakia is participating in several international
telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of
external services

Slovenia
general assessment: NA
domestic: 100% digital (2000)
international: country code - 386

Solomon Islands
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Somalia
general assessment: the public telecommunications system was
almost completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions;
private wireless companies offer service in most major cities and
charge the lowest international rates on the continent
domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in
Mogadishu and in several other population centers
international: country code - 252; international connections are
available from Mogadishu by satellite

South Africa
general assessment: the system is the best developed
and most modern in Africa
domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial
cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable,
radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key
centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port
Elizabeth, and Pretoria
international: country code - 27; 2 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken

Spain
general assessment: generally adequate, modern facilities;
teledensity is 44 main lines for each 100 persons
domestic: NA
international: country code - 34; 22 coaxial submarine cables;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian
Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries

Sri Lanka
general assessment: very inadequate domestic service,
particularly in rural areas; likely improvement with privatization
of national telephone company and encouragement to private
investment; good international service (1999)
domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital
microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area
and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition
is strong in mobile cellular systems; telephone density remains low
at 2.6 main lines per 100 persons (1999)
international: country code - 94; submarine cables to Indonesia and
Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)

Sudan
general assessment: large, well-equipped system by regional
standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in
1996 and have expanded substantially
domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone
communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite
system with 14 earth stations
international: country code - 249; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2000)

Suriname
general assessment: international facilities are good
domestic: microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 597; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Svalbard
general assessment: probably adequate
domestic: local telephone service
international: country code - 47-790; satellite earth station - 1 of
unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)

Swaziland
general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced
system
domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and
low-capacity, microwave radio relay
international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Sweden
general assessment: excellent domestic and international
facilities; automatic system
domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice
traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some
additional telephone channels
international: country code - 46; 5 submarine coaxial cables;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat,
and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden
shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries
(Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway)

Switzerland
general assessment: excellent domestic and international
services
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks
international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Syria
general assessment: fair system currently undergoing
significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic
technology
domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 963; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region);
1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq,
Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel

Taiwan
general assessment: provides telecommunications service for
every business and private need
domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized
international: country code - 886; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to
Japan (Okinawa), Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia,
Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe (1999)

Tajikistan
general assessment: poorly developed and not well
maintained; many towns are not reached by the national network
domestic: cable and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 992; linked by cable and microwave
radio relay to other CIS republics and by leased connections to the
Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to
international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth
stations - 1 Orbita and 2 Intelsat

Tanzania
general assessment: fair system operating below capacity
and being modernized for better service; VSAT (very small aperture
terminal) system under construction
domestic: trunk service provided by open-wire, microwave radio
relay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable; some links being
made digital
international: country code - 255; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Thailand
general assessment: service to general public adequate, but
investment in technological upgrades reduced by recession; bulk of
service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and
microwave radio relay network
domestic: microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic
satellite system being developed
international: country code - 66; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Togo
general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwave
radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobile
cellular system
domestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional
system; cellular system has capacity of 10,000 telephones
international: country code - 228; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Symphonie

Tokelau
general assessment: adequate
domestic: radiotelephone service between islands
international: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa;
government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite
earth stations, established in 1997

Tonga
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (1996)

Trinidad and Tobago
general assessment: excellent international
service; good local service
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-868; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and
Guyana

Tunisia
general assessment: above the African average and continuing
to be upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis;
Internet access available
domestic: trunk facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial
cable, and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 216; 5 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial
cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in
Medarabtel; two international gateway digital switches

Turkey
general assessment: undergoing rapid modernization and
expansion, especially with cellular telephones
domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid
increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of
technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both
fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay is facilitating
communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a
domestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to mobile
cellular telephone service is growing rapidly
international: country code - 90; international service is provided
by three submarine fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and Black
Seas, linking Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania,
and Russia; also by 12 Intelsat earth stations, and by 328 mobile
satellite terminals in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2002)

Turkmenistan
general assessment: poorly developed
domestic: NA
international: country code - 993; linked by cable and microwave
radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leased
connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; a new
telephone link from Ashgabat to Iran has been established; a new
exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey
via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat

Turks and Caicos Islands
general assessment: fair cable and
radiotelephone services
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-649; 2 submarine cables; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Tuvalu
general assessment: serves particular needs for internal
communications
domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands
international: country code - 688

Uganda
general assessment: seriously inadequate; two cellular
systems have been introduced, but a sharp increase in the number of
main lines is essential; e-mail and Internet services are available
domestic: intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and
radiotelephone communication stations, fixed and mobile cellular
systems for short-range traffic
international: country code - 256; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat; analog links to Kenya and
Tanzania

Ukraine
general assessment: Ukraine's telecommunication development
plan, running through 2005, emphasizes improving domestic trunk
lines, international connections, and the mobile cellular system
domestic: at independence in December 1991, Ukraine inherited a
telephone system that was antiquated, inefficient, and in disrepair;
more than 3.5 million applications for telephones could not be
satisfied; telephone density is now rising slowly and the domestic
trunk system is being improved; the mobile cellular telephone system
is expanding at a high rate
international: country code - 380; two new domestic trunk lines are
a part of the fiber-optic Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) system and three
Ukrainian links have been installed in the fiber-optic
Trans-European Lines (TEL) project that connects 18 countries;
additional international service is provided by the
Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia (ITUR) fiber-optic submarine cable and
by earth stations in the Intelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik
satellite systems

United Arab Emirates
general assessment: modern fiber-optic
integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of
mobile cellular telephones; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai
domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber optic and coaxial cable
international: country code - 971; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat;
submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan;
tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi
Arabia

United Kingdom
general assessment: technologically advanced domestic
and international system
domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and
fiber-optic systems
international: country code - 44; 40 coaxial submarine cables;
satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3
Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat;
at least 8 large international switching centers

United States
general assessment: a large, technologically advanced,
multipurpose communications system
domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio
relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of
telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile
telephone traffic throughout the country
international: country code - 1; 24 ocean cable systems in use;
satellite earth stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16
Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4
Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000)

Uruguay
general assessment: fully digitalized
domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new
nationwide microwave radio relay network
international: country code - 598; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2002)

Uzbekistan
general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious
need of modernization
domestic: the domestic telephone system is being expanded and
technologically improved, particularly in Tashkent (Toshkent) and
Samarqand, under contracts with prominent companies in
industrialized countries; moreover, by 1998, six cellular networks
had been placed in operation - four of the GSM type (Global System
for Mobile Communication), one D-AMPS type (Digital Advanced Mobile
Phone System), and one AMPS type (Advanced Mobile Phone System)
international: country code - 998; linked by landline or microwave
radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased
connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; after the
completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE)
fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian
facilities for international communications; Inmarsat also provides
an international connection, albeit an expensive one; satellite
earth stations - NA (1998)

Vanuatu
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 678; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Venezuela
general assessment: modern and expanding
domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent
substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas;
substantial increase in digitalization of exchanges and trunk lines;
installation of a national interurban fiber-optic network capable of
digital multimedia services
international: country code - 58; 3 submarine coaxial cables;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1
PanAmSat; participating with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia in
the construction of an international fiber-optic network

Vietnam
general assessment: Vietnam is putting considerable effort
into modernization and expansion of its telecommunication system,
but its performance continues to lag behind that of its more modern
neighbors
domestic: all provincial exchanges are digitalized and connected to
Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City by fiber-optic cable or
microwave radio relay networks; main lines have been substantially
increased, and the use of mobile telephones is growing rapidly
international: country code - 84; satellite earth stations - 2
Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Virgin Islands
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern system with total digital switching, uses
fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 1-340; submarine cable and satellite
communications; satellite earth stations - NA

Wake Island
general assessment: satellite communications; 1 DSN
circuit off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS)
domestic: NA
international: NA

Wallis and Futuna
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 681

West Bank
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: NA
note: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are
responsible for communication services in the West Bank

Western Sahara
general assessment: sparse and limited system
domestic: NA
international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by
microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to
Rabat, Morocco

World
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: NA

Yemen
general assessment: since unification in 1990, efforts have
been made to create a national telecommunications network
domestic: the national network consists of microwave radio relay,
cable, tropospheric scatter, and GSM cellular mobile telephone
systems
international: country code - 967; satellite earth stations - 3
Intelsat (2 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region), and 2 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to
Saudi Arabia and Djibouti

Zambia
general assessment: facilities are aging but still among the
best in Sub-Saharan Africa
domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger
towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation;
Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal
(VSAT) networks are operated by private firms
international: country code - 260; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Zimbabwe
general assessment: system was once one of the best in
Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000
outstanding requests for connection despite an equally large number
of installed but unused main lines
domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines,
radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop
installations, and a substantial mobile cellular network; Internet
connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns
and for some of the smaller ones
international: country code - 263; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat; two international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and
Gweru)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2125 Terrain

Afghanistan
mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

Albania
mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

Algeria
mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow,
discontinuous coastal plain

American Samoa
five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited
coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)

Andorra
rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys

Angola
narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau

Anguilla
flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone

Antarctica
about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock,
with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain
ranges up to nearly 5,000 meters; ice-free coastal areas include
parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic
Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers
form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice
shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent

Antigua and Barbuda
mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands,
with some higher volcanic areas

Arctic Ocean
central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar
icepack that averages about 3 meters in thickness, although pressure
ridges may be three times that size; clockwise drift pattern in the
Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from the
New Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland
and Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the
summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends
to the encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about 50%
continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the
remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges
(Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge)

Argentina
rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to
rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western
border

Armenia
Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast
flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley

Aruba
flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
low with sand and coral

Atlantic Ocean
surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea,
Denmark Strait, and coastal portions of the Baltic Sea from October
to June; clockwise warm-water gyre (broad, circular system of
currents) in the northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm-water gyre
in the southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the
Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire
Atlantic basin

Australia
mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Austria
in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the
eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping

Azerbaijan
large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland) (much
of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north,
Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) in west; Baku lies on Abseron
Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea

Bahamas, The
long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

Bahrain
mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central
escarpment

Baker Island
low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow
fringing reef

Bangladesh
mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Barbados
relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Bassas da India
volcanic rock

Belarus
generally flat and contains much marshland

Belgium
flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills,
rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast

Belize
flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Benin
mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Bermuda
low hills separated by fertile depressions

Bhutan
mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna

Bolivia
rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano),
hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin

Bosnia and Herzegovina
mountains and valleys

Botswana
predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari
Desert in southwest

Bouvet Island
volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible

Brazil
mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills,
mountains, and narrow coastal belt

British Indian Ocean Territory
flat and low (most areas do not
exceed four meters in elevation)

British Virgin Islands
coral islands relatively flat; volcanic
islands steep, hilly

Brunei
flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland
in west

Bulgaria
mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast

Burkina Faso
mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in
west and southeast

Burma
central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands

Burundi
hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some
plains

Cambodia
mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north

Cameroon
diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau
in center, mountains in west, plains in north

Canada
mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Cape Verde
steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Cayman Islands
low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

Central African Republic
vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau;
scattered hills in northeast and southwest

Chad
broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in
northwest, lowlands in south

Chile
low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in
east

China
mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains,
deltas, and hills in east

Christmas Island
steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central
plateau

Clipperton Island
coral atoll

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
flat, low-lying coral atolls

Colombia
flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes
Mountains, eastern lowland plains

Comoros
volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low
hills

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
vast central basin is a low-lying
plateau; mountains in east

Congo, Republic of the
coastal plain, southern basin, central
plateau, northern basin

Cook Islands
low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in
south

Coral Sea Islands
sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)

Costa Rica
coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including
over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes

Cote d'Ivoire
mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in
northwest

Croatia
geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border,
low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands

Cuba
mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains
in the southeast

Cyprus
central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered
but significant plains along southern coast

Czech Republic
Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains,
hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east
consists of very hilly country

Denmark
low and flat to gently rolling plains

Djibouti
coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Dominica
rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Dominican Republic rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed

East Timor
mountainous

Ecuador
coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands
(sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

Egypt
vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

El Salvador
mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central
plateau

Equatorial Guinea
coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are
volcanic

Eritrea
dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending
highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the
northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling
plains

Estonia
marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

Ethiopia
high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great
Rift Valley

Europa Island
low and flat

European Union
fairly flat along the Baltic and Atlantic coast;
mountainous in the central and southern areas

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
rocky, hilly, mountainous with
some boggy, undulating plains

Faroe Islands
rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of
coast

Fiji
mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Finland
mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes
and low hills

France
mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west;
remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east

French Guiana
low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small
mountains

French Polynesia
mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with
reefs

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
volcanic

Gabon
narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

Gambia, The
flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

Gaza Strip
flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Georgia
largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the
north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi
(Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River
Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains,
foothills of Kolkhida Lowland

Germany
lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south

Ghana
mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Gibraltar
a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar

Glorioso Islands
low and flat

Greece
mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as
peninsulas or chains of islands

Greenland
flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow,
mountainous, barren, rocky coast

Grenada
volcanic in origin with central mountains

Guadeloupe
Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior
mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the
seven other islands are volcanic in origin

Guam
volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat
coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep
coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in
center, mountains in south

Guatemala
mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling
limestone plateau (Peten)

Guernsey
mostly level with low hills in southwest

Guinea
generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Guinea-Bissau
mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east

Guyana
mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

Haiti
mostly rough and mountainous

Heard Island and McDonald Islands Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak); McDonald Islands - small and rocky

Holy See (Vatican City)
low hill

Honduras
mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Hong Kong
hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

Howland Island
low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island
surrounded by a narrow fringing reef; depressed central area

Hungary
mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on
the Slovakian border

Iceland
mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields;
coast deeply indented by bays and fiords

India
upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain
along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north

Indian Ocean
surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad,
circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique
reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low
atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer
air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast
winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from
cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and
northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated
by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian
Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge

Indonesia
mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior
mountains

Iran
rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts,
mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts

Iraq
mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in
south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran
and Turkey

Ireland
mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged
hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast

Israel
Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central
mountains; Jordan Rift Valley

Italy
mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

Jamaica
mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Jan Mayen
volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers

Japan
mostly rugged and mountainous

Jarvis Island
sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing
reef

Jersey
gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Johnston Atoll
mostly flat

Jordan
mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great
Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River

Juan de Nova Island
low and flat

Kazakhstan
extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from
the plains in western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia

Kenya
low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift
Valley; fertile plateau in west

Kingman Reef
low and nearly level

Kiribati
mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Korea, North
mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow
valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east

Korea, South
mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west
and south

Kuwait
flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Kyrgyzstan
peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins
encompass entire nation

Laos
mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Latvia
low plain

Lebanon
narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates
Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains

Lesotho
mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Liberia
mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling
plateau and low mountains in northeast

Libya
mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Liechtenstein
mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western
third

Lithuania
lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil

Luxembourg
mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow
valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope
down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast

Macau
generally flat

Macedonia
mountainous territory covered with deep basins and
valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country
bisected by the Vardar River

Madagascar
narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Malawi
narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills,
some mountains

Malaysia
coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Maldives
flat, with white sandy beaches

Mali
mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna
in south, rugged hills in northeast

Malta
mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal
cliffs

Man, Isle of
hills in north and south bisected by central valley

Marshall Islands
low coral limestone and sand islands

Martinique
mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano

Mauritania
mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central
hills

Mauritius
small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains
encircling central plateau

Mayotte
generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic
peaks

Mexico
high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus;
desert

Micronesia, Federated States of islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk

Midway Islands
low, nearly level

Moldova
rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Monaco
hilly, rugged, rocky

Mongolia
vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains
in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central

Montserrat
volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal
lowland

Morocco
northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas
of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains

Mozambique
mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus
in northwest, mountains in west

Namibia
mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari
Desert in east

Nauru
sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs
with phosphate plateau in center

Navassa Island
raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to
undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)

Nepal
Terai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill
region, rugged Himalayas in north

Netherlands
mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders);
some hills in southeast

Netherlands Antilles
generally hilly, volcanic interiors

New Caledonia
coastal plains with interior mountains

New Zealand
predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains

Nicaragua
extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central
interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by
volcanoes

Niger
predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling
plains in south; hills in north

Nigeria
southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus;
mountains in southeast, plains in north

Niue
steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

Norfolk Island
volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains

Northern Mariana Islands
southern islands are limestone with level
terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic

Norway
glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken
by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply
indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Oman
central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south

Pacific Ocean
surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated
by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents)
and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre;
in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of
Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica
reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the
eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the
western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana
Trench, which is the world's deepest

Pakistan
flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest;
Balochistan plateau in west

Palau
varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of
Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier
reefs

Palmyra Atoll
very low

Panama
interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland
plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills

Papua New Guinea
mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling
foothills

Paracel Islands
mostly low and flat

Paraguay
grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran
Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the
river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere

Peru
western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center
(sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)

Philippines
mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal
lowlands

Pitcairn Islands
rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with
cliffs

Poland
mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

Portugal
mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in
south

Puerto Rico
mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north;
mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most
coastal areas

Qatar
mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and
gravel

Reunion
mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast

Romania
central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of
Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from
the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps

Russia
broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous
forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern
border regions

Rwanda
mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with
altitude declining from west to east

Saint Helena
Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered
plateaus and plains
note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin

Saint Kitts and Nevis
volcanic with mountainous interiors

Saint Lucia
volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
mostly barren rock

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
volcanic, mountainous

Samoa
two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands
and uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky,
rugged mountains in interior

San Marino
rugged mountains

Sao Tome and Principe
volcanic, mountainous

Saudi Arabia
mostly uninhabited, sandy desert

Senegal
generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in
southeast

Serbia and Montenegro
extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile
plains; to the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast,
ancient mountains and hills; to the southwest, extremely high
shoreline with no islands off the coast

Seychelles
Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky,
hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs

Sierra Leone
coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country,
upland plateau, mountains in east

Singapore
lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water
catchment area and nature preserve

Slovakia
rugged mountains in the central and northern part and
lowlands in the south

Slovenia
a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain
region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleys
with numerous rivers to the east

Solomon Islands
mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Somalia
mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

South Africa
vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow
coastal plain

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
most of the islands,
rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South
Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains;
the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active
volcanoes

Southern Ocean
the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 meters
over most of its extent with only limited areas of shallow water;
the Antarctic continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually
deep, its edge lying at depths of 400 to 800 meters (the global mean
is 133 meters); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum
of 2.6 million square kilometers in March to about 18.8 million
square kilometers in September, better than a sixfold increase in
area; the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) moves
perpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean current,
transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100
times the flow of all the world's rivers

Spain
large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills;
Pyrenees in north

Spratly Islands
flat

Sri Lanka
mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in
south-central interior

Sudan
generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south,
northeast and west; desert dominates the north

Suriname
mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Svalbard
wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west
coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and
north coasts

Swaziland
mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Sweden
mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Switzerland
mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with
a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Syria
primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain;
mountains in west

Taiwan
eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently
rolling plains in west

Tajikistan
Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western
Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest

Tanzania
plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north,
south

Thailand
central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains
elsewhere

Togo
gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern
plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes

Tokelau
low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

Tonga
most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral
formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base

Trinidad and Tobago
mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

Tromelin Island
low, flat, and sandy; likely volcanic

Tunisia
mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south
merges into the Sahara

Turkey
high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain;
several mountain ranges

Turkmenistan
flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to
mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran;
borders Caspian Sea in west

Turks and Caicos Islands low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

Tuvalu
very low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Uganda
mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Ukraine
most of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) and
plateaus, mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians),
and in the Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south

United Arab Emirates
flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling
sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east

United Kingdom
mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to
rolling plains in east and southeast

United States
vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low
mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in
Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii

Uruguay
mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

Uzbekistan
mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad,
flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya,
Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east
surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral
Sea in west

Vanuatu
mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow
coastal plains

Venezuela
Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest;
central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast

Vietnam
low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands;
hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest

Virgin Islands
mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little
level land

Wake Island
atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater
volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim

Wallis and Futuna
volcanic origin; low hills

West Bank
mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west,
but barren in east

Western Sahara
mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or
sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast

World
the greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m in
the Pacific Ocean

Yemen
narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged
mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the
desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula

Zambia
mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains

Zimbabwe
mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high
veld); mountains in east

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2127 Total fertility rate (children born/woman)

Afghanistan
6.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Albania
2.05 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Algeria
2.04 children born/woman (2004 est.)

American Samoa
3.41 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Andorra
1.28 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Angola
6.33 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Anguilla
1.74 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
2.27 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Argentina
2.24 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Armenia
1.31 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Aruba
1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Australia
1.76 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Austria
1.35 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
2.39 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
2.23 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Bahrain
2.67 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
3.15 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Barbados
1.65 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Belarus
1.36 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Belgium
1.64 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Belize
3.77 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Benin
5.95 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Bermuda
1.9 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Bhutan
4.87 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Bolivia
3.08 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
1.71 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Botswana
3.17 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Brazil
1.97 children born/woman (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
1.72 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Brunei
2.33 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
1.37 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
6.28 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Burma
2.08 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Burundi
5.9 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Cambodia
3.51 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Cameroon
4.55 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Canada
1.61 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
3.62 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands
1.9 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Central African Republic
4.59 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Chad
6.38 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Chile
2.06 children born/woman (2004 est.)

China
1.69 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Christmas Island
NA children born/woman (2004 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA children born/woman (2004 est.)

Colombia
2.59 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Comoros
5.15 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6.62 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
3.54 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Cook Islands
NA children born/woman (2004 est.)

Costa Rica
2.33 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
5.42 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Croatia
1.39 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Cuba
1.66 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Cyprus
1.85 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
1.18 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Denmark
1.74 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Djibouti
5.48 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Dominica
1.98 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
2.89 children born/woman (2004 est.)

East Timor
3.7 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Ecuador
2.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Egypt
2.95 children born/woman (2004 est.)

El Salvador
3.2 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
4.68 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Eritrea
5.67 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Estonia
1.39 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
5.44 children born/woman (2004 est.)

European Union
1.48 children born/woman (July 2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA children born/woman (2004 est.)

Faroe Islands
2.22 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Fiji
2.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Finland
1.73 children born/woman (2004 est.)

France
1.85 children born/woman (2004 est.)

French Guiana
3.05 children born/woman (2004 est.)

French Polynesia
2.09 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Gabon
4.8 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
5.46 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
6.04 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Georgia
1.4 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Germany
1.38 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Ghana
3.17 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
1.65 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Greece
1.32 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Greenland
2.42 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Grenada
2.41 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Guadeloupe
1.91 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Guam
2.61 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Guatemala
4.6 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Guernsey
1.38 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Guinea
5.87 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
5 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Guyana
2.06 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Haiti
4.76 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Honduras
3.97 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
0.91 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Hungary
1.31 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Iceland
1.93 children born/woman (2004 est.)

India
2.85 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Indonesia
2.47 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Iran
1.93 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Iraq
4.4 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Ireland
1.87 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Israel
2.47 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Italy
1.27 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Jamaica
1.98 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Japan
1.38 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Jersey
1.57 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Jordan
2.86 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
1.9 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Kenya
3.31 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Kiribati
4.24 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Korea, North
2.2 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Korea, South
1.56 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Kuwait
3.03 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
2.71 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Laos
4.86 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Latvia
1.25 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Lebanon
1.95 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Lesotho
3.44 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Liberia
6.16 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Libya
3.42 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
1.51 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Lithuania
1.17 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Macau
0.93 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Macedonia
1.74 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Madagascar
5.7 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Malawi
6.04 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Malaysia
3.1 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Maldives
5.14 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Mali
6.58 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Malta
1.49 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
1.65 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Marshall Islands
4.02 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Martinique
1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Mauritania
6.01 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Mauritius
1.97 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Mayotte
5.98 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Mexico
2.49 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
3.37 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Moldova
1.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Monaco
1.76 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Mongolia
2.27 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Montserrat
1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Morocco
2.81 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Mozambique
4.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Namibia
4.65 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Nauru
3.29 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Nepal
4.29 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Netherlands
1.66 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
2.02 children born/woman (2004 est.)

New Caledonia
2.35 children born/woman (2004 est.)

New Zealand
1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
2.89 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Niger
6.83 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Nigeria
5.32 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Niue
NA children born/woman (2004 est.)

Norfolk Island
NA children born/woman (2004 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
1.33 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Norway
1.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Oman
5.9 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Pakistan
4.29 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Palau
2.46 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Panama
2.49 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
4.04 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Paraguay
3.98 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Peru
2.61 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Philippines
3.22 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
NA children born/woman

Poland
1.38 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Portugal
1.46 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
1.91 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Qatar
2.95 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Reunion
2.5 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Romania
1.35 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Russia
1.26 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Rwanda
5.55 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Saint Helena
1.54 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
2.35 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Saint Lucia
2.25 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
2.05 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
1.9 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Samoa
3.11 children born/woman (2004 est.)

San Marino
1.32 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
5.8 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
4.11 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Senegal
4.84 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
1.67 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Seychelles
1.77 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
5.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Singapore
1.04 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Slovakia
1.31 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Slovenia
1.23 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
4.19 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Somalia
6.91 children born/woman (2004 est.)

South Africa
2.18 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Spain
1.27 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
1.88 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Sudan
4.97 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Suriname
2.37 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Svalbard
NA children born/woman

Swaziland
3.81 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Sweden
1.66 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Switzerland
1.42 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Syria
3.61 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Taiwan
1.57 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
4.11 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Tanzania
5.15 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Thailand
1.89 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Togo
4.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Tokelau
NA children born/woman

Tonga
3 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
1.77 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Tunisia
1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Turkey
1.98 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
3.45 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
3.11 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Tuvalu
3.02 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Uganda
6.64 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Ukraine
1.37 children born/woman (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
3.02 children born/woman (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
1.66 children born/woman (2004 est.)

United States
2.07 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Uruguay
1.96 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
2.97 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
2.87 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Venezuela
2.31 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Vietnam
2.22 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
2.21 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
NA children born/woman

West Bank
4.52 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Western Sahara
NA children born/woman

World
2.62 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Yemen
6.75 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Zambia
5.14 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
3.6 children born/woman (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2128 Government type

Afghanistan
Islamic republic

Albania
emerging democracy

Algeria
republic

American Samoa
NA

Andorra
parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as
its chiefs of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the
president of France and bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are
represented locally by coprinces' representatives

Angola
republic, nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong
presidential system

Anguilla
NA

Antarctica Antarctic Treaty Summary - the Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica; the 26th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Madrid, Spain in June 2003; at these periodic meetings, decisions are made by consensus (not by vote) of all consultative member nations; at the end of 2003, there were 45 treaty member nations: 27 consultative and 18 non-consultative; consultative (decision-making) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 20 non-claimant nations; the US and Russia have reserved the right to make claims; the US does not recognize the claims of others; Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative member nations; decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own nationals and operations) in accordance with their own national laws; the year in parentheses indicates when an acceding nation was accepted as a consultative member, while no date indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory; claimant nations are - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil (1983), Bulgaria (1998) China (1985), Ecuador (1990), Finland (1989), Germany (1981), India (1983), Italy (1987), Japan, South Korea (1989), Netherlands (1990), Peru (1989), Poland (1977), Russia, South Africa, Spain (1988), Sweden (1988), Uruguay (1985), and the US; non-consultative members, with year of accession in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Canada (1988), Colombia (1989), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1993), Denmark (1965), Estonia (2001), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1993), Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1995), Ukraine (1992), and Venezuela (1999); Article 1 - area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 - freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue; Article 3 - free exchange of information and personnel, cooperation with the UN and other international agencies; Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force; Article 5 - prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6 - includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south and reserves high seas rights; Article 7 - treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all expeditions and of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8 - allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9 - frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10 - treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 - disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14 - deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations; other agreements - some 200 recommendations adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments include - Agreed Measures for Fauna and Flora (1964) which were later incorporated into the Environmental Protocol; Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but remains unratified; the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into force 14 January 1998; this agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic environment through five specific annexes: 1) environmental impact assessment, 2) conservation of Antarctic fauna and flora, 3) waste disposal and waste management, 4) prevention of marine pollution, and 5) area protection and management; it prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research

Antigua and Barbuda
constitutional monarchy with UK-style parliament

Argentina
republic

Armenia
republic

Aruba
parliamentary democracy

Australia
democratic, federal-state system recognizing the British
monarch as sovereign

Austria
federal republic

Azerbaijan
republic

Bahamas, The
constitutional parliamentary democracy

Bahrain
constitutional hereditary monarchy

Bangladesh
parliamentary democracy

Barbados
parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within
the Commonwealth

Belarus
republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship

Belgium
federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional
monarch

Belize
parliamentary democracy

Benin
republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped
Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February
1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991

Bermuda
parliamentary British overseas territory with internal
self-government

Bhutan
monarchy; special treaty relationship with India

Bolivia
republic

Bosnia and Herzegovina
emerging federal democratic republic

Botswana
parliamentary republic

Brazil
federative republic

British Virgin Islands
NA

Brunei
constitutional sultanate

Bulgaria
parliamentary democracy

Burkina Faso
parliamentary republic

Burma
military junta

Burundi
republic

Cambodia
multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy
established in September 1993

Cameroon
unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime
(opposition parties legalized in 1990)
note: preponderance of power remains with the president

Canada
confederation with parliamentary democracy

Cape Verde
republic

Cayman Islands
British crown colony

Central African Republic
republic

Chad
republic

Chile
republic

China
Communist state

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA

Colombia
republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Comoros
independent republic

Congo, Democratic Republic of the dictatorship; presumably undergoing a transition to representative government

Congo, Republic of the
republic

Cook Islands
self-governing parliamentary democracy

Costa Rica
democratic republic

Cote d'Ivoire
republic; multiparty presidential regime established
1960

Croatia
presidential/parliamentary democracy

Cuba
Communist state

Cyprus
republic
note: a separation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the
island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this
separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in
July 1974 that followed a Greek junta-supported coup attempt gave
the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots
control the only internationally recognized government; on 15
November 1983 Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared
independence and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus" (TRNC), recognized only by Turkey; both sides publicly
support a settlement based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation.

Czech Republic
parliamentary democracy

Denmark
constitutional monarchy

Djibouti
republic

Dominica
parliamentary democracy; republic within the Commonwealth

Dominican Republic
representative democracy

East Timor
Republic

Ecuador
republic

Egypt
republic

El Salvador
republic

Equatorial Guinea
republic

Eritrea
transitional government
note: following a successful referendum on independence for the
Autonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National
Assembly, composed entirely of the People's Front for Democracy and
Justice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; a
Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a
constitution; ISAIAS Afworki was elected president by the
transitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997,
did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential
elections; parliamentary elections had been scheduled in December
2001, but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legal
party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)

Estonia
parliamentary republic

Ethiopia
federal republic

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA

Faroe Islands
NA

Fiji
republic
note: military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA formally
declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987

Finland
republic

France
republic

French Guiana
NA

French Polynesia
NA

Gabon
republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties
legalized in 1990)

Gambia, The
republic under multiparty democratic rule

Georgia
republic

Germany
federal republic

Ghana
constitutional democracy

Gibraltar
NA

Greece
parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8
December 1974

Greenland
parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy

Grenada
constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament

Guadeloupe
NA

Guam
NA

Guatemala
constitutional democratic republic

Guernsey
NA

Guinea
republic

Guinea-Bissau
republic, multiparty since mid-1991

Guyana
republic within the Commonwealth

Haiti
elected government

Holy See (Vatican City)
ecclesiastical

Honduras
democratic constitutional republic

Hong Kong
limited democracy

Hungary
parliamentary democracy

Iceland
constitutional republic

India
federal republic

Indonesia
republic

Iran
theocratic republic

Iraq
none; note - the Iraqi Interim Government (IG) was appointed on
1 June 2004

Ireland
republic

Israel
parliamentary democracy

Italy
republic

Jamaica
constitutional parliamentary democracy

Japan
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government

Jersey
NA

Jordan
constitutional monarchy

Kazakhstan
republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little
power outside the executive branch

Kenya
republic

Kiribati
republic

Korea, North
Communist state one-man dictatorship

Korea, South
republic

Kuwait
nominal constitutional monarchy

Kyrgyzstan
republic

Laos
Communist state

Latvia
parliamentary democracy

Lebanon
republic

Lesotho
parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Liberia
republic

Libya
Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the
populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship

Liechtenstein
hereditary constitutional monarchy on a democratic and
parliamentary basis

Lithuania
parliamentary democracy

Luxembourg
constitutional monarchy

Macau
limited democracy

Macedonia
parliamentary democracy

Madagascar
republic

Malawi
multiparty democracy

Malaysia
constitutional monarchy
note: Malaya (what is now Peninsular Malaysia) formed 31 August
1957; Federation of Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore)
formed 9 July 1963 (Singapore left Federation on 9 August 1965);
nominally headed by paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament
consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house;
all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers except Melaka
and Penang; those two states along with Sabah and Sarawak in East
Malaysia have governors appointed by Malaysian Government; powers of
state governments are limited by federal constitution; under terms
of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional
prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their own immigration
controls); Sabah - currently holds 20 seats in House of
Representatives and will hold 25 seats after the next election;
Sarawak holds 28 seats in House of Representatives

Maldives
republic

Mali
republic

Malta
republic

Man, Isle of
parliamentary democracy

Marshall Islands
constitutional government in free association with
the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21
October 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004

Martinique
NA

Mauritania
republic

Mauritius
parliamentary democracy

Mayotte
NA

Mexico
federal republic

Micronesia, Federated States of constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force May 2004

Moldova
republic

Monaco
constitutional monarchy

Mongolia
mixed parliamentary/presidential

Montserrat
NA

Morocco
constitutional monarchy

Mozambique
republic

Namibia
republic

Nauru
republic

Nepal
parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy

Netherlands
constitutional monarchy

Netherlands Antilles
parliamentary

New Caledonia
NA

New Zealand
parliamentary democracy

Nicaragua
republic

Niger
republic

Nigeria
republic transitioning from military to civilian rule

Niue
self-governing parliamentary democracy

Norfolk Island
NA

Northern Mariana Islands commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature

Norway
constitutional monarchy

Oman
monarchy

Pakistan
federal republic

Palau
constitutional government in free association with the US; the
Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994

Panama
constitutional democracy

Papua New Guinea
constitutional monarchy with parliamentary democracy

Paraguay
constitutional republic

Peru
constitutional republic

Philippines
republic

Pitcairn Islands
NA

Poland
republic

Portugal
parliamentary democracy

Puerto Rico
commonwealth

Qatar
traditional monarchy

Reunion
NA

Romania
republic

Russia
federation

Rwanda
republic; presidential, multiparty system

Saint Helena
NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style
parliament

Saint Lucia
Westminster-style parliamentary democracy

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth

Samoa
constitutional monarchy under native chief

San Marino
independent republic

Sao Tome and Principe
republic

Saudi Arabia
monarchy

Senegal
republic under multiparty democratic rule

Serbia and Montenegro
republic

Seychelles
republic

Sierra Leone
constitutional democracy

Singapore
parliamentary republic

Slovakia
parliamentary democracy

Slovenia
parliamentary democratic republic

Solomon Islands
parliamentary democracy tending toward anarchy

Somalia
no permanent national government; transitional,
parliamentary national government

South Africa
republic

Spain
parliamentary monarchy

Sri Lanka
republic

Sudan
authoritarian regime - ruling military junta took power in
1989; government is run by an alliance of the military and the
National Congress Party (NCP), formerly the National Islamic Front
(NIF), which espouses an Islamist platform

Suriname
constitutional democracy

Svalbard
NA

Swaziland
monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

Sweden
constitutional monarchy

Switzerland
federal republic

Syria
republic under military regime since March 1963

Taiwan
multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly-elected
president and unicameral legislature

Tajikistan
republic

Tanzania
republic

Thailand
constitutional monarchy

Togo
republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule

Tokelau
NA

Tonga
hereditary constitutional monarchy

Trinidad and Tobago
parliamentary democracy

Tunisia
republic

Turkey
republican parliamentary democracy

Turkmenistan
republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little
power outside the executive branch

Turks and Caicos Islands
NA

Tuvalu
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy; began
debating republic status in 1992

Uganda
republic

Ukraine
republic

United Arab Emirates
federation with specified powers delegated to
the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member
emirates

United Kingdom
constitutional monarchy

United States
Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic
tradition

Uruguay
constitutional republic

Uzbekistan
republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little
power outside the executive branch

Vanuatu
parliamentary republic

Venezuela
federal republic

Vietnam
Communist state

Virgin Islands
NA

Wallis and Futuna
NA

Western Sahara
legal status of territory and issue of sovereignty
unresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front
(Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de
Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a
government-in-exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
(SADR),led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ; territory partitioned
between Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring
northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario
guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979;
Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since
asserted administrative control; the Polisario's government-in-exile
was seated as an OAU member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued
sporadically, until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6
September 1991

Yemen
republic

Zambia
republic

Zimbabwe
parliamentary democracy

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2129 Unemployment rate (%)

Afghanistan
NA (2003)

Albania
15.8% officially; may be as high as 30% (2003 est.)

Algeria
26.2% (2003 est.)

American Samoa
6% (2000)

Andorra
0% (1996 est.)

Angola
extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more
than half the population (2001 est.)

Anguilla
6.7% (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
11% (2001 est.)

Argentina
17.3% (2003)

Armenia
20% (2001 est.)

Aruba
0.6% (2003 est.)

Australia
6% (2003)

Austria
4.4% (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
1.1% (official rate is 1.2%) (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
6.9% (2001 est.)

Bahrain
15% (1998 est.)

Bangladesh
40% (includes underemployment) (2002 est.)

Barbados
10.7% (2003 est.)

Belarus
2.1% officially registered unemployed (December 2000); large
number of underemployed workers (2003 est.)

Belgium
8.1% (2003 est.)

Belize
9.1% (2002)

Benin
NA

Bermuda
5% (2002 est.)

Bhutan
NA

Bolivia 11.7% note: widespread underemployment (2003)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
40% (2002 est.)

Botswana
40% (official rate is 21%) (2001 est.)

Brazil
12.3% (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
3% (1995)

Brunei
10% (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
14.3% (2003)

Burkina Faso
NA

Burma
4.2% (2003)

Burundi
NA

Cambodia
2.5% (2000 est.)

Cameroon
30% (2001 est.)

Canada
7.8% (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
21% (2000 est.)

Cayman Islands
4.1% (1997)

Central African Republic
8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)

Chad
NA (2000)

Chile
8.5% (2003 est.)

China
10.1% urban unemployment roughly 10%; substantial unemployment
and underemployment in rural areas (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
60% (2000 est.)

Colombia
14.2% (2003 est.)

Comoros
20% (1996 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
NA (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
NA (2003)

Cook Islands
13% (1996)

Costa Rica
6.7% (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
13% in urban areas (1998)

Croatia
19.5% (2003)

Cuba
2.6% (2003 est.)

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: 3.4%; north Cyprus: 5.6% (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
9.9% (2003)

Denmark
6.1% (2003)

Djibouti
50% (2000 est.)

Dominica
23% (2000 est.)

Dominican Republic
16.5% (2003 est.)

East Timor
50% (including underemployment) (1992 est.)

Ecuador
9.8%; note - underemployment of 47% (2003 est.)

Egypt
9.9% (2003 est.)

El Salvador
6.5% - but the economy has much underemployment (2003
est.)

Equatorial Guinea
30% (1998 est.)

Eritrea
NA (2003 est.)

Estonia
10.1% (2003)

Ethiopia
NA (2002)

European Union
9.1% (2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) full employment; labor shortage (2001)

Faroe Islands
1% (October 2000)

Fiji
7.6% (1999)

Finland
9% (2003 est.)

France
9.7% (2003 est.)

French Guiana
22% (2001)

French Polynesia
11.8% (1994)

Gabon
21% (1997 est.)

Gambia, The
NA (2002 est.)

Gaza Strip
50% (includes West Bank) (2003 est.)

Georgia
17% (2001 est.)

Germany
10.5% (2003 est.)

Ghana
20% (1997 est.)

Gibraltar
2% (2001 est.)

Greece
9.4% (2003 est.)

Greenland
10% (2000 est.)

Grenada
12.5% (2000)

Guadeloupe
27.8% (1998)

Guam
15% (2000 est.)

Guatemala
7.5% (2003 est.)

Guernsey
0.5% (1999 est.)

Guinea
NA (2002 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
NA (1998)

Guyana
9.1% (understated) (2000)

Haiti
widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than
two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.)

Honduras
27.5% (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
7.9% (2003)

Hungary
5.9% (2003 est.)

Iceland
3.4% (2003 est.)

India
9.5% (2003)

Indonesia
8.7% (2003 est.)

Iran
15.7% (2002 est.)

Iraq
NA (2003 est.)

Ireland
4.7% (2003 est.)

Israel
10.7% (2003 est.)

Italy
8.6% (2003 est.)

Jamaica
15.9% (2003 est.)

Japan
5.3% (2003)

Jersey
0.7% (1998 est.)

Jordan
16% official rate; actual rate is 25%-30% (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
8.8% (2003 est.)

Kenya
40% (2001 est.)

Kiribati
2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)

Korea, North
NA (2003)

Korea, South
3.4% (2003 est.)

Kuwait
2.1% (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
7.2% (1999 est.)

Laos
5.7% (1997 est.)

Latvia
8.6% (2003 est.)

Lebanon
18% (1997 est.)

Lesotho
45% (2002)

Liberia
85% (2003 est.)

Libya
30% (2001)

Liechtenstein
1.3% (September 2002)

Lithuania
10.3% (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
3.6% (2003 est.)

Macau
6.3% (2003)

Macedonia
36.7% (2003 est.)

Madagascar
5.9% (1998)

Malawi
NA (2003 est.)

Malaysia
3.6% (2003 est.)

Maldives
NEGL% (2003 est.)

Mali
14.6% urban areas; 5.3% rural areas (2001 est.)

Malta
7% (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
0.7% (March 2003)

Marshall Islands
30.9% (1999 est.)

Martinique
27.2% (1998)

Mauritania
21% (1999 est.)

Mauritius
9.8% (2003 est.)

Mayotte
38% (1999)

Mexico
3.3% plus underemployment of perhaps 25% (2003)

Micronesia, Federated States of
16% (1999 est.)

Moldova
8% (roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed
abroad) (2002 est.)

Monaco
3.1% (1998)

Mongolia
4.6% (2001)

Montserrat
6% (1998 est.)

Morocco
19% (2003 est.)

Mozambique
21% (1997 est.)

Namibia
35% (1998)

Nauru
0% (2002 est.)

Nepal
47% (2001 est.)

Netherlands
5.3% (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
15.6% (2002 est.)

New Caledonia
19% (1996)

New Zealand
4.7% (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
22% plus considerable underemployment (2003 est.)

Niger
NA (2002 est.)

Nigeria
NA (2003 est.)

Niue
NA (March 1999)

Norfolk Island
NA

Northern Mariana Islands
NA

Norway
4.7% (2003 est.)

Oman
NA

Pakistan
7.7% plus substantial underemployment (2003 est.)

Palau
2.3% (2000 est.)

Panama
13.8% (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
NA

Paraguay
18.5% (2003 est.)

Peru
9.7%; widespread underemployment (2003 est.)

Philippines
11.4% (2003)

Pitcairn Islands
NA

Poland
20% (2003)

Portugal
6.4% (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
12% (2002)

Qatar
2.7% (2001)

Reunion
36% (1999 est.)

Romania
7.2% (2003)

Russia
8.5% plus considerable underemployment (2003 est.)

Rwanda
NA

Saint Helena
14% (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
4.5% (1997)

Saint Lucia
16.5% (1997 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
9.8% (1997)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
22% (1997 est.)

Samoa
NA%; note - substantial underemployment

San Marino
2.6% (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
NA

Saudi Arabia
25% (2003)

Senegal
48% (urban youth 40%) (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
34.5% (2003 est.)

Seychelles
NA

Sierra Leone
NA

Singapore
4.8% (2003 est.)

Slovakia
15.2% (2003 est.)

Slovenia
11.2% (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
NA

Somalia
NA

South Africa
31% (includes workers no longer looking for employment)
(2003 est.)

Spain
11.3% (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
8.4% (2003)

Sudan
18.7% (2002 est.)

Suriname
17% (2000)

Swaziland
34% (2000 est.)

Sweden
4.9% (2003 est.)

Switzerland
3.7% (2003 est.)

Syria
20% (2002 est.)

Taiwan
5% (2003 est.)

Tajikistan
40% (2002 est.)

Tanzania
NA

Thailand
2.2% (2003 est.)

Togo
NA (2003 est.)

Tokelau
NA

Tonga
13.3% (1996 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
10.4% (2003)

Tunisia
14.3% (2003 est.)

Turkey
10.5% (plus underemployment of 6.1%) (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
NA

Turks and Caicos Islands
10% (1997 est.)

Tuvalu
NA

Uganda
NA (2002 est.)

Ukraine
3.7% officially registered; large number of unregistered or
underemployed workers (2003)

United Arab Emirates
2.4% (2001)

United Kingdom
5% (2003 est.)

United States
6% (2003)

Uruguay
16% (2003)

Uzbekistan
0.5% plus another 20% underemployed (2003)

Vanuatu
NA

Venezuela
18% (2003 est.)

Vietnam
6.1% (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
9.3% (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
NA

West Bank
50% (includes Gaza Strip) (2002 est.)

Western Sahara
NA

World
30% combined unemployment and underemployment in many
non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 4%-12%
unemployment

Yemen
35% (2003 est.)

Zambia
50% (2000 est.)

Zimbabwe
70% (2002 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2137 Military - note

Akrotiri
Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British
Forces on Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit

American Samoa
defense is the responsibility of the US

Andorra
defense is the responsibility of France and Spain

Anguilla
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Antarctica
the Antarctic Treaty prohibits any measures of a military
nature, such as the establishment of military bases and
fortifications, the carrying out of military maneuvers, or the
testing of any type of weapon; it permits the use of military
personnel or equipment for scientific research or for any other
peaceful purposes

Aruba
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
defense is the responsibility of
Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal
Australian Air Force

Baker Island
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited
annually by the US Coast Guard

Bassas da India
defense is the responsibility of France

Bermuda
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Bouvet Island
defense is the responsibility of Norway

British Indian Ocean Territory
defense is the responsibility of the
UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016

British Virgin Islands
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Cayman Islands
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Christmas Island
defense is the responsibility of Australia

Clipperton Island
defense is the responsibility of France

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
defense is the responsibility of Australia;
the territory does have a five-person police force

Cook Islands
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in
consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request

Coral Sea Islands
defense is the responsibility of Australia;
visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has
control over the activities of visitors

Cuba
Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of
Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993

Dhekelia
includes Dheklia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station
connected by a roadway

Europa Island
defense is the responsibility of France

European Union
In October 2004, the European Union heads of
government signed a "constitutional treaty" that offers
possibilities - with some limits - for increased defense and
security cooperation. If ratified, in a process that may take some
two years, this treaty will in effect make operational the European
Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) approved in the 2000 Nice Treaty.
Despite limits of cooperation for some EU members, development of a
European military planning unit is likely to continue. So is
creation of a rapid-reaction military force and a humanitarian aid
system, which the planning unit will support. France, Germany,
Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Italy continue to press for
wider coordination. The five-nation Eurocorps - created in 1992 by
France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Luxembourg - has already
deployed troops and police on peacekeeping missions to
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo
and assumed command of the International Security Assistance Force
(ISAF) in Afghanistan in August 2004. Eurocorps directly commands
the 5,000-man Franco-German Brigade and the Multinational Command
Support Brigade and will command EUFOR, which will take over from
SFOR in Bosnia in December 2004. Other troop contributions are under
national command - committments to provide 67,100 troops were made
at the Helsinki EU session in 2000. Some 56,000 EU troops were
actually deployed in 2003. In August 2004, the new European Defense
Agency, tasked with promoting cooperative European defense
capabilities, began operations. As of November 2004, Germany, the
United Kingdom, and France had proposed creation of three 1,500-man
rapid-reaction "battle groups."

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) defense is the responsibility of the UK

Faroe Islands
defense is the responsibility of Denmark

French Guiana
defense is the responsibility of France

French Polynesia
defense is the responsibility of France

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
defense is the responsibility of
France

Georgia
a CIS peacekeeping force of Russian troops is deployed in
the Abkhazia region of Georgia together with a UN military observer
group; a Russian peacekeeping battalion is deployed in South Ossetia

Gibraltar
defense is the responsibility of the UK; the last British
regular infantry forces left Gibraltar in 1992, replaced by the
Royal Gibraltar Regiment

Glorioso Islands
defense is the responsibility of France

Greenland
defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Guadeloupe
defense is the responsibility of France

Guam
defense is the responsibility of the US

Guernsey
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
defense is the responsibility of
Australia; Australia conducts fisheries patrols

Holy See (Vatican City) defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and protect the Pope

Hong Kong
defense is the responsibility of China

Howland Island
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited
annually by the US Coast Guard

Iceland
defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force
(IDF) headquartered at Keflavik

Jan Mayen
defense is the responsibility of Norway

Jarvis Island
defense is the responsibility of the US; visited
annually by the US Coast Guard

Jersey
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Johnston Atoll
defense is the responsibility of the US

Juan de Nova Island
defense is the responsibility of France

Kingman Reef
defense is the responsibility of the US

Kiribati
Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance
is provided by Australia and NZ

Lesotho
the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the
future structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially
considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening
in political affairs

Liechtenstein
defense is the responsibility of Switzerland

Man, Isle of
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Marshall Islands
defense is the responsibility of the US

Martinique
defense is the responsibility of France

Mayotte
defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of
French forces stationed on the island

Micronesia, Federated States of
Federated States of Micronesia (FSM)
is a sovereign, self-governing state in free association with the
US; FSM is totally dependent on the US for its defense

Midway Islands
defense is the responsibility of the US

Monaco
defense is the responsibility of France

Montserrat
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Nauru
Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal
agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia

Navassa Island
defense is the responsibility of the US

Netherlands Antilles defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

New Caledonia
defense is the responsibility of France

Niue
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Norfolk Island
defense is the responsibility of Australia

Northern Mariana Islands
defense is the responsibility of the US

Palau
defense is the responsibility of the US; under a Compact of
Free Association between Palau and the US, the US military is
granted access to the islands for 50 years

Palmyra Atoll
defense is the responsibility of the US

Panama
on 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA
abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by
creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's
Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting
the creation of a standing military force, but allowing the
temporary establishment of special police units to counter acts of
"external aggression"

Paracel Islands
occupied by China

Pitcairn Islands
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Puerto Rico
defense is the responsibility of the US

Reunion
defense is the responsibility of France

Saint Helena
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
defense is the responsibility of France

Samoa
Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces;
informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider
any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship

South Africa
with the end of apartheid and the establishment of
majority rule, former military, black homelands forces, and
ex-opposition forces were integrated into the South African National
Defense Force (SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was
considered complete

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
defense is the
responsibility of the UK

Spratly Islands
Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small
islands or reefs, of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by
China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam

Svalbard
demilitarized by treaty (9 February 1920)

Tokelau
defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Tromelin Island
defense is the responsibility of France

Turks and Caicos Islands
defense is the responsibility of the UK

Virgin Islands
defense is the responsibility of the US

Wake Island
defense is the responsibility of the US; launch support
facility is part of the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test
Site (RTS) administered by US Army Space and Missile Defense Command
(SMDC)

Wallis and Futuna
defense is the responsibility of France

Yemen
establishment of a Coast Guard, scheduled for May 2001, has
been delayed

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2138 Communications - note

Afghanistan
in March 2003 'af' was established as Afghanistan's
domain name; Internet access is growing through Internet cafes as
well as public "telekiosks" in Kabul that are part of a nationwide
network proposed by the Transitional Authority for Internet access
(2002)

Bouvet Island
automatic meteorological station

Coral Sea Islands there are automatic weather stations on many of the isles and reefs relaying data to the mainland

Europa Island
1 meteorological station

Glorioso Islands
1 meteorological station

Juan de Nova Island
1 meteorological station

Saint Helena
Gough Island has a meteorological station

Tromelin Island
important meteorological station

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2140 Government - note

Malawi
the executive exerts considerable influence over the
legislature

Solomon Islands
June 2003 Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA sought
the intervention of Australia to aid in restoring order; parliament
approved the request for intervention in July 2003; troops from
Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga arrived 24
July 2003

Somalia
although an interim government was created in 2000 other
governing bodies continue to exist and control various cities and
regions of the country, including Somaliland, Puntland, and
traditional clan and faction strongholds

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2142 Country name

Afghanistan
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
conventional short form: Afghanistan
local long form: Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan
local short form: Afghanestan
former: Republic of Afghanistan

Akrotiri
conventional long form: Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area
conventional short form: Akrotiri

Albania
conventional long form: Republic of Albania
conventional short form: Albania
local long form: Republika e Shqiperise
local short form: Shqiperia
former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania

Algeria
conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of
Algeria
conventional short form: Algeria
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash
Sha'biyah
local short form: Al Jaza'ir

American Samoa
conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa
conventional short form: American Samoa
abbreviation: AS

Andorra
conventional long form: Principality of Andorra
conventional short form: Andorra
local long form: Principat d'Andorra
local short form: Andorra

Angola
conventional long form: Republic of Angola
conventional short form: Angola
local long form: Republica de Angola
local short form: Angola
former: People's Republic of Angola

Anguilla
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Anguilla

Antarctica
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Antarctica

Antigua and Barbuda
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina
conventional long form: Argentine Republic
conventional short form: Argentina
local long form: Republica Argentina
local short form: Argentina

Armenia
conventional long form: Republic of Armenia
conventional short form: Armenia
local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun
local short form: Hayastan
former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic

Aruba
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
conventional long form: Territory of
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Australia
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
conventional short form: Australia

Austria
conventional long form: Republic of Austria
conventional short form: Austria
local long form: Republik Oesterreich
local short form: Oesterreich

Azerbaijan
conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan
conventional short form: Azerbaijan
local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi
local short form: none
former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic

Bahamas, The
conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
conventional short form: The Bahamas

Bahrain
conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain
conventional short form: Bahrain
local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn
local short form: Al Bahrayn
former: Dilmun

Baker Island
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Baker Island

Bangladesh
conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh
conventional short form: Bangladesh
former: East Pakistan

Barbados
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Barbados

Bassas da India
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bassas da India

Belarus
conventional long form: Republic of Belarus
conventional short form: Belarus
local long form: Respublika Byelarus'
local short form: none
former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic

Belgium
conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
conventional short form: Belgium
local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie
local short form: Belgique/Belgie

Belize
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Belize
former: British Honduras

Benin
conventional long form: Republic of Benin
conventional short form: Benin
local long form: Republique du Benin
local short form: Benin
former: Dahomey

Bermuda
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bermuda
former: Somers Islands

Bhutan
conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan
conventional short form: Bhutan

Bolivia
conventional long form: Republic of Bolivia
conventional short form: Bolivia
local long form: Republica de Bolivia
local short form: Bolivia

Bosnia and Herzegovina conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina local long form: none local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina former: People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Botswana
conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
conventional short form: Botswana
former: Bechuanaland

Bouvet Island
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bouvet Island

Brazil
conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil
conventional short form: Brazil
local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil
local short form: Brasil

British Indian Ocean Territory
conventional long form: British
Indian Ocean Territory
conventional short form: none
abbreviation: BIOT

British Virgin Islands
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: British Virgin Islands
abbreviation: BVI

Brunei
conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam
conventional short form: Brunei

Bulgaria
conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria
conventional short form: Bulgaria

Burkina Faso
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Burkina Faso
former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta

Burma
conventional long form: Union of Burma
conventional short form: Burma
local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the
US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of
Myanmar)
local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw
former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma
note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the
name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision
was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US
Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the
Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw

Burundi
conventional long form: Republic of Burundi
conventional short form: Burundi
local long form: Republika y'u Burundi
local short form: Burundi
former: Urundi

Cambodia
conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia
conventional short form: Cambodia
local long form: Preahreacheanacha Kampuchea (phonetic pronunciation)
local short form: Kampuchea
former: Kingdom of Cambodia, Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea,
People's Republic of Kampuchea, State of Cambodia

Cameroon
conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon
conventional short form: Cameroon
former: French Cameroon

Canada
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Canada

Cape Verde
conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde
conventional short form: Cape Verde
local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde
local short form: Cabo Verde

Cayman Islands
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cayman Islands

Central African Republic
conventional long form: Central African
Republic
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republique Centrafricaine
local short form: none
former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire
abbreviation: CAR

Chad
conventional long form: Republic of Chad
conventional short form: Chad
local long form: Republique du Tchad
local short form: Tchad

Chile
conventional long form: Republic of Chile
conventional short form: Chile
local long form: Republica de Chile
local short form: Chile

China
conventional long form: People's Republic of China
conventional short form: China
local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo
local short form: Zhong Guo
abbreviation: PRC

Christmas Island
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas
Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island

Clipperton Island conventional long form: none conventional short form: Clipperton Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Clipperton former: sometimes called Ile de la Passion

Cocos (Keeling) Islands conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Colombia
conventional long form: Republic of Colombia
conventional short form: Colombia
local long form: Republica de Colombia
local short form: Colombia

Comoros
conventional long form: Union of the Comoros
conventional short form: Comoros
local long form: Union des Comores
local short form: Comores

Congo, Democratic Republic of the conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo conventional short form: none local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo local short form: none former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire abbreviation: DROC

Congo, Republic of the conventional long form: Republic of the Congo conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville) local long form: Republique du Congo local short form: none former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo

Cook Islands
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cook Islands
former: Harvey Islands

Coral Sea Islands
conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands

Costa Rica
conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica
conventional short form: Costa Rica
local long form: Republica de Costa Rica
local short form: Costa Rica

Cote d'Ivoire
conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire
conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire
local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire
local short form: Cote d'Ivoire
former: Ivory Coast

Croatia
conventional long form: Republic of Croatia
conventional short form: Croatia
local long form: Republika Hrvatska
local short form: Hrvatska
former: People's Republic of Croatia, Socialist Republic of Croatia

Cuba
conventional long form: Republic of Cuba
conventional short form: Cuba
local long form: Republica de Cuba
local short form: Cuba

Cyprus
conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus
conventional short form: Cyprus
note: the Turkish Cypriot community (north Cyprus) refers to itself
as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC)

Czech Republic
conventional long form: Czech Republic
conventional short form: Czech Republic
local long form: Ceska Republika
local short form: Ceska Republika

Denmark
conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark
conventional short form: Denmark
local long form: Kongeriget Danmark
local short form: Danmark

Dhekelia
conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area
conventional short form: Dhekelia

Djibouti
conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti
conventional short form: Djibouti
former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland

Dominica
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica
conventional short form: Dominica

Dominican Republic conventional long form: Dominican Republic conventional short form: The Dominican local long form: Republica Dominicana local short form: La Dominicana

East Timor
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
conventional short form: East Timor
local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum];
Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese]
local short form: Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese]
former: Portuguese Timor

Ecuador
conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador
conventional short form: Ecuador
local long form: Republica del Ecuador
local short form: Ecuador

Egypt
conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt
conventional short form: Egypt
local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah
local short form: Misr
former: United Arab Republic (with Syria)

El Salvador
conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador
conventional short form: El Salvador
local long form: Republica de El Salvador
local short form: El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea
conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial
Guinea
conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea
local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial
local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial
former: Spanish Guinea

Eritrea
conventional long form: State of Eritrea
conventional short form: Eritrea
local long form: Hagere Ertra
local short form: Ertra
former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia

Estonia
conventional long form: Republic of Estonia
conventional short form: Estonia
local long form: Eesti Vabariik
local short form: Eesti
former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic

Ethiopia
conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of
Ethiopia
conventional short form: Ethiopia
local long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik
local short form: Ityop'iya
former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa
abbreviation: FDRE

Europa Island
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Europa Island
local long form: none
local short form: Ile Europa

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Faroe Islands
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Faroe Islands
local long form: none
local short form: Foroyar

Fiji
conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands
conventional short form: Fiji

Finland
conventional long form: Republic of Finland
conventional short form: Finland
local long form: Suomen Tasavalta
local short form: Suomi

France
conventional long form: French Republic
conventional short form: France
local long form: Republique Francaise
local short form: France

French Guiana
conventional long form: Department of Guiana
conventional short form: French Guiana
local long form: none
local short form: Guyane

French Polynesia
conventional long form: Territory of French
Polynesia
conventional short form: French Polynesia
local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise
local short form: Polynesie Francaise
former: French Colony of Oceania

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
conventional long form:
Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands
conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands
local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques
Francaises
local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises

Gabon
conventional long form: Gabonese Republic
conventional short form: Gabon
local long form: Republique Gabonaise
local short form: Gabon

Gambia, The
conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia
conventional short form: The Gambia

Gaza Strip
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Gaza Strip
local long form: none
local short form: Qita Ghazzah

Georgia
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Georgia
local long form: none
local short form: Sak'art'velo
former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic

Germany
conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany
conventional short form: Germany
local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland
local short form: Deutschland
former: German Empire, German Republic, German Reich

Ghana
conventional long form: Republic of Ghana
conventional short form: Ghana
former: Gold Coast

Gibraltar
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Gibraltar

Glorioso Islands conventional long form: none conventional short form: Glorioso Islands local long form: none local short form: Iles Glorieuses

Greece
conventional long form: Hellenic Republic
conventional short form: Greece
local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia
local short form: Ellas or Ellada
former: Kingdom of Greece

Greenland
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Greenland
local long form: none
local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat

Grenada
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Grenada

Guadeloupe
conventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe
conventional short form: Guadeloupe
local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe
local short form: Guadeloupe

Guam
conventional long form: Territory of Guam
conventional short form: Guam
local long form: Guahan

Guatemala
conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala
conventional short form: Guatemala
local long form: Republica de Guatemala
local short form: Guatemala

Guernsey
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
conventional short form: Guernsey

Guinea
conventional long form: Republic of Guinea
conventional short form: Guinea
local long form: Republique de Guinee
local short form: Guinee
former: French Guinea

Guinea-Bissau
conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau
conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau
local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau
local short form: Guine-Bissau
former: Portuguese Guinea

Guyana
conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana
conventional short form: Guyana
former: British Guiana

Haiti
conventional long form: Republic of Haiti
conventional short form: Haiti
local long form: Republique d'Haiti
local short form: Haiti

Heard Island and McDonald Islands conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Holy See (Vatican City) conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)

Honduras
conventional long form: Republic of Honduras
conventional short form: Honduras
local long form: Republica de Honduras
local short form: Honduras

Hong Kong
conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region
conventional short form: Hong Kong
local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu
local short form: Xianggang
abbreviation: HK

Howland Island
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Howland Island

Hungary
conventional long form: Republic of Hungary
conventional short form: Hungary
local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag
local short form: Magyarorszag

Iceland
conventional long form: Republic of Iceland
conventional short form: Iceland
local long form: Lydhveldidh Island
local short form: Island

India
conventional long form: Republic of India
conventional short form: India

Indonesia
conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia
conventional short form: Indonesia
local long form: Republik Indonesia
local short form: Indonesia
former: Netherlands East Indies; Dutch East Indies

Iran
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran
conventional short form: Iran
local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran
local short form: Iran
former: Persia

Iraq
conventional long form: Republic of Iraq
conventional short form: Iraq
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah
local short form: Al Iraq

Ireland
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Ireland

Israel
conventional long form: State of Israel
conventional short form: Israel
local long form: Medinat Yisra'el
local short form: Yisra'el

Italy
conventional long form: Italian Republic
conventional short form: Italy
local long form: Repubblica Italiana
local short form: Italia
former: Kingdom of Italy

Jamaica
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Jamaica

Jan Mayen
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Jan Mayen

Japan
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Japan

Jarvis Island
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Jarvis Island

Jersey
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
conventional short form: Jersey

Johnston Atoll
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Johnston Atoll

Jordan
conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
conventional short form: Jordan
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah
local short form: Al Urdun
former: Transjordan

Juan de Nova Island conventional long form: none conventional short form: Juan de Nova Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Juan de Nova

Kazakhstan
conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan
conventional short form: Kazakhstan
local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy
local short form: none
former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic

Kenya
conventional long form: Republic of Kenya
conventional short form: Kenya
former: British East Africa

Kingman Reef
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Kingman Reef

Kiribati
conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati
conventional short form: Kiribati
note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss
former: Gilbert Islands

Korea, North
conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of
Korea
conventional short form: North Korea
local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk
local short form: none
note: the North Koreans generally use the term "Choson" to refer to
their country
abbreviation: DPRK

Korea, South
conventional long form: Republic of Korea
conventional short form: South Korea
local long form: Taehan-min'guk
local short form: none
note: the South Koreans generally use the term "Han'guk" to refer to
their country
abbreviation: ROK

Kuwait
conventional long form: State of Kuwait
conventional short form: Kuwait
local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt
local short form: Al Kuwayt

Kyrgyzstan
conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic
conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan
local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy
local short form: none
former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

Laos
conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic
conventional short form: Laos
local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
local short form: none

Latvia
conventional long form: Republic of Latvia
conventional short form: Latvia
local long form: Latvijas Republika
local short form: Latvija
former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic

Lebanon
conventional long form: Lebanese Republic
conventional short form: Lebanon
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
local short form: Lubnan

Lesotho
conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
conventional short form: Lesotho
former: Basutoland

Liberia
conventional long form: Republic of Liberia
conventional short form: Liberia

Libya
conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab
Jamahiriya
conventional short form: Libya
local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah
al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma
local short form: none

Liechtenstein
conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short form: Liechtenstein
local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein
local short form: Liechtenstein

Lithuania
conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania
conventional short form: Lithuania
local long form: Lietuvos Respublika
local short form: Lietuva
former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic

Luxembourg
conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
conventional short form: Luxembourg
local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg
local short form: Luxembourg

Macau
conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region
conventional short form: Macau
local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao
Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)
local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)

Macedonia
conventional long form: Republic of Macedonia
conventional short form: Macedonia; note - the provisional
designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia (FYROM)
local long form: Republika Makedonija
local short form: Makedonija
former: People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of
Macedonia

Madagascar
conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar
conventional short form: Madagascar
local long form: Republique de Madagascar
local short form: Madagascar
former: Malagasy Republic

Malawi
conventional long form: Republic of Malawi
conventional short form: Malawi
former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland
Protectorate, Nyasaland

Malaysia
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Malaysia
former: Federation of Malaysia

Maldives
conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
conventional short form: Maldives
local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
local short form: Dhivehi Raajje

Mali
conventional long form: Republic of Mali
conventional short form: Mali
local long form: Republique de Mali
local short form: Mali
former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic

Malta
conventional long form: Republic of Malta
conventional short form: Malta
local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta
local short form: Malta

Man, Isle of
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Isle of Man

Marshall Islands
conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall
Islands
conventional short form: Marshall Islands
former: Marshall Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific
Islands)

Martinique
conventional long form: Department of Martinique
conventional short form: Martinique
local long form: Departement de la Martinique
local short form: Martinique

Mauritania
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
conventional short form: Mauritania
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah
local short form: Muritaniyah

Mauritius
conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius
conventional short form: Mauritius

Mayotte
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form: Mayotte

Mexico
conventional long form: United Mexican States
conventional short form: Mexico
local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos
local short form: Mexico

Micronesia, Federated States of conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia conventional short form: none former: Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands) abbreviation: FSM

Midway Islands conventional long form: none conventional short form: Midway Islands

Moldova
conventional long form: Republic of Moldova
conventional short form: Moldova
local long form: Republica Moldova
local short form: none
former: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic; Moldovan Soviet
Socialist Republic

Monaco
conventional long form: Principality of Monaco
conventional short form: Monaco
local long form: Principaute de Monaco
local short form: Monaco

Mongolia
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Mongolia
local long form: none
local short form: Mongol Uls
former: Outer Mongolia

Montserrat
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Montserrat

Morocco
conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco
conventional short form: Morocco
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah
local short form: Al Maghrib

Mozambique
conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique
conventional short form: Mozambique
local long form: Republica de Mocambique
local short form: Mocambique
former: Portuguese East Africa

Namibia
conventional long form: Republic of Namibia
conventional short form: Namibia
former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa

Nauru
conventional long form: Republic of Nauru
conventional short form: Nauru
former: Pleasant Island

Navassa Island
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Navassa Island

Nepal
conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal
conventional short form: Nepal

Netherlands
conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands
conventional short form: Netherlands
local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden
local short form: Nederland

Netherlands Antilles
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles
local long form: none
local short form: Nederlandse Antillen
former: Curacao and Dependencies

New Caledonia
conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and
Dependencies
conventional short form: New Caledonia
local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances
local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie

New Zealand
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: New Zealand
abbreviation: NZ

Nicaragua
conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua
conventional short form: Nicaragua
local long form: Republica de Nicaragua
local short form: Nicaragua

Niger
conventional long form: Republic of Niger
conventional short form: Niger
local long form: Republique du Niger
local short form: Niger

Nigeria
conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria
conventional short form: Nigeria

Niue
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Niue
former: Savage Island

Norfolk Island
conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island
conventional short form: Norfolk Island

Northern Mariana Islands
conventional long form: Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands
conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands
former: Mariana Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific
Islands)

Norway
conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
conventional short form: Norway
local long form: Kongeriket Norge
local short form: Norge

Oman
conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman
conventional short form: Oman
local long form: Saltanat Uman
local short form: Uman
former: Muscat and Oman

Pakistan
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
conventional short form: Pakistan
former: West Pakistan

Palau
conventional long form: Republic of Palau
conventional short form: Palau
local long form: Beluu er a Belau
local short form: Belau
former: Palau District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)

Palmyra Atoll
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Palmyra Atoll

Panama
conventional long form: Republic of Panama
conventional short form: Panama
local long form: Republica de Panama
local short form: Panama

Papua New Guinea
conventional long form: Independent State of Papua
New Guinea
conventional short form: Papua New Guinea
former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea
abbreviation: PNG

Paracel Islands
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Paracel Islands

Paraguay
conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay
conventional short form: Paraguay
local long form: Republica del Paraguay
local short form: Paraguay

Peru
conventional long form: Republic of Peru
conventional short form: Peru
local long form: Republica del Peru
local short form: Peru

Philippines
conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines
conventional short form: Philippines
local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas
local short form: Pilipinas

Pitcairn Islands
conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie,
and Oeno Islands
conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands

Poland
conventional long form: Republic of Poland
conventional short form: Poland
local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska
local short form: Polska

Portugal
conventional long form: Portuguese Republic
conventional short form: Portugal
local long form: Republica Portuguesa
local short form: Portugal

Puerto Rico
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
conventional short form: Puerto Rico

Qatar
conventional long form: State of Qatar
conventional short form: Qatar
local long form: Dawlat Qatar
local short form: Qatar
note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls
between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar

Reunion
conventional long form: Department of Reunion
conventional short form: Reunion
local long form: none
local short form: Ile de la Reunion
former: Bourbon Island

Romania
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Romania
local long form: none
local short form: Romania

Russia
conventional long form: Russian Federation
conventional short form: Russia
local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya
local short form: Rossiya
former: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic

Rwanda
conventional long form: Rwandese Republic
conventional short form: Rwanda
local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda
local short form: Rwanda
former: Ruanda

Saint Helena conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Helena

Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis

Saint Lucia conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia

Saint Pierre and Miquelon conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Samoa
conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
conventional short form: Samoa
former: Western Samoa

San Marino
conventional long form: Republic of San Marino
conventional short form: San Marino
local long form: Repubblica di San Marino
local short form: San Marino

Sao Tome and Principe conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe local short form: Sao Tome e Principe

Saudi Arabia
conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
conventional short form: Saudi Arabia
local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah
local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah

Senegal
conventional long form: Republic of Senegal
conventional short form: Senegal
local long form: Republique du Senegal
local short form: Senegal

Serbia and Montenegro conventional long form: Serbia and Montenegro conventional short form: none local long form: Srbija i Crna Gora local short form: none former: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia abbreviation: SCG

Seychelles
conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
conventional short form: Seychelles

Sierra Leone
conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone
conventional short form: Sierra Leone

Singapore
conventional long form: Republic of Singapore
conventional short form: Singapore

Slovakia
conventional long form: Slovak Republic
conventional short form: Slovakia
local long form: Slovenska Republika
local short form: Slovensko

Slovenia
conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia
conventional short form: Slovenia
local long form: Republika Slovenija
local short form: Slovenija
former: People's Republic of Slovenia, Socialist Republic of Slovenia

Solomon Islands
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Solomon Islands
former: British Solomon Islands

Somalia
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Somalia
former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic

South Africa
conventional long form: Republic of South Africa
conventional short form: South Africa
former: Union of South Africa
abbreviation: RSA

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
conventional long form:
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
conventional short form: none

Spain
conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain
conventional short form: Spain
local short form: Espana

Spratly Islands
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Spratly Islands

Sri Lanka
conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of
Sri Lanka
conventional short form: Sri Lanka
former: Serendib, Ceylon

Sudan
conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan
conventional short form: Sudan
local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan
local short form: As-Sudan
former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan

Suriname
conventional long form: Republic of Suriname
conventional short form: Suriname
local long form: Republiek Suriname
local short form: Suriname
former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana

Svalbard
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as
Spitzbergen)

Swaziland
conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland
conventional short form: Swaziland

Sweden
conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden
conventional short form: Sweden
local long form: Konungariket Sverige
local short form: Sverige

Switzerland
conventional long form: Swiss Confederation
conventional short form: Switzerland
local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German),
Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)
local short form: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera
(Italian)

Syria
conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic
conventional short form: Syria
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah
local short form: Suriyah
former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)

Taiwan
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Taiwan
local long form: none
local short form: T'ai-wan
former: Formosa

Tajikistan
conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan
conventional short form: Tajikistan
local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston
local short form: Tojikiston
former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic

Tanzania
conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania
conventional short form: Tanzania
former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

Thailand
conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand
conventional short form: Thailand
former: Siam

Togo
conventional long form: Togolese Republic
conventional short form: Togo
local long form: Republique Togolaise
local short form: none
former: French Togoland

Tokelau
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tokelau

Tonga
conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga
conventional short form: Tonga
former: Friendly Islands

Trinidad and Tobago
conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and
Tobago
conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago

Tromelin Island
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tromelin Island
local long form: none
local short form: Ile Tromelin

Tunisia
conventional long form: Tunisian Republic
conventional short form: Tunisia
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah
local short form: Tunis

Turkey
conventional long form: Republic of Turkey
conventional short form: Turkey
local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti
local short form: Turkiye

Turkmenistan
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turkmenistan
local long form: none
local short form: Turkmenistan
former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic

Turks and Caicos Islands
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands

Tuvalu
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tuvalu
former: Ellice Islands
note: "Tuvalu" means "group of eight," referring to the country's
eight traditionally inhabited islands

Uganda
conventional long form: Republic of Uganda
conventional short form: Uganda

Ukraine
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Ukraine
local long form: none
local short form: Ukrayina
former: Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, Ukrainian
Soviet Socialist Republic

United Arab Emirates
conventional long form: United Arab Emirates
conventional short form: none
local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah
local short form: none
former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States
abbreviation: UAE

United Kingdom
conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland; note - Great Britain includes the
countries of England, Scotland, and Wales
conventional short form: United Kingdom
abbreviation: UK

United States
conventional long form: United States of America
conventional short form: United States
abbreviation: US or USA

Uruguay
conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
conventional short form: Uruguay
local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay
local short form: Uruguay
former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province

Uzbekistan
conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan
conventional short form: Uzbekistan
local long form: Ozbekiston Respublikasi
local short form: Ozbekiston
former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic

Vanuatu
conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu
conventional short form: Vanuatu
former: New Hebrides

Venezuela
conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
conventional short form: Venezuela
local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela
local short form: Venezuela

Vietnam
conventional long form: Socialist Republic of Vietnam
conventional short form: Vietnam
local long form: Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam
local short form: Viet Nam
abbreviation: SRV

Virgin Islands
conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
conventional short form: Virgin Islands
former: Danish West Indies

Wake Island
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Wake Island

Wallis and Futuna
conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis
and Futuna Islands
conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna
local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna
local short form: Wallis et Futuna

West Bank
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: West Bank

Western Sahara
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Western Sahara
former: Spanish Sahara

Yemen
conventional long form: Republic of Yemen
conventional short form: Yemen
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah
local short form: Al Yaman

Zambia
conventional long form: Republic of Zambia
conventional short form: Zambia
former: Northern Rhodesia

Zimbabwe
conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe
conventional short form: Zimbabwe
former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2144 Location

Afghanistan
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran

Akrotiri
peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus

Albania
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian
Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro

Algeria
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
Morocco and Tunisia

American Samoa
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean,
about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand

Andorra
Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain

Angola
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Anguilla
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North
Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Antarctica
continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle

Antigua and Barbuda
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and
the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico

Arctic Ocean
body of water between Europe, Asia, and North America,
mostly north of the Arctic Circle

Argentina
Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic
Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay

Armenia
Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey

Aruba
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian
Ocean, midway between north-western Australia and Timor island

Atlantic Ocean
body of water between Africa, Europe, the Southern
Ocean, and the Western Hemisphere

Australia
Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South
Pacific Ocean

Austria
Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia

Azerbaijan
Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between
Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus
range

Bahamas, The
Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic
Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba

Bahrain
Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi
Arabia

Baker Island
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half
way between Hawaii and Australia

Bangladesh
Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma
and India

Barbados
Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of
Venezuela

Bassas da India
Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique
Channel, about one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique

Belarus
Eastern Europe, east of Poland

Belgium
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and
the Netherlands

Belize
Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
Guatemala and Mexico

Benin
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria
and Togo

Bermuda
North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean,
east of South Carolina (US)

Bhutan
Southern Asia, between China and India

Bolivia
Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic
Sea and Croatia

Botswana
Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Bouvet Island
island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the
Cape of Good Hope (South Africa)

Brazil
Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

British Indian Ocean Territory
archipelago in the Indian Ocean,
south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia

British Virgin Islands
Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Brunei
Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

Bulgaria
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between
Romania and Turkey

Burkina Faso
Western Africa, north of Ghana

Burma
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of
Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand

Burundi
Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Cambodia
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between
Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos

Cameroon
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between
Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

Canada
Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on
the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on
the north, north of the conterminous US

Cape Verde
Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic
Ocean, west of Senegal

Cayman Islands
Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly
one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras

Central African Republic
Central Africa, north of Democratic
Republic of the Congo

Chad
Central Africa, south of Libya

Chile
Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean,
between Argentina and Peru

China
Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow
Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam

Christmas Island
Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean,
south of Indonesia

Clipperton Island
Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean,
1,120 km southwest of Mexico

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the
Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia
to Sri Lanka

Colombia
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea,
between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean,
between Ecuador and Panama

Comoros
Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of
the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern
Madagascar and northern Mozambique

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Congo, Republic of the
Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic
Ocean, between Angola and Gabon

Cook Islands
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean,
about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Coral Sea Islands
Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of
Australia

Costa Rica
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the
North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

Cote d'Ivoire
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
between Ghana and Liberia

Croatia
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia

Cuba
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida

Cyprus
Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey

Czech Republic
Central Europe, southeast of Germany

Denmark
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea,
on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major
islands (Sjaelland and Fyn)

Dhekelia
on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta

Djibouti
Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea,
between Eritrea and Somalia

Dominica
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to
Trinidad and Tobago

Dominican Republic
Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of
Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean,
east of Haiti

East Timor
Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser
Sunda Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note
- East Timor includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the
Oecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island of
Timor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco

Ecuador
Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the
Equator, between Colombia and Peru

Egypt
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
Libya and the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and
includes the Asian Sinai Peninsula

El Salvador
Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean,
between Guatemala and Honduras

Equatorial Guinea
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra,
between Cameroon and Gabon

Eritrea
Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and
Sudan

Estonia
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of
Finland, between Latvia and Russia

Ethiopia
Eastern Africa, west of Somalia

Europa Island
Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel,
about one-half of the way from southern Madagascar to southern
Mozambique

European Union
Europe between Eastern Europe and the North Atlantic
Ocean

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Southern South America, islands in
the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina

Faroe Islands
Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian
Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from
Iceland to Norway

Fiji
Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about
two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Finland
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia,
and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia

France
Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English
Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering
the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain

French Guiana
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic
Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname

French Polynesia
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean,
about one-half of the way from South America to Australia

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
southeast of Africa, islands in
the southern Indian Ocean, about equidistant between Africa,
Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic
Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles
Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the
French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US does not
recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land"

Gabon
Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator,
between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea

Gambia, The
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and
Senegal

Gaza Strip
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
Egypt and Israel

Georgia
Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey
and Russia

Germany
Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea,
between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark

Ghana
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote
d'Ivoire and Togo

Gibraltar
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar,
which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on
the southern coast of Spain

Glorioso Islands
Southern Africa, group of islands in the Indian
Ocean, northwest of Madagascar

Greece
Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and
the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Greenland
Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean
and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada

Grenada
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic
Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Guadeloupe
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico

Guam
Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about
three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Guatemala
Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean,
between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras
(Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize

Guernsey
Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest
of France

Guinea
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone

Guinea-Bissau
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
between Guinea and Senegal

Guyana
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
between Suriname and Venezuela

Haiti
Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola,
between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the
Dominican Republic

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
islands in the Indian Ocean, about
two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica

Holy See (Vatican City)
Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)

Honduras
Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North
Pacific Ocean), between El Salvador and Nicaragua

Hong Kong
Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Howland Island
Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about
half way between Hawaii and Australia

Hungary
Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Iceland
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK

India
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of
Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan

Indian Ocean
body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia,
and Australia

Indonesia
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean
and the Pacific Ocean

Iran
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and
the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan

Iraq
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait

Ireland
Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of
Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain

Israel
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt
and Lebanon

Italy
Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central
Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia

Jamaica
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Jan Mayen
Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the
Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland

Japan
Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and
the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula

Jarvis Island
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, about half
way between Hawaii and the Cook Islands

Jersey
Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of
France

Johnston Atoll
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 717 nm
(1328 km) southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, about one-third of the way
from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands

Jordan
Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Juan de Nova Island
Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique
Channel, about one-third of the way between Madagascar and Mozambique

Kazakhstan
Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of
the Ural River in eastern-most Europe

Kenya
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia
and Tanzania

Kingman Reef
Oceania, reef in the North Pacific Ocean, about half
way between Hawaii and American Samoa

Kiribati
Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean,
straddling the equator; the capital Tarawa is about one-half of the
way from Hawaii to Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati
proclaimed that all of its territory lies in the same time zone as
its Gilbert Islands group (GMT +12) even though the Phoenix Islands
and the Line Islands under its jurisdiction lie on the other side of
the International Date Line

Korea, North
Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula
bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and
South Korea

Korea, South
Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula
bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

Kuwait
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and
Saudi Arabia

Kyrgyzstan
Central Asia, west of China

Laos
Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Latvia
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and
Lithuania

Lebanon
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel
and Syria

Lesotho
Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Liberia
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Libya
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
Egypt and Tunisia

Liechtenstein
Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Lithuania
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia
and Russia

Luxembourg
Western Europe, between France and Germany

Macau
Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Macedonia
Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

Madagascar
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
Mozambique

Malawi
Southern Africa, east of Zambia

Malaysia
Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and
northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia,
Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam

Maldives
Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean,
south-southwest of India

Mali
Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Malta
Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of
Sicily (Italy)

Man, Isle of
Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great
Britain and Ireland

Marshall Islands
Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North
Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Martinique
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North
Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Mauritania
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
between Senegal and Western Sahara

Mauritius
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
Madagascar

Mayotte
Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about
one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique

Mexico
Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of
Mexico, between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific
Ocean, between Guatemala and the US

Micronesia, Federated States of
Oceania, island group in the North
Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to
Indonesia

Midway Islands
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about
one-third of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo

Moldova
Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Monaco
Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the
southern coast of France, near the border with Italy

Mongolia
Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Montserrat
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of
Puerto Rico

Morocco
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the
Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara

Mozambique
South-eastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel,
between South Africa and Tanzania

Namibia
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
Angola and South Africa

Nauru
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the
Marshall Islands

Navassa Island
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, 35 miles west
of Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti

Nepal
Southern Asia, between China and India

Netherlands
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium
and Germany

Netherlands Antilles
Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean
Sea - one includes Curacao and Bonaire north of Venezuela; the other
is east of the Virgin Islands

New Caledonia
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of
Australia

New Zealand
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast
of Australia

Nicaragua
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the
North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras

Niger
Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

Nigeria
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin
and Cameroon

Niue
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga

Norfolk Island
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of
Australia

Northern Mariana Islands
Oceania, islands in the North Pacific
Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Norway
Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden

Oman
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and
Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE

Pacific Ocean
body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia,
Australia, and the Western Hemisphere

Pakistan
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on
the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north

Palau
Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean,
southeast of the Philippines

Palmyra Atoll
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half
way between Hawaii and American Samoa

Panama
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the
North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica

Papua New Guinea
Oceania, group of islands including the eastern
half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South
Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia

Paracel Islands
Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs
in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central
Vietnam to the northern Philippines

Paraguay
Central South America, northeast of Argentina

Peru
Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean,
between Chile and Ecuador

Philippines
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine
Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam

Pitcairn Islands
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
midway between Peru and New Zealand

Poland
Central Europe, east of Germany

Portugal
Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
west of Spain

Puerto Rico
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic

Qatar
Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi
Arabia

Reunion
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
Madagascar

Romania
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between
Bulgaria and Ukraine

Russia
Northern Asia (that part west of the Urals is included with
Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North
Pacific Ocean

Rwanda
Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Saint Helena
islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway
between South America and Africa

Saint Kitts and Nevis
Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about
one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago

Saint Lucia
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North
Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Northern North America, islands in the
North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Caribbean, islands between the
Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Samoa
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

San Marino
Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy

Sao Tome and Principe
Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea,
straddling the Equator, west of Gabon

Saudi Arabia
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red
Sea, north of Yemen

Senegal
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania

Serbia and Montenegro
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic
Sea, between Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina

Seychelles
Eastern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean,
northeast of Madagascar

Sierra Leone
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
between Guinea and Liberia

Singapore
Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Slovakia
Central Europe, south of Poland

Slovenia
Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea,
between Austria and Croatia

Solomon Islands
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific
Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea

Somalia
Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian
Ocean, east of Ethiopia

South Africa
Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent
of Africa

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Southern South America,
islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America

Southern Ocean
body of water between 60 degrees south latitude and
Antarctica

Spain
Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay,
Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains,
southwest of France

Spratly Islands
Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the
South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam
to the southern Philippines

Sri Lanka
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Sudan
Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and
Eritrea

Suriname
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
between French Guiana and Guyana

Svalbard
Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents
Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway

Swaziland
Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Sweden
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia,
Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

Switzerland
Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Syria
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon
and Turkey

Taiwan
Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea,
Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the
Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China

Tajikistan
Central Asia, west of China

Tanzania
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya
and Mozambique

Thailand
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf
of Thailand, southeast of Burma

Togo
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and
Ghana

Tokelau
Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean,
about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Tonga
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about
two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Trinidad and Tobago
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and
the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Tromelin Island
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
Madagascar

Tunisia
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
Algeria and Libya

Turkey
southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia (that portion of
Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe),
bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering
the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria

Turkmenistan
Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran
and Kazakhstan

Turks and Caicos Islands
Caribbean, two island groups in the North
Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti

Tuvalu
Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the
South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to
Australia

Uganda
Eastern Africa, west of Kenya

Ukraine
Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland,
Romania, and Moldova in the west and Russia in the east

United Arab Emirates
Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the
Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

United Kingdom
Western Europe, islands including the northern
one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean
and the North Sea, northwest of France

United States
North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean
and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico

Uruguay
Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean,
between Argentina and Brazil

Uzbekistan
Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

Vanuatu
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Venezuela
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and
the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana

Vietnam
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of
Tonkin, and South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia

Virgin Islands
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Wake Island
Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about
two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands

Wallis and Futuna
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

West Bank
Middle East, west of Jordan

Western Sahara
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
between Mauritania and Morocco

Yemen
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red
Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Zambia
Southern Africa, east of Angola

Zimbabwe
Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2145 Map references

Afghanistan
Asia

Akrotiri
Middle East

Albania
Europe

Algeria
Africa

American Samoa
Oceania

Andorra
Europe

Angola
Africa

Anguilla
Central America and the Caribbean

Antarctica
Antarctic Region

Antigua and Barbuda
Central America and the Caribbean

Arctic Ocean
Arctic Region

Argentina
South America

Armenia
Asia

Aruba
Central America and the Caribbean

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Southeast Asia

Atlantic Ocean
Political Map of the World

Australia
Oceania

Austria
Europe

Azerbaijan
Asia

Bahamas, The
Central America and the Caribbean

Bahrain
Middle East

Baker Island
Oceania

Bangladesh
Asia

Barbados
Central America and the Caribbean

Bassas da India
Africa

Belarus
Europe

Belgium
Europe

Belize
Central America and the Caribbean

Benin
Africa

Bermuda
North America

Bhutan
Asia

Bolivia
South America

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Europe

Botswana
Africa

Bouvet Island
Antarctic Region

Brazil
South America

British Indian Ocean Territory
Political Map of the World

British Virgin Islands
Central America and the Caribbean

Brunei
Southeast Asia

Bulgaria
Europe

Burkina Faso
Africa

Burma
Southeast Asia

Burundi
Africa

Cambodia
Southeast Asia

Cameroon
Africa

Canada
North America

Cape Verde
Political Map of the World

Cayman Islands
Central America and the Caribbean

Central African Republic
Africa

Chad
Africa

Chile
South America

China
Asia

Christmas Island
Southeast Asia

Clipperton Island
Political Map of the World

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Southeast Asia

Colombia
South America

Comoros
Africa

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Africa

Congo, Republic of the
Africa

Cook Islands
Oceania

Coral Sea Islands
Oceania

Costa Rica
Central America and the Caribbean

Cote d'Ivoire
Africa

Croatia
Europe

Cuba
Central America and the Caribbean

Cyprus
Middle East

Czech Republic
Europe

Denmark
Europe

Dhekelia
Middle East

Djibouti
Africa

Dominica
Central America and the Caribbean

Dominican Republic
Central America and the Caribbean

East Timor
Southeast Asia

Ecuador
South America

Egypt
Africa

El Salvador
Central America and the Caribbean

Equatorial Guinea
Africa

Eritrea
Africa

Estonia
Europe

Ethiopia
Africa

Europa Island
Africa

European Union
Europe

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
South America

Faroe Islands
Europe

Fiji
Oceania

Finland
Europe

France
Europe

French Guiana
South America

French Polynesia
Oceania

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Antarctic Region

Gabon
Africa

Gambia, The
Africa

Gaza Strip
Middle East

Georgia
Asia

Germany
Europe

Ghana
Africa

Gibraltar
Europe

Glorioso Islands
Africa

Greece
Europe

Greenland
Arctic Region

Grenada
Central America and the Caribbean

Guadeloupe
Central America and the Caribbean

Guam
Oceania

Guatemala
Central America and the Caribbean

Guernsey
Europe

Guinea
Africa

Guinea-Bissau
Africa

Guyana
South America

Haiti
Central America and the Caribbean

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Antarctic Region

Holy See (Vatican City)
Europe

Honduras
Central America and the Caribbean

Hong Kong
Southeast Asia

Howland Island
Oceania

Hungary
Europe

Iceland
Arctic Region

India
Asia

Indian Ocean
Political Map of the World

Indonesia
Southeast Asia

Iran
Middle East

Iraq
Middle East

Ireland
Europe

Israel
Middle East

Italy
Europe

Jamaica
Central America and the Caribbean

Jan Mayen
Arctic Region

Japan
Asia

Jarvis Island
Oceania

Jersey
Europe

Johnston Atoll
Oceania

Jordan
Middle East

Juan de Nova Island
Africa

Kazakhstan
Asia

Kenya
Africa

Kingman Reef
Oceania

Kiribati
Oceania

Korea, North
Asia

Korea, South
Asia

Kuwait
Middle East

Kyrgyzstan
Asia

Laos
Southeast Asia

Latvia
Europe

Lebanon
Middle East

Lesotho
Africa

Liberia
Africa

Libya
Africa

Liechtenstein
Europe

Lithuania
Europe

Luxembourg
Europe

Macau
Southeast Asia

Macedonia
Europe

Madagascar
Africa

Malawi
Africa

Malaysia
Southeast Asia

Maldives
Asia

Mali
Africa

Malta
Europe

Man, Isle of
Europe

Marshall Islands
Oceania

Martinique
Central America and the Caribbean

Mauritania
Africa

Mauritius
Political Map of the World

Mayotte
Africa

Mexico
North America

Micronesia, Federated States of
Oceania

Midway Islands
Oceania

Moldova
Europe

Monaco
Europe

Mongolia
Asia

Montserrat
Central America and the Caribbean

Morocco
Africa

Mozambique
Africa

Namibia
Africa

Nauru
Oceania

Navassa Island
Central America and the Caribbean

Nepal
Asia

Netherlands
Europe

Netherlands Antilles
Central America and the Caribbean

New Caledonia
Oceania

New Zealand
Oceania

Nicaragua
Central America and the Caribbean

Niger
Africa

Nigeria
Africa

Niue
Oceania

Norfolk Island
Oceania

Northern Mariana Islands
Oceania

Norway
Europe

Oman
Middle East

Pacific Ocean
Political Map of the World

Pakistan
Asia

Palau
Oceania

Palmyra Atoll
Oceania

Panama
Central America and the Caribbean

Papua New Guinea
Oceania

Paracel Islands
Southeast Asia

Paraguay
South America

Peru
South America

Philippines
Southeast Asia

Pitcairn Islands
Oceania

Poland
Europe

Portugal
Europe

Puerto Rico
Central America and the Caribbean

Qatar
Middle East

Reunion
World

Romania
Europe

Russia
Asia

Rwanda
Africa

Saint Helena
Africa

Saint Kitts and Nevis
Central America and the Caribbean

Saint Lucia
Central America and the Caribbean

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
North America

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Central America and the Caribbean

Samoa
Oceania

San Marino
Europe

Sao Tome and Principe
Africa

Saudi Arabia
Middle East

Senegal
Africa

Serbia and Montenegro
Europe

Seychelles
Africa

Sierra Leone
Africa

Singapore
Southeast Asia

Slovakia
Europe

Slovenia
Europe

Solomon Islands
Oceania

Somalia
Africa

South Africa
Africa

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Antarctic Region

Southern Ocean
Antarctic Region

Spain
Europe

Spratly Islands
Southeast Asia

Sri Lanka
Asia

Sudan
Africa

Suriname
South America

Svalbard
Arctic Region

Swaziland
Africa

Sweden
Europe

Switzerland
Europe

Syria
Middle East

Taiwan
Southeast Asia

Tajikistan
Asia

Tanzania
Africa

Thailand
Southeast Asia

Togo
Africa

Tokelau
Oceania

Tonga
Oceania

Trinidad and Tobago
Central America and the Caribbean

Tromelin Island
Africa

Tunisia
Africa

Turkey
Middle East

Turkmenistan
Asia

Turks and Caicos Islands
Central America and the Caribbean

Tuvalu
Oceania

Uganda
Africa

Ukraine
Asia, Europe

United Arab Emirates
Middle East

United Kingdom
Europe

United States
North America

Uruguay
South America

Uzbekistan
Asia

Vanuatu
Oceania

Venezuela
South America

Vietnam
Southeast Asia

Virgin Islands
Central America and the Caribbean

Wake Island
Oceania

Wallis and Futuna
Oceania

West Bank
Middle East

Western Sahara
Africa

World
Physical Map of the World, Political Map of the World,
Standard Time Zones of the World

Yemen
Middle East

Zambia
Africa

Zimbabwe
Africa

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2146 Irrigated land (sq km)

Afghanistan
23,860 sq km (1998 est.)

Albania
3,400 sq km (1998 est.)

Algeria
5,600 sq km (1998 est.)

American Samoa
NA sq km

Andorra
NA sq km

Angola
750 sq km (1998 est.)

Anguilla
NA sq km

Antarctica
0 sq km

Antigua and Barbuda
NA sq km

Argentina
15,610 sq km (1998 est.)

Armenia
2,870 sq km (1998 est.)

Aruba
0.01 sq km (1998 est.)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Australia
24,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Austria
457 sq km (2000 est.)

Azerbaijan
14,550 sq km (1998 est.)

Bahamas, The
NA sq km

Bahrain
50 sq km (1998 est.)

Baker Island
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Bangladesh
38,440 sq km (1998 est.)

Barbados
10 sq km (1998 est.)

Bassas da India
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Belarus
1,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Belgium
40 sq km (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.)

Belize
30 sq km (1998 est.)

Benin
120 sq km (1998 est.)

Bermuda
NA sq km

Bhutan
400 sq km (1998 est.)

Bolivia
1,280 sq km (1998 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
20 sq km (1998 est.)

Botswana
10 sq km (1998 est.)

Bouvet Island
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Brazil
26,560 sq km (1998 est.)

British Indian Ocean Territory
0 sq km (1998 est.)

British Virgin Islands
NA sq km

Brunei
10 sq km (1998 est.)

Bulgaria
8,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Burkina Faso
250 sq km (1998 est.)

Burma
15,920 sq km (1998 est.)

Burundi
740 sq km (1998 est.)

Cambodia
2,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Cameroon
330 sq km (1998 est.)

Canada
7,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Cape Verde
30 sq km (1998 est.)

Cayman Islands
NA sq km

Central African Republic
NA sq km

Chad
200 sq km (1998 est.)

Chile
18,000 sq km (1998 est.)

China
525,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Christmas Island
NA sq km

Clipperton Island
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA sq km

Colombia
8,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Comoros
NA sq km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
110 sq km (1998 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
10 sq km (1998 est.)

Cook Islands
NA sq km

Coral Sea Islands
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Costa Rica
1,260 sq km (1998 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
730 sq km (1998 est.)

Croatia
30 sq km (1998 est.)

Cuba
870 sq km (1998 est.)

Cyprus
382 sq km (2001 est.)

Czech Republic
240 sq km (1998 est.)

Denmark
4,760 sq km (1998 est.)

Djibouti
10 sq km (1998 est.)

Dominica
NA sq km

Dominican Republic
2,590 sq km (1998 est.)

East Timor
1,065 sq km (est.)

Ecuador
8,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Egypt
33,000 sq km (1998 est.)

El Salvador
360 sq km (1998 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
NA sq km

Eritrea
220 sq km (1998 est.)

Estonia
40 sq km (1998 est.)

Ethiopia
1,900 sq km (1998 est.)

Europa Island
0 sq km (1998 est.)

European Union
115,807 sq km

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA sq km

Faroe Islands
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Fiji
30 sq km (1998 est.)

Finland
640 sq km (1998 est.)

France
20,000 sq km (1998 est.)

French Guiana
20 sq km (1998 est.)

French Polynesia
NA sq km

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Gabon
150 sq km (1998 est.)

Gambia, The
20 sq km (1998 est.)

Gaza Strip
120 sq km (1998 est.)

Georgia
4,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Germany
4,850 sq km (1998 est.)

Ghana
110 sq km (1998 est.)

Gibraltar
NA sq km

Glorioso Islands
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Greece
14,220 sq km (1998 est.)

Greenland
NA sq km

Grenada
NA sq km

Guadeloupe
20 sq km (1998 est.)

Guam
NA sq km

Guatemala
1,250 sq km (1998 est.)

Guernsey
NA sq km

Guinea
950 sq km (1998 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
170 sq km (1998 est.)

Guyana
1,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Haiti
750 sq km (1998 est.)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Honduras
760 sq km (1998 est.)

Hong Kong
20 sq km (1998 est.)

Howland Island
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Hungary
2,100 sq km (1998 est.)

Iceland
NA sq km

India
590,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Indonesia
48,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Iran
75,620 sq km (1998 est.)

Iraq
35,250 sq km (1998 est.)

Ireland
NA sq km

Israel
1,990 sq km (1998 est.)

Italy
26,980 sq km (1998 est.)

Jamaica
250 sq km (1998 est.)

Jan Mayen
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Japan
26,790 sq km (1998 est.)

Jarvis Island
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Jersey
NA sq km

Johnston Atoll
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Jordan
750 sq km (1998 est.)

Juan de Nova Island
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Kazakhstan
23,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Kenya
670 sq km (1998 est.)

Kingman Reef
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Kiribati
NA sq km

Korea, North
14,600 sq km (1998 est.)

Korea, South
11,590 sq km (1998 est.)

Kuwait
60 sq km (1998 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
10,740 sq km (1998 est.)

Laos
1,640 sq km
note: rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation -
750 sq km (1998 est.)

Latvia
200 sq km
note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not
irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land
has been improved by drainage (1998 est.)

Lebanon
1,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Lesotho
10 sq km (1998 est.)

Liberia
30 sq km (1998 est.)

Libya
4,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Liechtenstein
NA sq km

Lithuania
90 sq km (1998 est.)

Luxembourg
40 sq km (includes Belgium) (1998 est.)

Macau
NA sq km

Macedonia
550 sq km (1998 est.)

Madagascar
10,900 sq km (2000 est.)

Malawi
280 sq km (1998 est.)

Malaysia
3,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Maldives
NA sq km

Mali
1,380 sq km (1998 est.)

Malta
20 sq km (1998 est.)

Man, Isle of
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Marshall Islands
0 sq km

Martinique
30 sq km (1998 est.)

Mauritania
490 sq km (1998 est.)

Mauritius
200 sq km (2000 est.)

Mayotte
NA sq km

Mexico
65,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
NA sq km

Midway Islands
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Moldova
3,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Monaco
NA sq km

Mongolia
840 sq km (1998 est.)

Montserrat
NA sq km

Morocco
12,910 sq km (1998 est.)

Mozambique
1,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Namibia
70 sq km (1998 est.)

Nauru
NA sq km

Navassa Island
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Nepal
11,350 sq km (1998 est.)

Netherlands
5,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
NA sq km

New Caledonia
160 sq km (1991)

New Zealand
2,850 sq km (1998 est.)

Nicaragua
880 sq km (1998 est.)

Niger
660 sq km (1998 est.)

Nigeria
2,330 sq km (1998 est.)

Niue
NA sq km

Norfolk Island
NA sq km

Northern Mariana Islands
NA sq km

Norway
1,270 sq km (1998 est.)

Oman
620 sq km (1998 est.)

Pakistan
180,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Palau
NA sq km

Palmyra Atoll
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Panama
320 sq km (1998 est.)

Papua New Guinea
NA sq km

Paracel Islands
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Paraguay
670 sq km (1998 est.)

Peru
11,950 sq km (1998 est.)

Philippines
15,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
NA sq km

Poland
1,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Portugal
6,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Puerto Rico
400 sq km (1998 est.)

Qatar
130 sq km (1998 est.)

Reunion
120 sq km (1998 est.)

Romania
28,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Russia
46,630 sq km (1998 est.)

Rwanda
40 sq km (1998 est.)

Saint Helena
NA sq km

Saint Kitts and Nevis
NA sq km

Saint Lucia
30 sq km (1998 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
NA sq km

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
10 sq km (1998 est.)

Samoa
NA sq km

San Marino
NA sq km

Sao Tome and Principe
100 sq km (1998 est.)

Saudi Arabia
16,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Senegal
710 sq km (1998 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
570 sq km

Seychelles
NA sq km

Sierra Leone
290 sq km (1998 est.)

Singapore
NA sq km

Slovakia
1,740 sq km (1998 est.)

Slovenia
20 sq km (1998 est.)

Solomon Islands
NA sq km

Somalia
2,000 sq km (1998 est.)

South Africa
13,500 sq km (1998 est.)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Spain
36,400 sq km (1998 est.)

Spratly Islands
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Sri Lanka
6,510 sq km (1998 est.)

Sudan
19,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Suriname
490 sq km (1998 est.)

Svalbard
NA sq km

Swaziland
690 sq km (1998 est.)

Sweden
1,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Switzerland
250 sq km (1998 est.)

Syria
12,130 sq km (1998 est.)

Taiwan
NA sq km

Tajikistan
7,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Tanzania
1,550 sq km (1998 est.)

Thailand
47,490 sq km (1998 est.)

Togo
70 sq km (1998 est.)

Tokelau
NA sq km

Tonga
NA sq km

Trinidad and Tobago
30 sq km (1998 est.)

Tromelin Island
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Tunisia
3,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Turkey
42,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Turkmenistan
17,500 sq km (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
NA sq km

Tuvalu
NA sq km

Uganda
90 sq km (1998 est.)

Ukraine
24,540 sq km (1998 est.)

United Arab Emirates
720 sq km (1998 est.)

United Kingdom
1,080 sq km (1998 est.)

United States
214,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Uruguay
1,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Uzbekistan
42,810 sq km (1998 est.)

Vanuatu
NA sq km

Venezuela
540 sq km (1998 est.)

Vietnam
30,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Virgin Islands
NA sq km

Wake Island
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
NA sq km

West Bank
NA sq km

Western Sahara
NA sq km

World
2,714,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Yemen
4,900 sq km (1998 est.)

Zambia
460 sq km (1998 est.)

Zimbabwe
1,170 sq km (1998 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2147 Area (sq km)

Afghanistan total: 647,500 sq km land: 647,500 sq km water: 0 sq km

Akrotiri total: 123 sq km note: includes a salt lake and wetlands

Albania
total: 28,748 sq km
land: 27,398 sq km
water: 1,350 sq km

Algeria
total: 2,381,740 sq km
land: 2,381,740 sq km
water: 0 sq km

American Samoa total: 199 sq km land: 199 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island

Andorra
total: 468 sq km
land: 468 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Angola
total: 1,246,700 sq km
land: 1,246,700 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Anguilla
total: 102 sq km
land: 102 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Antarctica
total: 14 million sq km
land: 14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km
ice-covered) (est.)
note: fifth-largest continent, following Asia, Africa, North
America, and South America, but larger than Australia and the
subcontinent of Europe

Antigua and Barbuda
total: 443 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161
sq km)
land: 443 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km

Arctic Ocean
total: 14.056 million sq km
note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea,
East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara
Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, and other tributary water bodies

Argentina
total: 2,766,890 sq km
land: 2,736,690 sq km
water: 30,200 sq km

Armenia
total: 29,800 sq km
land: 28,400 sq km
water: 1,400 sq km

Aruba
total: 193 sq km
land: 193 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
total: 5 sq km
land: 5 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and
Cartier Island

Atlantic Ocean
total: 76.762 million sq km
note: includes Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, Davis Strait,
Denmark Strait, part of the Drake Passage, Gulf of Mexico, Labrador
Sea, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, almost all of the
Scotia Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Australia
total: 7,686,850 sq km
land: 7,617,930 sq km
water: 68,920 sq km
note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island

Austria
total: 83,870 sq km
land: 82,444 sq km
water: 1,426 sq km

Azerbaijan
total: 86,600 sq km
land: 86,100 sq km
water: 500 sq km
note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the
Nagorno-Karabakh region; the region's autonomy was abolished by
Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991

Bahamas, The
total: 13,940 sq km
land: 10,070 sq km
water: 3,870 sq km

Bahrain
total: 665 sq km
land: 665 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Baker Island
total: 1.4 sq km
land: 1.4 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Bangladesh
total: 144,000 sq km
land: 133,910 sq km
water: 10,090 sq km

Barbados
total: 431 sq km
land: 431 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Bassas da India
total: 0.2 sq km
land: 0.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Belarus
total: 207,600 sq km
land: 207,600 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Belgium
total: 30,528 sq km
land: 30,278 sq km
water: 250 sq km

Belize
total: 22,966 sq km
land: 22,806 sq km
water: 160 sq km

Benin
total: 112,620 sq km
land: 110,620 sq km
water: 2,000 sq km

Bermuda
total: 53.3 sq km
land: 53.3 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Bhutan
total: 47,000 sq km
land: 47,000 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Bolivia
total: 1,098,580 sq km
land: 1,084,390 sq km
water: 14,190 sq km

Bosnia and Herzegovina
total: 51,129 sq km
land: 51,129 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Botswana
total: 600,370 sq km
land: 585,370 sq km
water: 15,000 sq km

Bouvet Island
total: 58.5 sq km
land: 58.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Brazil
total: 8,511,965 sq km
land: 8,456,510 sq km
water: 55,455 sq km
note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas,
Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao
Paulo

British Indian Ocean Territory total: 60 sq km land: 60 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago

British Virgin Islands total: 153 sq km land: 153 sq km water: 0 sq km note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the island of Anegada

Brunei
total: 5,770 sq km
land: 5,270 sq km
water: 500 sq km

Bulgaria
total: 110,910 sq km
land: 110,550 sq km
water: 360 sq km

Burkina Faso
total: 274,200 sq km
land: 273,800 sq km
water: 400 sq km

Burma
total: 678,500 sq km
land: 657,740 sq km
water: 20,760 sq km

Burundi
total: 27,830 sq km
land: 25,650 sq km
water: 2,180 sq km

Cambodia
total: 181,040 sq km
land: 176,520 sq km
water: 4,520 sq km

Cameroon
total: 475,440 sq km
land: 469,440 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km

Canada
total: 9,984,670 sq km
land: 9,093,507 sq km
water: 891,163 sq km

Cape Verde
total: 4,033 sq km
land: 4,033 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Cayman Islands
total: 262 sq km
land: 262 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Central African Republic
total: 622,984 sq km
land: 622,984 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Chad
total: 1.284 million sq km
land: 1,259,200 sq km
water: 24,800 sq km

Chile
total: 756,950 sq km
land: 748,800 sq km
water: 8,150 sq km
note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez

China
total: 9,596,960 sq km
land: 9,326,410 sq km
water: 270,550 sq km

Christmas Island
total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Clipperton Island
total: 6 sq km
land: 6 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Cocos (Keeling) Islands total: 14 sq km land: 14 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island

Colombia
total: 1,138,910 sq km
land: 1,038,700 sq km
water: 100,210 sq km
note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and
Serranilla Bank

Comoros
total: 2,170 sq km
land: 2,170 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
total: 2,345,410 sq km
land: 2,267,600 sq km
water: 77,810 sq km

Congo, Republic of the
total: 342,000 sq km
land: 341,500 sq km
water: 500 sq km

Cook Islands
total: 240 sq km
land: 240 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Coral Sea Islands
total: less than 3 sq km
land: less than 3 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea
area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most
important

Costa Rica total: 51,100 sq km land: 50,660 sq km water: 440 sq km note: includes Isla del Coco

Cote d'Ivoire
total: 322,460 sq km
land: 318,000 sq km
water: 4,460 sq km

Croatia
total: 56,542 sq km
land: 56,414 sq km
water: 128 sq km

Cuba
total: 110,860 sq km
land: 110,860 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Cyprus
total: 9,250 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus)
land: 9,240 sq km
water: 10 sq km

Czech Republic
total: 78,866 sq km
land: 77,276 sq km
water: 1,590 sq km

Denmark
total: 43,094 sq km
land: 42,394 sq km
water: 700 sq km
note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest
of metropolitan Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major
islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), but excludes the Faroe Islands and
Greenland

Dhekelia
total: 130.8 sq km
note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves

Djibouti
total: 23,000 sq km
land: 22,980 sq km
water: 20 sq km

Dominica
total: 754 sq km
land: 754 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Dominican Republic
total: 48,730 sq km
land: 48,380 sq km
water: 350 sq km

East Timor
total: 15,007 sq km
land: NA sq km
water: NA sq km

Ecuador
total: 283,560 sq km
land: 276,840 sq km
water: 6,720 sq km
note: includes Galapagos Islands

Egypt
total: 1,001,450 sq km
land: 995,450 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km

El Salvador
total: 21,040 sq km
land: 20,720 sq km
water: 320 sq km

Equatorial Guinea
total: 28,051 sq km
land: 28,051 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Eritrea
total: 121,320 sq km
land: 121,320 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Estonia
total: 45,226 sq km
land: 43,211 sq km
water: 2,015 sq km
note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea

Ethiopia
total: 1,127,127 sq km
land: 1,119,683 sq km
water: 7,444 sq km

Europa Island
total: 28 sq km
land: 28 sq km
water: 0 sq km

European Union
total: 3,976,372 sq km

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) total: 12,173 sq km land: 12,173 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands

Faroe Islands
total: 1,399 sq km
land: 1,399 sq km
water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)

Fiji
total: 18,270 sq km
land: 18,270 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Finland
total: 338,145 sq km
land: 304,473 sq km
water: 33,672 sq km

France
total: 547,030 sq km
land: 545,630 sq km
water: 1,400 sq km
note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the overseas
administrative divisions

French Guiana
total: 91,000 sq km
land: 89,150 sq km
water: 1,850 sq km

French Polynesia
total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
land: 3,660 sq km
water: 507 sq km

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
total: 7,829 sq km
land: 7,829 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet and Iles
Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in
Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

Gabon
total: 267,667 sq km
land: 257,667 sq km
water: 10,000 sq km

Gambia, The
total: 11,300 sq km
land: 10,000 sq km
water: 1,300 sq km

Gaza Strip
total: 360 sq km
land: 360 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Georgia
total: 69,700 sq km
land: 69,700 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Germany
total: 357,021 sq km
land: 349,223 sq km
water: 7,798 sq km

Ghana
total: 239,460 sq km
land: 230,940 sq km
water: 8,520 sq km

Gibraltar
total: 6.5 sq km
land: 6.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Glorioso Islands total: 5 sq km land: 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Glorieuse, Ile du Lys, Verte Rocks, Wreck Rock, and South Rock

Greece
total: 131,940 sq km
land: 130,800 sq km
water: 1,140 sq km

Greenland
total: 2,166,086 sq km
land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km
ice-covered) (2000 est.)

Grenada
total: 344 sq km
land: 344 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Guadeloupe
total: 1,780 sq km
land: 1,706 sq km
water: 74 sq km
note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands,
including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade,
Iles des Saintes (2), Saint-Barthelemy, Iles de la Petite Terre, and
Saint-Martin (French part of the island of Saint Martin)

Guam
total: 549 sq km
land: 549 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Guatemala
total: 108,890 sq km
land: 108,430 sq km
water: 460 sq km

Guernsey
total: 78 sq km
land: 78 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other
smaller islands

Guinea
total: 245,857 sq km
land: 245,857 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Guinea-Bissau
total: 36,120 sq km
land: 28,000 sq km
water: 8,120 sq km

Guyana
total: 214,970 sq km
land: 196,850 sq km
water: 18,120 sq km

Haiti
total: 27,750 sq km
land: 27,560 sq km
water: 190 sq km

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
total: 412 sq km
land: 412 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Holy See (Vatican City)
total: 0.44 sq km
land: 0.44 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Honduras
total: 112,090 sq km
land: 111,890 sq km
water: 200 sq km

Hong Kong
total: 1,092 sq km
land: 1,042 sq km
water: 50 sq km

Howland Island
total: 1.6 sq km
land: 1.6 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Hungary
total: 93,030 sq km
land: 92,340 sq km
water: 690 sq km

Iceland
total: 103,000 sq km
land: 100,250 sq km
water: 2,750 sq km

India
total: 3,287,590 sq km
land: 2,973,190 sq km
water: 314,400 sq km

Indian Ocean
total: 68.556 million sq km
note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Flores Sea,
Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Java Sea,
Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of
Malacca, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Indonesia
total: 1,919,440 sq km
land: 1,826,440 sq km
water: 93,000 sq km

Iran
total: 1.648 million sq km
land: 1.636 million sq km
water: 12,000 sq km

Iraq
total: 437,072 sq km
land: 432,162 sq km
water: 4,910 sq km

Ireland
total: 70,280 sq km
land: 68,890 sq km
water: 1,390 sq km

Israel
total: 20,770 sq km
land: 20,330 sq km
water: 440 sq km

Italy
total: 301,230 sq km
land: 294,020 sq km
water: 7,210 sq km
note: includes Sardinia and Sicily

Jamaica
total: 10,991 sq km
land: 10,831 sq km
water: 160 sq km

Jan Mayen
total: 373 sq km
land: 373 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Japan
total: 377,835 sq km
land: 374,744 sq km
water: 3,091 sq km
note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto,
Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and
Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)

Jarvis Island
total: 4.5 sq km
land: 4.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Jersey
total: 116 sq km
land: 116 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Johnston Atoll
total: 2.8 sq km
land: 2.8 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Jordan
total: 92,300 sq km
land: 91,971 sq km
water: 329 sq km

Juan de Nova Island
total: 4.4 sq km
land: 4.4 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Kazakhstan
total: 2,717,300 sq km
land: 2,669,800 sq km
water: 47,500 sq km

Kenya
total: 582,650 sq km
land: 569,250 sq km
water: 13,400 sq km

Kingman Reef
total: 1 sq km
land: 1 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Kiribati
total: 811 sq km
land: 811 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,
Phoenix Islands

Korea, North
total: 120,540 sq km
land: 120,410 sq km
water: 130 sq km

Korea, South
total: 98,480 sq km
land: 98,190 sq km
water: 290 sq km

Kuwait
total: 17,820 sq km
land: 17,820 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Kyrgyzstan
total: 198,500 sq km
land: 191,300 sq km
water: 7,200 sq km

Laos
total: 236,800 sq km
land: 230,800 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km

Latvia
total: 64,589 sq km
land: 63,589 sq km
water: 1,000 sq km

Lebanon
total: 10,400 sq km
land: 10,230 sq km
water: 170 sq km

Lesotho
total: 30,355 sq km
land: 30,355 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Liberia
total: 111,370 sq km
land: 96,320 sq km
water: 15,050 sq km

Libya
total: 1,759,540 sq km
land: 1,759,540 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Liechtenstein
total: 160 sq km
land: 160 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Lithuania
total: 65,200 sq km
land: NA sq km
water: NA sq km

Luxembourg
total: 2,586 sq km
land: 2,586 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Macau
total: 25.4 sq km
land: 25.4 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Macedonia
total: 25,333 sq km
land: 24,856 sq km
water: 477 sq km

Madagascar
total: 587,040 sq km
land: 581,540 sq km
water: 5,500 sq km

Malawi
total: 118,480 sq km
land: 94,080 sq km
water: 24,400 sq km

Malaysia
total: 329,750 sq km
land: 328,550 sq km
water: 1,200 sq km

Maldives
total: 300 sq km
land: 300 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Mali
total: 1.24 million sq km
land: 1.22 million sq km
water: 20,000 sq km

Malta
total: 316 sq km
land: 316 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Man, Isle of
total: 572 sq km
land: 572 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Marshall Islands total: 181.3 sq km land: 181.3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro, Rongelap, and Utirik

Martinique
total: 1,100 sq km
land: 1,060 sq km
water: 40 sq km

Mauritania
total: 1,030,700 sq km
land: 1,030,400 sq km
water: 300 sq km

Mauritius
total: 2,040 sq km
land: 2,030 sq km
water: 10 sq km
note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint
Brandon), and Rodrigues

Mayotte
total: 374 sq km
land: 374 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Mexico
total: 1,972,550 sq km
land: 1,923,040 sq km
water: 49,510 sq km

Micronesia, Federated States of total: 702 sq km land: 702 sq km water: 0 sq km (fresh water only) note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae (Kosaie)

Midway Islands total: 6.2 sq km land: 6.2 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Eastern Island, Sand Island, and Spit Island

Moldova
total: 33,843 sq km
land: 33,371 sq km
water: 472 sq km

Monaco
total: 1.95 sq km
land: 1.95 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Mongolia
total: 1,564,116 sq km

Montserrat
total: 102 sq km
land: 102 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Morocco
total: 446,550 sq km
land: 446,300 sq km
water: 250 sq km

Mozambique
total: 801,590 sq km
land: 784,090 sq km
water: 17,500 sq km

Namibia
total: 825,418 sq km
land: 825,418 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Nauru
total: 21 sq km
land: 21 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Navassa Island
total: 5.4 sq km
land: 5.4 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Nepal
total: 140,800 sq km
land: 136,800 sq km
water: 4,000 sq km

Netherlands
total: 41,526 sq km
land: 33,883 sq km
water: 7,643 sq km

Netherlands Antilles total: 960 sq km land: 960 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)

New Caledonia total: 19,060 sq km land: 18,575 sq km water: 485 sq km

New Zealand
total: 268,680 sq km
land: NA sq km
water: NA sq km
note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands,
Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands

Nicaragua
total: 129,494 sq km
land: 120,254 sq km
water: 9,240 sq km

Niger
total: 1.267 million sq km
land: 1,266,700 sq km
water: 300 sq km

Nigeria
total: 923,768 sq km
land: 910,768 sq km
water: 13,000 sq km

Niue
total: 260 sq km
land: 260 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Norfolk Island
total: 34.6 sq km
land: 34.6 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Northern Mariana Islands total: 477 sq km land: 477 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian

Norway
total: 324,220 sq km
land: 307,860 sq km
water: 16,360 sq km

Oman
total: 212,460 sq km
land: 212,460 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Pacific Ocean
total: 155.557 million sq km
note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East
China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of
Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other
tributary water bodies

Pakistan
total: 803,940 sq km
land: 778,720 sq km
water: 25,220 sq km

Palau
total: 458 sq km
land: 458 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Palmyra Atoll
total: 11.9 sq km
land: 11.9 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Panama
total: 78,200 sq km
land: 75,990 sq km
water: 2,210 sq km

Papua New Guinea
total: 462,840 sq km
land: 452,860 sq km
water: 9,980 sq km

Paracel Islands
total: NA sq km
land: NA sq km
water: 0 sq km

Paraguay
total: 406,750 sq km
land: 397,300 sq km
water: 9,450 sq km

Peru
total: 1,285,220 sq km
land: 1.28 million sq km
water: 5,220 sq km

Philippines
total: 300,000 sq km
land: 298,170 sq km
water: 1,830 sq km

Pitcairn Islands
total: 47 sq km
land: 47 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Poland
total: 312,685 sq km
land: 304,465 sq km
water: 8,220 sq km

Portugal
total: 92,391 sq km
land: 91,951 sq km
water: 440 sq km
note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands

Puerto Rico
total: 9,104 sq km
land: 8,959 sq km
water: 145 sq km

Qatar
total: 11,437 sq km
land: 11,437 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Reunion
total: 2,517 sq km
land: 2,507 sq km
water: 10 sq km

Romania
total: 237,500 sq km
land: 230,340 sq km
water: 7,160 sq km

Russia
total: 17,075,200 sq km
land: 16,995,800 sq km
water: 79,400 sq km

Rwanda
total: 26,338 sq km
land: 24,948 sq km
water: 1,390 sq km

Saint Helena
total: 410 sq km
land: 410 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Saint Helena Island, Ascension, and the island group
of Tristan da Cunha, which consists of Tristan da Cunha Island,
Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, and the three Nightingale Islands

Saint Kitts and Nevis
total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis
93 sq km)
land: 261 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Saint Lucia total: 616 sq km land: 606 sq km water: 10 sq km

Saint Pierre and Miquelon total: 242 sq km land: 242 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344
sq km)
land: 389 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Samoa
total: 2,944 sq km
land: 2,934 sq km
water: 10 sq km

San Marino
total: 61.2 sq km
land: 61.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Sao Tome and Principe
total: 1,001 sq km
land: 1,001 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Saudi Arabia
total: 1,960,582 sq km
land: 1,960,582 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Senegal
total: 196,190 sq km
land: 192,000 sq km
water: 4,190 sq km

Serbia and Montenegro
total: 102,350 sq km
land: 102,136 sq km
water: 214 sq km

Seychelles
total: 455 sq km
land: 455 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Sierra Leone
total: 71,740 sq km
land: 71,620 sq km
water: 120 sq km

Singapore
total: 692.7 sq km
land: 682.7 sq km
water: 10 sq km

Slovakia
total: 48,845 sq km
land: 48,800 sq km
water: 45 sq km

Slovenia
total: 20,273 sq km
land: 20,151 sq km
water: 122 sq km

Solomon Islands
total: 28,450 sq km
land: 27,540 sq km
water: 910 sq km

Somalia
total: 637,657 sq km
land: 627,337 sq km
water: 10,320 sq km

South Africa
total: 1,219,912 sq km
land: 1,219,912 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince
Edward Island)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
total: 3,903 sq km
land: 3,903 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia
Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist
of some nine islands

Southern Ocean
total: 20.327 million sq km
note: includes Amundsen Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, part of the Drake
Passage, Ross Sea, a small part of the Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and
other tributary water bodies

Spain
total: 504,782 sq km
land: 499,542 sq km
water: 5,240 sq km
note: there are 19 autonomous communities including Balearic Islands
and Canary Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the
coast of Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon
de Velez de la Gomera

Spratly Islands
total: less than 5 sq km
land: less than 5 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts
scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South
China Sea

Sri Lanka
total: 65,610 sq km
land: 64,740 sq km
water: 870 sq km

Sudan
total: 2,505,810 sq km
land: 2.376 million sq km
water: 129,810 sq km

Suriname
total: 163,270 sq km
land: 161,470 sq km
water: 1,800 sq km

Svalbard
total: 62,049 sq km
land: 62,049 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)

Swaziland
total: 17,363 sq km
land: 17,203 sq km
water: 160 sq km

Sweden
total: 449,964 sq km
land: 410,934 sq km
water: 39,030 sq km

Switzerland
total: 41,290 sq km
land: 39,770 sq km
water: 1,520 sq km

Syria
total: 185,180 sq km
land: 184,050 sq km
water: 1,130 sq km
note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

Taiwan
total: 35,980 sq km
land: 32,260 sq km
water: 3,720 sq km
note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy

Tajikistan
total: 143,100 sq km
land: 142,700 sq km
water: 400 sq km

Tanzania
total: 945,087 sq km
land: 886,037 sq km
water: 59,050 sq km
note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar

Thailand
total: 514,000 sq km
land: 511,770 sq km
water: 2,230 sq km

Togo
total: 56,785 sq km
land: 54,385 sq km
water: 2,400 sq km

Tokelau
total: 10 sq km
land: 10 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Tonga
total: 748 sq km
land: 718 sq km
water: 30 sq km

Trinidad and Tobago
total: 5,128 sq km
land: 5,128 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Tromelin Island
total: 1 sq km
land: 1 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Tunisia
total: 163,610 sq km
land: 155,360 sq km
water: 8,250 sq km

Turkey
total: 780,580 sq km
land: 770,760 sq km
water: 9,820 sq km

Turkmenistan
total: 488,100 sq km
land: 488,100 sq km
water: negl.

Turks and Caicos Islands
total: 430 sq km
land: 430 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Tuvalu
total: 26 sq km
land: 26 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Uganda
total: 236,040 sq km
land: 199,710 sq km
water: 36,330 sq km

Ukraine
total: 603,700 sq km
land: 603,700 sq km
water: 0 sq km

United Arab Emirates
total: 82,880 sq km
land: 82,880 sq km
water: 0 sq km

United Kingdom
total: 244,820 sq km
land: 241,590 sq km
water: 3,230 sq km
note: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands

United States
total: 9,631,418 sq km
land: 9,161,923 sq km
water: 469,495 sq km
note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia

Uruguay
total: 176,220 sq km
land: 173,620 sq km
water: 2,600 sq km

Uzbekistan
total: 447,400 sq km
land: 425,400 sq km
water: 22,000 sq km

Vanuatu
total: 12,200 sq km
land: 12,200 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited

Venezuela
total: 912,050 sq km
land: 882,050 sq km
water: 30,000 sq km

Vietnam
total: 329,560 sq km
land: 325,360 sq km
water: 4,200 sq km

Virgin Islands
total: 352 sq km
land: 349 sq km
water: 3 sq km

Wake Island
total: 6.5 sq km
land: 6.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Wallis and Futuna total: 274 sq km land: 274 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets

West Bank
total: 5,860 sq km
land: 5,640 sq km
water: 220 sq km
note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter
of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and
Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of
depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967

Western Sahara
total: 266,000 sq km
land: 266,000 sq km
water: 0 sq km

World
total: 510.072 million sq km
land: 148.94 million sq km
water: 361.132 million sq km
note: 70.8% of the world's surface is water, 29.2% is land

Yemen
total: 527,970 sq km
land: 527,970 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen Arab Republic (YAR
or North Yemen), and the former People's Democratic Republic of
Yemen (PDRY or South Yemen)

Zambia
total: 752,614 sq km
land: 740,724 sq km
water: 11,890 sq km

Zimbabwe
total: 390,580 sq km
land: 386,670 sq km
water: 3,910 sq km

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2149 Diplomatic representation in the US

Afghanistan
chief of mission: Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD
chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] 202-483-6410
FAX: [1] 202-483-6488
consulate(s) general: New York

Akrotiri
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Albania
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Fatos TARIFA
chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942
FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342

Algeria
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 2137 Wyoming Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174

American Samoa
none (territory of the US)

Andorra
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
Jelena V. PIA-COMELLA
chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064
FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630

Angola
chief of mission: Ambassador Josefina Perpetua Pitra DIAKIDI
chancery: 2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156
FAX: [1] (202) 785-1258
consulate(s) general: Houston and New York

Anguilla
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Antigua and Barbuda chief of mission: Ambassador Lionel A. HURST chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122 FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225 consulate(s) general: Miami

Argentina
chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Octavio BORDON
chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 238-6400
FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
New York

Armenia
chief of mission: Ambassador Arman KIRAKOSSIAN
chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976
FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Aruba
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
none (territory of Australia)

Australia
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. THAWLEY
chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000
FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New
York, and San Francisco

Austria
chief of mission: Ambassador Eva NOWOTNY
chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035
telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700
FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Azerbaijan
chief of mission: Ambassador Hafiz PASHAYEV
chancery: 2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500
FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911

Bahamas, The
chief of mission: Ambassador Joshua SEARS
chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660
FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Bahrain
chief of mission: Ambassador KHALIFA bin ALI bin Rashid Al
Khalifa
chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111
FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192
consulate(s) general: New York

Bangladesh
chief of mission: Ambassador Syed Hasan AHMAD
chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183
FAX: [1] (202) 244-5366
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Barbados
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael Ian KING
chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 339-9200
FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
consulate(s): Los Angeles

Belarus
chief of mission: Ambassador Mikhail KHVOSTOV
chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604
FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805
consulate(s) general: New York

Belgium
chief of mission: Ambassador Franciskus VAN DAELE
chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900
FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York

Belize
chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa M. SHOMAN
chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Benin
chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN
chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656
FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996

Bermuda
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Bhutan
none; note - Bhutan has a Permanent Mission to the UN;
address: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017;
telephone [1] (212) 826-1919; FAX [1] (212) 826-2998; the Bhutanese
mission to the UN has consular jurisdiction in the US
consulate(s) general: New York

Bolivia
chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime APARICIO Otero
chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410
FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712
consulate(s) general: Miami, New York, and San Francisco
consulate(s): Washington, DC

Bosnia and Herzegovina chief of mission: Ambassador Igor DAVIDOVIC chancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 337-1500 FAX: [1] (202) 337-1502 consulate(s) general: New York

Botswana
chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOA
chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990
FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164

Brazil
chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto ABDENUR
chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 238-2700
FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
New York, and San Francisco

British Indian Ocean Territory
none (overseas territory of the UK)

British Virgin Islands
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Brunei
chief of mission: Ambassador Pengiran Anak Dato PUTEH
chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838
FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560

Bulgaria
chief of mission: Ambassador Elena B. POPTODOROVA
chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174
FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973
consulate(s): New York

Burkina Faso
chief of mission: Ambassador Tertius ZONGO
chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577
FAX: [1] (202) 667-1882

Burma
chief of mission: vacant
chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-9044
FAX: [1] (202) 332-9046
consulate(s) general: New York (UN)

Burundi
chief of mission: Ambassador Antoine NTAMOBWA
chancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574
FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578

Cambodia
chief of mission: Ambassador EK SEREYWATH
chancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742
FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381

Cameroon
chief of mission: Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA
chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790
FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826

Canada
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael F. KERGIN
chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740
FAX: [1] (202) 682-7726
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas,
Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, and Seattle
consulate(s): Anchorage, Denver, Houston, Philadelphia,
Raleigh-Durham, San Diego, San Francisco (trade office), and San
Jose (trade office)

Cape Verde
chief of mission: Ambassador Jose BRITO
chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820
FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207
consulate(s) general: Boston

Cayman Islands
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Central African Republic
chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel
TOUABOY
chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800
FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893

Chad
chief of mission: Ambassador Hassaballah Abdelhadi Ahmat
SOUBIANE
chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009
FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937

Chile
chief of mission: Ambassador Andres BIANCHI
chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746
FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

China
chief of mission: Ambassador YANG Jiechi
chancery: 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 328-2500
FAX: [1] (202) 328-2582
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and
San Francisco

Christmas Island
none (territory of Australia)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
none (territory of Australia)

Colombia
chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Alberto MORENO Mejia
chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338
FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Washington, DC
consulate(s): Atlanta

Comoros
chief of mission: Ambassador Mahmoud M. ABOUD (ambassador to
the US and Canada and permanent representative to the UN)
chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Union of
the Comoros to the United Nations, 420 East 50th Street, New York,
NY 10022
telephone: [1] (212) 972-8010 and 223-2711
FAX: [1] (212) 983-4712 and 715-0699

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
chief of mission: Ambassador Faida
MITIFU
chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691
FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609

Congo, Republic of the
chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI
chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500
FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860

Cook Islands
none (self-governing in free association with New
Zealand)

Coral Sea Islands
none (territory of Australia)

Costa Rica
chief of mission: Ambassador Tomas DUENAS
chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945
FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Durham (North
Carolina), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York,
Phoenix, San Antonio, San Francisco, St. Paul, and Tampa
consulate(s): Austin

Cote d'Ivoire
chief of mission: Ambassador Pascal Dago KOKORA
chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300
FAX: [1] (202) 462-9444

Croatia
chief of mission: Ambassador Neven JURICA
chancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899
FAX: [1] (202) 588-8936
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Cuba
none; note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss
Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Dagoberto RODRIGUEZ Barrera;
address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street
NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518

Cyprus
chief of mission: Ambassador Euripides L. EVRIVIADES
chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772
FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710
consulate(s) general: New York
consulate(s): New York
note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot community in the US is
Osman ERTUG; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone
[1] (202) 887-6198

Czech Republic
chief of mission: Ambassador Martin PALOUS
chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100
FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Denmark
chief of mission: Ambassador Ulrik Andreas FEDERSPIEL
chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300
FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470
consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York

Dhekelia
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Djibouti
chief of mission: Ambassador ROBLE Olhaye
chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 331-0270
FAX: [1] (202) 331-0302

Dominica
chief of mission: Ambassador Swinburne LESTRADE
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781
FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791
consulate(s) general: New York

Dominican Republic
chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Flavio
Dario Espinal JACOBO
chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280
FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New
Orleans, New York, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
consulate(s): Mobile

East Timor
chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Luis GUTERRES
chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: 202 965-1515
FAX: 202 965-1517
consulate(s) general: New York (the ambassador resides in New York)
(2004)

Ecuador
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200
FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, and San Francisco

Egypt
chief of mission: Ambassador M. Nabil FAHMY
chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400
FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco

El Salvador
chief of mission: Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez
chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671
FAX: [1] (202) 234-3834
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles,
Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC

Equatorial Guinea
chief of mission: Ambassador Teodoro Biyogo NSUE
chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700
FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252

Eritrea
chief of mission: Ambassador GIRMA Asmerom
chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991
FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304
consulate(s) general: Oakland (California)

Estonia
chief of mission: Ambassador Juri LUIK
chancery: 2131 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101
FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108
consulate(s) general: New York

Ethiopia
chief of mission: Ambassador KASSAHUN Ayele
chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 364-1200
FAX: [1] (202) 686-9551
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
consulate(s): New York

European Union
chief of mission: Ambassador John BRUTON
chancery: 2300 M Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20037
telephone: [1] (202) 862-9500
FAX: [1] (202) 429-1766

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
none (overseas territory of the
UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands
none (self-governing overseas administrative division
of Denmark)

Fiji
chief of mission: Mr. Paula NAVUNISARAVI (Charge D'Affaires ad
Interim)
chancery: 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 240, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 337-8320
FAX: [1] (202) 337-1996

Finland
chief of mission: Ambassador Jukka Robert VALTASAARI
chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800
FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

France
chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTE
chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000
FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco

French Guiana
none (overseas department of France)

French Polynesia
none (overseas territory of France)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
none (overseas territory of
France)

Gabon
chief of mission: Ambassador Jules Marius OGOUEBANDJA
chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000
FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668
consulate(s): New York

Gambia, The
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
Lena Manga Sagnia SECK
chancery: Suite 905, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379
FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430

Georgia
chief of mission: Ambassador Levan MIKELADZE
chancery: Suite 602, 1101 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 387-4537
FAX: [1] (202) 393-4537

Germany
chief of mission: Ambassador Wolfgang Friedrich ISCHINGER
chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 298-8140
FAX: [1] (202) 298-4249
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston,
Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

Ghana
chief of mission: Ambassador Alan J. KYEREMATEN
chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 686-4520
FAX: [1] (202) 686-4527
consulate(s) general: New York

Gibraltar
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Glorioso Islands
none (possession of France)

Greece
chief of mission: Ambassador Yeoryios SAVVAIDIS
chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300
FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and
San Francisco
consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and Tampa

Greenland
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of
Denmark)

Grenada
chief of mission: Ambassador Denis G. ANTOINE
chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561
FAX: [1] (202) 265-2468
consulate(s) general: New York

Guadeloupe
none (overseas department of France)

Guam
none (territory of the US)

Guatemala
chief of mission: Ambassador Guillermo CASTILLO
chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952
FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
New York, and San Francisco

Guernsey
none (British crown dependency)

Guinea
chief of mission: Ambassador Rafiou Alpha Oumar BARRY
chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300
FAX: [1] (202) 478-3010

Guinea-Bissau
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge
d'Affaires Henrique Adriano DA SILVA
chancery: 1511 K Street NW, Suite 519, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 347-3950
FAX: [1] (202) 347-3954

Guyana
chief of mission: Ambassador Bayney KARRAN
chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900
FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297
consulate(s) general: New York

Haiti
chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Raymond JOSEPH (as of
November 2004)
chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090
FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan
(Puerto Rico)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
none (territory of Australia)

Holy See (Vatican City)
chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio
Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO
chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121
FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036

Honduras
chief of mission: Ambassador Mario Miguel CANAHUATI
chancery: Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 966-7702
FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco
honorary consulate(s): Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Jacksonville

Hong Kong
none (special administrative region of China)

Hungary
chief of mission: Ambassador Andras SIMONYI
chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730
FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Iceland
chief of mission: Ambassador Helgi AGUSTSSON
chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1704
telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653
FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656
consulate(s) general: New York

India
chief of mission: Ambassador Ranendra SEN
chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note -
Consular Wing located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000
FAX: [1] (202) 265-4351
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco

Indonesia
chief of mission: Ambassador SOEMADI Brotodiningrat
chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200
FAX: [1] (202) 775-5365
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and
San Francisco

Iran
none; note - Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani
Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Pakistani Embassy, 2209
Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone: [1] (202)
965-4990; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073

Iraq
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 1801 P Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500
FAX: [1] (202) 462-5066

Ireland
chief of mission: Ambassador Noel FAHEY
chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939
FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco

Israel
chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel AYALON
chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 364-5578
FAX: [1] (202) 364-5560
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco

Italy
chief of mission: Ambassador Sergio VENTO
chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400
FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los
Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco
consulate(s): Detroit

Jamaica
chief of mission: Ambassador Gordon SHIRLEY
chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660
FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Japan
chief of mission: Ambassador Ryozo KATO
chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700
FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187
consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver,
Detroit, Hagatna (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, and Seattle
consulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands)

Jersey
none (British crown dependency)

Jordan
chief of mission: Ambassador Karim Tawfiq KAWAR
chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664
FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110

Juan de Nova Island
none (possession of France)

Kazakhstan
chief of mission: Ambassador Kanat B. SAUDABAYEV
chancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 232-5488
FAX: [1] (202) 232-5845
consulate(s): New York

Kenya
chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard NGAITHE
chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101
FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Kiribati
Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an
honorary consulate in Honolulu

Korea, North
none; North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in
New York

Korea, South
chief of mission: Ambassador HONG Seok-hyun
chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600
FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston,
Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle
consulate(s): New York, Tamuning (Guam)

Kuwait
chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM al-Abdallah Jabir Al Sabah
chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702
FAX: [1] (202) 364-2868

Kyrgyzstan
chief of mission: Ambassador Bakyt ABDRISAYEV
chancery: 1732 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 338-5141
FAX: [1] (202) 338-5139
consulate(s): New York

Laos
chief of mission: Ambassador PHANTHONG Phommahaxay
chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416
FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923

Latvia
chief of mission: Ambassador Maris RIEKSTINS
chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214
FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785

Lebanon
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Farid ABBOUD
chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6300
FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324
consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles

Lesotho
chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKI
chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536
FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815

Liberia
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
Aaron B. KOLLIE
chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437
FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436
consulate(s) general: New York

Libya
Libya does not have an embassy in the US but maintains an
interest section under the protective power of the United Arab
Emirates Embassy in the US

Liechtenstein
chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE
chancery: 1300 Eye Street NW, Suite 550W, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 216-0460
FAX: [1] (202) 216-0459

Lithuania
chief of mission: Ambassador Vygaudas USACKAS
chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860
FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466
consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York

Luxembourg
chief of mission: Ambassador Arlette CONZEMIUS-PACCOURD
chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171
FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270
consulate(s) general: New York and San Francisco

Macau
none (special administrative region of China)

Macedonia
chief of mission: Ambassador Nikola DIMITROV
chancery: Suite 302, 1101 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 337-3063
FAX: [1] (202) 337-3093
consulate(s) general: Southfield, Michigan

Madagascar
chief of mission: Ambassador Rajaonarivony NARISOA
chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526
FAX: [1] (202) 483-7603
consulate(s) general: New York

Malawi
chief of mission: Ambassador Paul Tony Steven KANDIERO
chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 797-1007
FAX: [1] (202) 265-0976

Malaysia
chief of mission: Ambassador GHAZZALI bin Sheikh Abdul
Khalid
chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700
FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Maldives
chief of mission: Dr. Mohamed LATHEEF
chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195

Mali
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdoulaye DIOP
chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603

Malta
chief of mission: Ambassador John LOWELL
chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612
FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470
consulate(s): New York

Man, Isle of
none (British crown dependency)

Marshall Islands
chief of mission: Ambassador Banny DE BRUM
chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-5414
FAX: [1] (202) 232-3236
consulate(s) general: Honolulu

Martinique
none (overseas department of France)

Mauritania
chief of mission: Ambassador Tijani Ould KERIM
chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700, 5701
FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623

Mauritius
chief of mission: Ambassador Usha JEETAH
chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492
FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983

Mayotte
none (territorial collectivity of France)

Mexico
chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Carlos Alberto de
ICAZA Gonzalez
chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600
FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas,
Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo (Texas), Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, Nogales (Arizona), Phoenix, Sacramento, San
Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
consulate(s): Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico
(California), Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas (Arizona), Eagle
Pass (Texas), Fresno (California), Indianapolis (Indiana), Kansas
City (Missouri), Las Vegas, McAllen (Texas), Omaha, Orlando, Oxnard
(California), Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Presidio (Texas),
Raleigh, Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, Santa Ana (California),
Seattle, Tucson, Yuma (Arizona)

Micronesia, Federated States of chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAU chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383 FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391 consulate(s) general: Honolulu and Tamuning (Guam)

Moldova
chief of mission: Ambassador Mihail MANOLI
chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130
FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204

Monaco
Monaco does not have an embassy in the US
consulate(s) general: New York

Mongolia
chief of mission: Ambassador Ravdangiyn BOLD
chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117
FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227
consulate(s) general: New York

Montserrat
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Morocco
chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR
chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 through 7982
FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161
consulate(s) general: New York

Mozambique
chief of mission: Ambassador Armando PANGUENE
chancery: 1990 M Street NW, Suite 570, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146
FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245

Namibia
chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard Nangolo IIPUMBU
chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540
FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443

Nauru
Nauru does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a UN
office at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, New York 10017;
telephone: (212) 937-0074
consulate(s): Hagatna (Guam)

Nepal
chief of mission: Ambassador Kedar Bhakta SHRESTHA
chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550
FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534
consulate(s) general: New York

Netherlands
chief of mission: Ambassador Boudewijn J. VAN EENENNAAM
chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300
FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
consulate(s): Boston

Netherlands Antilles
none (represented by the Kingdom of the
Netherlands)

New Caledonia
none (overseas territory of France)

New Zealand
chief of mission: Ambassador L. John WOOD
chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800
FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Nicaragua
chief of mission: Ambassador Salvador STADTHAGEN (since 5
December 2003)
chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570, [1] (202) 939-6573
FAX: [1] (202) 939-6545
consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San
Francisco

Niger
chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph DIATTA
chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227
FAX: [1] (202)483-3169

Nigeria
chief of mission: Ambassador Jibril Muhammad AMINU
chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400
FAX: [1] (202) 775-1385
consulate(s) general: Atlanta and New York

Niue
none (self-governing territory in free association with New
Zealand)

Norfolk Island
none (territory of Australia)

Norway
chief of mission: Ambassador Knut VOLLEBAEK
chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000
FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870
consulate(s) general: Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, and San
Francisco

Oman
chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad bin Ali bin Thani
al-KHUSSAIBY
chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988
FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933

Pakistan
chief of mission: Ambassador Jehangir KARAMAT
chancery: 3517 International Court, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 243-3277
FAX: [1] (202) 686-1534
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and
Boston (Honarary)

Palau
chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA
chancery: 1800 K Street NW, Suite 714, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814
FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281
consulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands)

Panama
chief of mission: Ambassador Federico HUMBERT Arias
chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407
FAX: [1] (202) 483-8416
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New
York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa

Papua New Guinea
chief of mission: Ambassador Evan Jeremy PAKI
chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC
20036
telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680
FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679

Paraguay
chief of mission: Ambassador James SPALDING Hellmers
chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962
FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508
consulate(s) general: Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans,
New York

Peru
chief of mission: Ambassador Eduardo FERRERO Costa
chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869
FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles,
Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco, Washington
(DC)

Philippines
chief of mission: Ambassador Albert DEL ROSARIO
chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300
FAX: [1] (202) 328-7614
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San
Francisco, San Jose (Northern Mariana Islands), Tamuning (Guam)
consulate(s): honorary consuls in Ft. Lauderdale and Houston

Pitcairn Islands
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Poland
chief of mission: Ambassador Przemyslaw GRUDZINSKI
chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802
FAX: [1] (202) 328-6270
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Portugal
chief of mission: Ambassador Pedro Manuel Dos Reis Alves
CATARINO
chancery: 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 328-8610
FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726
consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), and San
Francisco
consulate(s): Los Angeles, New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence
(Rhode Island)

Puerto Rico
none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Qatar
chief of mission: Ambassador Badr Umar al-DAFA
chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603
FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061
consulate(s) general: Houston

Reunion
none (overseas department of France)

Romania
chief of mission: Ambassador Sorin Dumitru DUCARU
chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851
FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Russia
chief of mission: Ambassador Yuriy Viktorovich USHAKOV
chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 298-5700, 5701, 5704, 5708
FAX: [1] (202) 298-5735
consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco, and Seattle

Rwanda
chief of mission: Ambassador Zac NSENGA
chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882
FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544

Saint Helena
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Saint Kitts and Nevis chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Izben Cordinal WILLIAMS chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636 FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740 consulate(s) general: New York

Saint Lucia
chief of mission: Ambassador Sonia Merlyn JOHNNY
chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795
FAX: [1] (202) 364-6723
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
none (territorial collectivity of France)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines chief of mission: Ambassador Ellsworth I. A. JOHN chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736 consulate(s) general: New York

Samoa
chief of mission: Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi ELISAIA
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197
FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797

San Marino
San Marino does not have an embassy in the US
honorary consulate(s) general: Washington, DC and New York
honorary consulate(s): Detroit and Honolulu

Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe does not have an embassy
in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by
First Secretary Domingos Augusto FERREIRA, located at 400 Park
Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022, telephone [1] (212) 317-0580

Saudi Arabia
chief of mission: Ambassador BANDAR bin Sultan bin Abd
al-Aziz Al Saud
chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800
consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, and New York

Senegal
chief of mission: Ambassador Amadou Lamine BA
chancery: 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6315
consulate(s) general: New York

Serbia and Montenegro
chief of mission: Ambassador Ivan VUJACIC
chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-0333
FAX: [1] (202) 332-3933
consulate(s) general: Chicago

Seychelles
chief of mission: Ambassador Claude Sylvestre MOREL
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785
FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786

Sierra Leone
chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahim M. KAMARA
chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263
FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793

Singapore
chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee
chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100
FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876
consulate(s) general: San Francisco
consulate(s): New York

Slovakia
chief of mission: Ambassador Rastislav KACER
chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054
FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438

Slovenia
chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel ZBOGAR
chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 667-5363
FAX: [1] (202) 667-4563
consulate(s) general: New York and Cleveland

Solomon Islands
chief of mission: Ambassador Collin David BECK
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193
FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925

Somalia
Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased
operations on 8 May 1991); note - the TNG and other factions have
representatives in Washington and at the United Nations

South Africa
chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Joyce Mosima
MASEKELA
chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400
FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
none (overseas
territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Spain
chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos WESTENDORP
chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340
FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Sri Lanka
chief of mission: Ambassador Devinda R. SUBASINGHE
chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028)
FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
consulate(s): New York

Sudan
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires, Ad
Interim Khidir Haroun AHMED (since April 2001)
chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406

Suriname
chief of mission: Ambassador Henry Lothar ILLES
chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488
FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878
consulate(s) general: Miami

Swaziland
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA
chancery: 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 362-6683
FAX: [1] (202) 244-8059

Sweden
chief of mission: Ambassador Jan ELIASSON
chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1702
telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600
FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Switzerland
chief of mission: Ambassador Christian BLICKENSTORFER
chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900
FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New
York, and San Francisco
consulate(s): Boston

Syria
chief of mission: Ambassador Imad MUSTAFA
chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313
FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548

Taiwan
none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the
people of the US are maintained through an unofficial
instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative
Office (TECRO) in the US with headquarters in Taipei and field
offices in Washington and 12 other US cities

Tajikistan
chief of mission: Ambassador Hamrohon ZARIPOV
chancery: 1725 K Street NW, Suite 409, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090
FAX: [1] (202) 223-6091

Tanzania
chief of mission: Ambassador Andrew Mhando DARAJA
chancery: 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125
FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408

Thailand
chief of mission: KASIT Piromya
chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC
20007-3681
telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600
FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Togo
chief of mission: Ambassador Akoussoulelou BODJONA
chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212
FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190

Tokelau
none (territory of New Zealand)

Tonga
chief of mission: Ambassador Sonatane T. T. TUPOU
chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022
telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025
FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024
consulate(s) general: San Francisco

Trinidad and Tobago
chief of mission: Ambassador Marina Annette
VALERE
chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490
FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130
consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Tunisia
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d' Affaires
Tarek Azouz
chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850
FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858

Turkey
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Osman Faruk LOGOGLU
chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700
FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York

Turkmenistan
chief of mission: Ambassador Mered Bairamovich ORAZOV
chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500
FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697

Turks and Caicos Islands
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Tuvalu
Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US - the country's
only diplomatic post is in Fiji - Tuvalu does, however, have a UN
office located at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, New York
10017, telephone: [1] (212) 490-0534

Uganda
chief of mission: Ambassador Edith Grace SSEMPALA
chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416
FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727

Ukraine
chief of mission: Ambassador Mykhailo B. REZNIK
chancery: 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 349-2920
FAX: [1] (202) 333-0817
consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York

United Arab Emirates
chief of mission: Ambassador Asri Said Ahmad
al-DHAHIRI
chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400
FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432
note: also a consulate or representative office in New York, NY

United Kingdom
chief of mission: Ambassador David G. MANNING
chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500
FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
Angeles, New York, and San Francisco
consulate(s): Dallas, Denver, Miami, Puerto Rico, and Seattle

Uruguay
chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo FERNANDEZ-FAINGOLD
chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316
FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York

Uzbekistan
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulaziz KAMILOV
chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 293-6803
FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804
consulate(s) general: New York

Vanuatu
Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US; it does,
however, have a Permanent Mission to the UN

Venezuela
chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ
chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214
FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans,
New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Vietnam
chief of mission: Ambassador Nguyen Tam Chien
chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737
FAX: [1] (202) 861-0917
consulate(s) general: San Francisco

Virgin Islands
none (territory of the US)

Wallis and Futuna
none (overseas territory of France)

Western Sahara
none

Yemen
chief of mission: Ambassador Abd al-Wahhab Abdallah al-HAJRI
chancery: Suite 705, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760
FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017

Zambia
chief of mission: Ambassador Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA
chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719
FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826

Zimbabwe
chief of mission: Ambassador Simbi Veke MUBAKO
chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100
FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2150 Telephones - main lines in use

Afghanistan
33,100 (2002)

Albania
255,000 (2003)

Algeria
2,199,600 (2003)

American Samoa
15,000 (2001)

Andorra
35,000 (2001)

Angola
96,300 (2003)

Anguilla
6,200 (2002)

Antarctica
0
note: information for US bases only (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
38,000 (2002)

Argentina
8,009,400 (2002)

Armenia
562,600 (2003)

Aruba
37,100 (2002)

Australia
10.815 million (2003)

Austria
3.881 million (2003)

Azerbaijan
923,800 (2002)

Bahamas, The
131,700 (2003)

Bahrain
185,800 (2003)

Bangladesh
740,000 (2003)

Barbados
134,000 (2003)

Belarus
3,071,300 (2003)

Belgium
5,120,400 (2002)

Belize
33,300 (2003)

Benin
66,500 (2003)

Bermuda
56,000 (2002)

Bhutan
25,200 (2003)

Bolivia
600,100 (2003)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
938,000 (2003)

Botswana
142,400 (2002)

Brazil
38.81 million (2002)

British Indian Ocean Territory
NA

British Virgin Islands
11,700 (2002)

Brunei
90,000 (2002)

Bulgaria
2,868,200 (2002)

Burkina Faso
65,400 (2003)

Burma
357,300 (2003)

Burundi
23,900 (2003)

Cambodia
35,400 (2002)

Cameroon
110,900 (2002)

Canada
19,950,900 (2003)

Cape Verde
71,700 (2003)

Cayman Islands
38,000 (2002)

Central African Republic
9,000 (2002)

Chad
11,800 (2002)

Chile
3.467 million (2002)

China
263 million (2003)

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
287 (1992)

Colombia
8,768,100 (2003)

Comoros
13,200 (2003)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
10,000 (2002)

Congo, Republic of the
7,000 (2003)

Cook Islands
6,200 (2002)

Costa Rica
1.132 million (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
328,000 (2003)

Croatia
1.825 million (2002)

Cuba
574,400 (2002)

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: 427,400 (2002); north Cyprus: 86,228
(2002)

Czech Republic
3.626 million (2003)

Denmark
3,610,100 (2003)

Djibouti
9,500 (2003)

Dominica
23,700 (2002)

Dominican Republic
901,800 (2003)

East Timor
NA

Ecuador
1.549 million (2003)

Egypt
8,735,700 (2003)

El Salvador
752,600 (2003)

Equatorial Guinea
9,600 (2003)

Eritrea
38,100 (2003)

Estonia
475,000 (2002)

Ethiopia
435,000 (2003)

European Union
238,763,162 (2002)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
2,400 (2002)

Faroe Islands
23,000 (2002)

Fiji
102,000 (2003)

Finland
2.548 million (2003)

France
33,905,400 (2003)

French Guiana
51,000 (2001)

French Polynesia
52,500 (2002)

Gabon
38,400 (2003)

Gambia, The
38,400 (2002)

Gaza Strip
95,729 (total for Gaza Strip and West Bank) (1997)

Georgia
650,500 (2003)

Germany
54.35 million (2003)

Ghana
302,300 (2003)

Gibraltar
24,512 (2002)

Greece
5,205,100 (2003)

Greenland
26,000 (2001)

Grenada
33,500 (2002)

Guadeloupe
210,000 (2001)

Guam
84,134 (2001)

Guatemala
846,000 (2002)

Guernsey
55,000 (2001)

Guinea
26,200 (2003)

Guinea-Bissau
10,600 (2003)

Guyana
80,400 (2002)

Haiti
130,000 (2002)

Holy See (Vatican City)
NA

Honduras
322,500 (2002)

Hong Kong
3,801,300 (2003)

Hungary
3,666,400 (2002)

Iceland
190,700 (2003)

India
48.917 million (2003)

Indonesia
7.75 million (2002)

Iran
14,571,100 (2003)

Iraq
675,000; note - an unknown number of telephone lines were
damaged or destroyed during the March-April 2003 war (2003)

Ireland
1.955 million (2003)

Israel
3.006 million (2002)

Italy
26.596 million (2003)

Jamaica
444,400 (2002)

Japan
71.149 million (2002)

Jersey
73,900 (2001)

Jordan
622,600 (2003)

Kazakhstan
2,081,900 (2002)

Kenya
328,400 (2003)

Kiribati
4,500 (2002)

Korea, North
1.1 million (2001)

Korea, South
22.877 million (2003)

Kuwait
486,900 (2003)

Kyrgyzstan
394,800 (2002)

Laos
61,900 (2002)

Latvia
653,900 (2003)

Lebanon
678,800 (2002)

Lesotho
28,600 (2002)

Liberia
7,000 (2001)

Libya
750,000 (2003)

Liechtenstein
19,900 (2002)

Lithuania
824,200 (2003)

Luxembourg
355,400 (2002)

Macau
174,600 (2003)

Macedonia
560,000 (2002)

Madagascar
59,600 (2003)

Malawi
85,000 (2003)

Malaysia
4,571,600 (2003)

Maldives
28,700 (2002)

Mali
56,600 (2002)

Malta
208,300 (2003)

Man, Isle of
51,000 (1999)

Marshall Islands
4,500 (2003)

Martinique
172,000 est (2001)

Mauritania
31,500 (2002)

Mauritius
348,200 (2003)

Mayotte
10,000 (2001)

Mexico
15,958,700 (2003)

Micronesia, Federated States of
10,100 (2001)

Moldova
706,900 (2002)

Monaco
33,700 (2002)

Mongolia
128,000 (2002)

Montserrat
NA

Morocco
1,219,200 (2003)

Mozambique
83,700 (2002)

Namibia
127,400 (2003)

Nauru
1,900 (2002)

Nepal
371,800 (2003)

Netherlands
10.004 million (2002)

Netherlands Antilles
81,000 (2001)

New Caledonia
52,000 (2002)

New Zealand
1.765 million (2002)

Nicaragua
171,600 (2002)

Niger
22,400 (2002)

Nigeria
853,100 (2003)

Niue
1,100 est (2002)

Norfolk Island
2,532; note: a mix of analog (2500) and digital (32)
circuits (2004)

Northern Mariana Islands
21,000 (2000)

Norway
3.343 million (2002)

Oman
233,900 (2002)

Pakistan
3,982,800 (2003)

Palau
6,700 (2002)

Panama
386,900 (2002)

Papua New Guinea
62,000 (2002)

Paraguay
273,200 (2002)

Peru
1,839,200 (2003)

Philippines
3,310,900 (2002)

Pitcairn Islands 1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line); (2004)

Poland
12.3 million (2003)

Portugal
4,278,800 (2003)

Puerto Rico
1,329,500 (2002)

Qatar
184,500 (2003)

Reunion
300,000 est (2001)

Romania
4.3 million (2003)

Russia
35.5 million (2002)

Rwanda
23,200 (2002)

Saint Helena
2,200 (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
23,500 (2002)

Saint Lucia
51,100 (2002)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
4,800 (2002)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
27,300 (2002)

Samoa
11,800 (2002)

San Marino
20,600 (2002)

Sao Tome and Principe
7,000 (2003)

Saudi Arabia
3,502,600 (2003)

Senegal
228,800 (2003)

Serbia and Montenegro
2,611,700 (2003)

Seychelles
21,700 (2002)

Sierra Leone
24,000 (2002)

Singapore
1,896,100 (2004)

Slovakia
1,294,700 (2003)

Slovenia
812,300 (2003)

Solomon Islands
6,600 (2002)

Somalia
100,000 est (2002)

South Africa
4.844 million (2002)

Spain
17,567,500 (2003)

Sri Lanka
881,400 (2002)

Sudan
900,000 (2003)

Suriname
79,800 (2003)

Svalbard
NA

Swaziland
46,200 (2003)

Sweden
6,579,200 (2002)

Switzerland
5.419 million (2002)

Syria
2,099,300 (2002)

Taiwan
13.355 million (2003)

Tajikistan
242,100 (2003)

Tanzania
149,100 (2003)

Thailand
6.6 million (2003)

Togo
60,600 (2003)

Tokelau
300 (2002)

Tonga
11,200 (2002)

Trinidad and Tobago
325,100 (2002)

Tunisia
1,163,800 (2003)

Turkey
18,916,700 (2003)

Turkmenistan
374,000 (2002)

Turks and Caicos Islands
5,700 (2002)

Tuvalu
700 (2002)

Uganda
61,000 (2003)

Ukraine
10,833,300 (2002)

United Arab Emirates
1,135,800 (2003)

United Kingdom
34.898 million (2002)

United States
181,599,900 (2003)

Uruguay
946,500 (2002)

Uzbekistan
1,717,100 (2003)

Vanuatu
6,500 (2003)

Venezuela
2,841,800 (2002)

Vietnam
4.402 million (2003)

Virgin Islands
69,400 (2002)

Wallis and Futuna
1,900 (2002)

West Bank
301,600 (total for West Bank and Gaza Strip) (2002)

Western Sahara
about 2,000 (1999 est.)

World
843,923,500 (2003)

Yemen
542,200 (2002)

Zambia
88,400 (2003)

Zimbabwe
300,900 (2003)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2151 Telephones - mobile cellular

Afghanistan
15,000 (2002)

Albania
1.1 million (2003)

Algeria
1,447,310 (2003)

American Samoa
2,377 (1999)

Andorra
23,500 (2001)

Angola
130,000 (2002)

Anguilla
1,800 (2002)

Antarctica
NA

Antigua and Barbuda
38,200 (2002)

Argentina
6.5 million (2002)

Armenia
114,400 (2003)

Aruba
53,000 (2001)

Australia
14.347 million (2003)

Austria
7,094,500 (2003)

Azerbaijan
870,000 (2002)

Bahamas, The
121,800 (2002)

Bahrain
443,100 (2003)

Bangladesh
1.365 million (2003)

Barbados
140,000 (2003)

Belarus
1.118 million (2003)

Belgium
8,135,500 (2002)

Belize
60,400 (2003)

Benin
236,200 (2003)

Bermuda
37,873 (2003)

Bhutan
8,000 (2003)

Bolivia
1,401,500 (2003)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
1.05 million (2003)

Botswana
435,000 (2002)

Brazil
46,373,300 (2003)

British Virgin Islands
8,000 (2002)

Brunei
137,000 (2002)

Bulgaria
2,597,500 (2002)

Burkina Faso
227,000 (2003)

Burma
66,500 (2003)

Burundi
64,000 (2003)

Cambodia
380,000 (2002)

Cameroon
1.077 million (2003)

Canada
13,221,800 (2003)

Cape Verde
53,300 (2003)

Cayman Islands
17,000 (2002)

Central African Republic
13,000 (2003)

Chad
65,000 (2003)

Chile
6,445,700 (2002)

China
269 million (2003)

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
note - analog cellular service available

Colombia
6,186,200 (2003)

Comoros
2,000 (2003)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
1 million (2003)

Congo, Republic of the
330,000 (2003)

Cook Islands
1,500 (2002)

Costa Rica
528,047 (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
1.236 million (2003)

Croatia
2.553 million (2003)

Cuba
17,900 (2002)

Cyprus
Republic of Cyprus: 417,900 (2002); north Cyprus: 143,178
(2002)

Czech Republic
9,708,700 (2003)

Denmark
4,785,300 (2003)

Djibouti
23,000 (2003)

Dominica
9,400 (2002)

Dominican Republic
2,120,400 (2003)

East Timor
NA

Ecuador
2,394,400 (2003)

Egypt
5,797,500 (2003)

El Salvador
1,149,800 (2003)

Equatorial Guinea
41,500 (2003)

Eritrea
NA

Estonia
881,000 (2002)

Ethiopia
97,800 (2003)

European Union
314,644,700 (2002)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
0 (2001)

Faroe Islands
30,700 (2002)

Fiji
109,900 (2003)

Finland
4.7 million (2003)

France
41,683,100 (2003)

French Guiana
138,200 (2002)

French Polynesia
90,000 (2002)

Gabon
300,000 (2003)

Gambia, The
100,000 (2002)

Gaza Strip
320,000 (cellular subscribers in both Gaza Strip and West
Bank) (2002)

Georgia
522,300 (2003)

Germany
64.8 million (2003)

Ghana
799,900 (2003)

Gibraltar
9,797 (2002)

Greece
8,936,200 (2003)

Greenland
16,747 (2001)

Grenada
7,600 (2002)

Guadeloupe
323,500 (2002)

Guam
32,600 (2001)

Guatemala
1,577,100 (2002)

Guernsey
31,500 (2001)

Guinea
111,500 (2003)

Guinea-Bissau
1,300 (2003)

Guyana
87,300 (2002)

Haiti
140,000 (2002)

Holy See (Vatican City)
NA

Honduras
326,500 (2002)

Hong Kong
7,241,400 (2003)

Hungary
6,862,800 (2002)

Iceland
279,100 (2003)

India
26,154,400 (2003)

Indonesia
11.7 million (2002)

Iran
3,376,500 (2003)

Iraq
20,000 (2002)

Ireland
3.4 million (2003)

Israel
6.334 million (2002)

Italy
55.918 million (2003)

Jamaica
1.4 million (2002)

Japan
86,658,600 (2003)

Jersey
61,400 (2001)

Jordan
1,325,300 (2003)

Kazakhstan
1.027 million (2002)

Kenya
1,590,800 (2003)

Kiribati
500 (2002)

Korea, North
NA

Korea, South
33,591,800 (2003)

Kuwait
1.42 million (2003)

Kyrgyzstan
53,100 (2002)

Laos
55,200 (2002)

Latvia
1,219,600 (2003)

Lebanon
775,100 (2002)

Lesotho
92,000 (2002)

Liberia
2,000 (2001)

Libya
100,000 (2003)

Liechtenstein
11,400 (2002)

Lithuania
2,169,900 (2003)

Luxembourg
473,000 (2002)

Macau
364,000 (2003)

Macedonia
365,300 (2002)

Madagascar
279,500 (2003)

Malawi
135,100 (2003)

Malaysia
11,124,100 (2003)

Maldives
41,900 (2002)

Mali
250,000 (2003)

Malta
290,000 (2003)

Man, Isle of
NA

Marshall Islands
600 (2002)

Martinique
319,900 (2002)

Mauritania
300,000 (2003)

Mauritius
462,400 (2003)

Mayotte
21,700 (2002)

Mexico
28.125 million (2003)

Micronesia, Federated States of
1,800 (2002)

Moldova
338,200 (2002)

Monaco
19,300 (2002)

Mongolia
216,000 (2002)

Montserrat
70 (1994)

Morocco
7,332,800 (2003)

Mozambique
428,900 (2003)

Namibia
223,700 (2003)

Nauru
1,500 (2002)

Nepal
50,400 (2003)

Netherlands
12.5 million (2003)

Netherlands Antilles
81,000 (2001)

New Caledonia
80,000 (2002)

New Zealand
2.599 million (2003)

Nicaragua
202,800 (2002)

Niger
24,000 (2003)

Nigeria
3,149,500 (2003)

Niue
400 (2002)

Norfolk Island
0 (proposed cellular service disallowed in August
2002 island referendum) (2002)

Northern Mariana Islands
3,000 (2000)

Norway
4,163,400 (2003)

Oman
464,900 (2002)

Pakistan
2,624,800 (2003)

Palau
1,000 (2002)

Panama
834,000 (2003)

Papua New Guinea
15,000 (2002)

Paraguay
1,770,300 (2003)

Peru
2,908,800 (2003)

Philippines
15.201 million (2002)

Poland
17.4 million (2003)

Portugal
9,341,400 (2003)

Puerto Rico
1,211,111 (2001)

Qatar
376,500 (2003)

Reunion
489,800 (2002)

Romania
6.9 million (2003)

Russia
17,608,800 (2002)

Rwanda
134,000
note: Rwanda has mobile cellular service between Kigali and several
prefecture capitals (2003)

Saint Helena
0 (1997)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
5,000 (2002)

Saint Lucia
14,300 (2002)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
0 (1994)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
10,000 (2002)

Samoa
2,700 (2002)

San Marino
16,800 (2002)

Sao Tome and Principe
4,800 (2003)

Saudi Arabia
7,238,200 (2003)

Senegal
575,900 (2003)

Serbia and Montenegro
3,634,600 (2003)

Seychelles
54,500 (2003)

Sierra Leone
67,000 (2002)

Singapore
3,521,800 (2004)

Slovakia
3,678,800 (2003)

Slovenia
1,739,100 (2003)

Solomon Islands
1,000 (2002)

Somalia
35,000 (2002)

South Africa
16.86 million (2003)

Spain
37,506,700 (2003)

Sri Lanka
931,600 (2002)

Sudan
650,000 (2003)

Suriname
168,100 (2003)

Svalbard
NA

Swaziland
88,000 (2003)

Sweden
7.949 million (2002)

Switzerland
6.172 million (2003)

Syria
400,000 (2002)

Taiwan
25,089,600 (2003)

Tajikistan
47,600 (2003)

Tanzania
891,200 (2003)

Thailand
16.117 million (2002)

Togo
220,000 (2003)

Tokelau
0 (2001)

Tonga
3,400 (2002)

Trinidad and Tobago
361,900 (2002)

Tunisia
1,899,900 (2003)

Turkey
27,887,500 (2003)

Turkmenistan
52,000 (2004)

Turks and Caicos Islands
1,700 (1999)

Tuvalu
0 (1994)

Uganda
776,200 (2003)

Ukraine
4.2 million (2002)

United Arab Emirates
2,972,300 (2003)

United Kingdom
49.677 million (2002)

United States
158.722 million (2003)

Uruguay
652,000 (2002)

Uzbekistan
320,800 (2003)

Vanuatu
7,800 (2003)

Venezuela
6,463,600 (2002)

Vietnam
2.742 million (2003)

Virgin Islands
41,000 (2002)

Wallis and Futuna
0 (1994)

West Bank
480,000 (cellular subscribers in both West Bank and Gaza
Strip) (2003)

Western Sahara
0 (1999)

World
NA

Yemen
411,100 (2002)

Zambia
241,000 (2003)

Zimbabwe
379,100 (2003)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2153 Internet users

Afghanistan
1,000 (2002)

Albania
30,000 (2003)

Algeria
500,000 (2002)

American Samoa
NA

Andorra
24,500 (2001)

Angola
41,000 (2002)

Anguilla
3,000 (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda
10,000 (2002)

Argentina
4.1 million (2002)

Armenia
150,000 (2003)

Aruba
24,000 (2002)

Australia
9.472 million (2002)

Austria
3.73 million (2003)

Azerbaijan
300,000 (2002)

Bahamas, The
84,000 (2003)

Bahrain
195,700 (2003)

Bangladesh
243,000 (2003)

Barbados
100,000 (2003)

Belarus
1,391,900 (2003)

Belgium
3.4 million (2002)

Belize
30,000 (2002)

Benin
70,000 (2003)

Bermuda
34,500 (2003)

Bhutan
15,000 (2003)

Bolivia
270,000 (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
100,000 (2002)

Botswana
60,000 (2002)

Brazil
14.3 million (2002)

British Virgin Islands
NA

Brunei
35,000 (2002)

Bulgaria
630,000 (2002)

Burkina Faso
48,000 (2003)

Burma
28,000 (2003)

Burundi
14,000 (2003)

Cambodia
30,000 (2002)

Cameroon 60,000 (2002) note: Cameroon also had more than 100 cyber-cafes in 2001

Canada
16.11 million (2002)

Cape Verde
20,400 (2003)

Cayman Islands
NA

Central African Republic
5,000 (2002)

Chad
15,000 (2002)

Chile
3.575 million (2002)

China
94 million (2004)

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA

Colombia
2,732,200 (2003)

Comoros
5,000 (2003)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
50,000 (2002)

Congo, Republic of the
15,000 (2003)

Cook Islands
3,600 (2002)

Costa Rica
800,000 (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
90,000 (2002)

Croatia
1.014 million (2003)

Cuba
120,000 (2001)

Cyprus
210,000 (2002)

Czech Republic
2.7 million (2003)

Denmark
2.756 million (2002)

Djibouti
6,500 (2003)

Dominica
12,500 (2002)

Dominican Republic
500,000 (2003)

East Timor
NA

Ecuador
569,700 (2003)

Egypt
2.7 million (2003)

El Salvador
550,000 (2003)

Equatorial Guinea
1,800 (2002)

Eritrea
9,500 (2003)

Estonia
444,000 (2002)

Ethiopia
75,000 (2003)

European Union
206,032,067 (September 2004)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA; however one-half of all
households are reported to have internet access (2002)

Faroe Islands
25,000 (2002)

Fiji
55,000 (2003)

Finland
2.65 million (2002)

France
21.9 million (2003)

French Guiana
3,200 (2002)

French Polynesia
35,000 (2002)

Gabon
35,000 (2003)

Gambia, The
25,000 (2002)

Gaza Strip
60,000 (includes West Bank) (2001)

Georgia
150,500 (2003)

Germany
39 million (2003)

Ghana
170,000 (2002)

Gibraltar
6,200 (2002)

Greece
1,718,400 (2003)

Greenland
20,000 (2002)

Grenada
15,000 (2002)

Guadeloupe
20,000 (2002)

Guam
50,000 (2002)

Guatemala
400,000 (2002)

Guernsey
NA

Guinea
40,000 (2003)

Guinea-Bissau
19,000 (2003)

Guyana
125,000 (2002)

Haiti
80,000 (2002)

Holy See (Vatican City)
NA

Honduras
168,600 (2002)

Hong Kong
3,212,800 (2003)

Hungary
1.6 million (2002)

Iceland
195,000 (2003)

India
18.481 million (2003)

Indonesia
8 million (2002)

Iran
4.3 million (2003)

Iraq
25,000 (2002)

Ireland
1.26 million (2003)

Israel
2 million (2002)

Italy
18.5 million (2003)

Jamaica
600,000 (2002)

Japan
57.2 million (2002)

Jersey
NA

Jordan
457,000 (2003)

Kazakhstan
250,000 (2002)

Kenya
400,000 (2002)

Kiribati
2,000 (2002)

Korea, North
NA

Korea, South
29.22 million (2003)

Kuwait
567,000 (2003)

Kyrgyzstan
152,000 (2002)

Laos
15,000 (2002)

Latvia
936,000 (2003)

Lebanon
400,000 (2002)

Lesotho
21,000 (2002)

Liberia
1,000 (2002)

Libya
160,000 (2003)

Liechtenstein
20,000 (2002)

Lithuania
695,700 (2003)

Luxembourg
165,000 (2002)

Macau
120,000 (2003)

Macedonia
100,000 (2002)

Madagascar
70,500 (2003)

Malawi
36,000 (2003)

Malaysia
8,692,100 (2003)

Maldives
15,000 (2002)

Mali
25,000 (2002)

Malta
120,000 (2002)

Man, Isle of
NA

Marshall Islands
1,400 (2003)

Martinique
40,000 (2002)

Mauritania
10,000 (2002)

Mauritius
150,000 (2003)

Mayotte
NA

Mexico
10.033 million (2002)

Micronesia, Federated States of
6,000 (2002)

Moldova
150,000 (2002)

Monaco
16,000 (2002)

Mongolia
50,000 (2002)

Montserrat
NA

Morocco
800,000 (2003)

Mozambique
50,000 (2002)

Namibia
65,000 (2003)

Nauru
300 (2002)

Nepal
80,000 (2002)

Netherlands
8.5 million (2003)

Netherlands Antilles
2,000 (2000)

New Caledonia
60,000 (2003)

New Zealand
2.11 million (2003)

Nicaragua
90,000 (2002)

Niger
15,000 (2002)

Nigeria
750,000 (2003)

Niue
NA

Norfolk Island
NA

Northern Mariana Islands
NA

Norway
2.288 million (2002)

Oman
180,000 (2002)

Pakistan
1.5 million (2002)

Panama
120,000 (2002)

Papua New Guinea
75,000 (2002)

Paraguay
120,000 (2003)

Peru
2.85 million (2003)

Philippines
3.5 million (2002)

Pitcairn Islands
NA

Poland
8.97 million (2003)

Portugal
3.6 million (2002)

Puerto Rico
600,000 (2002)

Qatar
126,000 (2003)

Reunion
150,000 (2002)

Romania
4 million (2003)

Russia
6 million (2002)

Rwanda
25,000 (2002)

Saint Helena
500 (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
10,000 (2002)

Saint Lucia
13,000 (2002)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
7,000 (2002)

Samoa
4,000 (2002)

San Marino
14,300 (2002)

Sao Tome and Principe
15,000 (2003)

Saudi Arabia
1.5 million (2003)

Senegal
225,000 (2003)

Serbia and Montenegro
847,000 (2003)

Seychelles
11,700 (2002)

Sierra Leone
8,000 (2002)

Singapore
2.31 million (2002)

Slovakia
1,375,800 (2003)

Slovenia
750,000 (2002)

Solomon Islands
2,200 (2002)

Somalia
89,000 (2002)

South Africa
3.1 million (2002)

Spain
9.789 million (2003)

Sri Lanka
200,000 (2002)

Sudan
300,000 (2003)

Suriname
20,000 (2002)

Svalbard
NA

Swaziland
27,000 (2003)

Sweden
5.125 million (2002)

Switzerland
2.556 million (2002)

Syria
220,000 (2002)

Taiwan
8.83 million (2003)

Tajikistan
4,100 (2003)

Tanzania
250,000 (2003)

Thailand
6,031,300 (2003)

Togo
210,000 (2003)

Tokelau
NA

Tonga
2,900 (2002)

Trinidad and Tobago
138,000 (2002)

Tunisia
630,000 (2003)

Turkey
5.5 million (2003)

Turkmenistan
8,000 (2002)

Turks and Caicos Islands
NA

Tuvalu
1,300 (2002)

Uganda
125,000 (2003)

Ukraine
900,000 (2002)

United Arab Emirates
1,110,200 (2003)

United Kingdom
25 million (2002)

United States
159 million (2002)

Uruguay
400,000 (2002)

Uzbekistan
492,000 (2003)

Vanuatu
7,500 (2003)

Venezuela
1,274,400 (2002)

Vietnam
3.5 million (2003)

Virgin Islands
30,000 (2002)

Wallis and Futuna
900 (2002)

West Bank
145,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2003)

Western Sahara
NA

World
604,111,719 (2002 est.)

Yemen
100,000 (2002)

Zambia
68,200 (2003)

Zimbabwe
500,000 (2002)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2154 Internet country code

Afghanistan
.af

Albania
.al

Algeria
.dz

American Samoa
.as

Andorra
.ad

Angola
.ao

Anguilla
.ai

Antarctica
.aq

Antigua and Barbuda
.ag

Argentina
.ar

Armenia
.am

Aruba
.aw

Australia
.au

Austria
.at

Azerbaijan
.az

Bahamas, The
.bs

Bahrain
.bh

Bangladesh
.bd

Barbados
.bb

Belarus
.by

Belgium
.be

Belize
.bz

Benin
.bj

Bermuda
.bm

Bhutan
.bt

Bolivia
.bo

Bosnia and Herzegovina
.ba

Botswana
.bw

Bouvet Island
.bv

Brazil
.br

British Indian Ocean Territory
.io

British Virgin Islands
.vg

Brunei
.bn

Bulgaria
.bg

Burkina Faso
.bf

Burma
.mm

Burundi
.bi

Cambodia
.kh

Cameroon
.cm

Canada
.ca

Cape Verde
.cv

Cayman Islands
.ky

Central African Republic
.cf

Chad
.td

Chile
.cl

China
.cn

Christmas Island
.cx

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
.cc

Colombia
.co

Comoros
.km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
.cd

Congo, Republic of the
.cg

Cook Islands
.ck

Costa Rica
.cr

Cote d'Ivoire
.ci

Croatia
.hr

Cuba
.cu

Cyprus
.cy

Czech Republic
.cz

Denmark
.dk

Djibouti
.dj

Dominica
.dm

Dominican Republic
.do

East Timor
.tp

Ecuador
.ec

Egypt
.eg

El Salvador
.sv

Equatorial Guinea
.gq

Eritrea
.er

Estonia
.ee

Ethiopia
.et

European Union
.eu (effective 2005); note - see country entries of
member states for individual country codes

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
.fk

Faroe Islands
.fo

Fiji
.fj

Finland
.fi

France
.fr

French Guiana
.gf

French Polynesia
.pf

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
.tf

Gabon
.ga

Gambia, The
.gm

Gaza Strip
.ps

Georgia
.ge

Germany
.de

Ghana
.gh

Gibraltar
.gi

Greece
.gr

Greenland
.gl

Grenada
.gd

Guadeloupe
.gp

Guam
.gu

Guatemala
.gt

Guernsey
.gg

Guinea
.gn

Guinea-Bissau
.gw

Guyana
.gy

Haiti
.ht

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
.hm

Holy See (Vatican City)
.va

Honduras
.hn

Hong Kong
.hk

Hungary
.hu

Iceland
.is

India
.in

Indonesia
.id

Iran
.ir

Iraq
.iq

Ireland
.ie

Israel
.il

Italy
.it

Jamaica
.jm

Japan
.jp

Jersey
.je

Jordan
.jo

Kazakhstan
.kz

Kenya
.ke

Kiribati
.ki

Korea, North
.kp

Korea, South
.kr

Kuwait
.kw

Kyrgyzstan
.kg

Laos
.la

Latvia
.lv

Lebanon
.lb

Lesotho
.ls

Liberia
.lr

Libya
.ly

Liechtenstein
.li

Lithuania
.lt

Luxembourg
.lu

Macau
.mo

Macedonia
.mk

Madagascar
.mg

Malawi
.mw

Malaysia
.my

Maldives
.mv

Mali
.ml

Malta
.mt

Man, Isle of
.im

Marshall Islands
.mh

Martinique
.mq

Mauritania
.mr

Mauritius
.mu

Mayotte
.yt

Mexico
.mx

Micronesia, Federated States of
.fm

Moldova
.md

Monaco
.mc

Mongolia
.mn

Montserrat
.ms

Morocco
.ma

Mozambique
.mz

Namibia
.na

Nauru
.nr

Nepal
.np

Netherlands
.nl

Netherlands Antilles
.an

New Caledonia
.nc

New Zealand
.nz

Nicaragua
.ni

Niger
.ne

Nigeria
.ng

Niue
.nu

Norfolk Island
.nf

Northern Mariana Islands
.mp

Norway
.no

Oman
.om

Pakistan
.pk

Palau
.pw

Panama
.pa

Papua New Guinea
.pg

Paraguay
.py

Peru
.pe

Philippines
.ph

Pitcairn Islands
.pn

Poland
.pl

Portugal
.pt

Puerto Rico
.pr

Qatar
.qa

Reunion
.re

Romania
.ro

Russia
.ru; Russia also has responsibility for a legacy domain ".su"
that was allocated to the Soviet Union, and whose legal status and
ownership are contested by the Russian Government, ICANN, and
several Russian commercial entities

Rwanda
.rw

Saint Helena
.sh

Saint Kitts and Nevis
.kn

Saint Lucia
.lc

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
.pm

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
.vc

Samoa
.ws

San Marino
.sm

Sao Tome and Principe
.st

Saudi Arabia
.sa

Senegal
.sn

Serbia and Montenegro
.yu

Seychelles
.sc

Sierra Leone
.sl

Singapore
.sg

Slovakia
.sk

Slovenia
.si

Solomon Islands
.sb

Somalia
.so

South Africa
.za

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
.gs

Spain
.es

Sri Lanka
.lk

Sudan
.sd

Suriname
.sr

Svalbard
.sj

Swaziland
.sz

Sweden
.se

Switzerland
.ch

Syria
.sy

Taiwan
.tw

Tajikistan
.tj

Tanzania
.tz

Thailand
.th

Togo
.tg

Tokelau
.tk

Tonga
.to

Trinidad and Tobago
.tt

Tunisia
.tn

Turkey
.tr

Turkmenistan
.tm

Turks and Caicos Islands
.tc

Tuvalu
.tv

Uganda
.ug

Ukraine
.ua

United Arab Emirates
.ae

United Kingdom
.uk

United States
.us

Uruguay
.uy

Uzbekistan
.uz

Vanuatu
.vu

Venezuela
.ve

Vietnam
.vn

Virgin Islands
.vi

Wallis and Futuna
.wf

West Bank
.ps

Western Sahara
.eh

Yemen
.ye

Zambia
.zm

Zimbabwe
.zw

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2155 HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%)

Afghanistan
0.01% (2001 est.)

Albania
NA

Algeria
0.1% note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

American Samoa
NA

Andorra
NA

Angola
3.9% (2003 est.)

Anguilla
NA

Antigua and Barbuda
NA

Argentina
0.7% (2001 est.)

Armenia
0.1% (2003 est.)

Aruba
NA

Australia
0.1% (2003 est.)

Austria
0.3% (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
3% (2003 est.)

Bahrain
0.3% (2001 est.)

Bangladesh
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Barbados
1.5% (2003 est.)

Belarus
0.3% (2001 est.)

Belgium
0.2% (2003 est.)

Belize
2.4% (2003 est.)

Benin
1.9% (2003 est.)

Bermuda
NA

Bhutan
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Bolivia
0.1% (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Botswana
37.3% (2003 est.)

Brazil
0.7% (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
NA

Brunei
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
less than 0.1% - note: no country specific models provided
(2001 est.)

Burkina Faso
4.2% (2003 est.)

Burma
1.2% (2003 est.)

Burundi
6% (2003 est.)

Cambodia
2.6% (2003 est.)

Cameroon
6.9% (2003 est.)

Canada
0.3% (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
0.04% (2001 est.)

Cayman Islands
NA

Central African Republic
13.5% (2003 est.)

Chad
4.8% (2003 est.)

Chile
0.3% (2003 est.)

China
0.1% (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA

Colombia
0.7% (2003 est.)

Comoros
0.12% (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
4.2% (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
4.9% (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
NA

Costa Rica
0.6% (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
7% (2003 est.)

Croatia
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Cuba
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Cyprus
0.1% (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Denmark
0.2% (2003 est.)

Djibouti
2.9% (2003 est.)

Dominica
NA

Dominican Republic
1.7% (2003 est.)

East Timor
NA

Ecuador
0.3% (2003 est.)

Egypt
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

El Salvador
0.7% (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
3.4% (2001 est.)

Eritrea
2.7% (2003 est.)

Estonia
1% (2001 est.)

Ethiopia
4.4% (2003 est.)

European Union
NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA

Faroe Islands
NA

Fiji
0.1% (2003 est.)

Finland
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

France
0.4% (2003 est.)

French Guiana
NA

French Polynesia
NA

Gabon
8.1% (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
1.2% (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
NA

Georgia
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Germany
0.1% (2001 est.)

Ghana
3.1% (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
NA

Greece
0.2% (2001 est.)

Greenland
NA

Grenada
NA

Guadeloupe
NA

Guam
NA

Guatemala
1.1% (2003 est.)

Guernsey
NA

Guinea
3.2% (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
10% (2003 est.)

Guyana
2.5% (2003 est.)

Haiti
5.6% (2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
NA

Honduras
1.8% (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
0.1% (2003 est.)

Hungary
0.1% (2001 est.)

Iceland
0.2% (2001 est.)

India
0.8% (2001 est.)

Indonesia
0.1% (2003 est.)

Iran
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Iraq
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Ireland
0.1% (2001 est.)

Israel
0.1% (2001 est.)

Italy
0.4% (2001 est.)

Jamaica
1.2% (2003 est.)

Japan
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Jersey
NA

Jordan
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
0.1% (2001 est.)

Kenya
6.7% (2003 est.)

Kiribati
NA

Korea, North
NA

Korea, South
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Kuwait
0.12% (2001 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Laos
0.1% (2003 est.)

Latvia
0.4% (2001 est.)

Lebanon
0.09% (2001 est.)

Lesotho
28.9% (2003 est.)

Liberia
5.9% (2003 est.)

Libya
0.2% (2001 est.)

Liechtenstein
NA

Lithuania
0.1% (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
0.2% (2001 est.)

Macau
NA

Macedonia
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Madagascar
1.7% (2003 est.)

Malawi
14.2% (2003 est.)

Malaysia
0.4% (2003 est.)

Maldives
0.1% (2001 est.)

Mali
1.9% (2003 est.)

Malta
0.1% (2001 est.)

Man, Isle of
NA

Marshall Islands
NA

Martinique
NA

Mauritania
0.6% (2003 est.)

Mauritius
0.1% (2001 est.)

Mayotte
NA

Mexico
0.3% (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
NA

Moldova
0.2% (2001 est.)

Monaco
NA

Mongolia
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Montserrat
NA

Morocco
0.1% (2001 est.)

Mozambique
12.2% (2003 est.)

Namibia
21.3% (2003 est.)

Nauru
NA

Nepal
0.5% (2001 est.)

Netherlands
0.2% (2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
NA

New Caledonia
NA

New Zealand
0.1% (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
0.2% (2003 est.)

Niger
1.2% (2003 est.)

Nigeria
5.4% (2003 est.)

Niue
NA

Norfolk Island
NA

Northern Mariana Islands
NA

Norway
0.1% (2001 est.)

Oman
0.1% (2001 est.)

Pakistan
0.1% (2001 est.)

Palau
NA

Panama
0.9% (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
0.6% (2003 est.)

Paraguay
0.5% (2003 est.)

Peru
0.5% (2003 est.)

Philippines
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
NA

Poland
0.1% - note: no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

Portugal
0.5% (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
NA

Qatar
0.09% (2001 est.)

Reunion
NA

Romania
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Russia
0.9% (2001 est.)

Rwanda
5.1% (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
NA

Saint Lucia
NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
NA

Samoa
NA

San Marino
NA

Sao Tome and Principe
NA

Saudi Arabia
0.01% (2001 est.)

Senegal
0.8% (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
0.2% (2001 est.)

Seychelles
NA

Sierra Leone
7% (2001 est.)

Singapore
0.2% (2003 est.)

Slovakia
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Slovenia
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Solomon Islands
NA

Somalia
1% (2001 est.)

South Africa
21.5% (2003 est.)

Spain
0.5% (2001 est.)

Sri Lanka
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Sudan
2.6% (2001 est.)

Suriname
1.2% (2001 est.)

Svalbard
0% (2001)

Swaziland
38.8% (2003 est.)

Sweden
0.1% (2001 est.)

Switzerland
0.5% (2001 est.)

Syria
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Taiwan
NA

Tajikistan
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Tanzania
8.8% (2003 est.)

Thailand
1.5% (2003 est.)

Togo
4.1% (2003 est.)

Tokelau
NA

Tonga
NA

Trinidad and Tobago
3.2% (2003 est.)

Tunisia
less than 0.1% (2005 est.)

Turkey
less than 0.1% - note: no country specific models provided
(2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
less than 0.1% (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
NA

Tuvalu
NA

Uganda
4.1% (2003 est.)

Ukraine
2% (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
0.18% (2001 est.)

United Kingdom
0.1% (2001 est.)

United States
0.6% (2003 est.)

Uruguay
0.3% (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Vanuatu
NA

Venezuela
0.5% - note: no country specific models provided (2001
est.)

Vietnam
0.4% (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
NA

Wallis and Futuna
NA

West Bank
NA

Western Sahara
NA

World
NA

Yemen
0.1% (2001 est.)

Zambia
16.5% (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
33.7% (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2156 HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

Afghanistan
NA

Albania
NA

Algeria
9,100 (2003 est.)

American Samoa
NA

Andorra
NA

Angola
240,000 (2003 est.)

Anguilla
NA

Antigua and Barbuda
NA

Argentina
130,000 (2001 est.)

Armenia
2,600 (2003 est.)

Aruba
NA

Australia
14,000 (2003 est.)

Austria
10,000 (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
1,400 (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
5,600 (2003 est.)

Bahrain
less than 600 (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
13,000 (2001 est.)

Barbados
2,500 (2003 est.)

Belarus
15,000 (2001 est.)

Belgium
10,000 (2003 est.)

Belize
3,600 (2003 est.)

Benin
68,000 (2003 est.)

Bermuda
NA

Bhutan
less than 100 (1999 est.)

Bolivia
4,900 (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
900 (2003 est.)

Botswana
350,000 (2003 est.)

Brazil
660,000 (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
NA

Brunei
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
346 (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso
300,000 (2003 est.)

Burma
330,000 (2003 est.)

Burundi
250,000 (2003 est.)

Cambodia
170,000 (2003 est.)

Cameroon
560,000 (2003 est.)

Canada
56,000 (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
775 (2001)

Cayman Islands
NA

Central African Republic
260,000 (2003 est.)

Chad
200,000 (2003 est.)

Chile
26,000 (2003 est.)

China
840,000 (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA

Colombia
190,000 (2003 est.)

Comoros
NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
1.1 million (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
90,000 (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
NA

Costa Rica
12,000 (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
570,000 (2003 est.)

Croatia
200 (2001 est.)

Cuba
3,300 (2003 est.)

Cyprus
less than 1,000 (1999 est.)

Czech Republic
500 (2001 est.)

Denmark
5,000 (2003 est.)

Djibouti
9,100 (2003 est.)

Dominica
NA

Dominican Republic
88,000 (2003 est.)

East Timor
NA

Ecuador
21,000 (2003 est.)

Egypt
8,000 (2001 est.)

El Salvador
29,000 (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
5,900 (2001 est.)

Eritrea
60,000 (2003 est.)

Estonia
7,800 (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
1.5 million (2003 est.)

European Union
NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA

Faroe Islands
NA

Fiji
600 (2003 est.)

Finland
1,500 (2003 est.)

France
120,000 (2003 est.)

French Guiana
NA

French Polynesia
NA

Gabon
48,000 (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
6,800 (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
NA

Georgia
3,000 (2003 est.)

Germany
41,000 (2001 est.)

Ghana
350,000 (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
NA

Greece
8,800 (2001 est.)

Greenland
100 (1999)

Grenada
NA

Guadeloupe
NA

Guam
NA

Guatemala
78,000 (2003 est.)

Guernsey
NA

Guinea
140,000 (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
17,000 (2001 est.)

Guyana
11,000 (2003 est.)

Haiti
280,000 (2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
NA

Honduras
63,000 (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
2,600 (2003 est.)

Hungary
2,800 (2001 est.)

Iceland
220 (2001 est.)

India
3.97 million (2001 est.)

Indonesia
110,000 (2003 est.)

Iran
20,000 (2001 est.)

Iraq
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Ireland
2,400 (2001 est.)

Israel
2,400 (1999 est.)

Italy
100,000 (2001 est.)

Jamaica
22,000 (2003 est.)

Japan
12,000 (2003 est.)

Jersey
NA

Jordan
600 (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
6,000 (2001 est.)

Kenya
1.2 million (2003 est.)

Kiribati
NA

Korea, North
NA

Korea, South
8,300 (2003 est.)

Kuwait
NA

Kyrgyzstan
3,900 (2003 est.)

Laos
1,700 (2003 est.)

Latvia
5,000 (2001 est.)

Lebanon
2,800 (2003 est.)

Lesotho
320,000 (2003 est.)

Liberia
100,000 (2003 est.)

Libya
7,000 (2001 est.)

Liechtenstein
NA

Lithuania
1,300 (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Macau
NA

Macedonia
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Madagascar
140,000 (2003 est.)

Malawi
900,000 (2003 est.)

Malaysia
52,000 (2003 est.)

Maldives
less than 100 (2001 est.)

Mali
140,000 (2003 est.)

Malta
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
NA

Marshall Islands
NA

Martinique
NA

Mauritania
9,500 (2003 est.)

Mauritius
700 (2001 est.)

Mayotte
NA

Mexico
160,000 (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
NA

Moldova
5,500 (2001 est.)

Monaco
NA

Mongolia
less than 500 (2003 est)

Montserrat
NA

Morocco
13,000 (2001 est.)

Mozambique
1.3 million (2003 est.)

Namibia
210,000 (2001 est.)

Nauru
NA

Nepal
58,000 (2001 est.)

Netherlands
17,000 (2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
NA

New Caledonia
NA

New Zealand
1,400 (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
6,400 (2003 est.)

Niger
70,000 (2003 est.)

Nigeria
3.6 million (2003 est.)

Niue
NA

Norfolk Island
NA

Northern Mariana Islands
NA

Norway
1,800 (2001 est.)

Oman
1,300 (2001 est.)

Pakistan
78,000 (2001 est.)

Palau
NA

Panama
16,000 (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
16,000 (2003 est.)

Paraguay
3,000 (1999 est.)

Peru
82,000 (2003 est.)

Philippines
9,000 (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
NA

Poland
14,000 (2003 est.)

Portugal
27,000 (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
7,397 (1997)

Qatar
NA

Reunion
NA

Romania
6,500 (2001 est.)

Russia
700,000 (2001 est.)

Rwanda
250,000 (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
NA

Saint Lucia
NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
NA

Samoa
12

San Marino
NA

Sao Tome and Principe
NA

Saudi Arabia
NA

Senegal
44,000 (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
10,000 (2001 est.)

Seychelles
NA

Sierra Leone
170,000 (2001 est.)

Singapore
4,100 (2003 est.)

Slovakia
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Slovenia
280 (2001 est.)

Solomon Islands
NA

Somalia
43,000 (2001 est.)

South Africa
5.3 million (2003 est.)

Spain
130,000 (2001 est.)

Sri Lanka
4,800 (2001 est.)

Sudan
450,000 (2001 est.)

Suriname
3,700 (2001 est.)

Svalbard
0 (2001)

Swaziland
220,000 (2003 est.)

Sweden
3,300 (2001 est.)

Switzerland
19,000 (2001 est.)

Syria
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Taiwan
NA

Tajikistan
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Tanzania
1.6 million (2003 est.)

Thailand
570,000 (2003 est.)

Togo
110,000 (2003 est.)

Tokelau
NA

Tonga
NA

Trinidad and Tobago
29,000 (2003 est.)

Tunisia
1,000 (2003 est.)

Turkey
NA

Turkmenistan
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
NA

Tuvalu
NA

Uganda
600,000 (2001 est.)

Ukraine
250,000 (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates
NA

United Kingdom
34,000 (2001 est.)

United States
950,000 (2003 est.)

Uruguay
6,300 (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan
11,000 (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
NA

Venezuela
62,000 (1999 est.)

Vietnam
220,000 (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
NA

Wallis and Futuna
NA

West Bank
NA

Western Sahara
NA

World
NA

Yemen
9,900 (2001 est.)

Zambia
1.8 million (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
2.3 million (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2157 HIV/AIDS - deaths

Afghanistan
NA

Albania
NA

Algeria
less than 500 (2003 est.)

American Samoa
NA

Andorra
NA

Angola
21,000 (2003 est.)

Anguilla
NA

Antigua and Barbuda
NA

Argentina
1,500 (2001 est.)

Armenia
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Aruba
NA

Australia
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Austria
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
less than 100 (2001 est.)

Bahamas, The
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Bahrain
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
650 (2001 est.)

Barbados
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Belarus
1,000 (2001 est.)

Belgium
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Belize
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Benin
5,800 (2003 est.)

Bermuda
NA

Bhutan
NA

Bolivia
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
100 (2001 est.)

Botswana
33,000 (2003 est.)

Brazil
15,000 (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
NA

Brunei
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
100 (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso
29,000 (2003 est.)

Burma
20,000 (2003 est.)

Burundi
25,000 (2003 est.)

Cambodia
15,000 (2003 est.)

Cameroon
49,000 (2003 est.)

Canada
1,500 (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
225 (as of 2001)

Cayman Islands
NA

Central African Republic
23,000 (2003 est.)

Chad
18,000 (2003 est.)

Chile
1,400 (2003 est.)

China
44,000 (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
NA

Colombia
3,600 (2003 est.)

Comoros
NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
100,000 (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
9,700 (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
NA

Costa Rica
900 (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
47,000 (2001 est.)

Croatia
less than 10 (2001 est.)

Cuba
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Cyprus
NA

Czech Republic
less than 10 (2001 est.)

Denmark
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Djibouti
690 (2003 est.)

Dominica
NA

Dominican Republic
7,900 (2003 est.)

East Timor
NA

Ecuador
1,700 (2003 est.)

Egypt
700 (2003 est.)

El Salvador
2,200 (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
370 (2001 est.)

Eritrea
6,300 (2003 est.)

Estonia
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
120,000 (2003 est.)

European Union
NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA

Faroe Islands
NA

Fiji
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Finland
less than 100 (2003 est.)

France
less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

French Guiana
NA

French Polynesia
NA

Gabon
3,000 (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
600 (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
NA

Georgia
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Germany
less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Ghana
30,000 (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
NA

Greece
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Greenland
NA

Grenada
NA

Guadeloupe
NA

Guam
NA

Guatemala
5,800 (2003 est.)

Guernsey
NA

Guinea
9,000 (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
1,200 (2001 est.)

Guyana
1,100 (2003 est.)

Haiti
24,000 (2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
NA

Honduras
4,100 (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Hungary
less than 100 (2001 est.)

Iceland
less than 100 (2003 est.)

India
310,000 (2001 est.)

Indonesia
2,400 (2003 est.)

Iran
290 (2001 est.)

Iraq
NA

Ireland
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Israel
100 (2001 est.)

Italy
less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Jamaica
900 (2003 est.)

Japan
500 (2003 est.)

Jersey
NA

Jordan
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Kenya
150,000 (2003 est.)

Kiribati
NA

Korea, North
NA

Korea, South
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Kuwait
NA

Kyrgyzstan
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Laos
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Latvia
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Lebanon
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Lesotho
29,000 (2003 est.)

Liberia
7,200 (2003 est.)

Libya
NA

Liechtenstein
NA

Lithuania
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Macau
NA

Macedonia
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Madagascar
7,500 (2003 est.)

Malawi
84,000 (2003 est.)

Malaysia
2,000 (2003 est.)

Maldives
NA

Mali
12,000 (2003 est.)

Malta
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
NA

Marshall Islands
NA

Martinique
NA

Mauritania
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Mauritius
less than 100 (2001 est.)

Mayotte
NA

Mexico
5,000 (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
NA

Moldova
less than 300 (2001 est.)

Monaco
NA

Mongolia
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Montserrat
NA

Morocco
NA

Mozambique
110,000 (2003 est.)

Namibia
16,000 (2003 est.)

Nauru
NA

Nepal
2,400 (2001 est.)

Netherlands
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
NA

New Caledonia
NA

New Zealand
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Niger
4,800 (2003 est.)

Nigeria
310,000 (2003 est.)

Niue
NA

Norfolk Island
NA

Northern Mariana Islands
NA

Norway
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Oman
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Pakistan
4,500 (2001 est.)

Palau
NA

Panama
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
600 (2003 est.)

Paraguay
220 (2001 est.)

Peru
4,200 (2003 est.)

Philippines
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
NA

Poland
100 (2001 est.)

Portugal
less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
NA

Qatar
NA

Reunion
NA

Romania
350 (2001 est.)

Russia
9,000 (2001 est.)

Rwanda
22,000 (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
NA

Saint Lucia
NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
NA

Samoa
3

San Marino
NA

Sao Tome and Principe
NA

Saudi Arabia
NA

Senegal
3,500 (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Seychelles
NA

Sierra Leone
11,000 (2001 est.)

Singapore
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Slovakia
less than 100 (2001 est.)

Slovenia
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
NA

Somalia
NA

South Africa
370,000 (2003 est.)

Spain
less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Sudan
23,000 (2001 est.)

Suriname
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Svalbard
0 (2001)

Swaziland
17,000 (2003 est.)

Sweden
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Switzerland
less than 100 (2001 est.)

Syria
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Taiwan
NA

Tajikistan
less than 100 (2001 est.)

Tanzania
160,000 (2003 est.)

Thailand
58,000 (2003 est.)

Togo
10,000 (2003 est.)

Tokelau
NA

Tonga
NA

Trinidad and Tobago
1,900 (2003 est.)

Tunisia
less than 200 (2003 est.)

Turkey
NA

Turkmenistan
less than 100 (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
NA

Tuvalu
NA

Uganda
84,000 (2001 est.)

Ukraine
11,000 (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates
NA

United Kingdom
less than 500 (2003 est.)

United States
14,000 (2003 est.)

Uruguay
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
NA

Venezuela
2,000 (2001 est.)

Vietnam
9,000 (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
NA

Wallis and Futuna
NA

West Bank
NA

Western Sahara
NA

World
NA

Yemen
NA

Zambia
170,000 (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
200,000 (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2158 Currency code

Afghanistan
AFA

Albania
ALL

Algeria
DZD

American Samoa
USD

Andorra
EUR

Angola
AOA

Anguilla
XCD

Antigua and Barbuda
XCD

Argentina
ARS

Armenia
AMD

Aruba
AWG

Australia
AUD

Austria
EUR

Azerbaijan
AZM

Bahamas, The
BSD

Bahrain
BHD

Bangladesh
BDT

Barbados
BBD

Belarus
BYB/BYR

Belgium
EUR

Belize
BZD

Benin
XOF

Bermuda
BMD

Bhutan
BTN; INR

Bolivia
BOB

Bosnia and Herzegovina
BAM

Botswana
BWP

Brazil
BRL

British Virgin Islands
USD

Brunei
BND

Bulgaria
BGN

Burkina Faso
XOF

Burma
MMK

Burundi
BIF

Cambodia
KHR

Cameroon
XAF

Canada
CAD

Cape Verde
CVE

Cayman Islands
KYD

Central African Republic
XAF

Chad
XAF

Chile
CLP

China
CNY

Christmas Island
AUD

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
AUD

Colombia
COP

Comoros
KMF

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
CDF

Congo, Republic of the
XAF

Cook Islands
NZD

Costa Rica
CRC

Cote d'Ivoire
XOF

Croatia
HRK

Cuba
CUP

Cyprus
CYP; TRL

Czech Republic
CZK

Denmark
DKK

Djibouti
DJF

Dominica
XCD

Dominican Republic
DOP

East Timor
USD

Ecuador
USD

Egypt
EGP

El Salvador
USD

Equatorial Guinea
XAF

Eritrea
ERN

Estonia
EEK

Ethiopia
ETB

European Union
EUR

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
FKP

Faroe Islands
DKK

Fiji
FJD

Finland
EUR

France
EUR

French Guiana
EUR

French Polynesia
XPF

Gabon
XAF

Gambia, The
GMD

Gaza Strip
ILS

Georgia
GEL

Germany
EUR

Ghana
GHC

Gibraltar
GIP

Greece
EUR

Greenland
DKK

Grenada
XCD

Guadeloupe
EUR; FRF

Guam
USD

Guatemala
GTQ; USD

Guernsey
GBP

Guinea
GNF

Guinea-Bissau
XOF; GWP

Guyana
GYD

Haiti
HTG

Holy See (Vatican City)
EUR

Honduras
HNL

Hong Kong
HKD

Hungary
HUF

Iceland
ISK

India
INR

Indonesia
IDR

Iran
IRR

Iraq
NID, IQD prior to 22 January 2004

Ireland
EUR

Israel
ILS

Italy
EUR

Jamaica
JMD

Japan
JPY

Jersey
GBP

Jordan
JOD

Kazakhstan
KZT

Kenya
KES

Kiribati
AUD

Korea, North
KPW

Korea, South
KRW

Kuwait
KWD

Kyrgyzstan
KGS

Laos
LAK

Latvia
LVL

Lebanon
LBP

Lesotho
LSL; ZAR

Liberia
LRD

Libya
LYD

Liechtenstein
CHF

Lithuania
LTL

Luxembourg
EUR

Macau
MOP

Macedonia
MKD

Madagascar
MGF

Malawi
MWK

Malaysia
MYR

Maldives
MVR

Mali
XOF

Malta
MTL

Man, Isle of
GBP

Marshall Islands
USD

Martinique
EUR

Mauritania
MRO

Mauritius
MUR

Mayotte
EUR

Mexico
MXN

Micronesia, Federated States of
USD

Moldova
MDL

Monaco
EUR

Mongolia
MNT

Montserrat
XCD

Morocco
MAD

Mozambique
MZM

Namibia
NAD; ZAR

Nauru
AUD

Nepal
NPR

Netherlands
EUR

Netherlands Antilles
ANG

New Caledonia
XPF

New Zealand
NZD

Nicaragua
NIO

Niger
XOF

Nigeria
NGN

Niue
NZD

Norfolk Island
AUD

Northern Mariana Islands
USD

Norway
NOK

Oman
OMR

Pakistan
PKR

Palau
USD

Panama
PAB; USD

Papua New Guinea
PGK

Paraguay
PYG

Peru
PEN

Philippines
PHP

Pitcairn Islands
NZD

Poland
PLN

Portugal
EUR

Puerto Rico
USD

Qatar
QAR

Reunion
EUR

Romania
ROL

Russia
RUR

Rwanda
RWF

Saint Helena
SHP

Saint Kitts and Nevis
XCD

Saint Lucia
XCD

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
EUR

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
XCD

Samoa
SAT (former WST code is still in wide use)

San Marino
EUR

Sao Tome and Principe
STD

Saudi Arabia
SAR

Senegal
XOF

Serbia and Montenegro
CSD, EUR

Seychelles
SCR

Sierra Leone
SLL

Singapore
SGD

Slovakia
SKK

Slovenia
SIT

Solomon Islands
SBD

Somalia
SOS

South Africa
ZAR

Spain
EUR

Sri Lanka
LKR

Sudan
SDD

Suriname
SRG

Svalbard
NOK

Swaziland
SZL

Sweden
SEK

Switzerland
CHF

Syria
SYP

Taiwan
TWD

Tajikistan
TJS

Tanzania
TZS

Thailand
THB

Togo
XOF

Tokelau
NZD

Tonga
TOP

Trinidad and Tobago
TTD

Tunisia
TND

Turkey
TRL

Turkmenistan
TMM

Turks and Caicos Islands
USD

Tuvalu
AUD

Uganda
UGX

Ukraine
UAH

United Arab Emirates
AED

United Kingdom
GBP

United States
USD

Uruguay
UYU

Uzbekistan
UZS

Vanuatu
VUV

Venezuela
VEB

Vietnam
VND

Virgin Islands
USD

Wallis and Futuna
XPF

West Bank
ILS; JOD

Western Sahara
MAD

Yemen
YER

Zambia
ZMK

Zimbabwe
ZWD

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2172 Distribution of family income - Gini index

Algeria
35.3 (1995)

Armenia
44.4 (1996)

Australia
35.2 (1994)

Austria
31 (1995)

Azerbaijan
36 (1995)

Bangladesh
33.6 (FY95/96)

Belarus
21.7 (1998)

Belgium
28.7 (1996)

Bolivia
44.7 (1999)

Brazil
60.7 (1998)

Bulgaria
26.4 (2001)

Burkina Faso
48.2 (1994)

Burundi
42.5 (1998)

Cambodia
40.4 (1997)

Cameroon
47.7 (1996)

Canada
31.5 (1994)

Central African Republic
61.3 (1993)

Chile
56.7 (2000)

China
40 (2001)

Colombia
57.1 (1996)

Costa Rica
45.9 (1997)

Cote d'Ivoire
36.7 (1995)

Croatia
29 (1998)

Czech Republic
25.4 (1996)

Denmark
24.7 (1992)

Dominican Republic
47.4 (1998)

East Timor
38 (2002 est.)

Ecuador
43.7 (1995)

Egypt
34.4 (1999)

El Salvador
52.2 (1998)

Estonia
37 (1999)

Ethiopia
40 (1995)

European Union
31.1 (2003 est.)

Finland
25.6 (1991)

France
32.7 (1995)

Georgia
37.1 (1996)

Germany
30 (1994)

Ghana
40.7 (1999)

Greece
32.7 (1993)

Guatemala
55.8 (1998)

Guinea
40.3 (1994)

Honduras
56.3 (1998)

Hungary
24.4 (1998)

India
37.8 (1997)

Indonesia
37 (2001)

Ireland
35.9 (1987)

Israel
35.5 (2001)

Italy
27.3 (1995)

Jamaica
37.9 (2000)

Japan
24.9 (1993)

Jordan
36.4 (1997)

Kazakhstan
35.4 (1996)

Kenya
44.9 (1997)

Korea, South
31.6 (1993)

Kyrgyzstan
34.6 (1999)

Laos
37 (1997)

Latvia
32 (1999)

Lesotho
56 (1986-87)

Lithuania
34 (1999)

Madagascar
38.1 (1999)

Malaysia
49.2 (1997)

Mali
50.5 (1994)

Mauritania
37.3 (1995)

Mauritius
37 (1987 est.)

Mexico
53.1 (1998)

Moldova
40.6 (1997)

Mongolia
44 (1998)

Morocco
39.5 (1998-99)

Mozambique
39.6 (1996-97)

Namibia
70 (2003)

Nepal
36.7 (FY95/96)

Netherlands
32.6 (1994)

Nicaragua
60.3 (1998)

Niger
50.5 (1995)

Nigeria
50.6 (1996-97)

Norway
25.8 (1995)

Pakistan
41 (FY98/99)

Panama
48.5 (1997)

Papua New Guinea
50.9 (1996)

Paraguay
57.7 (1998)

Peru
46.2 (1996)

Philippines
48.1 (2000)

Poland
31.6 (1998)

Portugal
35.6 (1994-95)

Romania
31.1 (1998)

Russia
39.9 (2001)

Rwanda
28.9 (1985)

Senegal
41.3 (1995)

Sierra Leone
62.9 (1989)

Slovakia
26.3 (1996)

Slovenia
28.4 (1998)

South Africa
59.3 (1993-94)

Spain
32.5 (1990)

Sri Lanka
34.4 (1995)

Sweden
25 (1992)

Switzerland
33.1 (1992)

Taiwan

Tajikistan
34.7 (1998)

Tanzania
38.2 (1993)

Thailand
41.4 (1998)

Tunisia
41.7 (1995)

Turkey
44 (2002)

Turkmenistan
40.8 (1998)

Uganda
37.4 (1996)

Ukraine
29 (1999)

United Kingdom
36.8 (1995)

United States
45 (1997)

Uruguay
44.8 (1999)

Uzbekistan
44.7 (1998)

Venezuela
49.5 (1998)

Vietnam
36.1 (1998)

Yemen
33.4 (1998)

Zambia
52.6 (1998)

Zimbabwe
50.1 (1995)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2173 Oil - production (bbl/day)

Afghanistan
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Albania
5,952 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Algeria
1.52 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

American Samoa
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Angola
742,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Argentina
828,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Armenia
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Aruba
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Australia
731,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Austria
20,670 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
307,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bahamas, The
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bahrain
43,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bangladesh
3,581 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Barbados
1,271 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Belarus
37,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Belgium
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Belize
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Benin
700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bermuda
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bhutan
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bolivia
44,340 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Botswana
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Brazil
1.561 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

British Virgin Islands
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Brunei
217,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
603 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Burma
18,590 bbl/day (2002 est.)

Burundi
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cambodia
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cameroon
76,650 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Canada
2.738 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cape Verde
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cayman Islands
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Central African Republic
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Chad
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Chile
13,640 bbl/day (2001 est.)

China
3.3 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Colombia
614,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Comoros
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
275,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cook Islands
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Costa Rica
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Croatia
29,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cuba
50,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cyprus
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Czech Republic
7,419 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Denmark
346,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Djibouti
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Dominica
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Dominican Republic
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ecuador
421,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Egypt
816,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)

El Salvador
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
181,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Eritrea
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Estonia
5,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ethiopia
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

European Union
3.244 million bbl/day (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Faroe Islands
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Fiji
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Finland
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

France
34,920 bbl/day (2001 est.)

French Guiana
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

French Polynesia
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Gabon
301,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Gambia, The
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Georgia
2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Germany
85,860 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ghana
7,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Gibraltar
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Greece
5,992 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Greenland
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Grenada
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guadeloupe
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guam
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guatemala
21,080 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guinea
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guyana
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Haiti
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Honduras
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Hungary
41,190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Iceland
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

India
732,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Indonesia
1.451 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Iran
3.804 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Iraq
2.2 million bbl/day; note - prewar production was 2.8 million
bbl/day (January 2004 est.)

Ireland
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Israel
80 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Italy
79,460 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Jamaica
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Japan
17,330 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Jordan
40 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
798,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Kenya
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Kiribati
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Korea, North
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Korea, South
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Kuwait
2.27 million bbl/day (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Laos
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Latvia
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Lebanon
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Lesotho
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Liberia
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Libya
1.429 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Lithuania
4,594 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Macau
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Macedonia
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Madagascar
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Malawi
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Malaysia
690,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Maldives
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mali
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Malta
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Martinique
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mauritania
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mauritius
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mexico
3.59 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Moldova
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mongolia
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Montserrat
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Morocco
400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mozambique
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Namibia
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nauru
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nepal
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Netherlands
46,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

New Caledonia
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

New Zealand
42,160 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nicaragua
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Niger
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nigeria
2.256 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Niue
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Norway
3.408 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oman
963,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Pakistan
62,870 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Panama
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea
67,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Paraguay
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Peru
95,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Philippines
8,460 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Poland
17,180 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Portugal
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Qatar
864,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Reunion
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Romania
127,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Russia
7.286 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Rwanda
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Helena
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Lucia
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Samoa
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saudi Arabia
8.711 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Senegal
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
15,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Seychelles
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sierra Leone
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Singapore
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Slovakia
1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Slovenia
20 bbl/day NA bbl/day (2001 est.)

Solomon Islands
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Somalia
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

South Africa
196,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Spain
7,099 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sri Lanka
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sudan
209,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Suriname
10,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Swaziland
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sweden
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Switzerland
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Syria
522,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Taiwan
1,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tajikistan
250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tanzania
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Thailand
173,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Togo
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tonga
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
136,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tunisia
72,580 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Turkey
48,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
162,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
0 bbl/day NA (2001 est.)

Uganda
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ukraine
86,490 bbl/day (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates
2.566 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

United Kingdom
2.541 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

United States
8.054 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Uruguay
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan
142,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Vanuatu
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Venezuela
3.08 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Vietnam
356,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Virgin Islands
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Western Sahara
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

World
75.34 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Yemen
438,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Zambia
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Zimbabwe
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2174 Oil - consumption (bbl/day)

Afghanistan
3,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Albania
22,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Algeria
209,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

American Samoa
3,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Angola
31,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
3,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Argentina
486,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Armenia
5,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Aruba
6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Australia
796,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Austria
262,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
140,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bahamas, The
23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bahrain
31,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bangladesh
71,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Barbados
10,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Belarus
230,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Belgium
595,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Belize
5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Benin
11,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bermuda
4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bhutan
1,020 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bolivia
49,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Botswana
16,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Brazil
2.199 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

British Virgin Islands
420 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Brunei
13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
94,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso
8,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Burma
38,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Burundi
2,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cambodia
3,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cameroon
22,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Canada
1.703 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cape Verde
2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cayman Islands
2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Central African Republic
2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Chad
1,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Chile
241,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

China
4.57 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Colombia
252,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Comoros
700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
14,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cook Islands
450 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Costa Rica
37,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
32,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Croatia
89,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cuba
163,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cyprus
49,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Czech Republic
175,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Denmark
218,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Djibouti
11,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Dominica
600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Dominican Republic
129,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ecuador
129,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Egypt
562,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

El Salvador
39,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Eritrea
6,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Estonia
24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ethiopia
23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

European Union
14.48 million bbl/day (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Faroe Islands
4,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Fiji
5,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Finland
211,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

France
2.026 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

French Guiana
6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

French Polynesia
4,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Gabon
13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Gambia, The
1,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Georgia
31,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Germany
2.813 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ghana
38,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Gibraltar
42,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Greece
405,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Greenland
3,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Grenada
1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guadeloupe
13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guam
20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guatemala
61,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guinea
8,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
2,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guyana
11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Haiti
11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Honduras
29,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
257,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Hungary
140,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Iceland
16,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

India
2.13 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Indonesia
1.045 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Iran
1.277 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Iraq
460,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ireland
174,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Israel
260,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Italy
1.866 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Jamaica
66,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Japan
5.29 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Jordan
103,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
195,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Kenya
57,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Kiribati
190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Korea, North
85,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Korea, South
2.14 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Kuwait
293,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Laos
2,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Latvia
44,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Lebanon
107,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Lesotho
1,500 bbl/day (2001)

Liberia
3,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Libya
216,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Lithuania
72,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
50,650 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Macau
11,190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Macedonia
20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Madagascar
13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Malawi
5,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Malaysia
460,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Maldives
3,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mali
4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Malta
20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Martinique
13,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mauritania
24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mauritius
21,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mexico
1.507 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Moldova
24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mongolia
8,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Montserrat
400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Morocco
167,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mozambique
8,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Namibia
13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nauru
1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nepal
16,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Netherlands
895,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
72,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

New Caledonia
8,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

New Zealand
132,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nicaragua
24,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Niger
5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nigeria
275,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Niue
20 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Norway
171,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oman
53,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Pakistan
365,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Panama
52,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea
15,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Paraguay
25,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Peru
161,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Philippines
343,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Poland
424,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Portugal
339,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
190,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Qatar
29,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Reunion
18,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Romania
215,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Russia
2.595 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Rwanda
5,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Helena
200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
710 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Lucia
2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
1,250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Samoa
1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saudi Arabia
1.452 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Senegal
31,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
64,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Seychelles
4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sierra Leone
6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Singapore
700,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Slovakia
82,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Slovenia
53,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Solomon Islands
1,250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Somalia
4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

South Africa
460,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Spain
1.497 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sri Lanka
75,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sudan
50,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Suriname
10,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Swaziland
3,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sweden
328,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Switzerland
290,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Syria
265,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Taiwan
988,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tajikistan
20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tanzania
17,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Thailand
785,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Togo
10,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tonga
1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tunisia
87,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Turkey
619,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
63,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
0 bbl/day NA bbl/day (2001 est.)

Uganda
8,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ukraine
290,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates
310,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

United Kingdom
1.71 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

United States
19.65 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Uruguay
41,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan
142,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Vanuatu
600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Venezuela
505,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Vietnam
185,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Virgin Islands
66,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Western Sahara
1,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

World
75.81 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Yemen
74,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Zambia
11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Zimbabwe
23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2175 Oil - imports (bbl/day)

Afghanistan
NA (2001)

Albania
NA (2001)

Algeria
NA (2001)

American Samoa
NA (2001)

Angola
NA (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
NA (2001)

Argentina
NA (2001)

Armenia
NA (2001)

Aruba
NA (2001)

Australia
530,800 bbl/day (2001)

Austria
262,000 bbl/day (2001)

Azerbaijan
NA (2001)

Bahamas, The
NA (2001)

Bahrain
NA (2001)

Bangladesh
NA (2001)

Barbados
NA (2001)

Belarus
NA (2001)

Belgium
1.042 million bbl/day (2001)

Belize
NA (2001)

Benin
NA (2001)

Bermuda
NA (2001)

Bhutan
NA (2001)

Bolivia
NA (2001)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
NA (2001)

Botswana
NA (2001)

Brazil
NA (2001)

British Virgin Islands
NA (2001)

Brunei
NA (2001)

Bulgaria
NA (2001)

Burkina Faso
NA (2001)

Burma
NA (2001)

Burundi
NA (2001)

Cambodia
NA (2001)

Cameroon
NA (2001)

Canada
1.145 million bbl/day (2001)

Cape Verde
NA (2001)

Cayman Islands
NA (2001)

Central African Republic
NA (2001)

Chad
NA (2001)

Chile
NA (2001)

China
1.207 million bbl/day (2001)

Colombia
NA (2001)

Comoros
NA (2001)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
NA (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
NA (2001)

Cook Islands
NA (2001)

Costa Rica
NA (2001)

Cote d'Ivoire
NA (2001)

Croatia
NA (2001)

Cuba
NA (2001)

Cyprus
NA (2001)

Czech Republic
192,300 bbl/day (2001)

Denmark
195,000 bbl/day (2001)

Djibouti
NA (2001)

Dominica
NA (2001)

Dominican Republic
NA (2001)

Ecuador
NA (2001)

Egypt
NA (2001)

El Salvador
NA (2001)

Equatorial Guinea
NA (2001)

Eritrea
NA (2001)

Estonia
NA (2001)

Ethiopia
NA (2001)

European Union
16.97 million bbl/day (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA (2001)

Faroe Islands
NA (2001)

Fiji
NA (2001)

Finland
318,300 bbl/day (2001)

France
2.281 million bbl/day (2001)

French Guiana
NA (2001)

French Polynesia
NA (2001)

Gabon
NA (2001)

Gambia, The
NA (2001)

Georgia
NA (2001)

Germany
3.081 million bbl/day (2001)

Ghana
NA (2001)

Gibraltar
NA (2001)

Greece
468,300 bbl/day (2001)

Greenland
NA (2001)

Grenada
NA (2001)

Guadeloupe
NA (2001)

Guam
NA (2001)

Guatemala
NA (2001)

Guinea
NA (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
NA (2001)

Guyana
NA (2001)

Haiti
NA (2001)

Honduras
NA (2001)

Hong Kong
NA (2001)

Hungary
136,600 bbl/day (2001)

Iceland
15,470 bbl/day (2001)

India
NA (2001)

Indonesia
NA (2001)

Iran
NA (2001)

Iraq
NA (2001)

Ireland
178,600 bbl/day (2001)

Israel
NA (2001)

Italy
2.158 million bbl/day (2001)

Jamaica
NA (2001)

Japan
5.449 million bbl/day (2001)

Jordan
NA (2001)

Kazakhstan
NA (2001)

Kenya
NA (2001)

Kiribati
NA (2001)

Korea, North
NA (2001)

Korea, South
2.965 million bbl/day (2001)

Kuwait
NA (2003)

Kyrgyzstan
NA (2001)

Laos
NA (2001)

Latvia
NA (2001)

Lebanon
NA (2001)

Lesotho
NA (2001)

Liberia
NA (2001)

Libya
NA (2001)

Lithuania
NA (2001)

Luxembourg
50,700 bbl/day (2001)

Macau
NA (2001)

Macedonia
NA (2001)

Madagascar
NA (2001)

Malawi
NA (2001)

Malaysia
NA (2003)

Maldives
NA (2001)

Mali
NA (2001)

Malta
NA (2001)

Martinique
NA (2001)

Mauritania
NA (2001)

Mauritius
NA (2001)

Mexico
374,700 bbl/day (2001)

Moldova
NA (2001)

Mongolia
NA (2001)

Montserrat
NA (2001)

Morocco
NA (2001)

Mozambique
NA (2001)

Namibia
NA (2001)

Nauru
NA (2001)

Nepal
NA (2001)

Netherlands
2.284 million bbl/day (2001)

Netherlands Antilles
NA (2001)

New Caledonia
NA (2001)

New Zealand
119,700 bbl/day (2001)

Nicaragua
NA (2001)

Niger
NA (2001)

Nigeria
NA (2001)

Niue
NA (2001)

Norway
88,870 bbl/day (2001)

Oman
NA (2001)

Pakistan
NA (2001)

Panama
NA (2001)

Papua New Guinea
NA (2001)

Paraguay
NA (2001)

Peru
NA (2001)

Philippines
NA (2001)

Poland
413,700 bbl/day (2001)

Portugal
357,300 bbl/day (2001)

Puerto Rico
NA (2001)

Qatar
NA (2001)

Reunion
NA (2001)

Romania
NA (2001)

Russia
NA (2001)

Rwanda
NA (2001)

Saint Helena
NA (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
NA (2001)

Saint Lucia
NA (2001)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
NA (2001)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
NA (2001)

Samoa
NA (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
NA (2001)

Saudi Arabia
0 bbl/day (2003)

Senegal
NA (2001)

Serbia and Montenegro
NA (2001)

Seychelles
NA (2001)

Sierra Leone
NA (2001)

Singapore
NA (2001)

Slovakia
NA (2001)

Slovenia
NA (2001)

Solomon Islands
NA (2001)

Somalia
NA (2001)

South Africa
NA (2001)

Spain
1.582 million bbl/day (2001)

Sri Lanka
NA (2001)

Sudan
NA (2001)

Suriname
NA (2001)

Swaziland
NA (2001)

Sweden
553,100 bbl/day (2001)

Switzerland
289,500 bbl/day (2001)

Syria
NA (2001)

Taiwan
NA (2001)

Tajikistan
NA (2001)

Tanzania
NA (2001)

Thailand
NA (2001)

Togo
NA (2001)

Tonga
NA (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
NA (2001)

Tunisia
NA (2001)

Turkey
616,500 bbl/day (2001)

Turkmenistan
NA (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands
NA (2001)

Uganda
NA (2001)

Ukraine
NA (2001)

United Arab Emirates
NA (2001)

United Kingdom
1.418 million bbl/day (2001)

United States
NA (2001)

Uruguay
NA (2001)

Uzbekistan
NA (2001)

Vanuatu
NA (2001)

Venezuela
NA (2001)

Vietnam
NA (2001)

Virgin Islands
NA (2001)

Western Sahara
NA (2001)

Yemen
NA (2001)

Zambia
NA (2001)

Zimbabwe
NA (2001)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2176 Oil - exports (bbl/day)

Afghanistan
NA (2001)

Albania
NA (2001)

Algeria
NA (2001)

American Samoa
NA (2001)

Angola
NA (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
NA (2001)

Argentina
NA (2001)

Armenia
NA (2001)

Aruba
NA (2001)

Australia
523,400 bbl/day (2001)

Austria
35,470 bbl/day (2001)

Azerbaijan
NA (2001)

Bahamas, The
NA (2001)

Bahrain
NA (2001)

Bangladesh
NA (2001)

Barbados
NA (2001)

Belarus
NA (2001)

Belgium
450,000 bbl/day (2001)

Belize
NA (2001)

Benin
NA (2001)

Bermuda
NA (2001)

Bhutan
NA (2001)

Bolivia
NA (2001)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
NA (2001)

Botswana
NA (2001)

Brazil
NA (2001)

British Virgin Islands
NA (2001)

Brunei
NA (2001)

Bulgaria
NA (2001)

Burkina Faso
NA (2001)

Burma
NA (2001)

Burundi
NA (2001)

Cambodia
NA (2001)

Cameroon
NA (2001)

Canada
2.008 million bbl/day (2001)

Cape Verde
NA (2001)

Cayman Islands
NA (2001)

Central African Republic
NA (2001)

Chad
NA (2001)

Chile
NA (2001)

China
151,200 bbl/day (2001)

Colombia
NA (2001)

Comoros
NA (2001)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
NA (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
NA (2001)

Cook Islands
NA (2001)

Costa Rica
NA (2001)

Cote d'Ivoire
NA (2001)

Croatia
NA (2001)

Cuba
NA (2001)

Cyprus
NA (2001)

Czech Republic
26,670 bbl/day (2001)

Denmark
332,100 bbl/day (2001)

Djibouti
NA (2001)

Dominica
NA (2001)

Dominican Republic
NA (2001)

Ecuador
NA (2001)

Egypt
NA (2001)

El Salvador
NA (2001)

Equatorial Guinea
NA (2001)

Eritrea
NA (2001)

Estonia
NA (2001)

Ethiopia
NA (2001)

European Union
6.429 million bbl/day (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
NA (2001)

Faroe Islands
NA (2001)

Fiji
NA (2001)

Finland
101,000 bbl/day (2001)

France
409,600 bbl/day (2001)

French Guiana
NA (2001)

French Polynesia
NA (2001)

Gabon
NA (2001)

Gambia, The
NA (2001)

Georgia
NA (2001)

Germany
404,300 bbl/day (2001)

Ghana
NA (2001)

Gibraltar
NA (2001)

Greece
84,720 bbl/day (2001)

Greenland
NA (2001)

Grenada
NA (2001)

Guadeloupe
NA (2001)

Guam
NA (2001)

Guatemala
NA (2001)

Guinea
NA (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
NA (2001)

Guyana
NA (2001)

Haiti
NA (2001)

Honduras
NA (2001)

Hong Kong
NA (2001)

Hungary
47,180 bbl/day (2001)

Iceland
0 bbl/day (2001)

India
NA (2001)

Indonesia
NA (2001)

Iran
2.2 million bbl/day (2003)

Iraq
1.7 million bbl/day (January 2004)

Ireland
27,450 bbl/day (2001)

Israel
NA (2001)

Italy
456,600 bbl/day (2001)

Jamaica
NA (2001)

Japan
93,360 bbl/day (2001)

Jordan
NA (2001)

Kazakhstan
NA (2001)

Kenya
NA (2001)

Kiribati
NA (2001)

Korea, North
NA (2001)

Korea, South
804,700 bbl/day (2001)

Kuwait
1.97 million bbl/day (2003)

Kyrgyzstan
NA (2001)

Laos
NA (2001)

Latvia
NA (2001)

Lebanon
NA (2001)

Lesotho
NA (2001)

Libya
NA (2001)

Lithuania
NA (2001)

Luxembourg
634 bbl/day (2001)

Macau
NA (2001)

Macedonia
NA (2001)

Madagascar
NA (2001)

Malawi
NA (2001)

Malaysia
230,200 bbl/day (2003)

Maldives
NA (2001)

Mali
NA (2001)

Malta
NA (2001)

Martinique
NA (2001)

Mauritania
NA (2001)

Mauritius
NA (2001)

Mexico
1.881 million bbl/day (2001)

Moldova
NA (2001)

Mongolia
NA (2001)

Montserrat
NA (2001)

Morocco
NA (2001)

Mozambique
NA (2001)

Namibia
NA (2001)

Nauru
NA (2001)

Nepal
NA (2001)

Netherlands
1.418 million bbl/day (2001)

Netherlands Antilles
NA (2001)

New Caledonia
NA (2001)

New Zealand
30,220 bbl/day (2001)

Nicaragua
NA (2001)

Niger
NA (2001)

Nigeria
NA (2001)

Niue
NA (2001)

Norway
3.466 million bbl/day (2001)

Oman
NA (2001)

Pakistan
NA (2001)

Panama
NA (2001)

Papua New Guinea
NA (2001)

Paraguay
NA (2001)

Peru
NA (2001)

Philippines
NA (2001)

Poland
53,000 bbl/day (2001)

Portugal
28,830 bbl/day (2001)

Puerto Rico
NA (2001)

Qatar
NA (2001)

Reunion
NA (2001)

Romania
NA (2001)

Russia
NA (2001)

Rwanda
NA (2001)

Saint Helena
NA (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
NA (2001)

Saint Lucia
NA (2001)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
NA (2001)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
NA (2001)

Samoa
NA (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
NA (2001)

Saudi Arabia
7.92 million bbl/day (2003)

Senegal
NA (2001)

Serbia and Montenegro
NA (2001)

Seychelles
NA (2001)

Sierra Leone
NA (2001)

Singapore
NA (2001)

Slovakia
NA (2001)

Slovenia
NA (2001)

Solomon Islands
NA (2001)

Somalia
NA (2001)

South Africa
NA (2001)

Spain
135,100 bbl/day (2001)

Sri Lanka
NA (2001)

Sudan
NA (2001)

Suriname
NA (2001)

Swaziland
NA (2001)

Sweden
203,700 bbl/day (2001)

Switzerland
10,420 bbl/day (2001)

Syria
NA (2001)

Taiwan
NA (2001)

Tajikistan
NA (2001)

Tanzania
NA (2001)

Thailand
NA (2001)

Togo
NA (2001)

Tonga
NA (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
NA (2001)

Tunisia
NA (2001)

Turkey
46,110 bbl/day (2001)

Turkmenistan
NA (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands
NA (2001)

Uganda
NA (2001)

Ukraine
NA (2001)

United Arab Emirates
NA (2001)

United Kingdom
2.205 million bbl/day (2001)

United States
NA (2001)

Uruguay
NA (2001)

Uzbekistan
NA (2001)

Vanuatu
NA (2001)

Venezuela
NA (2001)

Vietnam
NA (2001)

Virgin Islands
NA (2001)

Western Sahara
NA (2001)

Yemen
NA (2001)

Zambia
NA (2001)

Zimbabwe
NA (2001)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2177 Median age (years)

Afghanistan
total: 17.5 years
male: 17.5 years
female: 17.6 years (2004 est.)

Albania
total: 28.2 years
male: 27.6 years
female: 28.7 years (2004 est.)

Algeria
total: 23.8 years
male: 23.7 years
female: 24 years (2004 est.)

American Samoa
total: 22.4 years
male: 22.1 years
female: 22.7 years (2004 est.)

Andorra
total: 39.7 years
male: 40 years
female: 39.4 years (2004 est.)

Angola
total: 18.1 years
male: 18.1 years
female: 18.1 years (2004 est.)

Anguilla
total: 30.4 years
male: 30.4 years
female: 30.3 years (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
total: 29.4 years
male: 28.9 years
female: 29.9 years (2004 est.)

Argentina
total: 29.2 years
male: 28.3 years
female: 30.1 years (2004 est.)

Armenia
total: 29.7 years
male: 27.1 years
female: 32.4 years (2004 est.)

Aruba
total: 37.5 years
male: 35.7 years
female: 39.1 years (2004 est.)

Australia
total: 36.3 years
male: 35.5 years
female: 37.1 years (2004 est.)

Austria
total: 40 years
male: 38.8 years
female: 41.2 years (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
total: 27.3 years
male: 25.9 years
female: 28.8 years (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
total: 27.3 years
male: 26.5 years
female: 28 years (2004 est.)

Bahrain
total: 29 years
male: 31.9 years
female: 25.3 years (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
total: 21.5 years
male: 21.5 years
female: 21.5 years (2004 est.)

Barbados
total: 33.7 years
male: 32.6 years
female: 34.9 years (2004 est.)

Belarus
total: 36.9 years
male: 34.2 years
female: 39.5 years (2004 est.)

Belgium
total: 40.2 years
male: 38.9 years
female: 41.5 years (2004 est.)

Belize
total: 19.1 years
male: 19 years
female: 19.3 years (2004 est.)

Benin
total: 16.5 years
male: 16 years
female: 16.9 years (2004 est.)

Bermuda
total: 39.2 years
male: 38.3 years
female: 40.1 years (2004 est.)

Bhutan
total: 20.2 years
male: 20 years
female: 20.3 years (2004 est.)

Bolivia
total: 21.1 years
male: 20.4 years
female: 21.8 years (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
total: 35.9 years
male: 35.5 years
female: 36.2 years (2004 est.)

Botswana
total: 19.2 years
male: 18.5 years
female: 19.9 years (2004 est.)

Brazil
total: 27.4 years
male: 26.7 years
female: 28.2 years (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
total: 30.9 years
male: 31.1 years
female: 30.7 years (2004 est.)

Brunei
total: 26.7 years
male: 27.3 years
female: 26 years (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
total: 40.5 years
male: 38.4 years
female: 42.4 years (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
total: 16.8 years
male: 16.4 years
female: 17.2 years (2004 est.)

Burma
total: 25.7 years
male: 25.2 years
female: 26.3 years (2004 est.)

Burundi
total: 16.5 years
male: 16.1 years
female: 16.8 years (2004 est.)

Cambodia
total: 19.5 years
male: 18.8 years
female: 20.4 years (2004 est.)

Cameroon
total: 18.5 years
male: 18.3 years
female: 18.6 years (2004 est.)

Canada
total: 38.2 years
male: 37.2 years
female: 39.2 years (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
total: 19 years
male: 18.2 years
female: 19.9 years (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands
total: 36.5 years
male: 36.2 years
female: 36.8 years (2004 est.)

Central African Republic
total: 18 years
male: 17.7 years
female: 18.4 years (2004 est.)

Chad
total: 16 years
male: 15.3 years
female: 16.7 years (2004 est.)

Chile
total: 29.8 years
male: 28.9 years
female: 30.7 years (2004 est.)

China
total: 31.8 years
male: 31.5 years
female: 32.2 years (2004 est.)

Colombia
total: 25.8 years
male: 24.9 years
female: 26.7 years (2004 est.)

Comoros
total: 18.6 years
male: 18.3 years
female: 18.9 years (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
total: 15.8 years
male: 15.4 years
female: 16.2 years (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
total: 20.4 years
male: 20 years
female: 20.9 years (2004 est.)

Costa Rica
total: 25.7 years
male: 25.2 years
female: 26.2 years (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
total: 17 years
male: 17.4 years
female: 16.7 years (2004 est.)

Croatia
total: 39.7 years
male: 37.7 years
female: 41.5 years (2004 est.)

Cuba
total: 34.8 years
male: 34.2 years
female: 35.5 years (2004 est.)

Cyprus
total: 34.4 years
male: 33.4 years
female: 35.5 years (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
total: 38.6 years
male: 36.9 years
female: 40.5 years (2004 est.)

Denmark
total: 39.2 years
male: 38.3 years
female: 40.2 years (2004 est.)

Djibouti
total: 18.3 years
male: 18.8 years
female: 17.7 years (2004 est.)

Dominica
total: 29 years
male: 28.7 years
female: 29.4 years (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
total: 23.7 years
male: 23.5 years
female: 23.9 years (2004 est.)

East Timor
total: 20 years
male: 20.1 years
female: 19.9 years (2004 est.)

Ecuador
total: 23 years
male: 22.5 years
female: 23.5 years (2004 est.)

Egypt
total: 23.4 years
male: 23 years
female: 23.8 years (2004 est.)

El Salvador
total: 21.4 years
male: 20.2 years
female: 22.5 years (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
total: 18.7 years
male: 18.1 years
female: 19.4 years (2004 est.)

Eritrea
total: 17.5 years
male: 17.3 years
female: 17.7 years (2004 est.)

Estonia
total: 38.8 years
male: 35.1 years
female: 42.1 years (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
total: 17.4 years
male: 17.3 years
female: 17.4 years (2004 est.)

European Union
NA

Faroe Islands
total: 35.1 years
male: 34.6 years
female: 35.8 years (2004 est.)

Fiji
total: 24 years
male: 23.6 years
female: 24.4 years (2004 est.)

Finland
total: 40.7 years
male: 39.1 years
female: 42.2 years (2004 est.)

France
total: 38.6 years
male: 37 years
female: 40.1 years (2004 est.)

French Guiana
total: 28.3 years
male: 29.4 years
female: 27.2 years (2004 est.)

French Polynesia
total: 27.1 years
male: 27.4 years
female: 26.7 years (2004 est.)

Gabon
total: 18.5 years
male: 18.3 years
female: 18.8 years (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
total: 17.5 years
male: 17.4 years
female: 17.7 years (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
total: 15.5 years
male: 15.3 years
female: 15.6 years (2004 est.)

Georgia
total: 37 years
male: 34.5 years
female: 39.2 years (2004 est.)

Germany
total: 41.7 years
male: 40.4 years
female: 43.2 years (2004 est.)

Ghana
total: 20 years
male: 19.8 years
female: 20.3 years (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
total: 39 years
male: 38.8 years
female: 39.2 years (2004 est.)

Greece
total: 40.2 years
male: 39.1 years
female: 41.3 years (2004 est.)

Greenland
total: 33.5 years
male: 34.8 years
female: 31.9 years (2004 est.)

Grenada
total: 20.9 years
male: 21.4 years
female: 20.4 years (2004 est.)

Guadeloupe
total: 31.4 years
male: 30.6 years
female: 32.3 years (2004 est.)

Guam
total: 28.2 years
male: 28 years
female: 28.4 years (2004 est.)

Guatemala
total: 18.4 years
male: 18.1 years
female: 18.6 years (2004 est.)

Guernsey
total: 40.6 years
male: 39.6 years
female: 41.5 years (2004 est.)

Guinea
total: 17.7 years
male: 17.4 years
female: 17.9 years (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
total: 18.9 years
male: 18.3 years
female: 19.5 years (2004 est.)

Guyana
total: 26.2 years
male: 25.6 years
female: 26.8 years (2004 est.)

Haiti
total: 18.1 years
male: 17.6 years
female: 18.7 years (2004 est.)

Honduras
total: 19 years
male: 18.6 years
female: 19.4 years (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
total: 39.4 years
male: 39.3 years
female: 39.6 years (2004 est.)

Hungary
total: 38.4 years
male: 35.9 years
female: 41.1 years (2004 est.)

Iceland
total: 33.8 years
male: 33.3 years
female: 34.3 years (2004 est.)

India
total: 24.4 years
male: 24.4 years
female: 24.4 years (2004 est.)

Indonesia
total: 26.1 years
male: 25.7 years
female: 26.6 years (2004 est.)

Iran
total: 23.5 years
male: 23.3 years
female: 23.7 years (2004 est.)

Iraq
total: 19.2 years
male: 19.1 years
female: 19.3 years (2004 est.)

Ireland
total: 33.4 years
male: 32.6 years
female: 34.2 years (2004 est.)

Israel
total: 29.2 years
male: 28.3 years
female: 30 years (2004 est.)

Italy
total: 41.4 years
male: 39.8 years
female: 43 years (2004 est.)

Jamaica
total: 26.8 years
male: 26.2 years
female: 27.6 years (2004 est.)

Japan
total: 42.3 years
male: 40.5 years
female: 44.1 years (2004 est.)

Jersey
total: 40.3 years
male: 39.6 years
female: 41.1 years (2004 est.)

Jordan
total: 22.2 years
male: 22.8 years
female: 21.5 years (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
total: 28.3 years
male: 26.6 years
female: 30 years (2004 est.)

Kenya
total: 18.6 years
male: 18.5 years
female: 18.7 years (2004 est.)

Kiribati
total: 19.8 years
male: 19.4 years
female: 20.3 years (2004 est.)

Korea, North
total: 31.4 years
male: 30.2 years
female: 32.6 years (2004 est.)

Korea, South
total: 33.7 years
male: 32.8 years
female: 34.7 years (2004 est.)

Kuwait
total: 25.9 years
male: 28.2 years
female: 22 years (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
total: 23.1 years
male: 22.2 years
female: 24 years (2004 est.)

Laos
total: 18.6 years
male: 18.3 years
female: 19 years (2004 est.)

Latvia
total: 38.8 years
male: 35.6 years
female: 41.9 years (2004 est.)

Lebanon
total: 26.9 years
male: 25.9 years
female: 27.9 years (2004 est.)

Lesotho
total: 20 years
male: 19.5 years
female: 20.6 years (2004 est.)

Liberia
total: 18.1 years
male: 17.7 years
female: 18.4 years (2004 est.)

Libya
total: 22.4 years
male: 22.5 years
female: 22.2 years (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
total: 38.8 years
male: 38.3 years
female: 39.3 years (2004 est.)

Lithuania
total: 37.4 years
male: 34.8 years
female: 40.1 years (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
total: 38.3 years
male: 37.4 years
female: 39.3 years (2004 est.)

Macau
total: 35.2 years
male: 34.9 years
female: 35.4 years (2004 est.)

Macedonia
total: 32.8 years
male: 31.7 years
female: 33.9 years (2004 est.)

Madagascar
total: 17.4 years
male: 17.2 years
female: 17.7 years (2004 est.)

Malawi
total: 16.4 years
male: 16.1 years
female: 16.7 years (2004 est.)

Malaysia
total: 23.8 years
male: 23.2 years
female: 24.4 years (2004 est.)

Maldives
total: 17.5 years
male: 17.4 years
female: 17.6 years (2004 est.)

Mali
total: 16.3 years
male: 15.7 years
female: 16.9 years (2004 est.)

Malta
total: 38 years
male: 36.6 years
female: 39.5 years (2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
total: 39.3 years
male: 38 years
female: 40.8 years (2004 est.)

Marshall Islands
total: 19.6 years
male: 19.6 years
female: 19.6 years (2004 est.)

Martinique
total: 33.1 years
male: 32.5 years
female: 33.8 years (2004 est.)

Mauritania
total: 16.9 years
male: 16.7 years
female: 17.2 years (2004 est.)

Mauritius
total: 30.1 years
male: 29.3 years
female: 31.1 years (2004 est.)

Mayotte
total: 16.9 years
male: 18.1 years
female: 15.8 years (2004 est.)

Mexico
total: 24.6 years
male: 23.7 years
female: 25.5 years (2004 est.)

Moldova
total: 32.1 years
male: 29.9 years
female: 34.3 years (2004 est.)

Monaco
total: 45.1 years
male: 43.1 years
female: 47.1 years (2004 est.)

Mongolia
total: 23.9 years
male: 23.6 years
female: 24.3 years (2004 est.)

Montserrat
total: 28.2 years
male: 28 years
female: 28.4 years (2004 est.)

Morocco
total: 23.3 years
male: 22.8 years
female: 23.8 years (2004 est.)

Mozambique
total: 18.2 years
male: 17.8 years
female: 18.6 years (2004 est.)

Namibia
total: 18.3 years
male: 18 years
female: 18.6 years (2004 est.)

Nauru
total: 19.9 years
male: 19.5 years
female: 20.4 years (2004 est.)

Nepal
total: 19.9 years
male: 19.7 years
female: 20 years (2004 est.)

Netherlands
total: 38.7 years
male: 37.9 years
female: 39.6 years (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
total: 32.1 years
male: 30.6 years
female: 33.6 years (2004 est.)

New Caledonia
total: 27.2 years
male: 26.9 years
female: 27.5 years (2004 est.)

New Zealand
total: 33.4 years
male: 32.6 years
female: 34.1 years (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
total: 20.2 years
male: 19.8 years
female: 20.6 years (2004 est.)

Niger
total: 16.2 years
male: 15.7 years
female: 16.7 years (2004 est.)

Nigeria
total: 18.1 years
male: 18.2 years
female: 17.9 years (2004 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
total: 29.2 years
male: 31.4 years
female: 28.2 years (2004 est.)

Norway
total: 37.9 years
male: 37 years
female: 38.8 years (2004 est.)

Oman
total: 19.3 years
male: 22.1 years
female: 16.4 years (2004 est.)

Pakistan
total: 19.4 years
male: 19.2 years
female: 19.5 years (2004 est.)

Palau
total: 31.1 years
male: 32.1 years
female: 30 years (2004 est.)

Panama
total: 25.9 years
male: 25.6 years
female: 26.2 years (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
total: 21 years
male: 21.1 years
female: 20.8 years (2004 est.)

Paraguay
total: 21.1 years
male: 20.8 years
female: 21.3 years (2004 est.)

Peru
total: 24.6 years
male: 24.4 years
female: 24.9 years (2004 est.)

Philippines
total: 22.1 years
male: 21.6 years
female: 22.6 years (2004 est.)

Poland
total: 36.2 years
male: 34.3 years
female: 38.2 years (2004 est.)

Portugal
total: 37.9 years
male: 35.8 years
female: 40 years (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
total: 33.8 years
male: 32.1 years
female: 35.4 years (2004 est.)

Qatar
total: 31.4 years
male: 36.7 years
female: 22 years (2004 est.)

Reunion
total: 26.5 years
male: 25.4 years
female: 27.7 years (2004 est.)

Romania
total: 36.1 years
male: 34.7 years
female: 37.5 years (2004 est.)

Russia
total: 37.9 years
male: 34.7 years
female: 40.7 years (2004 est.)

Rwanda
total: 18.2 years
male: 18 years
female: 18.4 years (2004 est.)

Saint Helena
total: 34.7 years
male: 34.9 years
female: 34.5 years (2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
total: 27.3 years
male: 26.5 years
female: 28.1 years (2004 est.)

Saint Lucia
total: 24.5 years
male: 23.7 years
female: 25.3 years (2004 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
total: 33.3 years
male: 33 years
female: 33.6 years (2004 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
total: 25.8 years
male: 25.7 years
female: 26 years (2004 est.)

Samoa
total: 24.2 years
male: 26.8 years
female: 20.8 years (2004 est.)

San Marino
total: 40 years
male: 39.6 years
female: 40.3 years (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
total: 16.1 years
male: 15.5 years
female: 16.7 years (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
total: 21.2 years
male: 22.8 years
female: 19.1 years (2004 est.)

Senegal
total: 18 years
male: 17.4 years
female: 18.5 years (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
total: 36.6 years
male: 35.1 years
female: 38.1 years (2004 est.)

Seychelles
total: 27.3 years
male: 26.2 years
female: 28.4 years (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
total: 17.5 years
male: 17.2 years
female: 17.8 years (2004 est.)

Singapore
total: 36.2 years
male: 35.9 years
female: 36.6 years (2004 est.)

Slovakia
total: 35.1 years
male: 33.5 years
female: 36.9 years (2004 est.)

Slovenia
total: 39.8 years
male: 38.3 years
female: 41.3 years (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
total: 18.4 years
male: 18.3 years
female: 18.5 years (2004 est.)

Somalia
total: 17.6 years
male: 17.5 years
female: 17.6 years (2004 est.)

South Africa
total: 24.7 years
male: 24.2 years
female: 25.3 years (2004 est.)

Spain
total: 39.1 years
male: 37.8 years
female: 40.5 years (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
total: 29.1 years
male: 28 years
female: 30.1 years (2004 est.)

Sudan
total: 17.9 years
male: 17.7 years
female: 18.1 years (2004 est.)

Suriname
total: 25.8 years
male: 25.4 years
female: 26.3 years (2004 est.)

Swaziland
total: 18.6 years
male: 18.4 years
female: 18.8 years (2004 est.)

Sweden
total: 40.3 years
male: 39.2 years
female: 41.5 years (2004 est.)

Switzerland
total: 39.5 years
male: 38.5 years
female: 40.5 years (2004 est.)

Syria
total: 20 years
male: 19.9 years
female: 20.2 years (2004 est.)

Taiwan
total: 33.7 years
male: 33.3 years
female: 34.1 years (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
total: 19.5 years
male: 19.2 years
female: 19.8 years (2004 est.)

Tanzania
total: 17.6 years
male: 17.3 years
female: 17.8 years (2004 est.)

Thailand
total: 30.5 years
male: 29.7 years
female: 31.2 years (2004 est.)

Togo
total: 17.6 years
male: 17.2 years
female: 17.9 years (2004 est.)

Tonga
total: 20.1 years
male: 19.7 years
female: 20.7 years (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
total: 30.4 years
male: 30 years
female: 30.9 years (2004 est.)

Tunisia
total: 26.8 years
male: 26.3 years
female: 27.3 years (2004 est.)

Turkey
total: 27.3 years
male: 27.1 years
female: 27.5 years (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
total: 21.3 years
male: 20.4 years
female: 22.2 years (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
total: 27.2 years
male: 27.9 years
female: 26.5 years (2004 est.)

Tuvalu
total: 24.2 years
male: 23.1 years
female: 25.6 years (2004 est.)

Uganda
total: 14.8 years
male: 14.7 years
female: 14.9 years (2004 est.)

Ukraine
total: 38.1 years
male: 34.8 years
female: 41.1 years (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
total: 27.7 years
male: 35.7 years
female: 22.4 years (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
total: 38.7 years
male: 37.6 years
female: 39.8 years (2004 est.)

United States
total: 36 years
male: 34.7 years
female: 37.4 years (2004 est.)

Uruguay
total: 32.2 years
male: 30.7 years
female: 33.7 years (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
total: 22.1 years
male: 21.4 years
female: 22.7 years (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
total: 22.3 years
male: 22.3 years
female: 22.2 years (2004 est.)

Venezuela
total: 25.2 years
male: 24.6 years
female: 25.8 years (2004 est.)

Vietnam
total: 24.9 years
male: 24 years
female: 25.9 years (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
total: 35.9 years
male: 35.1 years
female: 36.7 years (2004 est.)

West Bank
total: 18 years
male: 17.8 years
female: 18.2 years (2004 est.)

Yemen
total: 16.5 years
male: 16.5 years
female: 16.5 years (2004 est.)

Zambia
total: 16.6 years
male: 16.5 years
female: 16.6 years (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
total: 19.1 years
male: 19.1 years
female: 19.1 years (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2178 Oil - proved reserves (bbl)

Afghanistan
0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Albania
185.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Algeria
13.1 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Angola
5.691 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Argentina
2.927 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Australia
3.664 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Austria
85.69 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Azerbaijan
589 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Bahrain
125 million bbl (1 January 2003)

Bangladesh
28.45 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Barbados
1.254 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Benin
4.105 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Bolivia
458.8 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Brazil
8.507 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Brunei
1.255 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Bulgaria
8.1 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Burma
115 million bbl (1 January 2003)

Cameroon
200 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Canada
5.112 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Chile
81.05 million bbl (1 January 2002)

China
26.75 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Colombia
1.8 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
1.538 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Congo, Republic of the
93.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
50 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Croatia
93.6 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Cuba
532 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Czech Republic
17.25 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Denmark
1.23 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Ecuador
2.358 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Egypt
3.308 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Equatorial Guinea
563.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Ethiopia
214,000 bbl (1 January 2002)

European Union
7.467 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

France
144.3 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Gabon
2.45 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Germany
327.3 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Ghana
8.255 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Greece
4.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Guatemala
263 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Hungary
110.7 million bbl (1 January 2002)

India
4.33 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Indonesia
7.083 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Iran
94.39 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Iraq
113.8 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Ireland
0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Israel
1.92 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Italy
586.6 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Japan
29.29 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Jordan
445,000 bbl (1 January 2002)

Kazakhstan
2.709 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Kuwait
97.68 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Libya
29.75 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Madagascar
0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Malaysia
3.729 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Mexico
15.11 billion bbl (1 January 2003)

Morocco
900,000 bbl (1 January 2002)

Mozambique
0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Namibia
0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Netherlands
88.06 million bbl (1 January 2002)

New Zealand
89.62 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Nigeria
27 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Norway
9.859 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Oman
5.703 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Pakistan
297.1 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Papua New Guinea
345.2 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Peru
614.7 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Philippines
164 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Poland
116.4 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Qatar
14.51 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Romania
1.055 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Russia
51.22 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Rwanda
0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Saudi Arabia
261.7 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Serbia and Montenegro
38.75 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Slovakia
4.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Somalia
0 bbl (1 January 2002)

South Africa
7.84 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Spain
10.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Sudan
631.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Suriname
37 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Syria
2.4 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Taiwan
2 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Tanzania
0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Thailand
600 million bbl (1 January 2003)

Trinidad and Tobago
990 million bbl (1 January 2004)

Tunisia
417 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Turkey
288.4 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Turkmenistan
273 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Ukraine
197.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

United Arab Emirates
80.31 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

United Kingdom
4.741 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

United States
22.45 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Uzbekistan
297 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Venezuela
63.95 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Vietnam
1.4 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

World
1.025 trillion bbl (1 January 2002)

Yemen
3.2 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2179 Natural gas - proved reserves (cu m)

Afghanistan
49.98 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Albania
3.316 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Algeria
4.739 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Angola
79.57 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Argentina
768 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Australia
2.407 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Austria
24.9 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Azerbaijan
62.3 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Bahrain
46 billion cu m (1 January 2003)

Bangladesh
150.3 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Barbados
70.79 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Benin
608.8 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Bolivia
727.2 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Brazil
221.7 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Brunei
315 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Bulgaria
3.724 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Burma
314.4 billion cu m (1 January 2003)

Cameroon
55.22 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Canada
1.691 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Chile
67.78 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

China
1.29 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Colombia
132 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
104.8 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Congo, Republic of the
495.5 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
14.87 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Croatia
34.36 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Cuba
42.62 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Czech Republic
3.057 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Denmark
81.98 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Ecuador
106.5 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Egypt
1.264 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Equatorial Guinea
68.53 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Ethiopia
12.46 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

European Union
3.262 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

France
12.86 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Gabon
66.47 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Germany
298.3 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Ghana
11.89 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Greece
254.9 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Guatemala
1.543 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Hungary
50.45 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

India
542.4 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Indonesia
2.549 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Iran
24.8 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Iraq
3.149 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Ireland
9.911 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Israel
20.81 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Italy
209.7 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Japan
20.02 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Jordan
3.256 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Kazakhstan
920.3 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Kuwait
1.548 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Libya
1.321 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Madagascar
0 cu m (1 January 2002)

Malaysia
2.23 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Mexico
969.2 billion cu m (1 January 2003)

Morocco
665.4 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Mozambique
63.71 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Namibia
31.15 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Netherlands
1.693 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

New Zealand
58.94 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Nigeria
4.007 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Norway
1.716 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Oman
846.4 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Pakistan
695.6 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Papua New Guinea
385.5 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Peru
245.1 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Philippines
104.6 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Poland
154.4 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Qatar
17.93 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Romania
111.1 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Russia
47.86 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Rwanda
28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Saudi Arabia
6.339 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Serbia and Montenegro
24.07 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Slovakia
7.504 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Somalia
2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

South Africa
14.16 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Spain
254.9 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Sudan
99.11 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Suriname
0 cu m (1 January 2002)

Syria
240.7 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Taiwan
38.23 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Tanzania
11.33 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Thailand
368.2 billion cu m (1 January 2003)

Trinidad and Tobago
589 billion cu m (1 January 2004)

Tunisia
77.16 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Turkey
8.685 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Turkmenistan
1.43 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Ukraine
560.7 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

United Arab Emirates
5.892 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

United Kingdom
714.9 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

United States
5.195 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Uzbekistan
937.3 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Venezuela
4.202 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Vietnam
192.6 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

World
161.2 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Yemen
480 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2180 Natural gas - production (cu m)

Afghanistan
220 million cu m (2001 est.)

Albania
30 million cu m (2001 est.)

Algeria
80.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Angola
530 million cu m (2001 est.)

Argentina
37.15 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Armenia
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Australia
33.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Austria
1.731 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
5.72 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bahrain
8.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bangladesh
9.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Barbados
29.17 million cu m (2001 est.)

Belarus
200 million cu m (2001 est.)

Belgium
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Bolivia
4.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Brazil
5.95 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Brunei
10.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
4 million cu m (2001 est.)

Burma
7.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Cameroon
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Canada
186.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Chile
1.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

China
30.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Colombia
5.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Croatia
1.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Cuba
600 million cu m (2001 est.)

Czech Republic
160 million cu m (2001 est.)

Denmark
8.38 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Ecuador
160 million cu m (2001 est.)

Egypt
21.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
20 million cu m (2001 est.)

Estonia
0 cu m (2001 est.)

European Union
243.8 billion cu m (2001)

Finland
0 cu m (2001 est.)

France
1.898 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Gabon
80 million cu m (2001 est.)

Georgia
60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Germany
22.16 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Greece
35 million cu m (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Hungary
3.231 billion cu m (2001 est.)

India
22.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Indonesia
69 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Iran
61.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Iraq
2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Ireland
815 million cu m (2001 est.)

Israel
10 million cu m (2001 est.)

Italy
15.49 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Japan
2.519 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Jordan
290 million cu m (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
10.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Korea, South
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Kuwait
8.7 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
16 million cu m (2001 est.)

Latvia
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Libya
6.18 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Lithuania
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Malaysia
53.66 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Mexico
36.87 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Moldova
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Morocco
50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Mozambique
60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Netherlands
77.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

New Zealand
6.504 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Nigeria
15.68 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Norway
54.6 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Oman
13.77 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Pakistan
23.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea
110 million cu m (2001 est.)

Peru
370 million cu m (2001 est.)

Philippines
10 million cu m (2001 est.)

Poland
5.471 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Portugal
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Qatar
32.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Romania
14.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Russia
580.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Saudi Arabia
53.69 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Senegal
50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
602 million cu m (2001 est.)

Singapore
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Slovakia
292 million cu m (2001 est.)

Slovenia
0 cu m (2001 est.)

South Africa
1.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Spain
516 million cu m (2001 est.)

Sweden
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Switzerland
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Syria
5.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Taiwan
750 million cu m (2001 est.)

Tajikistan
50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Thailand
18.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
25 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Tunisia
2.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Turkey
312 million cu m (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
48.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Ukraine
18.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates
44.94 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United Kingdom
105.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United States
548.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Uruguay
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan
63.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Venezuela
31.71 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Vietnam
1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

World
2.578 trillion cu m (2001 est.)

Yemen
0 cu m (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2181 Natural gas - consumption (cu m)

Afghanistan
220 million cu m (2001 est.)

Albania
30 million cu m (2001 est.)

Algeria
22.32 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Angola
530 million cu m (2001 est.)

Argentina
31.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Armenia
1.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Australia
23.33 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Austria
7.81 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
6.72 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bahrain
8.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bangladesh
9.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Barbados
29.17 million cu m (2001 est.)

Belarus
18 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Belgium
15.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bolivia
1.15 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
300 million cu m (2001 est.)

Brazil
9.59 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Brunei
1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
5.804 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Burma
2.15 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Cameroon
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Canada
82.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Chile
6.47 billion cu m (2001 est.)

China
27.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Colombia
5.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Croatia
2.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Cuba
600 million cu m (2001 est.)

Czech Republic
9.892 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Denmark
5.28 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Ecuador
160 million cu m (2001 est.)

Egypt
21.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
20 million cu m (2001 est.)

Estonia
1.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)

European Union
463.6 billion cu m (2001)

Finland
4.557 billion cu m (2001 est.)

France
42.01 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Gabon
80 million cu m (2001 est.)

Georgia
1.16 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Germany
94.34 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Greece
2.021 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
680.9 million cu m (2001 est.)

Hungary
13.37 billion cu m (2001 est.)

India
22.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Indonesia
36.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Iran
65.59 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Iraq
2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Ireland
4.199 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Israel
10 million cu m (2001 est.)

Italy
71.18 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Japan
80.42 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Jordan
290 million cu m (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
14.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Korea, South
20.92 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Kuwait
8.7 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
2.016 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Latvia
1.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Libya
5.41 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Lithuania
2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
865 million cu m (2001 est.)

Malaysia
31.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Mexico
38.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Moldova
2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Morocco
50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Mozambique
60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Netherlands
49.72 billion cu m (2001 est.)

New Zealand
6.504 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Nigeria
7.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Norway
4.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Oman
6.34 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Pakistan
23.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea
110 million cu m (2001 est.)

Peru
370 million cu m (2001 est.)

Philippines
10 million cu m (2001 est.)

Poland
13.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Portugal
2.542 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
630 million cu m (2001 est.)

Qatar
15.86 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Romania
19.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Russia
408.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Saudi Arabia
53.69 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Senegal
50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
602 million cu m (2001 est.)

Singapore
2.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Slovakia
7.932 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Slovenia
1.04 billion cu m (2001 est.)

South Africa
1.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Spain
17.96 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Sweden
949 million cu m (2001 est.)

Switzerland
3.093 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Syria
5.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Taiwan
6.64 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Tajikistan
1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Thailand
23.93 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
13.76 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Tunisia
3.83 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Turkey
15.94 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
9.6 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Ukraine
74.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates
37.86 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United Kingdom
92.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United States
640.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Uruguay
40 million cu m (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan
45.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Venezuela
31.71 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Vietnam
1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

World
2.555 trillion cu m (2001 est.)

Yemen
0 cu m (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2182 Natural gas - imports (cu m)

Afghanistan
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Albania
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Algeria
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Angola
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Argentina
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Armenia
1.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Australia
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Austria
6.033 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bahrain
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Bangladesh
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Barbados
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Belarus
17.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Belgium
15.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bolivia
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
300 million cu m (2001 est.)

Brazil
3.64 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Brunei
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
5.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Burma
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Cameroon
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Canada
4.46 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Chile
5.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)

China
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Colombia
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Croatia
1.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Cuba
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Czech Republic
9.521 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Denmark
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Ecuador
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Egypt
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Estonia
1.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)

European Union
292.2 billion cu m (2001)

Finland
4.567 billion cu m (2001 est.)

France
40.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Gabon
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Georgia
1.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Germany
78.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Greece
2.018 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
680.9 million cu m (2001 est.)

Hungary
9.587 billion cu m (2001 est.)

India
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Indonesia
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Iran
4.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Iraq
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Ireland
3.384 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Israel
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Italy
54.78 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Japan
77.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Jordan
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
8.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Korea, South
21.11 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Kuwait
0 cu m (2002 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Latvia
1.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Libya
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Lithuania
2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
867 million cu m (2001 est.)

Malaysia
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Mexico
2.967 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Moldova
2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Morocco
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Mozambique
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Netherlands
20.78 billion cu m (2001 est.)

New Zealand
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Nigeria
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Norway
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Oman
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Pakistan
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Peru
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Philippines
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Poland
8.782 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Portugal
2.553 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
630 million cu m (2001 est.)

Qatar
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Romania
5.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Russia
32.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Saudi Arabia
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Senegal
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Singapore
2.5 billion cu m
Note: from Indonesia and Malaysia (2001 est.)

Slovakia
7.205 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Slovenia
1.04 billion cu m (2001 est.)

South Africa
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Spain
17.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Sweden
968 million cu m (2001 est.)

Switzerland
3.093 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Syria
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Taiwan
6.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Tajikistan
1.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Thailand
5.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Tunisia
1.58 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Turkey
15.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Ukraine
55.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates
0 cu m (2001 est.)

United Kingdom
2.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United States
114.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Uruguay
40 million cu m (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Venezuela
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Vietnam
0 cu m (2001 est.)

World
697.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Yemen
0 cu m (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2183 Natural gas - exports (cu m)

Afghanistan
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Albania
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Algeria
57.98 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Angola
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Argentina
6.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Armenia
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Australia
9.744 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Austria
403 million cu m (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Bahrain
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Bangladesh
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Barbados
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Belarus
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Belgium
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Bolivia
2.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Brazil
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Brunei
9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Burma
5.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Cameroon
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Canada
109 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Chile
0 cu m (2001 est.)

China
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Colombia
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Croatia
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Cuba
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Czech Republic
1 million cu m (2001 est.)

Denmark
3.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Ecuador
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Egypt
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Estonia
0 cu m (2001 est.)

European Union
77.04 billion cu m (2001)

Finland
0 cu m (2001 est.)

France
1.725 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Gabon
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Georgia
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Germany
6.674 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Greece
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Hungary
4 million cu m (2001 est.)

India
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Indonesia
32.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Iran
110 million cu m (2001 est.)

Iraq
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Ireland
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Israel
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Italy
61 million cu m (2001 est.)

Japan
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Jordan
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
4.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Korea, South
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Kuwait
0 cu m (2002 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Latvia
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Libya
770 million cu m (2001 est.)

Lithuania
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Malaysia
22.41 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Mexico
254 million cu m (2001 est.)

Moldova
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Morocco
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Mozambique
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Netherlands
49.28 billion cu m (2001 est.)

New Zealand
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Nigeria
7.83 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Norway
50.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Oman
7.43 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Pakistan
0 cu m NA (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Peru
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Philippines
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Poland
41 million cu m (2001 est.)

Portugal
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Qatar
16.54 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Romania
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Russia
205.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Saudi Arabia
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Senegal
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Singapore
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Slovakia
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Slovenia
0 cu m (2001 est.)

South Africa
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Spain
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Sweden
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Switzerland
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Syria
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Taiwan
410 million cu m (2001 est.)

Tajikistan
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Thailand
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
11.79 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Tunisia
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Turkey
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
38.6 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Ukraine
0 cu m (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates
7.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United Kingdom
15.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United States
11.16 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Uruguay
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan
17.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Venezuela
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Vietnam
0 cu m (2001 est.)

World
712 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Yemen
0 cu m (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2184 Internet hosts

Albania
455 (2004)

Algeria
897 (2004)

Andorra
4,144 (2004)

Angola
17 (2003)

Antigua and Barbuda
1,665 (2003)

Argentina
742,358 (2003)

Armenia
2,206 (2004)

Aruba
923 (2001)

Australia
2,847,763 (2003)

Austria
387,006 (2004)

Azerbaijan
586 (2004)

Bahamas, The
302 (2003)

Bahrain
1,334 (2003)

Bangladesh
1 (2003)

Barbados
204 (2003)

Belarus
5,308 (2004)

Belgium
166,799 (2004)

Belize
2,613 (2003)

Benin
879 (2004)

Bermuda
5,161 (2001)

Bhutan
985 (2003)

Bolivia
7,080 (2003)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
6,994 (2004)

Botswana
1,920 (2003)

Brazil
3,163,349 (2003)

Brunei
6,409 (2003)

Bulgaria
53,421 (2004)

Burkina Faso
442 (2003)

Burma
3 (2003)

Burundi
22 (2003)

Cambodia
818 (2003)

Cameroon
479 (2004)

Canada
3,210,081 (2003)

Cape Verde
118 (2004)

Central African Republic
6 (2002)

Chad
8 (2004)

Chile
202,429 (2003)

China
160,421 (2003)

Colombia
115,158 (2003)

Comoros
11 (2003)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
153 (2003)

Congo, Republic of the
46 (2003)

Costa Rica
10,826 (2003)

Cote d'Ivoire
3,795 (2004)

Croatia
29,644 (2004)

Cuba
1,529 (2003)

Cyprus
5,901 (2004)

Czech Republic
295,677 (2004)

Denmark
1,219,925 (2004)

Djibouti
702 (2004)

Dominica
681 (2003)

Dominican Republic
64,197 (2003)

Ecuador
3,188 (2003)

Egypt
3,401 (2004)

El Salvador
4,084 (2003)

Equatorial Guinea
3 (2004)

Eritrea
1,047 (2004)

Estonia
82,142 (2004)

Ethiopia
9 (2003)

European Union
22,000,414 (2004); note - sum of individual country
Internet hosts

Fiji
493 (2003)

Finland
1,219,173 (2004)

France
2,396,761 (2004)

French Polynesia
5,123 (2003)

Gabon
93 (2004)

Gambia, The
568 (2004)

Georgia
5,160 (2004)

Germany
2,686,119 (2004)

Ghana
407 (2004)

Greece
208,977 (2004)

Greenland
2,642 (2004)

Grenada
18 (2003)

Guatemala
20,360 (2003)

Guinea
380 (2004)

Guinea-Bissau
2 (2004)

Guyana
613 (2003)

Haiti
NA

Holy See (Vatican City)
9 (2004)

Honduras
1,944 (2003)

Hong Kong
591,993 (2003)

Hungary
383,071 (2004)

Iceland
122,175 (2004)

India
86,871 (2003)

Indonesia
62,036 (2003)

Iran
5,269 (2004)

Ireland
162,228 (2004)

Israel
437,516 (2004)

Italy
1,437,511 (2004)

Jamaica
1,480 (2003)

Japan
12,962,065 (2003)

Jordan
3,160 (2004)

Kazakhstan
21,984 (2004)

Kenya
8,325 (2003)

Korea, South
694,206 (2001)

Kuwait
3,437 (2001)

Kyrgyzstan
12,299 (2004)

Laos
937 (2003)

Latvia
51,758 (2004)

Lebanon
6,998 (2004)

Lesotho
119 (2003)

Liberia
14 (2004)

Libya
67 (2003)

Liechtenstein
3,727 (2004)

Lithuania
67,769 (2004)

Luxembourg
28,214 (2003)

Macau
89 (2003)

Macedonia
3,738 (2004)

Madagascar
773 (2003)

Malawi
18 (2003)

Malaysia
107,971 (2003)

Maldives
532 (2003)

Mali
187 (2003)

Malta
7,156 (2004)

Marshall Islands
6 (2003)

Mauritania
25 (2003)

Mauritius
3,985 (2003)

Mexico
1,333,406 (2003)

Moldova
11,984 (2003)

Monaco
533 (2004)

Mongolia
40 (2003)

Morocco
3,627 (2004)

Mozambique
3,249 (2003)

Namibia
3,164 (2003)

Nepal
917 (2003)

Netherlands
4,518,226 (2004)

Netherlands Antilles
119 (2001)

New Caledonia
4,449 (2003)

New Zealand
474,395 (2003)

Nicaragua
7,094 (2003)

Niger
134 (2003)

Nigeria
1,142 (2004)

Norway
593,850 (2004)

Oman
726 (2003)

Pakistan
15,124 (2003)

Panama
7,129 (2003)

Papua New Guinea
389 (2003)

Paraguay
9,243 (2003)

Peru
65,868 (2003)

Philippines
38,440 (2002)

Poland
804,915 (2004)

Portugal
346,078 (2004)

Qatar
221 (2004)

Romania
50,807 (2004)

Russia
560,874 (2004)

Rwanda
1,495 (2003)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
51 (2003)

Saint Lucia
41 (2003)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
4 (2003)

Samoa
8,225 (2003)

San Marino
1,763 (2004)

Sao Tome and Principe
1,069 (2003)

Saudi Arabia
15,931 (2004)

Senegal
672 (2003)

Serbia and Montenegro
20,207 (2004)

Seychelles
264 (2003)

Sierra Leone
277 (2004)

Singapore
484,825 (2003)

Slovakia
89,592 (2004)

Slovenia
45,491 (2004)

Solomon Islands
398 (2003)

Somalia
4 (2004)

South Africa
288,633 (2003)

Spain
1,056,950 (2004)

Sri Lanka
1,882 (2003)

Sudan
NA

Suriname
18 (2003)

Swaziland
1,401 (2003)

Sweden
945,221 (2004)

Switzerland
667,275 (2004)

Syria
11 (2004)

Taiwan
2,777,085 (2003)

Tajikistan
69 (2004)

Tanzania
5,534 (2003)

Thailand
103,700 (2003)

Togo
82 (2003)

Tonga
18,906 (2003)

Trinidad and Tobago
8,003 (2003)

Tunisia
281 (2004)

Turkey
355,215 (2004)

Turkmenistan
524 (2004)

Uganda
2,692 (2004)

Ukraine
94,345 (2004)

United Arab Emirates
56,283 (2004)

United Kingdom
3,398,708 (2004)

United States
115,311,958 (2002)

Uruguay
87,630 (2003)

Uzbekistan
1,040 (2003)

Vanuatu
512 (2003)

Venezuela
35,301 (2003)

Vietnam
340 (2003)

Yemen
138 (2004)

Zambia
1,880 (2003)

Zimbabwe
4,501 (2003)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2185 Investment (gross fixed) (% of GDP)

Albania
18.7% of GDP (2003)

Algeria
24.8% of GDP (2003)

Angola
31.7% of GDP (2003)

Argentina
15.1% of GDP (2003)

Armenia
19.8% of GDP (2003)

Australia
24.8% of GDP (2003)

Austria
22.5% of GDP (2003)

Azerbaijan
50.4% of GDP (2003)

Bahrain
11.9% of GDP (2003)

Bangladesh
23.2% of GDP (2003)

Belarus
21.7% of GDP (2003)

Belgium
19.7% of GDP (2003)

Belize
33% of GDP (2003)

Benin
19.3% of GDP (2003)

Bolivia
12.4% of GDP (2003)

Botswana
23.9% of GDP (2003)

Brazil
18% of GDP (2003)

Bulgaria
19.6% of GDP (2003)

Burkina Faso
29% of GDP (2003)

Burma
11.8% of GDP (2003)

Burundi
9.8% of GDP (2003)

Cambodia
15.9% of GDP (2003)

Cameroon
19.4% of GDP (2003)

Canada
19.5% of GDP (2003)

Cape Verde
16.5% of GDP (2003)

Chad
40.3% of GDP (2003)

Chile
21.2% of GDP (2003)

China
43.4% of GDP (2003)

Colombia
15.9% of GDP (2003)

Congo, Republic of the
31.3% of GDP (2003)

Costa Rica
20.2% of GDP (2003)

Cote d'Ivoire
8.7% of GDP (2003)

Croatia
27.7% of GDP (2003)

Cuba
10.1% of GDP (2003)

Cyprus
19.9% of GDP (2003)

Czech Republic
26% of GDP (2003)

Denmark
19.9% of GDP (2003)

Dominican Republic
19.9% of GDP (2003)

Ecuador
21.7% of GDP (2003)

Egypt
16.7% of GDP (2003)

El Salvador
16.2% of GDP (2003)

Equatorial Guinea
63.6% of GDP (2003)

Eritrea
26.3% of GDP (2003)

Estonia
30.2% of GDP (2003)

Ethiopia
17% of GDP (2003)

European Union
percent of GDP - NA (2004 est.)

Finland
18% of GDP (2003)

France
19.2% of GDP (2003)

Gabon
22.7% of GDP (2003)

Gambia, The
20% of GDP (2003)

Georgia
18% of GDP (2003)

Germany
17.7% of GDP (2003)

Ghana
24.5% of GDP (2003)

Greece
25.5% of GDP (2003)

Guatemala
15.2% of GDP (2003)

Guinea
21.2% of GDP (2003)

Guyana
38.5% of GDP (2003)

Honduras
24% of GDP (2003)

Hong Kong
22.3% of GDP (2003)

Hungary
22% of GDP (2003)

Iceland
21.6% of GDP (2003)

India
23.1% of GDP (2003)

Indonesia
19.7% of GDP (2003)

Iran
28.6% of GDP (2003)

Ireland
22.9% of GDP (2003)

Israel
17.2% of GDP (2003)

Italy
19.1% of GDP (2003)

Jamaica
31.6% of GDP (2003)

Japan
23.9% of GDP (2003)

Jordan
18.8% of GDP (2003)

Kazakhstan
23.9% of GDP (2003)

Kenya
14.3% of GDP (2003)

Korea, South
29.6% of GDP (2003)

Kuwait
8% of GDP (2003)

Kyrgyzstan
17.6% of GDP (2003)

Latvia
27.1% of GDP (2003)

Lebanon
24.8% of GDP (2003)

Lesotho
34.1% of GDP (2003)

Libya
15% of GDP (2003)

Lithuania
20.8% of GDP (2003)

Luxembourg
20.7% of GDP (2003)

Macedonia
16.3% of GDP (2003)

Madagascar
14.8% of GDP (2003)

Malawi
12.3% of GDP (2003)

Malaysia
22.2% of GDP (2003)

Malta
23.1% of GDP (2003)

Mauritius
22.9% of GDP (2003)

Mexico
19.3% of GDP (2003)

Moldova
17.2% of GDP (2003)

Morocco
21.7% of GDP (2003)

Mozambique
47.8% of GDP (2003)

Namibia
19.8% of GDP (2003)

Netherlands
20.1% of GDP (2003)

New Zealand
20.9% of GDP (2003)

Nicaragua
28.1% of GDP (2003)

Nigeria
27.7% of GDP (2003)

Norway
17.8% of GDP (2003)

Oman
13% of GDP (2003)

Pakistan
12.9% of GDP (2003)

Panama
24.8% of GDP (2003)

Papua New Guinea
13.9% of GDP (2003)

Paraguay
17.2% of GDP (2003)

Peru
17.7% of GDP (2003)

Philippines
18.1% of GDP (2003)

Poland
18.4% of GDP (2003)

Portugal
22.3% of GDP (2003)

Qatar
23.2% of GDP (2003)

Romania
22.5% of GDP (2003)

Russia
18.2% of GDP (2003)

Rwanda
19.3% of GDP (2003)

Sao Tome and Principe
51.6% of GDP (2003)

Saudi Arabia
18% of GDP (2003)

Senegal
21.3% of GDP (2003)

Serbia and Montenegro
14.3% of GDP (2003)

Seychelles
39.1% of GDP (2003)

Singapore
24.9% of GDP (2003)

Slovakia
25.8% of GDP (2003)

Slovenia
23.3% of GDP (2003)

South Africa
16% of GDP (2003)

Spain
25.6% of GDP (2003)

Sri Lanka
22.7% of GDP (2003)

Sudan
14.8% of GDP (2003)

Swaziland
21.1% of GDP (2003)

Sweden
15.7% of GDP (2003)

Switzerland
20.1% of GDP (2003)

Syria
13.6% of GDP (2003)

Taiwan
17.5% of GDP (2003)

Tajikistan
7.5% of GDP (2003)

Tanzania
17.2% of GDP (2003)

Thailand
25.5% of GDP (2003)

Togo
18.4% of GDP (2003)

Trinidad and Tobago
14.8% of GDP (2003)

Tunisia
24.2% of GDP (2003)

Turkey
15.5% of GDP (2003)

Turkmenistan
19.5% of GDP (2003)

Uganda
20.3% of GDP (2003)

Ukraine
21% of GDP (2003)

United Arab Emirates
22% of GDP (2003)

United Kingdom
16.2% of GDP (2003)

United States
15.2% of GDP (2003)

Uruguay
9.7% of GDP (2003)

Venezuela
12.6% of GDP (2003)

Vietnam
33% of GDP (2003)

Yemen
29.1% of GDP (2003)

Zambia
45.2% of GDP (2003)

Zimbabwe
8.9% of GDP (2003)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2186 Public debt (% of GDP)

Algeria
41.5% of GDP (2003 est.)

Argentina
65.7% of GDP (2003 est.)

Australia
18.2% of GDP (2003)

Austria
67.6% of GDP (2003)

Azerbaijan
16.3% of GDP (2003 est.)

Bahrain
57.5% of GDP (2003)

Bangladesh
43.3% of GDP (2003)

Belgium
102% of GDP (2003 est.)

Botswana
7% of GDP (2003)

Brazil
58.5% of GDP (2003)

Bulgaria
48% of GDP (2003)

Cameroon
57.1% of GDP (2003)

Canada
77% of GDP (2003)

Chile
14.8% of GDP (2003)

China
30.1% of GDP (2003)

Colombia
51.9% of GDP (2003)

Costa Rica
56.1% of GDP (2003)

Cote d'Ivoire
82.5% of GDP (2003)

Croatia
69.1% of GDP (2003)

Cyprus
62.3% of GDP (2003)

Czech Republic
29.7% of GDP (2003)

Denmark
45% of GDP (2003)

Dominican Republic
59.4% of GDP (2003)

Ecuador
53.7% of GDP (2003)

Egypt
101.8% of GDP (2003)

El Salvador
43.7% of GDP (2003)

Estonia
7.4% of GDP (2003)

Finland
48.7% of GDP (2003)

France
68.8% of GDP (2003)

Gabon
31.5% of GDP (2003)

Germany
64.2% of GDP (2003)

Greece
100.9% of GDP (2003)

Guatemala
30.8% of GDP (2003)

Honduras
57.8% of GDP (2003)

Hungary
57% of GDP (2003)

Iceland
41.5% of GDP (2003)

India
59.7% of GDP (2003)

Indonesia
72.9% of GDP (2003)

Iran
28.2% of GDP (2003)

Ireland
31.2% of GDP (2003)

Israel
108.6% of GDP (2003)

Italy
106.4% of GDP (2003)

Jamaica
145.6% of GDP (2003)

Japan
154.6% of GDP (2003)

Jordan
92.7% of GDP (2003)

Kazakhstan
15.5% of GDP (2003)

Kenya
62.9% of GDP (2003)

Korea, South
13.8% of GDP (2003)

Kuwait
29.5% of GDP (2003)

Latvia
14.4% of GDP (2003)

Lebanon
185.1% of GDP (2003)

Libya
16.6% of GDP (2003)

Lithuania
23.6% of GDP (2003)

Macedonia
30.2% of GDP (2003)

Malawi
235.7% of GDP (2003)

Malaysia
45.5% of GDP (2003)

Mauritius
31.9% of GDP (2003)

Mexico
23.1% of GDP (2003)

Moldova
88.4% of GDP (2003)

Morocco
76.2% of GDP (2003)

Namibia
35.6% of GDP (2003)

Netherlands
54.1% of GDP (2003)

New Zealand
25.6% of GDP (2003)

Nicaragua
125.3% of GDP (2003)

Nigeria
28.6% of GDP (2003)

Norway
22.1% of GDP (2003)

Oman
15.6% of GDP (2003)

Pakistan
72.7% of GDP (2003)

Panama
73.3% of GDP (2003)

Papua New Guinea
72.4% of GDP (2003)

Paraguay
45.1% of GDP (2003)

Peru
49.2% of GDP (2003)

Philippines
77% of GDP (2003)

Poland
47.4% of GDP (2003)

Portugal
59.8% of GDP (2003)

Qatar
72.7% of GDP (2003)

Romania
25.5% of GDP (2003)

Russia
34.1% of GDP (2003)

Saudi Arabia
94.6% of GDP (2003)

Senegal
54.2% of GDP (2003)

Serbia and Montenegro
123.2% of GDP (2003)

Seychelles
129.3% of GDP (2003)

Singapore
106.4% of GDP (2003)

Slovakia
37.6% of GDP (2003)

Slovenia
31.9% of GDP (2003)

South Africa
38.2% of GDP (2003)

Spain
62.7% of GDP (2003)

Sri Lanka
105.1% of GDP (2003)

Sudan
87% of GDP (2003)

Sweden
51.8% of GDP (2003)

Switzerland
57.1% of GDP (2003)

Syria
89% of GDP (2003)

Taiwan
30.5% of GDP (2003)

Tanzania
6.1% of GDP (2003)

Thailand
46.6% of GDP (2003)

Trinidad and Tobago
55.9% of GDP (2003)

Tunisia
59.5% of GDP (2003)

Turkey
78.7% of GDP (2003)

Uganda
62.2% of GDP (2003)

Ukraine
28.7% of GDP (2003)

United Arab Emirates
18.1% of GDP (2003)

United Kingdom
51% of GDP (2003)

United States
62.4% of GDP (2003)

Uzbekistan
42.3% of GDP (2003)

Venezuela
38.8% of GDP (2003)

Vietnam
64.3% of GDP (2003)

Yemen
39.5% of GDP (2003)

Zambia
133.6% of GDP (2003)

Zimbabwe
41.3% of GDP (2003)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2187 Current account balance

Albania
$-407 million (2003)

Algeria
$7.836 billion (2003)

Angola
$-475 million (2003)

Argentina
$7.855 billion (2003)

Armenia
$-210 million (2003)

Australia
$-30.14 billion (2003)

Austria
$-1.353 billion (2003)

Azerbaijan
$-2.021 billion (2003)

Bahrain
$53 million (2003)

Bangladesh
$393 million (2003)

Belarus
$-945 million (2003)

Belgium
$10.69 billion (2003)

Belize
$-142 million (2003)

Benin
$-112 million (2003)

Bolivia
$50 million (2003)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
$-2.195 billion (2003)

Botswana
$539 million (2003)

Brazil
$3.52 billion (2003)

Bulgaria
$-1.666 billion (2003)

Burkina Faso
$-341 million (2003)

Burma
$-35 million (2003)

Burundi
$-35 million (2003)

Cambodia
$-218.1 million (2003)

Cameroon
$-564 million (2003)

Canada
$18.63 billion (2003)

Cape Verde
$-106.3 million (2003)

Chad
$-474 million (2003)

Chile
$-594 million (2003)

China
$31.17 billion (2003)

Colombia
$-1.417 billion (2003)

Congo, Republic of the
$139.2 million (2003)

Costa Rica
$-970 million (2003)

Cote d'Ivoire
$501 million (2003)

Croatia
$-2.039 billion (2003)

Cuba
$-273 million (2003)

Cyprus
$-545 million (2003)

Czech Republic
$-5.57 billion (2003)

Denmark
$6.397 billion (2003)

Dominican Republic
$867 million (2003)

Ecuador
$-117 million (2003)

Egypt
$3.874 billion (2003)

El Salvador
$-734 million (2003)

Equatorial Guinea
$-1.168 billion (2003)

Eritrea
$-159 million (2003)

Estonia
$-1.15 billion (2003)

Ethiopia
$-408 million (2003)

European Union
$NA

Finland
$10.3 billion (2003)

France
$13.8 billion (2003)

Gabon
$-101 million (2003)

Gambia, The
$-42 million (2003)

Georgia
$-365 million (2003)

Germany
$57.24 billion (2003)

Ghana
$110 million (2003)

Greece
$-11.33 billion (2003)

Guatemala
$-1.106 billion (2003)

Guinea
$-252 million (2003)

Guyana
$-158 million (2003)

Haiti
$-48 million (2003)

Honduras
$-279.6 million (2003)

Hong Kong
$17.42 billion (2003)

Hungary
$-7.347 billion (2003)

Iceland
$-574 million (2003)

India
$3.41 billion (2003)

Indonesia
$7.336 billion (2003)

Iran
$3.935 billion (2003)

Iraq
$1.136 billion (2003)

Ireland
$-2.994 billion (2003)

Israel
$-174 million (2003)

Italy
$-22.28 billion (2003)

Jamaica
$-842 million (2003)

Japan
$135.9 billion (2003)

Jordan
$903 million (2003)

Kazakhstan
$-68.8 million (2003)

Kenya
$-306 million (2003)

Korea, South
$12.32 billion (2003)

Kuwait
$8.652 billion (2003)

Kyrgyzstan
$-108 million (2003)

Laos
$-58 million (2003)

Latvia
$-955.9 million (2003)

Lebanon
$-2.865 billion (2003)

Lesotho
$-112 million (2003)

Libya
$6.641 billion (2003)

Lithuania
$-1.218 billion (2003)

Macedonia
$-278 million (2003)

Madagascar
$-398 million (2003)

Malawi
$-58 million (2003)

Malaysia
$13.38 billion (2003)

Malta
$-250 million (2003)

Mauritius
$289 million (2003)

Mexico
$-9.15 billion (2003)

Moldova
$-135 million (2003)

Morocco
$963 million (2003)

Mozambique
$-566 million (2003)

Namibia
$123 million (2003)

Netherlands
$12.09 billion (2003)

New Zealand
$-3.446 billion (2003)

Nicaragua
$-859 million (2003)

Nigeria
$1.439 billion (2003)

Norway
$29.34 billion (2003)

Oman
$2.173 billion (2003)

Pakistan
$3.358 billion (2003)

Panama
$-408 million (2003)

Papua New Guinea
$12 million (2003)

Paraguay
$146 million (2003)

Peru
$-1.116 billion (2003)

Philippines
$3.349 billion (2003)

Poland
$-4.085 billion (2003)

Portugal
$-7.592 billion (2003)

Qatar
$4.149 billion (2003)

Romania
$-3.368 billion (2003)

Russia
$35.91 billion (2003)

Rwanda
$-163 million (2003)

Sao Tome and Principe
$-8 million (2003)

Saudi Arabia
$22.27 billion (2003)

Senegal
$-389 million (2003)

Serbia and Montenegro
$-2.416 billion (2003)

Seychelles
$-73 million (2003)

Singapore
$26.15 billion (2003)

Slovakia
$-277.4 million (2003)

Slovenia
$15.1 million (2003)

South Africa
$-1.234 billion (2003)

Spain
$-23.77 billion (2003)

Sri Lanka
$-278 million (2003)

Sudan
$-718 million (2003)

Swaziland
$-72.69 million (2003)

Sweden
$19.56 billion (2003)

Switzerland
$36 billion (2003)

Syria
$-72 million (2003)

Taiwan
$28.57 billion (2003)

Tajikistan
$-50 million (2003)

Tanzania
$-617 million (2003)

Thailand
$9.44 billion (2003)

Togo
$-140 million (2003)

Trinidad and Tobago
$954 million (2003)

Tunisia
$-738.6 million (2003)

Turkey
$-6.806 billion (2003)

Turkmenistan
$957 million (2003)

Uganda
$-237 million (2003)

Ukraine
$2.891 billion (2003)

United Arab Emirates
$12.47 billion (2003)

United Kingdom
$-7.556 billion (2003)

United States
$-541.8 billion (2003)

Uruguay
$76 million (2003)

Uzbekistan
$462 million (2003)

Venezuela
$9.659 billion (2003)

Vietnam
$-1.781 billion (2003)

Yemen
$157 million (2003)

Zambia
$-340 million (2003)

Zimbabwe
$-346 million (2003)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2188 Reserves of foreign exchange & gold

Albania
$1.038 billion (2003)

Algeria
$33.42 billion (2003)

Angola
$638.4 million (2003)

Argentina
$14.16 billion (2003)

Armenia
$509.4 million (2003)

Australia
$33.26 billion (2003)

Austria
$12.73 billion (2003)

Azerbaijan
$820.9 million (2003)

Bahrain
$1.785 billion (2003)

Bangladesh
$2.624 billion (2003)

Belarus
$637 million (2003)

Belgium
$14.45 billion (2003)

Belize
$84.7 million (2003)

Benin
$636 million (2003)

Bolivia
$1.096 billion (2003)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
$1.796 billion (2003)

Botswana
$5.25 billion (2003)

Brazil
$49.3 billion (2003)

Bulgaria
$6.705 billion (2003)

Burkina Faso
$379 million (2003)

Burma
$562 million (2003)

Burundi
$67.4 million (2003)

Cambodia
$861.4 million (2003)

Cameroon
$634 million (2003)

Canada
$36.27 billion (2003)

Cape Verde
$88.02 million (2003)

Chad
$191.8 million (2003)

Chile
$15.84 billion (2003)

China
$412.7 billion (2003)

Colombia
$10.92 billion (2003)

Congo, Republic of the
$44.53 million (2003)

Costa Rica
$1.836 billion (2003)

Cote d'Ivoire
$2.005 billion (2003)

Croatia
$8.191 billion (2003)

Cuba
$582 million (2003)

Cyprus
$3.453 billion (2003)

Czech Republic
$26.8 billion (2003)

Denmark
$37.98 billion (2003)

Dominican Republic
$261 million (2003)

Ecuador
$1.161 billion (2003)

Egypt
$14.22 billion (2003)

El Salvador
$2.061 billion (2003)

Equatorial Guinea
$206 million (2003)

Eritrea
$28 million (2003)

Estonia
$1.377 billion (2003)

Ethiopia
$956 million (2003)

European Union
$NA

Finland
$11.17 billion (2003)

France
$70.76 billion (2003)

Gabon
$201.9 million (2003)

Gambia, The
$118 million (2003)

Georgia
$190.7 million (2003)

Germany
$96.84 billion (2003)

Ghana
$1.469 billion (2003)

Greece
$5.802 billion (2003)

Guatemala
$2.843 billion (2003)

Guinea
$191 million (2003)

Guyana
$257 million (2003)

Haiti
$73 million (2003)

Honduras
$1.439 billion (2003)

Hong Kong
$118.4 billion (2003)

Hungary
$12.78 billion (2003)

Iceland
$818.7 million (2003)

India
$102.3 billion (2003)

Indonesia
$36.25 billion (2003)

Iran
$25.13 billion (2003)

Ireland
$4.152 billion (2003)

Israel
$26.32 billion (2003)

Italy
$63.26 billion (2003)

Jamaica
$1.195 billion (2003)

Japan
$664.6 billion (2003)

Jordan
$5.364 billion (2003)

Kazakhstan
$4.962 billion (2003)

Kenya
$1.455 billion (2003)

Korea, South
$155.4 billion (2003)

Kuwait
$7.685 billion (2003)

Kyrgyzstan
$399.3 million (2003)

Laos
$201 million (2003)

Latvia
$1.535 billion (2003)

Lebanon
$16.35 billion (2003)

Lesotho
$460 million (2003)

Libya
$19.78 billion (2003)

Lithuania
$3.45 billion (2003)

Macedonia
$935.1 million (2003)

Madagascar
$423 million (2003)

Malawi
$132 million (2003)

Malaysia
$44.58 billion (2003)

Malta
$2.429 billion (2003)

Mauritius
$1.598 billion (2003)

Mexico
$59.02 billion (2003)

Moldova
$302.3 million (2003)

Morocco
$14.08 billion (2003)

Mozambique
$990 million (2003)

Namibia
$325.2 million (2003)

Netherlands
$21.44 billion (2003)

New Zealand
$5.083 billion (2003)

Nicaragua
$502 million (2003)

Nigeria
$7.128 billion (2003)

Oman
$3.594 billion (2003)

Pakistan
$11.67 billion (2003)

Panama
$1.011 billion (2003)

Papua New Guinea
$510.5 million (2003)

Paraguay
$982 million (2003)

Peru
$10.24 billion (2003)

Philippines
$16.87 billion (2003)

Poland
$33.96 billion (2003)

Portugal
$12.81 billion (2003)

Qatar
$2.952 billion (2003)

Romania
$10.37 billion (2003)

Russia
$76.94 billion (2003)

Rwanda
$215 million (2003)

Sao Tome and Principe
$18 million (2003)

Saudi Arabia
$22.86 billion (2003)

Senegal
$780 million (2003)

Serbia and Montenegro
$3.7 billion (2003)

Seychelles
$66 million (2003)

Singapore
$95.75 billion (2003)

Slovakia
$11.74 billion (2003)

Slovenia
$8.598 billion (2003)

South Africa
$7.972 billion (2003)

Spain
$26.81 billion (2003)

Sri Lanka
$2.273 billion (2003)

Sudan
$847.2 million (2003)

Swaziland
$277.5 million (2003)

Sweden
$19.99 billion (2003)

Switzerland
$69.58 billion (2003)

Syria
$3.329 billion (2003)

Taiwan
$207.1 billion (2003)

Tajikistan
$117.6 million (2003)

Tanzania
$2.064 billion (2003)

Thailand
$42.15 billion (2003)

Togo
$257 million (2003)

Trinidad and Tobago
$2.477 billion (2003)

Tunisia
$2.949 billion (2003)

Turkey
$35.55 billion (2003)

Turkmenistan
$2.696 billion (2003)

Uganda
$1.08 billion (2003)

Ukraine
$6.937 billion (2003)

United Arab Emirates
$15.79 billion (2003)

United Kingdom
$46.05 billion (2003)

United States
$85.94 billion (2003)

Uruguay
$2.087 billion (2003)

Uzbekistan
$1.286 billion (2003)

Venezuela
$20.67 billion (2003)

Vietnam
$6.357 billion (2003)

Yemen
$5.009 billion (2003)

Zambia
$247.7 million (2003)

Zimbabwe
$78 million (2003)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@2194 Refugees and internally displaced persons

Afghanistan
IDPs: 167,000 - 200,000 (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis
displaced in south and west due to drought and instability) (2004)

Algeria
refugees (country of origin): 165,000 (Western Saharan
Sahrawi, mostly living in Algerian-sponsored camps in the
southeastern Algerian town of Tindouf)
IDPs: 100,000 - 200,000 (conflict between government forces, Islamic
insurgents) (2004)

Angola
IDPs: 40,000 - 60,000 (27-year civil war ending in 2002; 4
million IDPs already have returned) (2004)

Armenia
refugees (country of origin): 236,306 (Azerbaijan)
IDPs: 50,000 (conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh) (2004)

Azerbaijan
IDPs: 571,000 (conflict with Armenia over
Nagorno-Karabakh) (2004)

Bangladesh
IDPs: 61,000 (land conflicts, religious persecution)
(2004)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
IDPs: 327,200 (Bosnian Croats, Serbs, and
Muslims displaced in 1992-1995 war) (2004)

Burma
IDPs: 600,000 - 1,000,000 (government offensives against
ethnic insurgent groups near borders; most IDPs are ethnic Karen,
Karenni, Shan, and Mon) (2004)

Burundi
refugees (country of origin): 60,288 (Democratic Republic of
the Congo)
IDPs: 140,000 (armed conflict between government and rebels; most
IDPs in northern and western Burundi) (2004)

Cameroon
refugees (country of origin): 39,261 (Chad), 16,983
(Nigeria), 9,634 (Cote d'Ivoire) (2004)

Central African Republic
refugees (country of origin): 36,479
(Sudan), 1,864 (Chad), 6,484 (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
IDPs: 200,000 (unrest following coup in 2003) (2004)

Chad
refugees (country of origin): 200,000 (Sudan), 30,000 (Central
African Republic) (2004)

China
refugees (country of origin): 299,287 (Vietnam) (2004)

Colombia
IDPs: 2,730,000 - 3,100,000 (conflict between government
and FARC; drug wars) (2004)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the refugees (country of origin): 45,060 (Sudan), 123,714 (Angola), 19,552 (Burundi), 6,626 (Republic of Congo), 19,743 (Rwanda), 18,953 (Uganda) IDPs: 2.33 million (fighting between government forces and rebels since mid-1990s; most IDPs are in eastern provinces) (2004)

Congo, Republic of the
IDPs: 60,000 (multiple civil wars since 1992;
most IDPs are ethnic Lari) (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire
refugees (country of origin): 71,711 (Liberia)
IDPs: 500,000 (2002 coup; most IDPs are in western regions) (2004)

Croatia
IDPs: 12,600 (Croats and Serbs displaced in 1992-1995 war)
(2004)

Cyprus
IDPs: 265,000 (both Turkish and Greek Cypriots; many
displaced for over 30 years) (2004)

Djibouti
refugees (country of origin): 25,474 (Somalia) (2004)

Egypt
refugees (country of origin): 70,215 (Palestinian Territories)
(2004)

Eritrea
IDPs: 59,000 (border war with Ethiopia from 1998-2000; most
IDPs are near the central border region) (2004)

Ethiopia
refugees (country of origin): 93,032 (Sudan), 23,578
(Somalia)
IDPs: 132,000 (border war with Eritrea from 1998-2000 and ethnic
clashes in Gambela; most IDPs are in Tigray and Gambela Provinces)
(2004)

Gaza Strip
refugees (country of origin): 922,674 (Palestinian
Refugees (UNRWA)) (2004)

Georgia
IDPs: 260,000 (displaced from Abkhazia and South Ossetia)
(2004)

Ghana
refugees (country of origin): 42,466 (Liberia) (2004)

Guatemala
IDPs: 250,000 (government's scorched-earth offensive in
1980s against indigenous people) (2004)

Guinea
refugees (country of origin): 133,175 (Liberia), 13,633
(Sierra Leone), 7,064 (Cote d'Ivoire)
IDPs: 100,000 (cross-border incursions from Liberia, Sierra Leone,
Cote d'Ivoire) (2004)

India
refugees (country of origin): 92,394 (China), 60,922 (Sri
Lanka)
IDPs: 650,000 (Jammu and Kashmir conflicts; most IDPs are Kashmiri
Hindus) (2004)

Indonesia
IDPs: 535,000 (government offensives against rebels in
Aceh; most IDPs in Aceh, Central Kalimantan, Maluku, and Central
Sulawesi Provinces) (2004)

Iran
refugees (country of origin): 1,223,823 (Afghanistan), 124,014
(Iraq) (2004)

Iraq
refugees (country of origin): 150,000 (Palestinian Territories)
IDPs: 1,340,280 (ongoing US-led war and Kurds' subsequent return)
(2004)

Israel
IDPs: 276,000 (Arab villagers displaced from homes in
northern Israel) (2004)

Jordan
refugees (country of origin): 1,740,170 (Palestinian Refugees
(UNRWA))
IDPs: 800,000 (1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2004)

Kenya
refugees (country of origin): 154,272 (Somalia), 11,139
(Ethiopia), 63,197 (Sudan)
IDPs: 350,000 (KANU attacks on opposition tribal groups in 1990s)
(2004)

Korea, North
IDPs: 50,000-250,000 (government repression and famine)
(2004)

Lebanon
refugees (country of origin): 394,532 (Palestinian Refugees
(UNRWA))
IDPs: 300,000 (1975-1990 civil war, Israeli invasions) (2004)

Liberia
refugees (country of origin): 13,941 (Sierra Leone), 38,325
(Cote d'Ivoire)
IDPs: 500,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began in
November 2004) (2004)

Macedonia
IDPs: 2,678 (ethnic conflict in 2001; most IDPs have
returned) (2004)

Mexico
IDPs: 12,000 (government's quashing of Zapatero uprising in
1994 in eastern Chiapas Region) (2004)

Moldova
IDPs: 1,000 (internal secessionist uprising in
Transdniestrian region in 1991) (2004)

Nepal
refugees (country of origin): 104,235 (Bhutan)
IDPs: 100,000-200,000 (ongoing conflict between government forces
and Maoist rebels; displacement spread across the country) (2004)

Nigeria
IDPs: 250,000 (communal violence between Christians and
Muslims since President Obasanjo's election in 1999) (2004)

Pakistan
refugees (country of origin): 1,064,230 (Afghanistan)
IDPs: undetermined (government strikes on Islamic militants in South
Waziristan) (2004)

Peru
IDPs: 60,000 (civil war from 1980-2000; most IDPs are
indigenous peasants in Andean and Amazonian regions) (2004)

Philippines
IDPs: 150,000 (fighting between government troops and
MILF and Abu Sayyaf groups) (2004)

Russia
IDPs: 368,000 (displacement from Chechnya and North Ossetia)
(2004)

Rwanda
refugees (country of origin): 37,691 (Democratic Republic of
the Congo)
IDPs: 4,158 (incursions by Hutu rebels from Democratic Republic of
the Congo, 1997-1999; most IDPs in northwest) (2004)

Saudi Arabia
refugees (country of origin): 240,000 (Palestinian
Territories) (2004)

Senegal
IDPs: 17,000 (clashes between government troops and
separatists in Casamance region) (2004)

Serbia and Montenegro
refugees (country of origin): 99,170 (Bosnia),
188,656 (Croatia)
IDPs: 225,000 (mostly ethnic Serbs and Roma who fled Kosovo in 1999)
(2004)

Sierra Leone
refugees (country of origin): 67,000 (Liberia) (2004)

Somalia
IDPs: 375,000 (civil war since 1988, clan-based competition
for resources) (2004)

Sri Lanka
IDPs: 362,000 (both Tamils and non-Tamils displaced due to
Tamil conflict) (2004)

Sudan
refugees (country of origin): 108,251 (Eritrea), 5,023 (Chad),
7,983 (Uganda)
IDPs: 4.367 million (internal conflict since 1980s; ongoing
genocide) (2004)

Syria
refugees (country of origin): 413,827 (Palestinian Refugees
(UNRWA))
IDPs: 170,000 (most displaced from Golan Heights during 1967
Arab-Israeli War) (2004)

Tanzania
refugees (country of origin): 447,877 (Burundi), 153,155
(Democratic Republic of the Congo), 3,036 (Somalia) (2004)

Thailand
refugees (country of origin): 118,407 (Burma) (2004)

Turkey
IDPs: 350,000-1,000,000 (fighting from 1984-1999 between
Kurdish PKK and Turkish military; most IDPs in southeastern
provinces) (2004)

Uganda
refugees (country of origin): 184,731 (Sudan), 18,000 (Rwanda)
IDPs: 1.4 million (ongoing LRA rebellion, mainly in the north; LRA
frequently attacks IDP camps) (2004)

Uzbekistan
IDPs: 3,000 (forced population transfers by government
from villages near Tajikistan border) (2004)

West Bank
refugees (country of origin): 665,246 (Palestinian
Refugees (UNRWA)) (2004)

Yemen
refugees (country of origin): 60,901 (Somalia) (2004)

Zambia
refugees (country of origin): 158,894 (Angola), 58,405
(Democratic Republic of the Congo), 5,767 (Rwanda) (2004)

Zimbabwe
IDPs: 100,000-150,000 (Mugabe-led political violence, human
rights violations, land reform, and economic collapse) (2004)

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2001

Rank Country GDP Date of Information

1 World $ 51,480,000,000,000 2003 est. 2 European Union $ 11,050,000,000,000 2004 est. 3 United States $ 10,990,000,000,000 2003 est. 4 China $ 6,449,000,000,000 2003 est. 5 Japan $ 3,582,000,000,000 2003 est. 6 India $ 3,033,000,000,000 2003 est. 7 Germany $ 2,271,000,000,000 2003 est. 8 United Kingdom $ 1,666,000,000,000 2003 est. 9 France $ 1,661,000,000,000 2003 est. 10 Italy $ 1,550,000,000,000 2003 est. 11 Brazil $ 1,375,000,000,000 2003 est. 12 Russia $ 1,282,000,000,000 2003 est. 13 Canada $ 958,700,000,000 2003 est. 14 Mexico $ 941,200,000,000 2003 est. 15 Spain $ 885,500,000,000 2003 est. 16 Korea, South $ 857,800,000,000 2003 est. 17 Indonesia $ 758,800,000,000 2003 est. 18 Australia $ 571,400,000,000 2003 est. 19 Taiwan $ 528,600,000,000 2003 est. 20 Iran $ 478,200,000,000 2003 est. 21 Thailand $ 477,500,000,000 2003 est. 22 Netherlands $ 461,400,000,000 2003 est. 23 Turkey $ 458,200,000,000 2003 est. 24 South Africa $ 456,700,000,000 2003 est. 25 Argentina $ 435,500,000,000 2003 est. 26 Poland $ 427,100,000,000 2003 est. 27 Philippines $ 390,700,000,000 2003 est. 28 Pakistan $ 318,000,000,000 2003 est. 29 Belgium $ 299,100,000,000 2003 est. 30 Egypt $ 295,200,000,000 2003 est. 31 Saudi Arabia $ 287,800,000,000 2003 est. 32 Colombia $ 263,200,000,000 2003 est. 33 Ukraine $ 260,400,000,000 2003 est. 34 Bangladesh $ 258,800,000,000 2003 est. 35 Austria $ 245,300,000,000 2003 est. 36 Switzerland $ 239,300,000,000 2003 est. 37 Sweden $ 238,300,000,000 2003 est. 38 Greece $ 213,600,000,000 2003 est. 39 Hong Kong $ 213,000,000,000 2003 est. 40 Malaysia $ 207,800,000,000 2003 est. 41 Vietnam $ 203,700,000,000 2003 est. 42 Algeria $ 196,000,000,000 2003 est. 43 Portugal $ 181,800,000,000 2003 est. 44 Norway $ 171,700,000,000 2003 est. 45 Denmark $ 167,200,000,000 2003 est. 46 Czech Republic $ 161,100,000,000 2003 est. 47 Romania $ 155,000,000,000 2003 est. 48 Chile $ 154,700,000,000 2003 est. 49 Peru $ 146,000,000,000 2003 est. 50 Finland $ 142,200,000,000 2003 est. 51 Hungary $ 139,800,000,000 2003 est. 52 Morocco $ 128,300,000,000 2003 est. 53 Israel $ 120,900,000,000 2003 est. 54 Venezuela $ 117,900,000,000 2003 est. 55 Ireland $ 116,200,000,000 2003 est. 56 Nigeria $ 114,800,000,000 2003 est. 57 Singapore $ 109,400,000,000 2003 est. 58 Kazakhstan $ 105,500,000,000 2003 est. 59 New Zealand $ 85,340,000,000 2003 est. 60 Burma $ 74,530,000,000 2003 est. 61 Sri Lanka $ 73,700,000,000 2003 est. 62 Slovakia $ 72,290,000,000 2003 est. 63 Sudan $ 70,950,000,000 2003 est. 64 Tunisia $ 68,230,000,000 2003 est. 65 Puerto Rico $ 65,210,000,000 2003 est. 66 Belarus $ 62,560,000,000 2003 est. 67 Syria $ 58,010,000,000 2003 est. 68 United Arab Emirates $ 57,700,000,000 2003 est. 69 Bulgaria $ 57,130,000,000 2003 est. 70 Guatemala $ 56,500,000,000 2003 est. 71 Dominican Republic $ 52,710,000,000 2003 est. 72 Croatia $ 47,050,000,000 2003 est. 73 Ethiopia $ 46,810,000,000 2003 est. 74 Ecuador $ 45,650,000,000 2003 est. 75 Ghana $ 44,440,000,000 2003 est. 76 Uzbekistan $ 43,990,000,000 2003 est. 77 Uruguay $ 43,670,000,000 2003 est. 78 Kuwait $ 41,460,000,000 2003 est. 79 Lithuania $ 40,880,000,000 2003 est. 80 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 40,050,000,000 2003 est. 81 Nepal $ 38,290,000,000 2003 est. 82 Iraq $ 37,920,000,000 2003 est. 83 Slovenia $ 36,820,000,000 2003 est. 84 Oman $ 36,700,000,000 2003 est. 85 Uganda $ 36,100,000,000 2003 est. 86 Costa Rica $ 35,340,000,000 2003 est. 87 Libya $ 35,000,000,000 2003 est. 88 Kenya $ 33,030,000,000 2003 est. 89 Cuba $ 32,130,000,000 2003 est. 90 El Salvador $ 30,990,000,000 2003 est. 91 Korea, North $ 29,580,000,000 2003 est. 92 Paraguay $ 28,170,000,000 2003 est. 93 Turkmenistan $ 27,880,000,000 2003 est. 94 Cameroon $ 27,750,000,000 2003 est. 95 Azerbaijan $ 26,650,000,000 2003 est. 96 Cambodia $ 25,020,000,000 2003 est. 97 Luxembourg $ 25,010,000,000 2003 est. 98 Cote d'Ivoire $ 24,510,000,000 2003 est. 99 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 24,310,000,000 2003 est. 100 Zimbabwe $ 24,030,000,000 2003 est. 101 Latvia $ 23,900,000,000 2003 est. 102 Serbia and Montenegro $ 23,890,000,000 2003 est. 103 Jordan $ 23,640,000,000 2003 est. 104 Tanzania $ 21,580,000,000 2003 est. 105 Mozambique $ 21,230,000,000 2003 est. 106 Bolivia $ 21,010,000,000 2003 est. 107 Angola $ 20,420,000,000 2003 est. 108 Afghanistan $ 20,000,000,000 2003 est. 109 Guinea $ 19,020,000,000 2003 est. 110 Panama $ 18,780,000,000 2003 est. 111 Lebanon $ 17,820,000,000 2003 est. 112 Honduras $ 17,550,000,000 2003 est. 113 Qatar $ 17,540,000,000 2003 est. 114 Estonia $ 17,350,000,000 2003 est. 115 Senegal $ 17,090,000,000 2003 est. 116 Albania $ 16,130,000,000 2003 est. 117 Yemen $ 15,090,000,000 2003 est. 118 Cyprus $ 14,820,000,000 2003 est. 119 Burkina Faso $ 14,550,000,000 2003 est. 120 Botswana $ 14,200,000,000 2003 est. 121 Mauritius $ 13,850,000,000 2003 est. 122 Namibia $ 13,850,000,000 2003 est. 123 Macedonia $ 13,810,000,000 2003 est. 124 Madagascar $ 13,020,000,000 2003 est. 125 Haiti $ 12,300,000,000 2003 est. 126 Georgia $ 12,180,000,000 2003 est. 127 Armenia $ 11,790,000,000 2003 est. 128 Nicaragua $ 11,600,000,000 2003 est. 129 Papua New Guinea $ 11,480,000,000 2003 est. 130 Bahrain $ 11,290,000,000 2003 est. 131 Chad $ 10,670,000,000 2003 est. 132 Jamaica $ 10,610,000,000 2003 est. 133 Mali $ 10,530,000,000 2003 est. 134 Trinidad and Tobago $ 10,520,000,000 2003 est. 135 Laos $ 10,320,000,000 2003 est. 136 Rwanda $ 10,110,000,000 2003 est. 137 Macau $ 9,100,000,000 2003 est. 138 Niger $ 9,062,000,000 2003 est. 139 Iceland $ 8,678,000,000 2003 est. 140 Zambia $ 8,596,000,000 2003 est. 141 Togo $ 8,257,000,000 2003 est. 142 Kyrgyzstan $ 7,808,000,000 2003 est. 143 Moldova $ 7,792,000,000 2003 est. 144 Benin $ 7,742,000,000 2003 est. 145 Gabon $ 7,301,000,000 2003 est. 146 Malta $ 7,082,000,000 2003 est. 147 Malawi $ 6,845,000,000 2003 est. 148 Tajikistan $ 6,812,000,000 2003 est. 149 Brunei $ 6,500,000,000 2002 est. 150 Martinique $ 6,117,000,000 2003 est. 151 Swaziland $ 5,702,000,000 2003 est. 152 Lesotho $ 5,583,000,000 2003 est. 153 Mauritania $ 5,195,000,000 2003 est. 154 Bahamas, The $ 5,049,000,000 2003 est. 155 Fiji $ 5,012,000,000 2003 est. 156 Mongolia $ 4,882,000,000 2003 est. 157 French Polynesia $ 4,580,000,000 2003 est. 158 Somalia $ 4,361,000,000 2003 est. 159 Barbados $ 4,355,000,000 2003 est. 160 Reunion $ 4,348,000,000 2003 est. 161 Central African Republic $ 4,183,000,000 2003 est. 162 Burundi $ 3,780,000,000 2003 est. 163 Guadeloupe $ 3,513,000,000 2003 est. 164 Eritrea $ 3,300,000,000 2002 est. 165 Liberia $ 3,261,000,000 2003 est. 166 Guam $ 3,200,000,000 2000 est. 167 New Caledonia $ 3,158,000,000 2003 est. 168 Sierra Leone $ 3,057,000,000 2003 est. 169 Guyana $ 2,797,000,000 2003 est. 170 Bhutan $ 2,700,000,000 2002 est. 171 Gambia, The $ 2,560,000,000 2003 est. 172 Virgin Islands $ 2,500,000,000 2002 est. 173 Netherlands Antilles $ 2,450,000,000 2003 est. 174 Bermuda $ 2,330,000,000 2003 est. 175 Jersey $ 2,200,000,000 1999 est. 176 Congo, Republic of the $ 2,148,000,000 2003 est. 177 Aruba $ 1,940,000,000 2002 est. 178 Suriname $ 1,752,000,000 2003 est. 179 West Bank $ 1,700,000,000 2002 est. 180 Man, Isle of $ 1,600,000,000 2001 est. 181 French Guiana $ 1,551,000,000 2003 est. 182 Andorra $ 1,300,000,000 2000 est. 183 Guernsey $ 1,300,000,000 1999 est. 184 Belize $ 1,280,000,000 2002 est. 185 Cayman Islands $ 1,270,000,000 2002 est. 186 Equatorial Guinea $ 1,270,000,000 2002 est. 187 Maldives $ 1,250,000,000 2002 est. 188 Cyprus $ 1,217,000,000 2003 est. 189 Greenland $ 1,100,000,000 2001 est. 190 Guinea-Bissau $ 1,063,000,000 2003 est. 191 Faroe Islands $ 1,000,000,000 2001 est. 192 Samoa $ 1,000,000,000 2002 est. 193 San Marino $ 940,000,000 2001 est. 194 Northern Mariana Islands $ 900,000,000 2000 est. 195 Monaco $ 870,000,000 1999 est. 196 Saint Lucia $ 866,000,000 2002 est. 197 Liechtenstein $ 825,000,000 1999 est. 198 Solomon Islands $ 800,000,000 2001 est. 199 Gaza Strip $ 768,000,000 2003 est. 200 Antigua and Barbuda $ 750,000,000 2002 est. 201 Seychelles $ 626,000,000 2002 est. 202 Djibouti $ 619,000,000 2002 est. 203 Cape Verde $ 600,000,000 2002 est. 204 Vanuatu $ 563,000,000 2002 est. 205 American Samoa $ 500,000,000 2000 est. 206 Gibraltar $ 500,000,000 1997 est. 207 Mayotte $ 466,800,000 2003 est. 208 Comoros $ 441,000,000 2002 est. 209 Grenada $ 440,000,000 2002 est. 210 East Timor $ 440,000,000 2001 est. 211 Dominica $ 380,000,000 2002 est. 212 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 342,000,000 2002 est. 213 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 339,000,000 2002 est. 214 British Virgin Islands $ 320,000,000 2002 est. 215 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 277,000,000 2002 est. 216 Tonga $ 236,000,000 2001 est. 217 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 231,000,000 2000 est. 218 Sao Tome and Principe $ 214,000,000 2003 est. 219 Palau $ 174,000,000 2001 est. 220 Marshall Islands $ 115,000,000 2001 est. 221 Cook Islands $ 105,000,000 2001 est. 222 Anguilla $ 104,000,000 2001 est. 223 Kiribati $ 79,000,000 2001 est. 224 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 75,000,000 2002 est. 225 Nauru $ 60,000,000 2001 est. 226 Wallis and Futuna $ 57,590,000 2003 est. 227 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 48,330,000 2003 est. 228 Montserrat $ 29,000,000 2002 est. 229 Saint Helena $ 18,000,000 1998 est. 230 Tuvalu $ 12,200,000 2000 est. 231 Niue $ 7,600,000 2000 est. 232 Tokelau $ 1,500,000 1993 est.

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2003

Rank Country GDP - real growth rate(%) Date of Information

1 Afghanistan 29.00 2 Turkmenistan 23.10 2003 est. 3 Equatorial Guinea 20.00 2002 est. 4 Chad 15.00 2003 est. 5 Man, Isle of 13.50 6 Azerbaijan 11.20 2003 est. 7 Liechtenstein 11.00 1999 est. 8 Faroe Islands 10.00 2001 est. 9 Armenia 9.90 2003 est. 10 Ukraine 9.40 2003 est. 11 Kazakhstan 9.20 2003 est. 12 China 9.10 2003 est. 13 Lithuania 9.00 2003 est. 14 Argentina 8.70 2003 est. 15 Qatar 8.50 2003 est. 16 India 8.30 2003 est. 17 Bhutan 7.70 2002 est. 18 San Marino 7.50 2001 est. 19 Algeria 7.40 2003 est. 20 Latvia 7.40 2003 est. 21 Russia 7.30 2003 est. 22 Botswana 7.20 2003 est. 23 Vietnam 7.20 2003 est. 24 Cook Islands 7.10 2001 est. 25 Nigeria 7.10 2003 est. 26 Albania 7.00 2003 est. 27 Tajikistan 7.00 2003 est. 28 Mozambique 7.00 2003 est. 29 Belarus 6.80 2003 est. 30 Kyrgyzstan 6.70 2003 est. 31 Thailand 6.70 2003 est. 32 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6.50 2003 est. 33 Sierra Leone 6.50 2003 est. 34 Moldova 6.30 2003 est. 35 Iran 6.10 2003 est. 36 Madagascar 6.00 2003 est. 37 Morocco 6.00 2003 est. 38 Sudan 5.90 2003 est. 39 Turkey 5.80 2003 est. 40 Guernsey 5.70 1999 est. 41 Costa Rica 5.60 2003 est. 42 Benin 5.50 2003 est. 43 Georgia 5.50 2003 est. 44 Sri Lanka 5.50 2003 est. 45 Pakistan 5.50 2003 est. 46 Senegal 5.50 2003 est. 47 Laos 5.50 2003 est. 48 Bangladesh 5.30 2003 est. 49 Saudi Arabia 5.30 2003 est. 50 United Arab Emirates 5.20 2003 est. 51 Tanzania 5.20 2003 est. 52 Burkina Faso 5.20 2003 est. 53 Malaysia 5.20 2003 est. 54 Tunisia 5.10 2003 est. 55 Cambodia 5.00 2003 est. 56 Samoa 5.00 2002 est. 57 Sao Tome and Principe 5.00 2003 est. 58 Suriname 5.00 2003 est. 59 Mongolia 5.00 2003 est. 60 Bahrain 4.90 2003 est. 61 Turks and Caicos Islands 4.90 2000 est. 62 Romania 4.90 2003 est. 63 Fiji 4.80 2003 est. 64 Estonia 4.70 2003 est. 65 Ghana 4.70 2003 est. 66 Greece 4.70 2003 est. 67 Kuwait 4.60 2003 est. 68 Gaza Strip 4.50 2003 est. 69 Mauritania 4.50 2003 est. 70 Philippines 4.50 2003 est. 71 Uganda 4.40 2003 est. 72 Bulgaria 4.30 2003 est. 73 Croatia 4.30 2003 est. 74 Cameroon 4.20 2003 est. 75 Indonesia 4.10 2003 est. 76 Mauritius 4.10 2003 est. 77 Panama 4.10 2003 est. 78 Cape Verde 4.00 2002 est. 79 Zambia 4.00 2003 est. 80 Peru 4.00 2003 est. 81 Macau 4.00 2003 est. 82 French Polynesia 4.00 2001 est. 83 Lesotho 4.00 2003 est. 84 Slovakia 3.90 2003 est. 85 Andorra 3.80 2000 est. 86 World 3.80 2003 est. 87 Niger 3.80 2003 est. 88 Belize 3.70 2002 est. 89 Colombia 3.70 2003 est. 90 Poland 3.70 2003 est. 91 Trinidad and Tobago 3.70 2003 est. 92 Bosnia and Herzegovina 3.50 2003 est. 93 Djibouti 3.50 2002 est. 94 New Zealand 3.50 2003 est. 95 Rwanda 3.50 2003 est. 96 Chile 3.30 2003 est. 97 Hong Kong 3.30 2003 est. 98 Togo 3.30 2003 est. 99 Namibia 3.30 2003 est. 100 Saint Lucia 3.30 2002 est. 101 Libya 3.20 2003 est. 102 Taiwan 3.20 2003 est. 103 Egypt 3.10 2003 est. 104 Jordan 3.10 2003 est. 105 United States 3.10 2003 est. 106 Uzbekistan 3.10 2003 est. 107 Korea, South 3.10 2003 est. 108 Antigua and Barbuda 3.00 2002 est. 109 Australia 3.00 2003 est. 110 Tuvalu 3.00 2000 est. 111 Tonga 3.00 2001 est. 112 Nepal 3.00 2003 est. 113 Liberia 3.00 2003 est. 114 Lebanon 3.00 2003 est. 115 Honduras 3.00 2003 est. 116 Guinea 3.00 2003 est. 117 Gambia, The 3.00 2003 est. 118 Brunei 3.00 2002 est. 119 Czech Republic 2.90 2003 est. 120 Hungary 2.90 2003 est. 121 Anguilla 2.80 2001 est. 122 Macedonia 2.80 2003 est. 123 Yemen 2.80 2003 est. 124 Japan 2.70 2003 est. 125 Cuba 2.60 2003 est. 126 Cyprus 2.60 2003 est. 127 Iceland 2.60 2003 est. 128 Bolivia 2.50 2003 est. 129 Uruguay 2.50 2003 est. 130 Ecuador 2.50 2003 est. 131 Grenada 2.50 2002 est. 132 Reunion 2.50 2003 est. 133 Spain 2.40 2003 est. 134 Maldives 2.30 2002 est. 135 Nicaragua 2.30 2003 est. 136 Slovenia 2.30 2003 est. 137 Barbados 2.20 2003 est. 138 Swaziland 2.20 2003 est. 139 United Kingdom 2.20 2003 est. 140 Guatemala 2.10 2003 est. 141 Somalia 2.10 2003 est. 142 Bermuda 2.00 2003 est. 143 Virgin Islands 2.00 2002 est. 144 Eritrea 2.00 2002 est. 145 Comoros 2.00 2002 est. 146 Cyprus 1.90 2003 est. 147 South Africa 1.90 2003 est. 148 Finland 1.90 2003 est. 149 Jamaica 1.90 2003 est. 150 Greenland 1.80 2001 est. 151 Paraguay 1.80 2003 est. 152 Canada 1.70 2003 est. 153 Malawi 1.70 2003 est. 154 Sweden 1.70 2003 est. 155 Cayman Islands 1.70 2002 est. 156 Puerto Rico 1.60 2003 est. 157 Angola 1.50 2003 est. 158 Serbia and Montenegro 1.50 2003 est. 159 Seychelles 1.50 2002 est. 160 Kiribati 1.50 2001 est. 161 Kenya 1.50 2003 est. 162 Ireland 1.40 2003 est. 163 El Salvador 1.40 2003 est. 164 Papua New Guinea 1.40 2003 est. 165 Congo, Republic of the 1.30 2003 est. 166 Mexico 1.30 2003 est. 167 Israel 1.30 2003 est. 168 Gabon 1.20 2003 est. 169 Luxembourg 1.20 2003 est. 170 Belgium 1.10 2003 est. 171 Singapore 1.10 2003 est. 172 Oman 1.10 2003 est. 173 European Union 1.00 2004 est. 174 Marshall Islands 1.00 2001 est. 175 British Virgin Islands 1.00 2002 est. 176 Palau 1.00 2001 est. 177 Korea, North 1.00 2003 est. 178 Micronesia, Federated States of 1.00 2002 est. 179 Syria 0.90 2003 est. 180 Malta 0.80 2003 est. 181 Austria 0.70 2003 est. 182 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.70 2002 est. 183 Norway 0.60 2003 est. 184 France 0.50 2003 est. 185 Guyana 0.50 2003 est. 186 Netherlands Antilles 0.50 2003 est. 187 Mali 0.50 2003 est. 188 Italy 0.40 2003 est. 189 Bahamas, The 0.00 2003 est. 190 Haiti 0.00 2003 est. 191 Denmark 0.00 2003 est. 192 Germany -0.10 2003 est. 193 Brazil -0.20 2003 est. 194 Niue -0.30 2000 est. 195 Vanuatu -0.30 2002 est. 196 Burma -0.50 2003 est. 197 Switzerland -0.50 2003 est. 198 Dominican Republic -0.70 2003 est. 199 Netherlands -0.70 2003 est. 200 Dominica -1.00 2003 est. 201 Montserrat -1.00 2002 est. 202 Burundi -1.30 2003 est. 203 Portugal -1.30 2003 est. 204 Aruba -1.50 2002 est. 205 Cote d'Ivoire -1.90 2003 est. 206 Saint Kitts and Nevis -1.90 2002 est. 207 East Timor -3.00 2003 est. 208 Ethiopia -3.80 2003 est. 209 Central African Republic -7.00 2003 est. 210 Guinea-Bissau -7.00 2003 est. 211 Venezuela -9.20 2003 est. 212 Solomon Islands -10.00 2001 est. 213 Zimbabwe -13.60 2003 est. 214 Iraq -21.80 2003 est. 215 West Bank -22.00 2002 est.

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2004

Rank Country GDP - per capita Date of Information

1 Luxembourg $ 55,100 2003 est. 2 Norway $ 37,800 2003 est. 3 United States $ 37,800 2003 est. 4 Bermuda $ 36,000 2003 est. 5 Cayman Islands $ 35,000 2002 est. 6 San Marino $ 34,600 2001 est. 7 Switzerland $ 32,700 2003 est. 8 Denmark $ 31,100 2003 est. 9 Iceland $ 30,900 2003 est. 10 Austria $ 30,000 2003 est. 11 Canada $ 29,800 2003 est. 12 Ireland $ 29,600 2003 est. 13 Belgium $ 29,100 2003 est. 14 Australia $ 29,000 2003 est. 15 Hong Kong $ 28,800 2003 est. 16 Netherlands $ 28,600 2003 est. 17 Japan $ 28,200 2003 est. 18 Aruba $ 28,000 2002 est. 19 United Kingdom $ 27,700 2003 est. 20 France $ 27,600 2003 est. 21 Germany $ 27,600 2003 est. 22 Finland $ 27,400 2003 est. 23 Monaco $ 27,000 1999 est. 24 Sweden $ 26,800 2003 est. 25 Italy $ 26,700 2003 est. 26 European Union $ 25,700 2004 est. 27 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 25,000 2002 est. 28 Liechtenstein $ 25,000 1999 est. 29 Jersey $ 24,800 1999 est. 30 Singapore $ 23,700 2003 est. 31 Taiwan $ 23,400 2003 est. 32 United Arab Emirates $ 23,200 2003 est. 33 Faroe Islands $ 22,000 2001 est. 34 Spain $ 22,000 2003 est. 35 New Zealand $ 21,600 2003 est. 36 Qatar $ 21,500 2003 est. 37 Guam $ 21,000 2000 est. 38 Man, Isle of $ 21,000 2001 est. 39 Guernsey $ 20,000 1999 est. 40 Greenland $ 20,000 2001 est. 41 Greece $ 20,000 2003 est. 42 Israel $ 19,800 2003 est. 43 Macau $ 19,400 2003 est. 44 Cyprus $ 19,200 2003 est. 45 Andorra $ 19,000 2000 est. 46 Slovenia $ 19,000 2003 est. 47 Kuwait $ 19,000 2003 est. 48 Brunei $ 18,600 2002 est. 49 Portugal $ 18,000 2003 est. 50 Korea, South $ 17,800 2003 est. 51 Malta $ 17,700 2003 est. 52 French Polynesia $ 17,500 2001 est. 53 Gibraltar $ 17,500 1997 est. 54 Virgin Islands $ 17,200 2002 est. 55 Bahrain $ 16,900 2003 est. 56 Puerto Rico $ 16,800 2003 est. 57 Bahamas, The $ 16,700 2003 est. 58 British Virgin Islands $ 16,000 2002 est. 59 Barbados $ 15,700 2003 est. 60 Czech Republic $ 15,700 2003 est. 61 New Caledonia $ 15,000 2001 est. 62 Martinique $ 14,400 2001 est. 63 Hungary $ 13,900 2003 est. 64 Slovakia $ 13,300 2003 est. 65 Oman $ 13,100 2003 est. 66 Uruguay $ 12,800 2003 est. 67 Northern Mariana Islands $ 12,500 2000 est. 68 Estonia $ 12,300 2003 est. 69 Saudi Arabia $ 11,800 2003 est. 70 Lithuania $ 11,400 2003 est. 71 Mauritius $ 11,400 2003 est. 72 Netherlands Antilles $ 11,400 2003 est. 73 Argentina $ 11,200 2003 est. 74 Poland $ 11,100 2003 est. 75 Antigua and Barbuda $ 11,000 2002 est. 76 South Africa $ 10,700 2003 est. 77 Croatia $ 10,600 2003 est. 78 Latvia $ 10,200 2003 est. 79 Chile $ 9,900 2003 est. 80 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 9,600 2000 est. 81 Trinidad and Tobago $ 9,500 2003 est. 82 Costa Rica $ 9,100 2003 est. 83 Botswana $ 9,000 2003 est. 84 Mexico $ 9,000 2003 est. 85 Palau $ 9,000 2001 est. 86 Malaysia $ 9,000 2003 est. 87 Russia $ 8,900 2003 est. 88 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 8,800 2002 est. 89 Anguilla $ 8,600 2001 est. 90 French Guiana $ 8,300 2001 est. 91 World $ 8,200 2003 est. 92 American Samoa $ 8,000 2000 est. 93 Guadeloupe $ 8,000 2001 est. 94 Seychelles $ 7,800 2002 est. 95 Brazil $ 7,600 2003 est. 96 Bulgaria $ 7,600 2003 est. 97 Thailand $ 7,400 2003 est. 98 Namibia $ 7,200 2003 est. 99 Iran $ 7,000 2003 est. 100 Romania $ 7,000 2003 est. 101 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 6,900 2001 est. 102 Tunisia $ 6,900 2003 est. 103 Macedonia $ 6,700 2003 est. 104 Turkey $ 6,700 2003 est. 105 Libya $ 6,400 2003 est. 106 Colombia $ 6,300 2003 est. 107 Kazakhstan $ 6,300 2003 est. 108 Panama $ 6,300 2003 est. 109 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 6,100 2003 est. 110 Belarus $ 6,100 2003 est. 111 Algeria $ 6,000 2003 est. 112 Dominican Republic $ 6,000 2003 est. 113 Fiji $ 5,800 2003 est. 114 Turkmenistan $ 5,800 2003 est. 115 Reunion $ 5,800 2001 est. 116 Cyprus $ 5,600 2003 est. 117 Samoa $ 5,600 2002 est. 118 Gabon $ 5,500 2003 est. 119 Dominica $ 5,400 2002 est. 120 Saint Lucia $ 5,400 2002 est. 121 Ukraine $ 5,400 2003 est. 122 Peru $ 5,100 2003 est. 123 China $ 5,000 2003 est. 124 Cook Islands $ 5,000 2001 est. 125 Nauru $ 5,000 2001 est. 126 Grenada $ 5,000 2002 est. 127 Belize $ 4,900 2002 est. 128 Swaziland $ 4,900 2003 est. 129 El Salvador $ 4,800 2003 est. 130 Venezuela $ 4,800 2003 est. 131 Lebanon $ 4,800 2003 est. 132 Paraguay $ 4,700 2003 est. 133 Philippines $ 4,600 2003 est. 134 Albania $ 4,500 2003 est. 135 Jordan $ 4,300 2003 est. 136 Guatemala $ 4,100 2003 est. 137 Egypt $ 4,000 2003 est. 138 Guyana $ 4,000 2003 est. 139 Morocco $ 4,000 2003 est. 140 Suriname $ 4,000 2003 est. 141 Jamaica $ 3,900 2003 est. 142 Maldives $ 3,900 2002 est. 143 Sri Lanka $ 3,700 2003 est. 144 Wallis and Futuna $ 3,700 2001 est. 145 Niue $ 3,600 2000 est. 146 Armenia $ 3,500 2003 est. 147 Azerbaijan $ 3,400 2003 est. 148 Montserrat $ 3,400 2002 est. 149 Ecuador $ 3,300 2003 est. 150 Syria $ 3,300 2003 est. 151 Indonesia $ 3,200 2003 est. 152 Lesotho $ 3,000 2003 est. 153 Cuba $ 2,900 2003 est. 154 Vanuatu $ 2,900 2002 est. 155 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 2,900 2002 est. 156 India $ 2,900 2003 est. 157 Equatorial Guinea $ 2,700 2002 est. 158 Honduras $ 2,600 2003 est. 159 Mayotte $ 2,600 1998 est. 160 Georgia $ 2,500 2003 est. 161 Vietnam $ 2,500 2003 est. 162 Saint Helena $ 2,500 1998 est. 163 Bolivia $ 2,400 2003 est. 164 Nicaragua $ 2,300 2003 est. 165 Ghana $ 2,200 2003 est. 166 Papua New Guinea $ 2,200 2003 est. 167 Serbia and Montenegro $ 2,200 2003 est. 168 Tonga $ 2,200 2001 est. 169 Guinea $ 2,100 2003 est. 170 Pakistan $ 2,100 2003 est. 171 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 2,000 2002 est. 172 Angola $ 1,900 2003 est. 173 Zimbabwe $ 1,900 2003 est. 174 Sudan $ 1,900 2003 est. 175 Cambodia $ 1,900 2003 est. 176 Bangladesh $ 1,900 2003 est. 177 Burma $ 1,800 2003 est. 178 Mauritania $ 1,800 2003 est. 179 Mongolia $ 1,800 2003 est. 180 Moldova $ 1,800 2003 est. 181 Cameroon $ 1,800 2003 est. 182 Solomon Islands $ 1,700 2001 est. 183 Uzbekistan $ 1,700 2003 est. 184 Gambia, The $ 1,700 2003 est. 185 Laos $ 1,700 2003 est. 186 Haiti $ 1,600 2003 est. 187 Kyrgyzstan $ 1,600 2003 est. 188 Marshall Islands $ 1,600 2001 est. 189 Senegal $ 1,600 2003 est. 190 Iraq $ 1,500 2003 est. 191 Togo $ 1,500 2003 est. 192 Cape Verde $ 1,400 2002 est. 193 Uganda $ 1,400 2003 est. 194 Nepal $ 1,400 2003 est. 195 Cote d'Ivoire $ 1,400 2003 est. 196 Bhutan $ 1,300 2002 est. 197 Rwanda $ 1,300 2003 est. 198 Korea, North $ 1,300 2003 est. 199 Djibouti $ 1,300 2002 est. 200 Chad $ 1,200 2003 est. 201 Sao Tome and Principe $ 1,200 2003 est. 202 Mozambique $ 1,200 2003 est. 203 Benin $ 1,100 2003 est. 204 Tuvalu $ 1,100 2000 est. 205 Burkina Faso $ 1,100 2003 est. 206 Central African Republic $ 1,100 2003 est. 207 Kenya $ 1,000 2003 est. 208 Tokelau $ 1,000 1993 est. 209 Tajikistan $ 1,000 2003 est. 210 Liberia $ 1,000 2003 est. 211 Mali $ 900 2003 est. 212 Nigeria $ 900 2003 est. 213 Kiribati $ 800 2001 est. 214 Zambia $ 800 2003 est. 215 Guinea-Bissau $ 800 2003 est. 216 Madagascar $ 800 2003 est. 217 Yemen $ 800 2003 est. 218 West Bank $ 800 2002 est. 219 Niger $ 800 2003 est. 220 Afghanistan $ 700 2003 est. 221 Ethiopia $ 700 2003 est. 222 Eritrea $ 700 2002 est. 223 Comoros $ 700 2002 est. 224 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 700 2003 est. 225 Congo, Republic of the $ 700 2003 est. 226 Burundi $ 600 2003 est. 227 Tanzania $ 600 2003 est. 228 Malawi $ 600 2003 est. 229 Gaza Strip $ 600 2003 est. 230 Sierra Leone $ 500 2003 est. 231 Somalia $ 500 2003 est. 232 East Timor $ 500 2001 est.

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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Rank code: @2034

Rank Country Military expenditures - percent of GDP(%) Date of Information

1 Korea, North 22.90 2003 2 Jordan 20.20 2003 3 Eritrea 11.80 2003 4 Oman 11.40 2003 5 Qatar 10.00 6 Saudi Arabia 10.00 2002 7 Israel 8.70 FY02 8 Maldives 8.60 2003 9 Yemen 7.90 2003 10 Bahrain 7.50 2003 11 Armenia 6.50 FY01 12 Burundi 6.00 2003 13 Macedonia 6.00 14 Brunei 5.90 2003 15 Syria 5.90 16 Kuwait 5.80 2003 17 Turkey 5.30 2003 18 Ethiopia 5.20 2003 19 Singapore 4.90 20 Lebanon 4.80 21 Morocco 4.80 2003 22 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.50 23 Djibouti 4.40 2003 24 Greece 4.30 2003 25 Chile 4.00 2003 26 Libya 3.90 27 Tajikistan 3.90 FY01 28 Pakistan 3.90 FY02/03 29 Cyprus 3.80 30 Mauritania 3.70 2003 31 Botswana 3.60 2003 32 Egypt 3.60 2003 33 Algeria 3.50 2003 34 Colombia 3.40 FY01 35 Turkmenistan 3.40 36 Iran 3.30 2003 est. 37 United States 3.30 February 2004 38 Sri Lanka 3.20 2003 39 United Arab Emirates 3.10 40 Cambodia 3.00 41 Comoros 3.00 2003 42 Rwanda 2.90 2003 43 Australia 2.80 2003 44 Guinea-Bissau 2.80 2003 45 Congo, Republic of the 2.80 2003 46 Benin 2.70 2003 47 Korea, South 2.70 FY03 48 Taiwan 2.70 2003 49 Azerbaijan 2.60 50 Bulgaria 2.60 2003 51 France 2.60 2003 52 Lesotho 2.60 2003 53 Equatorial Guinea 2.50 2003 54 Sudan 2.50 55 Vietnam 2.50 56 Namibia 2.50 2003 57 Romania 2.47 2002 58 Ecuador 2.40 2003 59 United Kingdom 2.40 2003 60 India 2.40 2003 61 Croatia 2.39 2002 est. 62 Portugal 2.30 2003 63 Fiji 2.20 FY02 64 Mozambique 2.20 2003 65 Mongolia 2.20 FY02 66 Burma 2.10 67 Brazil 2.10 2003 68 Uganda 2.10 2003 69 Sweden 2.10 FY01 70 Chad 2.10 2003 71 Czech Republic 2.10 FY01 72 Malaysia 2.03 73 Belize 2.00 2003 74 World 2.00 75 Finland 2.00 FY98/99 76 Gabon 2.00 2003 77 Uzbekistan 2.00 78 Uruguay 2.00 2003 79 Estonia 2.00 2002 est. 80 Angola 1.90 2003 81 Togo 1.90 2003 82 Norway 1.90 2003 83 Lithuania 1.90 FY01 84 Italy 1.90 2003 85 Bhutan 1.90 2003 86 Slovakia 1.89 2002 87 Cuba 1.80 2003 88 Kenya 1.80 2003 89 Seychelles 1.80 2003 90 Swaziland 1.80 2003 91 Thailand 1.80 2003 92 Hungary 1.75 2002 est. 93 Poland 1.71 2002 94 Guinea 1.70 2003 95 South Africa 1.70 2003 96 Zimbabwe 1.70 2003 97 Slovenia 1.70 FY00 98 Bolivia 1.60 2003 99 Nepal 1.60 2003 100 Burkina Faso 1.60 2003 101 Denmark 1.60 2003 102 Netherlands 1.60 2003 103 Cape Verde 1.50 2003 104 Tunisia 1.50 105 Sierra Leone 1.50 2003 106 Senegal 1.50 2003 107 Philippines 1.50 108 Honduras 1.50 2003 109 Germany 1.50 2003 110 Albania 1.49 FY02 111 Belarus 1.40 FY02 112 Papua New Guinea 1.40 FY02 113 Kyrgyzstan 1.40 FY01 114 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1.40 2003 115 Ukraine 1.40 FY02 116 Cameroon 1.40 2003 117 Argentina 1.30 FY00 118 Belgium 1.30 2003 119 Venezuela 1.30 2003 120 Peru 1.30 2003 121 Mali 1.30 2003 122 Liberia 1.30 2003 123 Indonesia 1.30 124 Bangladesh 1.20 2003 125 Cote d'Ivoire 1.20 2003 126 Spain 1.20 2003 127 Panama 1.20 2003 128 Nicaragua 1.20 2003 129 Madagascar 1.20 2003 130 Latvia 1.20 FY01 131 Canada 1.10 2003 132 El Salvador 1.10 2003 133 Dominican Republic 1.10 1998 134 Niger 1.10 2003 135 Central African Republic 1.10 2003 136 Afghanistan 1.00 2003 137 Switzerland 1.00 FY01 138 Japan 1.00 2003 139 New Zealand 1.00 FY02 140 Ireland 0.90 FY00/01 141 Zambia 0.90 2003 142 Somalia 0.90 2003 143 Paraguay 0.90 2003 144 Nigeria 0.90 2003 145 Mexico 0.90 2003 146 Haiti 0.90 2003 147 Luxembourg 0.90 2003 148 Kazakhstan 0.90 FY02 149 Austria 0.85 June 2004 150 Guatemala 0.80 2003 151 Guyana 0.80 2003 152 Sao Tome and Principe 0.80 2003 153 Malawi 0.70 2003 154 Suriname 0.70 2003 155 Malta 0.70 2003 156 Ghana 0.60 2003 157 Trinidad and Tobago 0.60 2003 158 Georgia 0.59 159 Laos 0.50 2003 160 Costa Rica 0.40 2003 161 Jamaica 0.40 2003 162 Moldova 0.40 FY02 163 Gambia, The 0.30 2003 164 Mauritius 0.20 2003 165 Tanzania 0.20 2003 166 Bermuda 0.11

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2038

Rank Country Electricity - production(kWh) Date of Information

1 World 14,930,000,000,000 2001 est. 2 United States 3,719,000,000,000 2001 3 European Union 2,822,000,000,000 2001 4 China 1,420,000,000,000 2001 5 Japan 1,037,000,000,000 2001 6 Russia 915,000,000,000 2003 7 Canada 566,300,000,000 2001 8 Germany 544,800,000,000 2001 9 India 533,300,000,000 2001 10 France 520,100,000,000 2001 11 United Kingdom 360,900,000,000 2001 12 Brazil 321,200,000,000 2001 13 Korea, South 290,700,000,000 2001 14 Italy 258,800,000,000 2001 15 Spain 222,500,000,000 2001 16 Mexico 198,600,000,000 2001 17 Australia 198,200,000,000 2001 18 South Africa 195,600,000,000 2001 19 Ukraine 164,700,000,000 2001 20 Sweden 152,900,000,000 2001 21 Taiwan 151,100,000,000 2001 22 Poland 135,000,000,000 2001 23 Iran 124,600,000,000 2001 24 Saudi Arabia 122,400,000,000 2001 25 Norway 120,100,000,000 2001 26 Turkey 116,600,000,000 2001 27 Thailand 97,600,000,000 2001 28 Argentina 97,170,000,000 2001 29 Indonesia 95,780,000,000 2001 30 Netherlands 88,320,000,000 2001 31 Venezuela 87,600,000,000 2001 32 Malaysia 75,330,000,000 2002 33 Ecuador 75,230,000,000 2001 34 Egypt 75,230,000,000 2001 35 Belgium 74,280,000,000 2001 36 Finland 71,200,000,000 2001 37 Czech Republic 70,040,000,000 2001 38 Switzerland 68,680,000,000 2001 39 Pakistan 66,960,000,000 2001 40 Austria 58,750,000,000 2001 41 Kazakhstan 52,430,000,000 2001 42 Romania 50,860,000,000 2001 43 Greece 49,790,000,000 2001 44 Philippines 45,210,000,000 2001 45 Paraguay 44,890,000,000 2001 46 Uzbekistan 44,490,000,000 2001 47 Portugal 44,320,000,000 2001 48 Colombia 42,990,000,000 2001 49 Israel 42,240,000,000 2001 50 Chile 41,660,000,000 2001 51 Bulgaria 41,380,000,000 2001 52 United Arab Emirates 37,740,000,000 2001 53 New Zealand 37,510,000,000 2001 54 Iraq 36,010,000,000 2001 55 Denmark 35,470,000,000 2001 56 Hungary 34,390,000,000 2001 57 Serbia and Montenegro 31,710,000,000 2001 58 Kuwait 31,490,000,000 2001 59 Hong Kong 30,480,000,000 2001 60 Singapore 30,480,000,000 2001 61 Slovakia 30,290,000,000 2001 62 Korea, North 30,010,000,000 2001 63 Vietnam 29,800,000,000 2001 64 Algeria 24,690,000,000 2001 65 Belarus 24,400,000,000 2001 66 Ireland 23,530,000,000 2001 67 Syria 23,260,000,000 2001 68 Puerto Rico 20,900,000,000 2001 69 Peru 20,590,000,000 2001 70 Libya 20,180,000,000 2001 71 Azerbaijan 18,230,000,000 2001 72 Nigeria 15,670,000,000 2001 73 Bangladesh 15,330,000,000 2001 74 Lithuania 14,620,000,000 2001 75 Cuba 14,380,000,000 2001 76 Tajikistan 14,180,000,000 2001 77 Slovenia 13,690,000,000 2001 78 Kyrgyzstan 13,450,000,000 2001 79 Morocco 13,350,000,000 2001 80 Croatia 12,120,000,000 2001 81 Tunisia 10,480,000,000 2001 82 Turkmenistan 10,180,000,000 2001 83 Bosnia and Herzegovina 9,979,000,000 2001 84 Oman 9,274,000,000 2001 85 Qatar 9,264,000,000 2001 86 Dominican Republic 9,186,000,000 2001 87 Ghana 8,801,000,000 2001 88 Uruguay 7,963,000,000 2001 89 Estonia 7,937,000,000 2001 90 Iceland 7,894,000,000 2001 91 Zambia 7,751,000,000 2001 92 Georgia 7,270,000,000 2001 93 Mozambique 7,193,000,000 2001 94 Jordan 7,091,000,000 2001 95 Costa Rica 6,839,000,000 2001 96 Zimbabwe 6,735,000,000 2001 97 Lebanon 6,728,000,000 2001 98 Armenia 6,479,000,000 2001 99 Macedonia 6,465,000,000 2001 100 Sri Lanka 6,360,000,000 2001 101 Jamaica 6,272,000,000 2001 102 Bahrain 6,257,000,000 2001 103 Guatemala 6,237,000,000 2001 104 Burma 6,139,000,000 2001 105 Trinidad and Tobago 5,315,000,000 2001 106 Albania 5,289,000,000 2001 107 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 5,243,000,000 2001 108 Cote d'Ivoire 4,605,000,000 2001 109 Latvia 4,365,000,000 2001 110 Panama 4,039,000,000 2001 111 Kenya 4,033,000,000 2001 112 Bolivia 3,901,000,000 2001 113 Honduras 3,778,000,000 2001 114 El Salvador 3,729,000,000 2001 115 Cameroon 3,613,000,000 2001 116 Cyprus 3,401,000,000 2001 117 Moldova 3,394,000,000 2001 118 Yemen 3,010,000,000 2001 119 Tanzania 2,906,000,000 2001 120 Nicaragua 2,549,000,000 2001 121 Brunei 2,497,000,000 2001 122 Sudan 2,389,000,000 2001 123 Mongolia 2,225,000,000 2001 124 Suriname 1,959,000,000 2001 125 Uganda 1,928,000,000 2001 126 Bhutan 1,896,000,000 2001 127 Malta 1,768,000,000 2001 128 Nepal 1,755,000,000 2001 129 Ethiopia 1,713,000,000 2001 130 New Caledonia 1,613,000,000 2001 131 Macau 1,611,000,000 2002 132 Bahamas, The 1,560,000,000 2001 133 Senegal 1,518,000,000 2001 134 Papua New Guinea 1,496,000,000 2001 135 Angola 1,450,000,000 2001 136 Laos 1,317,000,000 2001 137 Mauritius 1,311,000,000 2001 138 Guadeloupe 1,155,000,000 2001 139 Martinique 1,151,000,000 2001 140 Reunion 1,080,000,000 2001 141 Netherlands Antilles 1,061,000,000 2001 142 Virgin Islands 1,030,000,000 2001 143 Guyana 852,000,000 2001 144 Madagascar 830,200,000 2001 145 Guam 830,000,000 2001 146 Gabon 798,400,000 2001 147 Guinea 790,600,000 2001 148 Barbados 780,000,000 2001 149 Malawi 769,200,000 2001 150 Bermuda 643,700,000 2001 151 Haiti 580,000,000 2001 152 Aruba 531,900,000 2001 153 Fiji 520,100,000 2001 154 Mali 480,200,000 2001 155 Liberia 468,800,000 2001 156 Luxembourg 457,000,000 2001 157 French Guiana 455,000,000 2001 158 French Polynesia 428,300,000 2001 159 Botswana 409,800,000 2001 160 Cayman Islands 381,900,000 2001 161 Congo, Republic of the 358,100,000 2001 162 Swaziland 348,300,000 2001 163 Afghanistan 334,800,000 2001 164 Burkina Faso 279,200,000 2001 165 Benin 274,300,000 2001 166 Sierra Leone 250,100,000 2001 167 Somalia 245,100,000 2001 168 Greenland 245,000,000 2001 169 Niger 242,000,000 2001 170 Eritrea 220,500,000 2001 171 Belize 199,500,000 2001 172 Djibouti 180,000,000 2001 173 Faroe Islands 160,400,000 2001 174 Seychelles 160,000,000 2001 175 Mauritania 157,400,000 2001 176 Burundi 155,400,000 2001 177 Grenada 138,000,000 2001 178 American Samoa 130,000,000 2001 179 Saint Lucia 120,200,000 2001 180 Cambodia 119,000,000 2001 181 Maldives 117,000,000 2001 182 Central African Republic 106,000,000 2001 183 Antigua and Barbuda 105,300,000 2001 184 Samoa 105,100,000 2001 185 Togo 101,600,000 2001 186 Saint Kitts and Nevis 100,300,000 2001 187 Gibraltar 100,000,000 2001 188 Rwanda 96,780,000 2001 189 Chad 94,040,000 2001 190 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 92,480,000 2001 191 Western Sahara 90,000,000 2001 192 Gambia, The 85,330,000 2001 193 Dominica 72,410,000 2001 194 Guinea-Bissau 55,000,000 2001 195 Vanuatu 43,460,000 2001 196 Cape Verde 42,030,000 2001 197 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 42,030,000 2001 198 British Virgin Islands 38,100,000 2001 199 Solomon Islands 32,000,000 2001 200 Nauru 30,000,000 2001 201 Cook Islands 27,430,000 2001 202 Tonga 27,270,000 2001 203 Namibia 26,950,000 2001 204 Equatorial Guinea 23,560,000 2001 205 Comoros 21,270,000 2001 206 Sao Tome and Principe 17,000,000 2001 207 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 16,330,000 2001 208 Kiribati 7,000,000 2001 209 Saint Helena 5,000,000 2001 210 Turks and Caicos Islands 5,000,000 2001 211 Niue 3,000,000 2001 212 Montserrat 2,500,000 2001 213 Lesotho 0 2001

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2042

Rank Country Electricity - consumption(kWh) Date of Information

1 World 13,940,000,000,000 2001 est. 2 United States 3,602,000,000,000 2001 3 European Union 2,635,000,000,000 2001 4 China 1,312,000,000,000 2001 5 Japan 964,200,000,000 2001 6 Russia 773,000,000,000 2001 7 Germany 506,800,000,000 2001 8 Canada 504,400,000,000 2001 9 India 497,200,000,000 2001 10 France 415,300,000,000 2001 11 United Kingdom 346,100,000,000 2001 12 Brazil 335,900,000,000 2001 13 Italy 289,100,000,000 2001 14 Korea, South 270,300,000,000 2001 15 Spain 210,400,000,000 2001 16 Mexico 186,700,000,000 2001 17 Australia 184,400,000,000 2001 18 South Africa 181,200,000,000 2001 19 Ukraine 152,400,000,000 2001 20 Taiwan 140,500,000,000 2001 21 Sweden 134,900,000,000 2001 22 Poland 118,800,000,000 2001 23 Iran 115,900,000,000 2001 24 Norway 115,300,000,000 2001 25 Saudi Arabia 113,800,000,000 2001 26 Turkey 112,600,000,000 2001 27 Netherlands 99,420,000,000 2001 28 Argentina 92,120,000,000 2001 29 Thailand 90,910,000,000 2001 30 Indonesia 89,080,000,000 2001 31 Venezuela 81,470,000,000 2001 32 Belgium 78,180,000,000 2001 33 Finland 76,180,000,000 2001 34 Ecuador 69,960,000,000 2001 35 Egypt 69,960,000,000 2001 36 Malaysia 68,400,000,000 2002 37 Pakistan 62,270,000,000 2001 38 Czech Republic 55,600,000,000 2001 39 Austria 54,850,000,000 2001 40 Switzerland 53,430,000,000 2001 41 Greece 48,800,000,000 2001 42 Kazakhstan 48,360,000,000 2001 43 Uzbekistan 47,070,000,000 2001 44 Romania 46,100,000,000 2001 45 Philippines 42,040,000,000 2001 46 Portugal 41,480,000,000 2001 47 Chile 40,130,000,000 2001 48 Colombia 39,810,000,000 2001 49 Israel 37,820,000,000 2001 50 Hong Kong 37,120,000,000 2001 51 Hungary 35,150,000,000 2001 52 United Arab Emirates 35,100,000,000 2001 53 New Zealand 34,880,000,000 2001 54 Iraq 33,490,000,000 2001 55 Bulgaria 32,520,000,000 2001 56 Denmark 32,410,000,000 2001 57 Serbia and Montenegro 32,370,000,000 2001 58 Kuwait 29,290,000,000 2001 59 Singapore 28,350,000,000 2001 60 Korea, North 27,910,000,000 2001 61 Vietnam 27,710,000,000 2001 62 Belarus 26,690,000,000 2001 63 Slovakia 24,410,000,000 2001 64 Algeria 22,900,000,000 2001 65 Ireland 21,630,000,000 2001 66 Syria 21,630,000,000 2001 67 Puerto Rico 19,440,000,000 2001 68 Peru 19,150,000,000 2001 69 Libya 18,770,000,000 2001 70 Azerbaijan 16,650,000,000 2001 71 Morocco 14,610,000,000 2001 72 Nigeria 14,550,000,000 2001 73 Tajikistan 14,520,000,000 2001 74 Croatia 14,270,000,000 2001 75 Bangladesh 14,250,000,000 2001 76 Slovenia 13,830,000,000 2001 77 Cuba 13,380,000,000 2001 78 Kyrgyzstan 10,460,000,000 2001 79 Zimbabwe 9,813,000,000 2001 80 Tunisia 9,748,000,000 2001 81 Ghana 8,835,000,000 2001 82 Lithuania 8,683,000,000 2001 83 Oman 8,625,000,000 2001 84 Qatar 8,616,000,000 2001 85 Dominican Republic 8,543,000,000 2001 86 Turkmenistan 8,509,000,000 2001 87 Bosnia and Herzegovina 8,116,000,000 2001 88 Georgia 7,611,000,000 2001 89 Lebanon 7,440,000,000 2001 90 Iceland 7,341,000,000 2001 91 Jordan 6,860,000,000 2001 92 Estonia 6,192,000,000 2001 93 Uruguay 6,152,000,000 2001 94 Macedonia 6,112,000,000 2001 95 Costa Rica 6,109,000,000 2001 96 Luxembourg 6,070,000,000 2001 97 Latvia 6,046,000,000 2001 98 Sri Lanka 5,915,000,000 2001 99 Albania 5,898,000,000 2001 100 Jamaica 5,833,000,000 2001 101 Bahrain 5,819,000,000 2001 102 Armenia 5,784,000,000 2001 103 Burma 5,709,000,000 2001 104 Guatemala 5,559,000,000 2001 105 Zambia 5,458,000,000 2001 106 Trinidad and Tobago 4,943,000,000 2001 107 Kenya 3,981,000,000 2001 108 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 3,839,000,000 2001 109 Honduras 3,822,000,000 2001 110 El Salvador 3,777,000,000 2001 111 Panama 3,681,000,000 2001 112 Bolivia 3,634,000,000 2001 113 Cameroon 3,360,000,000 2001 114 Moldova 3,216,000,000 2001 115 Cyprus 3,163,000,000 2001 116 Cote d'Ivoire 2,983,000,000 2001 117 Yemen 2,800,000,000 2001 118 Tanzania 2,752,000,000 2001 119 Paraguay 2,637,000,000 2001 120 Nicaragua 2,388,000,000 2001 121 Brunei 2,322,000,000 2001 122 Sudan 2,222,000,000 2001 123 Mongolia 2,194,000,000 2001 124 Suriname 1,822,000,000 2001 125 Nepal 1,764,000,000 2001 126 Macau 1,688,000,000 2002 127 Malta 1,644,000,000 2001 128 Uganda 1,620,000,000 2001 129 Ethiopia 1,594,000,000 2001 130 Botswana 1,564,000,000 2001 131 New Caledonia 1,500,000,000 2001 132 Bahamas, The 1,451,000,000 2001 133 Senegal 1,412,000,000 2001 134 Papua New Guinea 1,391,000,000 2001 135 Mozambique 1,390,000,000 2001 136 Angola 1,348,000,000 2001 137 Mauritius 1,219,000,000 2001 138 Guadeloupe 1,074,000,000 2001 139 Martinique 1,070,000,000 2001 140 Reunion 1,005,000,000 2001 141 Netherlands Antilles 986,800,000 2001 142 Swaziland 962,900,000 2001 143 Virgin Islands 957,900,000 2001 144 Laos 824,700,000 2001 145 Guyana 792,400,000 2001 146 Madagascar 772,100,000 2001 147 Guam 771,900,000 2001 148 Gabon 742,500,000 2001 149 Guinea 735,200,000 2001 150 Barbados 725,400,000 2001 151 Malawi 715,300,000 2001 152 Congo, Republic of the 633,000,000 2001 153 Benin 631,100,000 2001 154 Togo 614,500,000 2001 155 Namibia 603,100,000 2001 156 Bermuda 598,600,000 2001 157 Haiti 539,400,000 2001 158 Afghanistan 511,400,000 2001 159 Aruba 494,700,000 2001 160 Fiji 483,700,000 2001 161 Mali 446,600,000 2001 162 Liberia 435,900,000 2001 163 French Guiana 423,200,000 2001 164 French Polynesia 398,300,000 2001 165 Bhutan 379,500,000 2001 166 Cayman Islands 355,200,000 2001 167 Niger 325,100,000 2001 168 Burkina Faso 259,600,000 2001 169 Sierra Leone 232,600,000 2001 170 Greenland 227,900,000 2001 171 Somalia 227,900,000 2001 172 Eritrea 205,100,000 2001 173 Belize 185,500,000 2001 174 Burundi 177,500,000 2001 175 Djibouti 167,400,000 2001 176 Faroe Islands 149,100,000 2001 177 Seychelles 148,800,000 2001 178 Mauritania 146,300,000 2001 179 Rwanda 140,000,000 2001 180 Grenada 128,300,000 2001 181 American Samoa 120,900,000 2001 182 Saint Lucia 111,800,000 2001 183 Cambodia 110,600,000 2001 184 Maldives 108,800,000 2001 185 Central African Republic 98,630,000 2001 186 Antigua and Barbuda 97,890,000 2001 187 Samoa 97,740,000 2001 188 Saint Kitts and Nevis 93,260,000 2001 189 Gibraltar 93,000,000 2001 190 Chad 87,460,000 2001 191 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 86,000,000 2001 192 Western Sahara 83,700,000 2001 193 Gambia, The 79,360,000 2001 194 Dominica 67,350,000 2001 195 Guinea-Bissau 51,150,000 2001 196 Anguilla 42,600,000 197 Vanuatu 40,420,000 2001 198 Lesotho 40,000,000 2001 199 Cape Verde 39,080,000 2001 200 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 39,080,000 2001 201 British Virgin Islands 35,430,000 2001 202 Solomon Islands 29,760,000 2001 203 Nauru 27,900,000 2001 204 Cook Islands 25,510,000 2001 205 Tonga 25,360,000 2001 206 Equatorial Guinea 21,910,000 2001 207 Comoros 19,780,000 2001 208 Sao Tome and Principe 15,810,000 2001 209 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 15,190,000 2001 210 Kiribati 6,510,000 2001 211 Saint Helena 4,650,000 2001 212 Turks and Caicos Islands 4,650,000 2001 213 Niue 2,790,000 2001 214 Montserrat 2,325,000 2001

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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Rank code: @2054

Rank Country Birth rate(births/1,000 population) Date of Information

1 Niger 48.30 2004 est. 2 Uganda 47.39 2004 est. 3 Afghanistan 47.02 2004 est. 4 Mali 46.77 2004 est. 5 Chad 45.98 2004 est. 6 Somalia 45.62 2004 est. 7 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 44.73 2004 est. 8 Angola 44.64 2004 est. 9 Liberia 44.22 2004 est. 10 Burkina Faso 44.17 2004 est. 11 Malawi 43.95 2004 est. 12 Yemen 43.07 2004 est. 13 Sierra Leone 42.84 2004 est. 14 Guinea 42.03 2004 est. 15 Benin 41.99 2004 est. 16 Madagascar 41.66 2004 est. 17 Mayotte 41.58 2004 est. 18 Mauritania 41.43 2004 est. 19 Zambia 41.38 2004 est. 20 Sao Tome and Principe 40.80 2004 est. 21 Nigeria 40.65 2004 est. 22 Rwanda 40.60 2004 est. 23 Kenya 40.13 2004 est. 24 Gaza Strip 40.03 2004 est. 25 Djibouti 39.98 2004 est. 26 Gambia, The 39.86 2004 est. 27 Burundi 39.66 2004 est. 28 Eritrea 38.62 2004 est. 29 Ethiopia 38.61 2004 est. 30 Tanzania 38.16 2004 est. 31 Guinea-Bissau 37.65 2004 est. 32 Comoros 37.52 2004 est. 33 Oman 36.73 2004 est. 34 Haiti 36.59 2004 est. 35 Gabon 36.24 2004 est. 36 Equatorial Guinea 36.18 2004 est. 37 Laos 35.99 2004 est. 38 Mozambique 35.79 2004 est. 39 Cote d'Ivoire 35.51 2004 est. 40 Maldives 35.43 2004 est. 41 Senegal 35.21 2004 est. 42 Central African Republic 35.17 2004 est. 43 Sudan 35.17 2004 est. 44 Cameroon 34.67 2004 est. 45 Guatemala 34.11 2004 est. 46 Bhutan 34.03 2004 est. 47 Marshall Islands 33.52 2004 est. 48 Togo 33.48 2004 est. 49 Tajikistan 32.58 2004 est. 50 Iraq 32.50 2004 est. 51 West Bank 32.37 2004 est. 52 Nepal 31.45 2004 est. 53 Kiribati 30.86 2004 est. 54 Solomon Islands 30.74 2004 est. 55 Pakistan 30.42 2004 est. 56 Honduras 30.38 2004 est. 57 Bangladesh 30.01 2004 est. 58 Papua New Guinea 29.95 2004 est. 59 Zimbabwe 29.74 2004 est. 60 Saudi Arabia 29.56 2004 est. 61 Paraguay 29.43 2004 est. 62 Belize 29.34 2004 est. 63 Congo, Republic of the 28.66 2004 est. 64 Syria 28.29 2004 est. 65 Swaziland 27.72 2004 est. 66 Turkmenistan 27.68 2004 est. 67 East Timor 27.19 2004 est. 68 Cambodia 27.08 2004 est. 69 El Salvador 27.04 2004 est. 70 Libya 26.82 2004 est. 71 Lesotho 26.53 2004 est. 72 Uzbekistan 26.22 2004 est. 73 Cape Verde 25.33 2004 est. 74 Philippines 25.31 2004 est. 75 Tonga 25.18 2004 est. 76 Namibia 25.16 2004 est. 77 Nauru 25.14 2004 est. 78 Micronesia, Federated States of 25.11 2004 est. 79 Nicaragua 24.88 2004 est. 80 Ghana 23.97 2004 est. 81 Bolivia 23.76 2004 est. 82 Botswana 23.33 2004 est. 83 Egypt 23.32 2004 est. 84 Dominican Republic 23.28 2004 est. 85 American Samoa 23.13 2004 est. 86 Malaysia 23.07 2004 est. 87 Vanuatu 23.06 2004 est. 88 Fiji 22.73 2004 est. 89 Ecuador 22.67 2004 est. 90 Kyrgyzstan 22.48 2004 est. 91 India 22.32 2004 est. 92 Grenada 22.30 2004 est. 93 Morocco 22.29 2004 est. 94 Turks and Caicos Islands 22.23 2004 est. 95 Tuvalu 21.91 2004 est. 96 Kuwait 21.88 2004 est. 97 Jordan 21.76 2004 est. 98 Mongolia 21.52 2004 est. 99 Mexico 21.01 2004 est. 100 Peru 20.87 2004 est. 101 Colombia 20.82 2004 est. 102 Indonesia 20.71 2004 est. 103 French Guiana 20.70 2004 est. 104 Azerbaijan 20.40 2004 est. 105 World 20.30 2004 est. 106 Saint Lucia 20.05 2004 est. 107 Panama 19.96 2004 est. 108 Northern Mariana Islands 19.51 2004 est. 109 Reunion 19.26 2004 est. 110 Guam 19.03 2004 est. 111 Brunei 19.01 2004 est. 112 Venezuela 18.91 2004 est. 113 Lebanon 18.88 2004 est. 114 United Arab Emirates 18.78 2004 est. 115 Costa Rica 18.60 2004 est. 116 New Caledonia 18.49 2004 est. 117 South Africa 18.48 2004 est. 118 Guyana 18.45 2004 est. 119 Suriname 18.39 2004 est. 120 Palau 18.37 2004 est. 121 Israel 18.21 2004 est. 122 Saint Kitts and Nevis 18.12 2004 est. 123 Burma 18.11 2004 est. 124 Bahrain 18.10 2004 est. 125 Bahamas, The 17.87 2004 est. 126 Montserrat 17.56 2004 est. 127 Antigua and Barbuda 17.26 2004 est. 128 Algeria 17.13 2004 est. 129 Vietnam 17.07 2004 est. 130 French Polynesia 16.93 2004 est. 131 Argentina 16.90 2004 est. 132 Brazil 16.83 2004 est. 133 Iran 16.83 2004 est. 134 Turkey 16.83 2004 est. 135 Jamaica 16.56 2004 est. 136 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 16.34 2004 est. 137 Seychelles 16.22 2004 est. 138 Korea, North 16.09 2004 est. 139 Samoa 15.95 2004 est. 140 Greenland 15.93 2004 est. 141 Kazakhstan 15.78 2004 est. 142 Dominica 15.73 2004 est. 143 Thailand 15.70 2004 est. 144 Sri Lanka 15.63 2004 est. 145 Mauritius 15.62 2004 est. 146 Qatar 15.54 2004 est. 147 Tunisia 15.50 2004 est. 148 Chile 15.44 2004 est. 149 Guadeloupe 15.42 2004 est. 150 Moldova 15.27 2004 est. 151 Albania 15.08 2004 est. 152 Netherlands Antilles 15.00 2004 est. 153 British Virgin Islands 14.96 2004 est. 154 Ireland 14.47 2004 est. 155 Anguilla 14.26 2004 est. 156 Virgin Islands 14.20 2004 est. 157 Martinique 14.14 2004 est. 158 United States 14.14 2004 est. 159 Uruguay 14.09 2004 est. 160 Faroe Islands 13.97 2004 est. 161 Puerto Rico 13.93 2004 est. 162 New Zealand 13.90 2004 est. 163 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 13.83 2004 est. 164 Iceland 13.73 2004 est. 165 China 13.14 2004 est. 166 Cayman Islands 12.92 2004 est. 167 Barbados 12.83 2004 est. 168 Trinidad and Tobago 12.81 2004 est. 169 Taiwan 12.64 2004 est. 170 Cyprus 12.57 2004 est. 171 Bosnia and Herzegovina 12.49 2004 est. 172 Saint Helena 12.33 2004 est. 173 Australia 12.26 2004 est. 174 France 12.15 2004 est. 175 Serbia and Montenegro 12.12 2004 est. 176 Luxembourg 12.06 2004 est. 177 Cuba 12.03 2004 est. 178 Macedonia 12.00 2004 est. 179 Armenia 11.76 2004 est. 180 Norway 11.67 2004 est. 181 Bermuda 11.60 2004 est. 182 Denmark 11.36 2004 est. 183 Aruba 11.26 2004 est. 184 Man, Isle of 11.18 2004 est. 185 Netherlands 11.14 2004 est. 186 Gibraltar 10.87 2004 est. 187 Canada 10.84 2004 est. 188 Belarus 10.83 2004 est. 189 Portugal 10.82 2004 est. 190 Poland 10.78 2004 est. 191 United Kingdom 10.78 2004 est. 192 Romania 10.70 2004 est. 193 Slovakia 10.62 2004 est. 194 Finland 10.50 2004 est. 195 Ukraine 10.49 2004 est. 196 Belgium 10.48 2004 est. 197 Liechtenstein 10.41 2004 est. 198 Sweden 10.36 2004 est. 199 Georgia 10.25 2004 est. 200 European Union 10.20 July 2004 est. 201 San Marino 10.18 2004 est. 202 Malta 10.17 2004 est. 203 Spain 10.10 2004 est. 204 Korea, South 10.08 2004 est. 205 Estonia 9.91 2004 est. 206 Russia 9.80 2004 est. 207 Switzerland 9.77 2004 est. 208 Hungary 9.76 2004 est. 209 Greece 9.72 2004 est. 210 Bulgaria 9.66 2004 est. 211 Jersey 9.66 2004 est. 212 Croatia 9.57 2004 est. 213 Singapore 9.49 2004 est. 214 Japan 9.47 2004 est. 215 Monaco 9.26 2004 est. 216 Czech Republic 9.07 2004 est. 217 Latvia 9.04 2004 est. 218 Guernsey 9.01 2004 est. 219 Andorra 9.00 2004 est. 220 Slovenia 8.95 2004 est. 221 Italy 8.89 2004 est. 222 Austria 8.81 2004 est. 223 Lithuania 8.62 2004 est. 224 Germany 8.33 2004 est. 225 Macau 8.04 2004 est. 226 Hong Kong 7.23 2004 est.

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2066

Rank Country Death rate(deaths/1,000 population) Date of Information

1 Botswana 29.36 2004 est. 2 Angola 25.90 2004 est. 3 Swaziland 25.26 2004 est. 4 Lesotho 25.03 2004 est. 5 Zimbabwe 24.66 2004 est. 6 Malawi 23.39 2004 est. 7 Niger 21.33 2004 est. 8 South Africa 21.32 2004 est. 9 Mozambique 20.99 2004 est. 10 Afghanistan 20.75 2004 est. 11 Sierra Leone 20.61 2004 est. 12 Central African Republic 20.27 2004 est. 13 Zambia 20.23 2004 est. 14 Djibouti 19.39 2004 est. 15 Mali 19.05 2004 est. 16 Burkina Faso 18.86 2004 est. 17 Namibia 18.36 2004 est. 18 Liberia 17.87 2004 est. 19 Burundi 17.43 2004 est. 20 Nigeria 17.18 2004 est. 21 Somalia 16.97 2004 est. 22 Tanzania 16.71 2004 est. 23 Guinea-Bissau 16.53 2004 est. 24 Ukraine 16.42 2004 est. 25 Chad 16.41 2004 est. 26 Rwanda 16.32 2004 est. 27 Cameroon 15.40 2004 est. 28 Guinea 15.38 2004 est. 29 Ethiopia 15.06 2004 est. 30 Cote d'Ivoire 14.94 2004 est. 31 Kenya 14.65 2004 est. 32 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 14.64 2004 est. 33 Russia 14.52 2004 est. 34 Congo, Republic of the 14.49 2004 est. 35 Bulgaria 14.26 2004 est. 36 Belarus 14.15 2004 est. 37 Benin 13.76 2004 est. 38 Latvia 13.70 2004 est. 39 Eritrea 13.53 2004 est. 40 Estonia 13.21 2004 est. 41 Hungary 13.19 2004 est. 42 Bhutan 12.94 2004 est. 43 Uganda 12.80 2004 est. 44 Moldova 12.79 2004 est. 45 Monaco 12.71 2004 est. 46 Mauritania 12.44 2004 est. 47 Haiti 12.34 2004 est. 48 Burma 12.15 2004 est. 49 Equatorial Guinea 12.00 2004 est. 50 Laos 11.83 2004 est. 51 Gambia, The 11.81 2004 est. 52 Togo 11.80 2004 est. 53 Romania 11.74 2004 est. 54 Gabon 11.72 2004 est. 55 Croatia 11.38 2004 est. 56 Madagascar 11.35 2004 est. 57 Man, Isle of 11.26 2004 est. 58 Lithuania 10.92 2004 est. 59 Ghana 10.84 2004 est. 60 Senegal 10.60 2004 est. 61 Germany 10.55 2004 est. 62 Czech Republic 10.54 2004 est. 63 Serbia and Montenegro 10.49 2004 est. 64 Denmark 10.43 2004 est. 65 Portugal 10.43 2004 est. 66 Sweden 10.36 2004 est. 67 Italy 10.30 2004 est. 68 Belgium 10.22 2004 est. 69 Slovenia 10.22 2004 est. 70 United Kingdom 10.18 2004 est. 71 Greece 10.15 2004 est. 72 Poland 10.01 2004 est. 73 European Union 10.00 July 2004 est. 74 Guernsey 9.95 2004 est. 75 Azerbaijan 9.86 2004 est. 76 Finland 9.79 2004 est. 77 Austria 9.70 2004 est. 78 Spain 9.63 2004 est. 79 Nepal 9.47 2004 est. 80 Kazakhstan 9.46 2004 est. 81 Norway 9.45 2004 est. 82 Slovakia 9.43 2004 est. 83 Trinidad and Tobago 9.37 2004 est. 84 Jersey 9.19 2004 est. 85 Gibraltar 9.18 2004 est. 86 Barbados 9.17 2004 est. 87 Sudan 9.16 2004 est. 88 Georgia 9.09 2004 est. 89 France 9.08 2004 est. 90 Uruguay 9.06 2004 est. 91 Bahamas, The 8.97 2004 est. 92 Cambodia 8.97 2004 est. 93 Japan 8.95 2004 est. 94 World 8.81 2004 est. 95 Turkmenistan 8.78 2004 est. 96 Macedonia 8.73 2004 est. 97 Faroe Islands 8.69 2004 est. 98 Netherlands 8.68 2004 est. 99 Yemen 8.53 2004 est. 100 Switzerland 8.48 2004 est. 101 Saint Kitts and Nevis 8.47 2004 est. 102 Pakistan 8.45 2004 est. 103 Bosnia and Herzegovina 8.44 2004 est. 104 Luxembourg 8.41 2004 est. 105 Bangladesh 8.40 2004 est. 106 Comoros 8.40 2004 est. 107 Tajikistan 8.39 2004 est. 108 Kiribati 8.37 2004 est. 109 Guyana 8.32 2004 est. 110 India 8.28 2004 est. 111 United States 8.25 2004 est. 112 Armenia 8.16 2004 est. 113 San Marino 8.07 2004 est. 114 Malta 8.00 2004 est. 115 Uzbekistan 7.95 2004 est. 116 Mayotte 7.90 2004 est. 117 Vanuatu 7.90 2004 est. 118 Puerto Rico 7.86 2004 est. 119 Ireland 7.85 2004 est. 120 Greenland 7.77 2004 est. 121 Canada 7.73 2004 est. 122 Bolivia 7.64 2004 est. 123 Cyprus 7.64 2004 est. 124 Bermuda 7.63 2004 est. 125 Argentina 7.56 2004 est. 126 New Zealand 7.53 2004 est. 127 Australia 7.44 2004 est. 128 Papua New Guinea 7.37 2004 est. 129 Dominican Republic 7.35 2004 est. 130 Maldives 7.24 2004 est. 131 Tuvalu 7.22 2004 est. 132 Cuba 7.19 2004 est. 133 Grenada 7.17 2004 est. 134 Montserrat 7.17 2004 est. 135 Suriname 7.16 2004 est. 136 Kyrgyzstan 7.13 2004 est. 137 Liechtenstein 7.06 2004 est. 138 Korea, North 7.05 2004 est. 139 Mongolia 7.03 2004 est. 140 Thailand 7.02 2004 est. 141 China 6.94 2004 est. 142 Honduras 6.87 2004 est. 143 Palau 6.85 2004 est. 144 Mauritius 6.83 2004 est. 145 Nauru 6.82 2004 est. 146 Dominica 6.81 2004 est. 147 Guatemala 6.81 2004 est. 148 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 6.70 2004 est. 149 Iceland 6.68 2004 est. 150 Sao Tome and Principe 6.68 2004 est. 151 Cape Verde 6.62 2004 est. 152 Aruba 6.57 2004 est. 153 Panama 6.54 2004 est. 154 Samoa 6.54 2004 est. 155 Sri Lanka 6.49 2004 est. 156 Martinique 6.44 2004 est. 157 Saint Helena 6.43 2004 est. 158 Netherlands Antilles 6.41 2004 est. 159 Taiwan 6.38 2004 est. 160 Seychelles 6.34 2004 est. 161 East Timor 6.30 2004 est. 162 Korea, South 6.26 2004 est. 163 Peru 6.26 2004 est. 164 Virgin Islands 6.26 2004 est. 165 Indonesia 6.25 2004 est. 166 Lebanon 6.24 2004 est. 167 Vietnam 6.20 2004 est. 168 Israel 6.18 2004 est. 169 Brazil 6.15 2004 est. 170 Andorra 6.07 2004 est. 171 Guadeloupe 6.06 2004 est. 172 Belize 6.04 2004 est. 173 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6.00 2004 est. 174 Hong Kong 5.98 2004 est. 175 Turkey 5.96 2004 est. 176 El Salvador 5.85 2004 est. 177 Chile 5.76 2004 est. 178 Fiji 5.65 2004 est. 179 New Caledonia 5.65 2004 est. 180 Morocco 5.64 2004 est. 181 Colombia 5.59 2004 est. 182 Iran 5.55 2004 est. 183 Iraq 5.49 2004 est. 184 Reunion 5.48 2004 est. 185 Philippines 5.47 2004 est. 186 Antigua and Barbuda 5.44 2004 est. 187 Anguilla 5.43 2004 est. 188 Jamaica 5.37 2004 est. 189 Tonga 5.35 2004 est. 190 Egypt 5.26 2004 est. 191 Albania 5.12 2004 est. 192 Saint Lucia 5.12 2004 est. 193 Tunisia 5.09 2004 est. 194 Malaysia 5.06 2004 est. 195 Venezuela 4.90 2004 est. 196 Marshall Islands 4.88 2004 est. 197 Syria 4.88 2004 est. 198 Micronesia, Federated States of 4.87 2004 est. 199 French Guiana 4.85 2004 est. 200 Cayman Islands 4.81 2004 est. 201 Mexico 4.73 2004 est. 202 French Polynesia 4.63 2004 est. 203 Qatar 4.61 2004 est. 204 Algeria 4.60 2004 est. 205 Paraguay 4.53 2004 est. 206 Nicaragua 4.49 2004 est. 207 British Virgin Islands 4.42 2004 est. 208 Guam 4.41 2004 est. 209 Costa Rica 4.33 2004 est. 210 Turks and Caicos Islands 4.28 2004 est. 211 United Arab Emirates 4.26 2004 est. 212 Ecuador 4.24 2004 est. 213 Macau 4.23 2004 est. 214 Singapore 4.16 2004 est. 215 Bahrain 4.08 2004 est. 216 West Bank 3.99 2004 est. 217 Solomon Islands 3.98 2004 est. 218 Gaza Strip 3.87 2004 est. 219 Oman 3.86 2004 est. 220 Libya 3.48 2004 est. 221 Brunei 3.42 2004 est. 222 American Samoa 3.33 2004 est. 223 Jordan 2.63 2004 est. 224 Saudi Arabia 2.62 2004 est. 225 Kuwait 2.42 2004 est. 226 Northern Mariana Islands 2.30 2004 est.

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2067

Rank Country Military expenditures - dollar figure Date of Information

1 United States $ 370,700,000,000 March 2003 2 China $ 60,000,000,000 2003 est. 3 France $ 45,238,100,000 2003 4 United Kingdom $ 42,836,500,000 2003 5 Japan $ 42,488,100,000 2003 6 Germany $ 35,063,000,000 2003 7 Italy $ 28,182,800,000 2003 8 Saudi Arabia $ 18,000,000,000 2002 9 Korea, South $ 14,522,000,000 FY03 10 Australia $ 14,120,100,000 2003 11 India $ 14,018,800,000 2003 12 Turkey $ 12,155,000,000 2003 13 Brazil $ 10,439,400,000 2003 14 Spain $ 9,906,500,000 2003 15 Canada $ 9,801,700,000 2003 16 Israel $ 9,110,000,000 FY03 17 Netherlands $ 8,044,400,000 2003 18 Taiwan $ 7,611,700,000 2003 19 Greece $ 7,288,900,000 2003 20 Korea, North $ 5,217,400,000 FY02 21 Mexico $ 5,168,300,000 2003 22 Singapore $ 4,470,000,000 23 Sweden $ 4,395,000,000 FY01 24 Argentina $ 4,300,000,000 25 Iran $ 4,300,000,000 2003 est. 26 Norway $ 4,033,500,000 2003 27 Belgium $ 3,999,000,000 2003 28 Poland $ 3,500,000,000 2002 29 Portugal $ 3,497,800,000 2003 30 Colombia $ 3,300,000,000 31 Denmark $ 3,271,600,000 2003 32 Chile $ 2,839,600,000 2003 33 Pakistan $ 2,700,000,000 FY02/03 34 South Africa $ 2,653,400,000 2003 35 Switzerland $ 2,548,000,000 FY01 36 Kuwait $ 2,500,400,000 2003 37 Egypt $ 2,443,200,000 2003 38 Morocco $ 2,297,200,000 2003 39 Algeria $ 2,196,600,000 2003 40 Jordan $ 2,043,200,000 2003 41 Finland $ 1,800,000,000 FY98/99 42 Thailand $ 1,775,000,000 43 Malaysia $ 1,690,000,000 44 United Arab Emirates $ 1,600,000,000 45 Austria $ 1,497,000,000 FY01/02 46 Iraq $ 1,300,000,000 FY00 47 Libya $ 1,300,000,000 48 Czech Republic $ 1,190,200,000 FY01 49 New Zealand $ 1,147,000,000 FY03/04 50 Venezuela $ 1,125,600,000 2003 51 Hungary $ 1,080,000,000 2002 est. 52 Indonesia $ 1,000,000,000 53 Philippines $ 995,000,000 54 Romania $ 985,000,000 2002 55 Yemen $ 885,600,000 2003 56 Syria $ 858,000,000 57 Peru $ 829,400,000 2003 58 Qatar $ 723,000,000 59 Ireland $ 700,000,000 FY00/01 60 Serbia and Montenegro $ 654,000,000 2002 61 Ecuador $ 650,000,000 2003 62 Vietnam $ 650,000,000 63 Bahrain $ 618,100,000 2003 64 Ukraine $ 617,900,000 FY02 65 Bangladesh $ 606,800,000 2003 66 Sudan $ 581,000,000 67 Cuba $ 572,300,000 2003 68 Lebanon $ 541,000,000 69 Croatia $ 520,000,000 2002 est. 70 Sri Lanka $ 518,000,000 2003 71 Nigeria $ 469,800,000 2003 72 Slovakia $ 406,000,000 2002 73 Cyprus $ 384,000,000 74 Slovenia $ 370,000,000 FY00 75 Bulgaria $ 356,000,000 FY02 76 Tunisia $ 356,000,000 77 Ethiopia $ 345,000,000 2003 78 Brunei $ 339,500,000 2003 79 Botswana $ 298,900,000 2003 80 Nepal $ 295,000,000 FY03 81 Angola $ 265,100,000 2003 82 Oman $ 242,070,000 2003 83 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 234,300,000 84 Luxembourg $ 231,600,000 2003 85 Kenya $ 231,000,000 2003 86 Lithuania $ 230,800,000 FY01 87 Kazakhstan $ 221,800,000 FY02 88 Uruguay $ 217,900,000 2003 89 Guatemala $ 202,600,000 2003 90 Macedonia $ 200,000,000 91 Uzbekistan $ 200,000,000 92 Cameroon $ 189,200,000 2003 93 Dominican Republic $ 180,000,000 1998 94 Belarus $ 176,100,000 FY02 95 Cote d'Ivoire $ 173,600,000 2003 96 El Salvador $ 157,000,000 2003 97 Estonia $ 155,000,000 2002 est. 98 Gabon $ 149,300,000 2003 99 Panama $ 145,000,000 2003 100 Armenia $ 135,000,000 FY01 101 Uganda $ 128,200,000 2003 102 Bolivia $ 127,000,000 2003 103 Azerbaijan $ 121,000,000 104 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 115,500,000 2003 105 Cambodia $ 112,000,000 106 Namibia $ 111,600,000 2003 107 Zimbabwe $ 105,000,000 2003 108 Mozambique $ 101,300,000 2003 109 Honduras $ 99,800,000 2003 110 Benin $ 98,300,000 2003 111 Senegal $ 95,800,000 2003 112 Turkmenistan $ 90,000,000 113 Latvia $ 87,000,000 FY01 114 Eritrea $ 77,900,000 2003 115 Equatorial Guinea $ 75,100,000 2003 116 Madagascar $ 69,800,000 2003 117 Congo, Republic of the $ 68,600,000 2003 118 Trinidad and Tobago $ 66,700,000 2003 119 Costa Rica $ 64,000,000 2003 120 Afghanistan $ 61,000,000 2003 121 Guinea $ 58,500,000 2003 122 Albania $ 56,500,000 FY02 123 Chad $ 55,400,000 2003 124 Paraguay $ 52,700,000 2003 125 Burkina Faso $ 52,700,000 2003 126 Mali $ 51,100,000 2003 127 Rwanda $ 47,700,000 2003 128 Ghana $ 44,000,000 2003 129 Maldives $ 43,100,000 2003 130 Zambia $ 42,600,000 2003 131 Mauritania $ 40,800,000 2003 132 Burma $ 39,000,000 133 Tajikistan $ 35,400,000 FY01 134 Fiji $ 34,000,000 2003 135 Burundi $ 33,300,000 2003 136 Malta $ 33,300,000 2003 137 Togo $ 32,600,000 2003 138 Lesotho $ 32,500,000 2003 139 Jamaica $ 31,000,000 2003 140 Nicaragua $ 30,800,000 2003 141 Swaziland $ 29,000,000 2003 142 Djibouti $ 26,500,000 2003 143 Haiti $ 25,800,000 2003 144 Mongolia $ 23,100,000 FY02 145 Georgia $ 23,000,000 146 Niger $ 21,700,000 2003 147 Tanzania $ 20,300,000 2003 148 Kyrgyzstan $ 19,200,000 FY01 149 Somalia $ 18,900,000 2003 150 Belize $ 18,000,000 2003 151 Papua New Guinea $ 16,900,000 2003 152 Central African Republic $ 14,500,000 2003 153 Cape Verde $ 12,300,000 2003 154 Sierra Leone $ 11,700,000 2003 155 Seychelles $ 11,600,000 2003 156 Malawi $ 11,500,000 2003 157 Bhutan $ 11,200,000 2003 158 Mauritius $ 11,200,000 2003 159 Laos $ 10,900,000 2003 160 Liberia $ 10,000,000 2003 161 Moldova $ 9,500,000 FY03 162 Guinea-Bissau $ 8,400,000 2003 163 Suriname $ 7,500,000 2003 164 Guyana $ 6,500,000 2003 165 Comoros $ 6,000,000 2003 166 East Timor $ 4,400,000 FY03 167 Bermuda $ 4,030,000 2001 168 Gambia, The $ 900,000 2003 169 San Marino $ 700,000 FY00/01 170 Sao Tome and Principe $ 500,000 2003

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2078

Rank Country Exports Date of Information

1 World $ 6,421,000,000,000 2002 est. 2 European Union $ 850,300,000,000 2002 3 United States $ 714,500,000,000 2003 est. 4 Germany $ 696,900,000,000 2003 est. 5 Japan $ 447,100,000,000 2003 est. 6 China $ 436,100,000,000 2003 est. 7 France $ 346,500,000,000 2003 est. 8 United Kingdom $ 304,500,000,000 2003 est. 9 Canada $ 279,300,000,000 2003 est. 10 Italy $ 278,100,000,000 2003 est. 11 Netherlands $ 253,200,000,000 2003 est. 12 Hong Kong $ 225,900,000,000 2003 est. 13 Korea, South $ 201,300,000,000 2003 est. 14 Belgium $ 182,900,000,000 2003 est. 15 Mexico $ 164,800,000,000 2003 est. 16 Spain $ 159,400,000,000 2003 est. 17 Taiwan $ 143,000,000,000 2003 est. 18 Singapore $ 142,400,000,000 2003 est. 19 Russia $ 134,400,000,000 2003 est. 20 Switzerland $ 110,000,000,000 2003 est. 21 Sweden $ 102,800,000,000 2003 est. 22 Malaysia $ 98,400,000,000 2003 est. 23 Ireland $ 98,310,000,000 2003 est. 24 Saudi Arabia $ 86,530,000,000 2003 est. 25 Austria $ 83,450,000,000 2003 est. 26 Thailand $ 75,990,000,000 2003 est. 27 Brazil $ 73,280,000,000 2003 est. 28 Australia $ 68,670,000,000 2003 est. 29 Norway $ 67,270,000,000 2003 est. 30 Denmark $ 64,160,000,000 2003 est. 31 Indonesia $ 63,890,000,000 2003 est. 32 Poland $ 57,600,000,000 2003 est. 33 India $ 57,240,000,000 2003 est. 34 United Arab Emirates $ 56,730,000,000 2003 est. 35 Finland $ 54,280,000,000 2003 est. 36 Turkey $ 49,120,000,000 2003 est. 37 Puerto Rico $ 46,900,000,000 2001 38 Czech Republic $ 46,770,000,000 2003 est. 39 Hungary $ 42,030,000,000 2003 est. 40 South Africa $ 36,770,000,000 2003 est. 41 Philippines $ 34,560,000,000 2003 est. 42 Portugal $ 31,130,000,000 2003 est. 43 Iran $ 29,880,000,000 2003 est. 44 Argentina $ 29,570,000,000 2003 est. 45 Israel $ 29,320,000,000 2003 est. 46 Venezuela $ 25,860,000,000 2003 est. 47 Algeria $ 24,960,000,000 2003 est. 48 Ukraine $ 23,630,000,000 2003 est. 49 Kuwait $ 22,290,000,000 2003 est. 50 Nigeria $ 21,800,000,000 2003 est. 51 Slovakia $ 21,250,000,000 2003 est. 52 Chile $ 20,440,000,000 2003 est. 53 Vietnam $ 19,880,000,000 2003 est. 54 Romania $ 17,630,000,000 2003 est. 55 New Zealand $ 15,860,000,000 2003 est. 56 Libya $ 14,320,000,000 2003 est. 57 Colombia $ 12,960,000,000 2003 est. 58 Kazakhstan $ 12,720,000,000 2003 est. 59 Qatar $ 12,360,000,000 2003 est. 60 Slovenia $ 11,980,000,000 2003 est. 61 Oman $ 11,700,000,000 2003 est. 62 Pakistan $ 11,700,000,000 2003 est. 63 Angola $ 9,669,000,000 2003 est. 64 Belarus $ 9,413,000,000 2003 est. 65 Peru $ 8,954,000,000 2003 est. 66 Egypt $ 8,759,000,000 2003 est. 67 Luxembourg $ 8,571,000,000 2002 68 Morocco $ 8,466,000,000 2003 est. 69 Tunisia $ 8,035,000,000 2003 est. 70 Lithuania $ 7,890,000,000 2003 est. 71 Iraq $ 7,542,000,000 2003 est. 72 Bulgaria $ 7,337,000,000 2003 est. 73 Bangladesh $ 6,713,000,000 2003 est. 74 Bahrain $ 6,492,000,000 2003 est. 75 Croatia $ 6,355,000,000 2003 est. 76 Costa Rica $ 6,176,000,000 2003 est. 77 Ecuador $ 6,073,000,000 2003 est. 78 Greece $ 5,899,000,000 2003 est. 79 Dominican Republic $ 5,524,000,000 2003 est. 80 Cote d'Ivoire $ 5,299,000,000 2003 est. 81 Sri Lanka $ 5,269,000,000 2003 est. 82 Panama $ 5,237,000,000 2003 est. 83 Syria $ 5,143,000,000 2003 est. 84 Trinidad and Tobago $ 4,900,000,000 2003 est. 85 Estonia $ 4,075,000,000 2003 est. 86 Yemen $ 3,920,000,000 2003 est. 87 Brunei $ 3,439,000,000 2002 est. 88 Turkmenistan $ 3,355,000,000 2003 est. 89 El Salvador $ 3,162,000,000 2003 est. 90 Latvia $ 3,000,000,000 2003 est. 91 Jordan $ 2,908,000,000 2003 est. 92 Gabon $ 2,891,000,000 2003 est. 93 Uzbekistan $ 2,830,000,000 2003 est. 94 Guatemala $ 2,763,000,000 2003 est. 95 Paraguay $ 2,727,000,000 2003 est. 96 Serbia and Montenegro $ 2,667,000,000 2003 est. 97 Ghana $ 2,642,000,000 2003 est. 98 Azerbaijan $ 2,605,000,000 2003 est. 99 Botswana $ 2,544,000,000 2003 est. 100 Kenya $ 2,514,000,000 2003 est. 101 Liechtenstein $ 2,470,000,000 1996 102 Sudan $ 2,450,000,000 2003 est. 103 Burma $ 2,434,000,000 2003 est. 104 Iceland $ 2,379,000,000 2003 est. 105 Macau $ 2,356,000,000 2002 106 Congo, Republic of the $ 2,293,000,000 2003 est. 107 Malta $ 2,175,000,000 2003 est. 108 Uruguay $ 2,164,000,000 2003 est. 109 Equatorial Guinea $ 2,100,000,000 2003 est. 110 Mauritius $ 1,965,000,000 2003 est. 111 Papua New Guinea $ 1,938,000,000 2003 est. 112 Cameroon $ 1,873,000,000 2003 est. 113 Cambodia $ 1,616,000,000 2003 est. 114 Netherlands Antilles $ 1,579,000,000 2002 115 Bolivia $ 1,495,000,000 2003 est. 116 Cuba $ 1,467,000,000 2003 est. 117 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 1,417,000,000 2002 est. 118 Honduras $ 1,370,000,000 2003 est. 119 Lebanon $ 1,359,000,000 2003 est. 120 Jamaica $ 1,355,000,000 2003 est. 121 Macedonia $ 1,346,000,000 2003 est. 122 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 1,280,000,000 2003 est. 123 Zimbabwe $ 1,261,000,000 2003 est. 124 Senegal $ 1,230,000,000 2003 est. 125 Namibia $ 1,090,000,000 2003 est. 126 Liberia $ 1,079,000,000 2002 est. 127 Cyprus $ 1,054,000,000 2003 est. 128 Korea, North $ 1,044,000,000 2002 est. 129 Zambia $ 1,039,000,000 2003 est. 130 Tanzania $ 978,000,000 2003 est. 131 Mali $ 915,000,000 2002 est. 132 Swaziland $ 905,600,000 2003 est. 133 Bermuda $ 879,000,000 2002 134 Mozambique $ 795,000,000 2003 est. 135 Moldova $ 790,000,000 2003 est. 136 Tajikistan $ 750,000,000 2003 est. 137 Armenia $ 735,000,000 2003 est. 138 Guinea $ 726,000,000 2003 est. 139 Madagascar $ 700,000,000 2003 est. 140 Antigua and Barbuda $ 689,000,000 2002 141 Nicaragua $ 632,000,000 2003 est. 142 Bahamas, The $ 617,000,000 2002 est. 143 Georgia $ 615,000,000 2003 est. 144 Fiji $ 609,000,000 2002 145 Gaza Strip $ 603,000,000 146 West Bank $ 603,000,000 147 Nepal $ 568,000,000 2002 est. 148 Kyrgyzstan $ 548,000,000 2003 est. 149 Mauritania $ 541,000,000 2002 150 Ethiopia $ 537,000,000 2003 est. 151 Mongolia $ 524,000,000 2002 est. 152 Guyana $ 512,000,000 2003 est. 153 Suriname $ 495,000,000 2002 154 Uganda $ 495,000,000 2003 est. 155 Benin $ 485,000,000 2003 est. 156 Malawi $ 455,000,000 2003 est. 157 Lesotho $ 450,000,000 2003 est. 158 New Caledonia $ 448,000,000 2002 159 Albania $ 425,000,000 2003 est. 160 Faroe Islands $ 408,000,000 2002 161 Togo $ 398,100,000 2003 est. 162 Greenland $ 388,000,000 2002 163 Chad $ 365,000,000 2003 est. 164 Laos $ 332,000,000 2003 est. 165 Haiti $ 321,000,000 2003 est. 166 Burkina Faso $ 293,000,000 2003 est. 167 Niger $ 280,000,000 2002 est. 168 Martinique $ 250,000,000 1997 169 Seychelles $ 250,000,000 2003 est. 170 French Polynesia $ 244,000,000 2002 171 Reunion $ 214,000,000 1997 172 Belize $ 207,800,000 2003 est. 173 Barbados $ 206,000,000 2002 174 Central African Republic $ 172,000,000 2002 est. 175 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 169,200,000 2000 176 Gambia, The $ 156,000,000 2003 est. 177 Djibouti $ 155,000,000 2002 est. 178 French Guiana $ 155,000,000 2002 est. 179 Bhutan $ 154,000,000 2000 est. 180 Guadeloupe $ 140,000,000 1997 181 Gibraltar $ 136,000,000 2002 182 Aruba $ 128,000,000 2002 est. 183 Afghanistan $ 98,000,000 2002 est. 184 Solomon Islands $ 90,000,000 2002 est. 185 Maldives $ 90,000,000 2002 est. 186 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 82,000,000 2002 187 Vanuatu $ 79,000,000 2002 188 Somalia $ 79,000,000 2002 est. 189 Rwanda $ 73,330,000 2003 est. 190 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 70,000,000 2002 est. 191 Saint Lucia $ 66,000,000 2002 est. 192 Andorra $ 58,000,000 1998 193 Eritrea $ 56,000,000 2003 est. 194 Guinea-Bissau $ 54,000,000 2002 est. 195 Cape Verde $ 50,680,000 2003 est. 196 Sierra Leone $ 49,000,000 2002 est. 197 Cyprus $ 46,000,000 2003 est. 198 Grenada $ 46,000,000 2002 est. 199 Burundi $ 40,000,000 2003 est. 200 Dominica $ 39,000,000 2003 est. 201 Guam $ 38,000,000 2002 est. 202 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 38,000,000 2002 est. 203 Kiribati $ 35,000,000 2002 204 American Samoa $ 30,000,000 2002 205 Comoros $ 28,000,000 2002 est. 206 Tonga $ 27,000,000 2002 est. 207 British Virgin Islands $ 25,300,000 2002 208 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 22,000,000 FY99/00 est. 209 Nauru $ 18,000,000 2002 210 Palau $ 18,000,000 2001 est. 211 Saint Helena $ 17,000,000 2002 212 Samoa $ 14,000,000 2002 213 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 10,000,000 2002 214 Cook Islands $ 9,100,000 2000 215 Marshall Islands $ 9,000,000 2000 216 East Timor $ 8,000,000 2001 est. 217 Sao Tome and Principe $ 6,479,000 2003 est. 218 Mayotte $ 3,440,000 1997 219 Anguilla $ 2,600,000 1999 220 Norfolk Island $ 1,500,000 FY91/92 221 Cayman Islands $ 1,200,000 1999 222 Tuvalu $ 1,000,000 2002 223 Montserrat $ 700,000 2001 224 Wallis and Futuna $ 250,000 1999 225 Niue $ 137,200 1999 226 Tokelau $ 98,000 1983

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2079

Rank Country Debt - external Date of Information

1 World $ 2,000,000,000,000 2002 est. 2 United States $ 1,400,000,000,000 2001 est. 3 Italy $ 868,500,000,000 2003 4 Spain $ 718,400,000,000 2003 est. 5 Portugal $ 250,700,000,000 2003 est. 6 Australia $ 233,500,000,000 2003 est. 7 Brazil $ 214,900,000,000 2003 8 China $ 197,800,000,000 2003 est. 9 Russia $ 175,900,000,000 2003 10 Mexico $ 159,800,000,000 2003 est. 11 Turkey $ 147,300,000,000 2003 12 Argentina $ 145,600,000,000 2003 est. 13 Indonesia $ 135,700,000,000 2003 est. 14 Korea, South $ 130,300,000,000 2003 est. 15 India $ 101,700,000,000 2003 est. 16 Iraq $ 93,950,000,000 2003 est. 17 Poland $ 86,820,000,000 2003 18 Israel $ 70,970,000,000 2003 est. 19 Sweden $ 66,500,000,000 1994 20 Greece $ 65,510,000,000 2003 est. 21 Hong Kong $ 59,210,000,000 2003 est. 22 Philippines $ 57,960,000,000 2003 23 Thailand $ 53,750,000,000 2003 est. 24 Taiwan $ 53,440,000,000 2003 25 Malaysia $ 48,840,000,000 2003 est. 26 Chile $ 43,150,000,000 2003 27 Hungary $ 42,380,000,000 2003 est. 28 Saudi Arabia $ 39,160,000,000 2003 29 Colombia $ 38,260,000,000 2003 est. 30 New Zealand $ 37,460,000,000 2003 est. 31 Pakistan $ 33,540,000,000 2003 est. 32 Venezuela $ 32,510,000,000 2003 33 Nigeria $ 31,070,000,000 2003 est. 34 Egypt $ 30,340,000,000 2003 est. 35 Finland $ 30,000,000,000 December 1993 36 Peru $ 29,950,000,000 2003 est. 37 Belgium $ 28,300,000,000 1999 est. 38 Czech Republic $ 28,000,000,000 2003 39 South Africa $ 25,900,000,000 2003 est. 40 Kazakhstan $ 24,450,000,000 2003 est. 41 Croatia $ 23,560,000,000 2003 est. 42 Algeria $ 22,710,000,000 2003 est. 43 Denmark $ 21,700,000,000 2000 44 Syria $ 21,550,000,000 2003 est. 45 Lebanon $ 20,790,000,000 2003 est. 46 United Arab Emirates $ 20,710,000,000 2003 est. 47 Romania $ 18,340,000,000 2003 est. 48 Slovakia $ 18,310,000,000 2003 est. 49 Bangladesh $ 18,060,000,000 2003 50 Qatar $ 17,500,000,000 2003 est. 51 Morocco $ 17,320,000,000 2003 est. 52 Ukraine $ 16,130,000,000 2003 53 Sudan $ 16,090,000,000 2003 est. 54 Ecuador $ 15,690,000,000 2003 55 Austria $ 15,500,000,000 2003 est. 56 Singapore $ 15,060,000,000 2003 est. 57 Vietnam $ 14,690,000,000 2003 58 Tunisia $ 14,390,000,000 2003 est. 59 Serbia and Montenegro $ 14,010,000,000 2003 est. 60 Cuba $ 12,520,000,000 2003 est. 61 Kuwait $ 12,180,000,000 2003 est. 62 Bulgaria $ 12,050,000,000 2003 63 Korea, North $ 12,000,000,000 1996 est. 64 Cote d'Ivoire $ 11,850,000,000 2003 est. 65 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 11,600,000,000 2000 est. 66 Slovenia $ 11,330,000,000 2003 67 Ireland $ 11,000,000,000 1998 68 Iran $ 10,960,000,000 2003 est. 69 Uruguay $ 10,730,000,000 2003 70 Sri Lanka $ 10,520,000,000 2003 71 Angola $ 9,164,000,000 2003 est. 72 Cyprus $ 8,850,000,000 2003 73 Panama $ 8,834,000,000 2003 est. 74 Afghanistan $ 8,000,000,000 2004 75 Jordan $ 7,683,000,000 2003 est. 76 Lithuania $ 7,671,000,000 2003 est. 77 Ghana $ 7,398,000,000 2003 est. 78 Cameroon $ 7,236,000,000 2003 est. 79 Estonia $ 7,002,000,000 2003 est. 80 Latvia $ 6,793,000,000 2003 est. 81 El Salvador $ 6,575,000,000 2003 est. 82 Dominican Republic $ 6,567,000,000 2003 est. 83 Tanzania $ 6,549,000,000 2003 est. 84 Yemen $ 6,044,000,000 2003 85 Burma $ 6,011,000,000 2003 est. 86 Oman $ 5,973,000,000 2003 est. 87 Kenya $ 5,916,000,000 2003 est. 88 Nicaragua $ 5,833,000,000 2003 est. 89 Costa Rica $ 5,366,000,000 2003 est. 90 Bolivia $ 5,332,000,000 2003 est. 91 Zambia $ 5,281,000,000 2003 92 Honduras $ 5,246,000,000 2003 93 Congo, Republic of the $ 5,000,000,000 2000 est. 94 Jamaica $ 4,962,000,000 2003 est. 95 Guatemala $ 4,957,000,000 2003 est. 96 Bahrain $ 4,682,000,000 2003 97 Madagascar $ 4,600,000,000 2002 98 Uzbekistan $ 4,384,000,000 2003 est. 99 Libya $ 4,194,000,000 2003 est. 100 Uganda $ 3,818,000,000 2003 est. 101 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 3,500,000,000 2003 102 Zimbabwe $ 3,404,000,000 2003 est. 103 Mali $ 3,300,000,000 2000 104 Gabon $ 3,284,000,000 2003 est. 105 Guinea $ 3,250,000,000 2001 est. 106 Malawi $ 3,026,000,000 2003 107 Senegal $ 3,009,000,000 2003 est. 108 Paraguay $ 2,960,000,000 2003 est. 109 Papua New Guinea $ 2,909,000,000 2003 est. 110 Ethiopia $ 2,900,000,000 2001 est. 111 Nepal $ 2,700,000,000 2001 112 Trinidad and Tobago $ 2,608,000,000 2003 est. 113 Iceland $ 2,600,000,000 1999 114 Somalia $ 2,600,000,000 2000 est. 115 Mauritania $ 2,500,000,000 2000 116 Laos $ 2,490,000,000 2001 117 Cambodia $ 2,400,000,000 2002 est. 118 Turkmenistan $ 2,400,000,000 2001 est. 119 Liberia $ 2,100,000,000 2000 est. 120 Macedonia $ 1,929,000,000 2003 est. 121 Canada $ 1,900,000,000 2000 122 Georgia $ 1,800,000,000 2002 123 Mauritius $ 1,750,000,000 2003 est. 124 Benin $ 1,600,000,000 2000 125 Niger $ 1,600,000,000 1999 est. 126 Azerbaijan $ 1,575,000,000 2003 127 Moldova $ 1,515,000,000 2003 128 Kyrgyzstan $ 1,500,000,000 2002 est. 129 Sierra Leone $ 1,500,000,000 2002 est. 130 Albania $ 1,410,000,000 2003 131 Togo $ 1,400,000,000 2000 132 Netherlands Antilles $ 1,350,000,000 1996 133 Rwanda $ 1,300,000,000 2000 est. 134 Burkina Faso $ 1,300,000,000 2000 135 French Guiana $ 1,200,000,000 1988 136 Haiti $ 1,200,000,000 1999 137 Guyana $ 1,200,000,000 2002 138 Burundi $ 1,133,000,000 2002 139 Chad $ 1,100,000,000 2000 est. 140 Namibia $ 1,040,000,000 2003 est. 141 Tajikistan $ 1,000,000,000 2002 est. 142 Mozambique $ 966,000,000 2002 est. 143 Guinea-Bissau $ 941,500,000 2000 est. 144 Armenia $ 905,000,000 June 2001 145 Mongolia $ 885,000,000 2001 est. 146 Central African Republic $ 881,400,000 2000 est. 147 Belarus $ 851,000,000 2001 est. 148 Lesotho $ 735,000,000 2002 149 Barbados $ 668,000,000 2003 150 Gambia, The $ 476,000,000 2001 est. 151 Belize $ 475,000,000 2001 est. 152 Botswana $ 392,000,000 2003 153 Djibouti $ 366,000,000 2002 est. 154 Cape Verde $ 325,000,000 2002 155 Suriname $ 321,000,000 2002 est. 156 Swaziland $ 320,000,000 2002 est. 157 Sao Tome and Principe $ 318,000,000 2002 158 Eritrea $ 311,000,000 2000 est. 159 Bahamas, The $ 308,500,000 2002 160 Aruba $ 285,000,000 1996 161 Maldives $ 281,000,000 2003 est. 162 Equatorial Guinea $ 248,000,000 2000 est. 163 Bhutan $ 245,000,000 2000 164 Comoros $ 232,000,000 2000 est. 165 Antigua and Barbuda $ 231,000,000 1999 166 Saint Lucia $ 214,000,000 2000 167 Seychelles $ 213,000,000 2003 est. 168 Samoa $ 197,000,000 2000 169 Grenada $ 196,000,000 2000 170 Fiji $ 188,100,000 2001 est. 171 Martinique $ 180,000,000 1994 172 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 171,000,000 2001 173 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 167,200,000 2000 174 Solomon Islands $ 162,500,000 2001 est. 175 Dominica $ 161,500,000 2001 176 Bermuda $ 160,000,000 FY99/00 177 Cook Islands $ 141,000,000 1996 est. 178 Malta $ 130,000,000 1997 179 Macau $ 121,000,000 2001 est. 180 Gaza Strip $ 108,000,000 1997 est. 181 West Bank $ 108,000,000 1997 est. 182 Marshall Islands $ 86,500,000 FY99/00 est. 183 New Caledonia $ 79,000,000 1998 est. 184 Cayman Islands $ 70,000,000 1996 185 Vanuatu $ 65,800,000 2001 est. 186 Faroe Islands $ 64,000,000 1999 187 Tonga $ 63,400,000 2001 188 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 53,100,000 FY02/03 est. 189 British Virgin Islands $ 36,100,000 1997 190 Nauru $ 33,300,000 2002 191 Greenland $ 25,000,000 1999 192 Kiribati $ 10,000,000 1999 est. 193 Montserrat $ 8,900,000 1997 194 Anguilla $ 8,800,000 1998 195 Niue $ 418,000 2002 est. 196 Brunei $ 0 197 Palau $ 0 FY99/00 198 Tokelau $ 0 199 Norway $ 0 2003 est. 200 Liechtenstein $ 0 2001

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2085

Rank Country Highways(km) Date of Information

1 United States 6,406,296 2002 2 European Union 4,634,810 1999-2000 3 India 3,319,644 1999 est. 4 Brazil 1,724,929 2000 5 Canada 1,408,800 2002 6 China 1,402,698 2000 7 Japan 1,161,894 1999 8 France 894,000 2000 9 Australia 811,603 1999 est. 10 Spain 663,795 1999 11 Russia 532,393 2000 12 Italy 479,688 1999 13 Turkey 385,960 1999 14 United Kingdom 371,913 1999 15 Poland 364,656 2000 16 South Africa 362,099 2000 17 Indonesia 342,700 1999 est. 18 Mexico 329,532 1999 est. 19 Pakistan 254,410 1999 20 Germany 230,735 1999 21 Argentina 215,471 1999 22 Sweden 212,402 2000 23 Bangladesh 207,486 1999 24 Philippines 201,994 2000 25 Austria 200,000 2000 26 Romania 198,603 2000 27 Nigeria 194,394 1999 est. 28 Hungary 188,203 1999 29 Ukraine 169,491 2000 30 Iran 167,157 1998 31 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 157,000 1999 est. 32 Saudi Arabia 151,470 1999 33 Belgium 148,216 2000 34 Greece 117,000 1999 est. 35 Netherlands 116,500 1999 36 Colombia 110,000 2000 37 Algeria 104,000 1999 38 Sri Lanka 96,695 1999 39 Venezuela 96,155 1999 est. 40 Vietnam 93,300 1999 est. 41 Ireland 92,500 2000 est. 42 New Zealand 92,053 2000 43 Norway 91,454 2000 44 Tanzania 88,200 1999 est. 45 Korea, South 86,990 1999 est. 46 Libya 83,200 1999 est. 47 Uzbekistan 81,600 1999 est. 48 Kazakhstan 81,331 2000 49 Chile 79,814 2000 50 Finland 78,137 2003 51 Lithuania 75,243 2000 52 Belarus 74,385 2000 53 Latvia 73,202 2000 54 Peru 72,900 1999 est. 55 Denmark 71,591 2000 56 Switzerland 71,011 2000 57 Portugal 68,732 2000 58 Yemen 67,000 1999 est. 59 Zambia 66,781 1999 est. 60 Namibia 66,467 2000 61 Malaysia 65,877 1999 62 Thailand 64,600 1999 est. 63 Egypt 64,000 1999 est. 64 Kenya 63,942 2000 65 Cuba 60,858 1999 est. 66 Morocco 57,707 2000 67 Czech Republic 55,408 2000 68 Bolivia 53,790 2000 est. 69 Angola 51,429 1999 70 Estonia 51,411 2000 71 Cote d'Ivoire 50,400 1999 est. 72 Madagascar 49,827 1999 est. 73 Serbia and Montenegro 49,805 2000 74 Mongolia 49,250 2003 75 Iraq 45,550 2000 est. 76 Syria 43,381 1999 77 Ecuador 43,197 2000 78 Slovakia 42,717 2000 79 Ghana 39,409 1999 est. 80 Bulgaria 37,286 2000 81 Taiwan 35,931 2000 82 Costa Rica 35,892 2000 83 Oman 34,965 2001 84 Cameroon 34,300 1999 est. 85 Chad 33,400 1999 est. 86 Ethiopia 31,571 2000 87 Korea, North 31,200 1999 est. 88 Guinea 30,500 1999 est. 89 Mozambique 30,400 1999 est. 90 Paraguay 29,500 1999 est 91 Malawi 28,400 1999 est. 92 Burma 28,200 1996 est. 93 Croatia 28,123 2000 94 Tajikistan 27,767 2000 95 Uganda 27,000 1999 est. 96 Azerbaijan 24,981 2000 97 Turkmenistan 24,000 1999 est. 98 Central African Republic 23,810 1999 est. 99 Somalia 22,100 1999 est. 100 Bosnia and Herzegovina 21,846 1999 est. 101 Laos 21,716 1999 est. 102 Afghanistan 21,000 1999 est. 103 Georgia 20,363 2000 104 Slovenia 20,177 2000 105 Papua New Guinea 19,600 1999 est. 106 Nicaragua 19,032 2000 107 Tunisia 18,997 2000 108 Jamaica 18,700 1999 est. 109 Kyrgyzstan 18,500 1999 est. 110 Zimbabwe 18,338 1999 est. 111 Albania 18,000 2000 112 Israel 16,281 2000 113 Armenia 15,918 2000 114 Mali 15,100 1999 est. 115 Senegal 14,576 2000 116 Burundi 14,480 1999 est. 117 Puerto Rico 14,400 1999 est. 118 Guatemala 14,118 1999 119 Honduras 13,603 1999 est. 120 Cyprus 13,491 2000/1996 121 Nepal 13,223 1999 est. 122 Iceland 12,955 2003 123 Congo, Republic of the 12,800 1999 est. 124 Moldova 12,657 1999 125 Dominican Republic 12,600 1999 126 Burkina Faso 12,506 1999 127 Cambodia 12,323 2000 est 128 Rwanda 12,000 1999 est. 129 Sudan 11,900 1999 est. 130 Panama 11,400 1999 131 Sierra Leone 11,330 1999 132 Liberia 10,600 1999 est. 133 Botswana 10,217 1999 134 Niger 10,100 1999 est. 135 El Salvador 10,029 1999 est. 136 Uruguay 8,983 1999 est. 137 Macedonia 8,684 1999 est. 138 Gabon 8,464 2000 est. 139 Trinidad and Tobago 8,320 1999 est. 140 Guyana 7,970 1999 est. 141 Mauritania 7,720 2000 142 Togo 7,520 1999 est. 143 Lebanon 7,300 1999 est. 144 Jordan 7,245 2000 145 Benin 6,787 1999 est. 146 Western Sahara 6,200 1991 est 147 Lesotho 5,940 1999 148 Luxembourg 5,189 2000 149 New Caledonia 4,825 1999 150 West Bank 4,500 1997 est. 151 Suriname 4,492 2000 152 Kuwait 4,450 1999 est. 153 Guinea-Bissau 4,400 1999 est. 154 Haiti 4,160 1999 est. 155 Eritrea 4,010 1999 est. 156 East Timor 3,800 1995 157 Bhutan 3,690 1999 est. 158 Fiji 3,440 1999 est. 159 Bahrain 3,261 2000 160 Swaziland 3,247 1998 161 Singapore 3,066 1999 162 Djibouti 2,890 1999 est. 163 Equatorial Guinea 2,880 1999 est. 164 Belize 2,872 1999 est. 165 Reunion 2,724 1994 166 Gambia, The 2,700 1999 167 Bahamas, The 2,693 1999 est. 168 French Polynesia 2,590 1999 169 Brunei 2,525 2000 170 Guadeloupe 2,467 1998 171 Malta 2,254 2000 172 Martinique 2,105 2000 173 Mauritius 1,926 2000 174 Hong Kong 1,831 1999 est. 175 Barbados 1,793 1999 176 Solomon Islands 1,360 1999 est. 177 Qatar 1,230 1999 est. 178 Saint Lucia 1,210 1999 est. 179 Cape Verde 1,100 1999 est. 180 United Arab Emirates 1,088 1999 est. 181 Vanuatu 1,070 1999 est. 182 Grenada 1,040 1999 est. 183 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1,040 1999 est. 184 Guam 885 185 Comoros 880 1999 est 186 Virgin Islands 856 2000 187 Aruba 800 1995 188 Man, Isle of 800 1999 189 Samoa 790 1999 est. 190 Cayman Islands 785 2000 191 Dominica 780 1999 est. 192 French Guiana 722 1996 193 Tonga 680 1999 est. 194 Kiribati 670 1999 est. 195 Netherlands Antilles 600 196 Jersey 577 197 Faroe Islands 463 1999 198 Bermuda 450 2002 199 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 440 2002 200 Seychelles 373 1997 est. 201 Northern Mariana Islands 362 1991 202 American Samoa 350 203 Cook Islands 320 2000 204 Sao Tome and Principe 320 1999 est. 205 Saint Kitts and Nevis 320 1999 est 206 Macau 271 2000 207 Andorra 269 1994 208 Antigua and Barbuda 250 1999 est. 209 Liechtenstein 250 210 Micronesia, Federated States of 240 1999 est. 211 Christmas Island 240 2000 212 Niue 234 2001 213 Montserrat 227 2003 214 San Marino 220 2001 215 Saint Helena 198 2000 216 British Virgin Islands 177 2000 217 Turks and Caicos Islands 121 2000 218 Wallis and Futuna 120 219 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 114 220 Anguilla 105 1997 221 Mayotte 93 222 Norfolk Island 80 2001 223 Palau 61 224 Monaco 50 1999 est. 225 Nauru 30 1999 est. 226 Gibraltar 29 2002 227 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 15 2003 228 Tuvalu 8 1999 est. 229 Pitcairn Islands 6

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2087

Rank Country Imports Date of Information

1 World $ 6,531,000,000,000 2002 est. 2 United States $ 1,260,000,000,000 2003 est. 3 European Union $ 887,100,000,000 2002 4 Germany $ 585,000,000,000 2003 est. 5 China $ 397,400,000,000 2003 est. 6 United Kingdom $ 363,600,000,000 2003 est. 7 Japan $ 346,600,000,000 2003 est. 8 France $ 339,900,000,000 2003 est. 9 Italy $ 271,100,000,000 2003 est. 10 Canada $ 240,400,000,000 2003 est. 11 Hong Kong $ 230,300,000,000 2003 est. 12 Netherlands $ 217,700,000,000 2003 est. 13 Spain $ 197,100,000,000 2003 est. 14 Korea, South $ 175,600,000,000 2003 est. 15 Belgium $ 173,000,000,000 2003 est. 16 Mexico $ 168,900,000,000 2003 est. 17 Singapore $ 121,600,000,000 2003 est. 18 Taiwan $ 119,600,000,000 2003 est. 19 Switzerland $ 102,200,000,000 2003 est. 20 Sweden $ 83,270,000,000 2003 est. 21 Australia $ 82,910,000,000 2003 est. 22 Austria $ 81,590,000,000 2003 est. 23 Russia $ 74,800,000,000 2003 est. 24 Malaysia $ 74,400,000,000 2003 est. 25 India $ 74,150,000,000 2003 est. 26 Thailand $ 65,300,000,000 2003 est. 27 Poland $ 63,650,000,000 2003 est. 28 Turkey $ 62,430,000,000 2003 est. 29 Ireland $ 57,540,000,000 2003 est. 30 Denmark $ 54,470,000,000 2003 est. 31 Czech Republic $ 50,400,000,000 2003 est. 32 Brazil $ 48,250,000,000 2003 est. 33 Hungary $ 46,190,000,000 2003 est. 34 Portugal $ 43,730,000,000 2003 est. 35 Indonesia $ 40,220,000,000 2003 est. 36 Norway $ 40,190,000,000 2003 est. 37 Finland $ 37,350,000,000 2003 est. 38 United Arab Emirates $ 37,160,000,000 2003 est. 39 Philippines $ 35,970,000,000 2003 est. 40 South Africa $ 33,890,000,000 2003 est. 41 Greece $ 33,270,000,000 2003 est. 42 Israel $ 32,270,000,000 2003 est. 43 Saudi Arabia $ 30,380,000,000 2003 est. 44 Puerto Rico $ 29,100,000,000 2001 45 Iran $ 25,260,000,000 2003 est. 46 Ukraine $ 23,580,000,000 2003 est. 47 Vietnam $ 22,500,000,000 2003 est. 48 Romania $ 22,170,000,000 2003 est. 49 Slovakia $ 21,900,000,000 2003 est. 50 Chile $ 17,400,000,000 2003 est. 51 New Zealand $ 16,060,000,000 2003 est. 52 Egypt $ 14,750,000,000 2003 est. 53 Nigeria $ 14,540,000,000 2003 est. 54 Argentina $ 13,270,000,000 2003 est. 55 Colombia $ 13,060,000,000 2003 est. 56 Croatia $ 12,860,000,000 2003 est. 57 Morocco $ 12,750,000,000 2003 est. 58 Slovenia $ 12,630,000,000 2003 est. 59 Pakistan $ 12,510,000,000 2003 est. 60 Algeria $ 12,420,000,000 2003 est. 61 Luxembourg $ 11,610,000,000 2002 62 Belarus $ 11,090,000,000 2003 est. 63 Venezuela $ 10,710,000,000 2003 est. 64 Tunisia $ 10,300,000,000 2003 est. 65 Bulgaria $ 9,723,000,000 2003 est. 66 Kuwait $ 9,606,000,000 2003 est. 67 Bangladesh $ 9,459,000,000 2003 est. 68 Lithuania $ 9,200,000,000 2003 est. 69 Kazakhstan $ 8,621,000,000 2003 est. 70 Peru $ 8,244,000,000 2003 est. 71 Dominican Republic $ 7,911,000,000 2003 est. 72 Serbia and Montenegro $ 7,144,000,000 2003 est. 73 Costa Rica $ 7,057,000,000 2003 est. 74 Sri Lanka $ 6,626,000,000 2003 est. 75 Panama $ 6,622,000,000 2003 est. 76 Iraq $ 6,521,000,000 2003 est. 77 Libya $ 6,282,000,000 2003 est. 78 Ecuador $ 6,220,000,000 2003 est. 79 Lebanon $ 6,073,000,000 2003 est. 80 Guatemala $ 5,749,000,000 2003 est. 81 Qatar $ 5,711,000,000 2003 est. 82 Oman $ 5,659,000,000 2003 est. 83 Estonia $ 5,535,000,000 2003 est. 84 Bermuda $ 5,523,000,000 2002 85 El Salvador $ 5,466,000,000 2003 est. 86 Bahrain $ 5,126,000,000 2003 est. 87 Liberia $ 5,051,000,000 2002 est. 88 Jordan $ 4,946,000,000 2003 est. 89 Latvia $ 4,921,000,000 2003 est. 90 Syria $ 4,845,000,000 2003 est. 91 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 4,700,000,000 2003 est. 92 Cyprus $ 4,637,000,000 2003 est. 93 Cuba $ 4,531,000,000 2003 est. 94 Angola $ 4,080,000,000 2003 est. 95 Trinidad and Tobago $ 3,917,000,000 2003 est. 96 Kenya $ 3,705,000,000 2003 est. 97 Jamaica $ 3,265,000,000 2003 est. 98 Ghana $ 3,240,000,000 2003 est. 99 Honduras $ 3,110,000,000 2003 est. 100 Yemen $ 3,042,000,000 2003 est. 101 Cote d'Ivoire $ 2,781,000,000 2003 est. 102 Paraguay $ 2,770,000,000 2003 est. 103 Malta $ 2,761,000,000 2003 est. 104 Iceland $ 2,590,000,000 2003 est. 105 Macau $ 2,530,000,000 2002 106 Reunion $ 2,500,000,000 1997 107 Azerbaijan $ 2,498,000,000 2003 est. 108 Turkmenistan $ 2,472,000,000 2003 est. 109 Sudan $ 2,383,000,000 2003 est. 110 Uzbekistan $ 2,310,000,000 2003 est. 111 Netherlands Antilles $ 2,233,000,000 2002 112 Macedonia $ 2,184,000,000 2003 est. 113 Mauritius $ 2,136,000,000 2003 est. 114 Cambodia $ 2,124,000,000 2003 est. 115 Burma $ 2,071,000,000 2003 est. 116 Korea, North $ 2,042,000,000 2002 est. 117 Martinique $ 2,000,000,000 1997 118 Uruguay $ 1,989,000,000 2003 est. 119 Ethiopia $ 1,964,000,000 2003 est. 120 Cameroon $ 1,959,000,000 2003 est. 121 Gaza Strip $ 1,900,000,000 122 West Bank $ 1,900,000,000 123 Albania $ 1,760,000,000 2003 est. 124 Botswana $ 1,753,000,000 2003 est. 125 Senegal $ 1,753,000,000 2003 est. 126 Gibraltar $ 1,743,000,000 2002 127 Guadeloupe $ 1,700,000,000 1997 128 Zimbabwe $ 1,691,000,000 2003 est. 129 Tanzania $ 1,674,000,000 2003 est. 130 Nicaragua $ 1,658,000,000 2003 est. 131 Brunei $ 1,630,000,000 2002 est. 132 Bahamas, The $ 1,614,000,000 2002 est. 133 Bolivia $ 1,505,000,000 2003 est. 134 Nepal $ 1,419,000,000 2002 est. 135 Equatorial Guinea $ 1,371,000,000 2003 est. 136 Namibia $ 1,371,000,000 2003 est. 137 French Polynesia $ 1,341,000,000 2002 138 Moldova $ 1,340,000,000 2003 est. 139 Georgia $ 1,250,000,000 2003 est. 140 Armenia $ 1,180,000,000 2003 est. 141 Uganda $ 1,179,000,000 2003 est. 142 Mozambique $ 1,142,000,000 2003 est. 143 Zambia $ 1,128,000,000 2003 est. 144 Swaziland $ 1,088,000,000 2003 est. 145 Gabon $ 1,079,000,000 2003 est. 146 Andorra $ 1,077,000,000 1998 147 Barbados $ 1,039,000,000 2002 148 Haiti $ 1,028,000,000 2003 est. 149 Afghanistan $ 1,007,000,000 2002 est. 150 New Caledonia $ 1,007,000,000 2002 151 Papua New Guinea $ 967,000,000 2003 est. 152 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 933,000,000 2002 est. 153 Mali $ 927,000,000 2002 est. 154 Madagascar $ 920,000,000 2003 est. 155 Liechtenstein $ 917,300,000 1996 156 Tajikistan $ 890,000,000 2003 est. 157 Mauritania $ 860,000,000 2002 158 Aruba $ 841,000,000 2002 est. 159 Fiji $ 835,000,000 2002 160 Chad $ 760,000,000 2003 est. 161 Benin $ 726,000,000 2003 est. 162 Antigua and Barbuda $ 692,000,000 2002 est. 163 Mongolia $ 691,000,000 2002 est. 164 Congo, Republic of the $ 666,900,000 2003 est. 165 Djibouti $ 665,000,000 2002 est. 166 Lesotho $ 661,000,000 2003 est. 167 Guinea $ 646,000,000 2003 est. 168 Burkina Faso $ 633,600,000 2003 est. 169 French Guiana $ 625,000,000 2002 est. 170 Guyana $ 612,000,000 2003 est. 171 Suriname $ 604,000,000 2002 172 Kyrgyzstan $ 601,000,000 2003 est. 173 Eritrea $ 600,000,000 2003 est. 174 Malawi $ 505,000,000 2003 est. 175 Togo $ 501,300,000 2003 est. 176 Belize $ 500,600,000 2003 est. 177 Laos $ 492,000,000 2003 est. 178 Faroe Islands $ 466,000,000 2002 179 Guam $ 462,000,000 2002 est. 180 Cayman Islands $ 457,400,000 1999 181 Greenland $ 445,000,000 2002 182 Niger $ 400,000,000 2002 est. 183 Maldives $ 392,000,000 2002 est. 184 Seychelles $ 383,700,000 2003 est. 185 Somalia $ 344,000,000 2002 est. 186 Cape Verde $ 315,500,000 2003 est. 187 Cyprus $ 301,000,000 2003 est. 188 Gambia, The $ 271,000,000 2003 est. 189 Saint Lucia $ 267,000,000 2002 est. 190 Sierra Leone $ 264,000,000 2002 est. 191 Rwanda $ 245,800,000 2003 est. 192 East Timor $ 237,000,000 2001 est. 193 Grenada $ 208,000,000 2002 est. 194 Bhutan $ 196,000,000 2000 est. 195 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 195,000,000 2002 est. 196 British Virgin Islands $ 187,000,000 2002 est. 197 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 175,600,000 2000 198 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 174,000,000 2002 est. 199 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 149,000,000 FY99/00 est. 200 Mayotte $ 141,300,000 1997 201 Vanuatu $ 138,000,000 2002 202 Central African Republic $ 136,000,000 2002 est. 203 Burundi $ 128,000,000 2003 est. 204 American Samoa $ 123,000,000 2002 205 Samoa $ 113,000,000 2002 206 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 106,000,000 2002 207 Guinea-Bissau $ 104,000,000 2002 est. 208 Solomon Islands $ 100,000,000 2002 est. 209 Palau $ 99,000,000 2001 est. 210 Dominica $ 98,200,000 2003 est. 211 Comoros $ 88,000,000 2002 est. 212 Tonga $ 86,000,000 2002 est. 213 Kiribati $ 83,000,000 2002 214 Anguilla $ 80,900,000 1999 215 Tuvalu $ 79,000,000 2002 216 Marshall Islands $ 54,000,000 2000 217 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 53,000,000 2002 218 Cook Islands $ 50,700,000 2000 219 Saint Helena $ 42,000,000 2002 220 Nauru $ 31,000,000 2002 221 Sao Tome and Principe $ 30,030,000 2003 est. 222 Norfolk Island $ 17,900,000 FY91/92 223 Montserrat $ 17,000,000 2001 224 Niue $ 2,380,000 1999 225 Tokelau $ 323,000 1983 226 Wallis and Futuna $ 300,000 1999

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2089

Rank Country Industrial production growth rate(%) Date of Information

1 China 30.40 2003 est. 2 Equatorial Guinea 30.00 2002 est. 3 Cambodia 22.00 2002 est. 4 Burundi 18.00 2001 5 Moldova 17.00 2003 est. 6 Argentina 16.20 2003 est. 7 Lithuania 16.10 2003 est. 8 Vietnam 16.00 2003 est. 9 Ukraine 15.80 2003 est. 10 Lesotho 15.50 1999 11 Armenia 15.00 2002 est. 12 Cote d'Ivoire 15.00 1998 est. 13 Turkmenistan 14.00 2003 est. 14 Burkina Faso 14.00 2001 est. 15 Thailand 12.30 2003 est. 16 Tajikistan 10.30 2000 est. 17 Qatar 10.00 2003 est. 18 Laos 9.70 2001 est. 19 Bhutan 9.30 1996 est. 20 Malaysia 9.30 2003 est. 21 Kazakhstan 8.80 2003 est. 22 Nepal 8.70 FY99/00 23 Poland 8.60 2003 24 Tonga 8.60 FY98/99 25 Sudan 8.50 1999 est. 26 Turkey 8.50 2003 est. 27 East Timor 8.50 28 Taiwan 8.40 2003 29 Tanzania 8.40 1999 est. 30 Benin 8.30 2001 est. 31 Iceland 8.10 2003 est. 32 Costa Rica 8.00 2003 est. 33 Mauritius 8.00 2000 est. 34 Latvia 8.00 2003 est. 35 Faroe Islands 8.00 1999 est. 36 Honduras 7.70 2003 est. 37 Saudi Arabia 7.70 2003 est. 38 Pakistan 7.60 2003 est. 39 Botswana 7.30 2003 est. 40 Slovakia 7.20 2003 est. 41 Guyana 7.10 1997 est. 42 Panama 7.00 2003 est. 43 Russia 7.00 2003 est. 44 Rwanda 7.00 2001 est. 45 Ireland 6.70 2003 est. 46 Ethiopia 6.70 2001 est. 47 India 6.50 2003 est. 48 Suriname 6.50 1994 est. 49 Hungary 6.40 2003 est. 50 Bulgaria 6.30 2003 est. 51 Uzbekistan 6.20 2003 est. 52 Azerbaijan 6.10 2003 est. 53 Antigua and Barbuda 6.00 1997 est. 54 Algeria 6.00 2003 est. 55 San Marino 6.00 1997 est. 56 Kyrgyzstan 6.00 2000 est. 57 Sri Lanka 5.80 2003 58 Trinidad and Tobago 5.70 2003 est. 59 Bosnia and Herzegovina 5.50 2003 est. 60 Ecuador 5.30 2003 est. 61 Korea, South 5.10 2003 est. 62 Belarus 5.00 2003 est. 63 Chad 5.00 1995 64 Estonia 5.00 2000 est. 65 Uganda 5.00 2003 est. 66 South Africa 5.00 2003 est. 67 Brunei 5.00 2002 est. 68 Belize 4.60 1999 69 Macedonia 4.50 2003 est. 70 Maldives 4.40 1996 est. 71 Nicaragua 4.40 2000 est. 72 Cameroon 4.20 1999 est. 73 Guatemala 4.10 1999 74 Mongolia 4.10 2002 est. 75 United Arab Emirates 4.00 2000 76 Zambia 4.00 2003 est. 77 Bolivia 3.90 1998 78 Croatia 3.90 2003 est. 79 Ghana 3.80 2000 est. 80 Indonesia 3.70 2003 est. 81 Swaziland 3.70 FY95/96 82 Colombia 3.50 2003 est. 83 Jordan 3.50 2003 est. 84 Mozambique 3.40 2000 85 Czech Republic 3.30 2003 86 Japan 3.30 2003 est. 87 Guinea 3.20 1994 88 Man, Isle of 3.20 FY96/97 89 Anguilla 3.10 1997 est. 90 Central African Republic 3.00 2002 91 Yemen 3.00 2003 est. 92 World 3.00 2002 est. 93 Georgia 3.00 2000 94 Madagascar 3.00 2000 est. 95 Iran 3.00 2003 est. 96 Djibouti 3.00 1996 est. 97 Senegal 2.90 2003 est. 98 Singapore 2.80 2003 est. 99 Samoa 2.80 2000 100 Albania 2.70 2003 est. 101 Guinea-Bissau 2.60 1997 est. 102 Cuba 2.40 2003 est. 103 Nigeria 2.30 2003 est. 104 Romania 2.30 2003 105 Bahrain 2.00 2000 est. 106 Mauritania 2.00 2000 est. 107 Kenya 2.00 2003 est. 108 Dominican Republic 2.00 2001 est. 109 Peru 2.00 2003 est. 110 Austria 1.90 2003 est. 111 Sweden 1.90 2003 est. 112 Bangladesh 1.90 2003 est. 113 Luxembourg 1.70 2003 est. 114 Serbia and Montenegro 1.70 2002 est. 115 El Salvador 1.60 2003 est. 116 Spain 1.60 2003 est. 117 Gabon 1.60 2002 est. 118 Chile 1.50 2003 est. 119 Egypt 1.50 2003 est. 120 Slovenia 1.40 2003 121 New Zealand 1.30 2003 est. 122 Angola 1.00 2000 123 Vanuatu 1.00 1997 est. 124 Cook Islands 1.00 2002 125 European Union 0.80 2004 est. 126 Finland 0.80 2003 est. 127 Grenada 0.70 1997 est. 128 Uruguay 0.70 2003 est. 129 Kiribati 0.70 1991 est. 130 Greece 0.70 2003 est. 131 Brazil 0.40 2003 est. 132 Switzerland 0.40 2003 133 Portugal 0.40 2003 est. 134 Denmark 0.30 2003 est. 135 United States 0.30 2003 est. 136 Canada 0.20 2003 est. 137 Oman 0.20 2003 est. 138 Germany 0.20 2003 est. 139 Congo, Republic of the 0.00 2002 est. 140 Paraguay 0.00 2000 est. 141 Australia -0.10 2003 est. 142 Philippines -0.10 2003 est. 143 Tunisia -0.10 2003 est. 144 Cyprus -0.30 2003 145 France -0.30 2003 146 Italy -0.50 2003 147 Cyprus -0.60 2003 148 New Caledonia -0.60 1996 149 Israel -0.60 2003 est. 150 Mexico -0.70 2003 est. 151 United Kingdom -0.70 2003 est. 152 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines -0.90 1997 est. 153 Belgium -1.50 2003 est. 154 Malawi -1.60 2003 est. 155 Comoros -2.00 1999 est. 156 Jamaica -2.00 2000 est. 157 Netherlands -2.10 2003 est. 158 Barbados -3.20 2000 est. 159 Norway -3.50 2003 est. 160 Kuwait -5.00 2002 est. 161 Saint Lucia -8.90 1997 est. 162 Hong Kong -9.20 2003 est. 163 Dominica -10.00 1997 est. 164 Zimbabwe -14.70 2003 est. 165 Venezuela -15.40 2003 est.

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2091

Rank Country Infant mortality rate(deaths/1,000 live births) Date of Information

1 Angola 191.19 2004 est. 2 Afghanistan 163.07 2004 est. 3 Sierra Leone 143.64 2004 est. 4 Mozambique 130.79 2004 est. 5 Liberia 128.87 2004 est. 6 Niger 121.69 2004 est. 7 Mali 116.79 2004 est. 8 Somalia 116.70 2004 est. 9 Tajikistan 110.76 2004 est. 10 Guinea-Bissau 107.17 2004 est. 11 Djibouti 104.13 2004 est. 12 Malawi 103.32 2004 est. 13 Bhutan 100.44 2004 est. 14 Nigeria 98.80 2004 est. 15 Tanzania 98.54 2004 est. 16 Burkina Faso 97.57 2004 est. 17 Ethiopia 95.32 2004 est. 18 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 94.69 2004 est. 19 Congo, Republic of the 93.86 2004 est. 20 Chad 93.82 2004 est. 21 Rwanda 91.23 2004 est. 22 Central African Republic 91.00 2004 est. 23 Cote d'Ivoire 90.83 2004 est. 24 Guinea 90.37 2004 est. 25 Zambia 88.29 2004 est. 26 Laos 85.22 2004 est. 27 Equatorial Guinea 85.13 2004 est. 28 Benin 85.00 2004 est. 29 Lesotho 84.23 2004 est. 30 Azerbaijan 81.74 2004 est. 31 Madagascar 76.83 2004 est. 32 Comoros 74.93 2004 est. 33 Eritrea 74.87 2004 est. 34 Haiti 73.45 2004 est. 35 Turkmenistan 73.08 2004 est. 36 Pakistan 72.44 2004 est. 37 Gambia, The 72.02 2004 est. 38 Cambodia 71.48 2004 est. 39 Uzbekistan 71.10 2004 est. 40 Mauritania 70.89 2004 est. 41 Burundi 69.29 2004 est. 42 Swaziland 69.27 2004 est. 43 Cameroon 68.26 2004 est. 44 Uganda 67.83 2004 est. 45 Zimbabwe 67.69 2004 est. 46 Burma 67.24 2004 est. 47 Nepal 66.98 2004 est. 48 Togo 66.61 2004 est. 49 Bangladesh 62.60 2004 est. 50 Sudan 62.50 2004 est. 51 Mayotte 62.40 2004 est. 52 South Africa 61.81 2004 est. 53 Yemen 61.50 2004 est. 54 Kenya 61.47 2004 est. 55 Maldives 56.52 2004 est. 56 India 56.29 2004 est. 57 Senegal 55.51 2004 est. 58 Vanuatu 55.16 2004 est. 59 Botswana 54.58 2004 est. 60 Mongolia 53.79 2004 est. 61 Gabon 53.64 2004 est. 62 Bolivia 53.11 2004 est. 63 Papua New Guinea 51.45 2004 est. 64 Ghana 51.43 2004 est. 65 World 51.23 2004 est. 66 Iraq 50.25 2004 est. 67 Namibia 48.98 2004 est. 68 Kiribati 48.52 2004 est. 69 Cape Verde 47.77 2004 est. 70 East Timor 47.41 2004 est. 71 Sao Tome and Principe 43.11 2004 est. 72 Morocco 41.62 2004 est. 73 Iran 41.58 2004 est. 74 Turkey 41.04 2004 est. 75 Moldova 40.42 2004 est. 76 Guatemala 35.93 2004 est. 77 Kyrgyzstan 35.64 2004 est. 78 Indonesia 35.60 2004 est. 79 Guyana 33.26 2004 est. 80 Egypt 32.59 2004 est. 81 Dominican Republic 32.38 2004 est. 82 Peru 31.94 2004 est. 83 Algeria 31.00 2004 est. 84 Micronesia, Federated States of 30.21 2004 est. 85 Brazil 29.61 2004 est. 86 Syria 29.53 2004 est. 87 Marshall Islands 29.45 2004 est. 88 Honduras 29.32 2004 est. 89 Kazakhstan 29.21 2004 est. 90 Nicaragua 29.11 2004 est. 91 Samoa 27.71 2004 est. 92 Romania 26.43 2004 est. 93 Vietnam 25.95 2004 est. 94 Belize 25.69 2004 est. 95 Paraguay 25.63 2004 est. 96 Bahamas, The 25.21 2004 est. 97 El Salvador 25.10 2004 est. 98 Tunisia 24.77 2004 est. 99 Libya 24.60 2004 est. 100 Lebanon 24.52 2004 est. 101 Trinidad and Tobago 24.31 2004 est. 102 China 24.18 2004 est. 103 Korea, North 24.04 2004 est. 104 Ecuador 23.66 2004 est. 105 Suriname 23.57 2004 est. 106 Philippines 23.51 2004 est. 107 Armenia 23.28 2004 est. 108 Gaza Strip 22.93 2004 est. 109 Venezuela 22.20 2004 est. 110 Albania 21.52 2004 est. 111 Solomon Islands 21.29 2004 est. 112 Bosnia and Herzegovina 21.05 2004 est. 113 Anguilla 21.03 2004 est. 114 Colombia 20.97 2004 est. 115 Mexico 20.91 2004 est. 116 Bulgaria 20.55 2004 est. 117 Thailand 20.48 2004 est. 118 Panama 20.47 2004 est. 119 Ukraine 20.34 2004 est. 120 Tuvalu 20.03 2004 est. 121 West Bank 19.62 2004 est. 122 Oman 19.51 2004 est. 123 Antigua and Barbuda 19.46 2004 est. 124 Saint Helena 19.00 2004 est. 125 Qatar 18.61 2004 est. 126 Georgia 18.59 2004 est. 127 British Virgin Islands 18.05 2004 est. 128 Malaysia 17.70 2004 est. 129 Jordan 17.35 2004 est. 130 Bahrain 17.27 2004 est. 131 Greenland 15.82 2004 est. 132 Turks and Caicos Islands 15.67 2004 est. 133 Seychelles 15.53 2004 est. 134 Russia 15.39 2004 est. 135 Argentina 15.18 2004 est. 136 Mauritius 15.03 2004 est. 137 Palau 14.84 2004 est. 138 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 14.78 2004 est. 139 Grenada 14.62 2004 est. 140 United Arab Emirates 14.51 2004 est. 141 Saint Kitts and Nevis 14.49 2004 est. 142 Sri Lanka 14.35 2004 est. 143 Dominica 14.15 2004 est. 144 Saint Lucia 13.53 2004 est. 145 Belarus 13.37 2004 est. 146 Saudi Arabia 13.24 2004 est. 147 Serbia and Montenegro 12.89 2004 est. 148 Fiji 12.62 2004 est. 149 Tonga 12.62 2004 est. 150 Brunei 12.61 2004 est. 151 Barbados 12.50 2004 est. 152 Jamaica 12.36 2004 est. 153 French Guiana 12.07 2004 est. 154 Uruguay 11.95 2004 est. 155 Macedonia 10.09 2004 est. 156 Netherlands Antilles 10.03 2004 est. 157 Costa Rica 9.95 2004 est. 158 Kuwait 9.95 2004 est. 159 Nauru 9.95 2004 est. 160 Latvia 9.55 2004 est. 161 American Samoa 9.27 2004 est. 162 Chile 8.80 2004 est. 163 Guadeloupe 8.60 2004 est. 164 Hungary 8.57 2004 est. 165 Bermuda 8.53 2004 est. 166 Poland 8.51 2004 est. 167 French Polynesia 8.44 2004 est. 168 Puerto Rico 8.24 2004 est. 169 Cayman Islands 8.19 2004 est. 170 Virgin Islands 8.03 2004 est. 171 Estonia 7.87 2004 est. 172 Reunion 7.78 2004 est. 173 New Caledonia 7.72 2004 est. 174 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 7.54 2004 est. 175 Slovakia 7.41 2004 est. 176 Montserrat 7.35 2004 est. 177 Cyprus 7.18 2004 est. 178 Northern Mariana Islands 7.11 2004 est. 179 Martinique 7.09 2004 est. 180 Korea, South 7.05 2004 est. 181 Israel 7.03 2004 est. 182 Guam 6.94 2004 est. 183 Lithuania 6.89 2004 est. 184 Croatia 6.84 2004 est. 185 United States 6.50 2004 est. 186 Taiwan 6.40 2004 est. 187 Cuba 6.33 2004 est. 188 Faroe Islands 6.24 2004 est. 189 Italy 5.94 2004 est. 190 Man, Isle of 5.93 2004 est. 191 Aruba 5.89 2004 est. 192 New Zealand 5.85 2004 est. 193 San Marino 5.73 2004 est. 194 Greece 5.53 2004 est. 195 Monaco 5.43 2004 est. 196 Ireland 5.39 2004 est. 197 European Union 5.30 July 2004 est. 198 Jersey 5.24 2004 est. 199 United Kingdom 5.16 2004 est. 200 Gibraltar 5.13 2004 est. 201 Portugal 5.05 2004 est. 202 Netherlands 5.04 2004 est. 203 Luxembourg 4.81 2004 est. 204 Canada 4.75 2004 est. 205 Guernsey 4.71 2004 est. 206 Liechtenstein 4.70 2004 est. 207 Australia 4.69 2004 est. 208 Belgium 4.68 2004 est. 209 Austria 4.66 2004 est. 210 Denmark 4.56 2004 est. 211 Slovenia 4.45 2004 est. 212 Spain 4.42 2004 est. 213 Macau 4.39 2004 est. 214 Switzerland 4.39 2004 est. 215 France 4.26 2004 est. 216 Germany 4.16 2004 est. 217 Andorra 4.05 2004 est. 218 Czech Republic 3.93 2004 est. 219 Malta 3.89 2004 est. 220 Norway 3.70 2004 est. 221 Finland 3.57 2004 est. 222 Iceland 3.31 2004 est. 223 Japan 3.26 2004 est. 224 Hong Kong 2.97 2004 est. 225 Sweden 2.77 2004 est. 226 Singapore 2.29 2004 est.

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2092

Rank Country Inflation rate (consumer prices)(%) Date of Information

1 Zimbabwe 384.70 2003 est. 2 Angola 76.60 2003 est. 3 Burma 49.70 2003 est. 4 Haiti 37.80 2003 est. 5 Venezuela 31.10 2003 est. 6 Iraq 29.30 2003 est. 7 Belarus 28.20 2003 est. 8 Dominican Republic 27.50 2003 est. 9 Ghana 26.70 2003 est. 10 Turkey 25.30 2003 est. 11 Zambia 21.40 2003 est. 12 Uruguay 19.40 2003 est. 13 Ethiopia 17.80 2003 est. 14 Suriname 17.00 2002 est. 15 Iran 16.40 2003 est. 16 Tajikistan 16.30 2003 est. 17 Laos 15.30 2003 est. 18 Romania 15.30 2003 19 Liberia 15.00 2003 est. 20 Guinea 14.80 2003 est. 21 Brazil 14.70 2003 22 Papua New Guinea 14.70 2003 est. 23 Paraguay 14.20 2003 est. 24 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 14.00 2003 est. 25 Mozambique 14.00 2003 est. 26 Gambia, The 14.00 2003 est. 27 Nigeria 13.80 2003 est. 28 Russia 13.70 2003 est. 29 Argentina 13.40 2003 30 Uzbekistan 13.10 2003 est. 31 Cyprus 12.60 2003 est. 32 Eritrea 12.30 2003 33 Moldova 11.60 2003 est. 34 Serbia and Montenegro 11.20 2003 est. 35 Yemen 10.80 2003 est. 36 Burundi 10.70 2003 est. 37 Jamaica 10.30 2003 est. 38 Tonga 10.30 2002 est. 39 Kenya 9.80 2003 est. 40 Malawi 9.50 2003 est. 41 Turkmenistan 9.50 2003 est. 42 Costa Rica 9.40 2003 est. 43 Botswana 9.20 2003 est. 44 Solomon Islands 9.00 2002 est. 45 Sao Tome and Principe 9.00 2003 est. 46 Sudan 8.80 2003 est. 47 Slovakia 8.60 2003 est. 48 Madagascar 8.00 2003 est. 49 East Timor 8.00 2003 est. 50 Ecuador 7.90 2003 est. 51 Uganda 7.90 2003 est. 52 Honduras 7.70 2003 est. 53 Rwanda 7.50 2003 est. 54 Namibia 7.30 2003 55 Swaziland 7.30 2003 est. 56 Colombia 7.10 2003 est. 57 Mauritania 7.00 2003 est. 58 Indonesia 6.60 2003 est. 59 Kazakhstan 6.60 2003 est. 60 Puerto Rico 6.50 2003 est. 61 Sri Lanka 6.30 2003 est. 62 Lesotho 6.10 2003 est. 63 Chad 6.00 2003 est. 64 Equatorial Guinea 6.00 2003 est. 65 South Africa 5.90 2003 est. 66 Guyana 5.70 2003 est. 67 Bangladesh 5.60 2003 est. 68 Slovenia 5.60 2003 est. 69 Guatemala 5.50 2003 est. 70 Nicaragua 5.30 2003 est. 71 Afghanistan 5.20 2003 72 Ukraine 5.20 2003 est. 73 Faroe Islands 5.10 1999 74 Tuvalu 5.00 2000 est. 75 Armenia 4.80 2003 est. 76 Georgia 4.80 2003 est. 77 Hungary 4.70 2003 est. 78 Jersey 4.70 1998 79 Mali 4.50 2002 est. 80 Mexico 4.50 2003 est. 81 Tanzania 4.40 2003 est. 82 Andorra 4.30 2000 83 Egypt 4.30 2003 est. 84 Mauritius 4.20 2003 est. 85 Cuba 4.10 2003 est. 86 Cyprus 4.10 2003 est. 87 Guernsey 4.00 2000 est. 88 Turks and Caicos Islands 4.00 1995 89 Guinea-Bissau 4.00 2002 est. 90 Samoa 4.00 2001 est. 91 Martinique 3.90 1990 92 India 3.80 2003 est. 93 Trinidad and Tobago 3.80 2003 est. 94 Central African Republic 3.60 2001 est. 95 Greece 3.60 2003 est. 96 Korea, South 3.60 2003 est. 97 Man, Isle of 3.60 March 2003 est. 98 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 3.60 1998 99 Algeria 3.50 2003 est. 100 Comoros 3.50 2001 est. 101 Kyrgyzstan 3.50 2003 est. 102 Ireland 3.50 2003 est. 103 Cote d'Ivoire 3.40 2003 est. 104 Palau 3.40 2000 est. 105 Bermuda 3.30 mid-2003 est. 106 San Marino 3.30 2001 107 Bolivia 3.30 2003 est. 108 Portugal 3.30 2003 est. 109 Seychelles 3.30 2003 est. 110 Aruba 3.20 2002 est. 111 United Arab Emirates 3.20 2003 est. 112 Saint Helena 3.20 1997 est. 113 Cook Islands 3.20 2000 est. 114 Philippines 3.10 2003 est. 115 Vietnam 3.10 2003 est. 116 Bhutan 3.00 2002 est. 117 Niger 3.00 2002 est. 118 Saint Lucia 3.00 2001 est. 119 Spain 3.00 2003 est. 120 Cape Verde 3.00 2003 121 Latvia 2.90 2003 est. 122 Nepal 2.90 2002 est. 123 Pakistan 2.90 2003 est. 124 Australia 2.80 2003 est. 125 Libya 2.80 2003 est. 126 Grenada 2.80 2001 est. 127 Cayman Islands 2.80 2002 128 Chile 2.80 2003 est. 129 Canada 2.80 2003 est. 130 Italy 2.70 2003 est. 131 Tunisia 2.70 2003 est. 132 Belize 2.60 2003 est. 133 Montserrat 2.60 2002 est. 134 Kiribati 2.50 2001 est. 135 Norway 2.50 2003 est. 136 British Virgin Islands 2.50 2002 137 Lebanon 2.50 2003 est. 138 Albania 2.40 2003 139 Congo, Republic of the 2.40 2003 est. 140 Jordan 2.40 2003 est. 141 Anguilla 2.30 142 Bulgaria 2.30 2003 est. 143 United States 2.30 2003 144 Qatar 2.30 2003 145 Peru 2.30 2003 est. 146 Cameroon 2.30 2003 est. 147 Gaza Strip 2.20 2001 est. 148 Virgin Islands 2.20 2003 149 West Bank 2.20 2001 est. 150 Azerbaijan 2.10 2003 est. 151 El Salvador 2.10 2003 est. 152 Denmark 2.10 2003 est. 153 France 2.10 2003 est. 154 Iceland 2.10 2003 est. 155 Netherlands 2.10 2003 est. 156 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2.10 1991-96 average 157 Netherlands Antilles 2.10 2003 est. 158 Djibouti 2.00 2002 est. 159 Luxembourg 2.00 2003 est. 160 Vanuatu 2.00 2002 est. 161 European Union 2.00 2004 est. 162 Marshall Islands 2.00 2001 est. 163 Sweden 1.90 2003 est. 164 Burkina Faso 1.90 2003 est. 165 Croatia 1.80 2003 est. 166 Thailand 1.80 2003 est. 167 New Zealand 1.80 2003 est. 168 Bahamas, The 1.70 2002 est. 169 Cambodia 1.70 2003 est. 170 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1.70 2001 est. 171 Belgium 1.60 2003 est. 172 Greenland 1.60 1999 est. 173 Fiji 1.60 2002 est. 174 Benin 1.50 2003 est. 175 French Polynesia 1.50 2002 est. 176 Syria 1.50 2003 est. 177 French Guiana 1.50 2002 est. 178 Gibraltar 1.50 1998 179 Mongolia 1.50 2002 est. 180 Austria 1.40 2003 est. 181 United Kingdom 1.40 2003 est. 182 Panama 1.40 2003 est. 183 Estonia 1.30 2003 est. 184 China 1.20 2003 est. 185 Kuwait 1.20 2003 est. 186 Morocco 1.20 2003 est. 187 Macedonia 1.20 2003 est. 188 Northern Mariana Islands 1.20 1997 est. 189 Germany 1.10 2003 est. 190 Malaysia 1.10 2003 est. 191 Dominica 1.00 2001 est. 192 Sierra Leone 1.00 2002 est. 193 Niue 1.00 1995 194 Maldives 1.00 2002 est. 195 Liechtenstein 1.00 2001 196 Micronesia, Federated States of 1.00 2002 est. 197 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.90 2003 est. 198 Finland 0.90 2003 est. 199 Israel 0.70 2003 est. 200 Poland 0.70 2003 est. 201 Switzerland 0.60 2003 est. 202 Gabon 0.50 2003 est. 203 Saudi Arabia 0.50 2003 est. 204 Singapore 0.50 2003 est. 205 Antigua and Barbuda 0.40 2000 est. 206 Malta 0.40 2003 est. 207 Czech Republic 0.10 2003 est. 208 Guam 0.00 1999 est. 209 Senegal 0.00 2003 est. 210 Bahrain -0.20 2003 est. 211 Japan -0.30 2003 est. 212 Oman -0.30 2003 est. 213 Taiwan -0.30 2003 est. 214 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines -0.40 2001 est. 215 Barbados -0.50 2003 est. 216 New Caledonia -0.60 2000 est. 217 Togo -1.00 2003 est. 218 Lithuania -1.20 2003 est. 219 Brunei -2.00 2002 est. 220 Hong Kong -2.60 2003 est. 221 Macau -2.60 2003 est. 222 Nauru -3.60 1993

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2095

Rank Country Labor force Date of Information

1 China 778,100,000 2003 est. 2 India 472,000,000 2003 3 European Union 211,100,000 4 United States 147,400,000 2003 5 Indonesia 105,700,000 2003 6 Brazil 82,590,000 2003 est. 7 Russia 71,680,000 2003 est. 8 Japan 66,660,000 2003 9 Bangladesh 64,020,000 2003 10 Nigeria 54,360,000 2003 est. 11 Vietnam 45,740,000 2003 est. 12 Pakistan 43,980,000 2003 13 Germany 42,630,000 2003 14 Thailand 34,900,000 2003 est. 15 Philippines 34,560,000 2003 16 Mexico 34,110,000 2003 17 United Kingdom 29,600,000 2003 18 France 27,390,000 2003 est. 19 Italy 24,150,000 2003 est. 20 Turkey 23,790,000 2003 21 Korea, South 22,920,000 2003 22 Iran 22,320,000 2003 est. 23 Burma 22,140,000 2003 est. 24 Ukraine 21,290,000 2003 25 Colombia 20,340,000 2003 est. 26 Egypt 20,190,000 2003 est. 27 Spain 18,820,000 2003 28 Tanzania 18,560,000 2003 29 Canada 17,040,000 2003 est. 30 Poland 16,920,000 2003 est. 31 South Africa 16,350,000 2003 32 Argentina 14,920,000 2003 33 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 14,510,000 1993 est. 34 Uzbekistan 14,200,000 2003 est. 35 Uganda 12,090,000 2003 est. 36 Afghanistan 11,800,000 2001 est. 37 Kenya 11,450,000 2003 est. 38 Venezuela 11,380,000 2003 39 Sudan 11,000,000 1996 est. 40 Morocco 10,840,000 2003 41 Malaysia 10,260,000 2003 est. 42 Australia 10,190,000 37256 43 Taiwan 10,080,000 2003 44 Ghana 10,000,000 2003 est. 45 Nepal 10,000,000 1996 est. 46 Algeria 9,600,000 2003 47 Korea, North 9,600,000 48 Romania 9,280,000 2003 est. 49 Mozambique 9,200,000 2000 est. 50 Peru 8,630,000 2003 est. 51 Iraq 7,800,000 2004 est. 52 Kazakhstan 7,634,000 2003 53 Netherlands 7,460,000 2003 54 Madagascar 7,300,000 2000 55 Sri Lanka 7,170,000 2003 56 Cambodia 7,000,000 2003 est. 57 Cote d'Ivoire 6,640,000 2003 58 Cameroon 6,490,000 2003 59 Saudi Arabia 6,430,000 2003 60 Chile 6,000,000 2003 est. 61 Yemen 5,790,000 2003 est. 62 Angola 5,570,000 2003 est. 63 Portugal 5,409,000 2003 64 Czech Republic 5,250,000 2003 est. 65 Burkina Faso 5,000,000 2003 66 Azerbaijan 4,990,000 2003 67 Syria 4,970,000 2003 est. 68 Belarus 4,800,000 2000 est. 69 Belgium 4,730,000 2003 70 Senegal 4,620,000 2003 71 Rwanda 4,600,000 2000 72 Zambia 4,590,000 2003 73 Cuba 4,580,000 2003 est. 74 Malawi 4,500,000 2001 est. 75 Sweden 4,449,000 2003 est. 76 Greece 4,390,000 2003 est. 77 Ecuador 4,360,000 2003 78 Zimbabwe 4,170,000 2003 est. 79 Hungary 4,164,000 2003 80 Bolivia 4,100,000 2003 81 Mali 3,930,000 2001 est. 82 Guatemala 3,840,000 2003 est. 83 Switzerland 3,720,000 2003 84 Somalia 3,700,000 85 Haiti 3,600,000 1995 86 Hong Kong 3,500,000 2003 est. 87 Tunisia 3,461,000 2003 est. 88 Austria 3,425,000 2003 89 Bulgaria 3,333,000 2003 est. 90 Papua New Guinea 3,250,000 2003 91 Tajikistan 3,187,000 2000 92 Guinea 3,000,000 1999 93 Burundi 2,990,000 2002 94 Serbia and Montenegro 2,930,000 2003 est. 95 Denmark 2,863,000 2003 est. 96 Kyrgyzstan 2,700,000 2000 97 El Salvador 2,620,000 2003 98 Israel 2,610,000 2003 est. 99 Laos 2,600,000 2001 est. 100 Finland 2,599,000 2003 est. 101 Slovakia 2,580,000 2003 102 Honduras 2,410,000 2003 est. 103 Norway 2,380,000 2003 est. 104 Turkmenistan 2,340,000 1996 105 Singapore 2,200,000 2003 106 United Arab Emirates 2,160,000 2003 107 Paraguay 2,150,000 2003 est. 108 Georgia 2,100,000 2001 est. 109 New Zealand 2,008,000 2003 est. 110 Nicaragua 1,910,000 2003 111 Ireland 1,871,000 2003 112 Costa Rica 1,758,000 2003 113 Togo 1,740,000 1996 114 Croatia 1,690,000 2003 115 Lithuania 1,642,000 2003 est. 116 Uruguay 1,560,000 2003 117 Libya 1,510,000 2003 est. 118 Lebanon 1,500,000 2001 est. 119 Armenia 1,400,000 2001 120 Mongolia 1,400,000 2001 121 Moldova 1,383,000 2003 122 Kuwait 1,380,000 2003 est. 123 Sierra Leone 1,369,000 1981 est. 124 Jordan 1,360,000 2003 125 Albania 1,350,000 2003 est. 126 Puerto Rico 1,300,000 2000 127 Panama 1,190,000 2003 est. 128 Latvia 1,180,000 2003 est. 129 Jamaica 1,130,000 2003 130 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,026,000 2001 131 Oman 920,000 2002 est. 132 Slovenia 875,000 2003 133 Macedonia 860,000 2003 est. 134 Lesotho 838,000 2000 135 Mauritania 786,000 2001 136 Namibia 760,000 2003 137 Estonia 654,000 2003 est. 138 Gabon 610,000 2003 139 Trinidad and Tobago 590,000 2003 140 Mauritius 560,000 2003 141 Guinea-Bissau 480,000 1999 142 Guyana 418,000 2001 est. 143 Gambia, The 400,000 1996 144 Swaziland 383,200 2000 145 Bahrain 350,000 2003 est. 146 Cyprus 330,000 2003 147 Reunion 309,900 2000 148 Djibouti 282,000 2000 149 Botswana 264,000 2000 150 Macau 214,000 2002 151 Luxembourg 200,000 2003 152 Martinique 165,900 1998 153 Iceland 160,000 2003 154 Malta 160,000 2002 est. 155 Bahamas, The 156,000 1999 156 Comoros 144,500 1996 est. 157 Brunei 143,400 1999 est. 158 Qatar 140,000 2003 est. 159 Fiji 137,000 1999 160 Barbados 128,500 2001 est. 161 Guadeloupe 125,900 1997 162 Suriname 100,000 163 Belize 90,000 2001 est. 164 Samoa 90,000 2000 est. 165 Netherlands Antilles 89,000 2000 166 Maldives 88,000 2000 167 New Caledonia 79,400 168 French Polynesia 70,000 1996 169 Niger 70,000 2002 est. 170 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 67,000 1984 est. 171 Guam 60,000 2000 est. 172 French Guiana 58,800 1997 173 Jersey 57,050 1996 174 Virgin Islands 48,900 2003 est. 175 Mayotte 48,800 2000 176 Saint Lucia 43,800 2001 est. 177 Grenada 42,300 1996 178 Aruba 41,500 1997 est. 179 Bermuda 37,470 2000 180 Man, Isle of 36,610 1998 181 Tonga 33,910 1996 182 Andorra 33,000 2001 est. 183 Guernsey 31,320 2000 184 Seychelles 30,900 1996 185 Monaco 30,540 January 1994 186 Antigua and Barbuda 30,000 187 Liechtenstein 29,000 31 December 2001 188 Marshall Islands 28,700 1996 est. 189 Solomon Islands 26,840 1999 190 Dominica 25,000 1999 est. 191 Greenland 24,500 1999 est. 192 Faroe Islands 24,250 October 2000 193 Cayman Islands 19,820 1995 194 San Marino 18,500 1999 195 Saint Kitts and Nevis 18,170 June 1995 196 Gibraltar 14,800 1999 197 American Samoa 14,000 1996 198 Western Sahara 12,000 199 Palau 9,845 2000 200 Cook Islands 8,000 1996 201 Kiribati 7,870 2001 est. 202 Tuvalu 7,000 2001 est. 203 Anguilla 6,049 2001 204 Northern Mariana Islands 6,006 June 1995 205 British Virgin Islands 4,911 1980 206 Turks and Caicos Islands 4,848 1990 est. 207 Montserrat 4,521 2000 est. 208 Saint Helena 3,500 1998 est. 209 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 3,261 1999 210 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 1,100 211 Pitcairn Islands 12 1997

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2102

Rank Country Life expectancy at birth(years) Date of Information

1 Andorra 83.51 2004 est. 2 Macau 82.03 2004 est. 3 San Marino 81.62 2004 est. 4 Singapore 81.62 2004 est. 5 Hong Kong 81.39 2004 est. 6 Japan 81.15 2004 est. 7 Sweden 80.40 2004 est. 8 Australia 80.39 2004 est. 9 Switzerland 80.39 2004 est. 10 Guernsey 80.30 2004 est. 11 Iceland 80.19 2004 est. 12 Canada 80.10 2004 est. 13 Cayman Islands 79.95 2004 est. 14 Italy 79.68 2004 est. 15 Gibraltar 79.67 2004 est. 16 France 79.60 2004 est. 17 Monaco 79.57 2004 est. 18 Liechtenstein 79.55 2004 est. 19 Spain 79.52 2004 est. 20 Norway 79.40 2004 est. 21 Israel 79.32 2004 est. 22 Jersey 79.24 2004 est. 23 Faroe Islands 79.21 2004 est. 24 Aruba 79.14 2004 est. 25 Greece 79.09 2004 est. 26 Martinique 79.04 2004 est. 27 Austria 78.92 2004 est. 28 Virgin Islands 78.91 2004 est. 29 Malta 78.86 2004 est. 30 Netherlands 78.81 2004 est. 31 Luxembourg 78.74 2004 est. 32 Montserrat 78.71 2004 est. 33 New Zealand 78.66 2004 est. 34 Germany 78.65 2004 est. 35 Belgium 78.62 2004 est. 36 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 78.46 2004 est. 37 Guam 78.40 2004 est. 38 United Kingdom 78.38 2004 est. 39 Finland 78.35 2004 est. 40 Man, Isle of 78.34 2004 est. 41 Jordan 78.24 2004 est. 42 European Union 78.10 July 2004 est. 43 Guadeloupe 77.90 2004 est. 44 Bermuda 77.79 2004 est. 45 Saint Helena 77.76 2004 est. 46 United States 77.71 2004 est. 47 Cyprus 77.65 2004 est. 48 Denmark 77.62 2004 est. 49 Puerto Rico 77.62 2004 est. 50 Ireland 77.56 2004 est. 51 Portugal 77.53 2004 est. 52 Taiwan 77.26 2004 est. 53 Albania 77.24 2004 est. 54 Cuba 77.23 2004 est. 55 Anguilla 77.11 2004 est. 56 French Guiana 77.09 2004 est. 57 Kuwait 77.03 2004 est. 58 Costa Rica 76.84 2004 est. 59 Chile 76.58 2004 est. 60 Libya 76.50 2004 est. 61 Jamaica 76.29 2004 est. 62 British Virgin Islands 76.27 2004 est. 63 Ecuador 76.21 2004 est. 64 Slovenia 76.14 2004 est. 65 Uruguay 76.13 2004 est. 66 Czech Republic 76.02 2004 est. 67 Argentina 75.91 2004 est. 68 French Polynesia 75.90 2004 est. 69 Northern Mariana Islands 75.88 2004 est. 70 Georgia 75.88 2004 est. 71 American Samoa 75.84 2004 est. 72 Netherlands Antilles 75.83 2004 est. 73 Korea, South 75.82 2004 est. 74 Saudi Arabia 75.46 2004 est. 75 United Arab Emirates 75.24 2004 est. 76 Mexico 75.19 2004 est. 77 Paraguay 74.89 2004 est. 78 Tunisia 74.89 2004 est. 79 Brunei 74.80 2004 est. 80 Serbia and Montenegro 74.73 2004 est. 81 Dominica 74.65 2004 est. 82 Turks and Caicos Islands 74.51 2004 est. 83 Slovakia 74.50 2004 est. 84 Croatia 74.45 2004 est. 85 Poland 74.41 2004 est. 86 Venezuela 74.31 2004 est. 87 Bahrain 74.23 2004 est. 88 New Caledonia 74.04 2004 est. 89 Lithuania 73.97 2004 est. 90 Reunion 73.95 2004 est. 91 Macedonia 73.73 2004 est. 92 Qatar 73.67 2004 est. 93 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 73.62 2004 est. 94 Saint Lucia 73.61 2004 est. 95 Sri Lanka 73.17 2004 est. 96 Oman 73.13 2004 est. 97 West Bank 73.08 2004 est. 98 Algeria 73.00 2004 est. 99 Bosnia and Herzegovina 72.85 2004 est. 100 Solomon Islands 72.66 2004 est. 101 Lebanon 72.63 2004 est. 102 Hungary 72.40 2004 est. 103 Mauritius 72.38 2004 est. 104 Turkey 72.36 2004 est. 105 China 72.27 2004 est. 106 Malaysia 72.24 2004 est. 107 Saint Kitts and Nevis 72.15 2004 est. 108 Bulgaria 72.03 2004 est. 109 Panama 71.94 2004 est. 110 Antigua and Barbuda 71.90 2004 est. 111 Seychelles 71.82 2004 est. 112 Gaza Strip 71.79 2004 est. 113 Estonia 71.77 2004 est. 114 Colombia 71.72 2004 est. 115 Brazil 71.69 2004 est. 116 Thailand 71.57 2004 est. 117 Armenia 71.55 2004 est. 118 Barbados 71.41 2004 est. 119 Korea, North 71.37 2004 est. 120 Romania 71.35 2004 est. 121 El Salvador 71.22 2004 est. 122 Latvia 71.05 2004 est. 123 Egypt 71.00 2004 est. 124 Samoa 70.72 2004 est. 125 Morocco 70.66 2004 est. 126 Vietnam 70.61 2004 est. 127 Cape Verde 70.45 2004 est. 128 Nicaragua 70.33 2004 est. 129 Palau 70.14 2004 est. 130 Syria 70.03 2004 est. 131 Marshall Islands 70.01 2004 est. 132 Iran 69.96 2004 est. 133 Philippines 69.91 2004 est. 134 Micronesia, Federated States of 69.75 2004 est. 135 Greenland 69.65 2004 est. 136 Indonesia 69.57 2004 est. 137 Fiji 69.53 2004 est. 138 Peru 69.53 2004 est. 139 Tonga 69.53 2004 est. 140 Suriname 68.96 2004 est. 141 Trinidad and Tobago 68.91 2004 est. 142 Belarus 68.72 2004 est. 143 Iraq 68.70 2004 est. 144 Kyrgyzstan 68.16 2004 est. 145 Tuvalu 68.01 2004 est. 146 Belize 67.49 2004 est. 147 Dominican Republic 67.26 2004 est. 148 Russia 67.10 2004 est. 149 Sao Tome and Principe 66.99 2004 est. 150 Ukraine 66.85 2004 est. 151 Kazakhstan 66.55 2004 est. 152 East Timor 65.90 2004 est. 153 Honduras 65.60 2004 est. 154 Bahamas, The 65.54 2004 est. 155 Bolivia 65.50 2004 est. 156 Guyana 65.50 2004 est. 157 Moldova 65.18 2004 est. 158 Guatemala 65.14 2004 est. 159 Papua New Guinea 64.93 2004 est. 160 Tajikistan 64.56 2004 est. 161 Grenada 64.53 2004 est. 162 Mongolia 64.52 2004 est. 163 India 64.35 2004 est. 164 Uzbekistan 64.19 2004 est. 165 World 64.11 2004 est. 166 Maldives 64.06 2004 est. 167 Azerbaijan 63.35 2004 est. 168 Pakistan 63.00 2004 est. 169 Nauru 62.73 2004 est. 170 Vanuatu 62.49 2004 est. 171 Bangladesh 62.08 2004 est. 172 Comoros 61.96 2004 est. 173 Yemen 61.75 2004 est. 174 Kiribati 61.71 2004 est. 175 Mayotte 61.39 2004 est. 176 Turkmenistan 61.39 2004 est. 177 Nepal 59.80 2004 est. 178 Cambodia 58.87 2004 est. 179 Sudan 58.54 2004 est. 180 Madagascar 56.95 2004 est. 181 Senegal 56.75 2004 est. 182 Burma 56.22 2004 est. 183 Ghana 56.00 2004 est. 184 Gabon 55.75 2004 est. 185 Equatorial Guinea 55.56 2004 est. 186 Gambia, The 55.20 2004 est. 187 Laos 55.08 2004 est. 188 Bhutan 54.39 2004 est. 189 Haiti 52.92 2004 est. 190 Mauritania 52.73 2004 est. 191 Togo 52.64 2004 est. 192 Eritrea 52.16 2004 est. 193 Uganda 51.59 2004 est. 194 Benin 50.51 2004 est. 195 Guinea 49.86 2004 est. 196 Congo, Republic of the 49.51 2004 est. 197 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 49.14 2004 est. 198 Ethiopia 48.83 2004 est. 199 Cote d'Ivoire 48.62 2004 est. 200 Somalia 48.09 2004 est. 201 Kenya 47.99 2004 est. 202 Chad 47.94 2004 est. 203 Cameroon 47.84 2004 est. 204 Liberia 47.69 2004 est. 205 Guinea-Bissau 46.97 2004 est. 206 Rwanda 46.96 2004 est. 207 Nigeria 46.74 2004 est. 208 Tanzania 45.24 2004 est. 209 Mali 45.09 2004 est. 210 Namibia 43.93 2004 est. 211 Burkina Faso 43.92 2004 est. 212 Burundi 43.50 2004 est. 213 South Africa 43.27 2004 est. 214 Djibouti 43.10 2004 est. 215 Afghanistan 42.90 2004 est. 216 Sierra Leone 42.52 2004 est. 217 Niger 42.13 2004 est. 218 Central African Republic 41.01 2004 est. 219 Mozambique 40.32 2004 est. 220 Zambia 39.70 2004 est. 221 Malawi 36.97 2004 est. 222 Lesotho 36.68 2004 est. 223 Zimbabwe 36.67 2004 est. 224 Angola 36.61 2004 est. 225 Swaziland 35.65 2004 est. 226 Botswana 33.87 2004 est.

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2119

Rank Country Population Date of Information

1 World 6,372,797,742 July 2005 est. 2 China 1,306,313,812 July 2005 est. 3 India 1,080,264,388 July 2005 est. 4 European Union 456,285,839 July 2005 est. 5 United States 295,734,134 July 2005 est. 6 Indonesia 241,973,879 July 2005 est. 7 Brazil 186,112,794 July 2005 est. 8 Pakistan 162,419,946 July 2005 est. 9 Bangladesh 144,319,628 July 2005 est. 10 Russia 143,420,309 July 2005 est. 11 Nigeria 128,771,988 July 2005 est. 12 Japan 127,417,244 July 2005 est. 13 Mexico 106,202,903 July 2005 est. 14 Philippines 87,857,473 July 2005 est. 15 Vietnam 83,535,576 July 2005 est. 16 Germany 82,431,390 July 2005 est. 17 Egypt 77,505,756 July 2005 est. 18 Ethiopia 73,053,286 July 2005 est. 19 Turkey 69,660,559 July 2005 est. 20 Iran 68,017,860 July 2005 est. 21 Thailand 65,444,371 July 2005 est. 22 France 60,656,178 July 2005 est. 23 United Kingdom 60,441,457 July 2005 est. 24 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 58,317,930 July 2005 est. 25 Italy 58,103,033 July 2005 est. 26 Korea, South 48,422,644 July 2005 est. 27 Ukraine 47,425,336 July 2005 est. 28 South Africa 44,344,136 July 2005 est. 29 Colombia 42,954,279 July 2005 est. 30 Burma 42,909,464 July 2005 est. 31 Spain 40,341,462 July 2005 est. 32 Sudan 40,187,486 July 2005 est. 33 Argentina 39,537,943 July 2005 est. 34 Poland 38,635,144 July 2005 est. 35 Tanzania 36,766,356 July 2005 est. 36 Kenya 33,829,590 July 2005 est. 37 Canada 32,805,041 July 2005 est. 38 Morocco 32,725,847 July 2005 est. 39 Algeria 32,531,853 July 2005 est. 40 Afghanistan 29,928,987 July 2005 est. 41 Peru 27,925,628 July 2005 est. 42 Nepal 27,676,547 July 2005 est. 43 Uganda 27,269,482 July 2005 est. 44 Uzbekistan 26,851,195 July 2005 est. 45 Saudi Arabia 26,417,599 July 2005 est. 46 Iraq 26,074,906 July 2005 est. 47 Venezuela 25,375,281 July 2005 est. 48 Malaysia 23,953,136 July 2005 est. 49 Korea, North 22,912,177 July 2005 est. 50 Taiwan 22,894,384 July 2005 est. 51 Romania 22,329,977 July 2005 est. 52 Ghana 21,029,853 July 2005 est. 53 Yemen 20,727,063 July 2005 est. 54 Australia 20,090,437 July 2005 est. 55 Sri Lanka 20,064,776 July 2005 est. 56 Mozambique 19,406,703 July 2005 est. 57 Syria 18,448,752 July 2005 est. 58 Madagascar 18,040,341 July 2005 est. 59 Cote d'Ivoire 17,298,040 July 2005 est. 60 Netherlands 16,407,491 July 2005 est. 61 Cameroon 16,380,005 July 2005 est. 62 Chile 15,980,912 July 2005 est. 63 Kazakhstan 15,185,844 July 2005 est. 64 Guatemala 14,655,189 July 2005 est. 65 Burkina Faso 13,925,313 July 2005 est. 66 Cambodia 13,607,069 July 2005 est. 67 Ecuador 13,363,593 July 2005 est. 68 Zimbabwe 12,746,990 July 2005 est. 69 Mali 12,291,529 July 2005 est. 70 Malawi 12,158,924 July 2005 est. 71 Niger 11,665,937 July 2005 est. 72 Cuba 11,346,670 July 2005 est. 73 Zambia 11,261,795 July 2005 est. 74 Angola 11,190,786 July 2005 est. 75 Senegal 11,126,832 July 2005 est. 76 Serbia and Montenegro 10,829,175 July 2005 est. 77 Greece 10,668,354 July 2005 est. 78 Portugal 10,566,212 July 2005 est. 79 Belgium 10,364,388 July 2005 est. 80 Belarus 10,300,483 July 2005 est. 81 Czech Republic 10,241,138 July 2005 est. 82 Tunisia 10,074,951 July 2005 est. 83 Hungary 10,006,835 July 2005 est. 84 Chad 9,826,419 July 2005 est. 85 Guinea 9,467,866 July 2005 est. 86 Sweden 9,001,774 July 2005 est. 87 Dominican Republic 8,950,034 July 2005 est. 88 Bolivia 8,857,870 July 2005 est. 89 Somalia 8,591,629 July 2005 est. 90 Rwanda 8,440,820 July 2005 est. 91 Austria 8,184,691 July 2005 est. 92 Haiti 8,121,622 July 2005 est. 93 Azerbaijan 7,911,974 July 2005 est. 94 Switzerland 7,489,370 July 2005 est. 95 Benin 7,460,025 July 2005 est. 96 Bulgaria 7,450,349 July 2005 est. 97 Tajikistan 7,163,506 July 2005 est. 98 Honduras 6,975,204 July 2005 est. 99 Hong Kong 6,855,125 July 2005 est. 100 El Salvador 6,704,932 July 2005 est. 101 Burundi 6,370,609 July 2005 est. 102 Paraguay 6,347,884 July 2005 est. 103 Israel 6,276,883 July 2005 est. 104 Laos 6,217,141 July 2005 est. 105 Sierra Leone 6,017,643 July 2005 est. 106 Libya 5,765,563 July 2005 est. 107 Jordan 5,759,732 July 2005 est. 108 Togo 5,681,519 July 2005 est. 109 Papua New Guinea 5,545,268 July 2005 est. 110 Nicaragua 5,465,100 July 2005 est. 111 Denmark 5,432,335 July 2005 est. 112 Slovakia 5,431,363 July 2005 est. 113 Finland 5,223,442 July 2005 est. 114 Kyrgyzstan 5,146,281 July 2005 est. 115 Turkmenistan 4,952,081 July 2005 est. 116 Georgia 4,677,401 July 2005 est. 117 Norway 4,593,041 July 2005 est. 118 Eritrea 4,561,599 July 2005 est. 119 Croatia 4,495,904 July 2005 est. 120 Moldova 4,455,421 July 2005 est. 121 Singapore 4,425,720 July 2005 est. 122 New Zealand 4,035,461 July 2005 est. 123 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4,025,476 July 2005 est. 124 Costa Rica 4,016,173 July 2005 est. 125 Ireland 4,015,676 July 2005 est. 126 Puerto Rico 3,916,632 July 2005 est. 127 Lebanon 3,826,018 July 2005 est. 128 Central African Republic 3,799,897 July 2005 est. 129 Lithuania 3,596,617 July 2005 est. 130 Albania 3,563,112 July 2005 est. 131 Liberia 3,482,211 July 2005 est. 132 Uruguay 3,415,920 July 2005 est. 133 Mauritania 3,086,859 July 2005 est. 134 Panama 3,039,150 July 2005 est. 135 Oman 3,001,583 July 2005 est. 136 Congo, Republic of the 2,998,040 July 2005 est. 137 Armenia 2,982,904 July 2005 est. 138 Mongolia 2,791,272 July 2005 est. 139 Jamaica 2,731,832 July 2005 est. 140 United Arab Emirates 2,563,212 July 2005 est. 141 West Bank 2,385,615 142 Kuwait 2,335,648 July 2005 est. 143 Latvia 2,290,237 July 2005 est. 144 Bhutan 2,232,291 July 2005 est. 145 Macedonia 2,045,262 July 2005 est. 146 Namibia 2,030,692 July 2005 est. 147 Slovenia 2,011,070 July 2005 est. 148 Lesotho 1,867,035 July 2005 est. 149 Botswana 1,640,115 July 2005 est. 150 Gambia, The 1,593,256 July 2005 est. 151 Guinea-Bissau 1,416,027 July 2005 est. 152 Gabon 1,389,201 July 2005 est. 153 Gaza Strip 1,376,289 July 2005 est. 154 Estonia 1,332,893 July 2005 est. 155 Mauritius 1,230,602 July 2005 est. 156 Swaziland 1,173,900 July 2005 est. 157 Trinidad and Tobago 1,088,644 July 2005 est. 158 East Timor 1,040,880 July 2005 est. 159 Fiji 893,354 July 2005 est. 160 Qatar 863,051 July 2005 est. 161 Cyprus 780,133 July 2005 est. 162 Reunion 776,948 July 2005 est. 163 Guyana 765,283 July 2005 est. 164 Bahrain 688,345 July 2005 est. 165 Comoros 671,247 July 2005 est. 166 Solomon Islands 538,032 July 2005 est. 167 Equatorial Guinea 535,881 July 2005 est. 168 Djibouti 476,703 July 2005 est. 169 Luxembourg 468,571 July 2005 est. 170 Guadeloupe 448,713 July 2005 est. 171 Macau 445,286 July 2005 est. 172 Suriname 438,144 July 2005 est. 173 Martinique 432,900 July 2005 est. 174 Cape Verde 418,224 July 2005 est. 175 Malta 398,534 July 2005 est. 176 Brunei 372,361 July 2005 est. 177 Maldives 349,106 July 2005 est. 178 Bahamas, The 301,790 July 2005 est. 179 Iceland 296,737 July 2005 est. 180 Belize 279,457 July 2005 est. 181 Barbados 279,254 July 2005 est. 182 Western Sahara 273,008 July 2005 est. 183 French Polynesia 270,485 July 2005 est. 184 Netherlands Antilles 219,958 July 2005 est. 185 New Caledonia 216,494 July 2005 est. 186 Vanuatu 205,754 July 2005 est. 187 French Guiana 195,506 July 2005 est. 188 Mayotte 193,633 July 2005 est. 189 Sao Tome and Principe 187,410 July 2005 est. 190 Samoa 177,287 July 2005 est. 191 Guam 168,564 July 2005 est. 192 Saint Lucia 166,312 July 2005 est. 193 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 117,534 July 2005 est. 194 Tonga 112,422 July 2005 est. 195 Virgin Islands 108,708 July 2005 est. 196 Micronesia, Federated States of 108,105 July 2005 est. 197 Kiribati 103,092 July 2005 est. 198 Jersey 90,812 July 2005 est. 199 Grenada 89,502 July 2005 est. 200 Seychelles 81,188 July 2005 est. 201 Northern Mariana Islands 80,362 July 2005 est. 202 Man, Isle of 75,049 July 2005 est. 203 Aruba 71,566 July 2005 est. 204 Andorra 70,549 July 2005 est. 205 Dominica 69,029 July 2005 est. 206 Antigua and Barbuda 68,722 July 2005 est. 207 Bermuda 65,365 July 2005 est. 208 Guernsey 65,228 July 2005 est. 209 Marshall Islands 59,071 July 2005 est. 210 American Samoa 57,881 July 2005 est. 211 Greenland 56,375 July 2005 est. 212 Faroe Islands 46,962 July 2005 est. 213 Cayman Islands 44,270 July 2005 est. 214 Saint Kitts and Nevis 38,958 July 2005 est. 215 Liechtenstein 33,717 July 2005 est. 216 Monaco 32,409 July 2005 est. 217 San Marino 28,880 July 2005 est. 218 Gibraltar 27,884 July 2005 est. 219 British Virgin Islands 22,187 July 2005 est. 220 Cook Islands 21,388 July 2005 est. 221 Turks and Caicos Islands 20,556 July 2005 est. 222 Palau 20,303 July 2005 est. 223 Wallis and Futuna 16,025 July 2005 est. 224 Anguilla 13,254 July 2005 est. 225 Nauru 13,048 July 2005 est. 226 Tuvalu 11,636 July 2005 est. 227 Montserrat 9,341 July 2005 est. 228 Saint Helena 7,460 July 2005 est. 229 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 7,012 July 2005 est. 230 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 2,967 July 2005 est. 231 Svalbard 2,701 July 2005 est. 232 Niue 2,166 July 2005 est. 233 Norfolk Island 1,828 July 2005 est. 234 Tokelau 1,405 July 2005 est. 235 Holy See (Vatican City) 921 July 2005 est. 236 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 628 July 2005 est. 237 Johnston Atoll 361 July 2005 est. 238 Christmas Island 361 July 2005 est. 239 Pitcairn Islands 46 July 2005 est.

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2121

Rank Country Railways(km) Date of Information

1 World 1,115,205 2003 2 United States 228,464 2003 3 European Union 222,293 2003 4 Russia 87,157 2003 5 China 70,058 2003 6 India 63,140 2003 7 Canada 48,909 2003 8 Germany 46,039 2003 9 Australia 44,015 2003 10 Argentina 34,091 2003 11 France 32,175 2003 12 Brazil 29,412 2003 13 Poland 23,852 2003 14 Japan 23,705 2003 15 Ukraine 22,473 2003 16 South Africa 22,298 2003 17 Mexico 19,510 2003 18 Italy 19,507 2003 19 United Kingdom 17,186 2003 20 Spain 14,268 2003 21 Kazakhstan 13,601 2003 22 Sweden 11,481 2003 23 Romania 11,385 2003 24 Czech Republic 9,520 2003 25 Turkey 8,671 2003 26 Pakistan 8,163 2003 27 Hungary 7,937 2003 28 Iran 7,203 2003 29 Chile 6,585 2003 30 Indonesia 6,458 2003 31 Austria 6,021 2003 32 Sudan 5,978 2003 33 Finland 5,851 2003 34 Belarus 5,523 2003 35 Korea, North 5,214 2003 36 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 5,138 2003 37 Egypt 5,063 2003 38 Switzerland 4,533 2003 39 Serbia and Montenegro 4,380 2003 40 Bulgaria 4,294 2003 41 Cuba 4,226 2003 42 Norway 4,077 2003 43 Thailand 4,071 2003 44 Algeria 3,973 2003 45 Burma 3,955 2003 46 Uzbekistan 3,950 2003 47 New Zealand 3,898 2003 48 Tanzania 3,690 2003 49 Slovakia 3,661 2003 50 Nigeria 3,557 2003 51 Bolivia 3,519 2003 52 Belgium 3,518 2003 53 Peru 3,462 2003 54 Ireland 3,312 2003 55 Colombia 3,304 2003 56 Korea, South 3,125 2003 57 Mozambique 3,123 2003 58 Zimbabwe 3,077 2003 59 Denmark 3,002 2003 60 Azerbaijan 2,957 2003 61 Portugal 2,850 2003 62 Netherlands 2,808 2003 63 Kenya 2,778 2003 64 Angola 2,761 2003 65 Croatia 2,726 2003 66 Syria 2,711 2003 67 Bangladesh 2,706 2003 68 Vietnam 2,600 2003 69 Greece 2,571 2003 70 Taiwan 2,544 2003 71 Turkmenistan 2,440 2003 72 Malaysia 2,418 2003 73 Namibia 2,382 2003 74 Latvia 2,303 2003 75 Zambia 2,173 2003 76 Tunisia 2,152 2003 77 Uruguay 2,073 2003 78 Lithuania 1,998 2003 79 Iraq 1,963 2003 80 Morocco 1,907 2003 81 Dominican Republic 1,743 2003 82 Georgia 1,612 2003 83 Sri Lanka 1,449 2003 84 Saudi Arabia 1,392 2003 85 Uganda 1,241 2003 86 Slovenia 1,201 2003 87 Moldova 1,138 2003 88 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,021 2003 89 Cameroon 1,008 2003 90 Ecuador 966 2003 91 Estonia 958 2003 92 Ghana 953 2003 93 Costa Rica 950 2003 94 Senegal 906 2003 95 Philippines 897 2003 96 Congo, Republic of the 894 2003 97 Botswana 888 2003 98 Guatemala 886 2003 99 Armenia 845 2003 100 Guinea 837 2003 101 Gabon 814 2003 102 Malawi 797 2003 103 Madagascar 732 2003 104 Mali 729 2003 105 Honduras 699 2003 106 Macedonia 699 2003 107 Venezuela 682 2003 108 Ethiopia 681 2003 109 Cote d'Ivoire 660 2003 110 Israel 640 2003 111 Burkina Faso 622 2003 112 Cambodia 602 2003 113 Fiji 597 2003 114 Benin 578 2003 115 Togo 568 2003 116 Jordan 505 2003 117 Liberia 490 2003 118 Tajikistan 482 2003 119 Kyrgyzstan 470 2003 120 Albania 447 2003 121 Paraguay 441 2003 122 Lebanon 401 2003 123 Panama 355 2003 124 Eritrea 306 2003 125 Swaziland 301 2003 126 El Salvador 283 2003 127 Luxembourg 274 2003 128 Jamaica 272 2003 129 Guyana 187 2001 est. 130 Djibouti 100 2003 131 Puerto Rico 96 2003 132 Man, Isle of 61 2003 133 Nepal 59 2003 134 Saint Kitts and Nevis 50 2003 135 Nicaragua 6 2003

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2127

Rank Country Total fertility rate(children born/woman) Date of Information

1 Somalia 6.84 2004 est. 2 Afghanistan 6.75 2004 est. 3 Niger 6.75 2004 est. 4 Uganda 6.74 2004 est. 5 Yemen 6.67 2004 est. 6 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6.62 2004 est. 7 Mali 6.50 2004 est. 8 Chad 6.32 2004 est. 9 Angola 6.27 2004 est. 10 Burkina Faso 6.23 2004 est. 11 Liberia 6.09 2004 est. 12 Malawi 5.98 2004 est. 13 Mauritania 5.94 2004 est. 14 Gaza Strip 5.91 2004 est. 15 Mayotte 5.89 2004 est. 16 Benin 5.86 2004 est. 17 Oman 5.84 2004 est. 18 Guinea 5.83 2004 est. 19 Burundi 5.81 2004 est. 20 Sierra Leone 5.72 2004 est. 21 Sao Tome and Principe 5.71 2004 est. 22 Madagascar 5.66 2004 est. 23 Eritrea 5.61 2004 est. 24 Nigeria 5.53 2004 est. 25 Rwanda 5.49 2004 est. 26 Zambia 5.47 2004 est. 27 Djibouti 5.40 2004 est. 28 Gambia, The 5.38 2004 est. 29 Ethiopia 5.33 2004 est. 30 Comoros 5.09 2004 est. 31 Tanzania 5.06 2004 est. 32 Haiti 5.02 2004 est. 33 Maldives 5.02 2004 est. 34 Kenya 4.96 2004 est. 35 Guinea-Bissau 4.93 2004 est. 36 Sudan 4.85 2004 est. 37 Bhutan 4.81 2004 est. 38 Gabon 4.77 2004 est. 39 Laos 4.77 2004 est. 40 Senegal 4.75 2004 est. 41 Mozambique 4.70 2004 est. 42 Equatorial Guinea 4.62 2004 est. 43 Togo 4.61 2004 est. 44 Cote d'Ivoire 4.58 2004 est. 45 Guatemala 4.53 2004 est. 46 Central African Republic 4.50 2004 est. 47 Cameroon 4.47 2004 est. 48 West Bank 4.40 2004 est. 49 Iraq 4.28 2004 est. 50 Kiribati 4.20 2004 est. 51 Nepal 4.19 2004 est. 52 Pakistan 4.14 2004 est. 53 Tajikistan 4.05 2004 est. 54 Saudi Arabia 4.05 2004 est. 55 Solomon Islands 4.04 2004 est. 56 Papua New Guinea 3.96 2004 est. 57 Paraguay 3.93 2004 est. 58 Marshall Islands 3.93 2004 est. 59 Honduras 3.87 2004 est. 60 Swaziland 3.70 2004 est. 61 Belize 3.68 2004 est. 62 East Timor 3.61 2004 est. 63 Congo, Republic of the 3.54 2004 est. 64 Zimbabwe 3.54 2004 est. 65 Syria 3.50 2004 est. 66 Cape Verde 3.48 2004 est. 67 Cambodia 3.44 2004 est. 68 Turkmenistan 3.41 2004 est. 69 Lesotho 3.35 2004 est. 70 Libya 3.34 2004 est. 71 American Samoa 3.25 2004 est. 72 Micronesia, Federated States of 3.25 2004 est. 73 Nauru 3.19 2004 est. 74 Namibia 3.18 2004 est. 75 El Salvador 3.16 2004 est. 76 Philippines 3.16 2004 est. 77 Bangladesh 3.13 2004 est. 78 Turks and Caicos Islands 3.08 2004 est. 79 Malaysia 3.07 2004 est. 80 Ghana 3.02 2004 est. 81 French Guiana 3.01 2004 est. 82 Samoa 3.01 2004 est. 83 Tuvalu 3.00 2004 est. 84 Tonga 3.00 2004 est. 85 Kuwait 2.97 2004 est. 86 United Arab Emirates 2.94 2004 est. 87 Bolivia 2.94 2004 est. 88 Uzbekistan 2.94 2004 est. 89 Egypt 2.88 2004 est. 90 Qatar 2.87 2004 est. 91 Dominican Republic 2.86 2004 est. 92 Botswana 2.85 2004 est. 93 Nicaragua 2.81 2004 est. 94 India 2.78 2004 est. 95 Vanuatu 2.77 2004 est. 96 Fiji 2.75 2004 est. 97 Morocco 2.73 2004 est. 98 Ecuador 2.72 2004 est. 99 Jordan 2.71 2004 est. 100 Kyrgyzstan 2.70 2004 est. 101 Bahrain 2.63 2004 est. 102 World 2.62 2004 est. 103 Guam 2.60 2004 est. 104 Colombia 2.56 2004 est. 105 Peru 2.56 2004 est. 106 Reunion 2.47 2004 est. 107 Palau 2.46 2004 est. 108 Mexico 2.45 2004 est. 109 Panama 2.45 2004 est. 110 Israel 2.44 2004 est. 111 Azerbaijan 2.44 2004 est. 112 Indonesia 2.44 2004 est. 113 Greenland 2.41 2004 est. 114 Grenada 2.37 2004 est. 115 Suriname 2.34 2004 est. 116 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.33 2004 est. 117 New Caledonia 2.31 2004 est. 118 Brunei 2.30 2004 est. 119 Costa Rica 2.28 2004 est. 120 Mongolia 2.26 2004 est. 121 Venezuela 2.26 2004 est. 122 Antigua and Barbuda 2.26 2004 est. 123 South Africa 2.24 2004 est. 124 Saint Lucia 2.21 2004 est. 125 Bahamas, The 2.20 2004 est. 126 Faroe Islands 2.20 2004 est. 127 Argentina 2.19 2004 est. 128 Virgin Islands 2.19 2004 est. 129 Korea, North 2.15 2004 est. 130 United States 2.08 2004 est. 131 Guyana 2.05 2004 est. 132 Albania 2.04 2004 est. 133 French Polynesia 2.04 2004 est. 134 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2.03 2004 est. 135 Chile 2.02 2004 est. 136 Burma 2.01 2004 est. 137 Netherlands Antilles 2.00 2004 est. 138 Dominica 1.96 2004 est. 139 Mauritius 1.96 2004 est. 140 Jamaica 1.95 2004 est. 141 Vietnam 1.94 2004 est. 142 Turkey 1.94 2004 est. 143 Brazil 1.93 2004 est. 144 Iceland 1.92 2004 est. 145 Algeria 1.92 2004 est. 146 Lebanon 1.92 2004 est. 147 Uruguay 1.91 2004 est. 148 Puerto Rico 1.91 2004 est. 149 Guadeloupe 1.91 2004 est. 150 Cayman Islands 1.90 2004 est. 151 Kazakhstan 1.89 2004 est. 152 Bermuda 1.89 2004 est. 153 Thailand 1.88 2004 est. 154 Ireland 1.87 2004 est. 155 Sri Lanka 1.85 2004 est. 156 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.85 2004 est. 157 France 1.85 2004 est. 158 Cyprus 1.83 2004 est. 159 Iran 1.82 2004 est. 160 Moldova 1.81 2004 est. 161 Aruba 1.79 2004 est. 162 New Zealand 1.79 2004 est. 163 Martinique 1.79 2004 est. 164 Luxembourg 1.79 2004 est. 165 Norway 1.78 2004 est. 166 Montserrat 1.78 2004 est. 167 Australia 1.76 2004 est. 168 Monaco 1.76 2004 est. 169 Seychelles 1.75 2004 est. 170 Tunisia 1.75 2004 est. 171 Trinidad and Tobago 1.75 2004 est. 172 Denmark 1.74 2004 est. 173 Finland 1.73 2004 est. 174 Anguilla 1.73 2004 est. 175 British Virgin Islands 1.72 2004 est. 176 China 1.72 2004 est. 177 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.71 2004 est. 178 Serbia and Montenegro 1.67 2004 est. 179 Cuba 1.66 2004 est. 180 Sweden 1.66 2004 est. 181 United Kingdom 1.66 2004 est. 182 Netherlands 1.66 2004 est. 183 Man, Isle of 1.65 2004 est. 184 Gibraltar 1.65 2004 est. 185 Barbados 1.65 2004 est. 186 Belgium 1.64 2004 est. 187 Canada 1.61 2004 est. 188 Jersey 1.57 2004 est. 189 Taiwan 1.57 2004 est. 190 Macedonia 1.57 2004 est. 191 Saint Helena 1.54 2004 est. 192 Liechtenstein 1.51 2004 est. 193 Malta 1.50 2004 est. 194 European Union 1.48 July 2004 est. 195 Portugal 1.47 2004 est. 196 Switzerland 1.43 2004 est. 197 Georgia 1.41 2004 est. 198 Ukraine 1.40 2004 est. 199 Estonia 1.39 2004 est. 200 Croatia 1.39 2004 est. 201 Belarus 1.39 2004 est. 202 Japan 1.39 2004 est. 203 Poland 1.39 2004 est. 204 Germany 1.39 2004 est. 205 Guernsey 1.38 2004 est. 206 Bulgaria 1.38 2004 est. 207 Romania 1.36 2004 est. 208 Austria 1.36 2004 est. 209 Greece 1.33 2004 est. 210 San Marino 1.33 2004 est. 211 Armenia 1.32 2004 est. 212 Slovakia 1.32 2004 est. 213 Hungary 1.32 2004 est. 214 Andorra 1.29 2004 est. 215 Italy 1.28 2004 est. 216 Spain 1.28 2004 est. 217 Northern Mariana Islands 1.27 2004 est. 218 Russia 1.27 2004 est. 219 Latvia 1.26 2004 est. 220 Korea, South 1.26 2004 est. 221 Slovenia 1.24 2004 est. 222 Czech Republic 1.20 2004 est. 223 Lithuania 1.19 2004 est. 224 Singapore 1.05 2004 est. 225 Macau 0.93 2004 est. 226 Hong Kong 0.91 2004 est.

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2129

Rank Country Unemployment rate(%) Date of Information

1 Liberia 85.00 2003 est. 2 Kiribati 70.00 1992 est. 3 Zimbabwe 70.00 2002 est. 4 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 60.00 2000 est. 5 Gaza Strip 50.00 2003 est. 6 Zambia 50.00 2000 est. 7 East Timor 50.00 1992 est. 8 West Bank 50.00 2002 est. 9 Senegal 48.00 2001 est. 10 Nepal 47.00 2001 est. 11 Lesotho 45.00 2002 12 Botswana 40.00 2001 est. 13 Kenya 40.00 2001 est. 14 Bangladesh 40.00 2002 est. 15 Bosnia and Herzegovina 40.00 2002 est. 16 Tajikistan 40.00 2002 est. 17 Mayotte 38.00 1999 18 Macedonia 36.70 2003 est. 19 Reunion 36.00 1999 est. 20 Namibia 35.00 1998 21 Yemen 35.00 2003 est. 22 Serbia and Montenegro 34.50 2003 est. 23 Swaziland 34.00 2000 est. 24 South Africa 31.00 2003 est. 25 Marshall Islands 30.90 1999 est. 26 Cameroon 30.00 2001 est. 27 Libya 30.00 2001 28 World 30.00 29 Equatorial Guinea 30.00 1998 est. 30 Guadeloupe 27.80 1998 31 Honduras 27.50 2003 est. 32 Martinique 27.20 1998 33 Algeria 26.20 2003 est. 34 Saudi Arabia 25.00 2003 35 Dominica 23.00 2000 est. 36 French Guiana 22.00 2001 37 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 22.00 1997 est. 38 Nicaragua 22.00 2003 est. 39 Cape Verde 21.00 2000 est. 40 Gabon 21.00 1997 est. 41 Mozambique 21.00 1997 est. 42 Mauritania 21.00 1999 est. 43 Armenia 20.00 2001 est. 44 Comoros 20.00 1996 est. 45 Poland 20.00 2003 46 Syria 20.00 2002 est. 47 Ghana 20.00 1997 est. 48 Croatia 19.50 2003 49 Morocco 19.00 2003 est. 50 New Caledonia 19.00 1996 51 Sudan 18.70 2002 est. 52 Paraguay 18.50 2003 est. 53 Lebanon 18.00 1997 est. 54 Venezuela 18.00 2003 est. 55 Argentina 17.30 2003 56 Georgia 17.00 2001 est. 57 Suriname 17.00 2000 58 Dominican Republic 16.50 2003 est. 59 Saint Lucia 16.50 1997 est. 60 Micronesia, Federated States of 16.00 1999 est. 61 Jordan 16.00 2001 est. 62 Uruguay 16.00 2003 63 Jamaica 15.90 2003 est. 64 Albania 15.80 2003 est. 65 Iran 15.70 2002 est. 66 Netherlands Antilles 15.60 2002 est. 67 Slovakia 15.20 2003 est. 68 Bahrain 15.00 1998 est. 69 Guam 15.00 2000 est. 70 Mali 14.60 2001 est. 71 Bulgaria 14.30 2003 72 Tunisia 14.30 2003 est. 73 Colombia 14.20 2003 est. 74 Saint Helena 14.00 1998 est. 75 Panama 13.80 2003 est. 76 Tonga 13.30 1996 est. 77 Cook Islands 13.00 1996 78 Cote d'Ivoire 13.00 1998 79 Grenada 12.50 2000 80 Brazil 12.30 2003 est. 81 Puerto Rico 12.00 2002 82 French Polynesia 11.80 1994 83 Bolivia 11.70 2003 84 Philippines 11.40 2003 85 Spain 11.30 2003 est. 86 Slovenia 11.20 2003 est. 87 Antigua and Barbuda 11.00 2001 est. 88 Barbados 10.70 2003 est. 89 Israel 10.70 2003 est. 90 Germany 10.50 2003 est. 91 Turkey 10.50 2003 est. 92 Trinidad and Tobago 10.40 2003 93 Lithuania 10.30 2003 est. 94 China 10.10 2003 est. 95 Estonia 10.10 2003 96 Brunei 10.00 2001 est. 97 Turks and Caicos Islands 10.00 1997 est. 98 Greenland 10.00 2000 est. 99 Egypt 9.90 2003 est. 100 Czech Republic 9.90 2003 101 Ecuador 9.80 2003 est. 102 Mauritius 9.80 2003 est. 103 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 9.80 1997 104 France 9.70 2003 est. 105 Peru 9.70 2003 est. 106 India 9.50 2003 107 Greece 9.40 2003 est. 108 Virgin Islands 9.30 2003 est. 109 Belize 9.10 2002 110 European Union 9.10 2004 est. 111 Finland 9.00 2003 est. 112 Kazakhstan 8.80 2003 est. 113 Indonesia 8.70 2003 est. 114 Italy 8.60 2003 est. 115 Latvia 8.60 2003 est. 116 Chile 8.50 2003 est. 117 Russia 8.50 2003 est. 118 Sri Lanka 8.40 2003 119 Belgium 8.10 2003 est. 120 Central African Republic 8.00 2001 est. 121 Moldova 8.00 2002 est. 122 Hong Kong 7.90 2003 123 Canada 7.80 2003 est. 124 Pakistan 7.70 2003 est. 125 Fiji 7.60 1999 126 Guatemala 7.50 2003 est. 127 Kyrgyzstan 7.20 1999 est. 128 Romania 7.20 2003 129 Malta 7.00 2003 est. 130 Bahamas, The 6.90 2001 est. 131 Anguilla 6.70 2001 132 Costa Rica 6.70 2003 est. 133 El Salvador 6.50 2003 est. 134 Portugal 6.40 2003 est. 135 Macau 6.30 2003 136 Denmark 6.10 2003 137 Vietnam 6.10 2003 est. 138 American Samoa 6.00 2000 139 United States 6.00 2003 140 Montserrat 6.00 1998 est. 141 Australia 6.00 2003 142 Hungary 5.90 2003 est. 143 Madagascar 5.90 1998 144 Laos 5.70 1997 est. 145 Cyprus 5.60 2003 est. 146 Japan 5.30 2003 147 Mali 5.30 2001 est. 148 Netherlands 5.30 2003 est. 149 Bermuda 5.00 2002 est. 150 Taiwan 5.00 2003 est. 151 United Kingdom 5.00 2003 est. 152 Sweden 4.90 2003 est. 153 Singapore 4.80 2003 est. 154 Ireland 4.70 2003 est. 155 Norway 4.70 2003 est. 156 New Zealand 4.70 2003 est. 157 Mongolia 4.60 2001 158 Saint Kitts and Nevis 4.50 1997 159 Austria 4.40 2003 est. 160 Burma 4.20 2003 161 Cayman Islands 4.10 1997 162 Switzerland 3.70 2003 est. 163 Ukraine 3.70 2003 164 Luxembourg 3.60 2003 est. 165 Malaysia 3.60 2003 est. 166 Cyprus 3.40 2003 est. 167 Korea, South 3.40 2003 est. 168 Iceland 3.40 2003 est. 169 Mexico 3.30 2003 170 Monaco 3.10 1998 171 British Virgin Islands 3.00 1995 172 Qatar 2.70 2001 173 Cuba 2.60 2003 est. 174 San Marino 2.60 2001 175 Cambodia 2.50 2000 est. 176 United Arab Emirates 2.40 2001 177 Palau 2.30 2000 est. 178 Thailand 2.20 2003 est. 179 Belarus 2.10 2003 est. 180 Kuwait 2.10 2003 est. 181 Gibraltar 2.00 2001 est. 182 Kiribati 2.00 1992 est. 183 Liechtenstein 1.30 September 2002 184 Azerbaijan 1.10 2003 est. 185 Faroe Islands 1.00 October 2000 186 Man, Isle of 0.70 March 2003 187 Jersey 0.70 1998 est. 188 Aruba 0.60 2003 est. 189 Guernsey 0.50 1999 est. 190 Uzbekistan 0.50 2003 191 Andorra 0.00 1996 est. 192 Nauru 0.00 2002 est.

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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Rank code: @2147

Rank Country Area(sq km) Date of Information

1 World 510,072,000 2 Pacific Ocean 155,557,000 3 Atlantic Ocean 76,762,000 4 Indian Ocean 68,556,000 5 Southern Ocean 20,327,000 6 Russia 17,075,200 7 Arctic Ocean 14,056,000 8 Antarctica 14,000,000 9 Canada 9,984,670 10 United States 9,631,418 11 China 9,596,960 12 Brazil 8,511,965 13 Australia 7,686,850 14 European Union 3,976,372 15 India 3,287,590 16 Argentina 2,766,890 17 Kazakhstan 2,717,300 18 Sudan 2,505,810 19 Algeria 2,381,740 20 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 2,345,410 21 Greenland 2,166,086 22 Mexico 1,972,550 23 Saudi Arabia 1,960,582 24 Indonesia 1,919,440 25 Libya 1,759,540 26 Iran 1,648,000 27 Mongolia 1,564,116 28 Peru 1,285,220 29 Chad 1,284,000 30 Niger 1,267,000 31 Angola 1,246,700 32 Mali 1,240,000 33 South Africa 1,219,912 34 Colombia 1,138,910 35 Ethiopia 1,127,127 36 Bolivia 1,098,580 37 Mauritania 1,030,700 38 Egypt 1,001,450 39 Tanzania 945,087 40 Nigeria 923,768 41 Venezuela 912,050 42 Namibia 825,418 43 Pakistan 803,940 44 Mozambique 801,590 45 Turkey 780,580 46 Chile 756,950 47 Zambia 752,614 48 Burma 678,500 49 Afghanistan 647,500 50 Somalia 637,657 51 Central African Republic 622,984 52 Ukraine 603,700 53 Botswana 600,370 54 Madagascar 587,040 55 Kenya 582,650 56 France 547,030 57 Yemen 527,970 58 Thailand 514,000 59 Spain 504,782 60 Turkmenistan 488,100 61 Cameroon 475,440 62 Papua New Guinea 462,840 63 Sweden 449,964 64 Uzbekistan 447,400 65 Morocco 446,550 66 Iraq 437,072 67 Paraguay 406,750 68 Zimbabwe 390,580 69 Japan 377,835 70 Germany 357,021 71 Congo, Republic of the 342,000 72 Finland 338,145 73 Malaysia 329,750 74 Vietnam 329,560 75 Norway 324,220 76 Cote d'Ivoire 322,460 77 Poland 312,685 78 Italy 301,230 79 Philippines 300,000 80 Ecuador 283,560 81 Burkina Faso 274,200 82 New Zealand 268,680 83 Gabon 267,667 84 Western Sahara 266,000 85 Guinea 245,857 86 United Kingdom 244,820 87 Ghana 239,460 88 Romania 237,500 89 Laos 236,800 90 Uganda 236,040 91 Guyana 214,970 92 Oman 212,460 93 Belarus 207,600 94 Kyrgyzstan 198,500 95 Senegal 196,190 96 Syria 185,180 97 Cambodia 181,040 98 Uruguay 176,220 99 Tunisia 163,610 100 Suriname 163,270 101 Bangladesh 144,000 102 Tajikistan 143,100 103 Nepal 140,800 104 Greece 131,940 105 Nicaragua 129,494 106 Eritrea 121,320 107 Korea, North 120,540 108 Malawi 118,480 109 Benin 112,620 110 Honduras 112,090 111 Liberia 111,370 112 Bulgaria 110,910 113 Cuba 110,860 114 Guatemala 108,890 115 Iceland 103,000 116 Serbia and Montenegro 102,350 117 Korea, South 98,480 118 Hungary 93,030 119 Portugal 92,391 120 Jordan 92,300 121 French Guiana 91,000 122 Azerbaijan 86,600 123 Austria 83,870 124 United Arab Emirates 82,880 125 Czech Republic 78,866 126 Panama 78,200 127 Sierra Leone 71,740 128 Ireland 70,280 129 Georgia 69,700 130 Sri Lanka 65,610 131 Lithuania 65,200 132 Latvia 64,589 133 Svalbard 62,049 134 Togo 56,785 135 Croatia 56,542 136 Bosnia and Herzegovina 51,129 137 Costa Rica 51,100 138 Slovakia 48,845 139 Dominican Republic 48,730 140 Bhutan 47,000 141 Estonia 45,226 142 Denmark 43,094 143 Netherlands 41,526 144 Switzerland 41,290 145 Guinea-Bissau 36,120 146 Taiwan 35,980 147 Moldova 33,843 148 Belgium 30,528 149 Lesotho 30,355 150 Armenia 29,800 151 Albania 28,748 152 Solomon Islands 28,450 153 Equatorial Guinea 28,051 154 Burundi 27,830 155 Haiti 27,750 156 Rwanda 26,338 157 Macedonia 25,333 158 Djibouti 23,000 159 Belize 22,966 160 El Salvador 21,040 161 Israel 20,770 162 Slovenia 20,273 163 New Caledonia 19,060 164 Fiji 18,270 165 Kuwait 17,820 166 Swaziland 17,363 167 East Timor 15,007 168 Bahamas, The 13,940 169 Vanuatu 12,200 170 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 12,173 171 Qatar 11,437 172 Gambia, The 11,300 173 Jamaica 10,991 174 Lebanon 10,400 175 Cyprus 9,250 176 Puerto Rico 9,104 177 French Southern and Antarctic Lands 7,829 178 West Bank 5,860 179 Brunei 5,770 180 Trinidad and Tobago 5,128 181 French Polynesia 4,167 182 Cape Verde 4,033 183 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 3,903 184 Samoa 2,944 185 Luxembourg 2,586 186 Reunion 2,517 187 Comoros 2,170 188 Mauritius 2,040 189 Guadeloupe 1,780 190 Faroe Islands 1,399 191 Martinique 1,100 192 Hong Kong 1,092 193 Sao Tome and Principe 1,001 194 Netherlands Antilles 960 195 Kiribati 811 196 Dominica 754 197 Tonga 748 198 Micronesia, Federated States of 702 199 Singapore 693 200 Bahrain 665 201 Saint Lucia 616 202 Man, Isle of 572 203 Guam 549 204 Northern Mariana Islands 477 205 Andorra 468 206 Palau 458 207 Seychelles 455 208 Antigua and Barbuda 443 209 Barbados 431 210 Turks and Caicos Islands 430 211 Heard Island and McDonald Islands 412 212 Saint Helena 410 213 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 389 214 Mayotte 374 215 Jan Mayen 373 216 Gaza Strip 360 217 Virgin Islands 352 218 Grenada 344 219 Malta 316 220 Maldives 300 221 Wallis and Futuna 274 222 Cayman Islands 262 223 Saint Kitts and Nevis 261 224 Niue 260 225 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 242 226 Cook Islands 240 227 American Samoa 199 228 Aruba 193 229 Marshall Islands 181 230 Liechtenstein 160 231 British Virgin Islands 153 232 Christmas Island 135 233 Dhekelia 131 234 Akrotiri 123 235 Jersey 116 236 Anguilla 102 237 Montserrat 102 238 Guernsey 78 239 San Marino 61 240 British Indian Ocean Territory 60 241 Bouvet Island 59 242 Bermuda 53 243 Pitcairn Islands 47 244 Norfolk Island 35 245 Europa Island 28 246 Tuvalu 26 247 Macau 25 248 Nauru 21 249 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 14 250 Palmyra Atoll 12 251 Tokelau 10 252 Gibraltar 7 253 Wake Island 7 254 Midway Islands 6 255 Clipperton Island 6 256 Navassa Island 5 257 Ashmore and Cartier Islands 5 258 Glorioso Islands 5 259 Spratly Islands 5 260 Jarvis Island 5 261 Juan de Nova Island 4 262 Coral Sea Islands 3 263 Johnston Atoll 3 264 Monaco 2 265 Howland Island 2 266 Baker Island 1 267 Kingman Reef 1 268 Tromelin Island 1 269 Holy See (Vatican City) 0 270 Bassas da India 0

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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Rank code: @2150

Rank Country Telephones - main lines in use Date of Information

1 World 843,923,500 2003 2 China 263,000,000 2003 3 European Union 238,763,162 2002 4 United States 181,599,900 2003 5 Japan 71,149,000 2002 6 Germany 54,350,000 2003 7 India 48,917,000 2003 8 Brazil 38,810,000 2002 9 Russia 35,500,000 2002 10 United Kingdom 34,898,000 2002 11 France 33,905,400 2003 12 Italy 26,596,000 2003 13 Korea, South 22,877,000 2003 14 Canada 19,950,900 2003 15 Turkey 18,916,700 2003 16 Spain 17,567,500 2003 17 Mexico 15,958,700 2003 18 Iran 14,571,100 2003 19 Taiwan 13,355,000 2003 20 Poland 12,300,000 2003 21 Ukraine 10,833,300 2002 22 Australia 10,815,000 2003 23 Netherlands 10,004,000 2002 24 Colombia 8,768,100 2003 25 Egypt 8,735,700 2003 26 Argentina 8,009,400 2002 27 Indonesia 7,750,000 2002 28 Thailand 6,600,000 2003 29 Sweden 6,579,200 2002 30 Switzerland 5,419,000 2002 31 Greece 5,205,100 2003 32 Belgium 5,120,400 2002 33 South Africa 4,844,000 2002 34 Malaysia 4,571,600 2003 35 Vietnam 4,402,000 2003 36 Romania 4,300,000 2003 37 Portugal 4,278,800 2003 38 Pakistan 3,982,800 2003 39 Austria 3,881,000 2003 40 Hong Kong 3,801,300 2003 41 Hungary 3,666,400 2002 42 Czech Republic 3,626,000 2003 43 Denmark 3,610,100 2003 44 Saudi Arabia 3,502,600 2003 45 Chile 3,467,000 2002 46 Norway 3,343,000 2002 47 Philippines 3,310,900 2002 48 Belarus 3,071,300 2003 49 Israel 3,006,000 2002 50 Bulgaria 2,868,200 2002 51 Venezuela 2,841,800 2002 52 Serbia and Montenegro 2,611,700 2003 53 Finland 2,548,000 2003 54 Algeria 2,199,600 2003 55 Syria 2,099,300 2002 56 Kazakhstan 2,081,900 2002 57 Ireland 1,955,000 2003 58 Singapore 1,896,100 2004 59 Peru 1,839,200 2003 60 Croatia 1,825,000 2002 61 New Zealand 1,765,000 2002 62 Uzbekistan 1,717,100 2003 63 Ecuador 1,549,000 2003 64 Puerto Rico 1,329,500 2002 65 Slovakia 1,294,700 2003 66 Morocco 1,219,200 2003 67 Tunisia 1,163,800 2003 68 United Arab Emirates 1,135,800 2003 69 Costa Rica 1,132,000 2002 70 Korea, North 1,100,000 2001 71 Uruguay 946,500 2002 72 Bosnia and Herzegovina 938,000 2003 73 Azerbaijan 923,800 2002 74 Dominican Republic 901,800 2003 75 Sudan 900,000 2003 76 Sri Lanka 881,400 2002 77 Nigeria 853,100 2003 78 Guatemala 846,000 2002 79 Lithuania 824,200 2003 80 Slovenia 812,300 2003 81 El Salvador 752,600 2003 82 Libya 750,000 2003 83 Bangladesh 740,000 2003 84 Moldova 706,900 2002 85 Lebanon 678,800 2002 86 Iraq 675,000 2003 87 Latvia 653,900 2003 88 Georgia 650,500 2003 89 Jordan 622,600 2003 90 Bolivia 600,100 2003 91 Cuba 574,400 2002 92 Armenia 562,600 2003 93 Macedonia 560,000 2002 94 Yemen 542,200 2002 95 Kuwait 486,900 2003 96 Estonia 475,000 2002 97 Jamaica 444,400 2002 98 Ethiopia 435,000 2003 99 Cyprus 427,400 100 Kyrgyzstan 394,800 2002 101 Panama 386,900 2002 102 Turkmenistan 374,000 2002 103 Nepal 371,800 2003 104 Burma 357,300 2003 105 Luxembourg 355,400 2002 106 Mauritius 348,200 2003 107 Kenya 328,400 2003 108 Cote d'Ivoire 328,000 2003 109 Trinidad and Tobago 325,100 2002 110 Honduras 322,500 2002 111 Ghana 302,300 2003 112 West Bank 301,600 2002 113 Zimbabwe 300,900 2003 114 Reunion 300,000 2001 115 Paraguay 273,200 2002 116 Albania 255,000 2003 117 Tajikistan 242,100 2003 118 Oman 233,900 2002 119 Senegal 228,800 2003 120 Guadeloupe 210,000 2001 121 Malta 208,300 2003 122 Iceland 190,700 2003 123 Bahrain 185,800 2003 124 Qatar 184,500 2003 125 Macau 174,600 2003 126 Martinique 172,000 2001 127 Nicaragua 171,600 2002 128 Tanzania 149,100 2003 129 Botswana 142,400 2002 130 Barbados 134,000 2003 131 Bahamas, The 131,700 2003 132 Haiti 130,000 2002 133 Mongolia 128,000 2002 134 Namibia 127,400 2003 135 Cameroon 110,900 2002 136 Fiji 102,000 2003 137 Somalia 100,000 2002 138 Angola 96,300 2003 139 Gaza Strip 95,729 1997 140 Brunei 90,000 2002 141 Zambia 88,400 2003 142 Cyprus 86,228 143 Malawi 85,000 2003 144 Guam 84,134 2001 145 Mozambique 83,700 2002 146 Netherlands Antilles 81,000 2001 147 Guyana 80,400 2002 148 Suriname 79,800 2003 149 Jersey 73,900 2001 150 Cape Verde 71,700 2003 151 Virgin Islands 69,400 2002 152 Benin 66,500 2003 153 Burkina Faso 65,400 2003 154 Papua New Guinea 62,000 2002 155 Laos 61,900 2002 156 Uganda 61,000 2003 157 Togo 60,600 2003 158 Madagascar 59,600 2003 159 Mali 56,600 2002 160 Bermuda 56,000 2002 161 Guernsey 55,000 2001 162 French Polynesia 52,500 2002 163 New Caledonia 52,000 2002 164 Saint Lucia 51,100 2002 165 French Guiana 51,000 2001 166 Man, Isle of 51,000 1999 167 Swaziland 46,200 2003 168 Gambia, The 38,400 2002 169 Gabon 38,400 2003 170 Eritrea 38,100 2003 171 Antigua and Barbuda 38,000 2002 172 Cayman Islands 38,000 2002 173 Aruba 37,100 2002 174 Cambodia 35,400 2002 175 Andorra 35,000 2001 176 Monaco 33,700 2002 177 Grenada 33,500 2002 178 Belize 33,300 2003 179 Afghanistan 33,100 2002 180 Mauritania 31,500 2002 181 Maldives 28,700 2002 182 Lesotho 28,600 2002 183 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 27,300 2002 184 Guinea 26,200 2003 185 Greenland 26,000 2001 186 Bhutan 25,200 2003 187 Gibraltar 24,512 2002 188 Sierra Leone 24,000 2002 189 Burundi 23,900 2003 190 Dominica 23,700 2002 191 Saint Kitts and Nevis 23,500 2002 192 Rwanda 23,200 2002 193 Faroe Islands 23,000 2002 194 Niger 22,400 2002 195 Seychelles 21,700 2002 196 Northern Mariana Islands 21,000 2000 197 San Marino 20,600 2002 198 Liechtenstein 19,900 2002 199 American Samoa 15,000 2001 200 Comoros 13,200 2003 201 Chad 11,800 2002 202 Samoa 11,800 2002 203 British Virgin Islands 11,700 2002 204 Tonga 11,200 2002 205 Guinea-Bissau 10,600 2003 206 Micronesia, Federated States of 10,100 2001 207 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 10,000 2002 208 Mayotte 10,000 2001 209 Equatorial Guinea 9,600 2003 210 Djibouti 9,500 2003 211 Central African Republic 9,000 2002 212 Congo, Republic of the 7,000 2003 213 Sao Tome and Principe 7,000 2003 214 Liberia 7,000 2001 215 Palau 6,700 2002 216 Solomon Islands 6,600 2002 217 Vanuatu 6,500 2003 218 Anguilla 6,200 2002 219 Cook Islands 6,200 2002 220 Turks and Caicos Islands 5,700 2002 221 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 4,800 2002 222 Kiribati 4,500 2002 223 Marshall Islands 4,500 2003 224 Norfolk Island 2,532 2004 225 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 2,400 2002 226 Saint Helena 2,200 2002 227 Nauru 1,900 2002 228 Wallis and Futuna 1,900 2002 229 Niue 1,100 2002 230 Tuvalu 700 2002 231 Tokelau 300 2002 232 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 287 1992 233 Pitcairn Islands 1 2004 234 Antarctica 0 2001

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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Rank code: @2151

Rank Country Telephones - mobile cellular Date of Information

1 European Union 314,644,700 2002 2 China 269,000,000 2003 3 United States 158,722,000 2003 4 Japan 86,658,600 2003 5 Germany 64,800,000 2003 6 Italy 55,918,000 2003 7 United Kingdom 49,677,000 2002 8 Brazil 46,373,300 2003 9 France 41,683,100 2003 10 Spain 37,506,700 2003 11 Korea, South 33,591,800 2003 12 Mexico 28,125,000 2003 13 Turkey 27,887,500 2003 14 India 26,154,400 2003 15 Taiwan 25,089,600 2003 16 Russia 17,608,800 2002 17 Poland 17,400,000 2003 18 South Africa 16,860,000 2003 19 Thailand 16,117,000 2002 20 Philippines 15,201,000 2002 21 Australia 14,347,000 2003 22 Canada 13,221,800 2003 23 Netherlands 12,500,000 2003 24 Indonesia 11,700,000 2002 25 Malaysia 11,124,100 2003 26 Czech Republic 9,708,700 2003 27 Portugal 9,341,400 2003 28 Greece 8,936,200 2003 29 Belgium 8,135,500 2002 30 Sweden 7,949,000 2002 31 Morocco 7,332,800 2003 32 Hong Kong 7,241,400 2003 33 Saudi Arabia 7,238,200 2003 34 Austria 7,094,500 2003 35 Romania 6,900,000 2003 36 Hungary 6,862,800 2002 37 Argentina 6,500,000 2002 38 Venezuela 6,463,600 2002 39 Chile 6,445,700 2002 40 Israel 6,334,000 2002 41 Colombia 6,186,200 2003 42 Switzerland 6,172,000 2003 43 Egypt 5,797,500 2003 44 Denmark 4,785,300 2003 45 Finland 4,700,000 2003 46 Ukraine 4,200,000 2002 47 Norway 4,163,400 2003 48 Slovakia 3,678,800 2003 49 Serbia and Montenegro 3,634,600 2003 50 Singapore 3,521,800 2004 51 Ireland 3,400,000 2003 52 Iran 3,376,500 2003 53 Nigeria 3,149,500 2003 54 United Arab Emirates 2,972,300 2003 55 Peru 2,908,800 2003 56 Vietnam 2,742,000 2003 57 Pakistan 2,624,800 2003 58 New Zealand 2,599,000 2003 59 Bulgaria 2,597,500 2002 60 Croatia 2,553,000 2003 61 Ecuador 2,394,400 2003 62 Lithuania 2,169,900 2003 63 Dominican Republic 2,120,400 2003 64 Tunisia 1,899,900 2003 65 Paraguay 1,770,300 2003 66 Slovenia 1,739,100 2003 67 Kenya 1,590,800 2003 68 Guatemala 1,577,100 2002 69 Algeria 1,447,310 2003 70 Kuwait 1,420,000 2003 71 Bolivia 1,401,500 2003 72 Jamaica 1,400,000 2002 73 Bangladesh 1,365,000 2003 74 Jordan 1,325,300 2003 75 Cote d'Ivoire 1,236,000 2003 76 Latvia 1,219,600 2003 77 Puerto Rico 1,211,111 2001 78 El Salvador 1,149,800 2003 79 Belarus 1,118,000 2003 80 Albania 1,100,000 2003 81 Cameroon 1,077,000 2003 82 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,050,000 2003 83 Kazakhstan 1,027,000 2002 84 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1,000,000 2003 85 Sri Lanka 931,600 2002 86 Tanzania 891,200 2003 87 Estonia 881,000 2002 88 Azerbaijan 870,000 2002 89 Panama 834,000 2003 90 Ghana 799,900 2003 91 Uganda 776,200 2003 92 Lebanon 775,100 2002 93 Uruguay 652,000 2002 94 Sudan 650,000 2003 95 Senegal 575,900 2003 96 Costa Rica 528,047 2002 97 Georgia 522,300 2003 98 Reunion 489,800 2002 99 West Bank 480,000 2003 100 Luxembourg 473,000 2002 101 Oman 464,900 2002 102 Mauritius 462,400 2003 103 Bahrain 443,100 2003 104 Botswana 435,000 2002 105 Mozambique 428,900 2003 106 Cyprus 417,900 107 Yemen 411,100 2002 108 Syria 400,000 2002 109 Cambodia 380,000 2002 110 Zimbabwe 379,100 2003 111 Qatar 376,500 2003 112 Macedonia 365,300 2002 113 Macau 364,000 2003 114 Trinidad and Tobago 361,900 2002 115 Moldova 338,200 2002 116 Congo, Republic of the 330,000 2003 117 Honduras 326,500 2002 118 Guadeloupe 323,500 2002 119 Uzbekistan 320,800 2003 120 Gaza Strip 320,000 2002 121 Martinique 319,900 2002 122 Gabon 300,000 2003 123 Mauritania 300,000 2003 124 Malta 290,000 2003 125 Madagascar 279,500 2003 126 Iceland 279,100 2003 127 Mali 250,000 2003 128 Zambia 241,000 2003 129 Benin 236,200 2003 130 Burkina Faso 227,000 2003 131 Namibia 223,700 2003 132 Togo 220,000 2003 133 Mongolia 216,000 2002 134 Nicaragua 202,800 2002 135 Suriname 168,100 2003 136 Cyprus 143,178 137 Barbados 140,000 2003 138 Haiti 140,000 2002 139 French Guiana 138,200 2002 140 Brunei 137,000 2002 141 Malawi 135,100 2003 142 Rwanda 134,000 2003 143 Angola 130,000 2002 144 Bahamas, The 121,800 2002 145 Armenia 114,400 2003 146 Guinea 111,500 2003 147 Fiji 109,900 2003 148 Gambia, The 100,000 2002 149 Libya 100,000 2003 150 Ethiopia 97,800 2003 151 Lesotho 92,000 2002 152 French Polynesia 90,000 2002 153 Swaziland 88,000 2003 154 Guyana 87,300 2002 155 Netherlands Antilles 81,000 2001 156 New Caledonia 80,000 2002 157 Sierra Leone 67,000 2002 158 Burma 66,500 2003 159 Chad 65,000 2003 160 Burundi 64,000 2003 161 Jersey 61,400 2001 162 Belize 60,400 2003 163 Laos 55,200 2002 164 Seychelles 54,500 2003 165 Cape Verde 53,300 2003 166 Kyrgyzstan 53,100 2002 167 Aruba 53,000 2001 168 Turkmenistan 52,000 2004 169 Nepal 50,400 2003 170 Tajikistan 47,600 2003 171 Maldives 41,900 2002 172 Equatorial Guinea 41,500 2003 173 Virgin Islands 41,000 2002 174 Antigua and Barbuda 38,200 2002 175 Bermuda 37,873 2003 176 Somalia 35,000 2002 177 Guam 32,600 2001 178 Guernsey 31,500 2001 179 Faroe Islands 30,700 2002 180 Niger 24,000 2003 181 Andorra 23,500 2001 182 Djibouti 23,000 2003 183 Mayotte 21,700 2002 184 Iraq 20,000 2002 185 Monaco 19,300 2002 186 Cuba 17,900 2002 187 Cayman Islands 17,000 2002 188 San Marino 16,800 2002 189 Greenland 16,747 2001 190 Afghanistan 15,000 2002 191 Papua New Guinea 15,000 2002 192 Saint Lucia 14,300 2002 193 Central African Republic 13,000 2003 194 Liechtenstein 11,400 2002 195 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 10,000 2002 196 Gibraltar 9,797 2002 197 Dominica 9,400 2002 198 Bhutan 8,000 2003 199 British Virgin Islands 8,000 2002 200 Vanuatu 7,800 2003 201 Grenada 7,600 2002 202 Saint Kitts and Nevis 5,000 2002 203 Sao Tome and Principe 4,800 2003 204 Tonga 3,400 2002 205 Northern Mariana Islands 3,000 2000 206 Samoa 2,700 2002 207 American Samoa 2,377 1999 208 Comoros 2,000 2003 209 Liberia 2,000 2001 210 Anguilla 1,800 2002 211 Micronesia, Federated States of 1,800 2002 212 Turks and Caicos Islands 1,700 1999 213 Cook Islands 1,500 2002 214 Nauru 1,500 2002 215 Guinea-Bissau 1,300 2003 216 Solomon Islands 1,000 2002 217 Palau 1,000 2002 218 Marshall Islands 600 2002 219 Kiribati 500 2002 220 Niue 400 2002 221 Montserrat 70 1994 222 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0 2001 223 Western Sahara 0 1999 224 Wallis and Futuna 0 1994 225 Tuvalu 0 1994 226 Tokelau 0 2001 227 Saint Helena 0 1997 228 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0 1994 229 Norfolk Island 0 2002

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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Rank code: @2153

Rank Country Internet users Date of Information

1 World 604,111,719 2 European Union 206,032,067 September 2004 3 United States 159,000,000 2002 4 China 94,000,000 2004 5 Japan 57,200,000 2002 6 Germany 39,000,000 2003 7 Korea, South 29,220,000 2003 8 United Kingdom 25,000,000 2002 9 France 21,900,000 2003 10 Italy 18,500,000 2003 11 India 18,481,000 2003 12 Canada 16,110,000 2002 13 Brazil 14,300,000 2002 14 Mexico 10,033,000 2002 15 Spain 9,789,000 2003 16 Australia 9,472,000 2002 17 Poland 8,970,000 2003 18 Taiwan 8,830,000 2003 19 Malaysia 8,692,100 2003 20 Netherlands 8,500,000 2003 21 Indonesia 8,000,000 2002 22 Thailand 6,031,300 2003 23 Russia 6,000,000 2002 24 Turkey 5,500,000 2003 25 Sweden 5,125,000 2002 26 Iran 4,300,000 2003 27 Argentina 4,100,000 2002 28 Romania 4,000,000 2003 29 Austria 3,730,000 2003 30 Portugal 3,600,000 2002 31 Chile 3,575,000 2002 32 Philippines 3,500,000 2002 33 Vietnam 3,500,000 2003 34 Belgium 3,400,000 2002 35 Hong Kong 3,212,800 2003 36 South Africa 3,100,000 2002 37 Peru 2,850,000 2003 38 Denmark 2,756,000 2002 39 Colombia 2,732,200 2003 40 Egypt 2,700,000 2003 41 Czech Republic 2,700,000 2003 42 Finland 2,650,000 2002 43 Switzerland 2,556,000 2002 44 Singapore 2,310,000 2002 45 Norway 2,288,000 2002 46 New Zealand 2,110,000 2003 47 Israel 2,000,000 2002 48 Greece 1,718,400 2003 49 Hungary 1,600,000 2002 50 Pakistan 1,500,000 2002 51 Saudi Arabia 1,500,000 2003 52 Belarus 1,391,900 2003 53 Slovakia 1,375,800 2003 54 Venezuela 1,274,400 2002 55 Ireland 1,260,000 2003 56 United Arab Emirates 1,110,200 2003 57 Croatia 1,014,000 2003 58 Latvia 936,000 2003 59 Ukraine 900,000 2002 60 Serbia and Montenegro 847,000 2003 61 Costa Rica 800,000 2002 62 Morocco 800,000 2003 63 Nigeria 750,000 2003 64 Slovenia 750,000 2002 65 Lithuania 695,700 2003 66 Bulgaria 630,000 2002 67 Tunisia 630,000 2003 68 Jamaica 600,000 2002 69 Puerto Rico 600,000 2002 70 Ecuador 569,700 2003 71 Kuwait 567,000 2003 72 El Salvador 550,000 2003 73 Algeria 500,000 2002 74 Dominican Republic 500,000 2003 75 Zimbabwe 500,000 2002 76 Uzbekistan 492,000 2003 77 Jordan 457,000 2003 78 Estonia 444,000 2002 79 Guatemala 400,000 2002 80 Uruguay 400,000 2002 81 Lebanon 400,000 2002 82 Kenya 400,000 2002 83 Azerbaijan 300,000 2002 84 Sudan 300,000 2003 85 Bolivia 270,000 2002 86 Kazakhstan 250,000 2002 87 Tanzania 250,000 2003 88 Bangladesh 243,000 2003 89 Senegal 225,000 2003 90 Syria 220,000 2002 91 Cyprus 210,000 2002 92 Togo 210,000 2003 93 Sri Lanka 200,000 2002 94 Bahrain 195,700 2003 95 Iceland 195,000 2003 96 Oman 180,000 2002 97 Ghana 170,000 2002 98 Honduras 168,600 2002 99 Luxembourg 165,000 2002 100 Libya 160,000 2003 101 Kyrgyzstan 152,000 2002 102 Georgia 150,500 2003 103 Armenia 150,000 2003 104 Reunion 150,000 2002 105 Moldova 150,000 2002 106 Mauritius 150,000 2003 107 West Bank 145,000 2003 108 Trinidad and Tobago 138,000 2002 109 Qatar 126,000 2003 110 Guyana 125,000 2002 111 Uganda 125,000 2003 112 Cuba 120,000 2001 113 Malta 120,000 2002 114 Panama 120,000 2002 115 Paraguay 120,000 2003 116 Macau 120,000 2003 117 Barbados 100,000 2003 118 Yemen 100,000 2002 119 Macedonia 100,000 2002 120 Bosnia and Herzegovina 100,000 2002 121 Cote d'Ivoire 90,000 2002 122 Nicaragua 90,000 2002 123 Somalia 89,000 2002 124 Bahamas, The 84,000 2003 125 Haiti 80,000 2002 126 Nepal 80,000 2002 127 Ethiopia 75,000 2003 128 Papua New Guinea 75,000 2002 129 Madagascar 70,500 2003 130 Benin 70,000 2003 131 Zambia 68,200 2003 132 Namibia 65,000 2003 133 Botswana 60,000 2002 134 Cameroon 60,000 135 New Caledonia 60,000 2003 136 Gaza Strip 60,000 137 Fiji 55,000 2003 138 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 50,000 2002 139 Mozambique 50,000 2002 140 Mongolia 50,000 2002 141 Guam 50,000 2002 142 Burkina Faso 48,000 2003 143 Angola 41,000 2002 144 Guinea 40,000 2003 145 Martinique 40,000 2002 146 Malawi 36,000 2003 147 Brunei 35,000 2002 148 French Polynesia 35,000 2002 149 Gabon 35,000 2003 150 Bermuda 34,500 2003 151 Albania 30,000 2003 152 Belize 30,000 2002 153 Virgin Islands 30,000 2002 154 Cambodia 30,000 2002 155 Burma 28,000 2003 156 Swaziland 27,000 2003 157 Faroe Islands 25,000 2002 158 Mali 25,000 2002 159 Rwanda 25,000 2002 160 Iraq 25,000 2002 161 Gambia, The 25,000 2002 162 Andorra 24,500 2001 163 Aruba 24,000 2002 164 Lesotho 21,000 2002 165 Cape Verde 20,400 2003 166 Greenland 20,000 2002 167 Guadeloupe 20,000 2002 168 Suriname 20,000 2002 169 Liechtenstein 20,000 2002 170 Guinea-Bissau 19,000 2003 171 Monaco 16,000 2002 172 Bhutan 15,000 2003 173 Chad 15,000 2002 174 Congo, Republic of the 15,000 2003 175 Sao Tome and Principe 15,000 2003 176 Niger 15,000 2002 177 Maldives 15,000 2002 178 Laos 15,000 2002 179 Grenada 15,000 2002 180 San Marino 14,300 2002 181 Burundi 14,000 2003 182 Saint Lucia 13,000 2002 183 Dominica 12,500 2002 184 Seychelles 11,700 2002 185 Antigua and Barbuda 10,000 2002 186 Saint Kitts and Nevis 10,000 2002 187 Mauritania 10,000 2002 188 Eritrea 9,500 2003 189 Sierra Leone 8,000 2002 190 Turkmenistan 8,000 2002 191 Vanuatu 7,500 2003 192 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7,000 2002 193 Djibouti 6,500 2003 194 Gibraltar 6,200 2002 195 Micronesia, Federated States of 6,000 2002 196 Comoros 5,000 2003 197 Central African Republic 5,000 2002 198 Tajikistan 4,100 2003 199 Samoa 4,000 2002 200 Cook Islands 3,600 2002 201 French Guiana 3,200 2002 202 Anguilla 3,000 2002 203 Tonga 2,900 2002 204 Solomon Islands 2,200 2002 205 Kiribati 2,000 2002 206 Netherlands Antilles 2,000 2000 207 Equatorial Guinea 1,800 2002 208 Marshall Islands 1,400 2003 209 Tuvalu 1,300 2002 210 Afghanistan 1,000 2002 211 Liberia 1,000 2002 212 Wallis and Futuna 900 2002 213 Saint Helena 500 2002 214 Nauru 300 2002

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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Rank code: @2155

Rank Country HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate(%) Date of Information

1 Swaziland 38.80 2003 est. 2 Botswana 37.30 2003 est. 3 Lesotho 28.90 2003 est. 4 Zimbabwe 24.60 2001 est. 5 South Africa 21.50 2003 est. 6 Namibia 21.30 2003 est. 7 Zambia 16.50 2003 est. 8 Malawi 14.20 2003 est. 9 Central African Republic 13.50 2003 est. 10 Mozambique 12.20 2003 est. 11 Guinea-Bissau 10.00 2003 est. 12 Tanzania 8.80 2003 est. 13 Gabon 8.10 2003 est. 14 Cote d'Ivoire 7.00 2003 est. 15 Sierra Leone 7.00 2001 est. 16 Cameroon 6.90 2003 est. 17 Kenya 6.70 2003 est. 18 Burundi 6.00 2003 est. 19 Liberia 5.90 2003 est. 20 Haiti 5.60 2003 est. 21 Nigeria 5.40 2003 est. 22 Rwanda 5.10 2003 est. 23 Congo, Republic of the 4.90 2003 est. 24 Chad 4.80 2003 est. 25 Ethiopia 4.40 2003 est. 26 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 4.20 2003 est. 27 Burkina Faso 4.20 2003 est. 28 Togo 4.10 2003 est. 29 Uganda 4.10 2003 est. 30 Angola 3.90 2003 est. 31 Equatorial Guinea 3.40 2001 est. 32 Guinea 3.20 2003 est. 33 Trinidad and Tobago 3.20 2003 est. 34 Ghana 3.10 2003 est. 35 Bahamas, The 3.00 2003 est. 36 Djibouti 2.90 2003 est. 37 Eritrea 2.70 2003 est. 38 Cambodia 2.60 2003 est. 39 Guyana 2.50 2003 est. 40 Belize 2.40 2003 est. 41 Sudan 2.30 2001 est. 42 Benin 1.90 2003 est. 43 Mali 1.90 2003 est. 44 Honduras 1.80 2003 est. 45 Dominican Republic 1.70 2003 est. 46 Madagascar 1.70 2003 est. 47 Suriname 1.70 2001 est. 48 Barbados 1.50 2003 est. 49 Thailand 1.50 2003 est. 50 Ukraine 1.40 2003 est. 51 Burma 1.20 2003 est. 52 Gambia, The 1.20 2003 est. 53 Niger 1.20 2003 est. 54 Jamaica 1.20 2003 est. 55 Estonia 1.10 2001 est. 56 Guatemala 1.10 2003 est. 57 Russia 1.10 2001 est. 58 Somalia 1.00 2001 est. 59 India 0.90 2001 est. 60 Panama 0.90 2003 est. 61 Senegal 0.80 2003 est. 62 Argentina 0.70 2001 est. 63 Venezuela 0.70 2001 est. 64 Spain 0.70 2001 est. 65 El Salvador 0.70 2003 est. 66 Colombia 0.70 2003 est. 67 Brazil 0.70 2003 est. 68 Costa Rica 0.60 2003 est. 69 United States 0.60 2003 est. 70 Papua New Guinea 0.60 2003 est. 71 Mauritania 0.60 2003 est. 72 Latvia 0.60 2001 est. 73 Italy 0.50 2001 est. 74 Paraguay 0.50 2003 est. 75 Peru 0.50 2003 est. 76 Nepal 0.50 2001 est. 77 France 0.40 2003 est. 78 Switzerland 0.40 2001 est. 79 Vietnam 0.40 2003 est. 80 Portugal 0.40 2001 est. 81 Malaysia 0.40 2003 est. 82 Austria 0.30 2003 est. 83 Uruguay 0.30 2001 est. 84 Chile 0.30 2003 est. 85 Mexico 0.30 2003 est. 86 Libya 0.30 2001 est. 87 Canada 0.30 2003 est. 88 Ecuador 0.30 2003 est. 89 Belarus 0.30 2001 est. 90 Bahrain 0.20 2001 est. 91 Belgium 0.20 2003 est. 92 Serbia and Montenegro 0.20 2001 est. 93 United Kingdom 0.20 2001 est. 94 Singapore 0.20 2003 est. 95 Nicaragua 0.20 2003 est. 96 Netherlands 0.20 2001 est. 97 Malta 0.20 2001 est. 98 Moldova 0.20 2001 est. 99 Luxembourg 0.20 2001 est. 100 Kazakhstan 0.20 2001 est. 101 Iceland 0.20 2001 est. 102 Greece 0.20 2001 est. 103 Denmark 0.20 2003 est. 104 United Arab Emirates 0.18 2001 est. 105 Comoros 0.12 2001 est. 106 Kuwait 0.12 2001 est. 107 Algeria 0.10 2001 est. 108 Australia 0.10 2003 est. 109 Azerbaijan 0.10 2003 est. 110 Bolivia 0.10 2003 est. 111 Bulgaria 0.10 2001 est. 112 Sri Lanka 0.10 2001 est. 113 Maldives 0.10 2001 est. 114 Oman 0.10 2001 est. 115 Mauritius 0.10 2001 est. 116 Morocco 0.10 2001 est. 117 Macedonia 0.10 2001 est. 118 Georgia 0.10 2001 est. 119 Fiji 0.10 2003 est. 120 Finland 0.10 2003 est. 121 Czech Republic 0.10 2001 est. 122 Ireland 0.10 2001 est. 123 Egypt 0.10 2001 est. 124 Cyprus 0.10 2003 est. 125 Cuba 0.10 2003 est. 126 China 0.10 2003 est. 127 Tajikistan 0.10 2001 est. 128 Syria 0.10 2001 est. 129 Sweden 0.10 2001 est. 130 Slovenia 0.10 2001 est. 131 Philippines 0.10 2003 est. 132 Romania 0.10 2001 est. 133 Poland 0.10 2001 est. 134 Pakistan 0.10 2001 est. 135 Mongolia 0.10 2003 est. 136 Yemen 0.10 2001 est. 137 Uzbekistan 0.10 2001 est. 138 Turkmenistan 0.10 2004 est. 139 Turkey 0.10 2001 est. 140 Tunisia 0.10 2005 est. 141 Slovakia 0.10 2001 est. 142 Lithuania 0.10 2001 est. 143 Lebanon 0.10 2001 est. 144 Laos 0.10 2003 est. 145 Korea, South 0.10 2003 est. 146 Kyrgyzstan 0.10 2001 est. 147 Jordan 0.10 2001 est. 148 Japan 0.10 2003 est. 149 New Zealand 0.10 2003 est. 150 Norway 0.10 2001 est. 151 Iraq 0.10 2001 est. 152 Israel 0.10 2001 est. 153 Iran 0.10 2001 est. 154 Indonesia 0.10 2003 est. 155 Hungary 0.10 2001 est. 156 Croatia 0.10 2001 est. 157 Hong Kong 0.10 2003 est. 158 Germany 0.10 2001 est. 159 Brunei 0.10 2003 est. 160 Bhutan 0.10 2001 est. 161 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.10 2001 est. 162 Bangladesh 0.10 2001 est. 163 Armenia 0.10 2003 est. 164 Qatar 0.09 2001 est. 165 Cape Verde 0.04 166 Afghanistan 0.01 2001 est. 167 Saudi Arabia 0.01 2001 est. 168 Svalbard 0.00 2001

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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Rank code: @2156

Rank Country HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS Date of Information

1 South Africa 5,300,000 2003 est. 2 India 5,100,000 2001 est. 3 Nigeria 3,600,000 2003 est. 4 Zimbabwe 1,800,000 2001 est. 5 Tanzania 1,600,000 2003 est. 6 Ethiopia 1,500,000 2003 est. 7 Mozambique 1,300,000 2003 est. 8 Kenya 1,200,000 2003 est. 9 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1,100,000 2003 est. 10 United States 950,000 2003 est. 11 Zambia 920,000 2003 est. 12 Malawi 900,000 2003 est. 13 Russia 860,000 2001 est. 14 China 840,000 2003 est. 15 Brazil 660,000 2003 est. 16 Cote d'Ivoire 570,000 2003 est. 17 Thailand 570,000 2003 est. 18 Cameroon 560,000 2003 est. 19 Uganda 530,000 2001 est. 20 Sudan 400,000 2001 est. 21 Ukraine 360,000 2001 est. 22 Botswana 350,000 2003 est. 23 Ghana 350,000 2003 est. 24 Burma 330,000 2003 est. 25 Lesotho 320,000 2003 est. 26 Burkina Faso 300,000 2003 est. 27 Haiti 280,000 2003 est. 28 Central African Republic 260,000 2003 est. 29 Burundi 250,000 2003 est. 30 Rwanda 250,000 2003 est. 31 Angola 240,000 2003 est. 32 Vietnam 220,000 2003 est. 33 Swaziland 220,000 2003 est. 34 Namibia 210,000 2001 est. 35 Chad 200,000 2003 est. 36 Colombia 190,000 2003 est. 37 Cambodia 170,000 2003 est. 38 Sierra Leone 170,000 2001 est. 39 Mexico 160,000 2003 est. 40 Guinea 140,000 2003 est. 41 Madagascar 140,000 2003 est. 42 Italy 140,000 2001 est. 43 Mali 140,000 2003 est. 44 Spain 140,000 2001 est. 45 Argentina 130,000 2001 est. 46 France 120,000 2003 est. 47 Indonesia 110,000 2003 est. 48 Togo 110,000 2003 est. 49 Venezuela 110,000 1999 est. 50 Liberia 100,000 2003 est. 51 Congo, Republic of the 90,000 2003 est. 52 Dominican Republic 88,000 2003 est. 53 Peru 82,000 2003 est. 54 Guatemala 78,000 2003 est. 55 Pakistan 74,000 2001 est. 56 Niger 70,000 2003 est. 57 Benin 68,000 2003 est. 58 Honduras 63,000 2003 est. 59 Nepal 61,000 2001 est. 60 Eritrea 60,000 2003 est. 61 Canada 56,000 2003 est. 62 Malaysia 52,000 2003 est. 63 United Kingdom 51,000 2001 est. 64 Gabon 48,000 2003 est. 65 Senegal 44,000 2003 est. 66 Germany 43,000 2001 est. 67 Somalia 43,000 2001 est. 68 Iran 31,000 2001 est. 69 El Salvador 29,000 2003 est. 70 Trinidad and Tobago 29,000 2003 est. 71 Chile 26,000 2003 est. 72 Jamaica 22,000 2003 est. 73 Portugal 22,000 2001 est. 74 Ecuador 21,000 2003 est. 75 Netherlands 19,000 2001 est. 76 Guinea-Bissau 17,000 2001 est. 77 Kazakhstan 16,500 2001 est. 78 Panama 16,000 2003 est. 79 Papua New Guinea 16,000 2003 est. 80 Belarus 15,000 2001 est. 81 Morocco 15,000 2001 est. 82 Paraguay 15,000 1999 est. 83 Australia 14,000 2003 est. 84 Poland 14,000 2003 est. 85 Bangladesh 13,000 2001 est. 86 Switzerland 13,000 2001 est. 87 Costa Rica 12,000 2003 est. 88 Yemen 12,000 2001 est. 89 Japan 12,000 2003 est. 90 Egypt 12,000 2001 est. 91 Guyana 11,000 2003 est. 92 Uzbekistan 11,000 2003 est. 93 Austria 10,000 2003 est. 94 Belgium 10,000 2003 est. 95 Libya 10,000 2001 est. 96 Serbia and Montenegro 10,000 2001 est. 97 Mauritania 9,500 2003 est. 98 Algeria 9,100 2003 est. 99 Greece 9,100 2001 est. 100 Djibouti 9,100 2003 est. 101 Philippines 9,000 2003 est. 102 Korea, South 8,300 2003 est. 103 Estonia 7,800 2003 est. 104 Latvia 7,600 2001 est. 105 Puerto Rico 7,397 106 Gambia, The 6,800 2003 est. 107 Romania 6,500 2001 est. 108 Nicaragua 6,400 2003 est. 109 Uruguay 6,000 2001 est. 110 Equatorial Guinea 5,900 2001 est. 111 Bahamas, The 5,600 2003 est. 112 Moldova 5,500 2001 est. 113 Suriname 5,200 2001 est. 114 Denmark 5,000 2003 est. 115 Bolivia 4,900 2003 est. 116 Singapore 4,100 2003 est. 117 Kyrgyzstan 3,900 2003 est. 118 Belize 3,600 2003 est. 119 Sweden 3,600 2001 est. 120 Sri Lanka 3,500 2001 est. 121 Cuba 3,300 2003 est. 122 Georgia 3,000 2003 est. 123 Israel 3,000 1999 est. 124 Ireland 2,800 2001 est. 125 Hungary 2,800 2001 est. 126 Lebanon 2,800 2003 est. 127 Armenia 2,600 2003 est. 128 Hong Kong 2,600 2003 est. 129 Barbados 2,500 2003 est. 130 Czech Republic 2,500 2001 est. 131 Norway 2,100 2001 est. 132 Laos 1,700 2003 est. 133 Finland 1,500 2003 est. 134 Azerbaijan 1,400 2003 est. 135 New Zealand 1,400 2003 est. 136 Lithuania 1,300 2003 est. 137 Oman 1,300 2001 est. 138 Cyprus 1,000 1999 est. 139 Tunisia 1,000 2003 est. 140 Bosnia and Herzegovina 900 2003 est. 141 Cape Verde 775 142 Mauritius 700 2001 est. 143 Bahrain 600 2003 est. 144 Fiji 600 2003 est. 145 Jordan 600 2003 est. 146 Iraq 500 2003 est. 147 Syria 500 2003 est. 148 Malta 500 2003 est. 149 Mongolia 500 2003 est 150 Luxembourg 500 2003 est. 151 Bulgaria 346 2001 est. 152 Slovenia 280 2001 est. 153 Iceland 220 2001 est. 154 Brunei 200 2003 est. 155 Turkmenistan 200 2003 est. 156 Tajikistan 200 2003 est. 157 Macedonia 200 2003 est. 158 Slovakia 200 2003 est. 159 Croatia 200 2001 est. 160 Bhutan 100 1999 est. 161 Greenland 100 162 Maldives 100 2001 est. 163 Samoa 12 164 Svalbard 0 2001

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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Rank code: @2157

Rank Country HIV/AIDS - deaths Date of Information

1 South Africa 370,000 2003 est. 2 India 310,000 2001 est. 3 Nigeria 310,000 2003 est. 4 Zimbabwe 170,000 2003 est. 5 Tanzania 160,000 2003 est. 6 Kenya 150,000 2003 est. 7 Ethiopia 120,000 2003 est. 8 Mozambique 110,000 2003 est. 9 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 100,000 2003 est. 10 Zambia 89,000 2003 est. 11 Malawi 84,000 2003 est. 12 Uganda 78,000 2003 est. 13 Thailand 58,000 2003 est. 14 Cameroon 49,000 2003 est. 15 Cote d'Ivoire 47,000 2003 est. 16 China 44,000 2003 est. 17 Botswana 33,000 2003 est. 18 Ghana 30,000 2003 est. 19 Lesotho 29,000 2003 est. 20 Burkina Faso 29,000 2003 est. 21 Burundi 25,000 2003 est. 22 Haiti 24,000 2003 est. 23 Central African Republic 23,000 2003 est. 24 Sudan 23,000 2003 est. 25 Rwanda 22,000 2003 est. 26 Angola 21,000 2003 est. 27 Burma 20,000 2003 est. 28 Ukraine 20,000 2003 est. 29 Chad 18,000 2003 est. 30 Swaziland 17,000 2003 est. 31 Namibia 16,000 2003 est. 32 Brazil 15,000 2003 est. 33 Cambodia 15,000 2003 est. 34 United States 14,000 2003 est. 35 Mali 12,000 2003 est. 36 Sierra Leone 11,000 2001 est. 37 Togo 10,000 2003 est. 38 Congo, Republic of the 9,700 2003 est. 39 Guinea 9,000 2003 est. 40 Russia 9,000 2001 est. 41 Vietnam 9,000 2003 est. 42 Dominican Republic 7,900 2003 est. 43 Madagascar 7,500 2003 est. 44 Liberia 7,200 2003 est. 45 Eritrea 6,300 2003 est. 46 Benin 5,800 2003 est. 47 Guatemala 5,800 2003 est. 48 Mexico 5,000 2003 est. 49 Pakistan 4,900 2003 est. 50 Niger 4,800 2003 est. 51 Peru 4,200 2003 est. 52 Honduras 4,100 2003 est. 53 Venezuela 4,100 2003 est. 54 Colombia 3,600 2003 est. 55 Senegal 3,500 2003 est. 56 Nepal 3,100 2003 est. 57 Gabon 3,000 2003 est. 58 Indonesia 2,400 2003 est. 59 El Salvador 2,200 2003 est. 60 Malaysia 2,000 2003 est. 61 Trinidad and Tobago 1,900 2003 est. 62 Ecuador 1,700 2003 est. 63 Argentina 1,500 2003 est. 64 Canada 1,500 2003 est. 65 Chile 1,400 2003 est. 66 Guinea-Bissau 1,200 2001 est. 67 Guyana 1,100 2003 est. 68 Belarus 1,000 2001 est. 69 France 1,000 2003 est. 70 Italy 1,000 2003 est. 71 Spain 1,000 2003 est. 72 Portugal 1,000 2003 est. 73 Germany 1,000 2003 est. 74 Costa Rica 900 2003 est. 75 Jamaica 900 2003 est. 76 Iran 800 2003 est. 77 Egypt 700 2003 est. 78 Djibouti 690 2003 est. 79 Bangladesh 650 2001 est. 80 Gambia, The 600 2003 est. 81 Papua New Guinea 600 2003 est. 82 Paraguay 600 2003 est. 83 Algeria 500 2003 est. 84 Latvia 500 2003 est. 85 Philippines 500 2003 est. 86 Uzbekistan 500 2003 est. 87 Uruguay 500 2003 est. 88 United Kingdom 500 2003 est. 89 Suriname 500 2003 est. 90 Jordan 500 2003 est. 91 Japan 500 2003 est. 92 Equatorial Guinea 370 2001 est. 93 Romania 350 2001 est. 94 Moldova 300 2001 est. 95 Cape Verde 225 96 Armenia 200 2003 est. 97 Lithuania 200 2003 est. 98 Lebanon 200 2003 est. 99 Laos 200 2003 est. 100 Kazakhstan 200 2003 est. 101 Korea, South 200 2003 est. 102 Kyrgyzstan 200 2003 est. 103 Hong Kong 200 2003 est. 104 Georgia 200 2003 est. 105 Fiji 200 2003 est. 106 Tunisia 200 2003 est. 107 Syria 200 2003 est. 108 Singapore 200 2003 est. 109 New Zealand 200 2003 est. 110 Oman 200 2003 est. 111 Mongolia 200 2003 est. 112 Estonia 200 2003 est. 113 Cuba 200 2003 est. 114 Sri Lanka 200 2003 est. 115 Brunei 200 2003 est. 116 Barbados 200 2003 est. 117 Bahamas, The 200 2003 est. 118 Bahrain 200 2003 est. 119 Azerbaijan 100 2001 est. 120 Serbia and Montenegro 100 2003 est. 121 Turkmenistan 100 2004 est. 122 Switzerland 100 2003 est. 123 Sweden 100 2003 est. 124 Slovenia 100 2003 est. 125 Poland 100 2001 est. 126 Norway 100 2003 est. 127 Netherlands 100 2003 est. 128 Malta 100 2003 est. 129 Mauritius 100 2001 est. 130 Macedonia 100 2003 est. 131 Tajikistan 100 2001 est. 132 Luxembourg 100 2003 est. 133 Slovakia 100 2001 est. 134 Israel 100 2001 est. 135 Iceland 100 2003 est. 136 Hungary 100 2001 est. 137 Greece 100 2003 est. 138 Finland 100 2003 est. 139 Bulgaria 100 2001 est. 140 Bosnia and Herzegovina 100 2001 est. 141 Denmark 100 2003 est. 142 Ireland 100 2003 est. 143 Belgium 100 2003 est. 144 Austria 100 2003 est. 145 Czech Republic 10 2001 est. 146 Croatia 10 2001 est. 147 Samoa 3 148 Svalbard 0 2001

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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Rank code: @2173

Rank Country Oil - production(bbl/day) Date of Information

1 World 75,340,000 2001 est. 2 Saudi Arabia 8,711,000 2001 est. 3 United States 8,054,000 2001 est. 4 Russia 7,286,000 2001 est. 5 Iran 3,804,000 2001 est. 6 Mexico 3,590,000 2001 est. 7 Norway 3,408,000 2001 est. 8 China 3,300,000 2001 est. 9 European Union 3,244,000 2001 10 Venezuela 3,080,000 2001 est. 11 Canada 2,738,000 2001 est. 12 United Arab Emirates 2,566,000 2001 est. 13 United Kingdom 2,541,000 2001 est. 14 Kuwait 2,270,000 2003 est. 15 Nigeria 2,256,000 2001 est. 16 Iraq 2,200,000 January 2004 est. 17 Brazil 1,561,000 2001 est. 18 Algeria 1,520,000 2001 est. 19 Indonesia 1,451,000 2001 est. 20 Libya 1,429,000 2001 est. 21 Oman 963,800 2001 est. 22 Qatar 864,200 2001 est. 23 Argentina 828,600 2001 est. 24 Egypt 816,900 2001 est. 25 Kazakhstan 798,200 2001 est. 26 Angola 742,400 2001 est. 27 India 732,400 2001 est. 28 Australia 731,000 2001 est. 29 Malaysia 690,000 2003 est. 30 Colombia 614,400 2001 est. 31 Syria 522,700 2001 est. 32 Yemen 438,500 2001 est. 33 Ecuador 421,200 2001 est. 34 Vietnam 356,700 2001 est. 35 Denmark 346,200 2001 est. 36 Azerbaijan 307,200 2001 est. 37 Gabon 301,300 2001 est. 38 Congo, Republic of the 275,000 2001 est. 39 Brunei 217,200 2001 est. 40 Sudan 209,100 2001 est. 41 South Africa 196,200 2001 est. 42 Equatorial Guinea 181,400 2001 est. 43 Thailand 173,800 2001 est. 44 Turkmenistan 162,500 2001 est. 45 Uzbekistan 142,700 2001 est. 46 Trinidad and Tobago 136,200 2001 est. 47 Romania 127,500 2001 est. 48 Peru 95,100 2001 est. 49 Ukraine 86,490 2001 est. 50 Germany 85,860 2001 est. 51 Italy 79,460 2001 est. 52 Cameroon 76,650 2001 est. 53 Tunisia 72,580 2001 est. 54 Papua New Guinea 67,500 2001 est. 55 Pakistan 62,870 2001 est. 56 Cuba 50,000 2001 est. 57 Turkey 48,000 2001 est. 58 Netherlands 46,200 2001 est. 59 Bolivia 44,340 2001 est. 60 Bahrain 43,000 2001 est. 61 New Zealand 42,160 2001 est. 62 Hungary 41,190 2001 est. 63 Belarus 37,000 2001 est. 64 France 34,920 2001 est. 65 Croatia 29,000 2001 est. 66 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 24,000 2001 est. 67 Guatemala 21,080 2001 est. 68 Austria 20,670 2001 est. 69 Burma 18,590 2002 est. 70 Japan 17,330 2001 est. 71 Poland 17,180 2001 est. 72 Serbia and Montenegro 15,000 2001 est. 73 Chile 13,640 2001 est. 74 Cote d'Ivoire 11,000 2001 est. 75 Suriname 10,000 2001 est. 76 Philippines 8,460 2001 est. 77 Czech Republic 7,419 2001 est. 78 Spain 7,099 2001 est. 79 Ghana 7,000 2001 est. 80 Greece 5,992 2001 est. 81 Albania 5,952 2001 est. 82 Estonia 5,100 2001 est. 83 Lithuania 4,594 2001 est. 84 Bangladesh 3,581 2001 est. 85 Georgia 2,000 2001 est. 86 Kyrgyzstan 2,000 2001 est. 87 Barbados 1,271 2001 est. 88 Taiwan 1,100 2001 est. 89 Slovakia 1,000 2001 est. 90 Benin 700 2001 est. 91 Bulgaria 603 2001 est. 92 Morocco 400 2001 est. 93 Tajikistan 250 2001 est. 94 Israel 80 2001 est. 95 Jordan 40 2001 est. 96 Slovenia 20 2001 est. 97 Aruba 0 2001 est. 98 Afghanistan 0 2001 est. 99 Botswana 0 2001 est. 100 Belgium 0 2001 est. 101 Solomon Islands 0 2001 est. 102 Lesotho 0 2001 est. 103 Liberia 0 2001 est. 104 Latvia 0 2001 est. 105 Lebanon 0 2001 est. 106 Laos 0 2001 est. 107 Korea, South 0 2001 est. 108 Kiribati 0 2001 est. 109 Korea, North 0 2001 est. 110 Kenya 0 2001 est. 111 Zimbabwe 0 2001 est. 112 Zambia 0 2001 est. 113 Swaziland 0 2001 est. 114 Samoa 0 2001 est. 115 Western Sahara 0 2001 est. 116 Namibia 0 2001 est. 117 Virgin Islands 0 2001 est. 118 British Virgin Islands 0 2001 est. 119 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0 2001 est. 120 Uruguay 0 2001 est. 121 Burkina Faso 0 2001 est. 122 Uganda 0 2001 est. 123 Tanzania 0 2001 est. 124 Sao Tome and Principe 0 2001 est. 125 Togo 0 2001 est. 126 Tonga 0 2001 est. 127 Turks and Caicos Islands 0 2001 est. 128 Switzerland 0 2001 est. 129 Sweden 0 2001 est. 130 Saint Lucia 0 2001 est. 131 Somalia 0 2001 est. 132 Singapore 0 2001 est. 133 Sierra Leone 0 2001 est. 134 Saint Helena 0 2001 est. 135 Senegal 0 2001 est. 136 Seychelles 0 2001 est. 137 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0 2001 est. 138 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0 2001 est. 139 Rwanda 0 2001 est. 140 Puerto Rico 0 2001 est. 141 Reunion 0 2001 est. 142 Panama 0 2001 est. 143 Paraguay 0 2001 est. 144 Nicaragua 0 2001 est. 145 Netherlands Antilles 0 2001 est. 146 Nauru 0 2001 est. 147 Nepal 0 2001 est. 148 Vanuatu 0 2001 est. 149 Niger 0 2001 est. 150 Niue 0 2001 est. 151 Guinea-Bissau 0 2001 est. 152 Portugal 0 2001 est. 153 New Caledonia 0 2001 est. 154 Mozambique 0 2001 est. 155 Maldives 0 2001 est. 156 Malta 0 2001 est. 157 Mauritania 0 2001 est. 158 Mauritius 0 2001 est. 159 Mali 0 2001 est. 160 Macedonia 0 2001 est. 161 Malawi 0 2001 est. 162 Montserrat 0 2001 est. 163 Mongolia 0 2001 est. 164 Moldova 0 2001 est. 165 Macau 0 2001 est. 166 Martinique 0 2001 est. 167 Madagascar 0 2001 est. 168 Luxembourg 0 2001 est. 169 Jamaica 0 2001 est. 170 Iceland 0 2001 est. 171 Honduras 0 2001 est. 172 Hong Kong 0 2001 est. 173 Haiti 0 2001 est. 174 Guyana 0 2001 est. 175 Guinea 0 2001 est. 176 French Polynesia 0 2001 est. 177 Faroe Islands 0 2001 est. 178 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0 2001 est. 179 Fiji 0 2001 est. 180 Finland 0 2001 est. 181 French Guiana 0 2001 est. 182 Ethiopia 0 2001 est. 183 El Salvador 0 2001 est. 184 Eritrea 0 2001 est. 185 Guam 0 2001 est. 186 Guadeloupe 0 2001 est. 187 Greenland 0 2001 est. 188 Grenada 0 2001 est. 189 Gibraltar 0 2001 est. 190 Gambia, The 0 2001 est. 191 Ireland 0 2001 est. 192 Dominican Republic 0 2001 est. 193 Dominica 0 2001 est. 194 Djibouti 0 2001 est. 195 Cyprus 0 2001 est. 196 Cook Islands 0 2001 est. 197 Cape Verde 0 2001 est. 198 Central African Republic 0 2001 est. 199 Costa Rica 0 2001 est. 200 Comoros 0 2001 est. 201 Cayman Islands 0 2001 est. 202 Sri Lanka 0 2001 est. 203 Chad 0 2001 est. 204 Cambodia 0 2001 est. 205 Burundi 0 2001 est. 206 Bhutan 0 2001 est. 207 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 2001 est. 208 Belize 0 2001 est. 209 Bahamas, The 0 2001 est. 210 Bermuda 0 2001 est. 211 Armenia 0 2001 est. 212 American Samoa 0 2001 est. 213 Antigua and Barbuda 0 2001 est.

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2174

Rank Country Oil - consumption(bbl/day) Date of Information

1 World 75,810,000 2001 est. 2 United States 19,650,000 2001 est. 3 European Union 14,480,000 2001 4 Japan 5,290,000 2001 est. 5 China 4,570,000 2001 est. 6 Germany 2,813,000 2001 est. 7 Russia 2,595,000 2001 est. 8 Brazil 2,199,000 2001 est. 9 Korea, South 2,140,000 2001 est. 10 India 2,130,000 2001 est. 11 France 2,026,000 2001 est. 12 Italy 1,866,000 2001 est. 13 United Kingdom 1,710,000 2001 est. 14 Canada 1,703,000 2001 est. 15 Mexico 1,507,000 2001 est. 16 Spain 1,497,000 2001 est. 17 Saudi Arabia 1,452,000 2001 est. 18 Iran 1,277,000 2001 est. 19 Indonesia 1,045,000 2001 est. 20 Taiwan 988,000 2001 est. 21 Netherlands 895,300 2001 est. 22 Australia 796,500 2001 est. 23 Thailand 785,000 2001 est. 24 Singapore 700,000 2001 est. 25 Turkey 619,500 2001 est. 26 Belgium 595,100 2001 est. 27 Egypt 562,000 2001 est. 28 Venezuela 505,000 2001 est. 29 Argentina 486,000 2001 est. 30 Iraq 460,000 2001 est. 31 South Africa 460,000 2001 est. 32 Malaysia 460,000 2003 est. 33 Poland 424,100 2001 est. 34 Greece 405,700 2001 est. 35 Pakistan 365,000 2001 est. 36 Philippines 343,000 2001 est. 37 Portugal 339,800 2001 est. 38 Sweden 328,600 2001 est. 39 United Arab Emirates 310,000 2001 est. 40 Kuwait 293,000 2003 est. 41 Switzerland 290,400 2001 est. 42 Ukraine 290,000 2001 est. 43 Nigeria 275,000 2001 est. 44 Syria 265,000 2001 est. 45 Austria 262,400 2001 est. 46 Israel 260,000 2001 est. 47 Hong Kong 257,000 2001 est. 48 Colombia 252,000 2001 est. 49 Chile 241,000 2001 est. 50 Belarus 230,000 2001 est. 51 Denmark 218,000 2001 est. 52 Libya 216,000 2001 est. 53 Romania 215,000 2001 est. 54 Finland 211,400 2001 est. 55 Algeria 209,000 2001 est. 56 Kazakhstan 195,000 2001 est. 57 Puerto Rico 190,000 2001 est. 58 Vietnam 185,000 2001 est. 59 Czech Republic 175,700 2001 est. 60 Ireland 174,400 2001 est. 61 Norway 171,100 2001 est. 62 Morocco 167,000 2001 est. 63 Cuba 163,000 2001 est. 64 Peru 161,000 2001 est. 65 Uzbekistan 142,000 2001 est. 66 Hungary 140,700 2001 est. 67 Azerbaijan 140,000 2001 est. 68 New Zealand 132,700 2001 est. 69 Dominican Republic 129,000 2001 est. 70 Ecuador 129,000 2001 est. 71 Lebanon 107,000 2001 est. 72 Jordan 103,000 2001 est. 73 Bulgaria 94,000 2001 est. 74 Croatia 89,000 2001 est. 75 Tunisia 87,000 2001 est. 76 Korea, North 85,000 2001 est. 77 Slovakia 82,000 2001 est. 78 Sri Lanka 75,000 2001 est. 79 Yemen 74,000 2001 est. 80 Lithuania 72,000 2001 est. 81 Netherlands Antilles 72,000 2001 est. 82 Bangladesh 71,000 2001 est. 83 Jamaica 66,000 2001 est. 84 Virgin Islands 66,000 2001 est. 85 Serbia and Montenegro 64,000 2001 est. 86 Turkmenistan 63,000 2001 est. 87 Guatemala 61,000 2001 est. 88 Kenya 57,000 2001 est. 89 Slovenia 53,300 2001 est. 90 Oman 53,000 2001 est. 91 Panama 52,000 2001 est. 92 Luxembourg 50,650 2001 est. 93 Sudan 50,000 2001 est. 94 Bolivia 49,000 2001 est. 95 Cyprus 49,000 2001 est. 96 Latvia 44,000 2001 est. 97 Gibraltar 42,000 2001 est. 98 Uruguay 41,500 2001 est. 99 El Salvador 39,000 2001 est. 100 Burma 38,000 2001 est. 101 Ghana 38,000 2001 est. 102 Costa Rica 37,000 2001 est. 103 Cote d'Ivoire 32,000 2001 est. 104 Georgia 31,500 2001 est. 105 Angola 31,000 2001 est. 106 Senegal 31,000 2001 est. 107 Bahrain 31,000 2001 est. 108 Honduras 29,000 2001 est. 109 Qatar 29,000 2001 est. 110 Paraguay 25,000 2001 est. 111 Nicaragua 24,500 2001 est. 112 Estonia 24,000 2001 est. 113 Trinidad and Tobago 24,000 2001 est. 114 Moldova 24,000 2001 est. 115 Mauritania 24,000 2001 est. 116 Bahamas, The 23,000 2001 est. 117 Zimbabwe 23,000 2001 est. 118 Ethiopia 23,000 2001 est. 119 Albania 22,400 2001 est. 120 Cameroon 22,000 2001 est. 121 Mauritius 21,000 2001 est. 122 Bosnia and Herzegovina 20,000 2001 est. 123 Malta 20,000 2001 est. 124 Tajikistan 20,000 2001 est. 125 Kyrgyzstan 20,000 2001 est. 126 Macedonia 20,000 2001 est. 127 Guam 20,000 2001 est. 128 Reunion 18,000 2001 est. 129 Tanzania 17,000 2001 est. 130 Iceland 16,300 2001 est. 131 Botswana 16,000 2001 est. 132 Nepal 16,000 2001 est. 133 Papua New Guinea 15,000 2001 est. 134 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 14,000 2001 est. 135 Martinique 13,500 2001 est. 136 Brunei 13,000 2001 est. 137 Madagascar 13,000 2001 est. 138 Guadeloupe 13,000 2001 est. 139 Namibia 13,000 2001 est. 140 Gabon 13,000 2001 est. 141 Benin 11,500 2001 est. 142 Djibouti 11,300 2001 est. 143 Macau 11,190 2001 est. 144 Guyana 11,000 2001 est. 145 Haiti 11,000 2001 est. 146 Zambia 11,000 2001 est. 147 Barbados 10,900 2001 est. 148 Suriname 10,000 2001 est. 149 Togo 10,000 2001 est. 150 Mongolia 8,750 2001 est. 151 Uganda 8,750 2001 est. 152 New Caledonia 8,750 2001 est. 153 Guinea 8,600 2001 est. 154 Mozambique 8,500 2001 est. 155 Burkina Faso 8,000 2001 est. 156 Aruba 6,500 2001 est. 157 Sierra Leone 6,500 2001 est. 158 French Guiana 6,500 2001 est. 159 Eritrea 6,000 2001 est. 160 Armenia 5,700 2001 est. 161 Fiji 5,700 2001 est. 162 Malawi 5,400 2001 est. 163 Rwanda 5,300 2001 est. 164 Belize 5,000 2001 est. 165 Niger 5,000 2001 est. 166 Congo, Republic of the 5,000 2001 est. 167 French Polynesia 4,750 2001 est. 168 Faroe Islands 4,500 2001 est. 169 Bermuda 4,000 2001 est. 170 Mali 4,000 2001 est. 171 Seychelles 4,000 2001 est. 172 Somalia 4,000 2001 est. 173 American Samoa 3,800 2001 est. 174 Greenland 3,700 2001 est. 175 Antigua and Barbuda 3,600 2001 est. 176 Cambodia 3,600 2001 est. 177 Afghanistan 3,500 2001 est. 178 Swaziland 3,500 2001 est. 179 Maldives 3,200 2001 est. 180 Liberia 3,100 2001 est. 181 Burundi 2,750 2001 est. 182 Laos 2,750 2001 est. 183 Guinea-Bissau 2,500 2001 est. 184 Cayman Islands 2,400 2001 est. 185 Saint Lucia 2,400 2001 est. 186 Central African Republic 2,400 2001 est. 187 Cape Verde 2,000 2001 est. 188 Equatorial Guinea 2,000 2001 est. 189 Gambia, The 1,900 2001 est. 190 Western Sahara 1,800 2001 est. 191 Chad 1,500 2001 est. 192 Lesotho 1,500 2001 193 Solomon Islands 1,250 2001 est. 194 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1,250 2001 est. 195 Bhutan 1,020 2001 est. 196 Grenada 1,000 2001 est. 197 Tonga 1,000 2001 est. 198 Samoa 1,000 2001 est. 199 Nauru 1,000 2001 est. 200 Saint Kitts and Nevis 710 2001 est. 201 Comoros 700 2001 est. 202 Sao Tome and Principe 700 2001 est. 203 Dominica 600 2001 est. 204 Vanuatu 600 2001 est. 205 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 600 2001 est. 206 Cook Islands 450 2001 est. 207 British Virgin Islands 420 2001 est. 208 Montserrat 400 2001 est. 209 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 200 2001 est. 210 Saint Helena 200 2001 est. 211 Kiribati 190 2001 est. 212 Niue 20 2001 est. 213 Turks and Caicos Islands 0 2001 est.

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2175

Rank Country Oil - imports(bbl/day) Date of Information

1 European Union 16,970,000 2001 2 Japan 5,449,000 2001 3 Germany 3,081,000 2001 4 Korea, South 2,965,000 2001 5 Netherlands 2,284,000 2001 6 France 2,281,000 2001 7 Italy 2,158,000 2001 8 Spain 1,582,000 2001 9 United Kingdom 1,418,000 2001 10 China 1,207,000 2001 11 Canada 1,145,000 2001 12 Belgium 1,042,000 2001 13 Turkey 616,500 2001 14 Sweden 553,100 2001 15 Australia 530,800 2001 16 Greece 468,300 2001 17 Poland 413,700 2001 18 Mexico 374,700 2001 19 Portugal 357,300 2001 20 Finland 318,300 2001 21 Switzerland 289,500 2001 22 Austria 262,000 2001 23 Denmark 195,000 2001 24 Czech Republic 192,300 2001 25 Ireland 178,600 2001 26 Hungary 136,600 2001 27 New Zealand 119,700 2001 28 Norway 88,870 2001 29 Luxembourg 50,700 2001 30 Iceland 15,470 2001 31 Saudi Arabia 0 2003

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2176

Rank Country Oil - exports(bbl/day) Date of Information

1 Saudi Arabia 7,920,000 2003 2 European Union 6,429,000 2001 3 Norway 3,466,000 2001 4 United Kingdom 2,205,000 2001 5 Iran 2,200,000 2003 6 Canada 2,008,000 2001 7 Kuwait 1,970,000 2003 8 Mexico 1,881,000 2001 9 Iraq 1,700,000 January 2004 10 Netherlands 1,418,000 2001 11 Korea, South 804,700 2001 12 Australia 523,400 2001 13 Italy 456,600 2001 14 Belgium 450,000 2001 15 France 409,600 2001 16 Germany 404,300 2001 17 Denmark 332,100 2001 18 Malaysia 230,200 2003 19 Sweden 203,700 2001 20 China 151,200 2001 21 Spain 135,100 2001 22 Finland 101,000 2001 23 Japan 93,360 2001 24 Greece 84,720 2001 25 Poland 53,000 2001 26 Hungary 47,180 2001 27 Turkey 46,110 2001 28 Austria 35,470 2001 29 New Zealand 30,220 2001 30 Portugal 28,830 2001 31 Ireland 27,450 2001 32 Czech Republic 26,670 2001 33 Switzerland 10,420 2001 34 Luxembourg 634 2001 35 Iceland 0 2001

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2178

Rank Country Oil - proved reserves(bbl) Date of Information

1 World 1,025,000,000,000 1 January 2002 2 Saudi Arabia 261,700,000,000 1 January 2002 3 Iraq 113,800,000,000 1 January 2002 4 Kuwait 97,680,000,000 1 January 2002 5 Iran 94,390,000,000 1 January 2002 6 United Arab Emirates 80,310,000,000 1 January 2002 7 Venezuela 63,950,000,000 1 January 2002 8 Russia 51,220,000,000 1 January 2002 9 Libya 29,750,000,000 1 January 2002 10 Nigeria 27,000,000,000 1 January 2002 11 China 26,750,000,000 1 January 2002 12 United States 22,450,000,000 1 January 2002 13 Mexico 15,110,000,000 1 January 2003 14 Qatar 14,510,000,000 1 January 2002 15 Algeria 13,100,000,000 1 January 2002 16 Norway 9,859,000,000 1 January 2002 17 Brazil 8,507,000,000 1 January 2002 18 European Union 7,467,000,000 1 January 2002 19 Indonesia 7,083,000,000 1 January 2002 20 Oman 5,703,000,000 1 January 2002 21 Angola 5,691,000,000 1 January 2002 22 Canada 5,112,000,000 1 January 2002 23 United Kingdom 4,741,000,000 1 January 2002 24 India 4,330,000,000 1 January 2002 25 Malaysia 3,729,000,000 1 January 2002 26 Australia 3,664,000,000 1 January 2002 27 Egypt 3,308,000,000 1 January 2002 28 Yemen 3,200,000,000 1 January 2002 29 Argentina 2,927,000,000 1 January 2002 30 Kazakhstan 2,709,000,000 1 January 2002 31 Gabon 2,450,000,000 1 January 2002 32 Syria 2,400,000,000 1 January 2002 33 Ecuador 2,358,000,000 1 January 2002 34 Colombia 1,800,000,000 1 January 2002 35 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1,538,000,000 1 January 2002 36 Vietnam 1,400,000,000 1 January 2002 37 Brunei 1,255,000,000 1 January 2002 38 Denmark 1,230,000,000 1 January 2002 39 Romania 1,055,000,000 1 January 2002 40 Trinidad and Tobago 990,000,000 1 January 2004 41 Sudan 631,500,000 1 January 2002 42 Peru 614,700,000 1 January 2002 43 Thailand 600,000,000 1 January 2003 44 Azerbaijan 589,000,000 1 January 2002 45 Italy 586,600,000 1 January 2002 46 Equatorial Guinea 563,500,000 1 January 2002 47 Cuba 532,000,000 1 January 2002 48 Bolivia 458,800,000 1 January 2002 49 Tunisia 417,000,000 1 January 2002 50 Papua New Guinea 345,200,000 1 January 2002 51 Germany 327,300,000 1 January 2002 52 Pakistan 297,100,000 1 January 2002 53 Uzbekistan 297,000,000 1 January 2002 54 Turkey 288,400,000 1 January 2002 55 Turkmenistan 273,000,000 1 January 2002 56 Guatemala 263,000,000 1 January 2002 57 Cameroon 200,000,000 1 January 2002 58 Ukraine 197,500,000 1 January 2002 59 Albania 185,500,000 1 January 2002 60 Philippines 164,000,000 1 January 2002 61 France 144,300,000 1 January 2002 62 Bahrain 125,000,000 1 January 2003 63 Poland 116,400,000 1 January 2002 64 Burma 115,000,000 1 January 2003 65 Hungary 110,700,000 1 January 2002 66 Croatia 93,600,000 1 January 2002 67 Congo, Republic of the 93,500,000 1 January 2002 68 New Zealand 89,620,000 1 January 2002 69 Netherlands 88,060,000 1 January 2002 70 Austria 85,690,000 1 January 2002 71 Chile 81,050,000 1 January 2002 72 Cote d'Ivoire 50,000,000 1 January 2002 73 Serbia and Montenegro 38,750,000 1 January 2002 74 Suriname 37,000,000 1 January 2002 75 Japan 29,290,000 1 January 2002 76 Bangladesh 28,450,000 1 January 2002 77 Czech Republic 17,250,000 1 January 2002 78 Spain 10,500,000 1 January 2002 79 Ghana 8,255,000 1 January 2002 80 Bulgaria 8,100,000 1 January 2002 81 South Africa 7,840,000 1 January 2002 82 Greece 4,500,000 1 January 2002 83 Slovakia 4,500,000 1 January 2002 84 Benin 4,105,000 1 January 2002 85 Taiwan 2,000,000 1 January 2002 86 Israel 1,920,000 1 January 2002 87 Barbados 1,254,000 1 January 2002 88 Morocco 900,000 1 January 2002 89 Jordan 445,000 1 January 2002 90 Ethiopia 214,000 1 January 2002 91 Afghanistan 0 1 January 2002 92 Rwanda 0 1 January 2002 93 Tanzania 0 1 January 2002 94 Namibia 0 1 January 2002 95 Somalia 0 1 January 2002 96 Mozambique 0 1 January 2002 97 Ireland 0 1 January 2002 98 Madagascar 0 1 January 2002

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2179

Rank Country Natural gas - proved reserves(cu m) Date of Information

1 World 161,200,000,000,000 1 January 2002 2 Russia 47,860,000,000,000 1 January 2002 3 Iran 24,800,000,000,000 1 January 2002 4 Qatar 17,930,000,000,000 1 January 2002 5 Saudi Arabia 6,339,000,000,000 1 January 2002 6 United Arab Emirates 5,892,000,000,000 1 January 2002 7 United States 5,195,000,000,000 1 January 2002 8 Algeria 4,739,000,000,000 1 January 2002 9 Venezuela 4,202,000,000,000 1 January 2002 10 Nigeria 4,007,000,000,000 1 January 2002 11 European Union 3,262,000,000,000 1 January 2002 12 Iraq 3,149,000,000,000 1 January 2002 13 Indonesia 2,549,000,000,000 1 January 2002 14 Australia 2,407,000,000,000 1 January 2002 15 Malaysia 2,230,000,000,000 1 January 2002 16 Norway 1,716,000,000,000 1 January 2002 17 Netherlands 1,693,000,000,000 1 January 2002 18 Canada 1,691,000,000,000 1 January 2002 19 Kuwait 1,548,000,000,000 1 January 2002 20 Turkmenistan 1,430,000,000,000 1 January 2002 21 Libya 1,321,000,000,000 1 January 2002 22 China 1,290,000,000,000 1 January 2002 23 Egypt 1,264,000,000,000 1 January 2002 24 Mexico 969,200,000,000 1 January 2003 25 Uzbekistan 937,300,000,000 1 January 2002 26 Kazakhstan 920,300,000,000 1 January 2002 27 Oman 846,400,000,000 1 January 2002 28 Argentina 768,000,000,000 1 January 2002 29 Bolivia 727,200,000,000 1 January 2002 30 United Kingdom 714,900,000,000 1 January 2002 31 Pakistan 695,600,000,000 1 January 2002 32 Trinidad and Tobago 589,000,000,000 1 January 2004 33 Ukraine 560,700,000,000 1 January 2002 34 India 542,400,000,000 1 January 2002 35 Yemen 480,000,000,000 1 January 2002 36 Papua New Guinea 385,500,000,000 1 January 2002 37 Thailand 368,200,000,000 1 January 2003 38 Brunei 315,000,000,000 1 January 2002 39 Burma 314,400,000,000 1 January 2003 40 Germany 298,300,000,000 1 January 2002 41 Peru 245,100,000,000 1 January 2002 42 Syria 240,700,000,000 1 January 2002 43 Brazil 221,700,000,000 1 January 2002 44 Italy 209,700,000,000 1 January 2002 45 Vietnam 192,600,000,000 1 January 2002 46 Poland 154,400,000,000 1 January 2002 47 Bangladesh 150,300,000,000 1 January 2002 48 Colombia 132,000,000,000 1 January 2002 49 Romania 111,100,000,000 1 January 2002 50 Ecuador 106,500,000,000 1 January 2002 51 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 104,800,000,000 1 January 2002 52 Philippines 104,600,000,000 1 January 2002 53 Sudan 99,110,000,000 1 January 2002 54 Denmark 81,980,000,000 1 January 2002 55 Angola 79,570,000,000 1 January 2002 56 Tunisia 77,160,000,000 1 January 2002 57 Equatorial Guinea 68,530,000,000 1 January 2002 58 Chile 67,780,000,000 1 January 2002 59 Gabon 66,470,000,000 1 January 2002 60 Mozambique 63,710,000,000 1 January 2002 61 Azerbaijan 62,300,000,000 1 January 2002 62 New Zealand 58,940,000,000 1 January 2002 63 Cameroon 55,220,000,000 1 January 2002 64 Hungary 50,450,000,000 1 January 2002 65 Afghanistan 49,980,000,000 1 January 2002 66 Bahrain 46,000,000,000 1 January 2003 67 Cuba 42,620,000,000 1 January 2002 68 Taiwan 38,230,000,000 1 January 2002 69 Croatia 34,360,000,000 1 January 2002 70 Namibia 31,150,000,000 1 January 2002 71 Rwanda 28,320,000,000 1 January 2002 72 Austria 24,900,000,000 1 January 2002 73 Serbia and Montenegro 24,070,000,000 1 January 2002 74 Israel 20,810,000,000 1 January 2002 75 Japan 20,020,000,000 1 January 2002 76 Cote d'Ivoire 14,870,000,000 1 January 2002 77 South Africa 14,160,000,000 1 January 2002 78 France 12,860,000,000 1 January 2002 79 Ethiopia 12,460,000,000 1 January 2002 80 Ghana 11,890,000,000 1 January 2002 81 Tanzania 11,330,000,000 1 January 2002 82 Ireland 9,911,000,000 1 January 2002 83 Turkey 8,685,000,000 1 January 2002 84 Slovakia 7,504,000,000 1 January 2002 85 Bulgaria 3,724,000,000 1 January 2002 86 Albania 3,316,000,000 1 January 2002 87 Jordan 3,256,000,000 1 January 2002 88 Czech Republic 3,057,000,000 1 January 2002 89 Somalia 2,832,000,000 1 January 2002 90 Guatemala 1,543,000,000 1 January 2002 91 Morocco 665,400,000 1 January 2002 92 Benin 608,800,000 1 January 2002 93 Congo, Republic of the 495,500,000 1 January 2002 94 Greece 254,900,000 1 January 2002 95 Spain 254,900,000 1 January 2002 96 Barbados 70,790,000 1 January 2002 97 Madagascar 0 1 January 2002 98 Suriname 0 1 January 2002

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2180

Rank Country Natural gas - production(cu m) Date of Information

1 World 2,578,000,000,000 2001 est. 2 Russia 580,800,000,000 2001 est. 3 United States 548,100,000,000 2001 est. 4 European Union 243,800,000,000 2001 5 Canada 186,800,000,000 2001 est. 6 United Kingdom 105,900,000,000 2001 est. 7 Algeria 80,300,000,000 2001 est. 8 Netherlands 77,750,000,000 2001 est. 9 Indonesia 69,000,000,000 2001 est. 10 Uzbekistan 63,100,000,000 2001 est. 11 Iran 61,500,000,000 2001 est. 12 Norway 54,600,000,000 2001 est. 13 Saudi Arabia 53,690,000,000 2001 est. 14 Malaysia 53,660,000,000 2001 est. 15 Turkmenistan 48,200,000,000 2001 est. 16 United Arab Emirates 44,940,000,000 2001 est. 17 Argentina 37,150,000,000 2001 est. 18 Mexico 36,870,000,000 2001 est. 19 Australia 33,080,000,000 2001 est. 20 Qatar 32,400,000,000 2001 est. 21 Venezuela 31,710,000,000 2001 est. 22 China 30,300,000,000 2001 est. 23 Trinidad and Tobago 25,000,000,000 2003 est. 24 Pakistan 23,400,000,000 2001 est. 25 India 22,750,000,000 2001 est. 26 Germany 22,160,000,000 2001 est. 27 Egypt 21,200,000,000 2001 est. 28 Thailand 18,730,000,000 2001 est. 29 Ukraine 18,200,000,000 2001 est. 30 Nigeria 15,680,000,000 2001 est. 31 Italy 15,490,000,000 2001 est. 32 Romania 14,300,000,000 2001 est. 33 Oman 13,770,000,000 2001 est. 34 Brunei 10,350,000,000 2001 est. 35 Kazakhstan 10,080,000,000 2001 est. 36 Bangladesh 9,900,000,000 2001 est. 37 Bahrain 8,900,000,000 2001 est. 38 Kuwait 8,700,000,000 2002 est. 39 Denmark 8,380,000,000 2001 est. 40 Burma 7,350,000,000 2001 est. 41 New Zealand 6,504,000,000 2001 est. 42 Libya 6,180,000,000 2001 est. 43 Brazil 5,950,000,000 2001 est. 44 Syria 5,840,000,000 2001 est. 45 Azerbaijan 5,720,000,000 2001 est. 46 Colombia 5,700,000,000 2001 est. 47 Poland 5,471,000,000 2001 est. 48 Bolivia 4,050,000,000 2001 est. 49 Hungary 3,231,000,000 2001 est. 50 Iraq 2,760,000,000 2001 est. 51 Japan 2,519,000,000 2001 est. 52 Tunisia 2,250,000,000 2001 est. 53 France 1,898,000,000 2001 est. 54 South Africa 1,800,000,000 2001 est. 55 Croatia 1,760,000,000 2001 est. 56 Austria 1,731,000,000 2001 est. 57 Cote d'Ivoire 1,350,000,000 2001 est. 58 Vietnam 1,300,000,000 2001 est. 59 Chile 1,200,000,000 2001 est. 60 Ireland 815,000,000 2001 est. 61 Taiwan 750,000,000 2001 est. 62 Serbia and Montenegro 602,000,000 2001 est. 63 Cuba 600,000,000 2001 est. 64 Angola 530,000,000 2001 est. 65 Spain 516,000,000 2001 est. 66 Peru 370,000,000 2001 est. 67 Turkey 312,000,000 2001 est. 68 Slovakia 292,000,000 2001 est. 69 Jordan 290,000,000 2001 est. 70 Afghanistan 220,000,000 2001 est. 71 Belarus 200,000,000 2001 est. 72 Ecuador 160,000,000 2001 est. 73 Czech Republic 160,000,000 2001 est. 74 Papua New Guinea 110,000,000 2001 est. 75 Gabon 80,000,000 2001 est. 76 Georgia 60,000,000 2001 est. 77 Mozambique 60,000,000 2001 est. 78 Morocco 50,000,000 2001 est. 79 Tajikistan 50,000,000 2001 est. 80 Senegal 50,000,000 2001 est. 81 Greece 35,000,000 2001 est. 82 Albania 30,000,000 2001 est. 83 Barbados 29,170,000 2001 est. 84 Equatorial Guinea 20,000,000 2001 est. 85 Kyrgyzstan 16,000,000 2001 est. 86 Israel 10,000,000 2001 est. 87 Philippines 10,000,000 2001 est. 88 Bulgaria 4,000,000 2001 est. 89 Armenia 0 2001 est. 90 Estonia 0 2001 est. 91 Latvia 0 2001 est. 92 Yemen 0 2001 est. 93 Uruguay 0 2001 est. 94 Switzerland 0 2001 est. 95 Sweden 0 2001 est. 96 Singapore 0 2001 est. 97 Slovenia 0 2001 est. 98 Puerto Rico 0 2001 est. 99 Portugal 0 2001 est. 100 Moldova 0 2001 est. 101 Luxembourg 0 2001 est. 102 Lithuania 0 2001 est. 103 Korea, South 0 2001 est. 104 Hong Kong 0 2001 est. 105 Finland 0 2001 est. 106 Belgium 0 2001 est. 107 Cameroon 0 2001 est. 108 Congo, Republic of the 0 2001 est. 109 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 2001 est.

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2181

Rank Country Natural gas - consumption(cu m) Date of Information

1 World 2,555,000,000,000 2001 est. 2 United States 640,900,000,000 2001 est. 3 European Union 463,600,000,000 2001 4 Russia 408,100,000,000 2001 est. 5 Germany 94,340,000,000 2001 est. 6 United Kingdom 92,850,000,000 2001 est. 7 Canada 82,250,000,000 2001 est. 8 Japan 80,420,000,000 2001 est. 9 Ukraine 74,100,000,000 2001 est. 10 Italy 71,180,000,000 2001 est. 11 Iran 65,590,000,000 2001 est. 12 Saudi Arabia 53,690,000,000 2001 est. 13 Netherlands 49,720,000,000 2001 est. 14 Uzbekistan 45,200,000,000 2001 est. 15 France 42,010,000,000 2001 est. 16 Mexico 38,840,000,000 2001 est. 17 United Arab Emirates 37,860,000,000 2001 est. 18 Indonesia 36,200,000,000 2001 est. 19 Venezuela 31,710,000,000 2001 est. 20 Malaysia 31,250,000,000 2001 est. 21 Argentina 31,100,000,000 2001 est. 22 China 27,400,000,000 2001 est. 23 Thailand 23,930,000,000 2001 est. 24 Pakistan 23,400,000,000 2001 est. 25 Australia 23,330,000,000 2001 est. 26 India 22,750,000,000 2001 est. 27 Algeria 22,320,000,000 2001 est. 28 Egypt 21,200,000,000 2001 est. 29 Korea, South 20,920,000,000 2001 est. 30 Romania 19,700,000,000 2001 est. 31 Belarus 18,000,000,000 2001 est. 32 Spain 17,960,000,000 2001 est. 33 Turkey 15,940,000,000 2001 est. 34 Qatar 15,860,000,000 2001 est. 35 Belgium 15,500,000,000 2001 est. 36 Kazakhstan 14,300,000,000 2001 est. 37 Poland 13,850,000,000 2001 est. 38 Trinidad and Tobago 13,760,000,000 2003 est. 39 Hungary 13,370,000,000 2001 est. 40 Bangladesh 9,900,000,000 2001 est. 41 Czech Republic 9,892,000,000 2001 est. 42 Turkmenistan 9,600,000,000 2001 est. 43 Brazil 9,590,000,000 2001 est. 44 Bahrain 8,900,000,000 2001 est. 45 Kuwait 8,700,000,000 2002 est. 46 Slovakia 7,932,000,000 2001 est. 47 Nigeria 7,850,000,000 2001 est. 48 Austria 7,810,000,000 2001 est. 49 Azerbaijan 6,720,000,000 2001 est. 50 Taiwan 6,640,000,000 2001 est. 51 New Zealand 6,504,000,000 2001 est. 52 Chile 6,470,000,000 2001 est. 53 Oman 6,340,000,000 2001 est. 54 Syria 5,840,000,000 2001 est. 55 Bulgaria 5,804,000,000 2001 est. 56 Colombia 5,700,000,000 2001 est. 57 Libya 5,410,000,000 2001 est. 58 Denmark 5,280,000,000 2001 est. 59 Finland 4,557,000,000 2001 est. 60 Ireland 4,199,000,000 2001 est. 61 Norway 4,100,000,000 2001 est. 62 Tunisia 3,830,000,000 2001 est. 63 Switzerland 3,093,000,000 2001 est. 64 Croatia 2,840,000,000 2001 est. 65 Iraq 2,760,000,000 2001 est. 66 Lithuania 2,760,000,000 2001 est. 67 Portugal 2,542,000,000 2001 est. 68 Singapore 2,500,000,000 2001 est. 69 Burma 2,150,000,000 2001 est. 70 Moldova 2,050,000,000 2001 est. 71 Greece 2,021,000,000 2001 est. 72 Kyrgyzstan 2,016,000,000 2001 est. 73 South Africa 1,800,000,000 2001 est. 74 Latvia 1,700,000,000 2001 est. 75 Armenia 1,400,000,000 2001 est. 76 Brunei 1,350,000,000 2001 est. 77 Cote d'Ivoire 1,350,000,000 2001 est. 78 Tajikistan 1,300,000,000 2001 est. 79 Vietnam 1,300,000,000 2001 est. 80 Estonia 1,270,000,000 2001 est. 81 Georgia 1,160,000,000 2001 est. 82 Bolivia 1,150,000,000 2001 est. 83 Slovenia 1,040,000,000 2001 est. 84 Sweden 949,000,000 2001 est. 85 Luxembourg 865,000,000 2001 est. 86 Hong Kong 680,900,000 2001 est. 87 Puerto Rico 630,000,000 2001 est. 88 Serbia and Montenegro 602,000,000 2001 est. 89 Cuba 600,000,000 2001 est. 90 Angola 530,000,000 2001 est. 91 Peru 370,000,000 2001 est. 92 Bosnia and Herzegovina 300,000,000 2001 est. 93 Jordan 290,000,000 2001 est. 94 Afghanistan 220,000,000 2001 est. 95 Ecuador 160,000,000 2001 est. 96 Papua New Guinea 110,000,000 2001 est. 97 Gabon 80,000,000 2001 est. 98 Mozambique 60,000,000 2001 est. 99 Morocco 50,000,000 2001 est. 100 Senegal 50,000,000 2001 est. 101 Uruguay 40,000,000 2001 est. 102 Albania 30,000,000 2001 est. 103 Barbados 29,170,000 2001 est. 104 Equatorial Guinea 20,000,000 2001 est. 105 Israel 10,000,000 2001 est. 106 Philippines 10,000,000 2001 est. 107 Congo, Republic of the 0 2001 est. 108 Cameroon 0 2001 est. 109 Yemen 0 2001 est.

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2182

Rank Country Natural gas - imports(cu m) Date of Information

1 World 697,500,000,000 2001 est. 2 European Union 292,200,000,000 2001 3 United States 114,100,000,000 2001 est. 4 Germany 78,730,000,000 2001 est. 5 Japan 77,730,000,000 2001 est. 6 Ukraine 55,900,000,000 2001 est. 7 Italy 54,780,000,000 2001 est. 8 France 40,260,000,000 2001 est. 9 Russia 32,700,000,000 2001 est. 10 Korea, South 21,110,000,000 2001 est. 11 Netherlands 20,780,000,000 2001 est. 12 Belarus 17,800,000,000 2001 est. 13 Spain 17,260,000,000 2001 est. 14 Turkey 15,750,000,000 2001 est. 15 Belgium 15,400,000,000 2001 est. 16 Hungary 9,587,000,000 2001 est. 17 Czech Republic 9,521,000,000 2001 est. 18 Poland 8,782,000,000 2001 est. 19 Kazakhstan 8,300,000,000 2001 est. 20 Slovakia 7,205,000,000 2001 est. 21 Taiwan 6,300,000,000 2001 est. 22 Austria 6,033,000,000 2001 est. 23 Bulgaria 5,800,000,000 2001 est. 24 Romania 5,400,000,000 2001 est. 25 Chile 5,270,000,000 2001 est. 26 Thailand 5,200,000,000 2001 est. 27 Finland 4,567,000,000 2001 est. 28 Canada 4,460,000,000 2001 est. 29 Iran 4,200,000,000 2001 est. 30 Brazil 3,640,000,000 2001 est. 31 Ireland 3,384,000,000 2001 est. 32 Switzerland 3,093,000,000 2001 est. 33 Mexico 2,967,000,000 2001 est. 34 Lithuania 2,760,000,000 2001 est. 35 United Kingdom 2,700,000,000 2001 est. 36 Portugal 2,553,000,000 2001 est. 37 Singapore 2,500,000,000 2001 est. 38 Moldova 2,050,000,000 2001 est. 39 Greece 2,018,000,000 2001 est. 40 Kyrgyzstan 2,000,000,000 2001 est. 41 Latvia 1,700,000,000 2001 est. 42 Tunisia 1,580,000,000 2001 est. 43 Armenia 1,400,000,000 2001 est. 44 Estonia 1,270,000,000 2001 est. 45 Tajikistan 1,250,000,000 2001 est. 46 Georgia 1,100,000,000 2001 est. 47 Croatia 1,080,000,000 2001 est. 48 Slovenia 1,040,000,000 2001 est. 49 Azerbaijan 1,000,000,000 2001 est. 50 Sweden 968,000,000 2001 est. 51 Luxembourg 867,000,000 2001 est. 52 Hong Kong 680,900,000 2001 est. 53 Puerto Rico 630,000,000 2001 est. 54 Bosnia and Herzegovina 300,000,000 2001 est. 55 Uruguay 40,000,000 2001 est. 56 United Arab Emirates 0 2001 est. 57 Afghanistan 0 2001 est. 58 Argentina 0 2001 est. 59 Bolivia 0 2001 est. 60 Senegal 0 2001 est. 61 South Africa 0 2001 est. 62 Saudi Arabia 0 2001 est. 63 Philippines 0 2001 est. 64 Qatar 0 2001 est. 65 Papua New Guinea 0 2001 est. 66 Pakistan 0 2001 est. 67 Peru 0 2001 est. 68 New Zealand 0 2001 est. 69 Yemen 0 2001 est. 70 Serbia and Montenegro 0 2001 est. 71 Vietnam 0 2001 est. 72 Venezuela 0 2001 est. 73 Uzbekistan 0 2001 est. 74 Turkmenistan 0 2001 est. 75 Trinidad and Tobago 0 2001 est. 76 Syria 0 2001 est. 77 Norway 0 2001 est. 78 Nigeria 0 2001 est. 79 Mozambique 0 2001 est. 80 Malaysia 0 2001 est. 81 Oman 0 2001 est. 82 Morocco 0 2001 est. 83 Libya 0 2001 est. 84 Kuwait 0 2002 est. 85 Jordan 0 2001 est. 86 Iraq 0 2001 est. 87 Cote d'Ivoire 0 2001 est. 88 Israel 0 2001 est. 89 India 0 2001 est. 90 Indonesia 0 2001 est. 91 Gabon 0 2001 est. 92 Ecuador 0 2001 est. 93 Denmark 0 2001 est. 94 Cuba 0 2001 est. 95 Colombia 0 2001 est. 96 Cameroon 0 2001 est. 97 China 0 2001 est. 98 Congo, Republic of the 0 2001 est. 99 Brunei 0 2001 est. 100 Burma 0 2001 est. 101 Equatorial Guinea 0 2001 est. 102 Egypt 0 2001 est. 103 Bangladesh 0 2001 est. 104 Barbados 0 2001 est. 105 Bahrain 0 2001 est. 106 Australia 0 2001 est. 107 Angola 0 2001 est. 108 Albania 0 2001 est. 109 Algeria 0 2001 est.

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2183

Rank Country Natural gas - exports(cu m) Date of Information

1 World 712,000,000,000 2001 est. 2 Russia 205,400,000,000 2001 est. 3 Canada 109,000,000,000 2001 est. 4 European Union 77,040,000,000 2001 5 Algeria 57,980,000,000 2001 est. 6 Norway 50,500,000,000 2001 est. 7 Netherlands 49,280,000,000 2001 est. 8 Turkmenistan 38,600,000,000 2001 est. 9 Indonesia 32,800,000,000 2001 est. 10 Malaysia 22,410,000,000 2001 est. 11 Uzbekistan 17,900,000,000 2001 est. 12 Qatar 16,540,000,000 2001 est. 13 United Kingdom 15,750,000,000 2001 est. 14 Trinidad and Tobago 11,790,000,000 2003 est. 15 United States 11,160,000,000 2001 est. 16 Australia 9,744,000,000 2001 est. 17 Brunei 9,000,000,000 2001 est. 18 Nigeria 7,830,000,000 2001 est. 19 Oman 7,430,000,000 2001 est. 20 United Arab Emirates 7,080,000,000 2001 est. 21 Germany 6,674,000,000 2001 est. 22 Argentina 6,050,000,000 2001 est. 23 Burma 5,200,000,000 2001 est. 24 Kazakhstan 4,100,000,000 2001 est. 25 Denmark 3,100,000,000 2001 est. 26 Bolivia 2,900,000,000 2001 est. 27 France 1,725,000,000 2001 est. 28 Libya 770,000,000 2001 est. 29 Taiwan 410,000,000 2001 est. 30 Austria 403,000,000 2001 est. 31 Mexico 254,000,000 2001 est. 32 Iran 110,000,000 2001 est. 33 Italy 61,000,000 2001 est. 34 Poland 41,000,000 2001 est. 35 Hungary 4,000,000 2001 est. 36 Czech Republic 1,000,000 2001 est. 37 Afghanistan 0 2001 est. 38 Barbados 0 2001 est. 39 Bangladesh 0 2001 est. 40 Cuba 0 2001 est. 41 Colombia 0 2001 est. 42 Cameroon 0 2001 est. 43 Chile 0 2001 est. 44 China 0 2001 est. 45 Congo, Republic of the 0 2001 est. 46 Bulgaria 0 2001 est. 47 Brazil 0 2001 est. 48 Belarus 0 2001 est. 49 Moldova 0 2001 est. 50 Luxembourg 0 2001 est. 51 Slovakia 0 2001 est. 52 Lithuania 0 2001 est. 53 Latvia 0 2001 est. 54 Kuwait 0 2002 est. 55 Korea, South 0 2001 est. 56 Kyrgyzstan 0 2001 est. 57 Jordan 0 2001 est. 58 Vietnam 0 2001 est. 59 Venezuela 0 2001 est. 60 Uruguay 0 2001 est. 61 Ukraine 0 2001 est. 62 Turkey 0 2001 est. 63 Tunisia 0 2001 est. 64 Tajikistan 0 2001 est. 65 Thailand 0 2001 est. 66 Sweden 0 2001 est. 67 Yemen 0 2001 est. 68 Serbia and Montenegro 0 2001 est. 69 Spain 0 2001 est. 70 Singapore 0 2001 est. 71 Slovenia 0 2001 est. 72 Senegal 0 2001 est. 73 South Africa 0 2001 est. 74 Saudi Arabia 0 2001 est. 75 Puerto Rico 0 2001 est. 76 Philippines 0 2001 est. 77 Switzerland 0 2001 est. 78 Syria 0 2001 est. 79 Romania 0 2001 est. 80 Papua New Guinea 0 2001 est. 81 Portugal 0 2001 est. 82 Pakistan 0 2001 est. 83 Peru 0 2001 est. 84 New Zealand 0 2001 est. 85 Mozambique 0 2001 est. 86 Morocco 0 2001 est. 87 Japan 0 2001 est. 88 Iraq 0 2001 est. 89 Cote d'Ivoire 0 2001 est. 90 Israel 0 2001 est. 91 India 0 2001 est. 92 Croatia 0 2001 est. 93 Hong Kong 0 2001 est. 94 Greece 0 2001 est. 95 Georgia 0 2001 est. 96 Gabon 0 2001 est. 97 Finland 0 2001 est. 98 Estonia 0 2001 est. 99 Equatorial Guinea 0 2001 est. 100 Ireland 0 2001 est. 101 Egypt 0 2001 est. 102 Ecuador 0 2001 est. 103 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 2001 est. 104 Belgium 0 2001 est. 105 Bahrain 0 2001 est. 106 Azerbaijan 0 2001 est. 107 Albania 0 2001 est. 108 Armenia 0 2001 est. 109 Angola 0 2001 est.

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2184

Rank Country Internet hosts Date of Information

1 United States 115,311,958 2002 2 European Union 22,000,414 3 Japan 12,962,065 2003 4 Netherlands 4,518,226 2004 5 United Kingdom 3,398,708 2004 6 Canada 3,210,081 2003 7 Brazil 3,163,349 2003 8 Australia 2,847,763 2003 9 Taiwan 2,777,085 2003 10 Germany 2,686,119 2004 11 France 2,396,761 2004 12 Italy 1,437,511 2004 13 Mexico 1,333,406 2003 14 Denmark 1,219,925 2004 15 Finland 1,219,173 2004 16 Spain 1,056,950 2004 17 Sweden 945,221 2004 18 Poland 804,915 2004 19 Argentina 742,358 2003 20 Korea, South 694,206 2001 21 Switzerland 667,275 2004 22 Norway 593,850 2004 23 Hong Kong 591,993 2003 24 Russia 560,874 2004 25 Singapore 484,825 2003 26 New Zealand 474,395 2003 27 Israel 437,516 2004 28 Austria 387,006 2004 29 Hungary 383,071 2004 30 Turkey 355,215 2004 31 Portugal 346,078 2004 32 Czech Republic 295,677 2004 33 South Africa 288,633 2003 34 Greece 208,977 2004 35 Chile 202,429 2003 36 Belgium 166,799 2004 37 Ireland 162,228 2004 38 China 160,421 2003 39 Iceland 122,175 2004 40 Colombia 115,158 2003 41 Malaysia 107,971 2003 42 Thailand 103,700 2003 43 Ukraine 94,345 2004 44 Slovakia 89,592 2004 45 Uruguay 87,630 2003 46 India 86,871 2003 47 Estonia 82,142 2004 48 Lithuania 67,769 2004 49 Peru 65,868 2003 50 Dominican Republic 64,197 2003 51 Indonesia 62,036 2003 52 United Arab Emirates 56,283 2004 53 Bulgaria 53,421 2004 54 Latvia 51,758 2004 55 Romania 50,807 2004 56 Slovenia 45,491 2004 57 Philippines 38,440 2002 58 Venezuela 35,301 2003 59 Croatia 29,644 2004 60 Luxembourg 28,214 2003 61 Kazakhstan 21,984 2004 62 Guatemala 20,360 2003 63 Serbia and Montenegro 20,207 2004 64 Tonga 18,906 2003 65 Saudi Arabia 15,931 2004 66 Pakistan 15,124 2003 67 Kyrgyzstan 12,299 2004 68 Moldova 11,984 2003 69 Costa Rica 10,826 2003 70 Paraguay 9,243 2003 71 Kenya 8,325 2003 72 Samoa 8,225 2003 73 Trinidad and Tobago 8,003 2003 74 Malta 7,156 2004 75 Panama 7,129 2003 76 Nicaragua 7,094 2003 77 Bolivia 7,080 2003 78 Lebanon 6,998 2004 79 Bosnia and Herzegovina 6,994 2004 80 Brunei 6,409 2003 81 Cyprus 5,901 2004 82 Tanzania 5,534 2003 83 Belarus 5,308 2004 84 Iran 5,269 2004 85 Bermuda 5,161 2001 86 Georgia 5,160 2004 87 French Polynesia 5,123 2003 88 Zimbabwe 4,501 2003 89 New Caledonia 4,449 2003 90 Andorra 4,144 2004 91 El Salvador 4,084 2003 92 Mauritius 3,985 2003 93 Cote d'Ivoire 3,795 2004 94 Macedonia 3,738 2004 95 Liechtenstein 3,727 2004 96 Morocco 3,627 2004 97 Kuwait 3,437 2001 98 Egypt 3,401 2004 99 Mozambique 3,249 2003 100 Ecuador 3,188 2003 101 Namibia 3,164 2003 102 Jordan 3,160 2004 103 Uganda 2,692 2004 104 Greenland 2,642 2004 105 Belize 2,613 2003 106 Armenia 2,206 2004 107 Honduras 1,944 2003 108 Botswana 1,920 2003 109 Sri Lanka 1,882 2003 110 Zambia 1,880 2003 111 San Marino 1,763 2004 112 Antigua and Barbuda 1,665 2003 113 Cuba 1,529 2003 114 Rwanda 1,495 2003 115 Jamaica 1,480 2003 116 Swaziland 1,401 2003 117 Bahrain 1,334 2003 118 Nigeria 1,142 2004 119 Sao Tome and Principe 1,069 2003 120 Eritrea 1,047 2004 121 Uzbekistan 1,040 2003 122 Bhutan 985 2003 123 Laos 937 2003 124 Aruba 923 2001 125 Nepal 917 2003 126 Algeria 897 2004 127 Benin 879 2004 128 Cambodia 818 2003 129 Madagascar 773 2003 130 Oman 726 2003 131 Djibouti 702 2004 132 Dominica 681 2003 133 Senegal 672 2003 134 Guyana 613 2003 135 Azerbaijan 586 2004 136 Gambia, The 568 2004 137 Monaco 533 2004 138 Maldives 532 2003 139 Turkmenistan 524 2004 140 Vanuatu 512 2003 141 Fiji 493 2003 142 Cameroon 479 2004 143 Albania 455 2004 144 Burkina Faso 442 2003 145 Ghana 407 2004 146 Solomon Islands 398 2003 147 Papua New Guinea 389 2003 148 Guinea 380 2004 149 Vietnam 340 2003 150 Bahamas, The 302 2003 151 Tunisia 281 2004 152 Sierra Leone 277 2004 153 Seychelles 264 2003 154 Qatar 221 2004 155 Barbados 204 2003 156 Mali 187 2003 157 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 153 2003 158 Yemen 138 2004 159 Niger 134 2003 160 Lesotho 119 2003 161 Netherlands Antilles 119 2001 162 Cape Verde 118 2004 163 Gabon 93 2004 164 Macau 89 2003 165 Togo 82 2003 166 Tajikistan 69 2004 167 Libya 67 2003 168 Saint Kitts and Nevis 51 2003 169 Congo, Republic of the 46 2003 170 Saint Lucia 41 2003 171 Mongolia 40 2003 172 Mauritania 25 2003 173 Burundi 22 2003 174 Grenada 18 2003 175 Suriname 18 2003 176 Malawi 18 2003 177 Angola 17 2003 178 Liberia 14 2004 179 Comoros 11 2003 180 Syria 11 2004 181 Ethiopia 9 2003 182 Holy See (Vatican City) 9 2004 183 Chad 8 2004 184 Central African Republic 6 2002 185 Marshall Islands 6 2003 186 Somalia 4 2004 187 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4 2003 188 Burma 3 2003 189 Equatorial Guinea 3 2004 190 Guinea-Bissau 2 2004 191 Bangladesh 1 2003

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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Rank code: @2185

Rank Country Investment (gross fixed)(% of GDP) Date of Information

1 Equatorial Guinea 63.60 2003 2 Sao Tome and Principe 51.60 2003 3 Azerbaijan 50.40 2003 4 Mozambique 47.80 2003 5 Zambia 45.20 2003 6 China 43.40 2003 7 Chad 40.30 2003 8 Seychelles 39.10 2003 9 Guyana 38.50 2003 10 Lesotho 34.10 2003 11 Belize 33.00 2003 12 Vietnam 33.00 2003 13 Angola 31.70 2003 14 Jamaica 31.60 2003 15 Congo, Republic of the 31.30 2003 16 Estonia 30.20 2003 17 Korea, South 29.60 2003 18 Yemen 29.10 2003 19 Burkina Faso 29.00 2003 20 Iran 28.60 2003 21 Nicaragua 28.10 2003 22 Croatia 27.70 2003 23 Nigeria 27.70 2003 24 Latvia 27.10 2003 25 Eritrea 26.30 2003 26 Czech Republic 26.00 2003 27 Slovakia 25.80 2003 28 Spain 25.60 2003 29 Greece 25.50 2003 30 Thailand 25.50 2003 31 Singapore 24.90 2003 32 Algeria 24.80 2003 33 Australia 24.80 2003 34 Panama 24.80 2003 35 Lebanon 24.80 2003 36 Ghana 24.50 2003 37 Tunisia 24.20 2003 38 Honduras 24.00 2003 39 Botswana 23.90 2003 40 Japan 23.90 2003 41 Kazakhstan 23.90 2003 42 Slovenia 23.30 2003 43 Bangladesh 23.20 2003 44 Qatar 23.20 2003 45 India 23.10 2003 46 Malta 23.10 2003 47 Ireland 22.90 2003 48 Mauritius 22.90 2003 49 Sri Lanka 22.70 2003 50 Gabon 22.70 2003 51 Austria 22.50 2003 52 Romania 22.50 2003 53 Hong Kong 22.30 2003 54 Portugal 22.30 2003 55 Malaysia 22.20 2003 56 United Arab Emirates 22.00 2003 57 Hungary 22.00 2003 58 Belarus 21.70 2003 59 Ecuador 21.70 2003 60 Morocco 21.70 2003 61 Iceland 21.60 2003 62 Senegal 21.30 2003 63 Chile 21.20 2003 64 Guinea 21.20 2003 65 Swaziland 21.10 2003 66 Ukraine 21.00 2003 67 New Zealand 20.90 2003 68 Lithuania 20.80 2003 69 Luxembourg 20.70 2003 70 Uganda 20.30 2003 71 Costa Rica 20.20 2003 72 Netherlands 20.10 2003 73 Switzerland 20.10 2003 74 Gambia, The 20.00 2003 75 Cyprus 19.90 2003 76 Denmark 19.90 2003 77 Dominican Republic 19.90 2003 78 Armenia 19.80 2003 79 Namibia 19.80 2003 80 Belgium 19.70 2003 81 Indonesia 19.70 2003 82 Bulgaria 19.60 2003 83 Canada 19.50 2003 84 Turkmenistan 19.50 2003 85 Cameroon 19.40 2003 86 Benin 19.30 2003 87 Mexico 19.30 2003 88 Rwanda 19.30 2003 89 France 19.20 2003 90 Italy 19.10 2003 91 Jordan 18.80 2003 92 Albania 18.70 2003 93 Poland 18.40 2003 94 Togo 18.40 2003 95 Russia 18.20 2003 96 Philippines 18.10 2003 97 Brazil 18.00 2003 98 Georgia 18.00 2003 99 Saudi Arabia 18.00 2003 100 Finland 18.00 2003 101 Norway 17.80 2003 102 Germany 17.70 2003 103 Peru 17.70 2003 104 Kyrgyzstan 17.60 2003 105 Taiwan 17.50 2003 106 Israel 17.20 2003 107 Tanzania 17.20 2003 108 Paraguay 17.20 2003 109 Moldova 17.20 2003 110 Ethiopia 17.00 2003 111 Egypt 16.70 2003 112 Cape Verde 16.50 2003 113 Macedonia 16.30 2003 114 El Salvador 16.20 2003 115 United Kingdom 16.20 2003 116 South Africa 16.00 2003 117 Cambodia 15.90 2003 118 Colombia 15.90 2003 119 Sweden 15.70 2003 120 Turkey 15.50 2003 121 Guatemala 15.20 2003 122 United States 15.20 2003 123 Argentina 15.10 2003 124 Libya 15.00 2003 125 Madagascar 14.80 2003 126 Trinidad and Tobago 14.80 2003 127 Sudan 14.80 2003 128 Kenya 14.30 2003 129 Serbia and Montenegro 14.30 2003 130 Papua New Guinea 13.90 2003 131 Syria 13.60 2003 132 Oman 13.00 2003 133 Pakistan 12.90 2003 134 Venezuela 12.60 2003 135 Bolivia 12.40 2003 136 Malawi 12.30 2003 137 Bahrain 11.90 2003 138 Burma 11.80 2003 139 Cuba 10.10 2003 140 Burundi 9.80 2003 141 Uruguay 9.70 2003 142 Zimbabwe 8.90 2003 143 Cote d'Ivoire 8.70 2003 144 Kuwait 8.00 2003 145 Tajikistan 7.50 2003

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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Rank code: @2186

Rank Country Public debt(% of GDP) Date of Information

1 Malawi 235.70 2003 2 Lebanon 185.10 2003 3 Japan 154.60 2003 4 Jamaica 145.60 2003 5 Zambia 133.60 2003 6 Seychelles 129.30 2003 7 Nicaragua 125.30 2003 8 Serbia and Montenegro 123.20 2003 9 Israel 108.60 2003 10 Italy 106.40 2003 11 Singapore 106.40 2003 12 Sri Lanka 105.10 2003 13 Belgium 102.00 2003 est. 14 Egypt 101.80 2003 15 Greece 100.90 2003 16 Saudi Arabia 94.60 2003 17 Jordan 92.70 2003 18 Syria 89.00 2003 19 Moldova 88.40 2003 20 Sudan 87.00 2003 21 Cote d'Ivoire 82.50 2003 22 Turkey 78.70 2003 23 Canada 77.00 2003 24 Philippines 77.00 2003 25 Morocco 76.20 2003 26 Panama 73.30 2003 27 Indonesia 72.90 2003 28 Pakistan 72.70 2003 29 Qatar 72.70 2003 30 Papua New Guinea 72.40 2003 31 Croatia 69.10 2003 32 France 68.80 2003 33 Austria 67.60 2003 34 Argentina 65.70 2003 est. 35 Vietnam 64.30 2003 36 Germany 64.20 2003 37 Kenya 62.90 2003 38 Spain 62.70 2003 39 United States 62.40 2003 40 Cyprus 62.30 2003 41 Uganda 62.20 2003 42 Portugal 59.80 2003 43 India 59.70 2003 44 Tunisia 59.50 2003 45 Dominican Republic 59.40 2003 46 Brazil 58.50 2003 47 Honduras 57.80 2003 48 Bahrain 57.50 2003 49 Cameroon 57.10 2003 50 Switzerland 57.10 2003 51 Hungary 57.00 2003 52 Costa Rica 56.10 2003 53 Trinidad and Tobago 55.90 2003 54 Senegal 54.20 2003 55 Netherlands 54.10 2003 56 Ecuador 53.70 2003 57 Colombia 51.90 2003 58 Sweden 51.80 2003 59 United Kingdom 51.00 2003 60 Peru 49.20 2003 61 Finland 48.70 2003 62 Bulgaria 48.00 2003 63 Poland 47.40 2003 64 Thailand 46.60 2003 65 Malaysia 45.50 2003 66 Paraguay 45.10 2003 67 Denmark 45.00 2003 68 El Salvador 43.70 2003 69 Bangladesh 43.30 2003 70 Uzbekistan 42.30 2003 71 Algeria 41.50 2003 est. 72 Iceland 41.50 2003 73 Zimbabwe 41.30 2003 74 Yemen 39.50 2003 75 Venezuela 38.80 2003 76 South Africa 38.20 2003 77 Slovakia 37.60 2003 78 Namibia 35.60 2003 79 Russia 34.10 2003 80 Mauritius 31.90 2003 81 Slovenia 31.90 2003 82 Gabon 31.50 2003 83 Ireland 31.20 2003 84 Guatemala 30.80 2003 85 Taiwan 30.50 2003 86 Macedonia 30.20 2003 87 China 30.10 2003 88 Czech Republic 29.70 2003 89 Kuwait 29.50 2003 90 Ukraine 28.70 2003 91 Nigeria 28.60 2003 92 Iran 28.20 2003 93 New Zealand 25.60 2003 94 Romania 25.50 2003 95 Lithuania 23.60 2003 96 Mexico 23.10 2003 97 Norway 22.10 2003 98 Australia 18.20 2003 99 United Arab Emirates 18.10 2003 100 Libya 16.60 2003 101 Azerbaijan 16.30 2003 est. 102 Oman 15.60 2003 103 Kazakhstan 15.50 2003 104 Chile 14.80 2003 105 Latvia 14.40 2003 106 Korea, South 13.80 2003 107 Estonia 7.40 2003 108 Botswana 7.00 2003 109 Tanzania 6.10 2003

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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Rank code: @2187

Rank Country Current account balance Date of Information

1 Japan $ 135,900,000,000 2003 2 Germany $ 57,240,000,000 2003 3 Switzerland $ 36,000,000,000 2003 4 Russia $ 35,910,000,000 2003 5 China $ 31,170,000,000 2003 6 Norway $ 29,340,000,000 2003 7 Taiwan $ 28,570,000,000 2003 8 Singapore $ 26,150,000,000 2003 9 Saudi Arabia $ 22,270,000,000 2003 10 Sweden $ 19,560,000,000 2003 11 Canada $ 18,630,000,000 2003 12 Hong Kong $ 17,420,000,000 2003 13 France $ 13,800,000,000 2003 14 Malaysia $ 13,380,000,000 2003 15 United Arab Emirates $ 12,470,000,000 2003 16 Korea, South $ 12,320,000,000 2003 17 Netherlands $ 12,090,000,000 2003 18 Belgium $ 10,690,000,000 2003 19 Finland $ 10,300,000,000 2003 20 Venezuela $ 9,659,000,000 2003 21 Thailand $ 9,440,000,000 2003 22 Kuwait $ 8,652,000,000 2003 23 Argentina $ 7,855,000,000 2003 24 Algeria $ 7,836,000,000 2003 25 Indonesia $ 7,336,000,000 2003 26 Libya $ 6,641,000,000 2003 27 Denmark $ 6,397,000,000 2003 28 Qatar $ 4,149,000,000 2003 29 Iran $ 3,935,000,000 2003 30 Egypt $ 3,874,000,000 2003 31 Brazil $ 3,520,000,000 2003 32 India $ 3,410,000,000 2003 33 Pakistan $ 3,358,000,000 2003 34 Philippines $ 3,349,000,000 2003 35 Ukraine $ 2,891,000,000 2003 36 Oman $ 2,173,000,000 2003 37 Nigeria $ 1,439,000,000 2003 38 Iraq $ 1,136,000,000 2003 39 Morocco $ 963,000,000 2003 40 Turkmenistan $ 957,000,000 2003 41 Trinidad and Tobago $ 954,000,000 2003 42 Jordan $ 903,000,000 2003 43 Dominican Republic $ 867,000,000 2003 44 Botswana $ 539,000,000 2003 45 Cote d'Ivoire $ 501,000,000 2003 46 Uzbekistan $ 462,000,000 2003 47 Bangladesh $ 393,000,000 2003 48 Mauritius $ 289,000,000 2003 49 Yemen $ 157,000,000 2003 50 Paraguay $ 146,000,000 2003 51 Congo, Republic of the $ 139,200,000 2003 52 Namibia $ 123,000,000 2003 53 Ghana $ 110,000,000 2003 54 Uruguay $ 76,000,000 2003 55 Bahrain $ 53,000,000 2003 56 Bolivia $ 50,000,000 2003 57 Slovenia $ 15,100,000 2003 58 Papua New Guinea $ 12,000,000 2003 59 Sao Tome and Principe $ -8,000,000 2003 60 Burma $ -35,000,000 2003 61 Burundi $ -35,000,000 2003 62 Gambia, The $ -42,000,000 2003 63 Haiti $ -48,000,000 2003 64 Tajikistan $ -50,000,000 2003 65 Laos $ -58,000,000 2003 66 Malawi $ -58,000,000 2003 67 Kazakhstan $ -68,800,000 2003 68 Syria $ -72,000,000 2003 69 Swaziland $ -72,690,000 2003 70 Seychelles $ -73,000,000 2003 71 Gabon $ -101,000,000 2003 72 Cape Verde $ -106,300,000 2003 73 Kyrgyzstan $ -108,000,000 2003 74 Benin $ -112,000,000 2003 75 Lesotho $ -112,000,000 2003 76 Ecuador $ -117,000,000 2003 77 Moldova $ -135,000,000 2003 78 Togo $ -140,000,000 2003 79 Belize $ -142,000,000 2003 80 Guyana $ -158,000,000 2003 81 Eritrea $ -159,000,000 2003 82 Rwanda $ -163,000,000 2003 83 Israel $ -174,000,000 2003 84 Armenia $ -210,000,000 2003 85 Cambodia $ -218,100,000 2003 86 Uganda $ -237,000,000 2003 87 Malta $ -250,000,000 2003 88 Guinea $ -252,000,000 2003 89 Cuba $ -273,000,000 2003 90 Slovakia $ -277,400,000 2003 91 Sri Lanka $ -278,000,000 2003 92 Macedonia $ -278,000,000 2003 93 Honduras $ -279,600,000 2003 94 Kenya $ -306,000,000 2003 95 Zambia $ -340,000,000 2003 96 Burkina Faso $ -341,000,000 2003 97 Zimbabwe $ -346,000,000 2003 98 Georgia $ -365,000,000 2003 99 Senegal $ -389,000,000 2003 100 Madagascar $ -398,000,000 2003 101 Albania $ -407,000,000 2003 102 Ethiopia $ -408,000,000 2003 103 Panama $ -408,000,000 2003 104 Chad $ -474,000,000 2003 105 Angola $ -475,000,000 2003 106 Cyprus $ -545,000,000 2003 107 Cameroon $ -564,000,000 2003 108 Mozambique $ -566,000,000 2003 109 Iceland $ -574,000,000 2003 110 Chile $ -594,000,000 2003 111 Tanzania $ -617,000,000 2003 112 Sudan $ -718,000,000 2003 113 El Salvador $ -734,000,000 2003 114 Tunisia $ -738,600,000 2003 115 Jamaica $ -842,000,000 2003 116 Nicaragua $ -859,000,000 2003 117 Belarus $ -945,000,000 2003 118 Latvia $ -955,900,000 2003 119 Costa Rica $ -970,000,000 2003 120 Guatemala $ -1,106,000,000 2003 121 Peru $ -1,116,000,000 2003 122 Estonia $ -1,150,000,000 2003 123 Equatorial Guinea $ -1,168,000,000 2003 124 Lithuania $ -1,218,000,000 2003 125 South Africa $ -1,234,000,000 2003 126 Austria $ -1,353,000,000 2003 127 Colombia $ -1,417,000,000 2003 128 Bulgaria $ -1,666,000,000 2003 129 Vietnam $ -1,781,000,000 2003 130 Azerbaijan $ -2,021,000,000 2003 131 Croatia $ -2,039,000,000 2003 132 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ -2,195,000,000 2003 133 Serbia and Montenegro $ -2,416,000,000 2003 134 Lebanon $ -2,865,000,000 2003 135 Ireland $ -2,994,000,000 2003 136 Romania $ -3,368,000,000 2003 137 New Zealand $ -3,446,000,000 2003 138 Poland $ -4,085,000,000 2003 139 Czech Republic $ -5,570,000,000 2003 140 Turkey $ -6,806,000,000 2003 141 Hungary $ -7,347,000,000 2003 142 United Kingdom $ -7,556,000,000 2003 143 Portugal $ -7,592,000,000 2003 144 Mexico $ -9,150,000,000 2003 145 Greece $ -11,330,000,000 2003 146 Italy $ -22,280,000,000 2003 147 Spain $ -23,770,000,000 2003 148 Australia $ -30,140,000,000 2003 149 United States $ -541,800,000,000 2003

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2188

Rank Country Reserves of foreign exchange & gold Date of Information

1 Japan $ 664,600,000,000 2003 2 China $ 412,700,000,000 2003 3 Taiwan $ 207,100,000,000 2003 4 Korea, South $ 155,400,000,000 2003 5 Hong Kong $ 118,400,000,000 2003 6 India $ 102,300,000,000 2003 7 Germany $ 96,840,000,000 2003 8 Singapore $ 95,750,000,000 2003 9 United States $ 85,940,000,000 2003 10 Russia $ 76,940,000,000 2003 11 France $ 70,760,000,000 2003 12 Switzerland $ 69,580,000,000 2003 13 Italy $ 63,260,000,000 2003 14 Mexico $ 59,020,000,000 2003 15 Brazil $ 49,300,000,000 2003 16 United Kingdom $ 46,050,000,000 2003 17 Malaysia $ 44,580,000,000 2003 18 Thailand $ 42,150,000,000 2003 19 Denmark $ 37,980,000,000 2003 20 Canada $ 36,270,000,000 2003 21 Indonesia $ 36,250,000,000 2003 22 Turkey $ 35,550,000,000 2003 23 Poland $ 33,960,000,000 2003 24 Algeria $ 33,420,000,000 2003 25 Australia $ 33,260,000,000 2003 26 Spain $ 26,810,000,000 2003 27 Czech Republic $ 26,800,000,000 2003 28 Israel $ 26,320,000,000 2003 29 Iran $ 25,130,000,000 2003 30 Saudi Arabia $ 22,860,000,000 2003 31 Netherlands $ 21,440,000,000 2003 32 Venezuela $ 20,670,000,000 2003 33 Sweden $ 19,990,000,000 2003 34 Libya $ 19,780,000,000 2003 35 Philippines $ 16,870,000,000 2003 36 Lebanon $ 16,350,000,000 2003 37 Chile $ 15,840,000,000 2003 38 United Arab Emirates $ 15,790,000,000 2003 39 Belgium $ 14,450,000,000 2003 40 Egypt $ 14,220,000,000 2003 41 Argentina $ 14,160,000,000 2003 42 Morocco $ 14,080,000,000 2003 43 Portugal $ 12,810,000,000 2003 44 Hungary $ 12,780,000,000 2003 45 Austria $ 12,730,000,000 2003 46 Slovakia $ 11,740,000,000 2003 47 Pakistan $ 11,670,000,000 2003 48 Finland $ 11,170,000,000 2003 49 Colombia $ 10,920,000,000 2003 50 Romania $ 10,370,000,000 2003 51 Peru $ 10,240,000,000 2003 52 Slovenia $ 8,598,000,000 2003 53 Croatia $ 8,191,000,000 2003 54 South Africa $ 7,972,000,000 2003 55 Kuwait $ 7,685,000,000 2003 56 Nigeria $ 7,128,000,000 2003 57 Ukraine $ 6,937,000,000 2003 58 Bulgaria $ 6,705,000,000 2003 59 Vietnam $ 6,357,000,000 2003 60 Greece $ 5,802,000,000 2003 61 Jordan $ 5,364,000,000 2003 62 Botswana $ 5,250,000,000 2003 63 New Zealand $ 5,083,000,000 2003 64 Yemen $ 5,009,000,000 2003 65 Kazakhstan $ 4,962,000,000 2003 66 Ireland $ 4,152,000,000 2003 67 Serbia and Montenegro $ 3,700,000,000 2003 68 Oman $ 3,594,000,000 2003 69 Cyprus $ 3,453,000,000 2003 70 Lithuania $ 3,450,000,000 2003 71 Syria $ 3,329,000,000 2003 72 Qatar $ 2,952,000,000 2003 73 Tunisia $ 2,949,000,000 2003 74 Guatemala $ 2,843,000,000 2003 75 Turkmenistan $ 2,696,000,000 2003 76 Bangladesh $ 2,624,000,000 2003 77 Trinidad and Tobago $ 2,477,000,000 2003 78 Malta $ 2,429,000,000 2003 79 Sri Lanka $ 2,273,000,000 2003 80 Uruguay $ 2,087,000,000 2003 81 Tanzania $ 2,064,000,000 2003 82 El Salvador $ 2,061,000,000 2003 83 Cote d'Ivoire $ 2,005,000,000 2003 84 Costa Rica $ 1,836,000,000 2003 85 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 1,796,000,000 2003 86 Bahrain $ 1,785,000,000 2003 87 Mauritius $ 1,598,000,000 2003 88 Latvia $ 1,535,000,000 2003 89 Ghana $ 1,469,000,000 2003 90 Kenya $ 1,455,000,000 2003 91 Honduras $ 1,439,000,000 2003 92 Estonia $ 1,377,000,000 2003 93 Uzbekistan $ 1,286,000,000 2003 94 Jamaica $ 1,195,000,000 2003 95 Ecuador $ 1,161,000,000 2003 96 Bolivia $ 1,096,000,000 2003 97 Uganda $ 1,080,000,000 2003 98 Albania $ 1,038,000,000 2003 99 Panama $ 1,011,000,000 2003 100 Mozambique $ 990,000,000 2003 101 Paraguay $ 982,000,000 2003 102 Ethiopia $ 956,000,000 2003 103 Macedonia $ 935,100,000 2003 104 Cambodia $ 861,400,000 2003 105 Sudan $ 847,200,000 2003 106 Azerbaijan $ 820,900,000 2003 107 Iceland $ 818,700,000 2003 108 Senegal $ 780,000,000 2003 109 Angola $ 638,400,000 2003 110 Belarus $ 637,000,000 2003 111 Benin $ 636,000,000 2003 112 Cameroon $ 634,000,000 2003 113 Cuba $ 582,000,000 2003 114 Burma $ 562,000,000 2003 115 Papua New Guinea $ 510,500,000 2003 116 Armenia $ 509,400,000 2003 117 Nicaragua $ 502,000,000 2003 118 Lesotho $ 460,000,000 2003 119 Madagascar $ 423,000,000 2003 120 Kyrgyzstan $ 399,300,000 2003 121 Burkina Faso $ 379,000,000 2003 122 Namibia $ 325,200,000 2003 123 Moldova $ 302,300,000 2003 124 Swaziland $ 277,500,000 2003 125 Dominican Republic $ 261,000,000 2003 126 Guyana $ 257,000,000 2003 127 Togo $ 257,000,000 2003 128 Zambia $ 247,700,000 2003 129 Rwanda $ 215,000,000 2003 130 Equatorial Guinea $ 206,000,000 2003 131 Gabon $ 201,900,000 2003 132 Laos $ 201,000,000 2003 133 Chad $ 191,800,000 2003 134 Guinea $ 191,000,000 2003 135 Georgia $ 190,700,000 2003 136 Malawi $ 132,000,000 2003 137 Gambia, The $ 118,000,000 2003 138 Tajikistan $ 117,600,000 2003 139 Cape Verde $ 88,020,000 2003 140 Belize $ 84,700,000 2003 141 Zimbabwe $ 78,000,000 2003 142 Haiti $ 73,000,000 2003 143 Burundi $ 67,400,000 2003 144 Seychelles $ 66,000,000 2003 145 Congo, Republic of the $ 44,530,000 2003 146 Eritrea $ 28,000,000 2003 147 Sao Tome and Principe $ 18,000,000 2003

This file was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

Appendix A - Abbreviations

ABEDA: Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa

ACC: Arab Cooperation Council

ACCT: Agency for the French-Speaking Community

ACP Group: African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States

AfDB: African Development Bank

AFESD: Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development

Air Pollution: Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides: Protocol to the 1979 Convention on
Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of
Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or Their Transboundary Fluxes

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants: Protocol to the 1979
Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent
Organic Pollutants

Air Pollution-Sulphur 85: Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long- Range Transboundary Air Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary Fluxes by at Least 30%

Air Pollution-Sulphur 94: Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-
Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur
Emissions

Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds: Protocol to the 1979
Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the
Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or Their
Transboundary Fluxes

AMF: Arab Monetary Fund

AMU: Arab Maghreb Union

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol: Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources: Convention on the Conservation of
Antarctic Marine Living Resources

Antarctic Seals: Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals

ANZUS: Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty

APEC: Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

Arabsat: Arab Satellite Communications Organization

ARF: ASEAN Regional Forum

AsDB: Asian Development Bank

ASEAN: Association of Southeast Asian Nations

AU: African Union

Autodin: Automatic Digital Network

bbl/day: barrels per day

BCIE: Central American Bank for Economic Integration

BDEAC: Central African States Development Bank

Benelux: Benelux Economic Union

BGN: United States Board on Geographic Names

Biodiversity: Convention on Biological Diversity

BIS: Bank for International Settlements

BSEC: Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone

C: Commonwealth

CACM: Central American Common Market

CAEU: Council of Arab Economic Unity

CAN: Andean Community of Nations

Caricom: Caribbean Community and Common Market

CB: citizen's band mobile radio communications

CBSS: Council of the Baltic Sea States

CCC: Customs Cooperation Council

CDB: Caribbean Development Bank

CE: Council of Europe

CEI: Central European Initiative

CEMA: Council for Mutual Economic Assistance; also known as CMEA or
Comecon

CEMAC: Monetary and Economic Community of Central Africa

CEPGL: Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries

CEPT: Conference Europeanne des Postes et Telecommunications

CERN: European Organization for Nuclear Research

c.i.f.: cost, insurance, and freight

CIS: Commonwealth of Independent States

CITES: see Endangered Species

Climate Change: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol: Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change

COCOM: Coordinating Committee on Export Controls

COMESA: Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

Comsat: Communications Satellite Corporation

CP: Colombo Plan

CY: calendar year

DC: developed country

DDT: dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane

Desertification: United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa

DIA: United States Defense Intelligence Agency

DSN: Defense Switched Network

DWT: deadweight ton

EADB: East African Development Bank

EAPC: Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council

EBRD: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

EC: European Community

ECA: Economic Commission for Africa

ECE: Economic Commission for Europe

ECLAC: Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

ECO: Economic Cooperation Organization

ECOSOC: Economic and Social Council

ECOWAS: Economic Community of West African States

ECS: European Coal and Steel Community

EEC: European Economic Community

EEZ: exclusive economic zone

EFTA: European Free Trade Association

EIB: European Investment Bank

EMU: Economic and Monetary Union

Endangered Species: Convention on the International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)

Entente: Council of the Entente

Environmental Modification: Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques

ESA: European Space Agency

ESCAP: Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

ESCWA: Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia

est.: estimate

EU: European Union

Euratom: European Atomic Energy Community

Eutelsat: European Telecommunications Satellite Organization

Ex-Im: Export-Import Bank of the United States

FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization

FAX: facsimile

f.o.b.: free on board

FOC: flags of convenience

FLS: Front Line States

FRG: Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany); used for information dated before 3 October 1990 or CY91

FSU: former Soviet Union

FY: fiscal year

F.Y.R.O.M.: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

FZ: Franc Zone

G-2: Group of 2

G-3: Group of 3

G-5: Group of 5

G-6: Group of 6

G-7: Group of 7

G-8: Group of 8

G-9: Group of 9

G-10: Group of 10

G-15: Group of 15

G-24: Group of 24

G-77: Group of 77

GATT: General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; now WTrO

GCC: Gulf Cooperation Council

GDP: gross domestic product

GDR: German Democratic Republic (East Germany); used for information dated before 3 October 1990 or CY91

GNP: gross national product

GRT: gross register ton

GSM: global system for mobile cellular communications

GUUAM: acronym for member states - Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan,
Azerbaijan, Moldova

GWP: gross world product

Habitat: United Nations Center for Human Settlements

Hazardous Wastes: Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary
Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal

HF: high-frequency

HIV/AIDS: human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome

IADB: Inter-American Development Bank

IAEA: International Atomic Energy Agency

IANA: Internet Assigned Numbers Authority

IBEC: International Bank for Economic Cooperation

IBRD: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World
Bank)

ICAO: International Civil Aviation Organization

ICC: International Chamber of Commerce or
Inuit Circumpolar Conference

ICCt: International Criminal Court

ICFTU: International Confederation of Free Trade Unions

ICJ: International Court of Justice (World Court)

ICRC: International Committee of the Red Cross

ICRM: International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

ICSID: International Center for Secretariat of Investment Disputes

ICTR: International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda

ICTY: International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia

IDA: International Development Association

IDB: Islamic Development Bank

IEA: International Energy Agency

IFAD: International Fund for Agricultural Development

IFC: International Finance Corporation

IFCTU: International Federation of Christian Trade Unions

IFRCS: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies

IGAD: Inter-Governmental Authority on Development

IGADD: Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development

IHO: International Hydrographic Organization

IIB: International Investment Bank

ILO: International Labor Organization

IMF: International Monetary Fund

IMO: International Maritime Organization

Inmarsat: International Maritime Satellite Organization

InOC: Indian Ocean Commission

INSTRAW: International Research and Training Institute for the
Advancement of Women

Intelsat: International Telecommunications Satellite Organization

Interpol: International Criminal Police Organization

Intersputnik: International Organization of Space Communications

IOC: International Olympic Committee

IOM: International Organization for Migration

ISO: International Organization for Standardization

ISP: Internet Service Provider

ITU: International Telecommunication Union

kHz: kilohertz

km: kilometer

kW: kilowatt

kWh: kilowatt-hour

LAES: Latin American Economic System

LAIA: Latin American Integration Association

LAS: League of Arab States

Law of the Sea: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS), also know as UNCLOS

LDC: less developed country

LLDC: least developed country

London Convention: see Marine Dumping

LOS: see Law of the Sea

m: meter

Marecs: Maritime European Communications Satellite

Marine Dumping: Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by
Dumping Wastes and Other Matter

Marine Life Conservation: Convention on Fishing and Conservation of
Living Resources of the High Seas

MARPOL: see Ship Pollution

Medarabtel: Middle East Telecommunications Project of the
International Telecommunications Union

Mercosur: Southern Cone Common Market

MHz: megahertz

MICAH: International Civilian Support Mission in Haiti

MIGA: Multilateral Investment Geographic Agency

MINURSO: United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara

MONUC: United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

NA: not available

NAFTA: North American Free Trade Agreement

NAM: Nonaligned Movement

NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization

NC: Nordic Council

NEA: Nuclear Energy Agency

NEGL: negligible

NGA: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

NIB: Nordic Investment Bank

NIC: newly industrializing country

NIE: newly industrializing economy

NIS: new independent states

NM: nautical mile

NMT: Nordic Mobile Telephone

NSG: Nuclear Suppliers Group

Nuclear Test Ban: Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the
Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water

NZ: New Zealand

OAPEC: Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries

OAS: Organization of American States

ODA: official development assistance

ODF: Official Development Finance

OECD: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

OECS: Organization of Eastern Caribbean States

OIC: Organization of the Islamic Conference

OOF: other official flows

OPANAL: Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean

OPCW: Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

OPEC: Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

OSCE: Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

Ozone Layer Protection: Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer

PCA: Permanent Court of Arbitration

PDRY: People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South
Yemen]; used for information dated before 22 May 1990 or CY91

PFP: Partnership for Peace

PIF: Pacific Islands Forum

PPP: purchasing power parity

Ramsar: see Wetlands

RG: Rio Group

SAARC: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

SACU: Southern African Customs Union

SADC: Southern African Development Community

SAFE: South African Far East Cable

SCO: Shanghai Cooperative Organization

SFRY: Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

SHF: super-high-frequency

Ship Pollution: Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International
Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)

Sparteca: South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation
Agreement

SPC: South Pacific Commission

SPF: South Pacific Forum

sq km: square kilometer

sq mi: square mile

TAT: Trans-Atlantic Telephone

Tropical Timber 83: International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983

Tropical Timber 94: International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994

UAE: United Arab Emirates

UDEAC: Central African Customs and Economic Union

UHF: ultra-high-frequency

UK: United Kingdom

UN: United Nations

UNAMSIL: United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone

UNCLOS: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, also known as
LOS

UNCTAD: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

UNDCP: United Nations Drug Control Program

UNDOF: United Nations Disengagement Observer Force

UNDP: United Nations Development Program

UNEP: United Nations Environment Program

UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization

UNFICYP: United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus

UNFPA: United Nations Population Fund

UNHCR: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

UNHCRHR: United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

UNICEF: United Nations Children's Fund

UNICEP: United Nations International Comparison Program

UNICRI: United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research
Institute

UNIDIR: United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research

UNIDO: United Nations Industrial Development Organization

UNIFIL: United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon

UNIKOM: United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission

UNITAR: United Nations Institute for Training and Research

UNMEE: United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea

UNMIBH: United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina

UNMIK: United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo

UNMIL: United Nations Mission in Liberia

UNMISET: United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor

UNMOGIP: United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan

UNMOP: United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka

UNMOT: United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan

UNMOVIC: United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection
Commission

UNOMIG: United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia

UNOPS: United Nations Office of Project Services

UNRISD: United Nations Research Institute for Social Development

UNRWA: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

UNSC: United Nations Security Council

UNSSC: United Nations System Staff College

UNTAET: United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor

UNTSO: United Nations Truce Supervision Organization

UNU: United Nations University

UPU: Universal Postal Union

US: United States

USSR: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Soviet Union); used for information dated before 25 December 1991

USSR/EE: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics/Eastern Europe

UV: ultra violet

VHF: very-high-frequency

VSAT: very small aperture terminal

WADB: West African Development Bank

WAEMU: West African Economic and Monetary Union

WCL: World Confederation of Labor

WCO: World Customs Organization

Wetlands: Convention on Wetlands of International Importance
Especially As Waterfowl Habitat

WEU: Western European Union

WFC: World Food Council

WFP: World Food Program

WFTU: World Federation of Trade Unions

Whaling: International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling

WHO: World Health Organization

WIPO: World Intellectual Property Organization

WMO: World Meteorological Organization

WP: Warsaw Pact

WTO: see WToO for World Tourism Organization or WTrO for World Trade
Organization

WToO: World Tourism Organization

WTrO: World Trade Organization

YAR: Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen]; used for information dated before 22 May 1990 or CY91

ZC: Zangger Committee

This page was last updated on 9 December, 2004

=====================================================================

Appendix B - International Organizations and Groups

advanced developing countries: another term for those less developed countries (LDCs) with particularly rapid industrial development; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)

advanced economies: a term used by the International Monetary FUND (IMF) for the top group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; it includes the following 28 advanced economies: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK, US; note - this group would presumably also cover the following seven smaller countries of Andorra, Bermuda, Faroe Islands, Holy See, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and San Marino that are included in the more comprehensive group of "developed countries"

African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP Group): established - 6 June 1975

aim - to manage their preferential economic and aid relationship with the EU

members - (77) Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados,
Belize, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi,
Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated States of
Micronesia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Palau,
Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa,
Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe

African Development Bank (AfDB): note - its predecessor was
Organization of African Unity (OAU)

established - 9 September 1999

aim - to promote economic and social development

regional members - (53) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina
Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote
d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon,
The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia,
Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe,
Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan,
Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

nonregional members - (24) Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada,
China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South
Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

African Union (AU): note - replaces Organization of African Unity
(OAU)

established - 8 July 2001

aim - to achieve greater unity among African States; to defend states' integrity and independence; to accelerate political, social, and economic integration; to encourage international cooperation; to promote democratic principles and institutions

members - (52) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi,
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire,
Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The
Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,
Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger,
Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome and
Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa,
Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Agency for the French-Speaking Community (ACCT): note - formerly Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation established - 20 March 1970; name changed 1996

aim - to promote cultural and technical cooperation among French- speaking countries

members - (51) Albania, Belgium, Benin, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African
Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea,
France, French Community of Belgium, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,
Haiti, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Moldova, Monaco,
Morocco, New Brunswick (Canada), Niger, Quebec (Canada), Romania,
Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles,
Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, Vanuatu, Vietnam

observers - (5) Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia

Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL): note - acronym from Organismo para la Proscripcion de las Armas Nucleares en la America Latina y el Caribe (OPANAL)

established - 14 February 1967 under the Treaty of Tlatelolco; effective - 25 April 1969 on the 11th ratification of the treaty

aim - to encourage the peaceful uses of atomic energy and prohibit nuclear weapons

members - (33) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados,
Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela

Andean Community of Nations (CAN): note - formerly known as the Andean
Group (AG), the Andean Parliament, and most recently as the Andean
Common Market (Ancom)

established - 26 May 1969; present name established 1 October 1992; effective - 16 October 1969

aim - to promote harmonious development through economic integration

members - (5) Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA): note - also known as Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en Afrique (BADEA)

established - 18 February 1974; effective - 16 September 1974

aim - to promote economic development

members - (17 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Palestine Liberation Organization; note - these are all the members of the Arab League excluding Comoros, Djibouti, Somalia, Yemen

Arab Cooperation Council (ACC): established - 16 February 1989

aim - to promote economic cooperation and integration, possibly leading to an Arab Common Market

members - (4) Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen; note - the ACC has remained inactive since the Gulf crisis

Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD): established - 16 May 1968

aim - to promote economic and social development

members - (20 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq (suspended 1993), Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia (suspended 1993), Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Arab Maghreb Union (AMU): established - 17 February 1989

aim - to promote cooperation and integration among the Arab states of northern Africa

members - (5) Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia

Arab Monetary Fund (AMF): established - 27 April 1976; effective - 2
February 1977

aim - to promote Arab cooperation, development, and integration in monetary and economic affairs

members - (21 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria,
Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon,
Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan,
Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC): established - 7 November 1989

aim - to promote trade and investment in the Pacific basin

members - (21) Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, US, Vietnam

observers - (3) Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, Pacific Islands Forum

Asian Development Bank (AsDB): established - 19 December 1966

aim - to promote regional economic cooperation

regional members - (44) Afghanistan, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh,
Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, East Timor, Fiji, Hong
Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, South Korea,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Federated
States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New
Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka,
Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Vietnam

nonregional members - (18) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): established - 8 August 1967

aim - to encourage regional economic, social, and cultural cooperation among the countries of Southeast Asia

members - (10) Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

dialogue partners - (11) Australia, Canada, China, EU, India, Japan, South Korea, NZ, Russia, US, UNDP

ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF): established - NA 1994

aim - to foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest and concern

members - (23) Australia, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, China, EU,
India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia,
Mongolia, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russia, Singapore,
Thailand, US, Vietnam

Australia Group: established - NA June 1985

aim - to consult on and coordinate export controls related to chemical and biological weapons

members - (34) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, European Commission, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South
Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty (ANZUS): established - 1 September 1951; effective - 29 April 1952

aim - to implement a trilateral mutual security agreement, although the US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986; Australia and the US continue to hold annual meetings

members - (3) Australia, NZ, US

Bank for International Settlements (BIS): established - 20 January 1930; effective - 17 March 1930

aim - to promote cooperation among central banks in international financial settlements

members - (55) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, European Central Bank, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UK, US; note - Serbia and Montenegro have separate central banks; their links with BIS are currently under review

Benelux Economic Union (Benelux): note - acronym from Belgium,
Netherlands, and Luxembourg

established - 3 February 1958; effective - 1 November 1960

aim - to develop closer economic cooperation and integration

members - (3) Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands

Big Seven: note - membership is the same as the Group of 7

established - NA 1975

aim - to discuss and coordinate major economic policies

members - (7) Big Six (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK) plus the US

Big Six: note - not to be confused with the Group of 6

established - NA 1967 aim - to foster economic cooperation

members - (6) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK

Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone (BSEC): established - 25 June 1992

aim - to enhance regional stability through economic cooperation

members - (11) Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine

observers - (9) Austria, Egypt, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Tunisia

Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom): established - 4 July 1973; effective - 1 August 1973

aim - to promote economic integration and development, especially among the less developed countries

members - (15) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize,
Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname,
Trinidad and Tobago

associate members - (4) Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands

observers - (8) Aruba, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Venezuela

Caribbean Development Bank (CDB): established - 18 October 1969; effective - 26 January 1970

aim - to promote economic development and cooperation

regional members - (20) Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas,
Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Colombia,
Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and
Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Venezuela

nonregional members - (5) Canada, China, Germany, Italy, UK

Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC): see Monetary and
Economic Community of Central Africa (CEMAC)

Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC): note - acronym from
Banque de Developpement des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale

established - 3 December 1975

aim - to provide loans for economic development

members - (11) African Development Bank (AfDB), Cameroon, Central African States Bank (BEAC), Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Germany, Kuwait

Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE): note - acronym from Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico

established - 13 December 1960 signature of Articles of Agreement; 31 May 1961 began operations

aim - to promote economic integration and development members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua

nonregional members - (4) Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Taiwan

Central American Common Market (CACM): established - 13 December 1960, collapsed in 1969, reinstated in 1991

aim - to promote establishment of a Central American Common Market

members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua; note - Panama, although not a member, pursues full regional cooperation

Central European Initiative (CEI): note - evolved from the
Quadrilateral Initiative and the Hexagonal Initiative

established - 11 November 1989 as the Quadrilateral Initiative, 27 July 1991 became the Hexagonal Initiative, NA July 1992 its present name was adopted

aim - to form an economic and political cooperation group for the region between the Adriatic and the Baltic Seas

members - (17) Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine

centrally planned economies : a term applied mainly to the traditionally Communist states that looked to the former USSR for leadership; most are now evolving toward more democratic and market- oriented systems; also known formerly as the Second World or as the Communist countries; through the 1980s, this group included Albania, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, GDR, Hungary, North Korea, Laos, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, USSR, Vietnam

Colombo Plan (CP): established - NA May 1950 proposal was adopted; 1
July 1951 commenced full operations

aim - to promote economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific

members - (25) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma,
Cambodia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Laos,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea,
Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, US, Vietnam

Commonwealth (C): note - also known as Commonwealth of Nations

established - 31 December 1931

aim - to foster multinational cooperation and assistance, as a voluntary association that evolved from the British Empire

members - (53) Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, NZ, Nigeria, Pakistan (suspended), Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, UK, Vanuatu, Zambia; note - on 7 December 2003 Zimbabwe withdrew its membership from the Commonwealth

Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS): established - 8 December 1991; effective - 21 December 1991

aim - to coordinate intercommonwealth relations and to provide a mechanism for the orderly dissolution of the USSR

members - (12) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

Communist countries: traditionally the Marxist-Leninist states with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; most of the original and the successor states are no longer Communist; see centrally planned economies

Coordinating Committee on Export Controls (COCOM): established in 1949 to control the export of strategic products and technical data from member countries to proscribed destinations; members were Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, UK, US; abolished 31 March 1994; COCOM members established a new organization, the Wassenaar Arrangement, with expanded membership on 12 July 1996 that focuses on nonproliferation export controls as opposed to East- West control of advanced technology

Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CEMA): note - also known as
CMEA or Comecon

established 25 January 1949 to promote the development of socialist economies and abolished 1 January 1991; members included Afghanistan (observer), Albania (had not participated since 1961 break with USSR), Angola (observer), Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia (observer), GDR, Hungary, Laos (observer), Mongolia, Mozambique (observer), Nicaragua (observer), Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam, Yemen (observer), Yugoslavia (associate)

Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU): established - 3 June 1957; effective - 30 May 1964

aim - to promote economic integration among Arab nations

members - (11 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Council of Europe (CE): established - 5 May 1949; effective - 3 August 1949

aim - to promote increased unity and quality of life in Europe

members - (45) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia and
Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey,
Ukraine, UK

observers - (6) Canada, Holy See, Israel, Japan, Mexico, US

Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS): established - 6 March 1992

aim - to promote cooperation among the Baltic Sea states in the areas of aid to new democratic institutions, economic development, humanitarian aid, energy and the environment, cultural programs and education, and transportation and communication

members - (12) Denmark, Estonia, EC, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden

Council of the Entente (Entente): established - 29 May 1959

aim - to promote economic, social, and political coordination

members - (5) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Niger, Togo

countries in transition: a term used by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the middle group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; IMF statistics include the following 28 countries in transition: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; note - this group is identical to the group traditionally referred to as the "former USSR/Eastern Europe" except for the addition of Mongolia

Customs Cooperation Council (CCC): note - see World Customs
Organization (WCO)

developed countries (DCs): the top group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); includes the market-oriented economies of the mainly democratic nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Bermuda, Israel, South Africa, and the European ministates; also known as the First World, high-income countries, the North, industrial countries; generally have a per capita GDP in excess of $10,000 although four OECD countries and South Africa have figures well under $10,000 and two of the excluded OPEC countries have figures of more than $10,000; the 34 DCs are: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US; note - similar to the new International Monetary Fund (IMF) term "advanced economies" that adds Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan but drops Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey

developing countries: a term used by the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) for the bottom group in its hierarchy of advanced economies,
countries in transition, and developing countries; IMF statistics
include the following 126 developing countries: Afghanistan, Algeria,
Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central
African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The
Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya,
Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman,
Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar,
Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - this category would
presumably also cover the following 46 other countries that are
traditionally included in the more comprehensive group of "less
developed countries": American Samoa, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands,
Brunei, Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands,
Cuba, Eritrea, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gaza
Strip, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey,
Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Isle of Man, Martinique, Mayotte,
Montserrat, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern
Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint
Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga, Turks and Caicos
Islands, Tuvalu, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western
Sahara

East African Development Bank (EADB): established - 6 June 1967; effective - 1 December 1967

aim - to promote economic development

members - (3) Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945

aim - to coordinate the economic and social work of the UN; includes five regional commissions (Economic Commission for Africa, Economic Commission for Europe, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia) and nine functional commissions (Commission for Social Development, Commission on Human Rights, Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Commission on the Status of Women, Commission on Population and Development, Statistical Commission, Commission on Science and Technology for Development, Commission on Sustainable Development, and Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice)

members - (54) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL): note - acronym from Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs

established - 20 September 1976

aim - to promote regional economic cooperation and integration

members - (3) Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS): established - 28
May 1975

aim - to promote regional economic cooperation

members - (16) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo

Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO): established - 27-29 January 1985

aim - to promote regional cooperation in trade, transportation, communications, tourism, cultural affairs, and economic development

members - (10) Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

associate member - (1) "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus"

Economic and Monetary Union (EMU): note - an integral part of the
European Union; also known as the European Economic and Monetary Union

proposed - 1-2 December 1969 at summit conference of heads of government; signed - 7 February 1992 - Maastricht Treaty

aim - to promote a single market by creating a single currency, the euro; timetable - 2 May 1998: European exchange rates fixed for 1 January 1999; 1 January 1999: all banks and stock exchanges begin using euros; 1 January 2002: the euro goes into circulation; 1 July 2002 local currencies no longer accepted

members - (12) Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain; note - Denmark, Sweden, and UK decided not to join

Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC): note - began as the North
Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC); an extension of NATO

established - 8 November 1991; effective - 20 December 1991

aim - to discuss cooperation on mutual political and security issues

members - (46) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium,
Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US,
Uzbekistan

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD): established - 8-9 January 1990 (proposals made); 15 April 1991 (bank inaugurated)

aim - to facilitate the transition of seven centrally planned economies in Europe (Bulgaria, former Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, former USSR, and former Yugoslavia) to market economies by committing 60% of its loans to privatization

members - (62) Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, EU, European Investment Bank
(EIB), Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea,
Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia,
Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia,
Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan

European Community (or European Communities, EC): was established 8 April 1965 to integrate the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), the European Coal and Steel Community (ESC), the European Economic Community (EEC or Common Market), and to establish a completely integrated common market and an eventual federation of Europe; merged into the European Union (EU) on 7 February 1992; member states at the time of merger were Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK

European Free Trade Association (EFTA): established - 4 January 1960; effective - 3 May 1960

aim - to promote expansion of free trade

members - (4) Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland

European Investment Bank (EIB): established - 25 March 1957; effective - 1 January 1958

aim - to promote economic development of the EU and its predecessors, the EEC and the EC

members - (15) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK

European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN): note - acronym retained from the predecessor organization Conseil Europeenne pour la Recherche Nucleaire

established - 1 July 1953; effective - 29 September 1954

aim - to foster nuclear research for peaceful purposes only

members - (20) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK

observers - (7) European Commission, Israel, Japan, Russia, Turkey, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), US

European Space Agency (ESA): established - 31 May 1975

aim - to promote peaceful cooperation in space research and technology

members - (15) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK

cooperating states - (2) Canada, Hungary

European Union (EU): note - evolved from the European Community (EC)

established - 7 February 1992; effective - 1 November 1993

aim - to coordinate policy among the 15 members in three fields: economics, building on the European Economic Community's (EEC) efforts to establish a common market and eventually a common currency to be called the 'euro', which superseded the EU's accounting unit, the ECU; defense, within the concept of a Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP); and justice and home affairs, including immigration, drugs, terrorism, and improved living and working conditions

members - (15) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK

new member states - (10) Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia; note - states will be admitted into the Union 1 May 2004

membership applicants - (3) Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey

First World: another term for countries with advanced, industrialized economies; this term is fading from use; see developed countries (DCs)

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): established - 16 October 1945

aim - to raise living standards and increase availability of agricultural products; a UN specialized agency

members - (184) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina
Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central
African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EC, Fiji, Finland,
France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia
and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon
Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand,
Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

former Soviet Union (FSU): former term often used to identify as a group the successor nations to the Soviet Union or USSR; this group of 15 countries consists of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE): the middle group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); these countries are in political and economic transition and may well be grouped differently in the near future; this group of 27 countries consists of Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia; this group is identical to the IMF group "countries in transition" except for the IMF's inclusion of Mongolia

Four Dragons: the four small Asian less developed countries (LDCs) that have experienced unusually rapid economic growth; also known as the Four Tigers; this group consists of Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan; these countries are included in the IMF's "advanced economies" group

Franc Zone (FZ): note - also known as Conference des Ministres des
Finances des Pays de la Zone Franc

established - NA 1964

aim - to form a monetary union among countries whose currencies are linked to the French franc

members - (14) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo; note - France's three overseas territories, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and Wallis and Futuna, use the Comptoires Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF)

Front Line States (FLS): established to achieve black majority rule in
South Africa; has since gone out of existence; members included Angola,
Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT): see the World Trade
Organization (WTrO)

Group of 2 (G-2): informal term that came into use about 1986; to facilitate bilateral economic cooperation between the two most powerful economic giants; members were Japan, US

Group of 3 (G-3): established - NA September 1990

aim - mechanism for policy coordination

members - (3) Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela

Group of 5 (G-5): established - 22 September 1985

aim - to coordinate the economic policies of five major noncommunist economic powers

members - (5) France, Germany, Japan, UK, US

Group of 6 (G-6): note - also known as Groupe des Six Sur le
Desarmement; not to be confused with the Big Six

established - 22 May 1984

aim - to achieve nuclear disarmament

members - (6) Argentina, Greece, India, Mexico, Sweden, Tanzania

Group of 7 (G-7): note - membership is the same as the Big Seven

established - 22 September 1985

aim - to facilitate economic cooperation among the seven major noncommunist economic powers

members - (7) Group of 5 (France, Germany, Japan, UK, US) plus Canada and Italy

Group of 8 (G-8): established - NA October 1975

aim - to facilitate economic cooperation among the developed countries (DCs) that participated in the Conference on International Economic Cooperation (CIEC), held in several sessions between NA December 1975 and 3 June 1977

members - (8) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, UK, US

Group of 9 (G-9): established - NA

aim - to discuss matters of mutual interest on an informal basis

members - (9) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Sweden

Group of 10 (G-10): note - also known as the Paris Club; includes the wealthiest members of the IMF which provide most of the money to be loaned and act as the informal steering committee; name persists in spite of the addition of Switzerland on NA April 1984

established - NA October 1962

aim - to coordinate credit policy

members - (11) Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

nonstate participants - (4) BIS, EC, IMF, OECD

Group of 11 (G-11): note - also known as the Cartagena Group;

established in 21-22 June 1984, in Cartagena, Colombia;

aim was to provide a forum for largest debtor nations in Latin America;

members were Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

Group of 15 (G-15): note - byproduct of the Nonaligned Movement

established - NA September 1989

aim - to promote economic cooperation among developing nations; to act as the main political organ for the Nonaligned Movement

members - (17) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela, Zimbabwe

Group of 24 (G-24): established - 1 August 1989

aim - to promote the interests of developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America within the IMF

members - (24) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana,
Guatemala, India, Iran, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru,
Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago,
Venezuela

Group of 77 (G-77): established - 15 June1964; NA October 1967 first ministerial meeting

aim - to promote economic cooperation among developing countries; name persists in spite of increased membership

members - (133 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,
China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,
Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated States of
Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua,
Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE,
Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
Palestine Liberation Organization

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): note - also known as the Cooperation
Council for the Arab States of the Gulf

established - 25 May 1981

aim - to promote regional cooperation in economic, social, political, and military affairs

members - (6) Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE

GUUAM: note - acronym standing for the member countries, Georgia,
Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova

established - 7 June 2001

aim - commits the countries to cooperation and assistance in social and economic development, the strengthening and broadening of trade and economic relations, and the development and effective use of transport and communications, highways, and related infrastructure crossing the boundaries of the member states

members - (5) Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

high-income countries: another term for the industrialized countries with high per capita GDPs; see developed countries (DCs)

Indian Ocean Commission (InOC): established - 21 December 1982

aim - to organize and promote regional cooperation in all sectors, especially economic

members - (5) Comoros, France (for Reunion), Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles

industrial countries: another term for the developed countries; see developed countries (DCs)

Inter-American Development Bank (IADB): note - also known as Banco
Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID)

established - 8 April 1959; effective - 30 December 1959

aim - to promote economic and social development in Latin America

members - (46) Argentina, Austria, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium,
Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia,
Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France,
Germany, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,
Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and
Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD): note - formerly known as Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD)

established - 15-16 January 1986 as the Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development; revitalized - 21 March 1996 as the Inter- Governmental Authority on Development

aim - to promote a social, economic, and scientific community among its members

members - (7) Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA): established - 26 October 1956; effective - 29 July 1957

aim - to promote peaceful uses of atomic energy

members - (137) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina,
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium,
Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chile,
China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,
Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala,
Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia,
Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall
Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan,
Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania,
Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD): note - also known as the World Bank

established - 22 July 1944; effective - 27 December 1945

aim - to provide economic development loans; a UN specialized agency

members - (184) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati,
South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of
Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine,
UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,
Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Chamber of Commerce (ICC): established - NA 1919

aim - to promote free trade and private enterprise and to represent business interests at national and international levels

members - (85 national committees) Algeria, Argentina, Australia,
Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon,
Canada, Caribbean, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France,
Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, South Korea,
Kuwait, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia,
Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South
Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania,
Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO): established - 7
December 1944; effective - 4 April 1947

aim - to promote international cooperation in civil aviation; a UN specialized agency

members - (188) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt,
El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji,
Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South
Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia,
Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of
Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Palau, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San
Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania,
Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Civilian Support Mission in Haiti (MICAH): established - 17 December 1999

aim - to promote respect for human rights

members - (11) Argentina, Benin, Canada, France, India, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia, US

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): established - 17
February 1863

aim - to provide humanitarian aid in wartime

members - (25 individuals) all Swiss nationals

International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU): established
- NA December 1949

aim - to promote the trade union movement

members - (231 affiliated organizations in the following 153 countries
plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Albania, Algeria, Angola,
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin,
Bermuda, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands,
Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador,
Eritrea, Estonia, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, French
Polynesia, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Holy See, Honduras, Hong
Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon,
Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali,
Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montserrat,
Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania,
Russia, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Vanuatu, Venezuela,
Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

International Court of Justice (ICJ): note - also known as the World
Court

established - 3 February 1946 superseded Permanent Court of International Justice

aim - primary judicial organ of the UN

members - (15 judges) elected by the UN General Assembly and Security Council to represent all principal legal systems

International Criminal Court (ICCt): established - 11 April 2002

aim - to hold all individuals and countries accountable to international laws of conduct; to specify international standards of conduct; to provide an important mechanism for implementing these standards; to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice

members (countries that have ratified the treaty) - (92) Afghanistan,
Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria,
Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Central African Republic,
Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, East Timor, Ecuador, Estonia, Fiji,
Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, South
Korea, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Marshall
Islands, Mauritius, Mongolia, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, NZ, Niger,
Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia
and Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda,
UK, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia

signatory states (countries that have signed, but not ratified, the
treaty) - (51) Algeria, Angola, Armenia, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile,
Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Czech Republic,
Dominican Republic, Egypt, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Iran,
Israel, Jamaica, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Madagascar,
Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Oman, Philippines,
Russia, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Solomon
Islands, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Ukraine, UAE, US, Uzbekistan, Yemen,
Zimbabwe

International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol): established -
NA September 1923 set up as the International Criminal Police
Commission; 13 June 1956 constitution modified and present name adopted

aim - to promote international cooperation among police authorities in fighting crime

members - (181) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa
Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El
Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland,
France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan,
Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles,
NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua
New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,
Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand,
Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine,
UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe

subbureaus - (14) American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin
Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Guam, Hong Kong, Macau, Montserrat,
Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos Islands, Virgin
Islands

International Development Association (IDA): established - 26 January 1960; effective - 24 September 1960

aim - to provide economic loans for low-income countries; UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate

members - (165)
Part I - (27 developed countries) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada,
Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan,
Kuwait, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Russia, South
Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, UK, US
Part II - (138 less developed countries) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria,
Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central
African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana,
Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia,
Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall
Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia,
Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,
Peru, Philippines, Poland, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi
Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad
and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam,
Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Energy Agency (IEA): established - 15 November 1974

aim - to promote cooperation on energy matters, especially emergency oil sharing and relations between oil consumers and oil producers; established by the OECD

members - (26) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,
Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
(IFRCS): note - formerly known as League of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies (LORCS)

established - 5 May 1919

aim - to organize, coordinate, and direct international relief actions; to promote humanitarian activities; to represent and encourage the development of National Societies; to bring help to victims of armed conflicts, refugees, and displaced people; to reduce the vulnerability of people through development programs

members - (185 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,
Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African
Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, the
Palestine Liberation Organization

observers - (2) Israel, Tuvalu

International Finance Corporation (IFC): established - 25 May 1955; effective - 24 July 1956

aim - to support private enterprise in international economic development; a UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate

members - (175) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,
Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand,
Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela,
Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD): established -
NA November 1974

aim - to promote agricultural development; a UN specialized agency

members - (163)
Category I - (23 industrialized aid contributors) Australia, Austria,
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US
Category II - (12 petroleum-exporting aid contributors) Algeria, Gabon,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,
UAE, Venezuela
Category III - (128 aid recipients) Afghanistan, Albania, Angola,
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook
Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,
India, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South
Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,
Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Panama,
Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Rwanda, Saint
Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa,
Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, Vietnam,
Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Hydrographic Organization (IHO): note - name changed from International Hydrographic Bureau on 22 September 1970

established - NA June 1919; effective - NA June 1921

aim - to train hydrographic surveyors and nautical cartographers to achieve standardization in nautical charts and electronic chart displays; to provide advice on nautical cartography and hydrography; to develop the sciences in the field of hydrography and techniques used for descriptive oceanography

members - (74) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Belgium, Brazil, Burma, Canada, Chile, China (including Hong Kong and
Macau), Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Croatia, Cuba,
Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore, Slovenia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Syria, Thailand,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US,
Uruguay, Venezuela

membership pending - (3) Bulgaria, Mauritania, Qatar

International Labor Organization (ILO): established - 28 June 1919 set up as part of Treaty of Versailles; 11 April 1919 became operative; 14 December 1946 affiliated with the UN

aim - to deal with world labor issues; a UN specialized agency

members - (177) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El
Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland,
France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Maritime Organization (IMO): note - name changed from Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) on 22 May 1982

established - 6 March 1948 set up as the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization; effective - 17 March 1958

aim - to deal with international maritime affairs; a UN specialized agency

members - (163) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia,
Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta,
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia
and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine,
UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen associate
members - (3) Faroe Islands, Hong Kong, Macau

International Monetary Fund (IMF): established - 22 July 1944; effective - 27 December 1945

aim - to promote world monetary stability and economic development; a UN specialized agency

members - (184) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati,
South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of
Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine,
UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,
Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Olympic Committee (IOC): established - 23 June 1894

aim - to promote the Olympic ideals and administer the Olympic games: 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece; 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy; 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China; 2010 Winter Olympics in British Colombia, Canada

National Olympic Committees - (201 and the Palestine Liberation
Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra,
Angola (suspended), Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba,
Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova,
Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,
Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,
Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,
Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

International Organization for Migration (IOM): note - established as
Provisional Intergovernmental Committee for the Movement of Migrants
from Europe; renamed Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration
(ICEM) on 15 November 1952; renamed Intergovernmental Committee for
Migration (ICM) in November 1980; current name adopted 14 November 1989

established - 5 December 1951

aim - to facilitate orderly international emigration and immigration

members - (102) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia,
Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin,
Bolivia, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile,
Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo,
Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Finland, France, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,
Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Moldova,
Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South
Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania,
Thailand, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen,
Zambia, Zimbabwe

observers - (29) Afghanistan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Brazil, Burundi, China, Cuba, Estonia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Holy See,
India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Libya, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Russia, San
Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, Spain, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Vietnam

International Organization for Standardization (ISO): established - NA
February 1947

aim - to promote the development of international standards with a view to facilitating international exchange of goods and services and to developing cooperation in the sphere of intellectual, scientific, technological and economic activity

members - (97 national standards organizations) Algeria, Argentina,
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Bahrain,
Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia,
Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia,
Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Libya, Luxembourg,
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius,
Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi
Arabia, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South
Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania,
Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US,
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zimbabwe

correspondent members - (36) Albania, Angola, Bolivia, Brunei,
Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador, Estonia,
Guatemala, Hong Kong, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Macau,
Madagascar, Malawi, Moldova, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua,
Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Senegal,
Seychelles, Sudan, Swaziland, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia

subscriber members - (14 plus the Palestinian Liberation Organization)
Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cambodia, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, Eritrea, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Honduras, Lesotho, Mali,
Niger, Palestinian Liberation Organization

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM): established
- NA 1928

aim - to promote worldwide humanitarian aid through the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in wartime, and International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS; formerly
League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies or LORCS) in peacetime

National Societies - (185 countries); note - same as membership for
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
(IFRCS)

International Telecommunication Union (ITU): established - 17 May 1865 set up as the International Telegraph Union; 9 December 1932 adopted present name

effective - 1 January 1934; affiliated with the UN - 15 November 1947

aim - to deal with world telecommunications issues; a UN specialized agency

members - (189) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy
See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati,
North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay,
Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao
Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon
Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand,
Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Islamic Development Bank (IDB): established - 15 December 1973 by declaration of intent; effective - 12 August 1974

aim - to promote Islamic economic aid and social development

members - (54 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei,
Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt,
Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Oman, Pakistan,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname,
Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE,
Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Latin American Economic System (LAES): note - also known as Sistema
Economico Latinoamericana (SELA)

established - 17 October 1975

aim - to promote economic and social development through regional cooperation

members - (28) Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia,
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica,
Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and
Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela

Latin American Integration Association (LAIA): note - also known as
Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI)

established - 12 August 1980; effective - 18 March 1981

aim - to promote freer regional trade

members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

observers - (23) China, Commission of the European Communities,
Corporacion Andina de Fomento, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Inter-American Development Bank, Inter-
American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, Italy, Latin America
Economic System, Nicaragua, Organization of American States, Panama,
Pan-American Health Organization, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain,
Switzerland, United Nations Development Program, United Nations
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

League of Arab States (LAS): note - also known as Arab League (AL)

established - 22 March 1945

aim - to promote economic, social, political, and military cooperation

members - (21 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria,
Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon,
Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan,
Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

least developed countries (LLDCs): that subgroup of the less developed countries (LDCs) initially identified by the UN General Assembly in 1971 as having no significant economic growth, per capita GDPs normally less than $1,000, and low literacy rates; also known as the undeveloped countries; the 42 LLDCs are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen

less developed countries (LDCs): the bottom group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); mainly countries and dependent areas with low levels of output, living standards, and technology; per capita GDPs are generally below $5,000 and often less than $1,500; however, the group also includes a number of countries with high per capita incomes, areas of advanced technology, and rapid rates of growth; includes the advanced developing countries, developing countries, Four Dragons (Four Tigers), least developed countries (LLDCs), low-income countries, middle-income countries, newly industrializing economies (NIEs), the South, Third World, underdeveloped countries, undeveloped countries; the 172 LDCs are: Afghanistan, Algeria, American Samoa, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Fiji, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, The Gambia, Gaza Strip, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jersey, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Isle of Man, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Palau, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, UAE, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - similar to the new International Monetary Fund (IMF) term "developing countries" which adds Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey but omits in its recently published statistics American Samoa, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands, Cuba, Eritrea, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gaza Strip, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey, Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Isle of Man, Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara

low-income countries: another term for those less developed countries with below-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)

middle-income countries: another term for those less developed countries with above-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)

Monetary and Economic Community of Central Africa (CEMAC): note - was formerly the Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC)

established - 8 December 1964; effective - 1 January 1966

aim - to promote the establishment of a Central African Common Market

members - (6) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon

Near Abroad: Russian term for the 14 non-Russian successor states of the USSR, in which 25 million ethnic Russians live and in which Moscow has expressed a strong national security interest; the 14 countries are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

new independent states (NIS): a term referring to all those countries of the FSU except the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)

newly industrializing countries (NICs): former term for the newly industrializing economies; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)

newly industrializing economies (NIEs): that subgroup of the less developed countries (LDCs) that has experienced particularly rapid industrialization of their economies; formerly known as the newly industrializing countries (NICs); also known as advanced developing countries; usually includes the Four Dragons (Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan), and Brazil

Nonaligned Movement (NAM): established - 1-6 September 1961

aim - to establish political and military cooperation apart from the traditional East or West blocs

members - (114 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Algeria, Angola, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus,
Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic,
Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon,
The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North
Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines,
Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan,
Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

observers - (13) Armenia, Belarus, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominica, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Paraguay, Ukraine, Uruguay

guests - (28) Australia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria,
Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

Nordic Council (NC): established - 16 March 1952; effective - 12
February 1953

aim - to promote regional economic, cultural, and environmental cooperation

members - (5) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Norway, Sweden

observers - (3) the Sami (Lapp) local parliaments of Finland, Norway, and Sweden

Nordic Investment Bank (NIB): established - 4 December 1975; effective - 1 June 1976

aim - to promote economic cooperation and development

members - (5) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Norway, Sweden

North: a popular term for the rich industrialized countries generally located in the northern portion of the Northern Hemisphere; the counterpart of the South; see developed countries (DCs)

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): established - 17 December 1992

aim - to eliminate trade barriers, promote fair competition, increase investment opportunities, provide protection of intellectual property rights, create procedures to settle disputes

members - (3) Canada, Mexico, US

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): established - 4 April 1949

aim - to promote mutual defense and cooperation

members - (26) Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, UK, US

Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA): note - also known as OECD Nuclear Energy
Agency

established - 1 February 1958

aim - to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy; associated with OECD

members - (28) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway,
Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG): note - also known as the London
Suppliers Group or the London Group

established - NA 1974; effective - NA 1975

aim - to establish guidelines for exports of nuclear materials, processing equipment for uranium enrichment, and technical information to countries of proliferation concern and regions of conflict and instability

members - (40) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South
Korea, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US

observer - (1) European Commission (a policy-planning body for the EU)

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD): established - 14 December 1960;

effective - 30 September 1961

aim - to promote economic cooperation and development

members - (30) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

special member - (1) EU

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE): note - formerly the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) established 3 July 1975

established - 1 January 1995

aim - to foster the implementation of human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law; to act as an instrument of early warning, conflict prevention, and crisis management; and to serve as a framework for conventional arms control and confidence building measures

members - (55) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus,
Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany,
Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia and
Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan

partners for cooperation - (10) Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Morocco, Thailand, Tunisia

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW): established - 29 April 1997

aim - to enforce the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction; to provide a forum for consultation and cooperation among the signatories of the Convention

members (countries that have ratified the Convention) - (160)
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile,
China, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia,
Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, East Timor, Ecuador,
El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji,
Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia,
Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,
Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia,
Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda,
Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,
Zambia, Zimbabwe

signatory states (countries that have signed, but not ratified, the Convention) - (22) The Bahamas, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guinea- Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Liberia, Madagascar, Marshall Islands, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sierra Leone; note - states have signed but not ratified the convention

Organization of African Unity (OAU): see African Union

Organization of American States (OAS): established - 14 April 1890 as the International Union of American Republics; 30 April 1948 adopted present charter; effective - 13 December 1951

aim - to promote regional peace and security as well as economic and social development

members - (35) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba (excluded from formal participation since 1962), Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

observers - (56) Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, EU, Finland,
France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, India,
Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia,
Lebanon, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia and Montenegro,
Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia,
Turkey, Ukraine, UK, Yemen

Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC): established - 9 January 1968

aim - to promote cooperation in the petroleum industry

members - (11) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, UAE

Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS): established - 18 June 1981; effective - 4 July 1981

aim - to promote political, economic, and defense cooperation

members - (7) Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

associate members - (2) Anguilla, British Virgin Islands

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC): established - 14
September 1960

aim - to coordinate petroleum policies

members - (11) Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela

Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC): established - 22-25
September 1969

aim - to promote Islamic solidarity in economic, social, cultural, and political affairs

members - (56 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei,
Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt,
Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Oman,
Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan,
Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

observers - (10) Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central African Republic, ECA, LAS, Moro National Liberation Front, NAM, OAU, Thailand, Turkish Muslim Community of Kibris, UN

Pacific Community: note - formerly known as the South Pacific Commission (SPC) established - 6 February 1947; effective - 29 July 1948

aim - to promote regional cooperation in economic and social matters

members - (27) American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, France,
French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of
Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, NZ, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands,
Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands,
Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, UK, US, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna

Pacific Islands Forum (PIF): note - formerly known as South Pacific
Forum (SPF)

established - 5 August 1971

aim - to promote regional cooperation in political matters

members - (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

observers - (2) East Timor, New Caledonia

Paris Club: established - 1956

aim - to provide a forum for debtor countries to negotiate rescheduling of debt service payments or loans extended by governments or official agencies of participating countries; to help restore normal trade and project finance to debtor countries

members - (19) Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

Partnership for Peace (PFP): established - 10-11 January 1994

aim - to expand and intensify political and military cooperation throughout Europe, increase stability, diminish threats to peace, and build relationships by promoting the spirit of practical cooperation and commitment to democratic principles that underpin NATO; program under the auspices of NATO

members - (20) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Croatia,
Finland, Georgia, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA): established - 29 July 1899

aim - to facilitate the settlement of international disputes

members - (101) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium,
Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa
Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon,
Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands,
NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand,
Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Rio Group (RG): note - formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho, established NA December 1986; composed of the Contadora Group and the Lima Group

established - NA 1988

aim - to consult on regional Latin American issues

members - (19) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

Second World: another term for the traditionally Marxist-Leninist states of the USSR and Eastern Europe, with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; the term is fading from use; see centrally planned economies

Shanghai Cooperative Organization (SCO): established - 15 June 2001

aim - to combat terrorism, extremism, and separatism; to safeguard regional security through mutual trust, disarmament, and cooperative security; and to increase cooperation in political, trade, economic, scientific and technological, cultural, and educational fields

members - (6) China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan

socialist countries: in general, countries in which the government owns and plans the use of the major factors of production; note - the term is sometimes used incorrectly as a synonym for Communist countries

South: a popular term for the poorer, less industrialized countries generally located south of the developed countries; the counterpart of the North; see less developed countries (LDCs)

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC): established - 8 December 1985

aim - to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation

members - (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

South Pacific Forum (SPF): note - see Pacific Island Forum

South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement
(Sparteca): established - NA 1981

aim - to redress unequal trade relationships of Australia and New Zealand with small island economies in the Pacific region

members - (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

Southern African Customs Union (SACU): established - 11 December 1969

aim - to promote free trade and cooperation in customs matters

members - (5) Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland

Southern African Development Community (SADC): note - evolved from the
Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC)

established - 17 August 1992

aim - to promote regional economic development and integration

members - (14) Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur) or Southern Common Market: note - also known as Mercado Comun del Cono Sur (Mercosur)

established - 26 March 1991

aim - to increase regional economic cooperation

members - (4) Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay

associate members - (2) Bolivia, Chile

Third World: another term for the less developed countries; the term is obsolescent; see less developed countries (LDCs)

underdeveloped countries: refers to those less developed countries with the potential for above-average economic growth; see less developed countries (LDCs)

undeveloped countries: refers to those extremely poor less developed countries (LDCs) with little prospect for economic growth; see least developed countries (LLDCs)

United Nations (UN): established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24
October 1945

aim - to maintain international peace and security and to promote cooperation involving economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian problems

constituent organizations - the UN is composed of six principal organs and numerous subordinate agencies and bodies as follows:

1) Secretariat

2) General Assembly: Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UN
AIDS), International Research and Training Institute for the
Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations Center for Human
Settlements (UN-Habitat), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF),
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United
Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Drug Control Program
(UNDCP), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR), United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Institute for
Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), United Nations Institute for Training
and Research (UNITAR), United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice
Research Institute (UNICRI), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA),
United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS), United Nations
Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
(UNRWA), United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
(UNRISD), United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC), and United
Nations University (UNU), World Food Program (WFP)

3) Security Council: International Criminal Tribunal for the Former
Yugoslavia (ICTY), International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR),
United Nations Compensation Commission, United Nations Disengagement
Observer Force (UNDOF), United Nations Interim Administration Mission
in Kosovo (UNMIK), United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL),
United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), United Nations Mission of
Support in East Timor (UNMISET), United Nations Military Observer Group
in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), United Nations Mission for the
Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), United Nations Mission in
Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone
(UNAMSIL), United Nations Monitoring and Verification Commission
(UNMOVIC), United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG), United
Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(MONUC), United Nations Peace-Keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), and
United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO)

4) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): Commission for Social
Development, Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice,
Commission on Human Rights, Commission on Narcotics Drugs, Commission
on Population and Development, Commission on Science and Technology for
Development, Commission on Sustainable Development, Commission on the
Status of Women, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific (ESCAP), Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
(ESCWA), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic Commission for
Europe (ECE), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
(ECLAC), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO),
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Center for
Secretariat of Investment Disputes (ICSID), International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Development Association
(IDA), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Fund for
Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Labor Organization
(ILO), International Maritime Organization (IMO), International
Monetary Fund (IMF), International Telecommunication Union (ITU),
Multilateral Investment Geographic Agency (MIGA), Statistical
Commission, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Forum on Forests, United Nations
Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Universal Postal Union
(UPU), World Health Organization (WHO), World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), World
Tourism Organization (WToO), and World Trade Organization (WTrO)

5) Trusteeship Council (inactive; no trusteeships at this time)

6) International Court of Justice (ICJ)

UN members - (191) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola,
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria,
Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus,
Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,
Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-
Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua
New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,
Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe,
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa,
Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland,
Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE,
UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,
Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - all UN members are represented in the General
Assembly

observers - (1 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Holy See, Palestine Liberation Organization

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF): note - acronym retained from the predecessor organization, UN International Children's Emergency Fund

established - 11 December 1946

aim - to help establish child health and welfare services

members - (37) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD): established - 30 December 1964

aim - to promote international trade

members - (192) all UN members plus Holy See

United Nations Development Program (UNDP): established - 22 November 1965

aim - to provide technical assistance to stimulate economic and social development

members (executive board) - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF): established - 31
May 1974

aim - to observe the 1973 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council

members - (6) Austria, Canada, Japan, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO): established - 16 November 1945; effective - 4 November 1946

aim - to promote cooperation in education, science, and culture

members - (190) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook
Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor,
Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia,
Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya,
Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia,
Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives,
Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated
States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,
Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,
Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

associate members - (6) Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Macau, Netherlands Antilles, Tokelau

United Nations Environment Program (UNEP): established - 15 December 1972

aim - to promote international cooperation on all environmental matters

members - (58) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations General Assembly: established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945

aim - to function as the primary deliberative organ of the UN

members - (191) all UN members are represented in the General Assembly

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): established - 3
December 1949; effective - 1 January 1951

aim - to ensure the humanitarian treatment of refugees and find permanent solutions to refugee problems

members (executive committee) - (64) Algeria, Argentina, Australia,
Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Denmark,
Ecuador, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guinea, Holy See,
Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, South
Korea, Lebanon, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan,
Philippines, Poland, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Somalia, South
Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia,
Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela, Yemen

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO): established - 17 November 1966; effective - 1 January 1967

aim - UN specialized agency that promotes industrial development especially among the members

members - (171) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina,
Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,
China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor,
Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel,
Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South
Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,
Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and
Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR): established - 11 December 1963 adoption of the resolution establishing the Institute; effective - 24 March 1965

aim - to help the UN become more effective through training and research

members (Board of Trustees) - (21) Austria, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Ghana, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US; note - the UN Secretary General can appoint up to 30 members

United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK): established - 10 June 1999

aim - to promote the establishment of substantial autonomy and self- government in Kosovo; to perform basic civilian administrative functions; to support the reconstruction of key infrastructure and humanitarian and disaster relief

members - (48) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Cameroon, Canada, Cote d'Ivoire, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Fiji,
Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Malawi, Malaysia, Nepal,
Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Russia, Senegal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey,
Ukraine UK, US, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL): established - 19
March 1978

aim - to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and assist in reestablishing Lebanese authority in southern Lebanon; established by the UN Security Council

members - (7) France, Ghana, India, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Ukraine

United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM): established
in 9 April 1991; to observe and monitor the demilitarized zone
established between Iraq and Kuwait; established by the UN Security
Council; members were Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, China, Denmark,
Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India,
Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland,
Romania, Russia, Senegal, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, UK, US,
Uruguay, Venezuela; mandate ended 6 October 2003

United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP): established - 24 January 1949

aim - to observe the 1949 India-Pakistan cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council

members - (9) Belgium, Chile, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, Uruguay

United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO): established - 29 April 1991

aim - to supervise the cease-fire and conduct a referendum in Western Sahara; established by the UN Security Council

members - (25) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, China, Croatia, Egypt,
El Salvador, France, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland,
Italy, Kenya, South Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan,
Poland, Russia, Sri Lanka, Uruguay

United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH): established
- 21 December 1995; to establish an International Police Task Force
(IPTF) to implement the Dayton Peace Agreement in Bosnia and
Herzegovina; members Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada,
Chile, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland,
France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Nepal, Nigeria,
Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia,
Senegal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey,
Ukraine, UK, US, Vanuatu; was terminated 31 December 2002

United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE): established - 31 July 2000

aim - to monitor the cessation of hostilities

members - (42) Algeria, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, The Gambia, Ghana, Greece, India, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Zambia

United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL): established - 19 September 2003

aim - to support the cease-fire agreement and peace process; protect UN facilities and people; support humanitarian activities;and assist in national security reform

members - (43) Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Croatia,
Denmark, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Finland, France, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-
Bissau, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Malawi, Mali,
Moldova, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Senegal, South Africa,
Sweden, Togo, Turkey, UK, US, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL): established - 22
October 1999

aim - to cooperate with the Government of Sierra Leone and the other parties to the Peace Agreement in the implementation of the agreement; to monitor the military and security situation in Sierra Leone; to monitor the disarmament and demobilization of combatants and members of the Civil Defense Forces (CFD); to assist in monitoring respect for international humanitarian law

members - (31) Bangladesh, Bolivia, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Egypt, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Guinea,
Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mali, Nepal, NZ,
Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand,
Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Zambia

United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka (UNMOP): established 1
February 1996; to monitor the demilitarization of the Prevlaka
peninsula in southern Croatia; members were Argentina, Bangladesh,
Belgium, Brazil, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Ghana,
Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Nepal, NZ, Nigeria, Norway,
Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, Ukraine; was terminated 15
December 2002

United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET): established - 17 May 2002

aim - to provide assistance to structures critical to political stability; to provide law enforcement and public security and to assist in the development of law enforcement agencies; to contribute to external security

members - (28) Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil,
Croatia, Denmark, Fiji, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea,
Malaysia, Mozambique, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal,
Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore, Slovakia, Sweden, Thailand,
Turkey, Uruguay

United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC): note - formerly known as United Nations Special Commission for the Elimination of Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction (UNSCOM)

established - NA December 1999

aim - to identify, account for, and eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and the capacity to produce them

commissioners - (15) Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, Senegal, Ukraine, UK, US

United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG): established - 24
August 1993

aim - to verify compliance with the cease-fire agreement, to monitor weapons exclusion zone, and to supervise CIS peacekeeping force for Abkhazia; established by the UN Security Council

members - (23) Albania, Austria, Bangladesh, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, South
Korea, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine,
UK, US, Uruguay

United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo (MONUC): established - 30 November 1999

aim - to establish contacts with the signatories to the cease-fire agreement and to plan for the observation of the cease-fire and disengagement of forces

members - (49) Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Ireland,
Jordan, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland,
Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, South Africa, Spain,
Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Zambia

United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP): established - 4 March 1964

aim - to serve as a peacekeeping force between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus; established by the UN Security Council

members - (9) Argentina, Austria, Canada, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, South Korea, Slovakia, UK

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA): note - acronym retained from predecessor organization UN Fund for Population Activities

established - NA July 1967

aim - to assist both developed and developing countries to deal with their population problems

members (executive board ) - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP): established 31 March 1995; to monitor border activity in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; members were Argentina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Nepal, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, US; mandate ended 25 March 1999

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the
Near East (UNRWA): established - 8 December 1949

aim - to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees

members (advisory commission) - (10) Belgium, Egypt, France, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, UK, US

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD): established - NA 1963

aim - to conduct research into the problems of economic development during different phases of economic growth

members - no country members, but a Board of Directors consisting of a chairman appointed by the UN secretary general and 11 individual members

United Nations Secretariat: established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24
October 1945

aim - to serve as the primary administrative organ of the UN; a Secretary General is appointed for a five-year term by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council

members - the UN Secretary General and staff

United Nations Security Council (UNSC): established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945

aim - to maintain international peace and security

permanent members - (5) China, France, Russia, UK, US

nonpermanent members - (10) elected for two-year terms by the UN General Assembly; Algeria (2004-05), Angola (2003-04), Benin (2004-05), Brazil (2004-05), Chile (2003-04), Germany (2003-04), Pakistan (2003- 04), Philippines (2004-05), Romania (2004-05), Spain (2003-04)

United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET): established 25 October 1999 to provide security throughout the territory of East Timor; to establish an effective administration; to ensure the coordination and delivery of humanitarian assistance; to support capacity-building for self-government; 28 members including Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, Fiji, Ireland, Jordan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nepal, NZ, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, UK, US, Uruguay

United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO): established -
NA June 1948

aim - to supervise the 1948 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; currently supports timely deployment of reinforcements to other peacekeeping operations in the region as needed; initially established by the UN Security Council

members - (23) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile,
China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden,
Switzerland, US

United Nations Trusteeship Council: established on 26 June 1945, effective on 24 October 1945, to supervise the administration of the 11 UN trust territories; members were China, France, Russia, UK, US; it formally suspended operations 1 November 1995 after the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau) became the Republic of Palau, a constitutional government in free association with the US; the Trusteeship Council was not dissolved

United Nations University (UNU): established - 3 December 1973

aim - to conduct research in development, welfare, and human survival and to train scholars

members - (24 members of UNU Council and the Rector are appointed by the Secretary General of the United Nations and the Director General of UNESCO)

Universal Postal Union (UPU): established - 9 October 1874, affiliated with the UN 15 November 1947; effective - 1 July 1948

aim - to promote international postal cooperation; a UN specialized agency

members - (188) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor,
Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia,
Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda,
Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Warsaw Pact (WP): established 14 May 1955 to promote mutual defense; members met 1 July 1991 to dissolve the alliance; member states at the time of dissolution were Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and the USSR; earlier members included GDR and Albania

West African Development Bank (WADB): note - also known as Banque
Ouest-Africaine de Developpement (BOAD); is a financial institution of
WAEMU

established - 14 November 1973

aim - to promote regional economic development and integration

regional members - (9) Central Bank of West African States, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo

international/nonregional members - (5) African Development Bank, Belgium, European Investment Bank, France, Germany

West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU): note - also known as
Union Economique et Monetaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA)

established - 1 August 1994

aim - to increase competitiveness of members' economic markets; to create a common market

members - (8) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo

Western European Union (WEU): established - 23 October 1954; effective - 6 May 1955

aim - to provide mutual defense and to move toward political unification

members - (10) Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK

associate members - (6) Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Turkey

associate partners - (7) Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia

observers - (5) Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Sweden

World Bank Group: includes International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (IBRD), International Development Association (IDA), and
International Finance Corporation (IFC)

World Confederation of Labor (WCL): established - 19 June 1920 as the
International Federation of Christian Trade Unions (IFCTU), renamed 4
October 1968

aim - to promote the trade union movement

members - (102 national organizations) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Aruba, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic,
Chad, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, French
Guiana, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Liberia, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malaysia, Malawi, Malta, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua,
Niger, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,
Puerto Rico, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago,
Ukraine, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

World Customs Organization (WCO): note - began as the Customs
Cooperation Council (CCC)

established - 15 December 1950

aim - to promote international cooperation in customs matters

members - (162) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia,
Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana,
Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia,
Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia,
Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Hong Kong, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan,
Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau,
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands,
Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine,
UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe

World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU): established - 3 October 1945

aim - to promote the trade union movement

members - (125 and the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Benin,
Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea,
Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, The Gambia, Ghana,
Greece, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali,
Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, New Caledonia, NZ,
Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Romania, Russia,
Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Solomon
Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Syria,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

World Food Program (WFP): established - 24 November 1961

aim - to provide food aid in support of economic development or disaster relief; an ECOSOC organization

members - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

World Health Organization (WHO): established - 22 July 1946; effective - 7 April 1948

aim - to deal with health matters worldwide; a UN specialized agency

members - (192) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East
Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,
Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,
Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,
Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US,
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe

associate members - (2) Puerto Rico, Tokelau

observers - (2) Holy See, Liechtenstein

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): established - 14 July 1967; effective - 26 April 1970

aim - to furnish protection for literary, artistic, and scientific works; a UN specialized agency

members - (179) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway,
Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San
Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine,
UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe

World Meteorological Organization (WMO): established - 11 October 1947; effective - 4 April 1951

aim - to sponsor meteorological cooperation; a UN specialized agency

members - (187) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
British Caribbean Territories, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African
Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea,
Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-
Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Macau, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands
Antilles, New Caledonia, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway,
Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa,
Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon
Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand,
Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela,
Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

World Tourism Organization (WToO): established - 2 January 1975

aim - to promote tourism as a means of contributing to economic development, international understanding, and peace

members - (142) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola,
Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin,
Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central
African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia,
Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, France,
Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea,
South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya,
Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,
Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay,
Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda,
San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa,
Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania,
Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine,
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

associate members - (7) Aruba, Flanders, Hong Kong, Macau, Madeira Islands, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico

observers - (2) Holy See, Palestine Liberation Organization

World Trade Organization (WTrO): note - succeeded General Agreement on
Tariff and Trade (GATT)

established - 15 April 1994; effective - 1 January 1995

aim - to provide a forum to resolve trade conflicts between members and to carry on negotiations with the goal of further lowering and/or eliminating tariffs and other trade barriers

members - (146) Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium,
Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina
Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau,The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand,
Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US,
Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe

observers - (30) Algeria, Andorra, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Holy See, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Nepal, Russia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tonga, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen; note - must start accession negotiations within five years of becoming observers

Zangger Committee (ZC): established - early 1970s

aim - to establish guidelines for the export control provisions of the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty (NPT)

members - (35) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia,
Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey Ukraine, UK,
US

This page was last updated on 9 December, 2004

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Appendix C - Selected International Environmental Agreements

Air Pollution

see Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or Their Transboundary Fluxes

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants

Air Pollution-Sulfur 85

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on the Reduction of Sulfur Emissions or Their Transboundary Fluxes by at least 30%

Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulfur Emissions

Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

see Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty

Antarctic Treaty

opened for signature - 1 December 1959

entered into force - 23 June 1961

objective - to ensure that Antarctica is used for peaceful purposes only (such as international cooperation in scientific research); to defer the question of territorial claims asserted by some nations and not recognized by others; to provide an international forum for management of the region; applies to land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees South latitude

parties - (45) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala,
Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Netherlands,
NZ, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia,
South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US,
Uruguay, Venezuela

Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous
Wastes and Their Disposal

note - abbreviated as Hazardous Wastes

opened for signature - 22 March 1989 entered into force - 5 May 1992

objective - to reduce transboundary movements of wastes subject to the Convention to a minimum consistent with the environmentally sound and efficient management of such wastes; to minimize the amount and toxicity of wastes generated and ensure their environmentally sound management as closely as possible to the source of generation; and to assist LDCs in environmentally sound management of the hazardous and other wastes they generate

parties - (159) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile,
China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Finland, France, The Gambia,
Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova,
Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal,
Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South
Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania,
Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda,
Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,
Zambia

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (3) Afghanistan, Haiti, US

Biodiversity

see Convention on Biological Diversity

Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals

note - abbreviated as Antarctic Seals

opened for signature - 1 June 1972 entered into force - 11 March 1978

objective - to promote and achieve the protection, scientific study, and rational use of Antarctic seals, and to maintain a satisfactory balance within the ecological system of Antarctica

parties - (16) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, Russia, South Africa, UK, US

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) NZ

Convention on Biological Diversity

note - abbreviated as Biodiversity

opened for signature - 5 June 1992

entered into force - 29 December 1993

objective - to develop national strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity

parties - (188) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook
Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel,
Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North
Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives,
Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated
States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,
Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,
Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) US

Climate Change

see United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

see Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High
Seas

note - abbreviated as Marine Life Conservation

opened for signature - 29 April 1958

entered into force - 20 March 1966

objective - to solve through international cooperation the problems involved in the conservation of living resources of the high seas, considering that because of the development of modern technology some of these resources are in danger of being overexploited

parties - (37) Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina
Faso, Cambodia, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Finland,
France, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain,
Switzerland, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, UK, US,
Venezuela

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (21) Afghanistan,
Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ghana, Iceland,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Lebanon, Liberia, Nepal, NZ,
Pakistan, Panama, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Uruguay

Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution

opened for signature - 13 November 1979

entered into force - 16 March 1983 objective - to protect the human environment against air pollution and to gradually reduce and prevent air pollution, including long-range transboundary air pollution

parties - (49) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (2) Holy See, San Marino

Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources

note - abbreviated as Antarctic-Marine Living Resources

opened for signature - 5 May 1980

entered into force - 7 April 1982

objective - to safeguard the environment and protect the integrity of the ecosystem of the seas surrounding Antarctica, and to conserve Antarctic marine living resources

parties - (31) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada,
Chile, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South
Korea, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Peru, Poland, Russia, South
Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu

Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Flora and Fauna (CITES)

note - abbreviated as Endangered Species

opened for signature - 3 March 1973

entered into force - 1 July 1975

objective - to protect certain endangered species from overexploitation by means of a system of import/export permits

parties - (165) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana,
Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia,
Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos,
Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,
Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and
Other Matter (London Convention)

note - abbreviated as Marine Dumping

opened for signature - 29 December 1972

entered into force - 30 August 1975

objective - to control pollution of the sea by dumping and to encourage regional agreements supplementary to the Convention

parties - (80 + Hong Kong) Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Australia, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil,
Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican
Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Guatemala,
Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong (associate member), Hungary, Iceland, Iran,
Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea,
Libya, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Nauru, Netherlands,
NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Slovenia, Solomon
Islands, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tonga,
Tunisia, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Vanuatu

Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of
Environmental Modification Techniques

note - abbreviated as Environmental Modification

opened for signature - 10 December 1976

entered into force - 5 October 1978 objective - to prohibit the military or other hostile use of environmental modification techniques in order to further world peace and trust among nations

parties - (66) Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Guatemala, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South
Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Malawi, Mauritius, Mongolia, Netherlands, NZ,
Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Romania, Russia,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe,
Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland,
Tajikistan, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vietnam,
Yemen

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (17) Bolivia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Holy See, Iceland, Iran,
Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Morocco, Nicaragua, Portugal,
Sierra Leone, Syria, Turkey, Uganda

Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as
Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar)

note - abbreviated as Wetlands

opened for signature - 2 February 1971

entered into force - 21 December 1975

objective - to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural, scientific, and recreational value

parties - (125) Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus,
Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana,
Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon,
The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-
Bissau, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Latvia,
Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia,
Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Panama,
Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Sierra Leone,
Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia

Desertification

see United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa

Endangered Species

see Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)

Environmental Modification

see Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques

Hazardous Wastes

see Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal

International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling

note - abbreviated as Whaling

opened for signature - 2 December 1946

entered into force - 10 November 1948

objective - to protect all species of whales from overhunting; to establish a system of international regulation for the whale fisheries to ensure proper conservation and development of whale stocks; and to safeguard for future generations the great natural resources represented by whale stocks

parties - (42) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria,
Brazil, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Dominica, Finland, France,
Germany, Grenada, Guinea, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, South
Korea, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Oman, Panama,
Peru, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Senegal, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, UK, US

International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983

note - abbreviated as Tropical Timber 83

opened for signature - 18 November 1983

entered into force - 1 April 1985; this agreement expired when the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994, went into force

objective - to provide an effective framework for cooperation between tropical timber producers and consumers and to encourage the development of national policies aimed at sustainable utilization and conservation of tropical forests and their genetic resources

parties - (54) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma,
Cameroon, Canada, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, EU,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Honduras,
India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Liberia,
Luxembourg, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Venezuela

International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994

note - abbreviated as Tropical Timber 94

opened for signature - 26 January 1994

entered into force - 1 January 1997

objective - to ensure that by the year 2000 exports of tropical timber originate from sustainably managed sources; to establish a fund to assist tropical timber producers in obtaining the resources necessary to reach this objective

parties - (58) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Colombia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire,
Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy,
Japan, South Korea, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands,
NZ, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal,
Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and
Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela

Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change

note - abbreviated as Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

opened for signature - 16 March 1998, but not yet in force

objective - to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions by enhancing the national programs of developed countries aimed at this goal and by establishing percentage reduction targets for the developed countries

parties - (122) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Austria,
Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin,
Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia,
Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica,
Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, EU, Fiji, Finland,
France, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland,
Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia,
Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niue, Norway, Palau,
Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Senegal, Seychelles, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden,
Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Vietnam

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (13) Australia, Croatia, Egypt, Indonesia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Niger, Russia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, US, Zambia

Law of the Sea

see United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)

Marine Dumping

see Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matter (London Convention)

Marine Life Conservation

see Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High Seas

Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer

note - abbreviated as Ozone Layer Protection

opened for signature - 16 September 1987

entered into force - 1 January 1989 objective - to protect the ozone layer by controlling emissions of substances that deplete it

parties - (183) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,
Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati,
North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,
Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia
and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Nuclear Test Ban

see Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water

Ozone Layer Protection

see Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer

Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the
Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)

note - abbreviated as Ship Pollution

opened for signature - 17 February 1978

entered into force - 2 October 1983

objective - to preserve the marine environment through the complete elimination of pollution by oil and other harmful substances and the minimization of accidental discharge of such substances

parties - (119) Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Canada,
Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon,
Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall
Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands,
NZ, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Tuvalu, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam

Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty

note - abbreviated as Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

opened for signature - 4 October 1991

entered into force - 14 January 1998

objective - to provide for comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems; applies to the area covered by the Antarctic Treaty

parties - (30) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada,
Chile, China, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy,
Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Peru, Poland, Russia,
South Africa, Spain, Sweden, UK, US, Ukraine, Uruguay

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or
Their Transboundary Fluxes

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides

opened for signature - 31 October 1988

entered into force - 14 February 1991

objective - to provide for the control or reduction of nitrogen oxides and their transboundary fluxes

parties - (28) Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands,
Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, UK, US

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) Poland

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic
Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

opened for signature - 18 November 1991

entered into force - 29 September 1997

objective - to provide for the control and reduction of emissions of volatile organic compounds in order to reduce their transboundary fluxes so as to protect human health and the environment from adverse effects

parties - (21) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein,
Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, UK

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (6) Canada, EU, Greece, Portugal, Ukraine, US

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulfur Emissions

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

opened for signature - 14 June 1994

entered into force - 5 August 1998

objective - to provide for a further reduction in sulfur emissions or transboundary fluxes

parties - (23) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic,
Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (5) Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Ukraine

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

opened for signature - 24 June 1998, but not yet in force

objective - to provide for the control and reduction of emissions of persistent organic pollutants in order to reduce their transboundary fluxes so as to protect human health and the environment from adverse effects

parties - (8) Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (28) Armenia,
Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, EU, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Spain, Ukraine, UK, US

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution on the Reduction of Sulfur Emissions or Their Transboundary
Fluxes by at Least 30%

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Sulfur 85

opened for signature - 8 July 1985

entered into force - 2 September 1987

objective - to provide for a 30% reduction in sulfur emissions or transboundary fluxes by 1993

parties - (22) Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovakia,
Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine

Ship Pollution

see Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)

Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water

note - abbreviated as Nuclear Test Ban

opened for signature - 5 August 1963

entered into force - 10 October 1963

objective - to obtain an agreement on general and complete disarmament under strict international control in accordance with the objectives of the United Nations; to put an end to the armaments race and eliminate incentives for the production and testing of all kinds of weapons, including nuclear weapons

parties - (113) Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia,
Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma,
Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El
Salvador, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea,
Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, San
Marino, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela, Zambia

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (17) Algeria,
Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chile, Ethiopia, Haiti, Libya, Mali,
Pakistan, Paraguay, Portugal, Somalia, Tanzania, Uruguay, Vietnam,
Yemen

Tropical Timber 83

see International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983

Tropical Timber 94

see International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)

note - abbreviated as Law of the Sea

opened for signature - 10 December 1982

entered into force - 16 November 1994

objective - to set up a comprehensive new legal regime for the sea and oceans; to include rules concerning environmental standards as well as enforcement provisions dealing with pollution of the marine environment

parties - (145) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, EU, Fiji,
Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco,
Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia
and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen,
Zambia, Zimbabwe

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (29) Afghanistan,
Belarus, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African
Republic, Chad, Colombia, Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominican
Republic, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Iran, North Korea, Lesotho, Liberia,
Libya, Liechtenstein, Malawi, Morocco, Niger, Niue, Rwanda, Swaziland,
Switzerland, Thailand, UAE

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries
Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in
Africa

note - abbreviated as Desertification

opened for signature - 14 October 1994

entered into force - 26 December 1996

objective - to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through national action programs that incorporate long-term strategies supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements

parties - (178) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African
Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova,
Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain,
Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Thailand, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

note - abbreviated as Climate Change

opened for signature - 9 May 1992

entered into force - 21 March 1994

objective - to achieve stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a low enough level to prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system

parties - (186) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina
Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central
African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland,
France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of
Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway,
Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint
Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa,
San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand,
Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu,
Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela,
Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (2) Afghanistan, Liberia

Wetlands

see Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially As Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar)

Whaling

see International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling

This page was last updated on 9 December, 2004

=====================================================================

Appendix D - Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes

FIPS 10-4: Countries, Dependencies, Areas of Special Sovereignty, and Their Principal Administrative Divisions (FIPS PUB 10-4) is maintained by the Office of the Geographer and Global Issues (Department of State) and published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (Department of Commerce). FIPS 10-4 codes are intended for general use throughout the US Government, especially in activities associated with the mission of the Department of State and national defense programs.

ISO 3166: Codes for the Representation of Names of Countries (ISO 3166) is prepared by the International Organization for Standardization. ISO 3166 includes two- and three-character alphabetic codes and three-digit numeric codes that may be needed for activities involving exchange of data with international organizations that have adopted that standard. Except for the numeric codes, ISO 3166 codes have been adopted in the US as FIPS 104-1: American National Standard Codes for the Representation of Names of Countries, Dependencies, and Areas of Special Sovereignty for Information Interchange.

Internet: The Internet country code is the two-letter digraph maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the ISO 3166 Alpha-2 list and used by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) to establish country-coded top-level domains (ccTLDs).

Entity FIPS 10-4 —- ISO 3166 — Internet Comment

Afghanistan AF AF AFG 004 .af
Albania AL AL ALB 008 .al
Algeria AG DZ DZA 012 .dz
American Samoa AQ AS ASM 016 .as
Andorra AN AD AND 020 .ad
Angola AO AO AGO 024 .ao
Anguilla AV AI AIA 660 .ai
Antarctica AY AQ ATA 010 .aq
ISO defines as the territory south of 60 degrees south latitude

Antigua and Barbuda AC AG ATG 028 .ag
Argentina AR AR ARG 032 .ar
Armenia AM AM ARM 051 .am
Aruba AA AW ABW 533 .aw
Ashmore and
Cartier Islands AT - - - -
ISO includes with Australia

Australia AS AU AUS 036 .au
ISO includes Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Coral Sea Islands

Austria AU AT AUT 040 .at
Azerbaijan AJ AZ AZE 031 .az
Bahamas, The BF BS BHS 044 .bs
Bahrain BA BH BHR 048 .bh
Baker Island FQ UM UMI 581 -
ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Bangladesh BG BD BGD 050 .bd
Barbados BB BB BRB 052 .bb
Bassas da India BS - - - -
ISO includes with the Miscellaneous (French) Indian Ocean Islands

Belarus BO BY BLR 112 .by
Belgium BE BE BEL 056 .be
Belize BH BZ BLZ 084 .bz
Benin BN BJ BEN 204 .bj
Bermuda BD BM BMU 060 .bm
Bhutan BT BT BTN 064 .bt
Bolivia BL BO BOL 068 .bo
Bosnia and
Herzegovina BK BA BIH 070 .ba
Botswana BC BW BWA 072 .bw
Bouvet Island BV BV BVT 074 .bv
Brazil BR BR BRA 076 .br
British Indian
Ocean Territory IO IO IOT 086 .io
British Virgin
Islands VI VG VGB 092 .vg
Brunei BX BN BRN 096 .bn
Bulgaria BU BG BGR 100 .bg
Burkina Faso UV BF BFA 854 .bf
Burma BM MM MMR 104 .mm
ISO uses the name Myanmar

Burundi BY BI BDI 108 .bi
Cambodia CB KH KHM 116 .kh
Cameroon CM CM CMR 120 .cm
Canada CA CA CAN 124 .ca
Cape Verde CV CV CPV 132 .cv
Cayman Islands CJ KY CYM 136 .ky
Central African
Republic CT CF CAF 140 .cf
Chad CD TD TCD 148 .td
Chile CI CL CHL 152 .cl
China CH CN CHN 156 .cn
see also Taiwan

Christmas Island KT CX CXR 162 .cx
Clipperton Island IP - - - -
ISO includes with French Polynesia

Cocos (Keeling)
Islands CK CC CCK 166 .cc
Colombia CO CO COL 170 .co
Comoros CN KM COM 174 .km
Congo, Democratic
Republic of the CG CD COD 180 .cd
formerly Zaire

Congo,
Republic of the CF CG COG 178 .cg
Cook Islands CW CK COK 184 .ck
Coral Sea Islands CR - - - -
ISO includes with Australia

Costa Rica CS CR CRI 188 .cr
Cote d'Ivoire IV CI CIV 384 .ci
Croatia HR HR HRV 191 .hr
Cuba CU CU CUB 192 .cu
Cyprus CY CY CYP 196 .cy
Czech Republic EZ CZ CZE 203 .cz
Denmark DA DK DNK 208 .dk
Djibouti DJ DJ DJI 262 .dj
Dominica DO DM DMA 212 .dm
Dominican Republic DR DO DOM 214 .do
East Timor TT TL TLS 626 .tp
Ecuador EC EC ECU 218 .ec
Egypt EG EG EGY 818 .eg
El Salvador ES SV SLV 222 .sv
Equatorial Guinea EK GQ GNQ 226 .gq
Eritrea ER ER ERI 232 .er
Estonia EN EE EST 233 .ee
Ethiopia ET ET ETH 231 .et
Europa Island EU - - - -
ISO includes with the Miscellaneous (French) Indian Ocean Islands

Falkland Islands
(Islas Malvinas) FK FK FLK 238 .fk
Faroe Islands FO FO FRO 234 .fo
Fiji FJ FJ FJI 242 .fj
Finland FI FI FIN 246 .fi
France FR FR FRA 250 .fr
France,
Metropolitan - FX FXX 249 .fx
ISO limits to the European part of France, excluding French
Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands,
Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Reunion, Saint
Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna

French Guiana FG GF GUF 254 .gf
French Polynesia FP PF PYF 258 .pf
ISO includes Clipperton Island

French Southern
and Antarctic
Lands FS TF ATF 260 .tf
FIPS 10-4 does not include the French-claimed portion of
Antarctica (Terre Adelie)

Gabon GB GA GAB 266 .ga
Gambia, The GA GM GMB 270 .gm
Gaza Strip GZ - - - -
Georgia GG GE GEO 268 .ge
Germany GM DE DEU 276 .de
Ghana GH GH GHA 288 .gh
Gibraltar GI GI GIB 292 .gi
Glorioso Islands GO - - - -
ISO includes with the Miscellaneous (French) Indian Ocean Islands

Greece GR GR GRC 300 .gr
Greenland GL GL GRL 304 .gl
Grenada GJ GD GRD 308 .gd
Guadeloupe GP GP GLP 312 .gp
Guam GQ GU GUM 316 .gu
Guatemala GT GT GTM 320 .gt
Guernsey GK - - - .gg
ISO includes with the UK

Guinea GV GN GIN 324 .gn
Guinea-Bissau PU GW GNB 624 .gw
Guyana GY GY GUY 328 .gy
Haiti HA HT HTI 332 .ht
Heard Island and
McDonald Islands HM HM HMD 334 .hm
Holy See
(Vatican City) VT VA VAT 336 .va
Honduras HO HN HND 340 .hn
Hong Kong HK HK HKG 344 .hk
Howland Island HQ UM UMI 581 -
ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Hungary HU HU HUN 348 .hu
Iceland IC IS ISL 352 .is
India IN IN IND 356 .in
Indonesia ID ID IDN 360 .id
Iran IR IR IRN 364 .ir
Iraq IZ IQ IRQ 368 .iq
Ireland EI IE IRL 372 .ie
Israel IS IL ISR 376 .il
Italy IT IT ITA 380 .it
Jamaica JM JM JAM 388 .jm
Jan Mayen JN SJ SJM 744 -
ISO includes with Svalbard

Japan JA JP JPN 392 .jp
Jarvis Island DQ UM UMI 581 -
ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Jersey JE - - - .je
ISO includes with the UK

Johnston Atoll JQ UM UMI 581 -
ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Jordan JO JO JOR 400 .jo
Juan de Nova Island JU - - - -
ISO includes with the Miscellaneous (French) Indian Ocean Islands

Kazakhstan KZ KZ KAZ 398 .kz
Kenya KE KE KEN 404 .ke
Kingman Reef KQ UM UMI 581 -
ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Kiribati KR KI KIR 296 .ki
Korea, North KN KP PRK 408 .kp
Korea, South KS KR KOR 410 .kr
Kuwait KU KW KWT 414 .kw
Kyrgyzstan KG KG KGZ 417 .kg
Laos LA LA LAO 418 .la
Latvia LG LV LVA 428 .lv
Lebanon LE LB LBN 422 .lb
Lesotho LT LS LSO 426 .ls
Liberia LI LR LBR 430 .lr
Libya LY LY LBY 434 .ly
Liechtenstein LS LI LIE 438 .li
Lithuania LH LT LTU 440 .lt
Luxembourg LU LU LUX 442 .lu
Macau MC MO MAC 446 .mo
Macedonia,
The Republic of MK MK MKD 807 .mk
Madagascar MA MG MDG 450 .mg
Malawi MI MW MWI 454 .mw
Malaysia MY MY MYS 458 .my
Maldives MV MV MDV 462 .mv
Mali ML ML MLI 466 .ml
Malta MT MT MLT 470 .mt
Man, Isle of IM - - - .im
ISO includes with the UK

Marshall Islands RM MH MHL 584 .mh
Martinique MB MQ MTQ 474 .mq
Mauritania MR MR MRT 478 .mr
Mauritius MP MU MUS 480 .mu
Mayotte MF YT MYT 175 .yt
Mexico MX MX MEX 484 .mx
Micronesia,
Federated
States of FM FM FSM 583 .fm
Midway Islands MQ UM UMI 581 -
ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Miscellaneous
(French) Indian
Ocean Islands - - - - -
ISO includes Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands,
Juan de Nova Island, Tromelin Island

Moldova MD MD MDA 498 .md
Monaco MN MC MCO 492 .mc
Mongolia MG MN MNG 496 .mn
Montserrat MH MS MSR 500 .ms
Morocco MO MA MAR 504 .ma
Mozambique MZ MZ MOZ 508 .mz
Myanmar - - - - -
see Burma

Namibia WA NA NAM 516 .na
Nauru NR NR NRU 520 .nr
Navassa Island BQ - - - -
Nepal NP NP NPL 524 .np
Netherlands NL NL NLD 528 .nl
Netherlands
Antilles NT AN ANT 530 .an
New Caledonia NC NC NCL 540 .nc
New Zealand NZ NZ NZL 554 .nz
Nicaragua NU NI NIC 558 .ni
Niger NG NE NER 562 .ne
Nigeria NI NG NGA 566 .ng
Niue NE NU NIU 570 .nu
Norfolk Island NF NF NFK 574 .nf
Northern Mariana
Islands CQ MP MNP 580 .mp
Norway NO NO NOR 578 .no
Oman MU OM OMN 512 .om
Pakistan PK PK PAK 586 .pk
Palau PS PW PLW 585 .pw
Palmyra Atoll LQ UM UMI 581 -
ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Panama PM PA PAN 591 .pa
Papua New Guinea PP PG PNG 598 .pg
Paracel Islands PF - - - -
Paraguay PA PY PRY 600 .py
Peru PE PE PER 604 .pe
Philippines RP PH PHL 608 .ph
Pitcairn Islands PC PN PCN 612 .pn
Poland PL PL POL 616 .pl
Portugal PO PT PRT 620 .pt
Puerto Rico RQ PR PRI 630 .pr
Qatar QA QA QAT 634 .qa
Reunion RE RE REU 638 .re
Romania RO RO ROU 642 .ro
Russia RS RU RUS 643 .ru
Rwanda RW RW RWA 646 .rw
Saint Helena SH SH SHN 654 .sh
Saint Kitts
and Nevis SC KN KNA 659 .kn
Saint Lucia ST LC LCA 662 .lc
Saint Pierre
and Miquelon SB PM SPM 666 .pm
Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines VC VC VCT 670 .vc
Samoa WS WS WSM 882 .ws
San Marino SM SM SMR 674 .sm
Sao Tome and
Principe TP ST STP 678 .st
Saudi Arabia SA SA SAU 682 .sa
Senegal SG SN SEN 686 .sn
Serbia and
Montenegro YI CS SCG 891 .yu
Seychelles SE SC SYC 690 .sc
Sierra Leone SL SL SLE 694 .sl
Singapore SN SG SGP 702 .sg
Slovakia LO SK SVK 703 .sk
Slovenia SI SI SVN 705 .si
Solomon Islands BP SB SLB 090 .sb
Somalia SO SO SOM 706 .so
South Africa SF ZA ZAF 710 .za
South Georgia and
the Islands SX GS SGS 239 .gs
Spain SP ES ESP 724 .es
Spratly Islands PG - - - -
Sri Lanka CE LK LKA 144 .lk
Sudan SU SD SDN 736 .sd
Suriname NS SR SUR 740 .sr
Svalbard SV SJ SJM 744 .sj
ISO includes Jan Mayen

Swaziland WZ SZ SWZ 748 .sz
Sweden SW SE SWE 752 .se
Switzerland SZ CH CHE 756 .ch
Syria SY SY SYR 760 .sy
Taiwan TW TW TWN 158 .tw
Tajikistan TI TJ TJK 762 .tj
Tanzania TZ TZ TZA 834 .tz
Thailand TH TH THA 764 .th
Togo TO TG TGO 768 .tg
Tokelau TL TK TKL 772 .tk
Tonga TN TO TON 776 .to
Trinidad and Tobago TD TT TTO 780 .tt
Tromelin Island TE - - - -
ISO includes with the Miscellaneous Islands

Tunisia TS TN TUN 788 .tn
Turkey TU TR TUR 792 .tr
Turkmenistan TX TM TKM 795 .tm
Turks and
Caicos Islands TK TC TCA 796 .tc
Tuvalu TV TV TUV 798 .tv
Uganda UG UG UGA 800 .ug
Ukraine UP UA UKR 804 .ua
United Arab
Emirates AE AE ARE 784 .ae
United Kingdom UK GB GBR 826 .uk
ISO includes Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey

United States US US USA 840 .us
United States
Minor Outlying
Islands - UM UMI 581 .um
ISO includes Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island,
Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Palmyra Atoll,
Wake Island

Uruguay UY UY URY 858 .uy
Uzbekistan UZ UZ UZB 860 .uz
Vanuatu NH VU VUT 548 .vu
Venezuela VE VE VEN 862 .ve
Vietnam VM VN VNM 704 .vn
Virgin Islands VQ VI VIR 850 .vi
Virgin Islands (UK) VI VG VGB 092 .vg
see British Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands (US) VQ VI VIR 850 .vi
see Virgin Islands

Wake Island WQ UM UMI 581 -
ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Wallis and Futuna WF WF WLF 876 .wf
West Bank WE - - - -
Western Sahara WI EH ESH 732 .eh
Western Samoa - - - - .ws
see Samoa

World - - - - - the Factbook uses the W data code from DIAM 65-18 Geopolitical Data Elements and Related Features, Data Standard No. 3, December 1994, published by the Defense Intelligence Agency

Yemen YM YE YEM 887 .ye Zaire - - - - - see Democratic Republic of the Congo

Zambia ZA ZM ZWB 894 .zm
Zimbabwe ZI ZW ZWE 716 .zw

This page was last updated on 9 December, 2004

=====================================================================

Appendix E - Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes

IHO 23-4th: Limits of Oceans and Seas, Special Publication 23, Draft 4th Edition 1986, published by the International Hydrographic Bureau of the International Hydrographic Organization

IHO 23-3rd: Limits of Oceans and Seas, Special Publication 23, 3rd
Edition 1953, published by the International Hydrographic Organization

ACIC M 49-1: Chart of Limits of Seas and Oceans, revised January 1958,
published by the Aeronautical Chart and Information Center (ACIC),
United States Air Force; note - ACIC is now part of the National
Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA)

DIAM 65-18: Geopolitical Data Elements and Related Features, Data Standard No. 4, Defense Intelligence Agency Manual 65-18, December 1994, published by the Defense Intelligence Agency

The US Government has not yet adopted a standard for hydrographic codes similar to the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 10-4 country codes. The names and limits of the following oceans and seas are not always directly comparable because of differences in the customers, needs, and requirements of the individual organizations. Even the number of principal water bodies varies from organization to organization. Factbook users, for example, find the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean entries useful, but none of the following standards include those oceans in their entirety. Nor is there any provision for combining codes or overcodes to aggregate water bodies. The recently delimited Southern Ocean is not included.

Principal Oceans and Seas of the World
With Hydrographic Codes by Institution

IHO 23-4th IHO 23-3rd* ACIC M 49-1 DIAM 65-18

Arctic Ocean 9 17 A 5A
Atlantic Ocean - - - -
North Atlantic Ocean 1 23 B 1A
South Atlantic Ocean 4 32 C 2A
Baltic Sea 2 1 B26 7B
Indian Ocean 5 45 F 6A
Mediterranean Sea 3.1 28 B11 -
Eastern Mediterranean 3.1.2 28 B - 8E
Western Mediterranean 3.1.1 28 A - 8W
Pacific Ocean - - - -
North Pacific Ocean 7 57 D 3A
South Pacific Ocean 8 61 E 4A
South China and Eastern
Archipelagic Seas 6 49, 48 D18 plus 3U plus
others others

*The letters after the numbers are subdivisions, not footnotes.

This page was last updated on 9 December, 2004

=====================================================================

Appendix F - Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names

Name Entry in The World Latitude Longitude
Factbook (deg min) (deg min)

Abidjan (capital) Cote d'Ivoire 5 19 N 4 02 W
Abkhazia (region) Georgia 43 00 N 41 00 E
Abu Dhabi (capital) United Arab 24 28 N 54 22 E
Emirates
Abu Musa (island) Iran 25 52 N 55 03 E
Abuja (capital) Nigeria 9 12 N 7 11 E
Abyssinia (former name for Ethiopia 8 00 N 38 00 E
Ethiopia)
Acapulco (city) Mexico 16 51 N 99 55 W
Accra (capital) Ghana 5 33 N 0 13 W
Adamstown (capital) Pitcairn Islands 25 04 S 130 05 W
Addis Ababa (capital) Ethiopia 9 02 N 38 42 E
Adelie Land (claimed by Antarctica 66 30 S 139 00 E
France; also Terre Adelie)
Aden (city) Yemen 12 46 N 45 01 E
Aden, Gulf of Indian Ocean 12 30 N 48 00 E
Admiralty Island United States 57 44 N 134 20 W
(Alaska)
Admiralty Islands Papua New Guinea 2 10 S 147 00 E
Adriatic Sea Atlantic Ocean 42 30 N 16 00 E
Adygey (region) Russia 44 30 N 40 10 E
Aegean Islands Greece 38 00 N 25 00 E
Aegean Sea Atlantic Ocean 38 30 N 25 00 E
Afars and Issas, French Djibouti 11 30 N 43 00 E
Territory of the (or FTAI;
former name for Djibouti)
Afghanestan (local name for Afghanistan 33 00 N 65 00 E
Afghanistan)
Agalega Islands Mauritius 10 25 S 56 40 E
Agana (city; former name for Guam 13 28 N 144 45 E
Hagatna)
Ajaccio (city) France (Corsica) 41 55 N 8 44 E
Ajaria (region) Georgia 41 45 N 42 10 E
Akmola (city; former name for Kazakhstan 51 10 N 71 30 E
Astana)
Aksai Chin (region) China (de facto), 35 00 N 79 00 E
India (claimed)
Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah Saudi Arabia 25 00 N 45 00 E
(local name for Saudi Arabia)
Al Bahrayn (local name for Bahrain 26 00 N 50 33 E
Bahrain)
Al Imarat al Arabiyah al United Arab 24 00 N 54 00 E
Muttahidah (local name for Emirates
the United Arab Emirates)
Al Iraq (local name for Iraq) Iraq 33 00 N 44 00 E
Al Jaza'ir (local name for Algeria 28 00 N 3 00 E
Algeria)
Al Kuwayt (local name for Kuwait 29 30 N 45 45 E
Kuwait)
Al Maghrib (local name for Morocco 32 00 N 5 00 W
Morocco)
Al Urdun (local name for Jordan 31 00 N 36 00 E
Jordan)
Al Yaman (local name for Yemen 15 00 N 48 00 E
Yemen)
Aland Islands Finland 60 15 N 20 00 E
Alaska (state) United States 65 00 N 153 00 W
Alaska, Gulf of Pacific Ocean 58 00 N 145 00 W
Alboran Sea Atlantic Ocean 36 00 N 2 30 W
Aldabra Islands (Groupe Seychelles 9 25 S 46 22 E
d'Aldabra)
Alderney (island) Guernsey 49 43 N 2 12 W
Aleutian Islands United States 52 00 N 176 00 W
(Alaska)
Alexander Archipelago (island United States 57 00 N 134 00 W
group) (Alaska)
Alexander Island Antarctica 71 00 S 70 00 W
Alexandretta (region; former Turkey 36 34 N 36 08 E
name for Iskenderun)
Alexandria (city) Egypt 31 12 N 29 54 E
Algiers (capital) Algeria 36 47 N 2 03 E
Alhucemas, Penon de (island Spain 35 13 N 3 53 W
group)
Alma-Ata (city; former name Kazakhstan 43 15 N 76 57 E
for Almaty)
Almaty (former capital) Kazakhstan 43 15 N 76 57 E
Alofi (capital) Niue 19 01 S 169 55 W
Alphonse Island Seychelles 7 01 S 52 45 E
Alsace (region) France 48 30 N 7 20 E
Amami Strait Pacific Ocean 28 40 N 129 30 E
Amindivi Islands (former name India 11 30 N 72 30 E
for Laccadive Islands)
Amirante Isles (island group; Seychelles 6 00 S 53 10 E
also Les Amirantes)
Amman (capital) Jordan 31 57 N 35 56 E
Amsterdam (capital) Netherlands 52 23 N 4 54 E
Amsterdam Island (Ile French Southern and 37 52 S 77 32 E
Amsterdam) Antarctic Lands
Amundsen Sea Southern Ocean 72 30 S 112 00 W
Amur River China, Russia 52 56 N 141 10 E
Amurskiy Liman (strait) Pacific Ocean 53 00 N 141 30 E
Anadyrskiy Zaliv (gulf) Pacific Ocean 64 00 N 177 00 E
Anatolia (region) Turkey 39 00 N 35 00 E
Andaman Islands India 12 00 N 92 45 E
Andaman Sea Indian Ocean 10 00 N 95 00 E
Andorra la Vella (capital) Andorra 42 30 N 1 30 E
Andros (island) Greece 37 45 N 24 42 E
Andros Island The Bahamas 24 26 N 77 57 W
Anegada Passage Atlantic Ocean 18 30 N 63 40 W
Angkor Wat (ruins) Cambodia 13 26 N 103 50 E
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan (former Sudan 15 00 N 30 00 E
name for Sudan)
Anjouan (island) Comoros 12 15 S 44 25 E
Ankara (capital) Turkey 39 56 N 32 52 E
Annobon (island) Equatorial Guinea 1 25 S 5 36 E
Antananarivo (capital) Madagascar 18 52 S 47 30 E
Antigua (island) Antigua and Barbuda 14 34 N 90 44 W
Antipodes Islands New Zealand 49 41 S 178 43 E
Antwerp (city) Belgium 51 13 N 4 25 E
Aomen (local Chinese short- Macau 22 10 N 113 33 E
form name for Macau)
Aozou Strip (region) Chad 22 00 N 18 00 E
Apia (capital) Samoa 13 50 S 171 45W
Aqaba, Gulf of Indian Ocean 29 00 N 34 30 E
Arab, Shatt al (river) Iran, Iraq 29 57 N 48 34 E
Arabian Sea Indian Ocean 15 00 N 65 00 E
Arafura Sea Pacific Ocean 9 00 S 133 00 E
Aral Sea Kazakhstan, 45 00 N 60 00 E
Uzbekistan
Argun River China, Russia 53 20 N 121 28 E
Aru Sea Pacific Ocean 6 15 S 135 00 E
Ascension Island Saint Helena 7 57 S 14 22 W
Ashgabat (capital) Turkmenistan 37 57 N 58 23 E
Ashkhabad (see Ashgabat) Turkmenistan 37 57 N 58 23 E
Asmara (capital) Eritrea 15 20 N 38 53 E
Asmera (see Asmara) Eritrea 15 20 N 38 53 E
As-Sudan (local name for Sudan 15 00 N 30 00 E
Sudan)
Assumption Island Seychelles 9 46 S 46 34 E
Astana (capital; formerly Kazakhstan 51 10 N 71 30 E
Akmola)
Asuncion (capital) Paraguay 25 16 S 57 40 W
Asuncion Island Northern Mariana 19 40 N 145 24 E
Islands
Atacama (desert) Chile 23 00 S 70 10 W
Atacama (region) Chile 24 30 S 69 15 W
Athens (capital) Greece 37 59 N 23 44 E
Attu Island United States 52 55 N 172 57 E
Auckland Islands New Zealand 51 00 S 166 30 E
Australes, Iles (island French Polynesia 23 20 S 151 00 W
group; also Iles Tubuai)
Avarua (capital) Cook Islands 21 12 S 159 46 W
Axel Heiberg Island Canada 79 30 N 90 00 W
Azad Kashmir (region) Pakistan 34 30 N 74 00 E
Azarbaycan (local name for Azerbaijan 40 30 N 47 30 E
Azerbaijan)
Azerbaidzhan (local name for Azerbaijan 40 30 N 47 30 E
Azerbaijan)
Azores (islands) Portugal 38 30 N 28 00 W
Azov, Sea of Atlantic Ocean 49 00 N 36 00 E

This page was last updated on 9 December, 2004

=====================================================================

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